The Vampire's Rival

Enjoy

For most of the day, the weather flitted from miserable, grey, and drizzly to buckets of water pouring from the sky, but the humans' spirits were high. As we slowly trudged and slogged through the wet forest, drenched to the bone, the Progenies revealed that they were the only ones among the group who had visited the beach. Yuvan and Drew regaled the others with tales of water as far as the eye could see and stories of monstrous creatures who called it home and could swallow ships whole but apparently chose not to because they were benevolent monsters.

Hiking through the rain was a slog for everyone, but especially for Hadley. Her broken leg was still healing, and she'd hung back, taking up the rear with me. We listened to the Progenies' lively retellings together, laughing when it got ridiculously outrageous. There weren't many moments like these between us and, as I watched her laugh, her eyes shining as they gazed at me, I filed this away as a moment I would remember forever.

Jamila joined us then, and it couldn't have been more perfect.

"Is that all true, Ruq?" Jamila asked, referring to the Progeny stories. She looked a little queasy.

I laughed. "The parts about giant sea monsters that swallow ocean bound vessels are a little exaggerated."

Jamila fell back at ease and chuckled.

"You've probably been everywhere," Hadley said. Her curiosity and fascination coloured our shared mindscape. "We could probably ask you anything and you'd know the answer."

I chuckled.

It made me happy that she wanted to know about me, but I worried that I might be lugging around too much baggage from all my centuries of living that might scare her off.

"I probably would." I replied.

"Is that a challenge?" Jamila said.

I knew that change in tone.

Jamila was being flirty.

It was too cute.

"I think it is a challenge, Jay," Hadley replied, following Jamila's cue. "I say we quiz her."

Hadley stopped, looked up into the trees, and closed her eyes as the drizzling rain poured down her face.

"Are you okay?" I asked, suddenly worried that maybe her leg wasn't healing well, and she was in pain.

"How's your leg?" Jamila asked, also concerned.

Hadley smiled, her head still tilted upwards and her eyes still closed. I reached for our shared mindscape and smiled as well. She was happy. Content. Enjoying the moment.

"Here's the game," Hadley finally said, looking back down and wiping the water off her face. She looked first at Jamila and then at me. "Each of us asks as many questions as we can, and every question has to be answered by the other two. No exceptions."

I grinned. This was going to be fun. I could already sense the cheekiness in Hadley's statement.

"I'm in." Jamila said, hitching her backpack on her shoulders, her smile wide.

"I'm game." I said.

"I'll start." Hadley said, her voice dripping with mischief. "Fast and hard or slow and gentle?"

Jamila and I broke into laughter.

"That cannot be your first question!" Jamila said, her neck and cheeks turning red.

"Remember the rules!" Hadley replied, flashing a wicked smile.

Jamila buried her face in her hands as she mumbled her answer. "Slow and gentle."