Holly

A Storm

The bar is dark with the golden lights caressing shiny surfaces just enough to see. Everytime the door opens, a flash of cold finds its way to where I am sitting. But I don't mind.

I down the rest of the whisky and let it warm me up. "Another one, please" I say gruffly.

It has been over a month since I felt the cool touch of the ocean. To say I miss it would be a raw lie. I much prefer to stay in a warm bed besides the love of my life.

I'd also be lying if I said it is now all sunshine and rainbows. Life is better than ever but now there is a new reality.

Holly's best friend and sister is cold in her grave. It hasn't gotten better and every few nights, Holly sobs into my chest. They knew each other all their lives and she tells me how guilty she feels everytime she surfs. It was the claws from the wild one that got to her. The moment it happened, I knew there was nothing the doctors could do. There never is, but I didn't have the heart to tell Holly. I just prayed that by some miracle, Ira would pull through. She survived longer than anyone I've ever known. She was a fighter, just like Holly.

'It is for her', I would say to Holly to cheer her up. She would agree but still feel guilty. They rode waves together and she feels alone out there without her.

Atticus is in a better mood now. That bastard was always gruff and quiet but now he seems to have found peace. The curse is gone and he can put all of his time into Kaia. A sentiment I 100% share with the man.

The bartender returns the glass to me full. "Are you alone tonight?", he asks.

"No. Holly is meeting me here." I look down at my watch. She got off work 20 minutes ago and should be walking in any second.

The front door squeals and another gust of wind finds its way into my skin. Instead of a feeling of love and relief, I feel something completely different.

Fear.

Panic.

Pathetic.

Small.

Everything he would make people feel. Everything that he is the opposite of.

His footsteps find their way to the seat next to me and I tense up. My eyes find the surface of the bar and I refuse to lift my head.

He sighs and slides onto the stool next to me. "Burbon." His voice is cold and demanding. The bartender doesn't take even a moment to get him his drink. "Leave us", he says again as everyone gets up and moves across the bar.

He chugs down the full glass of alcohol and slams it on the bar causing me to flinch. "Congradulations."

Why is he congratulating me? Why is he even speaking to me? It isn't like I have challenged him or anything. This man only speaks to those he deems important. That or they challenged him and it usually ends in a blood bath. More than just that person gets hurt, all of their loved ones too. My jaw tightens at the thought of him hurting Holly. The worst part is, I'd be completely powerless to stop him.

"She is amazing. Only a handful of us can find the one and even then," he chuckles "they usually are not that strong."

I keep my eyes glued on my full glass. When it comes to him, you are never supposed to speak back. You are not even allowed to look at him.

"There is a storm coming. She is the tempest we've been waiting for." He isn't talking about Holly anymore. "Everything is going to change. Finally."

He slides off his seat, completely unbothered by the alcohol he chugged. "Have a good life. Lord knows the world is about to come to its knees."

The man leaves and the tension in the room dissipates. I do not relax, however. Holly is on her way and I am terrified that she will pass him. What if he does something to her?

The air is still tonight and warm. As usual, work was lonely and sad without Ira. Every day I find myself thinking about her and usually I visit her grave after work. This time, however, I am going to meet Arius at the bar. I really need a drink.

As I turn the corner, I feel a gust of cold wind. The wind smells like petrichor and it stings as it presses against my skin.

I let out a sharp breath but stop in my footsteps when I notice the man. He is tall, way over 6 feet. A fucking mountain. He stops in front of me and looks down his nose at me. I cannot see under his baseball cap but I can see his lips curve into a smile.

"So it is you."

"I'm sorry?" As soon as the words come out of my mouth, I feel myself tighten up. My heart rate skyrockets and I feel like I really really shouldn't have said anything.

His chuckling is calm but to me it feels threatening. "You are feisty, just like your friend."

Friend? Who, Kaia?

"Not the living one." Did he read my mind? I feel anger in my stomach and I tilt my head up to make eyecontact. My body still won't let me do anything more. How dare he talk about Ira like that. He laughs again. "You don't like me talking about her? That makes sense. That would be an instinct you animals have. Humans."

The color drains from my face. Is he another devil, here to kill me? They won't leave us alone even though Arius is human?

He tilts his head back and the street light exposes his eyes.

Purple.

"I'll let her know how you feel about me."

The purple eyed man takes a step closer and leans over me. His sharp canines shine in the light and I see outlines of scales on his neck. "Do not rise gently from the grave."

My eyes widen. Those words... they are what my father said... but no one is supposed to know what was happening in my mind. Not even Arius.

I spin on my heel to see where the man had gone. The warm air returns but in the distance, I can see a rumbling over the ocean.

A storm is coming.