by Tiffany Foxe
Em scoffed.
“What? You?”
Sophie laughed.
“Yeah, that, too.”
“What?”
“Happy. You look happy.”
Em smiled and kissed her. Sophie snuggled up next to Em and ran her finger gently back and forth across her skin. They were silent for awhile.
“I’m starving,” said Emiline.
They grabbed some grub at a restaurant down the street.
“That was the first I’ve shifted on my own...on purpose, I mean.”
“Really? I assumed you were working on that.”
“I am but, I suck at it.”
“...Well, maybe it’ll be easier now that you’ve done it.”
Em took a sip of her drink.
“Did you mean that?”
“Hmm?”
“What you said earlier. That you wouldn’t hurt me?”
Sophie looked up at Em.
“Yeah.”
“Shouldn’t you be taking me into custody...or whatever it is you people do?”
Sophie smiled.
“You people?...I would never hurt you. Promise.”
“I know it was my DNA on those murders.”
“Let’s not talk about this right now. You’re killing the mood,” Sophie said with a coy smile.
“I’m serious. This has been driving me crazy. I can’t stop thinking about it.”
“No one will come after you for Yophiel and Ally. I promise.”
“And the other one?”
Sophie looked puzzled.
“The one in Vancouver.”
“Not one of ours. He was one of yours.”
“Mine?”
“Lycan. A Son,” said Sophie.
Sophie could tell that Emiline felt weighed down by stress again.
“Now, you can control it. It’ll be okay.”
Emiline stiffened in her seat..
“Yeah, tell that to the people I murdered.”
She felt sick to her stomach.
“...We’ve all done things we regret.”
“The person in Vancouver? Was that retaliation?”
“We have yet to determine that. The Sons won’t let us investigate on their turf. They’re calling it a vengeance killing, but it’s extremely unlikely. We don’t work that way.”
Emiline got up from the table.
“I’ll be right back.”
She stepped outside to get some fresh air. The thought of what she had done made her stomach curl. The fact that she had too much to drink at dinner didn’t help, either. She felt like she was going to hurl. She leaned forward and put her hands on her knees. A crisp, cool breeze kissed her cheek. She was grateful for its generosity because it helped her nausea, if only a little. A couple walked past her, only too happy to exhibit their disgust in her disorderly appearance. She didn’t care. She was too focused on preventing the spins that occurred every time she closed her eyes. She took a breath and exhaled through pursed lips as she held her stomach. A wave of nausea welled up. She bent forward for the inevitable and marveled at the transient graffiti she created on the sidewalk, especially when she realized that it looked like a mouse head.
Sophie walked over and placed her hand on Em's back.
"Let's get you home."
"I don't wanna go home," slurred Emiline as she wiped her mouth.
She stood up straight and tried to get her bearings.
"I don't trust myself alone," she added.
Sophie took Em back to her place and helped her to bed. Em wasted no time falling asleep. Sophie placed Em's jacket over the back of a chair. She heard something thump on the floor. She looked down and picked up a cell phone off the floor. A green light flashed, indicating a notification. She glanced over at Em. She was already out. She checked to see what it was.
Cecelia Phobos: Where are you?
She put the phone back in Em's jacket pocket, turned the light off and closed the door behind her.
Luce stopped by Sophie’s on her way home as she often did. Usually, the visits involved updates on the latest intel, however sometimes they were more cordial and prolonged. Sophie thought tonight’s visit was a prime time to do a little digging, herself.
"What do you know about Cecelia Phobos?"
"Phobos..."
Luce contemplated for a moment.
"lsn't there a Phobos with the PCPD? The M.E., I believe."
Sophie seemed unsatisfied.
"Anything else?"
Luce shrugged.
"She’s a Son, but you know that. Why?"
"Just wondering."
"Yeah, right. I know you, Soph. You never "just wonder" about anything."
“Well, then you also know I never lay all my cards on the table.”
Luce scowled.
“Yeah, I always hated that about you, but you are pretty easy to read. Anything new on the Sons?”
Sophie shook her head.
“What about Zadok?”
Sophie shook her head, again.
“You know, she’s back in town. Captain Reynold’s went over to her apartment,” said Luce.
Sophie jerked her head at Luce.
“How do you know that?”
Luce gave a sly smile.
“I thought I was keeping tabs. If you’re going to have someone else do it, I won’t waste my time,” snapped Sophie.
Luce shrugged.
“I’ve just had someone watching her apartment in case she came back. Just helping out.”
Sophie grew nervous. If Emiline’s apartment was being watched, then they must have seen where she went after she left, and she knew Luce wouldn’t abide with the current situation of things. Sons and Watchers didn’t mix, especially ones that killed Watchers. She tried not to give herself away.
“Is she still there?”
“You should know,” Luce replied.
Sophie froze.
“You’re keeping tabs, right?” she smirked. “She’s gone,” Luce continued. “We lost her somewhere on the northwest side of town. She must have shifted. There’s no way we could have lost her, otherwise.”
“You really don’t know where she is?”
“Nope,” said Luce.
Sophie left it at that and gladly walked Luce out. She didn’t want her staying any longer than necessary seeing as how Em slept in the room behind them. Sophie locked the elevator, peered out the window for signs of surveillance, then headed back to the bedroom. She set a glass of water on the nightstand beside Emiline and climbed into bed. She snuggled up on her side right behind Em and wrapped her arm around her.
Em awoke to darkness and a headache. She glanced around the room for a clock, but couldn't find one. She fumbled through the darkness for the light switch on the nightstand and turned it on. She looked at the watch on her wrist: 9:19 am. She flopped her arm down. She felt the bed move behind her. She turned to see what it was. Sophie lay on her side struggling to keep the light from her eyes. Em hadn't noticed her get into bed. In fact, she could hardly remember getting there, herself. She rolled back toward the nightstand, took several big gulps of water and turned the lamp off. She rolled back toward Sophie and gently stroked her cheek. If it weren't for the headache, she would be completely at peace in this moment. She dozed off with Sophie wrapped in her arms.
***
Sophie headed down to the basement of her apartment. She had awoken about a half hour earlier. There were still a few hours of daylight left, and she wanted to get to the bar and back before dark and before Em woke up. She opened a heavy, reinforced door in the basement. It revealed a long, dimly lit, narrow passageway which she entered. The tunnel split off in several directions after a few hundred feet. She took a right and pressed on. The passageways had been in existence for centuries, giving watchers a discreet, safe means of travel during daylight hours when the light was too hard on their eyes and skin.
She arrived in the basement of the Masquerade bar and headed upstairs.
"You're here ea
rly," she said as she noticed Sam stocking the bar. "I'm not coming in, tonight. I’m just going to grab a few things," she continued as she headed upstairs.
She grabbed some papers from the safe behind the picture on the wall and headed back home.
Emiline awoke a little after five to a dark empty room. She got up and headed for the bathroom but found that it was occupied. She could hear the shower running. She headed for the kitchen and made some coffee. She heard her phone ringing in the bedroom, and went and grabbed it while her coffee brewed. She looked at the caller ID. It was Cecelia.
"Hello."
"Zadok, where are you?"
"In Portland. Why?"
"It's not safe over there. They have eyes all over the place and you can't control your shifts."
"I'm fine," she assured her. "I just needed to get out of there. I needed some air."
"You're okay? Nothing happened?"
"I'm fine. Nothing happened."
Cecelia sighed with relief. Emiline grabbed a mug and poured a cup of coffee.
"Reynolds called me into his office last night. Wanted to confirm your alibi."
She spilt coffee on the counter.
"Which I did, of course," Cecelia added.
"Thanks," said Em as the weight lifted off her shoulders.
She grabbed a towel and dabbed up the mess.
"You are coming home, tonight, right? You really shouldn't be there."
“Wait a minute. Ralph said I could go wherever I want. Brutus and Demon have my back.”
“What? Oh, you mean Daemien. Yes, they would if you would let them know where you’re at. Speaking of which, where are you exactly? I’ll send them over.”
“Wouldn’t that just call attention?”
“Emiline, you’re not safe there on your own? What if they find you? What if you shift?”
Sophie stepped out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel. She squeezed the excess moisture from her hair with a small towel as she walked into the kitchen toward Em.
"Uh..."
She looked at Sophie, her alluring skin still damp.
“I've gotta go."
"What..."
"We’ll talk about this later."
"Wait...Em..."
Em hung up the phone and placed it in her back pocket.
"Who was that?"
"Dr. Phobos."
"Your doctor?"
Em chuckled.
"No, the M.E.," she replied.
"Oh, everything alright?"
Em nodded.
“Dandy.”
Sophie could tell she was hiding something, but she could see that pressing the issue would get her nowhere.
“Did you eat, yet?”
Sophie shook her head. The two went out to a diner close by. Em ordered eggs, bacon, and a bloody Mary. Sophie had a glass of water.
“lsn't it a bit early for a drink?”
Emiline looked at her watch.
“It's 6:40.”
“...right.”
Em scarfed down her meal and finished up her drink while Sophie sat uneasily, frequently looking over her shoulder and around the diner. Em finally bothered to ask after she was done eating.
“You okay?”
“Hmm? Yeah.”
“They're not here,” she said.
“Who?”
“Your friends.”
Sophie looked puzzled.
“I can see them, too, now...ever since your buddy drugged me.”
Sophie sat up in her chair. Emiline set her napkin on her plate.
“No wings in sight.”
Sophie hadn’t ever heard of that happening before, but she wasn’t surprised. Usually, those that received that cocktail didn’t live to see another day, so it was possible that was a side effect of the drug.
“You know, I should ask you the same,” said Sophie.
“What do you mean?”
“Are you okay? You’ve seem awfully...stressed.”
Emiline waved for the check.
“I’m fine,” she said curtly.
Sophie raised her eyebrows. She didn’t believe her for a second.
“I’ve had a lot on my mind. I’m...I’m just..a lot has happened.”
Sophie sat and waited patiently for her to finish.
“My partner…”
“Jack,” said Sophie.
“Yeah.”
Em took a deep breath.
“He...I did something terrible...and I don’t know… I don’t know if I can live with myself.”
“What happened?”
Emiline set her elbow on the table and rubbed her forehead.
“If you’re so concerned with everyone watching why weren’t they that night?”
Sophie sat speechless. She wasn’t sure where she was going with this.
“The night Jack…” she spat out flustered.
“Where were you the night I went to Jack’s? Were you watching?”
Sophie sat silent.
“Did you confide in him?” Sophie asked solemnly. “Did it terrify him? Is that why he left?” She questioned as she leaned closer so she could lower her voice.
Emiline looked bewildered.
“He didn’t leave!” She tried to calm herself down. “Were you there?” Emiline asked quietly.
Sophie was quiet for a moment.
“I stayed near daylight. I wanted to make sure those goons didn’t pull anything.”
“Goons?”
“The muscle. The two guys from your clan,” Sophie explained. “They had been tailing you for a while.”
Em crossed her brow as she thought. It must’ve been Brutus and Daemien.
“Were they still there when you left?” asked Em.
“Mhmm. Asleep in the car. Didn’t you notice them following you?”
Emiline thought about it.
“Black Mazda sedan?”
Sophie nodded. Em was a cop. Of course, she noticed. Though, she found it odd she hadn’t put it together sooner. She must have been too distracted.
“Fuck,” Emiline said under her breath.
She tried to compose herself, but couldn’t help giving Sophie a puzzled look.
“What happened?” Sophie repeated.
Emiline shook her head.
“I...woke up...and…”
She covered her mouth with her hands. She wondered what Sophie would think of her if she told her the truth. Would she look at her differently? Would she be disgusted? Would she turn her into the Watchers for her transgressions? Would she kill her right there? Should Sophie really care when she herself had killed so many? It didn’t matter. She had to tell her. She had to tell someone. Anyone.
“I...I killed him,” she whispered.
Sophie leaned back in her seat as she took it in, keeping her eyes on the table. Death was a part of everyday life for her. She knew all too well that her living meant others had to die. In fact, it was a natural part of life for all of Earth’s creatures. Humans, however, had grown accustomed to living in denial of their part in this cycle. Factories and slaughterhouses had made it all too easy to draw themselves out of the equation.
Emiline watched Sophie closely, trying to read her expression, trying to read her thoughts. Sophie finally spoke.
“How did it happen?”
“I don’t know. I don’t remember. But, I never would have hurt him on purpose,” she pleaded.
Getting it out felt like a huge weight had lifted off her shoulders, but she was also terrified at the consequences it would bring.
Sophie nodded, still staring at the tabletop.
“But, I didn’t try to get rid of the evidence. Well, not the part that mattered most.”
She felt like she was digging a hole.
“I freaked out! Okay? Anyway, I think the guys you mentioned...I think they may have done something with the body,” Emiline added as she sunk deep in thought over her predicament.
Emiline took a deep breath and waited for the consequences of her actions to un
fold. Her fingers gripped the tabletop as she impatiently watched for Sophie’s reaction.
“That may be possible. It wouldn’t be the first time. Does Cecelia Phobos know about this? Is that why you were talking to her?”
Em nodded.
“And Ralph? Does he know?”
She nodded, again.
“I assume the police are unaware of the true whereabouts of Mr. Baldawin?”
Em looked down guiltily. Sophie took it as an affirmation.
“That’s why you went to stay with them? For protection?”
“No,” Em shook her head.
“To learn how to control it. So this will never happen, again.”
Sophie looked upon Em with empathy. Emiline took it as pity.
The waitress brought the bill to the table. They paid and headed back to Sophie’s. They didn’t speak a word the whole way. Emiline felt the anxiety increasing with every step of silence. They stood in the elevator together at Sophie’s building. To Em’s surprise the door opened on the fifth floor. She had never been on that floor before. She slowly stepped out after Sophie. Sophie held out her hand and led Em into the room. The room was barren. All of the windows were boarded up, the only light coming from the sterile fluorescent lights in the ceiling.
Sophie stood in the middle of the room and turned toward Emiline.
“You have to learn how to control yourself if you are to get through life. Now, shift.”
Emiline stood baffled. She hadn’t been told to change into a wolf, before, only to change back.
“Shift,” she pushed.
“I can’t,” Em defended.
“Yes, you can. You’ve done it plenty of times. Shift.”
Emiline stood perplexed. The woman was demanding the impossible.
“The Sons told you about finding your center, right? What makes you calm?”
Em nodded.
“Now, do the opposite,” Sophie explained.
“...Get angry?”
Sophie chuckled a little.
“Not necessarily. But, yes, that is one way. If shifting into your human form is about finding your peace, shifting into your wolf is about finding your passion.”
Em thought on this for a moment.
“But, I’m passionate about my work, and I didn’t go changing into a werewolf every time I went to work,” Em argued.
Sophie stared at Emiline with a look of insistence. Em didn’t understand what she was getting at.
“You were on the clock when Yophiel was killed. One of the employees at Corazon Diablo said you were busting Ally for drug possession before she died.”