Renata
When their skin threatened to wrinkle, they decided to get out of the water. Tahoma went first. Renata watched with greedy eyes as he hoisted himself out of the water. The droplets clung to his tan skin like mini jewels. Once he was on his feet, he went over to a shelf filled with fluffy towels.
Renata took the opportunity to follow suit. Before she could get far, Tahoma was standing before her, offering a helping hand. She hesitated but took it. Only a moment passed, not enough for her to take on any of her own weight, when he lifted her like she was nothing. She gasped and had to steady herself against him.
He was so warm, not how she expected him to be. She didn't dare to look up and see any kind of expression on his face.
"Here." Tahoma's voice was quiet and tender. Between them appeared a towel. It pressed against her naked skin, and she tried not to get caught up in the sensations she was feeling.
Still, Renata was grateful, because she wasn't feeling brave anymore, and accepted. "Thank you." She covered herself, and was glad for the cover from the cool air.
Tahoma wiped himself off but did not wrap himself in the fabric. She swallowed and tried to keep her gaze respectful. "We can sit if you want." He pointed to a couple of wooden chaise lounges.
He settled into one with his hands resting behind his head. Renata smiled.
Tahoma watched her back. "What?"
While she usually said what was on her mind anyway, it felt like there was an open invitation for honesty between them. She couldn't resist accepting. "You'd think after five hundred years, you'd be a little jaded, but you seem younger than me."
His eyebrows wiggled on his face. "Should I be brooding and silent and boring? Would you be attracted to me then, Renata?"
Renata shook her head. "More like the opposite. I'm trying not to be attracted to you." Her eyes widened once her own words registered. Her frankness often resulted in sticky situations, kind of like this one.
But he caught the comment with ease, and his face transformed with a full-blown smile. It transformed his face, and she wondered if she'd seen anything so gorgeous before. "I should hope it's not an easy task."
She was too nervous to return the expression. "No, it's not."
Tahoma nodded, content with her response, and patted the seat beside him. "Come sit, and tell me how you're doing."
Renata gave in, but only because she was ready to be off her feet. She stared at the beautiful, vibrant ceiling. "We're back to that terrible question, huh? I'd hoped you'd forgotten."
"I have excellent memory...and I care." He was looking at her, but she couldn't look back.
Her heart warmed in spite of her mental resistance. And she chastised her heart for being so weak. "We weren't even together this time..."
"But...?"
Renata felt her throat burn with grief. Her eyes threatened tears, tears she didn't wish to entertain, but tears always have their own agenda. "But it feels like we've broken up all over again. It feels like I failed her." She sniffled. "I failed her."
Tahoma sighed. "I'm sorry, Renata. I can see how much she means to you."
"She's my best friend," Renata clarified. "She's been there for me through everything. I trust her with every part of me. I trust her with my darkest secret, my life, everything. I want to love her the way she deserves. I wanted to be that person for her."
"It sounds like she wanted the same."
Renata nodded. "Yeah. It's like we're in the same spot, so we should understand exactly why this doesn't work, but...it still hurts all the same, understanding or not. I just wish I wasn't hurting her," her voice thickened with emotion, "I can't stand hurting her. I love her so much, and I just want the best for Diamond."
"I'm sure she feels the same toward you."
"I just hope she'll come back to me after everything. I'm terrified things will never be the same."
"Maybe they're not supposed to be."
Renata finally looked over at him. He was watching her, empathy in his red, glittering eyes. "What?"
"Whatever you shared before, it led to this," Tahoma gestured toward her, "so, if you both love each other as much as it seems, I can imagine something different and beautiful will bloom from this. What you need versus what you want."
She was stunned into silence by his wisdom. He was right, as much as her broken heart wanted to deny. Their relationship, their friendship would have to be different. Especially if they intended to stay in each others' lives. But it was too soon to have that kind of conversation with Diamond. For now, it was something Renata had to mull over.
"I hope I haven't overstepped."
She sat up, so that she was looking more directly at him. "No, not at all. Thank you, you've given me a lot to think about. I think I needed a little shake before I dove off the deep end." She scoffed at herself.
He tipped the invisible gate on his head. "Any time, Renata."
**********
Renata was heading back to her room with Tahoma's words swirling in her head when she saw her sister walking on a mission. Rocio was dressed to the nines in a lovely black top and blood red bottoms. She must have been competing with Tahoma for some kind of fashion award.
"Hey, where are you heading looking that nice?"
Rocio skidded to a halt, like she'd been caught by a disapproving parent. She waved at Renata. "Hey, I was looking for you. I even called and stuff, I got worried."
Renata's cheeks burned with embarrassment. "I must have forgotten my phone outside. Sorry, I was with Tahoma."
Rocio's demeanor was no longer preoccupied once she heard his name. "Is that so, Nata? What were you two doing?"
Now Renata felt like the one being caught by a disapproving parent. "We just talked. We went for a swim."
Rocio tilted her head to the side, amusement curling her lips. "And how did the talking and swimming go?"
Renata shrugged. "Fine. We were just getting to know each other."
Rocio came closer and put a hand on Renata's shoulder. "Okay, just please be careful."
Renata tried not to be irritated with her sister, but she didn't appreciate being treated like an impulsive, horny teenager. "It's not like that."
"Not yet."
"Rocio!" Renata exclaimed, afraid that Tahoma could hear them. "I can handle myself."
"I know." Rocio was looking her dead in the eye. "I know better than anyone else how strong you are. It's just...getting involved with someone undying sounds fun, and is fun, but things can get tricky once emotion gets involved. Believe me. I'm a lonely vampire now because of it."
Renata didn't expect Rocio to let her grief show. The defensive walls in Renata's body fell once she realized Rocio's intentions. "Thank you. I will think about that, I mean it." She hugged her older sister and held on tight. Rocio embraced her back and clung on long enough for Renata to be concerned.
Rocio pulled away and began to walk backwards. "Okay, I'm off. I won't be back till tomorrow. Try not to get impregnated with a half human, half undying baby while I'm away."
The heat rushed back into Renata's cheeks. "Please tell me that's not possible."
Rocio winked. She turned away.
"Wait, where are you going? And what about training or testing or whatever you're calling it?"
"I need to take care of some business, and your new best friend is taking charge of that," Rocio responded, her volume rising as the distance between them increased.
Renata opened her mouth to say something else, but her sister had already disappeared into another doorway.
**********
Renata had gone to sleep early. So, when she traveled through her sequences of dreams and randomness, and landed on a familiar beach, she knew exactly who sought her.
Keone was standing only a few feet away. This time, his eyes were bright red and his clothing was dark as usual. His face was grim, but when he addressed her, his voice was steady and contained. "I don't mean to disturb you—"
"But you do it anyway." Renata threw her hands in the air. He was beginning to feel like a gnat, the one that keeps flying in her ear even though she could have sworn she'd smashed it ages ago.
"I would like to set up a meeting between you and someone who wants to help you."
"Oh, they must be great if they're anything like you."
Keone shook his head. "No, this being is unlike any force. If anyone can help you, it's them. It's who I was planning to bring you to when you were following me back to my house."
Okay, she was curious. "Who?"
"They're called Angel. But they go by many names: Death, The Grim Reaper, Hades, Pluto, Hel, Anubis, Mictlantecuhtli—"
"You're fucking me with, Keone. Enough."
Keone shook his head. "I believe—we believe you two are somehow connected, the reason why you have been able to evade death."
Renata was furious, but it was only to hide how terrified she was. "No! Fuck you both. Get out of my head!" She screamed the last part.
Renata gasped as she shot up in bed. "No," she whispered to herself, recalling the being she interacted with while in that strange, limbo-like place. "No."