by A L Williams
~
A few days later at work, I wanted out from the kitchen, glancing over at the register. Hayley took orders, one after another, smiling at each customer. When she peered at me, I froze. She narrowed her eyes and turned away, going back to taking orders. My heart sank, and I frowned. This was what I wanted, so why was it bothering me so much? She hadn’t talked to me since that fight and it was unsettling.
I made cups of coffee, handing them to the customer. We said very few words to each other, Hayley’s usual, loud personality dimmed. “What’s going on with you two?” Corbin asked when Hayley left for class.
“Nothing.” I opened the register, counting the money.
“Don’t give me that, James,” he said and walked up to me. He glared at me. “What happened?”
I stared at him for a moment and sighed. “We had a disagreement.” My shoulders slumped.
He leaned against the counter. “About?”
“She won’t accept that I have no interest in college.” Change clinked against the metal as it dropped in. “I don’t understand why it matters so much,” I continued. He did not speak.
I stepped back from the register as light danced through the window."And you don't want to?"
I shook my head. "It's— It's a waste of time." I would have to leave, anyway.
The silence stretched as I returned to counting. After a few minutes, I glanced up.
He rubbed his chin. “I understand not wanting to do something, but—”
“But?” I asked, my stomach twisting.
“Do you not want to because you’re not interested, or because you’re afraid?” he said. I froze.
“Before I came here, I spent a lot of time shut up in my house with no direction. And all that did was cause me to feel even worse,” He gazed out the window as the light of the sun started to dim.
“What’s the point?” I muttered.
“To make life worth living.” He peered at me. “If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have come here and opened this shop. I would have continued to wallow. She gave me hope.” I smiled, remembering the day I met her. She had confused me, but her bright eyes and smile warmed me. Something I hadn't experienced in centuries.
My heart sank as the fight drifted into my mind. “Don’t let fear control you,” Corbin said, pulling me from my thoughts. I looked at him, lifting the drawer out and inserting another. his eyes glazed over. “It’s hard. Hell, I'm still struggling. Losing everything makes you think you will never be happy again.”
I blinked and gawked at him. "How-"
He smiled. "I don't know a lot about you, but when you first walked in here, I could tell your heart was heavy and that you were carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. You remind me of myself years ago." I continued to gape at him. He patted me on the shoulder and walked into the kitchen.
~
When I woke up that evening, my body ached. The sun bounced rays of gold off the walls, illuminating the apartment. The sound of children laughing drifted through the window in the kitchen. Rolling to my back, I stared up at the popcorn ceiling. As I glanced over at my end table, I caught sight of my mother’s journal. I grabbed it, studying the first page with faded childlike scribbles. I ran my hands over the hand-written date in the corner.
April 12, 1792.
I put the journal back in my nightstand and I glanced at my phone. My conversation with Corbin drifted through my mind. If they knew what I was, would they accept it? What if I hurt them? I sighed, glancing at my phone. I stared for several minutes and picked it up. It rang for what felt like forever until she answered. “Hello,” I said, my voice shaking.
“Hi,” Hayley muttered. I cleared my throat as the awkward silence stretched.
“I’m sorry.” We both said.
She chuckled. “I shouldn’t have tried to force you to do something you didn’t want to do.” I smiled and got out of bed, walking into the kitchen to get some water.
The drapes swung as a warm breeze brushed my skin. “You were trying to help.”
“It still wasn’t my place,” she said.
I smiled. “I’m sorry for snapping at you.”
“It’s okay,” she said. I peered down at the table as the wind pushed a pen across it.
“You can trust me, Jamie,” she said.
“I know.” I gazed out my window, the draps fluttering. “I’ll see you at work tomorrow?”
"Yeah," she said.
~
Later that night, I tossed and turned, plagued by nightmares of my mother. When I woke, sweat covered my body. I stared around the dark room, moonlight cascading through window. After the conversation with Hayley earlier, I felt much better. I just wish these damn dreams would stop. Ever since the alley, they had been getting worse, and it was messing with my sleep. Flopping back on my bed, running all the events of today through my mind. I would have to leave, but I found myself not wanting to and that was concerning
When I got up, I dragged myself to the bathroom as the sun peeked over the mountains, bathing my apartment in rays of golden light. My chest grew tight as I climbed into the shower, unsure of what I was doing or why. If I left, I would have to start over somewhere and deal with meeting new people and interacting with them when I had to. Yes, dealing with Hayley was tiring. And I struggled to stay pleasant at work after the alley mess. I didn’t know why I even still went to work. Someone was after me and I should just leave. Why was I still here?
After I showered, I entered the kitchen to find some coffee. A knock came at the door. I walked over, yawning, and I opened it. I froze, coming face to face with white eyes. The man from the alley stood before me with a deep frown as his ivory irises burned my skin. I opened my mouth to speak, backing away into my apartment.
“Hands up!”Detective Scott and Skyler ran towards us.
Chapter Six
Andrew
“He won’t like this,” Ben said, from the passenger seat. I made a right turn, glancing at him from the side of my eye. He was right. Every interaction we’ve had, Mr. Miller made it clear he didn't want my aid, but I sensed his cry for help even if he didn't say it.When I arrived at work this morning, I was uneasy. The loa were louder than usual. Whenever they did this something was wrong.
I made a left. “Most people don’t.” It was time to confront him and ask him about his past. This wouldn’t end well, but it was unavoidable. And yeah, I wanted to be near him. I may not be able to have him, but I yearned to gaze into his beautiful eyes.
Ben chuckled and said nothing else. I pulled into Mr. Miller’s apartment, parking in a vacant spot and getting out. I made sure my siren was on top of the car as Ben exited. We walked through the empty courtyard of the complex along the path. As we grew closer, I caught sight of someone standing in front of Mr. Miller's door.
Mr. Miller looked up at him, fear glistening in his eyes. I frowned as I sped up to a jog realizing that it was the man from the alley. “Hands up!” Mr. Miller gaped at me as I ran towards the other man. He looked back and flicked his wrist. I flew to the ground, landing in the rocks. I winced at the sharp pain and I sat up, breathing through my nose as my heart slammed against my chest. Glancing up, I watched Ben chase him, losing him around the corner. Ben walked over, holding out his hand and pulling me up. “You okay?” He smirked. “That looked like it hurt.”
I dusted myself off and glared.“Shut it.”
He chuckled. I peered up at Mr. Miller who glared daggers at us.
“If looks could kill,” Ben said, with a shake of his head. I walked over to Mr. Miller.
"I told you I don’t need you help." the words rushed with a subtle southern twang and laced with anxiety.
I tilted my head, arching my brow. "You're southern?"
His eyes widened and he frowned, turning towards his door. “You can go now.”
Ben moved up beside me and smirked. “I love a man with an accent.” His smirk grew larger, his gaze sparkling with mirth. I glared, annoyed by his
smugness. Examining Mr. Miller, I could see the stiffness in his posture, and all I wanted was to pull him into my arms. I wanted to protect him from whatever plagued him, but that wouldn't go over well so I stayed where I was. An awkward silence filled the air as people started coming out of their apartments, leading their children down the steps and to the parking lot.
“He’s safe now,” Ben said. “Unless you want to keep eye-fucking him?”
Sometimes I wish he would just shut up. I glared at him again. “I’ll get a ride and meet you back at the station.”
“Do I have a choice in this?” Mr. Miller asked.
Ben laughed. “Apparently not,” he said. “Bye, boys.” He turned. “No glove, no love,” he chimed, his footsteps loud on the cement as he left.
Mr. Miller rolled his eyes, storming into the apartment. I followed, almost running right into him. He whipped around, his glare burning my skin. “Why are you here?” He dragged his eyes over my body and my cock twitched. Why did this man affect me so much? He backed away. “Could you please not stand so close?”
I backed up. "Did he do anything to you?"
He shook his head and looked down at the ground. “Why can’t everyone just leave me alone?” I furrowed my brow, unsure of how to answer or comfort him.
The air conditioning buzzed loud in the surrounding silence as tension growing. I licked my dry lips. He peered up at me and I fell into the depth of his milky white eyes. He bit his lip and I followed the movement.
“Your eyes are beautiful,” I said, realizing that I said it aloud.
He stiffened looking down at his feet. “They’re contacts.”
That was a lie.
I arched my brow. “Hmmm. That man had the same eyes.”
“I-I didn’t notice.” He looked away.
“Do you have anything to protect yourself? A taser? A gun?”
He shook his and glanced at the sliding door, the sunlight shining through the glass onto the dingy carpet. “I don’t need one.”
Huh…
“I have to go to work,” he blurted. Another awkward silence fell between us.
“Alright.” I turned. “Pay attention to your surroundings and if anything happens, call me.” He turned away. I walked outside, closing the door behind me and setting up a Lyft to the station.
~
When I got back, Ben met me. He followed me into my office. I sat down at my desk, shuffling papers around into neat piles. “You want to fuck that boy.”
I snapped my head up. He didn’t curse often, but when he did it always caught me off guard. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
He scoffed. “Don’t give me that.” He moved in front of me. “I saw it in the way you looked at him,” he said. “You would have fucked him right there.”
I groaned. “Do you have to be so vulgar?”
“S e seo a th ’ann.” It is what it is. Flopping back against my chair, I gazed out the window at the bright sky.
“I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on.” He remained silent. I studied him, his green eyes catching the light.
“You don’t need to rescue him.”
I blinked. “I’m not— ” I started. He arched his brows. I sighed. He always saw right through me. “It’s my job to save people.”
“True.” He shifted, wrapping his arms in front of his chest. “So what are we going to do?”
I swiveled my chair. “I don’t know. We have to catch that man first.”
He leaned against the desk. “Who is he to Mr. Miller?”
I frowned, recalling Mr. Miller’s avoidance of the questions. “I don’t know.”
He rubbed his chin. “He has strange energy.”
I stopped swinging. “What do you mean?” He looked through the window, the sky rumbling in the distance.
“There’s a dark cloud around him.” He pushed off the desk. “I can’t put my finger on it, but he’s dangerous.”
He was right. If he was the devil, we’re in for a very interesting summer. He walked to the door and stopped. “I think Mr. Miller is good for you,” he said and then slipped out.
I gawked at the door. Sometimes Ben said the strangest things. Sure I wanted to fuck him, but how was he good for me? The memory of him being only a few inches away from me drifted through my mind. His scent, which was free from cologne, made my cock throb. I shook my head.
Calm down.
You’re supposed to be protecting him.
Not picturing him naked.
I groaned my dick now half-hard and reached down, pushing my palm against my groin. I needed to protect Mr. Miller and find that man. I closed my eyes as the sound of drums pulsed in my ears. The smell of wood and earth filled my nose and the gentle voice of a woman calling surrounded me.
My boy.
My precious child.
~
The next day, I followed my Mambo along the winding cement path. Trees of different sizes rising and falling as we moved through Reid Park, the sun drifting behind the clouds, the air thick and heavy against my skin. The park was desolate, except for a few people jogging around the sidewalk.
I hadn't stopped running the awkward meeting with Mr. Miller or what Ben had said through my mind. I wanted the man, more than anything, and I wasn't sure what to do with that.
“How are you?” Mambo said. A jogger ran past as a gust of wind kicked up dust.
I looked out at traffic as cars dashed by. “I’m okay.”
She arched a brow. "Only okay?" I didn’t respond, unsure of what to say.
She smirked. “Your mother kept secrets from me, too. Astrid worried about this or that.” I glanced up as a soft rumble rolled through the sky. “She was always so worried. You were such a sickly child.” I clenched my jaw and gripped my bead necklace under my shirt.
Yeah, he was.
“I miss her,” I muttered.
Mambo frowned, her eyes sad. “She was a good woman and would have been proud of you.”
Not if she knew...
We continued to walk and my mind drifted back to Haiti. I didn’t remember much, but I missed it. Moving here had been very lonely. Especially after the Coltons. My shoulders tensed. That had been a disaster. I was grateful for having Mambo back-all thanks to Ben for locating her. That man could find everything. He was fae, after all.
"Tell me, what has you so distracted?" she said. I sighed, explaining the events up until now.
She smirked. “You’ll figure it out. Ask the Lord for guidance. He will always point you in the right direction.”
My shoulders tense. “No matter what your origins are, you are her son,” she said.
I stopped, my heart slamming against my chest. “You know?” My voice was shaky, even to me. After a series of short breaths to get my nerves under control, I peered at her.
She smirked again. “I am Mambo. The loa tell me everything.” She turned towards me, the thunder rumbling above us as the wind kicked up dirt and rocks. “All things happen for a reason. The Lord makes no mistakes,” she said.
I bit the inside of my mouth. “You still think I could be Houngan, even being a loa?”
She flashed a wide smile, defining the lines of old age across her face. “There’s no one better.”
“I don’t—” I started.
"It is your destiny."
My stomach churned. I wasn’t so sure, but I didn't argue.
"Stand by him," she said.
I furrowed my brow. “What do you mean?”
“Something is on the wind. Heaven and Earth are about to collide and he will need your support in his struggle.”
I nodded. The problem was that he refused to let me in and I imagined he spent his life keeping everyone at a distance. It was understandable. I needed to convince him that I was trustworthy. Mambo kooked up. "A storm is coming." She wasn’t kidding. I wasn't sure what would happen, but whatever it was I would be ready.
It started to sprinkle as we returned to my car.
; ~
The look on Mr. Miller’s face played through my mind over the week. Something really bad happened and I didn’t know how to help him. All I knew was that he needed someone. His beautiful eyes were shadowed in distress, aging him way beyond his appearance. I sagged against my couch cushions, staring up at the ceiling. After a few moments, I pulled myself up and entered the bathroom.
I took a shower, still thinking of him. When I walked out, my phone rang, vibrating against the glass table. “Hello,” I said, sighing.
“You okay over there?” Ben said.
I flopped back on the cushions. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
He grunted. “How’s Mr. Miller doing?” I sighed, looking down. “Have you even talked to him?” I frowned. “Don’t ruminate on it all day.”
“I’m not.”
He chuckled. “Uh-huh.”
“Is there a reason you called?” I said, exhaustion settling over me.
“You’re such a grump. Come shopping with me.”
“What are we, sixteen-year-old girls?”
Ben laughed. “You sound like a hetero. Boys can go shopping, too.”
I rolled my eyes again. “Fine.” I frowned—the last thing I wanted was to watch him spend an hour looking at one outfit, but I needed a distraction.
“Meet me at Tucson Mall,” he said.
“Okay.” The line disconnected with a click. I stood up, grabbing my keys and stepped out into the damp air.
~
I pulled into the full lot, parking as far from the entrance as possible. I walked towards the doors, groups of people carrying bags back to their vehicles as others entered the mall.
Inside, chilled air hit my face.I wrapped my jacket tighter around me and strolled past stores with glass windows, displaying mannequins in different pieces of fashion. “Hey.” I jumped at the sound, turning to find Ben standing behind me.
I peered at the crowds walking; none of them even looked up. “Do you have to sneak up like that?”
