James and Amber arrive at the restaurant just a few minutes late, he has difficulty finding a parking space. This must be a really good place, he thinks as they walk the couple of blocks it takes to get a parking spot. The evening is beautiful so the walk does nothing but provide them an opportunity to hold hands and enjoy the beauty around them.
"This place is famous for their Creole cooking and their catfish is the bomb"! Tanner says as the couple sits down. Joanna shakes hands with Amber and smiles genuinely at her. Amber knows they will be great friends, she thought so before she knew about the past and doesn't see any reason to change her mind. James is an amazing guy, how could she not love him when they spent so much of their time together. She is just grateful Joanna chose Tanner.
Amber realizes she hasn't had any opportunities to enjoy the local fare yet, she hasn't gone out exploring that much. Everything sounds fantastic and she is having a hard time deciding so James tells he he's got it in hand. He orders a couple of steam pots, and she laughs at him. "What is a pot?" she asks as they all laugh.
"You will see," Joanna says. When the food comes, the waiter literally dumps the entire pot of food on the table. The rich fragrance of butter, spices and seafood wafts about. Her mouth waters at the sight of the feast. They share the meal and discuss the details of the case, filling in Amber and Tanner. Once they have all the details hashed out, James explains Amber's abilities and the history of her family. The couples spend over two hours discussing the strangeness all around them. Joanna and Tanner just stare in stunned disbelief as the story is spun for them. The fibers all connecting in a perfectly intricate and utterly evil web. The facts and the hypothesis wrapping themselves neatly where logical explanations are utterly failing. James shows Joanna the scar on Amber’s shoulder and explains the importance of the tears of blood, and some details regarding how some of the girls have had theirs removed by members of the Circle to keep them from ending up like the dead girls. Joanna is intrigued and is open to some supernatural answers since science is so annoyingly failing her. James is surprised how easily both Tanner and Joanna seem to be taking all of this strangeness in stride.
The four have been pushed together, perhaps the only hope there is of finding a solution to the problem at hand. Some things are just not within the scope of the legal system. They will need to reach out of their jurisdictions and into realms of evidence and speculation that will set the lieutenant on his ear if he finds out. James and Tanner will work on finding any other cases that might be related, while Amber and Joanna will spend their time reading and researching the information held within the pages of the mysterious book.
Everyone hugs, saying goodbyes after eating more than they can handle and enjoying a couple of drinks to settle their nerves.
"One beer is all it takes," Amber scolds James, and they laugh as they walk back to their car. To pass some time they take Allie for a walk and the night air is so inviting they spend over an hour walking around, letting the food settle. The couple is often surprised how easy it is for time to pass while they are together.
Suddenly Allie breaks the silence, pulling eagerly at her leash. She smells something she doesn't like, and is going to get it. James looks up and immediately recognizes the woman from outside the precinct. She is just ahead of them looking at him again with that flirtatious smile. Amber looks back at her, she doesn't look like she belongs on the streets of Louisiana. Her shoes are far too fancy and her clothes look extremely expensive. She is not carrying a purse, or anything else for that matter. Something about her feels completely off.
When Amber looks at James, she notices the puzzled look on his face and is even more sure something is wrong. Allie is not having anything to do with this lady, she wants to tear her up. Amber coaxes the puppy back to her side and the woman turns, slowly walking away. She does not turn back toward them and they feel deeply uneasy without understanding why. The awkwardness of the moment striking them both hard, there is something threatening about the interaction. He doesn't know who this woman is, and yet she looks at him as though she knows him, inside and out. She is goading him, leading him, his anger rushes to the surface. He knows her intention is to make him uncomfortable and unfortunately she is succeeding.
Amber doesn't know what to say as they return to their car. There is a piece of paper under the wiper and James pulls it out carefully. He doesn't even think to wear gloves or to process the paper as evidence. It is merely a piece of paper on his car. The moment he reads the words, he realizes his mistake. Allie jumps up onto the seat and anxiously awaits their departure, she wants to have her people home safe and sound.
James feels his heart in his throat and anger rising up inside him threatens to turn his world upside down. She is His! Simple and to the point, but those words are more terrifying than anything else could possibly be. He knows what threat is within those dark words. Amber looks at him expectantly, knowing immediately it is bad. He is angry, she can see it in the tension that takes control of his body. His cheeks are hot and his fists clenching. He feels the fight in him pushing for release. He wants to find this bastard and tear out his eyes. No one is going to threaten his girl. He will protect her no matter what the cost. The blonde woman has something to do with this, they both know it. The night has been ruined by this simple note and the implications it drives into their reality. They are not the only hunters in this game on the prowl. Amber is in danger, and they will need to be prepared when the attack comes.
Tears and Hunger
Rissa is devastated when she gets the news of Dawn's death. The girl doesn't have any relatives so the information is not delivered in a personal way. She finds out about the house fire watching the local news while washing dishes. She is barely paying attention but she glances up and recognizes a photo of the house before the fire and then they show a photo of the flattened ruins of the aftermath. The news caster says that one person appears to have been trapped inside when the house went up in flames. Smoke inhalation is presumably the cause of death and the origin of the fire is still pending investigation.
Rissa feels anger and sadness well up inside her in a geyser of emotion beyond words. She throws the plate she is washing at the wall and it shatters into tiny glistening shards. The anger and pain within overwhelming her, she feels as if she might drown in it, to completely disappear beneath the consuming blackness. She puts her head in her pillow screaming until her voice gives out and she is faint from the effort. Her body convulses and her stomach purges all of it's contents. The retching leaves her dry heaving and hyperventilating, hopeless on the floor.
Rissa has found her breaking point. Of all the pain and loss in her life, this is the worst. Dawn has been her lover, her friend and her confidant for as long as she can remember. She was her first kiss, her first love and the woman she hoped to eventually settle down with. She knows Dawn was not yet ready for any kind of commitment, nor was she willing to allow her desire for women to come to light in any way. Dawn was already an outcast, she was unwilling to stand up for the affair and so it was kept completely secret. Rissa can't imagine her life without her. How will she be able to suffer this loss alone, no one will understand the magnitude of its impact on her. Her first instinct falls to self-destruction. She sees the scissors on the counter, sharp and inviting, calling to her. Rissa takes the wicked blades in her hand and chops her long hair off, she doesn't care anything for style, she merely needs a release. When this does not satiate her pain she begins to focus inside to deeper and darker places.
She feels a hunger welling beneath the anger and the pain. She wants comfort and she wants to control the pain. She draws the blade against the soft skin of her arm gently at first and then more aggressively. She makes a cut for every year she has known and loved Dawn. The blood flowing down her arm making her feel dizzy and almost euphoric. She just sits there and watches the blood dripping, thinking nothing of the carpet or the permanency of the damage to her body. She thinks only of the blood running in crimson rive
rs and splashing in intricate snowflake patterns. She feels the power, bleeding is the ability to give life, to wash away pain and suffering; the hunger has been born and will not be satiated until she is fully awake.
She does not know where she is going, only that she must get out of this confined space. She must hunt. Rissa wraps her arm loosely and dresses in a long sleeve leather jacket to keep the blood from showing through. She is only slightly successful and leaves a trail of her suffering behind her. She walks to the meadow, the meeting place, the place where she has shared in the bloodletting with Amber. The last place she felt the intimacy she only shares with Dawn. Rissa smells blood in this place as clear as walking into a butcher's shop. Sensing something is wrong with her, she trembles with fear and anticipation. She is drawn to the center of the open area and there she sits and waits. She feels the world around her in exquisite ways. The heartbeat of a rabbit echoing in her ears, The slow steady rhythm of the gator waiting patiently for its prey to approach, his breathing nearly silent. The saltiness of her sweat. She knows where they all hide; whether they are aware of her, and whether they fear her she does not know. She takes off the jacket and the wrappings allowing her blood to fall freely here on the sacred ground, where so much other blood has been spilled. She feels a connection to this past, to this place, knowing she has a role yet to play. Though she wants to die, it is not death that is coming for her, it is the Awakening.
Rissa sits for a long while meditating, allowing the energy to rise up inside her. She feels the weakness of the blood loss, but knows there is so much more to do before the night comes to a close. She pulls the scissors from her pocket and begins a matching pattern on the opposite arm. The lines are not as clear and she begins having a hard time holding the scissors firmly enough in her slippery hand. Each cut is a measure of her not having told Dawn how much she loves her, wants her, needs her with her. She failed to prove her love and now she has lost the opportunity forever.
Rissa begins to see visions on the outside edges of her sight. the tunnel is closing in on her and darkness is nearing. She again sees the past, the ugliness of her father, and the design of her being. She knows who she was, and now she knows what she is becoming. She sees Dawn standing before her, splashing in a crystal clear stream, and then she sees only a mangy red dog shaking crystal clear droplets from it's wet body. She understands and she is in awe. She has come to the edge of living and on the other side of the veil she will be free of her pain forever. She is fading in and out of consciousness and the night air cradles her with a sense of comfort. She tries to hold on to the vision of Dawn, but it fades to darkness as she clings to life for just one more moment she struggles to hold onto her last moments with all of her senses. She is where she belongs and she has no choice now but to let the darkness take her. She gives up the last breath within her with a sense of peace and finality. When she wakes, she feels the need to vomit again, above all else her body feels twisted rebelling against her. She has no idea where she is or how she has gotten there. Only the searing pain within her fills her mind.
She throws up black blood. Her veins burning, there is a fire within her, consuming her, and then she feels numb as if a tremendous dosage of morphine has been pushed through an IV to take away her pain. She feels nothing, there is no more pain, no more agony within her, the anger and anguish fading away. She looks up at the rising sun and feels the warmth fill her. She stands looking around. Her clothing is drenched with blood and the place she was sitting is spotted with pools of crimson and black. She doesn't remember what happened. She picks up her shirt realizing she can't put it back on. She wanders aimlessly for a few moments trying to gather her wits. She sees bodies of beasts gathered around her, dead and withered, and she feels nothing. She does not know, doesn't care about any of this, she only knows it is time to rest for a while. She must gather her strength, she is so tired.
Deep Discussions
James and Amber head over to his place deciding it will be best for him to stay with her for a while. He wants to pack some of his things to make it easier. He fills a bag with his essentials and bags up the fresh groceries purchased so they won't go bad in his absence. He is worried and packs in a hurry. Amber and Allie watch as he bustles about trying to make sure he isn't forgetting anything. She wonders what this place looked like before he purchased all of the obviously new decorations and accessories. He even left the tags on many of his purchases giving her even more ammunition for teasing. She can't hold in the giggle that brings him back into focus.
"You ready to get out of here?" he asks with a slight amused and half embarrassed smile. He realizes what she is laughing at and can't help but smile. "Yeah, I did make some changes for you, I haven't changed much since college and it was a bit of a bachelor pad. I guess there really was no reason to grow up until I met you, and once I did, I saw the place for what it was. It made me look like a chauvinist ass and I don't want you to think that is who I am." He says.
She gives him a hug. "Thank you for being so sweet," she says and can't let him go without asking, "So how many posters and beer signs did you take down?" He smacks her on the butt telling her it's none of her business.
They load up the car. The drive home is quiet with both deeply focused on their thoughts. As they pull into the driveway, Allie breaks the silence with a deep growl. As soon as Amber opens the door, she jumps out of the car breaking into a vicious tirade. The tiny dog senses something neither of them can see. She runs around the car and towards the house bouncing excitedly. She sniffs and searches running back to the car quickly. She waits for them, wagging her tail, she has done her job, making sure it is safe for them to get out and now she is happy.
They laugh at her futile attempts at toughness. She is only a baby, after all. Amber goes inside and James unloads the car. Amber makes space for him in the closet smiling at the thought of him staying with her. He comes in laden with the bags dropping them on the floor in front of the closet.
"Are you sure you’re okay with this," he asks her. In answer she takes him in her arms. Her kiss of reassurance igniting the desire within him. They have so much on their minds and the tenuous nature of life has been put into such sharp focus that neither wants to think too deeply. They find release in each other and sleep restlessly until Allie wakes them.
They spend the entire next day and evening together trying to put some of the pieces of the puzzle into place. Writing out diagrams and maps and reading passages to each other. They spend much of their time on the back porch taking in the sunshine, pulling weeds in the garden and otherwise trying to keep themselves busy. The weekend passes quickly and there is nothing out of place. By Monday morning they feel almost normal again. The morning air is full of promise, but both will find the day has nothing good in store for them.
James drops Amber off at work and both are stunned Rissa is not there yet. She usually arrives long before Amber gets there making sure everything is ready for the day. The coffee station has not been opened, and nothing is stocked from the day before. Amber rushes around trying desperately to put everything in order as quickly as possible. The normal bright atmosphere seems dim and sad in some way today.
She turns on the sign and is immediately swamped with people waiting for their coffee. Typically the doors would have been open an hour ago and people love their daily stop to visit with Rissa and Amber. Many of the local businesses pick up their coffee and pastries every morning and the day just isn't the same without them. James tries to help her for a little while, but knows he has to get to work. He has a few moments of worry about leaving her alone, with Rissa missing. He decides she is probably just sleeping in, ignoring his instincts which are screaming that something is wrong. He will call and check on Amber later.
When the store grows quiet again some hours later, Amber runs upstairs knocking on the door of Rissa's apartment. There is no answer and Amber actually starts to think her friend might have left town for something, she probably told me, she thinks, and I j
ust forgot about it with all the other stuff going on. Amber looks over the work calendar for any hints that Rissa's disappearing act is a planned event. There is nothing there. She doesn't know anyone to call, to find out if everything is ok, she decides then and there to get to know about Rissa's life, friends and family a bit more. It seems ridiculous that she feels so close to her and yet truly knows nothing about her.
The day passes slowly as people came and go, everyone asking about Rissa and how she is doing. No one seems to know where she is. Most people coming in ask if she is feeling well and presume that she has caught a bug or something. Travel doesn't seem to be a probability. Then one of the girls Amber has seen before, a girl Rissa went to school with, comes in with tears in her eyes and flowers for Rissa.
The girl asks how she is taking Dawn's death. No one else has mentioned anything like that. Amber doesn't know what to say. She is in shock and simply asks what happened.
"There was a fire, a terrible fire and she was trapped in her house. The firemen found her on the floor in her bedroom, but there was nothing they could do to save her. Rissa must be devastated, they were best friends for so many years." Amber tells the girl Rissa is taking some time to herself and that she will deliver the flowers and well wishes to her when she gets back to the shop.
Awakening - Book of Fire (Blood Heritage) Page 20
