Heather.
Oh, love of mine: too trusting. Too loving—too sweet. Yet, one taste of her decadence would never be enough. When I find this vampire, it will not do to simply snap his neck. I am going to—
“Moth?” Rosie’s voice is quiet.
“What?”
Rosie squeaks in response, and I realize I’ve half-shifted in flight. My eyes cast a red glow across her face, and I breathe in deeply, trying to collect myself. I cannot.
“You just look like you were about to murder someone.”
“I might still,” I groan, scanning our surroundings. We have been following the sweet scent of honey and … blood. A chill runs through me knowing it is hers.
Holly’s nose wrinkles as her and Pepper speed behind us, confirming I am not the only one who is worried. Heather said this vampire would not hurt her, but what if she was wrong?
My talons scrape against the wood of the dock as we land. Carefully, I deposit Rosie onto the ground. The redhead lets out a shaky breath and a frown pulls at my face. I should not havebrought her. But with the way she insisted, I did not have the resolve to refuse.
“I am sorry if I did not put enough care into my flight…” I begin. If my movements have been as frenzied as my thoughts, I fear the human might need time to adjust.
“No, no … I’m fine, it’s just that I’ve never flown before.” She lets out a laugh. “I feel like I’m in a fantasy novel.”
“Let us hope it is one where the princess is rescued by the end,” Holly says. The old wood creaks as she lands on the old wooden dock. “The server who reported seeing Heather fly off said she had come in this direction. Do you suppose she took refuge in that building?”
“The scent of her is everywhere,” I answer. There is no doubt my flame lingered here—whether she remains is another story. As we approach, Pepper remains searching the perimeter in hopes to find a lead.
But for now, this house in the middle of the water seems our best lead. We walk forward on the old dock until we reach a small cottage. It is whimsical in the sense it looks like it has been carved from sea glass and shell. Even more striking is the scent of her as it grows stronger. Will she be just beyond the door? My heart tightens as I wrestle with the phantom feeling of her rushing into my arms.
I rap at the door with my fist, the doorframe shaking beneath my fury.
“Alright, alright.” A muffled voice, deep with a southern drawl, comes from inside the house. It is certainly not Heather’s.
The door swings open, and there’s a man with green scales covering his skin, holding an ice pack to his head with webbed hands. The man squints as if hungover, blinking at the lot of us. “Howdy.”
“Did the giant fish man just …howdyat us?” Rosie whispers, taking a half-step behind me. I shield her; it is good enough forour mortal friends to offer their help. It is the least I can do to make sure they feel safe.
“You will get used to such things,” Holly assures her in a quiet voice. Pepper flutters back to our sides. The crestfallen expression on their face tells me everything I need to know; with the way her scent has faded, I do not believe Heather is here either.
Though, this man might know something.
“Oh, Gil, it is you.” Holly greets the fish man with unexpected familiarity and a small bow of her head. I do not think this man is of a noble court, but from the change in tone, I must assume he is a friend. Still, that revelation does little to calm the nerves inside me.
She was here.
“Where is my wife?” The title slips out before I realize it, but I do not take it back. We may not have gotten to our ceremony, but our love is true—rings and words are purely a gesture to the rest of the world. She is mine, and she was here.
“Come inside, y’all—I’ll explain everything I know.” Gil opens the door the rest of the way, allowing us entry to his home. I look to the group, who shrug in unison.
“We can trust him, brother,” Holly assures me. I sigh, accepting that I must endure yet another conversation before finding my flame.
Entering Gil’s home, there is a softness that takes me off guard. In a way, it reminds me of the cabin Heather and I reside in. While it has a splattering of unique decorations, it lacks the small personal details of a couple in love.
“A real firecracker, if you don’t mind me saying so,” Gil comments, the ice pack still resting on his head. I wonder if she’s the one who gave him the blow—and what he might have done to deserve it.
“I do.” I take a step closer. I cannot glean the meaning behind his tone, but I do not like it.
The rest of the group rests on a light blue sofa, but I cannot find it in me to relax, not when we were so close.
“Relax, my feathered friend.” He chuckles. Gil moves through the house, getting a set of glasses, a pitcher of what appears to be lemonade, and a tin of cookies. May no one say that the Gill People are without hospitality; however, I am not looking for a host. I am looking for answers. “Your betrothed is safe, no doubt plotting a way out of her bargain…” He sets the items down on the coffee table.
