THESE CELESTIAL BODIES (Demetre)

Chapter thirteen

The sun was slow to kiss the horizon, its light song beginning to fade over the rooftops and long spires. The sky was purple and bruised by dusk, its red-gold splendor looking like a jagged ribbon. The sound of meandering citizens and street actors and artists carried along the wind, bubbling into the dying day. The breeze was cool, almost chilly. She forgot it was nearly winter now, five months is a long time and for the first time in a long while, Rose inhaled fresh air into her lungs and released it with a sigh. Beside her, standing a foot smaller than usual, wearing the guise of sky-blue eyes instead of red, Dean studied the walled fortress of tan stone adjacent, carefully reading the sign creaking above it, Mercy's mysteries.
     Someone walked past and knocked her, making her wobble. But Dean caught her with one hand and glared at the head of the person who knocked her.
     He took a step.

"Here is what we aren't going to do, we aren't going to act like a feral beast."

Still, his glare was cold. His throat bobbing up and down. He was jittery, taking in everything but also flinching at everything, like a cat in a new place. "There are—" he shook his head in a way that was worryingly animal like. "There are too many noises, I can't—" a low growl escaped his lips, his face turning grave and bitter. Anger flooding him, sending his muscles taught and veins black.
     Oh shit. She forgot his senses are heightened, this is probably an information overload.
     "Hey, hey—" she took his hand. He clenched his other hand, and she took that too, prying open his fingers so they fit in her own. They were still so big, even with the glamour. "Look at me."
     His breathing was too heavy, too sluggish and his eyes, oh Ra, they were flicking back and forth between red and blue. Rose looked around, no one was paying them any heed but still, they couldn't draw too much attention. There was only one way to help him. She rose on her toes and circled her arms around his neck and cupped the back of his head. He startled for a moment before his own arms curled around her waist.
     "This is your first time out," she whispered into his ear. Softly, quietly. "It will take some getting used to."
     His grip tightened.
     "Focus on my heart."
Thump thump thump.
     "Your heart is racing."
     She smiled. "What do I smell like?"
He leaned into her neck and breathed deep, she felt the heat from his breath fan over her skin. "Like jasmine."

She let him stay there for a few more moments, breathing in her scent and counting her heart beats until his breathing evened and his muscles relaxed into her. She pulled away and looked up into those now sky-blue eyes. "Better?"
     He nodded. "How did you know that would work?"
     She scoffed and turned with a boyish shrug. "I didn't. Come on, we have much to do." The street was wide and full of people trying to get through, but Dean remained behind her, solid like a pillar, casting weary glares at everyone who dared meet his eyes or even dared look at Rose. Useless bastard.
     "Shit, we don't have money."

"I can compel."

Rose pulled her lips down. "Next time I go somewhere, remind me to bring a Vampyr." She scanned the open market place, thinking of where to go and what to do. Night was already crawling over the sky so maybe dinner would be good but the man drinks blood and right now the way he was looking at people out on the streets told her that he was hungry, and it wasn't for goulash.