Hidden in the mist

Change in plans....

       Thankfully Azazael was in the kitchen making more coffee when I walked into the house, I sat with him and informed him of what happened just a short while ago. He was worried for Zan, just as much as I was, was the Cailleach pissed that he was around me, or that he brought me around? Azazael brought up a really good point that I didn’t think of before.

       “Boa I was looking, some books about the Cailleach and dryads, I think we have a bit of a problem…. The dryads will be up and about in the town around Zan’s place right…. What if they inform him of us going over there?”

       “good point we will have to check them out before we risk going to his house…. This is more then I wanted, I need to find out though if they were the ones that caused Zan to get knocked out though…. Ill have to find a spell to summon the first Cailleach that I spoke to.

      “there has to be some kind of opening for us to go there…. I wonder if maybe I can say that im picking something up for him…”

    “no that wouldn’t work they would be able to sense the lie, and if not then they would ask him or bring it up in the passing and that all would bring unwanted attention to you…. Is there a back way maybe?”

      “not that I know of but it something I could look for; we need to plan for this”

       “hey Bobo, what if you can get close enough to summon them? Do you think that would work?” I thought for a moment, it wouldn’t be so hard if I knew whom the Cailleach were by name, I don’t want to risk doing an open summon, who knows what would pop up and what more problems would arise.

        Azazael and I did more home work down in the archives and man did our heads hurt after that, I looked at the time and saw I had one hour before I had to meet with Zan for lunch, I started to get nervous, I was so excited for Azzy and Zan to meet. I think Azzy was almost as nervous as I was, he has gotten over his fears of being around humans after what had happened to him, but this wasn’t that kind of nerves. Azazael was acting like a high school girl getting ready for her first date…. With the most popular guy in school. I’ll admit I had my moment when I was getting dressed, he was worse though, he was nit picking everything he had and said some choice of words over his cloths. Lets not get started on how he was so very upset over how his hair was acting, or what cologne to wear.

    Finally, after what seemed like hundreds of hours, we left with only less then ten minutes to meet Zan at the pub. Azazael went on how we should watch what we drink, we shouldn’t make fools of our selves nor offend Zan seeing he still had classes to teach. As we pulled up to the pub my phone began to ring, Azazael’s face was priceless, never in my thousands of years alive did I imagine his face contort the way it did. I was laughing pretty hard when I answered Zan’s call.

     “hello?” I answered in between giggles and gasps.

       “uh?... hello?…” he sounded very confused.

     “I’m here sorry I was caught off guard by my friend. What’s up?”

        “well I wanted to let you know I’m running a bit behind, I should be there really soon though, can you get us a table?”

     “uh ya no problem, we just got here ourselves. Everything okay?”

     “yeah, nothings wrong. I just had a student that needed help un-freezing his laptop.”

     “Oh okay, well, we will get us a table…. I guess we will see you soon then.”

       “yep, see you soon Boa.” We then hung up and I shook my head at Azazael and giggled on last time before I got out of the car. Azazael had given me a dirty look as he got out of the car and then pouted as we started for the pub’s door.

       “so is that what we are doing today, Boa?” I started to laugh again as I opened the door for us.

        “nope….. that’s what you’re doing today Azazael.” I gave him a wink as I walked threw the doors. It was dead, at the moment at least, I’m sure students and staff from campus would be strolling in soon. This was going to be the new gossip of the school for the remaining of the week into maybe even next month… Boa Ann McGrath seen having lunch with two lovers?! Miss McGrath seen in heart braking love triangle, which will she choose?.... f**k me!

     “you seem to be deep in thought, are you okay?” Azazael spoke, I was deep in thought, about drama to come at work.

      “I’m fine, just thinking of the drama at work if anyone sees us three having lunch…. Zan will be here soon, want to order anything to drink at least?”

      “sure, what are you thinking?” I wasn’t even sure; I was in the mood for anything cold to drink but at the same time I wanted another cup of coffee.

       “I’m not sure maybe some coffee, or something cold, maybe an iced tea or something.”

     “looks like they have a new chi tea smoothie, and a few flavors of iced coffee.”

 Right away that caught my attention, I loved both, I looked over the list and was super excited that I ordered both. Azazael did as well.

      When the waitress was about done taking our drink orders Zan had walked in, Azazael leaned over the table and whispered low enough for only me to hear him. “are you sure he isn’t a god? He is heavenly to look at…” my eyes got really big and I turned to look at his devilish smile and my jaw was hanging low, almost to the table… not really but it felt like it, I pushed his face away as Zan spotted us. I whispered back him in an authoritative tone, and some humor.

     “behave your self Azzy, or ill take you out side for a good old fashion drowning….. besides that’s crossed my mind many a times, even in my dreams.” Now it was his turn to gawk with his jaw dropped.

     “hey Boa, hi you must be Boa’s friend Azazael?” Zan held his hand out for a shake before he sat down.

      “indeed, I am, you must be the legendary Zanthis.” Bastard looked over and gave me a wink before he continued. “you can call me Az.” I mumbled a joke that I guess was loud enough the guys could hear and the look I got with the chuckles proved it.

         “more like ASS!” oopsy!

      “I’ll keep to Az, I’m sure if I called him that we won’t be able to be friends then.” We all laughed.

         “you can call me Zan by the way, Boa does.”

       “oh, is that so Bobo? Well then, sounds good.”

          “so, did you guys order yet?”

      “no, we only ordered drinks, I can wave down the waitress for you so you can order a drink.” I said

          “no, its okay ill order when she comes back, have you guys decided what you want to eat?”Zan answered, Azazael raised a brow with another devious grin as he looked between Zan and myself, I was ready to take his angelic ass out side by the wings if he didn’t stop, I did warn him.

        “oh I thin Bobo did, right Bobo?”

     “um not as of yet,” I gave him a death glare. “I can’t decided if I want to devour angle hair pasta or rip into some ribs.” I put a squint to ‘angle’ and ‘ribs’ to prove a point to Azazael that I was ready to kill him if he didn’t stop.

       Zan looked over the menu for a moment before he spoke. “I think I’m in the mood for some stuffed chicken, it comes with a side salad and some pasta.”

     “that sounds really good I think I’ll get that as well.” Azazael spoke next, I hope he got my hint, he seemed to be behaving himself now.

     “hmm, a new item, it is called pot belly stuffer, it’s a hot sandwich loaded with meets and two cheeses and select veggies with a hot honey sauce.”

      “that just sounds strange...” Azazael said with a scrunched face, secretly his fat kid was screaming    ‘YES PLEASE!’. I just rolled my eyes at him and went back to the menu.

          Awhile later the waitress was back with mine and Azazael’s drinks, then she took Zan’s drink order and all of our meal orders. Zan excused himself so he could take a call, right away Azazael started his s**t and we bantered back and forth about Zan and his looks and well if you knew Azzy the way I did youd know it was all s****l and me dead center in it all. Then right before Zan returned, Azzy started going on about the waitress, so when Zan returned it was an awkward moment, until Zan said something.

    “she reminds me of a troll doll with wet hair.” We all busted out laughing, it was a great comment and I wasn’t expecting him to say that, it was harsh but funny, I felt bad because the waitress was actually really pretty even with multi colors in her hair. She was young and fit, curved and full in all the right places.

      Lunch was great, it was a lot of fun chatting with my two favorite men, we shared a lot of laughs and stories, Azazael behaved himself and I think even got attached to Zan. It was a perfect lunch date, we didn’t even get spotted by any one from campus, they waitress was overwhelmed with the two guys though, she kept coming back to the table with refills even though our drinks were not even half empty yet.

        Theres good service but then there is overboard service, she was doing overboard, she kept asking the guys if there was anything else they needed and if their food was good, she even went as far as asking seductively if they wanted deserts.

         Later when Azzy and I were on our way back to my place we kept joking about her and her persistence, we did leave her a good tip though, we all fought over who was paying and then we decided to pay for our own meals, then the same thing happened for the tip, shock for her though, the guys left less of a tip then I did. Azzy wouldn’t let that drop either….

         “oh come on Bobo! Admit it she might be thinking right now that Zan and I are a thing and you have a thing for her.” He said as we walked threw the front door, I just rolled my eyes at him, even though he was behind me as we walked through the house, I knew he felt my eyes roll at him, he man a puff sound.

         “no Azzy I don’t think that, I think she is heart broken right now seeing she can drool over you and Zan anymore. That’s what I think.”

“maybe she only did that to make you jealous.”  

      “oh, come on! Now you’re just reaching for drama, that poor girl couldn’t get enough of hearing your guys voices. Admit it you wanted to take her in the back for a good romping.” Now it was his turn to roll his eyes at me.

      “not even close, I agree with Zan she was a wet troll doll.” We started rolling again, thank goddess I was near the kitchen counter when he said that, I needed to hold myself up.

      “okay I get it. I am really glad you two got along though, what do you think of him?” he stood and became serous before he spoke.

      “I really like him Bobo, I think you should try and date him.” I choked on my air, I started coughing and gasping for air, he patted my back and made smart comments as I tried to breath. Finally pulling myself together I spoke to him.

       “wow!... I am at lost for words right now, who are you?”

      “funny Bobo, I mean it, I think you really like him to…. I can just tell his heart is going crazy for you, I see the way you two are together, the way you look at each other.” I went to sit on the couch, and he joined me, plopping down we both leaned into each other, he wrapped an arm around me and began again. “Bobo you can’t hide forever from love, its okay to have feelings, you have been alone for far to long. Besides I think if it works out, I can contact a few people to help us make him immortal.” I raised my head up and socked him in the ribs.

        “I don’t want to do that to him, even if he wants it, it isn’t fair. We don’t even enjoy having a never-ending life, its lonely and watching everyone around you just die away isn’t the way to live, it hurts like hell.”

        “I agree it isn’t fair, but is it that way because we don’t have any one to go on with? What if we had some one, we love and want to be with for all of time? Will it be better then?”

      “I don’t think so, even if we had some one with us for all of time, what if that love fades? What if they themselves can’t handle living forever? In this world we have no end Azzy, in our own at least we can have peace and an end. We can even go into a chronic sleep for some of our kind, here its never ending, we don’t age, even with the best of spells we can’t stay aged nor die, well some of our kind. I don’t want to force any one to live the life we have lived; it feels almost forced to keep going on.”

       “Bobo I think you’re only saying all this because for once you love someone, and him being mortal puts fear in your heart instead of truth. I understand you don’t want him tom feel like he is being forced into an immortal life but what if he chose to be that way? Or is it you fear he will fall out of love with you one day and leave you like our parents did? I don’t think he would ever do that Bobo, if I could love again I would, but I think my heart has been long lost. I can only hope to have some one like Zan to make me feel something again, Bobo you are my best friend, my little sister, my everything. But the love I have for you isn’t the same and we both know that, yes, I will always be here for you but you need some one else, you need more. I think he is what you need to live again.” He sat up and turned me to look in his eyes, he had so many feelings crossing those angelic eyes and face, but his lips showed sadness. His hands rested upon my shoulders when he began speaking again.

      “knowing me Boa, which you should, wouldn’t say these things if I didn’t really mean it, there is something about Zan that screams he is what you need, he is the one to save you from your past and pain. Don’t let him get away Bobo…. He is the fire you need inside of you, give it a try, even if its not right away, keep on being friends see where it goes. Don’t let him go though, he seems like he is worth fighting for, and I am always here if you want to talk about it.”

      I gave him a huge hug, and I didn’t let go, I let his words sink in and thought everything over. He was right, he was never one to say things like that, more so with a straight face and no s****l innuendo. I know he has feelings for me, but is just friends like how Azzy and I feel for each other? Can there be more to it? Only time can tell, Azzy was right.

     “I’ll try Azzy.” Is all I could say, still holding each other we kept silent for some time, finally we pulled apart when my phone rang. I reached in my back pocket for it and say it was Zan.

      “why hello! Having a break between classes?” I said as cheerful as I could, it wasn’t hard because I was happy to hear from him.

        “yeah, well sort of… guess some dumb ass decided to catch the science labs on fire and it went to the storage rooms, the whole school was dismissed until they were all sure that it was safe, so the school closed for the day.”

          “you’re kidding! That’s insane! Which lab was it?”

    “not one hundred percent sure, all I know is that some girls had a exam project that went very wrong, and it went threw the science rooms fast. I’m not sure if it was in just one class or multiple classes that girls had projects go wrong…. The rumors are so unclear.”

        “ah! Good old rumors, sounds like the rumors spread faster than science hazard did.”

    “pretty much, so what are you up to?”

       “nothing much just sitting back catching up with Azazael is all.”

   “nice! Tell I said hi.”

       “Zan says hi.” That’s when the phone got snatched from me, well the guys got deep into a conversation and I was left in the dark, so I went to go make some tea. Finally, I got my phone back after almost forty minutes, only to see that they ended the call and my battery was damn near dead, I had two percent left. Ass holes!....

      “sorry about your phone Bobo, I have good news for you though!”

   “oh, do tell and tickle my world pick with it…” my amusement was so sparkly, not really I was pissed about my phone being taken over and given back to me dead, how did they go from over eighty percent to nothing?

     “well miss cranky butt, Zan has invited us over tonight for dinner, he wants to grill out and have a fire pit set up as well. Matter of fact he is on his way to pick everything up for tonight…” he droned off on everything they talked about getting for tonight and how they exchanged numbers and how in two hours they are going to meet up to pick out and purchase a new grill, and fire pit and yard stuff. I just half listened to Azzy as he went on and on. Finally, it got to a good part and I was glad I had actually stated to listen when I did.

        “So while we are off doing guy stuff that gives you time to girly up and then, take your time meeting us at his place, maybe pull over and act like you’re checking your ‘make-up’ maybe ‘take a call’..” I actually got what he had meant, and it was brilliant! Things were falling into place sooner then I had thought, step one out of many other steps to go.

     “perfect!” was I could say.

     He then helped me go look for something to wear tonight and then he went off to get ready for tonight as well. Just from us looking for something for me to wear tonight took up a third of the time he had before he had to meet Zan, I’m sure that another third would be him getting ready himself. That last third was drive time, so in the end it all worked out perfectly.

       While Azzy was getting ready I went to take a long hot bath, but not in my normal tub, I went up to my personal spa room up on the roof. It had no windows on the walls, but up on the ceiling was one massive one, the walls were all stone, heated stone. The stones were meant to hold heat in the room but also pull heat from the spaces around it, yes stone from my home world. In the center of the room was a stone tub that set in the ground, actually I wouldn’t even call it a tub it was like a mini pond that had different levels for stepping around and sitting on, or even laying back on, it was surrounded by crystals and stone work with plants and shrub, the mist rising from the water gave it a magical feel.

     The air was so sweet smelling, it made butterflies swarm around in excitement. I closed my eyes and took in the room, I felt the mist rise and come to welcome me into its warmth, I reached for my tie in my hair and pulled it down. My dark wavy hair cascaded down like the night skies falling to kiss the ground with its bliss, it was heaven to have my hair down. I began to step toward the water and took my clothes off and I felt my skin heat as the mist kissed my milky skin, I could hear the mist whisper my secret thoughts. Zanthis…..

     I wished he was here with me, my nerves were hay wired right now, I was nervous about tonight and the future. The thoughts of my confession to him about my feelings ran threw my head and all those thoughts all ended in heated, lust filled kisses all over each other’s bodies. Tonight, is the first step, find out more about what’s going on at his home and with the Cailleach, then move forward with getting closer to him.

   I kept thinking of everything as I stepped into the warm water, it was very welcoming and calming, I even smelt the earthy smell from the planted areas, it helped me drift into the water and relax more. I lay there floating in the water just lost in my own thoughts, wishing I could feel Zan’s hand touch my wet skin, him lathering my skin with his manly hands….

         My thoughts of everything good was abruptly stopped when I felt the room shake, the water slushed and trembled around me, almost threatening to pull me under. Just before I could open my eyes and stand, I heard a loud deep rumbling of a male voice yell out my name….

       BOA ANNA!!!!!!

        Right away I sunk into the water and just as fast as I went under I was standing screaming and whipping my hair back so I could see who was there in the room…… No one…. Azazael came running into the room throwing his head around looking for an intruder, his eye quickly landed on me and I must have had a very scared look on my face because he came running to me, not even caring if he was now soaked, or that I was butt ass naked!

    He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me out of the water, never letting me go, he wrapped a towel around me and sat me on his lap. He held me in silence, but still very alert, I could tell he was on edge and waiting for something else to happen.

“Bobo are you okay?”

      “i…. I, I don’t know Azzy…. Did you hear him?”

     “yes, yes I did…. Who was that? What the f**k is going on?” still not moving, neither of us, I told him what had happened and that I had no idea who yelled for me. He confirmed that everything shook, and the voice was heard through out the house.

      After awhile he helped me back to my room and stood watch outside my closet as I dressed, the door was open so he could jump in to help me if needed, I was still trembling. I was starting to think what ever is going on its all related, and is some how connected to me. Was it even safe to leave my house tonight? Did I even dare to go anywhere? I had to I need to get answers and hiding wont help me, maybe I can drag out what ever keeps f*****g with me….

     “I don’t understand Bobo no wards were tripped everything is fine…. But how the f**k is that even possible? I saw and heard and felt the same thing as you…”

       “I don’t know, I am as lost as you….”

     I stepped out the front door locking it and then putting up a very large ward and containment spell. It drained me, Azzy even helped lend some of his strength to help make it all sturdy. We both agreed it wasn’t safe for me to be alone at home so he called Zan said he’d be running a bit late, but not by much, but he left out the fact that he was taking me to the dryads for safe keeping until it was time for me to go meet them at Zan’s house. This was going to be tricky, we only hoped that the dryads wouldn’t tell Zan I was in hiding there, or that I’m not what I seem.