Syndrome of Mortality (Break of Breath Book 2)

by Eden R. Souther

  “They did great work.” Ravin nodded in approval. “I’m glad she’s recovered after what happened last Fall.” The fact that she could have fun and torment her sister after almost being sacrificed at the hands of psychotic demon was a relief. Not many people could bounce back from an experience like that.

  It took a great deal of effort for Ravin to tear his thoughts away from the things that Iraldin, said psychotic demon, had told him. Had they both been made demons by the same woman? Then subsequently killed that woman? He didn’t know if half of it was true. Those memories were no longer a part of his mind, so it was impossible to say for sure.

  Over the course of the months that had followed, he’d debated the validity of those claims. It would have been too easy for Iraldin to lie. But, there was a nagging voice in the back of his mind that reminded Ravin that it would have been impossible to know Ira’s full name without some connection existing between them.

  “I hope you like what I have in mind for dinner.” Ravin squeezed her hand.

  “I’m a squishy trash can,” she reminded him. “I’m down for just about anything.” With her free hand, Michelle patted her belly. There were a few known facts in life:

  1.Whoopee cushions, though old, never ever stopped being

  hilarious.

  2.Taxes were more inevitable than death.

  3.Michelle was known to eat anything and everything.

  A look of triumph crossed Ravin’s face. “I know, but I think you’d be proud of me.” His dark eyes gleamed. “I did the one thing that you probably thought that I would never do.” He paused to let her consider all the various things that he could do that would blow her mind.

  “I listened to you.” He revealed with a broad smile.

  A hand flashed to Michelle’s mouth as she let out a loud gasp. “You didn’t!”

  Ravin tilted his head up and laughed into the ceiling. “Oh, but I did! And now you shall see the consequences of those actions,” he declared in a grandiose tone that echoed about the hall. It hid his underlying anxieties. There was a chance, no matter how slim, that she might dislike like his choices.

  Yet, he couldn’t feel an ounce of regret. Tonight would be fun, even if it ended in horrible, awkward tragedy.

  “I’m very worried.” Brightness illuminated Michelle’s features. “So, are we doing the transport thing or the teleporting thing?”

  The smirk only widened, showing off Ravin’s slightly pointed canines. “Even better.” He leaned down and dropped a quick peck on her ear. “Okay well, there will be a bit of teleporting, but then there will be real travel.” He wasn’t sure if she’d gotten use to teleportation yet. If not, warning her was the least he could do.

  Michelle sucked in a breath, centering herself. The instantaneous transit was useful, but that didn’t mean it was the easiest on her body. It was getting better every time she was pulled along. Still, for about five minutes after, she felt the disorienting spin and lingering motion sickness. There was a reason humans weren’t built with that power.

  Since she had been hanging out with Ravin and the crew more and more, she had gotten used to taking a small baggie of gingersnap cookies with her. One bite of those, and it would perk her right back up.

  “Let's get this over with.” Her eyes closed in preparation.

  Ravin took in a breath and focused on making the teleportation as smooth as possible. He was sure to make it so she could have time to recover before she saw her first surprise. When he exhaled they disappeared with a soft pop. In the next instant, they appeared on the sidewalk under a street lamp.

  For a moment, Michelle faltered. She leaned on her date for support, as was his date-ly duty. She reached into the small black bag around her shoulder and pulled out a tiny cookie and nibbled on it. The cinnamon taste hit her first and then the ginger soothed her wriggling stomach.

  Of course, no amount of motion sickness could quell her never ending thirst for sass. “Oh, what a pretty light. Best date ever.”

  “The surprise is behind me.” Ravin rolled his eyes. “I don’t want you throwing up on nice expensive things, so you’re staying like this until your stomach settles.” He was glad she was so much smaller than him, so that he could block her view. He had a feeling, though, that the sounds would give it away.

  He’d worked hard on this, and he’d be damned again if his surprise was ruined by something petty like vomit.

  Once he sensed her stomach had settled, Ravin stepped aside.

  What awaited her was a horse-drawn carriage. They had been common long before his time, so his grasp on the terminology was weak, at best. The cab was comprised of gossamer strands of white metal that curled into a sphere. Between each spoke that formed the ball were curling adornments hung in the wind; each ‘window’ formed a heart.

  The seats were a golden velvet that would protect them from whatever chill came. The wheels had a matching paint job. The vivid gilding began in the center and faded out as it spread, like the sun.

  Pulling the buggy was a massive Clydesdale. Her coat was sable, dappled with bright white, like a smattering of stars.

  Ravin held out his free hand. “Your chariot awaits.”

  Michelle stared, her bright blue eyes wide in awe. Once her composure was regained, she twisted her gaze up to Ravin. “Oh my stars,” she breathed. “You are a total cheese ball, aren’t you?”

  “Eat me.” Ravin jutted out his chin. “Do you have any idea how hard it was to get a starry horse?” This was the exact opposite reaction he’d anticipated. Yet, he couldn’t say he was completely surprised. Michelle had a way of keeping him on his toes.

  “Do you know how many calories an entire cheeseball has in it?” She stuck out her tongue. Her stomach quivered as she approached the fantasy carriage. This was the most all-out someone had gone for her. And that was just the transportation. In her prior dates, she had been taken to a crappy movie, a crappy dinner at a fast food joint, a different crappy movie, and a less than admirable attempt to cook for her. It was all crappy.

  This was a fucking star horse and a princess mobile. Pressure mounted on her shoulders. It wasn’t bad, but now she was starting to grasp the situation a bit better. Ravin never struck her as the romantic type. If he was pulling this type of stuff out of his ass to impress her, he had to be completely serious about making some sort of real relationship work between them. Michelle was painfully aware of the creeping warmth on her cheeks.

  Ravin opened the door so she could climb inside. “I’m sure I could look it up.” A flush started to rise up his ears. All of a sudden, he was starting to think he’d gone… too far. Every single one of his ‘friends’ was going to get the worst ass-kicking of their lives for this.

  Stars, he was going to die if this ruined everything. He hoped that she couldn’t see him screaming silently into the void on the inside.

  Their warm hands clasped as Michelle put hers on top of Ravin’s. She pushed herself into the carriage and felt it sink beneath her weight. The seats were top-of-the-line comfortable. Stylish and satisfying: this was a winning combination in her book.

  “But really, Ravin, it’s beautiful,” she said at long last. “No one has ever done something like this for me. I don’t have enough polite words in my dictionary to express how fucking cool this is.”

  A wave of relief rolled through Ravin. He released his pent-up breath as he climbed in after her. Okay, maybe his friend’s asses would be safe for another day. “Well, thank you.” He leaned back and ran a hand through his hair. Out of reflex he grazed his horns. The action made him bite his lip. “I figured, even if this doesn’t go well, at least you’ll have an interesting story to tell about the time you met a star horse.”

  “Wait, you think the date could go south?” She pursed her lips, now feeling her own worry return. So much for a vote of confidence.

  Ravin let his head fall back. It landed with a thump against the neck support. “I spent two full days obsessing over every single possible thing th
at could possibly go wrong.” The cat was already halfway out of the bag. There was no point in keeping it in. “I have been a ball of anxiety, and I cannot believe I just admitted this to you.”

  Michelle pressed her lips against his scratchy five-o-clock cheek. “The worst date I ever had was this guy from my Common class taking me to the Greasy Burger then asking to shag after stealing half my fries.” She leaned her head on his shoulder and twined their fingers together.

  It felt natural. To give him another boost of reassurance, she squeezed his hand. “Trust me when I say you’re doing more than fine.”

  Her words brought him peace. Ravin took in a deep breath. He could smell the crisp scent of her freshly washed hair. It was more than just cleanliness. No, it was more toothsome, an apple so rich, he could taste it. There were underlying hints of some flower petals, exotic; but achingly familiar. There was a hint of sweetness, too, just at the end.

  “Thank you, Michelle,” Ravin sighed once he’d regained his ability to speak. “Just wait ‘til you see what I have planned for dinner.”

  There was a twinkling of bells as the horse began its liesurely stroll down the old cobblestone road. This was part of Olde Seneal. It had a rustic pre-equilibrium feeling to it. There were mom and pop shops lining the streets. Gardens and fountains flourished in the square. It was the one section of town where hover cars weren’t allowed. People of all shapes and sizes milled about, walking together down the lanes to go here or there.

  Michelle closed her eyes and felt the whispering breeze caress her cheek. When she reopened them, starlight was all around them. Olde Seneal Park had been decorated with fairy lights and lanterns. The night air was dappled beautifully. She watched as each street went by. Wherever they were going, it was going to be nice.

  This side of town was known for its amazing food and fine dining. No wonder he had asked her to dress up.

  When their horse-drawn carriage stopped, they were in front of a building with an understated elegance. Delicate-as-air lanterns danced below the restaurant’s pagoda. Each of the light sources was decorated with live pastel flowers. They wound their way around the lanterns, as well as the supporting beams; the front doors which were made of the same material as the lights.

  The entrance was opened for them when they approached by a handsome young elf. He had black hair that was pulled into a ponytail at the base of his skull. When he bowed his head, his long ears dipped as well.

  When the elf smiled, light reflected off his perfect, straight teeth. “Welcome.” His speech was colored by a thick accent. “We have been expecting you.”

  By this point, Michelle was in complete awe. She was used to Ravin being contradictory, so when he said he had listened, she had expected that he hadn’t. Spring Cuisine was her absolute favorite. The spring elves were known for their delicate palates, exquisite meals, and amazing flavor combinations.

  She loved the tactile experience that was Spring Cuisine. Most of it was light finger foods that could be eaten in a single perfect bite. To Michelle, it just screamed “fancy.”

  “Dude,” she breathed. “How did you even get reservations here?”

  Ravin shrugged, as though it hadn’t cost him an arm and a leg to secure their seats. “Sin.” He knew that answer alone would be enough for her.

  Their server led them through the tables to the back patio. Lush gardens spilled onto the river stone landing. A lively pond full of hungry calico fish sat beside their table. Candles were lit as the centerpiece. Delicate folded napkins marked each sitting place.

  As Michelle stepped down onto the veranda, she felt pain jolt through her leg. Try as she may, she couldn’t hide the wince. Her last few steps to the table were a barely controlled limp that she prayed Ravin hadn’t noticed.

  Doing her best to pretend nothing had happened, she haphazardly stuffed her napkin into her lap and didn’t dare glance up into those warm coffee-black eyes.

  Ravin clenched his hand into a fist as he sank down across from her at the table. “Are you okay?” he asked in a hushed tone. “Did you twist your ankle?” The regret that he could do nothing to help bit deep into him.

  “I’m fine,” she responded too quickly.

  A frown touched his lips. “Michelle,” he half scolded, “you know you can’t get away with lying to the king of liars.” Ravin tilted his head and gave her a knowing look. They’d been through too much for him not to see through her.

  This wasn’t the time for this conversation. Once the waiter left with their drink orders, she bit her lip and mulled over the words. She had been lying to him for a lot longer than he knew.

  “Loviel didn’t fix my Osteovitrum,” she muttered. “He could only patch up the immediate damage.”

  Coming out that she was still plagued with glass bones wasn’t her idea of a good first date topic. Ravin had been so worried he was going to be the one messing up the night, but Michelle had a feeling she had just won that prize.

  Chapter 3

  It took Ravin some time before he could muster a response. They’d both… lied to him. Successfully. It had been months since Michelle had agreed to play host to the angel, Loviel. The act had given her a second chance. It had saved her life.

  Or so he’d thought.

  A muscle ticked in his jaw as he struggled to keep himself calm. He wouldn’t make a scene in one of the hardest restaurants in the city to get a reservation in. Ravin took a sip from the water that had been waiting for them. “Well, that’s all the more reason to enjoy this beautiful night.”

  Ravin tucked his tail under the table so she couldn’t see the way his spade flicked in irritation.

  Michelle studied the demon’s face. She couldn’t tell if he was being sincere or not. He was a hard man to read. “Yeah, it’s really gorgeous. I didn’t know you had it in you.”

  Deflecting was one of her classic maneuvers. She was well versed in the art of turning a serious situation into a joke. Real life had the tendency to be too much for her to handle. Making light of the darkest moments just came naturally, mostly because she couldn’t force herself to face reality.

  As soon as their specialty drinks were brought, Michelle took a large swig. The Elvin wine tickled sweetly as it washed down. Hopefully with a bit more alcohol, he would just forget it entirely. Though it wasn’t plausible, she could hope.

  The pain was beginning to dull as she forced herself to focus on having a good time.

  “There’s a lot of things you probably didn’t know I had in me either.” Ravin winked. He wouldn’t elaborate on that. He wanted to watch her face as she thought about what he’d said. As far as he knew, he was at least several thousand years old. That left plenty of time for interesting adventures.

  “Is it candy?” She gasped. “Wait. You’re not a demon at all, are you?”

  Ravin draped his arm across his face dramatically. “You got me!” he cried. “I’m actually a piñata.”

  Michelle sat up straight and pointed an accusing finger. “I knew it. You can’t fool these eyes.” The dreadful feeling in her stomach was starting to subside. She was happy to not dwell on what she had said, for now.

  “It took you long enough to figure it out.” Ravin tossed his blond hair. “I haven’t even been subtle about it. Why do you think I keep dropping candy everywhere?”

  “Honestly, I thought it was so Kazun wouldn’t get lost.” She took another sip and winked.

  Ravin shook his head. “That kid just needs a firm hand to guide him.” He held a hand to his heart. “If only there was some braver soul than I to help him on his way. There is only so much that candy can do.”

  The server returned and gave them a respectful bow. He held up his pad of paper and flashed the couple a smile. “What can we get for you two this fine evening?”

  He didn’t need to look at the menu, Ravin offered the unnecessary document over to their server. “We are going to be having the Taste of Spring.” He flashed a broad grin. He knew that she had a favorite meal, but thi
s was the only true way to experience Spring Cuisine.

  It was a sharable feast for two, featuring every dish on the menu, as well as a few special treats that only came with the meal.

  “A wonderful choice.” The waiter tucked his pad away. “We are featuring a special addition to the menu today that includes mushroom caps stuffed with a mixture of stewed leeks mixed and goat’s cheese, finger Sinnoci sandwiches, assorted fruit shooters, and an Anata Root consume to cleanse the palate.”

  By this point, Michelle was drooling. Sinnoci sandwiches were her favorites. If she had the chance, she would definitely steal Ravin’s. There was something about the seasoned cucumber paste that filled her heart even more so than her tummy.

  “You are spoiling me,” she accused, “and I like it.”

  Ravin winked at her. “I knew you would.” He could almost forget that she’d been lying to him for months. Almost. He turned his attention back to the server. “That sounds fantastic. Thank you very much.”

  The server flashed a smile and bowed as he left.

  A breeze brought a hint of chill, though it did not bother Ravin. He liked the way the goosebumps danced on his skin. “You really didn’t think that I’d listened when you talked about how much you loved Spring Cuisine?” He leaned forward to take the last swig of his drink. “Do you really think so little of me?”

  “I mentioned it in passing in a brief conversation we had, like, two months ago,” she defended herself, resting her elbows on the table.

  Ravin shrugged. “Two months isn’t a big deal for me.” He explained as he set down his now-empty cup. “I don’t perceive time in the same way that you do. It comes with being around for a while. Like, how as a kid, a year seemed like forever, but now it’s something that comes very fast and melts away before you know it.”

  “Now time feels so fleeting,” Michelle agreed; not that she could comprehend how it felt to him. She had only seen 24 years—25 in a few weeks. How many decades had passed Ravin by? Her life must have been a little more than a blink in his perception. She hoped, however, it was a pleasant one that he would remember for more than a breath of time.