mark of the moon child

The Girl Stays

"Where were you?" Noah asked his brother and Jay only raised an eyebrow. "You should have been out there. We needed you."

"Looks like you handled things just fine without me." Jay responded, resting his hip on the counter with his arms crossed. Elle watched Noah stare Jay down. He was dressed in black holding a black object that looked like a handle in each hand and knives strapped to his thigh, back, and ankle. Black dust spread across his left arm and neck, a scratch on his shoulder. She then looked at Jay and realized he'd been dressed for battle as well, though without any scratches or dust covering him. When she looked back at Noah she found him already staring at her and quickly looked down at the tea cup in front of her.

"Decided to have tea with a pretty woman instead of doing your duty?" Noah said looking back at Jay, who's face had hardened.

"I have yet to shirk my duties." Jay said in a warning tone.

"And yet here you are having tea with the one who brought the shadows here." Elle took in a sharp breath, eyes wide, and Jay took a threatening step toward his brother.

"You don't even know her." He said angrily.

"You've known her a matter of days. You know nothing about her." Noah stepped forward, they stood only a foot apart.

"Tread carefully." Jay warned.

"It's not like you to let a pretty face distract you." And in a flash Jay had Noah pinned against the wall, his arm over Noah's chest.

"Stop!" Elle exclaimed as she got up from her stool. "I'll go."

"You'll do no such thing." Jay said through gritted teeth, still holding his brother to the wall.

"You know he's right. We both know it. I'm sorry." She said. "I'll get my things and go." She took two quickened steps towards the doors before Jay was next her, his arm across her to stop her from moving any further.

"Listen to the girl. Let her go." Noah said, rolling his shoulder back after moving away from the wall.

"The girl stays." Jay said to Noah but looked back at Elle when she moved his arm. "I told you, you're safe here."

"You may have kept me safe but others have been hurt because of it. I felt it." She said quickly before he could argue. "I don't understand any of this but I can't be the reason other people are getting hurt." Elle hurried out of the kitchen and back to her room.

"See-" Noah began but was cut short when Jay pushed him with full force back into the wall. Noah hissed and grappled with Jay to no avail. Jay had always been stronger than him. A better fighter, strategist, warrior, though Noah was close behind.

"You have no idea what you're doing here." Jay said.

"I'm stopping you from making a clear mistake just because of a pretty girl." Jay pulled him forward and forced him back against the wall.

"You know me better than this. Elle walked through the doors. She is one of us and didn't know until yesterday. She has the Sight. She has been lied to her whole life and she is terrified." Noah stopped fighting back, saw the look in his brother's eyes. Jay let go of Noah and took a step back.

"Why does the Headhunter want to know about her?"

"I don't know. And I don't plan on bringing her to the Command until I know more." Jay backed away to the counter and picked up the tea Elle had left on the counter. "Until then she is staying here where she'll be safe." He turned to walk out the door.

"Is that all it is?" Noah called to him. Jay paused before pushing the door open and leaving Noah alone in the kitchen.

Elle heard a knock on her door and the slow creak of it opening. She didn't turn from the bed where she zipped her duffle bag shut and threw the strap over her head.

"Elle-"

"Don't, okay? Just let me go." She turned and saw him standing in the door way, leaning on the door jam the way he had earlier that night though this time holding the cup of tea he'd given her a moment ago.

"You won't be safe out there."

"But he's-"

"Don't listen to what Noah says. I never do." He straightened and walked towards her. "You're safe here."

"But you're not safe while I'm here. None of you are."

"Elle, fighting demons like the Shadow Demons is what we do-"

"I felt their pain. Every scratch, every stab." Without realizing she'd brought her hand back up to her side where she'd felt a blinding pain earlier, seen the dark shadow pull back its deadly finger wet with crimson. "I won't put anyone else in danger."

"And what do you think will happen when you step outside?" Jay asked impatiently. "Where do you plan on going?"

"I don't know. Back to the cave? I felt," She frowned thinking back to when he'd found her there. "I felt safe there. With the water and the moon." Why did I feel safe there? She thought now.

"If the shadows are after you they will find you there. Please," he asked her. "Stay. At least for the night." When she sighed in defeat he handed her the tea. "Drink this." She took it and he lifted the duffle from her shoulders, placing it on the dresser. He then took her free hand and escorted her to the window seat. She stayed standing when he sat and stared at the window. "They won't be back tonight." She hesitated. "I promise." She looked at him for a moment then sat and took her first sip of the hot tea, already feeling soothed by it.

"Who was he?"

"My brother, Noah. Twin actually." Elle's eyebrows shot up as she took another sip of her delicious tea. She could feel every muscle in her body start to relax. "Fraternal."

"I'm sorry I caused all that tension."

"You didn't." Jay said.

"Really? Cause he made it pretty clear that he didn't want me here and definitely not with you."

"He doesn't know what he's talking about." Jay said firmly. Elle decided to drop it for now.

"Thanks for helping me out back there. I'm really sorry for everything. For the pain," Elle trailed off as her eyes began to droop. "What's in this tea?"

"Something that'll help you sleep." He said as he watched her start to sway. He took the cup from her hands and placed it beside him. "Come on, let's get you to bed before you fall to the floor." Jay chuckled as he put her arm over his shoulder and helped her to her bed. He knelt down to take her shoes off as he could tell she'd sleep any moment now. "Lay down. You'll have the rest you need." He stood back up and started to walk away but Elle took hold of his sleeve. He turned to find her standing, holding onto the bed post for balance.

"Don't go." She whispered, her heavy eyes looking into his. Jay felt his stomach tighten. She took his breath away. "I don't want to be alone." She sounded like a child afraid of the dark. Of the monsters under her bed.

"Elle-"

"Stay with me." She said before falling forward into him as her eyes closed. He took hold of her, picked her up and placed her down gently in the middle of the bed. He started to move away but she took hold of his shirt again, eyes still closed. "Please, stay." With the strength she had left she pulled him towards her. Jay laid beside her, his back propped against the plump pillows and headboard.

He lifted his arm and let it fall on the pillow above her head. He looked down at her, her beauty striking him all over again in a new way. She'd fallen asleep with her hand still holding his shirt loosely on his chest. He thought about leaving, thought it would be the responsible and appropriate thing to do. But she'd asked him to stay. Hadn't wanted to be alone. She'd looked afraid.

So he relaxed and shifted to a more comfortable position, his hand behind his head and kicked off his shoes. His stomach still fluttered as he fell asleep thinking of her, smelling the sweet scent of lavender and vanilla she carried with her, feeling her hand on his chest.

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Happy New Year! I so hope this year brings you good things and lots of joy. 🖤