Syndrome of Mortality (Break of Breath Book 2)

by Eden R. Souther

  “It’s hard.” Paul withdrew a pair of dainty silver scissors. He examined her in the mirror and fluffed the damp strands up a bit, “I know it can be. Especially with what you’re going through.” He snipped at the ends of her locks.

  Michelle nibbled at her lip. How much did he know? The memory of him snapping away the robe pulled to the forefront of her mind. He was a magic man, whatever he was.

  “I guess it seems pointless after a while.” If he already knew, then why not get it off her chest? “Not like I’m going to be around long enough for my looks to matter.”

  “It’s not about your looks.” Paul gave her a sympathetic look in the mirror. “It’s about making yourself feel better. That’s why it’s called self-care. Little things, like brushing your hair, or showering. Laughing every once in awhile, or napping when you didn’t sleep well enough the night before.”

  She didn’t know how to explain to someone who might have an infinite lifespan what if felt like to have her time run out. Doing things for herself just seemed to take up what little she had left. It was true she skipped showering some days to do something else, or got up without brushing her hair.

  Every day, she lost more and more sand from the hourglass. She had so little left. With every grain that fell, she had to find something meaningful to do with it. Doing things like skating with Jo, playing dumb games with Ravin, or seeing a movie with Lian felt worthwhile. They made memories, so maybe, just maybe, she would be able to live on in their minds.

  For a little while anyway.

  “Well, I’m doing it now,” she offered.

  “I’m proud of you for that.” Paul gave a genuine smile, and put his hands on her shoulders. “You deserve it. But I also think Jo deserves to know. Wouldn’t you rather that you told her, instead of her finding out through other means?”

  Michelle couldn’t say much more, other than a quiet, “Yeah.”

  “You don’t have to bear this burden on your own anymore.” Paul put his scissors away and picked up a hairdryer. “I have spent many years with humans. I’ve seen this happen… time and time again. It always hurts worse when everything comes suddenly. If they know the loss is coming, it gives them time to come to peace with it. Just as you already have.”

  “It feels like saying goodbye,” she admitted. “It sucks.”

  “That never changes,” Paul agreed. “But, if they know, they’ll be more eager, and more ready to make those good memories. The ones that you hold onto when things are at their worst.”

  His words were just as adept at his hands, Michelle was quickly finding this out. It wasn’t what she wanted to hear, but, it was what she needed. Talk about good at his job. She glanced up at him. “I’ll tell her.”

  Paul fluffed her hair with the dryer and styled it as he went. “I’m glad.” He set his tools down and looked into her eyes. “If you can, before you leave, come see me again,” he urged. “It’ll be on the house because I like your spunk. I think Peter would like it too, so you better not let him down, or I’ll never hear the end of it.”

  “I guess I’ll need a touchup before I go off to my parents.” She gave him a smile. “Thank you so much. And I don't just mean for touching me with those amazing hands.”

  “Well, you did ask for the, ‘one where you touch me.’ That’s what happens when you don’t specify only physically.” Paul winked at her and gave a big grin. “I do my best for my clients.”

  “Your boyfriend is lucky.” She winked, assuming that this Peter fellow was an attachment. “You’re a good guy, or maybe I just have a thing for blonds.”

  “I’m the lucky one, to have him.” He gave a dreamy sigh. “Thank you, though. I’m only as good as those around me. So, thank you for coming, don’t worry about payment for the moment. Your clothes are in the massage room. Take your time getting dressed. Jo should be done by then.”

  Michelle got up from the swivel chair and wrapped her arms around Paul. She gave him one of her signature devilish smiles before going back to get dressed. The effects of the massage were slowly trickling away, but still she wasn’t in agony.

  After dressing, she met up with Jo at the front.

  “Peter gave me a mani pedi.” Jo held up her hands and showed off her freshly painted nails; on her feet were the signature toe separator things. “He had fun.” She pulled the separators off and slid into her sandals.

  “Your boy Paul did wonders.” Michelle glanced towards the back. Her heart squeezed tight. With one deep breath in, she grabbed Jo’s arm, leaving the salon behind them.

  They stood together out in the parking lot. The sun was loitering on its way down towards the horizon. Michelle leaned on Jo’s transport.

  “I’m not okay, you know,” Michelle sighed, staring off into the distance. “I’m really sick.” She couldn’t look up at her best friend. Her heart was straining. A warm hand rested on Michelle’s shoulder. She looked up into Jo’s eyes.

  Jo’s words were gentle and caring. “I know.”

  Confusion shot through Michelle like a lightning bolt. She stumbled over at least twenty words before getting out a weak, “What?”

  “I’ve known for a while now.” Jo shrugged her shoulders. “Lian told me after you had an episode one day. She was freaking out and it slipped.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me you knew?” Her greatest and darkest secret had already been exposed. It was a bit anticlimactic, but then again, this was an easier turn of events. Now she wouldn’t have to fight over an explanation.

  Jo shrugged. “I figured when you wanted me to know, you would tell me. It wasn’t my place to pry.”

  “Stars damnit, Jo,” Michelle swore and rubbed her burning eyes. There was still one more cat to be let out of the bag. Though, this one wasn’t as bad. Right? Jo would come visit her hometown, right? They would still be best friends, even if they couldn’t hang out every day. She couldn’t stop a tear from escaping. Right?

  A warm hand wiped Michelle’s cheek.

  “It’s gotten bad,” Michelle choked out. “Mom and Dad want me to move back home so they can keep an eye on me, make sure I’m getting proper treatments, and not killing myself.”

  “I’m really going to miss you, Michelle.” Jo wiped at her eyes. “You know I’ll be there at least three times a week. I don't care about the distance. We’ll still have fun.”

  Michelle leaned on her best friend and sighed. At least she knew she would always have Jo. Till the very end, Jo would do everything she could to be the everything Michelle needed in a friend.

  “I need you to do a favor for me.” Michelle looked up into Jo’s eyes.

  “Anything,” Jo promised.

  Michelle heaved a sigh. “I need you to look after Lian when I’m gone. Keep her safe, and beat up anyone who makes her sad. Take care of her when she’s sick and make her better soup than I ever did.”

  Warm arms wrapped around Michelle. They both knew she didn’t mean when she left for home. The deeper meaning sunk into both of them, but they didn’t say a word. The two best friends fought tears together and sought comfort from the other’s embrace.

  “You can count on me,” Jo whispered.

  Chapter 9

  Excitement pounded in Ravin’s veins. Sure, Michelle hadn’t wanted him to find a cure, but it would be so simple. Ravin hadn’t had this much pep in his step in ages. Things were going his way for once, and he was starting to like that.

  In his pocket, his phone buzzed. When he pulled it free, and scanned the message, his heart sank. He pressed a button and dialed Sin’s number. He tapped his toes on the ground and waited for her to pick up. “What the Hell do you mean she backed out?” Ravin snapped, his tail thrashing back and forth in agitation.

  “She didn’t feel comfortable having anyone be her master.” Sin’s tone was clipped. “Everyone who has ever asked for a wish has always taken advantage of her. They don’t give the comb back willingly and she is stuck as someone’s slave. That’s what the hell I mean: She Backed Out.”r />
  Ravin groaned, “Come on, you can just take it back from me or something, Sin,” he pleaded. “I need her to help Michelle.”

  “I will not force her into something she does not consent to. I will keep my eyes open for you, as I promised I would, but you will drop it. Dj is off the table.” Her tone was commanding and full of power, even through the phone.

  It was impossible for Ravin to not flinch. “Fine, we’ll just… find something else,” he said, begrudgingly. He ended the call before he said something stupid. The anger inside him boiled. They’d been so damn close.

  Yes, he understood that it wasn’t cool to force Dj to help without her consent, but it would have been so easy. Or, maybe it wouldn’t have been. What did he know? He’d never actually seen a djinn at work before. Was it the kind of wishes that could be a double-edged sword? Could she have made it a double-edged sword out of spite? That second one, he was absolutely sure of.

  “Ravin,” Kazun’s voice was careful, like he was trying to soothe an angry beast. “What’s wrong?”

  The demon ground his teeth. “I lost my ticket to getting Michelle healed,” he snarled, and kicked the couch. “Loviel didn’t fix her illness, and this was going to. But now I’m back to square one.”

  With the poise of someone used to Ravin’s outbursts, Kaz approached his friend calmly. “Look… I’m sorry. I know I can’t help but, getting out and having a boy’s night would be a good way to calm down.”

  Ravin sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face. “I… could use a drink,” he admitted at length. “Let’s do it.”

  “I’ll text the guys.” Kaz grinned.

  There’d been a point in time that Ravin had looked forward to Boys Night. They generally decided on going to a bar. Fortunately—not the one that he worked at; that would have just been weird. Boys Night had been a time for hanging out, and having fun. Nothing could be better. They could go out, stay in, anything for a grand time. That was before Letvan started bringing Xina along.

  It wasn’t that Ravin didn’t like Xina—he was a great guy. The main problem, in Ravin’s humble opinion, was how they acted together. And the fact that Xina had refused to help him when he’d needed it. So, maybe, he was a bit bitter.

  “Seriously, you two haven’t stopped making out for the past fifteen minutes.” The demon rested his hand on his face. “Don’t you have better things to do?”

  Letvan pulled away from his important game of tonsil hockey and regarded Ravin. His cheeks were warm from not only the drink, but the tingling sensation from his partner’s saliva. He let out a less than sober giggle. “Like what? Talk about your problems?”

  The summer elf patted his boyfriend’s cheek. Dramatically he sighed and slipped into his own chair from Xina’s lap. “Please. Let's talk about Ravin.”

  Problems? Beyond a dying girlfriend he couldn’t find a cure for, things weren’t too bad for Ravin. Oh, except the fact that he’d just lost the perfect fix. He’d already put out feelers to find another answer. One of his sources would pay off. They had to. Someone would tell him that they had a solution to save Michelle’s life. All he had to do was wait for their signal, then everything was peachy.

  Her mortality wouldn’t be a concern for much longer.

  “I just think you guys might need a break.” Ravin took a sip from his drink. “You guys have got to be chafing, haven’t you?” He sneered and wrinkled his nose.

  Xina shook his head. “No, quite the opposite. That’s the real gift of being a vampire.” He gave his boyfriend a quick peck. “Constant lubrication.”

  Letvan let out a burst of giggles at the word ‘lubrication.’ He leaned on Marius and wrapped his arms around his student. He smiled. “How are things going for you and Jo? Any juicy gossip?”

  Marius nibbled his lip and twisted a finger in his blonde hair. “Well, there is a bit.” His lips spread into a wide smile. “Jo and I are planning on moving in together. We just found this apartment that’s perfect for the two of us, and it’s beyond affordable. I can’t wait.” Pink colored his cheeks and the tips of his ears.

  “That is wonderful!” Letvan cried, clapping his hands with excitement. “Do you have pictures?”

  Marius passed Letvan his phone. “Right there. It’s adorable, isn’t it?”

  Apartment wasn’t really the right word for the place, it was more of a townhome. But cute? Cute was dead on. There were apartment buildings around it, but the little place was on its own. It was a two story building, with a small balcony protruding off what looked to be a bedroom.

  The interior had two bedrooms, two baths, a nice little living room, and a kitchen nook area, complete with breakfast bar. All of the appliances looked new. Fresh beige carpet lined the floors save for the kitchen area, which was floored with ceramic tile. The countertops were all marble.

  “My babies are growing up so fast.” Letvan sighed as he flipped through the pictures. “This place looks nice. You said it was affordable?”

  Marius nodded. “My Dad said he would help with the first few months for my half, plus Jo has manager pay. It's within our means.” He took back his phone and tucked it away. “I'm really excited. Things are pretty serious.”

  “To think. It all started because you almost accidentally murdered her,” Ravin chuckled.

  Marius turned an even darker shade of magenta. “People have gotten together after weirder things.”

  “You just keep telling yourself that, honey.” Letvan winked, though he would have to say he was proud of the two of them. “Just make sure to not shove that kind of sword into her.” Pride wouldn’t stop him from teasing.

  Actually, he was proud of all the boys here. He had his Xina, Marius and Jo were going steady, and now Ravin had Michelle. He cast a glance at Kazun who had been all too quiet. At least he had an interest.

  “Just make sure you are careful with your sword in the future,” Letvan continued, stealing a drink from Xina’s glass. It was a sweet fruity drink. Deceptively so.

  Marius rubbed his face and looked away from his teacher. “You are terrible, Letvan.” He let out a sigh. “You’re like a pervy old man, I didn’t know you had such a vested interest in my sword. I thought you preferred vampire-made.”

  “I think he’s got you there.” Ravin arched a brow at Letvan.

  A devilish smirk appeared on the knight’s face. Letvan was enjoying his banter a little too much. He turned and looked at Xinalist, appraising him with a long emerald gaze. There was not even an ounce of shame on the elf’s face as he licked his lips with a wink.

  “What can I say. They are crafted to perfection.” Letvan leaned on his partner. “If any of you were fencing enthusiasts, you would have an appreciation for them as well. Perfect balance, agile, dexterous. You can’t beat such a wonderful weapon.”

  “Now, now.” Xinalist pulled Letvan close. “You can’t be giving away all of my secrets,” he chided. “I like to keep a hint of mystery about my weapon of choice.”

  Ravin’s eyes darted over to their sole human. Kazun’s head was inches from the table’s surface. His face was the deepest shade of red that Ravin had ever seen a person turn. “Gentlemen, let us remember that we have a wee child present. One that may have the misfortune of passing out at any moment.”

  Marius dropped his voice down and put a hand on Kaz’s back. “Are you going to be alright?”

  “Just…” Kaz’s voice was tiny, and almost inaudible. “Going to need cold water or something… maybe ice cream.”

  Ravin pulled over the small holoscreen and pushed a few buttons. “There you go,” he said condescendingly to Kazun. “Your water and ice cream are on the way little Kazzy.” His tail flicked behind him as his human friend flipped him off.

  Though the condition was real, Ravin had a feeling that Kazun was grateful for his affliction. It would make Letvan less likely to target him for interrogation.

  “You haven’t been this sensitive in a while. Is everything okay?” Marius asked quietly.

 
; Kaz shrugged. “Just caught me off guard today, I guess.” He rubbed his face and kept his eyes squeezed shut. “They’re not usually that blunt.”

  “I thought we were quite sharp, honestly.” Xinalist finished off his drink and set down the empty glass. “Don’t you, Letvan?” He tilted his boyfriend’s chin up and gave him a grin. His plum eyes glittered like rare gems.

  Letvan gave a pleased grin. “I did as well. Not many can match my honed wits.”

  “It’s too bad,” Xina chuckled.

  A few moments later, a chipper server came over and placed the ice cream dish on the table, along with a tall glass of ice water, and a refill for Xinalist. “Is there anything else I can get for all of you?”

  “I think we’re good for now, thanks.” Ravin flashed a toothy grin.

  As the server left, Kazun pulled the bowl over and took a massive bite. More than half of the frozen treat was gone in the span of a heartbeat, and the rest soon followed. Kaz chugged down the water in half a second.

  “Are we sure he’s human?” Xina asked as he tried to keep his new beverage from his boyfriend.

  Letvan stuck out his tongue. Watching the human gorge himself on dairy was not at all appetizing. He had never actually eaten dairy since he was an infant, and the idea of ingesting another animal’s lactation product sounded absolutely repulsive. To be polite, it was vile.

  “Perhaps he is part bog troll.” The summer knight sighed and took the strawberry off of his date’s drink and winked as he gave it a delicate lick.

  Xina kissed Letvan’s shoulder. “I don’t honestly know myself, but what I do know is that I should take you home, good sir knight. Before you can actually get yourself drunk, instead of just pretending.”

  Letvan let out a melodious laugh. “Then take me home, m’dear.”

  “As you wish.” Xinalist rose to his feet effortlessly, with Letvan cradled in his arms. “We will see you all soon. Have a good night.” He winked at his friends and dropped a large bill on the table. Then he strode out without an ounce of concern.