Whispers

Spies

Lucius looked up at the simple two-story Karina called home. It had a wraparound porch with planters beneath the front windows. A loveseat swing occupied one side of the porch while a rocking chair sat on the other side, both unmoving. Light blue paint with white lattices added charm to the house that matched Karina’s personality completely. Simple, yet tasteful. The lawn was properly manicured and a mailbox by the sidewalk—a replica of the house—completed the postcard.

Even where she lived seemed so pure.

Lucius pushed away his self-loathing. He’d see this thing to the end, whatever it was. He owed it to her and to himself.

It wasn’t hard to locate where she lived. All Lucius had to do was concentrate on her. The way her hair shimmered in the sunlight. The tantalizing scent of her perfume. And when he opened his eyes, he stood before her house.

The porch light was on as if it invited him in. But he didn’t move. Not yet, anyway. If he was watching himself from afar, he’d automatically think: Stalker. How was he going to explain to Karina how he knew where she lived without completely freaking her out? He should have thought things through a little more.

The irony of it all was, no matter how crazy she might think he was he didn’t want to leave.

He thought about her parents. Would they allow him in? Would they have questions? Did he have answers to those questions?

He glanced at the sky to check for the time. It was just after dinner, or at least he thought it was for humans. He wasn't sure if 9PM was late enough that he wouldn't get invited to eat but early enough that he'd be given a few minutes with Karina.

If she accepted his apology, not that she would, he could always visit her again after school the next day. The thought scared and excited him in equal measure. He was afraid she would never forgive him for what he’d done. He deserved her annoyance. And he would totally understand if she didn’t want to see him again. But it would destroy him; that much he knew.

“Oh, to hell with it,” he said to no one in particular.

If he was going to make a fool of himself, it might as well happen before he completely lost his nerve.

Lucius made sure he manifested himself before walking up the front steps. Then he adjusted his jacket, dusted imaginary lint from his jeans, and smoothed away non-existent wrinkles on his shirt. Shamus would rather be drained than hand Lucius a wrinkled shirt, but he needed to stop the shaking of his hands somehow. And anything he could do to keep himself from ringing the doorbell a little longer was a necessity.

Finding that he’d run out of unnecessary rituals to perform, Lucius pushed the button by the door. A buzzing sound rang out inside. A masculine voice called out and a feminine one answered.

Lucius breathed in deep. His chest had been moving in and out too fast for his comfort. The last thing he wanted was to hyperventilate in front of Karina’s parents. He dried his sweaty palms on the back of his jeans.

“You can do this,” he said to the door. “Don’t chicken out now.”

The voices seemed to encourage him too. They cheered, which unsettled Lucius. They’d never been positive with him before. Their hostility he could handle. But before he could fully dissect why they were acting so cheery, the door swung open to reveal a woman in her thirties wearing an apron over a simple pantsuit. Why were all the humans he was meeting, with the exception of Karina, wearing aprons?

He quickly set the thought aside and reminded himself to smile.

“Good evening, ma’am,” he said in a voice that was too shaky for his comfort.

“Good evening,” she greeted back, a question clearly on her face.

Oddly, Lucius thought, she didn’t look anything like Karina. The woman who stood at the door was mink-haired and gray-eyed. She looked too young to have a daughter Karina’s age. Then again, maybe she got pregnant as a teen and Karina took after her father.

Scrambling, Lucius said, “Hello, my name is Lucius Clark, a friend of—”

“Karina! Lucius’s here for you,” the woman called over her shoulder.

Surprise unhinged Lucius’s jaw. “You know about me?”

“Of course, I do.” She smiled. “Karina tells me everything. I would invite you inside, but it’s getting late. I want you to keep it short and continue whatever it is tomorrow. Am I making myself clear?”

Yup, definitely her mother. There was no mistaking the maternal instincts that slammed into Lucius like a wrecking ball.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Bullying Lucius already, mother?” Karina’s voice from behind the woman rushed through Lucius like a welcome breeze on a balmy day. The voices immediately quieted down, like the volume on the radio being turned down. It was fascinating how instant the release in Lucius’s head was.

The woman moved to the side and left Karina at the door with a kiss on the cheek and a pointed look at Lucius.

“Please forgive my mother,” Karina said as she joined Lucius on the porch. She closed the front door and indicated the swing.

“She seems like a very sweet woman,” he said, taking a seat.

Karina looked down at him, unmoving. “Why are you here, Lucius?”

His gaze fell to his hands, rubbing nervously at his jeans. If he kept going, he was such he’d fray the fabric in no time.

“I . . . Karina,” he met her gaze with as much remorse as he could muster, “I came here to apologize to you. I know I promised to help you with the bags. And I know I left you again without saying another word. I assure you, running away isn’t a habit I’d like to cultivate with you.”

The words tumbled out one after the other. When Lucius started, he couldn’t find the off button.

“I will understand if you hate me. And I certainly understand if you don’t want to forgive me. The last thing I deserve is your kindness.” He stood up. “I just came here to apologize for what I did. And now I have.” He moved to leave, but a hand on his arm stopped him.

“Where are you going?” she asked with a rosy smile on her face.

Again, another shocker. How many could he take before he crumbled into dust? “I don’t understand. You’re not mad at me?”

She shook her head, sending the golden fire of her hair cascading over her shoulders. Having the locks free from any constraints suited her best. He immediately wanted to run his fingers through those strands, to prove his suspicions of how soft they really were.

The movement of her head brought with it the scent of watermelons again. That was it. Lucius came undone. He pulled her into his arms and rested his cheek on her hair. Like the most expensive silk. Yes, her hair was that soft. She fit into his arms like a lid on a can. They snapped together perfectly.

Lucius froze at the feel of her softness against him. He’d never experience anything so exquisite. He’d travelled the world. Witnessed different types of decadence, but holding Karina in his arms topped everything he’d known.

Realizing he had acted inappropriately, Lucius let go of her even if he didn’t want to. He stepped back and apologized again.

“I don’t know what came over me.” He rubbed the back of his head, unable to meet her gaze. “Sorry. So, sorry.”

Without saying a word, Karina bridged the gap Lucius had created and snaked her arms around his waist, pulling him closer. His heart beat so hard against his chest he thought he was having an attack. It hurt. But in a good way.

With her body flush with his, he inhaled the scent of her. She was clean, without the perfume she’d made for herself. He wasn’t sure what he liked better. But it didn’t matter because it was both Karina.

When she stepped away from his hold, he let her despite the ache it caused him. To his astonishment, she didn’t break contact completely. She held on to his hand and guided him to the swing. They sat together, gazing into each other’s eyes.

“Why did you leave the last time?” she asked finally, no judgement on her face. No hint of annoyance at all.

“Why aren’t you mad at me for it? Lucius asked back. He had to know.

She took his hand in both of hers. “I’m not like that, Lucius. If you needed to leave, I assume it’s because you had to. Of course, I was worried. So you have to understand that you being here is actually a relief for me.”

He squeezed her hands before letting go. Everything about her baffled him. Why was she so accepting of him?

“I really don’t understand you. I come here to apologize, yet you’re not angry with me in the least. I hug you suddenly, and when I pull away, you return to my arms.”

“Lucius, aren’t you over thinking this too much? I hugged you back because I thought you needed it.”

“Is it that simple?”

He searched her face, but he should have known all he would see was sincerity. She really was pure, like a hidden spring in the mountains, untouched by those who would drink from it. He felt guilty for even being with her like this, no matter how ludicrous it was. She was so precious. Nonjudgmental. Not suspicious. Had she ever been hurt?

“Yes, it’s that simple,” she said softly. “Ever since I’d met you at the cemetery, I felt like you needed my help. Like you were keeping something very heavy inside.”

Tears choked him. He blinked them away, hoping the meagre porch light wouldn’t betray his loss of composure.

“But you don’t even know who I am. I’m a stranger to you.”

“Are we going to discuss this again?” She touched his cheek and guided his head until he faced her fully. “Lucius, I wasn’t raised to mistrust people. You asked me at the cemetery why I put a rose on Tommy’s grave. You left before I could answer.”

He nodded.

“It was because I don’t believe he intended what he did. He was driven to it. He’s a good person who was forced to end his pain. He doesn’t deserve to be hated because of what he did. All the more, the people around him should have seen sooner that he was suffering. Even I should have done something to help him. We are all guilty for the decisions we make, but it doesn’t mean we should be condemned when we make a mistake. I’m not condoning what he did, but I’m not blaming him either.”

Lucius’s heart broke open. “You don’t understand. You just don’t understand.”

“Then make me understand. How can I help you?” She reached up and dried the tears he couldn’t hold in anymore.

“Just stay with me. Can you do that?”

As an answer, she took him into her arms again and settled his head on her shoulder. He wept. And wept until he felt empty inside. She murmured soft words into his ear. Some he didn’t understand, others were of encouragement and how there was no shame in letting his feelings out.

When the last of his tears fell, Lucius pushed away gently from Karina to rub at his sore eyes. It wasn’t the manliest thing to do, crying on the shoulder of a girl, one he barely knew, but it did make him feel better. She had basically forgiven him not just for leaving her twice now, but also for what he’d done to Tommy. He wasn’t sure how it happened, but it was like she put into words what he needed to hear so he could stay whole.

“Can I pick you up from school tomorrow?” he asked shyly. “I’d like to make up for leaving you.”

She smiled. “I’d like that.”

Her words swelled in his chest like a balloon, almost giving him the power to float. He bid her good night and watched her enter her house before he dematerialized himself. He stayed standing on her lawn, watching the light of her bedroom come on. He didn’t want to leave yet. He wasn’t sure he wanted to leave at all.

“What are you doing here?” Desmond said beside him.

Lucius jumped out of his skin, and this time, when he landed, he smacked his friend as hard as he could.

“Ow!” Desmond staggered back, grabbing his shoulder. “What was that for? I was looking for you all night, and this is where I’d find you like some pervert peeking up at a girl’s window? What the hell, man!”

Lucius couldn’t deny the impropriety of what he was doing, so instead, he mumbled an apology and let Desmond stand beside him again without retaliating for scaring him half to death. He looked up at Karina’s window again.

“I think I’ve just met the most amazing girl, Des,” he said.

“That doesn’t sound good.” Desmond shook his head. “A human, Lucius? Really? Why does it have to be a human?”

“All I know is there isn’t a rule against it.”

“Right.” He pouted. “It’s so like you to check first. You know that it’s creepy that you’re out here watching her, right?”

Lucius huffed. “Don’t even go there.”

“So, should I give you the gun now or later?”

"That's not funny and you know it." He mock-punched his friend, which had Desmond pretending to double over.

“Oh, come on. It’s a little funny.” He straightened himself and followed Lucius’ gaze. “Who is she?”

“Remember the time I almost faded?”

“Oh! Oh!” Desmond covered his mouth. “The girl who saved your life? The one Dee had to erase the memory off?”

Ignoring his friend’s baying like a dying pig, Lucius continued. “She’s a student at Blackwood High. And apparently, she was a classmate of Tommy Humphrey.”

“The boy who—”

“You don’t have to remind me. Not my finest hour.”

“You said it, not me.”

Lucius shot him a half-hearted glare. “Anyway, you go on dates, right?”

Again Desmond covered his mouth like his lips were going to fall off. “Are you kidding me? You’re going to ask her out?”

“I already did.”

“Oh! This is precious. We need to find out what she likes then.” Desmond disappeared.

Lucius looked around for him and paled when he saw Desmond inside Karina’s room. He gritted his teeth and teleported himself there. When he appeared, he smacked Desmond upside the head.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Again with the violence, man!” Desmond didn’t even show any remorse. He began looking around.

Karina was in her bathroom. Lucius could hear her humming in the shower.

A hot blush exploded on his face at the thought of her naked. And wet. Des was right. He really was a pervert.

“What are you doing?” he said when he caught Desmond looking into her drawers. “If you pull out her underwear, I swear—”

“Chill.” Desmond stepped away from the drawers. “Aren’t you even a little curious what she wears under her clothes?”

“No!”

"Oh but that blush on your face says otherwise, my pasty friend."

Lucius turned around, trying his best to tune out Desmond’s laughter.

Karina's room was as feminine as she was. A lot of purples, but not glaringly so. She loved butterflies and flowers, as evidenced by the pins on her dresser and the stencils along her walls. Her sheets were white and she had several large pillows. When his gaze landed on the nightstand, he noticed a picture frame. Lucius backed away from it and grabbed Desmond, who looked at him in surprise.

“We have to go,” he said then teleported the both of them out of Karina’s room.