Sapphire Flame

THIRTEEN

Sapphire Flame  -  Yasmeen J.

SIX MONTHS LATER

   "Um... Renée? Are you okay?" Kaena asked, drifting off from the conversation she had led up to that point.

   Renée looked up at her, Kaena noticing the dead look in her mahogany eyes. Her skin was drained of color and her lips were dry and cracked, she looked so sickly. Kaena shifted in her chair, feeling strange about the look she gave her. 

   "Were you thinking about something?"

   "Your stutter..." she said lowly.

   Kaena leaned in more. "Huh?"

   "Your... your fucking stutter!" she yelled.

   Kaena jumped back. Almost everyone in the cafe turned to glance at them at her outburst. 

   "Your stutter is gone. You're so different... what's... what's wrong with you?" she asked, almost pleading.

   "It's... a nervous stutter. It doesn't- Different how? If anyone is different, it's you."

   It grew quiet for a moment before she suddenly swiped her arms across the table, the cups and silverware clattering against the floor. She stood abruptly following her fit. Kaena watched her wide-eyed as she began to freak out putting her shaky hands up around her head and her eyes clenched shut muttering to herself.

   Kaena stood slowly and tried to approach her. "Renée... what the hell?" 

   "Fuck off!" she yelled. "And I quit!" She turned away and stormed out of the cafe. Leaving Kaena dumbfounded and with everyone staring at her and whispering to themselves.

   Kaena sat back in her chair when she heard the door to the shop slam shut. She looked around once before running a hand through her hair then placing money on the table and walking the same way out.

<><^><>

   "Where do your kind come from exactly?" she asked playing with his hair.

   They were sitting in the middle of her bed sitting in a way where Kaena's legs fell over his thighs and could wrap around just above his lower half.

   "My kind?" he replied, running his hands up and down her waist. 

   "Yeah, ya know, werewolves. People have wondered for years if you even existed. Where they come from if they did.."

   "Well first off, the term 'werewolves' is more of a mortal saying. Something we've kinda just adapted to. We're descendants of Lycans or lycanthropes."

   "I figured. Lycan folklore originates from Greece too. With the legend of king Lycaon."

   "Exactly." He smiled and pulled her closer, his fingers rubbing against the bare skin of her back.

   "But then what about Aedezia? I figured it was around way before y'all existed."

   "Aedezia was created after. Created to tame and lock away the Gods' mistakes. But once the creatures evolved and became aware, they built what Aedezia is today. The Gods' worst mistake, however, was banishing Vrekos to Aedezia."

   "Vampires."

   "Yes. You see, vampires are more magical beings and they were far smarter than early Lycans. They built the monarchy Aedezia stands on today. And once that happened they were able to study the art of the magic they possessed and created the portals. The age of Gods had passed by then though and Man was left to deal with the wrath the Gods had created within us. It caused the centuries of fighting you hear about in folktales and why we eventually became the face of mortals' terror."