Omens In Your Skies

Distance

My head is pounding, I roll over curling up under the thick blankets. It's dark in the room I can barely make anything out. When I inhale I smell a familiar scent. Gurei. My heart begins to beat faster making my headache worse. Scared, I freeze and try to listen to the sounds around me. There is the sound of a shower running and the sounds of crickets and wind, but nothing else. My eyes scan the room and see the light underneath a door, then I focus on the fireplace beside the door.

Carefully I sit up and make my way quietly over to the fire poker. With shaky hands and an unstable stance I wait for the door to open. When it does I haul my arms back and charge the silhouette. It's a wasted attempt though, as I'm quickly disarmed and the poker goes flying across the room and I'm in a hold.

"Eve, it's me. It's me." He whispers against my ear and holds me close.

"It's Gurei, you're safe." My body trembles uncontrollably, my head in excruciating pain now.

"I'm sorry, I'm so—sorry!"

Unable to control my emotions anymore I break down. He picks me up and we both lay beside one another in the dark and he rubs my back. His body is warm and comforting, I close my eyes listening to his breathing and steady heart beat. The rock hard muscles feel like a shield while wrapped in his arms. There's a warmth that builds inside of me, but I'm not able to keep my eyes open anymore to act on what my body wants

My eyes shoot open and I gasp sitting up in bed. It was a mistake to do that, now I'm dizzy. The soft muted morning light is filling the room through the large windows at the back of the room. Catching my breath I look around the room, remembering what happened last night with Gurei. I could've killed him. Fuck. Rubbing my head I accidentally catch the cut on my head and it begins to bleed. I rush to the bathroom and hold some tissues over it. Finally I see myself in the mirror, my head is bruised up where my head is bleeding, I'm pale and have dark circles under my eyes.

I'm a wreck. There is residual blood spotted over me, I don't know if it's from me or—that's when I remember seeing the boss shoot the man that touched me, and having to step over his lifeless body. Instantly I am at the toilet getting sick, I saw everything, the inside of his head, and all that blood. Again I start throwing up.
Gurei is at my side now holding my hair while pressing some gauze to my head.

"Mary, where is Mary?" I cry, resting my head on the toilet.

"She's safe. She knows I have you safe too." He helps me up and sits me on the edge of the bathtub.

My eyes look up to him while he leans against the counter running his hand over his five o'clock shadow. It doesn't look like he's done much with himself, he probably hasn't left the house either.

"Why don't you take a bath and relax a bit?" He turns the faucet on behind me, the water rushing into the tub.

"Alright." I look away from him.

All I've thought about was him, and now even so close to me he feels...distant.  The tub was almost full, and the bathroom was now filled with humid steam. I stand turning my back to Gurei, starting to undress. When the last piece of clothing is off I notice my body bruised, my waist, my head, my knees and legs. Then I saw how my wrists looked, I winced as my fingers grazed over the tender wounds. Gurei is behind me, holding me up. I was more roughed up than I thought, and it feels violating.

"It'll heal. Focus on calming your mind Eve." He wipes my tears.

I can see the face he's putting on, he's infuriated. He lets me go after easing me into the tub and leaves the room. Thank god, Mary is safe. I don't know what I would've done if she was hurt or worse. Now alone and fully awake I am stuck with my own thoughts. The events from the other night I push away and think about Mary and I talking about Gurei.

"You'll know to jump ship if it's not safe." Mary's voice echoes in my head.

Will I? He jumped ship, then I jumped in after him. So what happens when we are both in the water together? I finished up my bath and got into some simple clothes Gurei laid out for me. I look around the house for him and finally follow the smell of breakfast, finding him in the kitchen.

"Sit and eat. Then I'll take you home. Mary is anxious to see you." He sets a plate in front of me and I scratch my head.

"Thank you." I whisper.

With every bone in my body I don't have a clue what I want to do. I feel lost looking at Gurei and picturing even being with him. I'd be nothing but a distraction and leverage for deals. Poking at the last bits of my eggs I keep quiet, unsure of anything I want to talk about.