Page 19 of Firefly

She did, and he placed a small object in her palm. Opening her eyes, she beamed at him and wriggled to be free. He set her down, and she ran to Rebecca, holding out a plastic bottle.

“What is it?” Rebecca asked, taking the proffered bottle.

“Bubbles.”

“Bubbles?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“It’s new! A children’s toy. Here, let me show you.” Simon bent down, unscrewed the plastic cap, pulled out a small stick, and dipped it into the bottle. He blew, and bubbles erupted from the stick, floating lazily around them.

Sarah clapped her hands and snatched the bottle from Simon, dipping the stick in the bottle. She blew several times, water dripping off the stick, but no bubble came. She frowned and tried again.

Simon sat beside Rebecca, bumping her shoulder. She leaned into him as Sarah gave up on the bubbles and began creating her own. They both laughed as the girl set the bottle on the ground and danced away from them, chasing her creations.

“Don’t you need to leave?” Rebecca asked.

“I have the night off for good behavior.”

Rebecca glanced at Simon. “My father never takes a night off.”

“He has company. I’ve been instructed to keep the child busy.” He said “child” in her father’s clipped tone, making her laugh.

“His loss is our gain.” She tucked her arm into Simon’s and pulled him up. “Come on, you can help me catch fireflies. I want to test a theory.”

Chapter 14

Simon

Simon thought his cheeks might hurt forever. He couldn’t imagine a time when he’d ever been happier. Rebecca and Sarah chased fireflies through the night, failing to trap the little buggers.

One would imagine creatures of their own making would be more compliant, but the insects buzzed higher and higher, narrowly escaping their captors at every turn. Eventually, he took pity on the girls and snatched the jar from Rebecca’s hands.

He moved quickly, too fast for tiny imaginary insects, and captured four in one go. He screwed the lid on tight and handed his catch back to Rebecca. His gallantry earned him a kiss on the cheek, and he cast a glance over his shoulder at Sarah, who had settled herself onto the blanket and was nodding off.

“Let’s put her in bed,” he suggested.

Rebecca’s smile faltered. “I don’t know if I want her in the house with father’s guest.”

“I’ll watch over her. You must be tired, too.”

She didn’t seem tired, though. She seemed more alive than he had seen her in weeks. His suspicion that her father’s experiments were the reason for her poor health only grew. He had wanted to do none of the things her father asked, but on nights when two demons were impossible to catch, he did the only thing he could. He brought back humans.

Guilt tore at him, and he knew she would never agree to it if she knew her life came at such a cost, but he would choose her life over theirs for as long as she drew breath.

He scooped up Sarah, wrapping her in his coat and carried her inside. Rebecca trailed behind, holding her fireflies.

They moved silently, her father’s dark laugh echoing down the hall, spurring them on. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Simon looked back. “Stay here. I’ll be back for you in a moment.”

He disappeared, returning before she had time to protest, and lifted her into his arms, racing up the stairs in a blur of movement.

He set her gently on the bed and backed up.

“Wait... Don’t go.”

He stopped, frozen in the middle of the room. Her racing heart and the scent of arousal left him in no doubt of her intentions. He glanced at Sarah, breathing deeply in her crib beside them.

They had kissed a few times since renewing their friendship, but it hadn’t gone further than that. He took a step toward her. Stopped.

She blinked up at him in the dark, a question in her eyes. He was frozen with indecision. Every fiber of his being begged him to go to her, to touch her, but if they crossed that line, there would be no going back for him. He would be destroyed. She would own him, body and soul—if he still had one.

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