Halcyon

Part 79

I let the water consume me, feeling my lungs burn for air before finally gasp letting it in.

I miss her.

So much.

There's not much I can do now except avenge her, find the responsible and do to them exactly what was done to her. But before that, I need to see Kate again, I need to tell her about Halcyon's final words....and the letters.

Now I get it. I understand so clearly why she hated killing, even the simple thought of holding a weapon in her hand. It's so easy for someone to take a life, it only takes on slash, one bullet. But to bring them back...that's when it's hard.

My heart beats with enough rage to set me back into a blind wrath, but only then do I feel it. Her warm hands running up my back. "My love?" I don't dare open my eyes knowing I'll lose the feeling, I'll lose the feeling of her.

Her hands, warmer then the last time I touched her, warp around my waist into a hug. "Guess what?" She talks to me. She...she's talking to me. Either that or I've completely lost it.

"What?" I break out a whisper.

"I saw my parents," slowly her hands move around me and I can feel her warmth travel to my front, "my mother says I'm too stubborn, she says she didn't even know a man like you could change." A split smile.

God she feels so real, her hands on my body, the human heat, her voice, still elegant. Gently her hands cup my face. I don't move, if I lose this feeling I'll lose her...again.

"My father hates what you do," I get that, "but he loves the way you loved me."

"I still do love you." I correct her past tense. Her thumb, soft with the feeling of human flesh, caresses my cheek back and forth.

"I know." I reach out at her words, wanting to just feel her, but all I touch is heavy water. "I don't want this to break you."

"But I've got no one else to talk to."

"You have people Tamir, don't shut them out. Kate needs someone too." Kate. The last time I checked, she hated my guts. I can't count the amount of times she threatened my life. Now look at us. "You'll be okay."

My eyes flutter to the water tickling my eyelashes. I push water out my face finishing my shower.

In the room I'm staying in provided with clothes, but what catches me a little off guard is the coat and shoes that's also given to me.

I'm putting the beanie on as I'm making my way to the entrance. No one stops me, if anything I expected at least Sierra to appear and tell me to go back to my room, but even she's out of sight.

The air outside is still. Nothing moves yet you can feel the change in season each step you take.

It's an hour walk. From here to her coffee shop. I need the air anyways, I've been cooped up in the same room for over a week, finally got a shower in so all I need to do is clear my head a little.

The air is lonelier. I didn't even know the air could be lonely, you can't touch it, or see it, but the way you feel it. The kisses it leaves on your cheeks, the unmatched energy it vibrates when it's frustrated, the way it's able to knock trees over with a simple whiff. Something so simple could be so complex.

I pick my head up to see the front of the shop stairs, bouquets on bouquets are displayed. Lily's, daisy, sunflowers, hibiscus, roses, and lavender. I move closer, crouch, then pick the lavender up.

So I'm not the only one that noticed.

Her sweet scent matching her aura has been displayed, and by someone else. She sure knows how to make an impression.

I go to the back forcing the door open for me, immediately I'm met with a frightened Kate, her eyes are still wide at the sight of me as my eyes go to her chosen weapon in hand.

"Were you going to...whisk me to death?"

"What the hell is wrong with you!" She still throw it at me and it bounces off my chest. "What did she not give you an extra key or something?! Why are you breaking in the back?"

Ignoring her, I step over the whisk and make my way to the front. The main room is empty dark which is no surprise, but in a small space sits a shadowed bag with shoes I assume next to it. "How long have you been staying here?"

"I'm going home." She passes me going to her stuff. "Well I was..." she clears her throat to disguise her soft tone then turns back to me. "So? Why are you breaking an entry?"

I see a light source coming from the back and move to it, it's clear she was in her office. I remember the last time I was in here, to deliver another red rose she loved reviving.

"Look what I found," I turn to her voice and my eyes dart to her a whiskey bottle. "Wasn't easy to find."

"You found that here?" I reach out to take it from her.

"Yep."

"And it's still full?"

"Yep." She takes it back and opens it, slowly she takes a long swing from it. "Smart girl she is, if she was gonna get caught with something, she wouldn't hide it in her house."

"Why are you so positive she...hid it?"

"I've been around a lot longer then you have," she moves past me, "I know what a game of hide and seek looks like with Halcyon." At the name drop, my heart does the same.

"Right," I wonder in after her. She's right, she's been here a lot longer then I have. I fell in love with this girl and was going to marry her in under a year, she's been around since they were probably kids or teenagers. All I know is what I've read.

I take my coat and beanie off before opening the top draw and start looking around, flipping papers in and out and waving them out, all while listening to the constant swish of a whiskey bottle going back and forth. "What are you looking for?"

"Letters." I start the second draw. "She wrote us something, she mentioned it when she was..." I feel the weight of her body in hand and look up at Kate, she moves to me and reaches out at arms length offering me the bottle. I take it.

I take down more then I need to making a grimace while swallowing the last of what's in my mouth before going back to searching.