by Stella Price
Saffron rolled her eyes. So the girl was going to try to get Rhys in trouble with her? She smiled sweetly at Phaedra. “Now how sexy could it have been if he was with me making out at your gravesite a few hours later?”
Phaedra glared daggers at Saffron. “So how did I taste?”
Saffron laughed. She had heard that one before. Used it once upon a time even. “You didn’t. You’re dead. You leeched energy from him to trick him.”
“I didn’t trick him. He loves me. He wanted me there. Wanted what I could give him.”
“What? A headache and a jonesing for some Johnny Walker Blue? It doesn’t say much when you drive a man to drink.”
“Oy! That was rough.” Dante said from behind her.
“Baby are you going to let her talk to me like that?”
Rhys walked behind Saffron and wrapped his arms around her. “You are that entrenched in this altercation that your spending the first time you have been flesh since your death willing to fight Saffron? Your brother, your twin is standing right there and you haven’t even acknowledged him.”
Phaedra looked at Winter and then back at Rhys. “There’s nothing to say.”
Saffron stiffened and a light bulb went off in her head. “This isn’t the first time she’s been flesh.” She looked at Winter who nodded.
“She visits my parents. Though she never once has spoken to me.”
Phaedra gave him one hell of a look. “You don’t know anything.”
“I know you’re as selfish and bitchy as when you were alive.” He offered and shook his head. “She didn’t miss me. We might be twins, but we don’t and never had a connection. Deny her Rhys, her hatred of you is all she has left anyway. Tell them Phae. Tell them how you feed mothers anger about him, how you vowed to make him miserable forever because he robbed you of your glory.”
Rhys pulled away from Saffron. “So that’s why now. I’m happy and you can’t fucking stand it.”
Phae scoffed. “Happy? This little slut is a passing fancy Rhys. I am forever.”
Saffron stepped forward. “So now she’s Pinhead? Shit who has the box?”
Phaedra looked confused and Rhys and The Morrigan both laughed, something Phaedra did not like.
She blasted cold power at Saffron. Ice coated every cell in Saffron’s body for a second, followed by a blast of warmth from behind. She gasped, unaware she was holding her breath and that she was now being held up by both Rhys and Dante, the heat coming from the latter.
“She’s a crafty bird I’ll give you that…” Dante murmured to her as he helped her to her feet. “She’s what you call a cold fish. Just proved it too. Kick her ass.”
“How?” she breathed, still trying to catch her breath. “I’m no supe!”
Dante smirked. “She’s flesh. Good old fashioned cat fight would be preferable, but you seem the kinda girl that will just knock her out. Go with your gut, eh?”
Saffron nodded and wiped her mouth, noticing the spittle from her near black out. Whatever the girl was packing ethereally was powerful shit. She was not fucking around. Morrigan was right, Phaedra came to win.
Dante moved off and Rhys was left behind her, holding her. “So this is the girl you have been pining for?” she asked and coughed. Fuck, her chest hurt.
Rhys shook his head. “No. the girl I was pining for never existed. I know that now. I’m sorry Saff.”
Saffron sighed and straightened herself. “So you won’t mind if I go and kick her ass then?”
“I don’t think anyone here would stop you. Just…” he bent his head and kissed her shoulder. “Don’t doubt us. What we have is more real than anything in my entire life. I’m pretty sure I love you Saffron.”
“Pretty sure?” she asked and wiped imaginary dust from her arm.
Rhys grinned. “Kick ass baby.”
She looked him in the eyes, searching for something, anything to tell her he was lying. They glimmered with promise, and hope. He wanted her, needed her to win. It would be his undoing if she didn’t, and she couldn’t bear to know he came apart twice because he lost someone. No. she would keep him, she decided, and to hell with the blonde bitch. Literally.
She moved forward, the pressure on her chest dissipating with every step, warmth suffused her limbs, energizing her. She reached Phaedra on shakey legs, but she was no less determined.
Cold washed over her again, but this time it was a pleasant feeling, not in any way detrimental like the original blast. She straightened and put her hands on her hips.
“That all you got? A little cold? I mean I get it, cold hearted bitches don’t got much else going on. So let’s cut this shit okay? Your dead, you’re supposed to move on. You slipped the mortal coil. Why can’t you let go? What? No bright light for you? No trumpeting angels? You scared someone upstairs knows that you’re not the goody two shoes he held you up to be?’
Phaedra’s eyes narrowed on Saffron. “He still loves me. He will always love me. You mean nothing. And he has to suffer.”
“No, he loved an idea of you, a fallacy of what you perpetuated in order to get your way. Why can’t you let him be happy?”
“Because I’m fucking dead you bitch and it’s his fault!”
“Yeah you gotta let that go.” Saffron offered and waved her hand negligently. “The man never did anything but love you, and you twisted it, twisted him. He deserves peace.”
Phaedra scoffed. “With you? Please you’re just like the others, another piece of ass to stick his cock in. He’s not thinking of you when he’s there sweetheart, he’s always thinking of me.”
Saffron shrugged. “If you say so. The fact remains that you and he are through. The dead don’t date, they lament life. Isn’t that right Uncle Reemus?”
The other ghost moved through the people behind her to the front. “Phaedra. You lost, you know the magic won’t last too much longer.”
“I haven’t lost shit. Rhys hasn’t forsaken me.”
Rhys walked forward and held a hand up.
Phaedra smiled and started towards him and he stopped dead. “No Phae. I don’t even know who the fuck you are. I don’t think I have ever known. You played me for so long. I wasted so much time and energy on loving a memory that wasn’t even real. Christ, I took years off my life drinking my ass off. I’m sorry Phaedra, for whatever I did to you to make you hate me before, and I’m sorry for the accident. I loved you. But I’m moving on. Life is for the living. I’m going to live.”
Phaedra scowled. “With her? She can’t make you happy forever Rhys.”
“She loves me.” He looked over at Saffron and smiled. “You could never say the same. You can’t say it now. It’s over Phaedra.”
Saffron smiled at him, and he took her hand. Phaedra decided at that moment, to go apeshit. She rushed them, grabbing Saffron by the arms, the cold rage of her powers seeping into Saffron’s bones. She gritted her teeth as Phaedra smiled.
Rhys, in a bid to separate them put his hand on Phaedra’s wrist and yelled as he pulled back, shaking his hand like he burned it. He looked back at The Morrigan for guidance.
Saffron narrowed her eyes. “You think I’ll give him up? Fuck you!” She kicked out and caught Phaedra on the knee and she faltered, rocking off kilter. Saffron got her right hand loose and cocked back and hit Phaedra square in the nose.
Pain bloomed through her hand and she cursed, but it had gotten the right effect. Phaedra Let her go and cupped her face. “You bitch!” she moaned out. “I’m going to fuck…”
She didn’t have time to finish her thought. Saffron grabbed her. “Give it up. I’m not giving him up and the dead need to stay dead!”
“No. Without me he’s nothing!”
Realization dawned on Saffron and she shook her head. “No. Without him you are nothing. Move on Phaedra. Give him up. I don’t know what happens after that, but who is to say you can’t find your happy ending.”
The other girl looked at her, venom in her eyes. “What?”
Saffron cut a loo
k at the Goddess. “Please…”
The Morrigan moved forward then. “Phaedra, for all you have done to Rhys I should decimate you. But I won’t. Saffron is right. You can start over, find what you really wanted before you died, a love that consumed you. Just let go of Rhys, let him be happy. Ultimate happiness requires ultimate sacrifice. Do it, I guarantee you happiness if you do.”
She blinked and frowned. “Why? Why help me?”
The Morrigan gave her a small smile. “Because it would make three people I hold in high esteem happy. Rhys, my Lovely Priestess, and your brother.”
It was then that Phaedra looked at Winter, really looked at him. Her frown turned into a sob as she broke down, tears streaming down her face. She ran to him, and he caught her, his arms wrapping around her.
They spoke in hushed tones, everyone looking on. Rhys moved to Saffron and she took his hand gingerly, the warmth that was still suffusing her transferring to him. He sighed and looked on as Winter kissed his sister on the forehead and then let her go.
She turned to The Morrigan. “I accept your offer, on one condition.”
The Goddess arched a brow. “That is?”
“You’re a Goddess yes? Take my mother’s pain. Please. She’s… she’s in a bad way and Winter doesn’t deserve to deal with that the rest of his life. If nothing else, for my brother.”
The Morrigan nodded. “Done. Reemus dear?”
He was by her side in an instance. “Will you escort her?”
The older man nodded.
Phaedra looked at Rhys. Saffron watched as something fizzled between them, something tender. Then it was gone and she smiled at Saffron.
“For what it’s worth…”
Saffron shook her head. “Don’t say it. Go. Get on with it.” She gave a smile in return. She knew what it would cost Phaedra to capitulate to her, and she didn’t want to crush what was left of the girls pride, regardless of what could have happened between them. She won the prize she wanted. Phaedra was getting the one she really wanted.
The girl turned to Reemus and nodded. The older man offered his hand. As she placed hers in it the scene changed and they were all in the tour bus, standing, sitting and leaning against every available surface.
Xxieda blinked and then scowled at her Goddess. “Really? That’s like denying someone a money shot!”
Dante smirked at her and then looked at the Goddess and held his hands up. “Hey don’t blame me for that one, that’s all her.”
The Goddess turned to Rhys and Saffron. “Happy?”
Rhys grinned and pulled Saffron into his lap and kissed her long and slow. When it was over they both smiled. “I can’t promise anything, but you have me, if you want me.”
Saffron bit her bottom lip. “You sure?”
Rhys nodded. “Oddly yes. More sure then I have ever been about anything.”
“Good. Because I didn’t just grant her request for you two to break up tomorrow.” The Goddess offered.
The crowd erupted in questions and statements, ones that the Goddess smirked at. She turned to Saffron once more and winked, and then in a flash of bright light she was gone.
People come and go so quickly around here echoed in Saffron’s head. She looked around the group. Everyone was engrossed in their conversations. She snuggled into Rhys and sighed.
“You think I was worth this?” he asked her softly.
“Nothing worth anything is ever easy Rhys. I love you. I love everything you are, warts and all.”
“I love you too Saffron. Happy Halloween.”
Epilogue
She thinks she missed the train to mars. She’s outback counting stars. - Hum
Saffron woke to Rhys snuggling close to her, his lips on her naked shoulder, nibbling in his sleep. He was dreaming something she supposed, but it was good he was sleeping soundly; he needed it after last night’s adventure.
They were all fatigued from the situation, Xxieda saying it was from the Goddess and two corporeal ghosts being in such close proximity to them, but Saff knew the truth.
Rhys was finally giving up the ghost and the force of will to keep her memory the main thing in is existence was gone. Being that devoted for so long was apparently exhausting. When he had finally slept he slept like the dead, quiet but he held her to him, as if he didn’t think she would be there when he woke.
She giggled, and his arms wrapped around her waist tighter and he nipped her skin. A hand slipped down her belly and between her thighs. He groaned.
“Easy tiger. You’re cleaned out.”
“You’re on the pill Right?”
She scoffed. “I am. But we aren’t up to that yet slugger. Not when your boasting one million served.”
He sighed. “Yeah I deserved that.”
“Not till we both get checked out. Deal?”
He nodded. “Well since fabulous morning sex is off the docket, what do you propose?”
She yawned and stretched which caused him to groan again and call her a tease.
“How about room service?”
He rolled away from her and exited the bed, stretching as he reached his full height. She watched him, trying not to salivate. Yards of pale skin, taught wiry muscle, ink everywhere. And he was hers. She smiled.
“Cool. Order Mimosas, and anything else that looks good. I’m going to Shower and shave, cuz apparently my lady doesn’t date a mountain man.”
She laughed and watched his perfect ass as he walked towards the bathroom. Minutes later she had ordered breakfast and was walking into the main part of the suite when Dante walked into the room with a coffee cup in his hand. He saw her standing there in her robe and smirked.
“Don’t you knock?” She asked and frowned.
Dante shook his head. “No point. I come bearing gifts.”
She arched a brow. “Then by all means.”
He offered the coffee cup. “Real. Coffee.” He grinned. “Kept McDonalds hot by yours truly.”
“No shit. Powers gotta be good for something. And thank you, Dante. For last night. In a way you bolstered me.”
He set the coffee cup down and then looked down and put his hands in his pockets. “I didn’t think I could do it, but apparently there’s things about my powers I don’t even know.”
“Oh? So what can you do? I mean aside from frying iPod docks?”
His mouth twisted in a wicked grin as he pulled his right hand out of his pocket and the tips of his fingers glowed bright and then turned to flame.
She blinked. “Gives new meaning to the term red right hand.”
He laughed and blew on each digit, extinguishing the flames.
“Cool trick. So you said gifts?”
He nodded towards the coffee. “And a message from X. Said you guys have 4 days in NOLA, the Atlanta show got cancelled.”
“Oh. Well I’m sure the band and Rhys will like that.”
He nodded. “Enjoy the time here.”
“And you and her?”
“Back to New York on the three pm flight thankfully.”
“Safe trip.”
“You too.”
He was out the door seconds later and replaced with a bellman with a cart, and Winter.
She signed for the breakfast and the bellman left with a twenty dollar tip in his hand.
“Hey, you okay?” she asked Winter as he walked into the room proper and started looking through the offerings on the cart.
“Yeah.” He said absently and poured himself some mimosa from the pitcher they sent up. “He in the shower?”
She nodded. He took a drink of the liquid and looked at her. “Can you tell him, and Xxieda, I’m cool with the Strange Angels tour?”
Saffron arched a brow. This was a development. “Sure. Look I don’t know you that well or anything, but care to tell me why?”
Winter shrugged. “Tired if lying to myself.” He finished his drink and set the glass down. “X told me we had a few days off. I’m going home. Deal with my mother and father.”
&nbs
p; She nodded. “Okay.”
“I will be on the bus when we leave.”
She nodded again. “Winter, I wanted to…”
He put his hand up. “Don’t. Just promise me one thing.”
She cocked her head in question.
“That you take this gift you have been given, and run with it.”
She smiled. “I love him Winter.”
“Good. I’ll see you in a few days. Tell them about the concert eh?”
He left without another word, and Saffron, confused, decided the coffee that Dante brought her would be smart at this juncture.
Rhys walked out of the bathroom minutes later, his own robe on.
“I heard talking.”
“Dante.” She motioned to the coffee, “And Winter.”
Rhys cut eyes at her. “And?”
“He said you guys will do the Strange Angels tour.”
Rhys grinned and shook his head.
“Why do you look like the goddamn Cheshire cat?”
“Because my love, if you think what we just went through was daunting, Winter’s ordeal is going to be the A-bomb hitting Nagasaki. And we have front row seats.”
“You sound pleased by that?”
Rhys walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist and snuggled her. “I am. I have the woman I want, the one that gets me and understands me. He deserves the same. Winter needs to be happy. Like we are.”
She set the coffee down and turned in his arms. They kissed, and he lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist. Everything felt right, perfect, and she was where she needed to be. She didn’t know how she was going to deal with the future for them, or the band, but she would meet it head on, by his side, because love was like that. Love made everything possible.
She broke the kiss and nipped his bottom lip. “We got four days furlow by the way.”
Rhys’ eyes glimmered with mischief.
“What would you like to do?”
He set her down and walked into the bedroom. Minutes later he was half dressed and slipping on sneakers. “You.” He kissed her. “And this time we are not running out.”
She laughed and pointed to the small paper bag at the far end of the cart.
Seconds later she was back in his arms and being carried into the bedroom, provisions in hand. Rhys growled. “I love your resourcefulness.”