Page 40 of Envious Of Fire
Tristan.
As much as Kyle hates to admit it, Tristan is the only other person on the planet who’d know what to do in this situation, where to begin, whether they have anything to worry about.
Hours later, however, Elias does not apparently share the same enthusiasm. “You’ve gotta be kidding me.”
“I’m not,” says Kyle, hugging his knees to his chest.
“Did you sleep at all today? Even one hour? How can you evenjokinglysuggest that we meet with him?” Elias is already pacing the bedroom in a storm of thoughts, his emotional boat rocking at sea, nearly capsized. He’s afraid, yet trying to mask it with strength, just like he did in the shower last night when they were washing blood off of each other’s bodies. “The point is to keepawayfrom all of that bullshit, from those pompous fiends who nearly killed you, who nearly fuckingendedyou …”
“Have you forgotten our little visit last night and how that motherfucker almost endedyou?”
Elias stops with a huff. “I havenot,” he states curtly.
“As much as we wanna be away from all that ‘bullshit’, we can’t stop the ‘bullshit’ from coming tous. Did you not realize what thatwaslast night?” Kyle asks suddenly, voice lowered to nearly a whisper, as if Lazarus lurks around a corner, listening. “Tristan told me about Them, capital T,Them. He told me many times over our years together, he warned me there were others out there who follow no rules, who are cruel, soulless …He said looking upon one is like looking upon your own death. When we met Markadian and George, I thoughttheywere who Tristan meant all this time, but no. Last night …” He looks away, despairing. “Last night, I now see. I see what else is out there … what I might become, if I don’t …”
Elias comes to the edge of the bed where Kyle sits, still hugging his knees. “You willneverbe one of Them.”
“How do you know?”
“I just do.”
“You know nothing, Elias. And for that matter, neither do I. We’re …” Kyle shakes his head, frustrated. “We’re having the same argument all over again.”
“Listen, I know you want answers, but Tristan? You can’t trust him. He lied to you. Many times. He’s the one who—”
“I spent twenty-six years of my life with him. Ilovedhim—and hated him. I know who Tristan is.” Kyle gets to his feet. “But I can’t protect you, Elias. Not if thatthingcomes back here. I can’t protect anyone in this town. Do you know how helpless that makes me feel?”
Elias sighs. “I know.”
“Youdon’tknow,” Kyle barks back, fists balled up, crossing the room and coming to a stop by the wall where it’s shattered. “He was so strong, he even overpoweredme. How is anyone safe here if more of Them find us? What if he wasn’t even the strongest? Or the most vicious? What if he’s downright tame compared to what’s out there? Elias, you can pretend to be strong all you want, but I can fucking feel your fear.”
Elias casts his troubled eyes to the floor, hands on his hips.
Perhaps they both knew that a promise of a long, happy life out here was too good to be true. Neither wanted to admit it.
And now the reality is at their doorstep.
“Just …pleasedon’t go to him.” Elias speaks slowly, calmly. “I’d like you to think it over some more. Give it time. It’s notgood to make decisions when emotional.” Elias drops onto the edge of the bed with a sigh, looks away. “I … can still feel his … histeeth… feeding on my body.Fuck, I don’t even know what he looked like. Why’d I agree to a blindfold?”
Kyle comes back to him, lets Elias rest his head against his side, rubs his short buzzed hair, the pleasantly prickly parts at the base of his neck where it’s grown out a little. Neither speak.
Give it time, Elias had suggested.
Maybe he’s right.
It’s a short time later when Kyle stands at the door, dressed for his shift. “I’ll be just fine here,” insists Elias. “I don’t need any babysitting, I don’t need you to call in, I just want things to go on as normally as they did before. The bar needs you.”
They’ve already gone back and forth a dozen times. It’s no use. Elias’s stubbornness is a force of nature. “I’m still calling you every half hour,” Kyle insists.
“I’ll be fine.”
“Every twenty minutes.” Kyle kisses Elias deeply. It gives him such comfort in the face of everything that’s happened over the past twenty-four hours. It’s ever so tempting to defy Elias and beg Cade for the night off anyway. The last thing he wants to do is leave Elias alone. “Every ten.”
“Go.” Elias smacks Kyle on the ass. “Dinner will be ready for you by the time you’re back. And by dinner, Idomean a plump spot on my ass you can sink your teeth into.”
Kyle attempts a smile. “Lock up after me.”
“Won’t help anyway against one of Them,” teases Elias, then, “sorry, too soon, ignore that, go, go, go,” as he practically pushes Kyle out the door and locks up behind him.
