A Bond Beyond Death

CHAPTER TWO - HOMECOMING

SELENE'S POV

“Selene!!”. He shouted happily. The crate slipped from his hands, bottles clinking loudly as they hit the ground while he waved at me like he hadn't just dropped half his stock.

I laughed, shaking my head, trying to forget what bothered me as I stepped out of the car. The moment I reached him, he pulled me into a tight hug.

“Happy birthday, my little princess,” he said, squeezing me once more before letting me go. “You made it!”

“I barely made it,” I teased. “Looks like business is running really, really fast today.”

“You have no idea.” He was already steering me towards the door. “Come on. I'll introduce you properly later, but right now I could really use some extra hands and legs.”

Inside, the bar was packed. Voices overlapped, glasses clinked, and laughter rose and fell like waves.

“Where's Josh?” I asked. “Still pretending he hates working here?”

He smiled. “Bathroom break... or hiding. Hard to tell with the boy.”

Uncle Nate barely had time to explain anything before someone pulled him away.

“Just help where you can. You know the drill,” he called over his shoulder.

And I did know the drill.

I slipped behind the bar, grabbing glasses, passing drinks, moving on by instinct. It felt strange how easy it was. Like I'd done this a hundred times before.

I wiped my hands on a towel and turned towards the counter.

That's when I saw him.

He sat there quietly, his elbows resting against the counter. His eyes were already on me.

Not searching. Not curious. Just… Watching. Like he'd been waiting.

“What can I get you? The words died in my throat.

Those cold, golden amber eyes met mine.

The noise inside the bar faded, like someone had turned the whole world down a notch.

I knew that face. I didn't know how...but I knew that face.

He didn't smile. He didn't speak. He just stared at me. Somehow...that felt worse.

“What can I get for you?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Vodka,” he replied.

Nothing more. A simple demand without a please, an explanation, or any hint of politeness.

Just… ‘Vodka.’

As I reached for the bottle, I suddenly became acutely aware of how close he was. When I slid the glass towards him, his fingers brushed against it instead of touching mine, as though he were deliberately avoiding any contact.

“You're new,” he remarked. He stated it rather than asking.

There was something about his calm, detached tone that sent a shiver down my spine, tightening my chest in an unsettling way.

“Do I know you?”

The question left my mouth before I even thought about it.

He didn't break eye contact.

“No.” His answer was simple. But the intensity of his gaze told a different story.

I was certain I'd never met him before. Yet there was an uncanny familiarity in the way he watched me, as though he had observed my every move countless times.

His presence settled inside me. Heavy. Unwavering. As if I had encountered him countless times before. Just not at this moment. Not while fully awake. Or was I?

People drifted out one by one, leaving behind half-finished drinks and a quieter room. I wiped down the counter, my gaze slipping more than once towards the seat he'd taken earlier.

He was still there. Even though he hadn't moved, his eyes lifted the moment mine did. They were watching me. I forced myself to look away.

When I returned, his glass was empty.

“Another,” he said, lifting his glass slightly.

I reached for the bottle, my hands steadier than my pulse. “You drink quickly,” I said, trying, but failing, to sound casual.

He didn't respond. His gaze shifted to the clear liquid in the glass, watching it settle as though nothing else existed. The silence grew thin, uncomfortable.

Then he looked up. “I was wondering when you would return.” He raised his glass and took a drink.

My breath caught. The words shouldn't have meant anything. But they did.

"What?" I asked.

He said nothing. His eyes were unreadable as they held mine. His lips slowly curved. Not warm. Not kind. Dangerous.

He reached into his jacket, pulled out his wallet, and placed a few bills on the counter. His fingers tapped the cash once. Deliberately.

My pulse thudded.

He stood adjusting his collar. “See you later, Selene.”

He spoke my name like it was a promise. Then he turned and walked away.

I stood there, staring at the space he'd just occupied. “He said my name…” I whispered to myself as the bar carried on around me, as though someone had pressed their palms against my ears.

“Selene...”

I didn't respond.

"Selene.?"

The voice sounded distant and warped, as though it were coming from underwater.

"Selene."

I jolted. Josh stood in front of me now, his brows drawn together with concern.

“Hey... are you okay?”

My heart was pounding. Hard. "I... um..."

My voice felt strange in my throat. But my eyes drifted towards the door.

I didn't answer. I didn't wait for another question. I pushed past the counter and headed for the door.

Outside, the night air was cool and still. Empty. No footsteps. No shadow slipping away. No trace of him at all. It was as though he had disappeared.

I turned slowly, scanning the quiet stretch of road. My heart was still racing, as though I'd lost something.

A hand touched my shoulder as I gasped and spun around.

“Whoa, hey. It's just me,” Josh said quickly. “Are you okay?”

I pressed a hand against my chest, forcing myself to breathe. “Yeah... yeah, I'm fine.”

He studied me for a moment. Unconvinced. “Are you sure?”

I nodded, already stepping past him. "Let's go back inside." The bar felt different when we returned. Quieter. Softer. Like the night was winding down.

Uncle Nate glanced up from behind the counter. “Alright.” He clapped his hands once. “Let's start cleaning up. We're closing soon.”

Josh grabbed a cloth and headed towards the tables. “Finally,” he muttered. “My feet are done for the night.”

I reached for the glasses. My movements were automatic, but my mind wasn't. My gaze drifted once, or twice, maybe more, towards the end of the bar. The seat was empty.

After we finished cleaning, we packed everything we needed and headed home. The drive was quiet, probably because we were all exhausted.