Closing Time

39.

My gut twisted the moment I'd recognised those and my lips had moved to blurt out the truth. I was so surprised I hadn't been able to stop them. The colour and energy drain out of me as I spoke. And Trace's aura stilled before it turned an almost sewage brown. But his response was the opposite of what I could see.

"A hunter?" Trace scoffed, a slight shake at the end. "I've never even held a gun, Ryleigh."

"You're a Hunter." I repeated blankly, my eyes glued to the side of his head that was purposefully tilted away from me.

"I don't hunt, Ryleigh."

"You're a Hunter." I swallowed softly as I forced myself to meet his eyes. My heart had stilled in my chest. "You can't lie to me, Trace. I've seen that tattoo before."

Trace hesitated slightly before he rolled his eyes. "It's a-a common tattoo, Ryleigh. You work at a bar. You've probably seen all ty-"

"You can't lie to me, Trace." His aura was horrible. It reeked of guilt. "You're a Hunter. I've seen that tattoo before."

Trace tried to laugh, but only his smile stuck as he looked me over. I finally saw the dread settle over him. It drowned out his smile. "I... How do you know?"

"I..." Was it worth telling him? He was a Hunter so if he found out that I'm chummy with demons and angels wouldn't he get mad? Maybe shoot up this place too? He didn't have a bag with him, but it wasn't a farfetched idea. "I've... seen it before." I replied carefully.

Trace's eyes shifted, the brown colour faded away as the aura returned to its usual blue, tinged with green this time. "Where have you seen it? Not everyone has it."

"Like you said..." I reached for the jug on the table and poured out a glass of water to stall. "I'm a bartender. I see this stuff." Fucking Lou. This is why I need his number.

"You don't just see this." He narrowed his eyes. "We keep it hidden for a reason."

"Not hidden enough." I looked at him pointedly. "Should've kept your hair long."

He pressed his lips together. "This is my normal hairstyle."

"Your normal..." I felt a chill cross through my body. The worst one I'd felt yet. "Who... Who are you?"

He raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" The sewage brown returned.

"You're not... Trace." I had to force that out. It felt like my throat was closing up. The immediate shift in his aura confirmed my suspicions. I leaned back in my chair as I started to feel my world collapse around me. "You've been lying... all this time."

I saw his Adam's apple bob. He started to shake his head. "You can't lie to me." I spoke up before he could. "You're... You're not my old friend."

He grimaced as I said that. His head fell, he broke eye contact. "I... I'm sorry."

My head reeled, my vision tunnelled on him. All the memories I had with him flashed through my mind. How did I not notice? Was I dumb? Was I this fucking daft? This is not real. This can't be. Faking identities, that's something that only happens in movies. I'd seen his driver's license. Was that a fake? It has to be. This man in front of me is a fake. This relationship was a fake. Everything... Everything was a fake.

I felt a lump form in my throat. A tear slid down my cheek before I could do anything about it. "It's all... a lie. You're... a lie."

Trace bit his lip. He slowly raised his head to look at me... Wait, this wasn't Trace. This man... wasn't Trace. "It wasn't all a lie." He whispered, pain in his eyes. "I do care ab-"