Page 1 of All Saints Day
Chapter 1
Quentin
We never thought this day would come; Seb, Caz, Louie and I all seated together at a small round table; the rest of the ornate banquet hall bustling with family, friends, and other obligatory guests you invite to your formal bonding reception.
Seb looks incredible in his shimmering black velvet jacket and black satin bowtie, Caz is a pastel portrait of pale skin, sharp cheekbones, and intricately embroidered powder blue moire satin tuxedo jacket–the two of them still outshone by Louise—her bare, sculpted shoulders and delicate clavicles glowing in the light of the chandelier; her ivory silk cowl-necked dress shimmering like her cascade of auburn hair.
I blink, and we’re in the center of the dance floor—Caz and Sébastien hooting and hollering from the pack table as Louise and I take a turn around the ballroom; muted trumpets and the gentle tiss-tiss of brush-sticks on hi-hats guiding us through our dance steps.
She runs the flats of her hands up the black satin shawl collar of my white dinner jacket—stopping only to adjust a large purple and white iris in my lapel, the golden pollen just dusting the tips of her long, clever fingers.
“It’s so beautiful here.” Louise sighs, resting her head against my chest as I press my lips into the part of her silky red hair.
We move in small, looping circles, even as the music begins to warp, to slow.
“I just wish I could stay—but I don’t have long,” Louise’s voice wavers, already watery with tears.
“Stay here, with me–with us, forever,” I whisper against the shell of her ear, holding her body close to mine.
“I want that more than anything,” she weeps quietly, her tears falling onto my crisp white shirt.
Then I see him—lit in a doorway on the far end of the ballroom; the bright light around him turning him to the flat black of a silhouette.
“You know I can’t.” Louise pulls back from me, pressing onto her toes to place a tender kiss on my lips. “He’s coming. Can’t you feel it?” she simpers.
Suddenly Seb and Caz are on either side of us—closing in protectively around her.
“We’re going to save you—it won’t be long now,” Caz assures Louise, pressing his lips to hers quickly before Sébastien crushes all three of us against his broad chest, tears streaming down his face.
“Just hold on, Loulou, you’ll be back—safe with us before you know it.”
Outside the moonlit windows, I see another shape in profile—seeking, searching hands running over the panes of frosted glass.
“I have to go,” Louise’s voice trembles, tears falling from her beautiful cinnamon eyes.
In the distance I see the figure in the lit doorway, his hands bracing the frame; his body a large “X” made in shadow.
I can’t see his face, but I speak his name—hoping he hears the black hatred that drips from the word. “Frank.”
Louise gasps, and a shadow falls over us all.
I wake soaked through with sweat, barely able to catch my breath, Caz and Seb leaning over me in the cool blue light of night.
“Tin-tin, are you alright?” Sébastien soothes, laying a large, tattooed hand over my bare chest, over my heart.
My head bobs up and down, but I’m struggling to swallow down my tears—the barely leashed panic that threatens to spill over at any second.
Caz, with his hollow-looking cheeks and dark-circled eyes, reaches down to brush away the hair plastered to my forehead with sweat.
“I know it was bad—just try to take a few breaths,” Caz croons as Seb turns to the nightstand, producing a tall glass of water.
Each of them helps me to sit up, propped against the headboard.
“Only a few hours—then we really start being able to make moves to get her back,” Caz adds, steadying himself as much as me.
“Yeah, you’re right—of course.” I take the glass of water from Seb, drinking deeply. “Just hard when we get those glimpses of her across the bond… it’s worse when she’s actively suffering or being…” The words dry on my tongue, and I take another slug of water, attempting to keep my mind from those darker places.
“I know, I know.” Seb takes the empty glass from me and places it back on the bedside table before crawling across the bed to scoot himself between me and Caz—pulling us into him with his massive arms like some huge bird gathering its young under its wings. “Let’s try to get some rest, eh? Tomorrow is going to be a long and difficult day.”
