Horizon

//LAGOON// part 3

He pulled his truck in an empty space outside the bar, just as the sun was rising, sending streaks of pink from the east. The Blue Moon was still empty but in a few hours it wouldn't be, the empty lot packed from the afternoon rush. I would be back on shift by then, too busy to look for Shadow or reminisce the kiss in the lagoon. We only had now.

"What's your name?" It wasn't the first time I made out with a stranger but it was the first time I bothered to ask who they were.

"Drake." He sat back, his body turned to me, damp hair falling in his eyes. I pushed it back and touched his face, in love with eyes blue as the lagoon. And they were dark, so very dark up close...

The bar's front door opened with a slam and brought me back to my senses. A trash bag in each hand, Luke disappeared around the side of the building, but not before he saw me.

"Shit." I grabbed my backpack from the truck's floor, sliding the strap on my shoulder.

Drake sighed. "I just got you in trouble, didn't I?"

"It's not your fault. I do it to myself." I unhooked my seatbelt, turned to go, and paused. "I keep hearing how I look this girl people used to know. Did you know her?"

He paused too, then nodded. He more than knew her, it was written on his face.

"The only people in this town I count on wish I was her. I guess she was important to some people."

"Her name was Naomi. She did amazing things for the Village. It's a safer place because of her."

"What was she, some kind of hero or something?" I smirked. He smiled back but said nothing, lost in the growing space. We were strangers again. "I should go, my shift starts soon. Thanks, for..." I couldn't put the lagoon into words, it was that incredible. "Everything." I grabbed the door handle.

"Eliza?"

"Yeah?"

"The light - do you know where it comes from? Or how?"

I shook my head no. "I don't why I have it. It just... happened to me a few years ago."

"I imagine it's not the kind of thing you go around telling people."

I waved him off. "Are you kidding? It's an awesome conversation-starter, great for dinner parties." We grinned.

"But really..." Drake turned his head, studying me a new way. "You know it's dangerous. Why show me?"

I gave a long, one-armed shrug. "What good are secrets if you only keep them to yourself? Besides, you shared the lagoon with me. Maybe next time I'll share something with you."

To be continued. I left the truck and started for the bar. I cast one last glance behind me, watching Drake and his equally beautiful truck leave the parking lot. I headed round the side of the building. Lucas was having a smoke by the dumpsters. He sighed when I approached.

"I knew he'd find you. I was just hoping it wouldn't be this soon."

"You realize you sound like every dad on prom night?" I took his cigarette, inhaled, then gave it back. I turned my face aside, blowing out the smoke. "He's nice. Who is he?"

"Someone dangerous." Luke glanced down at his cigarette. "Someone who isn't Garou."

"You don't have to look out for me all the time. I'm not in your pack, Luke--I'm not Garou."

"The girl I knew was more Garou than any of us--even when she lost her Wolf. And when the truth got ugly and she got scared, she fought. She didn't pack all her shit and run."