Strange Beings

.Morning.

I woke early with the vague feeling of hair between my fingers, of my legs tangled between bedsheets. The room was still dim, and as my eyes collected more sights, I was able to make out the image of some of Victoria's features. Her Roman nose, her closed eyes, her dark, arched eyebrows. I was aware of how clotheless we both were, how she drew the blankets up to her full chest.

An alarm went off in my head, and I bolted upright. I knew we had to leave, but something held me back. A familiar ghost of a hand at my wrist tugged at me, reminded me that I hadn't done this for recreation. We could only find Macy if we had the information to do it, and Victoria and Kate were the only ones who could give it to us.

Almost as soon as my weight was completely removed from the bed, I heard a voice behind me.

"You awake, Jake?"

I didn't know how she knew to call me that, but I didn't like it.

"Uh, yeah." I didn't want to turn to face her, just in case she lured me back to where we had been last night.

"Come here," she whispered. It wasn't a choice question, but a demand coated in sugar and sexiness. Slowly, I returned to where I had lain moments before.

With a soft gesture, she directed my gaze to her.

"You really want to know where she is?" she cooed. "What a good friendship yours must be, for her to have run off without telling you."

It made me think hard, but I stayed silent.

"You know, you could stay with me. This bed is made for two, dearest. I certainly won't run off," she added with a sweet grin, one which was doused with venom.

"Where is she?"

Instead of answering, she took my hand and guided it under the covers, to her uncovered breast.

"Not here," she said with a smirk.

"We had a deal."

She pouted. "One more round? You'll have your information secured if you do."

I refused to succumb to her. "Honor the deal."

Maybe she wanted to put up a fight, but in her eyes, I could see her finally just give up. "She lies in the garment of the queen, where ocean water laps up against her feet, the tide rising until she is fully submerged, and her cloak will drown her."

"What an elaborate riddle. Macy come up with that one?"

She seemed offended that I kept talking about Macy, proceeding to push my hand away from her. "Yes, now get your damn clothes on and get out."

I slipped into my underwear and jeans, not bothering to summon the patience to button my flannel before leaving her in the room alone.

When I pushed open the door to room 14, I was met to a scene similar to the one I had just left, but here, there was more closeness. I couldn't disappear before Kate's eye caught glimpse of me, and she yelped in surprise.

"Harry, we need to get going."

He sat up in the bed, giving me a death glare fit to kill. "Give us ten minutes."

"No, only you get ten," I said firmly. "This is more important than sex, 'kay?"

He only grunted, but I knew he got the gist. I left the room for our own, then took a quick shower just to rinse the night's events off of me.