Syndrome of Mortality (Break of Breath Book 2)

by Eden R. Souther

  “They’ve been lying to me.” His tail wound itself around his leg. The point jabbed his leg to relieve some of the anger.

  Sin grabbed a piece of the broken glass. Silently, she inspected it. Then, her amber eyes flicked back to Ravin. “That sucks. And you’re here. Why?”

  Ravin bit his lip. “She brought it up. Again.” He curled his fingers into a fist. “He controlled me, and I couldn’t fight him.” The wounds on his hand slowly pushed the shards from his flesh as each cut slowly healed. “She fucking blames me.”

  “Blames you, or simply retaliated?” Sin reached out and touched Ravin’s vanilla cheek. With ease, she peeked into Ravin’s mind. She saw the events unfold through his clouded perspective. “She is a human with nothing to fight back with but her words.”

  Guilt cut through Ravin’s wrath. “…Retaliated.” His spade flicked back and forth. “Why wouldn’t she tell me?” He rested his forehead on the bar. “I thought that we… had something,” he lamented. If they had, he’d surely ruined it by doing this.

  Sin rolled her eyes. “So you yelled at her for finally finding the strength to tell you she was dying?” A glittering laugh escaped her. Sin's amber eyes sparkled demonically. She shifted in her chair and ran a hand along the length of her glossy black horns. “How funny. Ravin’s mad at the human for her own mortality. Surely you know they all have a use-by date.”

  “You’re the one with the human pet,” Ravin snapped. “What the Hell are you going to do when he gets old?”

  “Take him to the vet, and get him a shot,” she snorted. “I adopted knowing full well his life would be over in a few blinks.” In the corner of her eye she could see the deep purple haired man seating a couple at a table, then handing them menus. Erik had been in her care for almost ten years now. For now, he was in his prime, though soon, he would begin to wither away. A day would pass and he would have wrinkles and his tattoos would sag under the tired years he had spent on Eartha.

  It was the fate of humans. Sin knew, just as any other immortal being that one day, the fragile man would cease to be. The circle of life never stopped for those who had to bow beneath it.

  Ravin pushed himself up to gaze into her piercing eyes. “You’re okay with that?” he demanded. “He’s okay with that?” He couldn’t imagine that she would go through all that work and not want to keep Erik.

  “Humans are born with the knowledge they are going to die.” Sin’s tail twitched as she matched his gaze. “True, it may not be pleasant, but they know and accept that it is a fact of their life.”

  The collar around Erik’s neck was enough to tell everyone his status. “You trained him, and showed him how to be a good pet,” Ravin pressed. “You gave up so much time to do that, and you’re willing to throw it all away? You’re really good with that?”

  Sin twisted in her chair so she was leaning back against the counter. She watched her pet move about, getting orders. Her gaze didn’t falter as she spoke. “Time means nothing to us.”

  Erik strode over and wiped Ravin’s blood from the bar. “Talking about me?” he asked in a flat tone as he eyed his master.

  “Somewhat.” Sin beckoned Erik close and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders; her long whip tail stroked his side. To prove her point, she asked, “Erik, what are your opinions on death?”

  The human took in a breath and ran his fingers through his brilliant purple bangs. “Death is just something humanity has to deal with,” he started. “When it comes to what we have, we both know that it will eventually happen. We have fun while it lasts, then when I’m gone, she replaces me.” His deadpan tone reflected no emotions. “It’s my reality. She’ll remember me fondly as she trains her new pet not to piddle on the carpet. People do it with animals all the time. It’s no different.”

  Ravin couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Michelle isn’t a pet to me,” he grated. “She’s so much more than that. Erik’s got at least thirty more years under his belt. She has one, maybe two. She lied and told me she had more. Hell, she could have less than a year. It’s not the same.”

  “Then why are you still sitting here?” Sin narrowed her eyes. “If this human girl means so much to you, why would you leave her stranded, standing there, alone, so you could come here and throw a pity party?”

  Sin stood up and put her hand on Ravin’s shoulder. “If her time here is running out, why are you wasting these precious seconds that you could be spending making memories?” Her grip tightened, and if he had been anything less than a demon it would have cracked something. “Stop being a coward for once. If you’re scared, just try and imagine how she feels.”

  Ravin stood up and nodded. She’d hit him in the exact place he needed to be hit. Sin knew him better than anyone else… She knew how much of a coward he was. “I’m gone.” He jerked away from her grip.

  He teleported himself back to the mini golf course. He hadn’t expected her to be there, but it was his first guess.

  Sure enough, he found himself alone with the dent he’d left in their property. Her energy was faded. Michelle had been gone for some time. At this point she’d probably made it home. Without thinking, he closed his eyes. When they opened again, he was outside of her door.

  The fears inside of him told him not to knock. They told him to run back home, maybe much further. It took all his might to fight them back. He rapped his knuckles on the panel and held his breath. Ravin knew she was home. He could feel it. There was no where else she would have gone. It was where he would have gone if he’d been the one left alone on a date.

  Ravin also knew that he wouldn’t want to see the person that had ruined it.

  The door opened slowly and standing behind it was Michelle. She wore a big baggy t-shirt and sweatpants three sizes too large. Her puffy red eyes widened as she saw who had knocked. Ravin was the last person she had expected to be there.

  “H-hi,” was the only word she could muster.

  “I’m sorry,” Ravin started. “I fucked up. I had no right to do what I did. I was scared, and I didn’t even consider how you felt. You deserve so much better than that.” His muscles tensed as he fought the urge to run and hide. “I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry, and I know it doesn’t begin to make up for what you had to endure.”

  “You left me.” Her voice cracked under the weight of emotion. A silver line ran down her cheek before she rubbed it away. “I thought you would come back. After twenty minutes I j-just called a cab.”

  Tears began to leak out more liberally. “I couldn’t call Jo, Lia, or Lovie, because then they would know how bad it went and how I am the worst at dating.” She had been lucky that they had all been out at Jo’s place. There had been a note left on her wall saying they wouldn’t be back till morning since they were having a slumber party.

  Michelle started to cry, every fear and ounce of pain escaping her. Waiting in the cold had made her bones ache and scream. She didn’t even have a jacket to ward away the night’s chill. Her legs had trembled as she stood in the increasing cold. Despite laying under her heated blanket since she got home, they still hurt.

  “I can’t—even make—one night—go well with—one of my best friends.” Her last words came out between sobs.

  Ravin reached out and gently touched her arms. “It wasn’t you,” he soothed as he pulled her into a gentle hug. “You made the night beautiful just by being there. I acted like a child when you needed someone to rely on. I wanted… I wanted to never lose you, and it came crashing down in that instant and I shouldn’t have run. Mortality… is new to me.”

  Despite everything, she still felt so right against his chest. It was right to hold her in his arms. He didn’t ever want to lose that, and now he understood it was only a limited time offer.

  Warm tears escaped onto his shirt as Michelle embraced him. All the pain she felt came spilling out. It felt like everything was falling apart. Yet, having his sturdy body there as a crutch brought her comfort.

  “You know…” Ravin mutt
ered. “The night isn’t over. We can still save this date,” he murmured into her hair.

  “How?” Michelle tilted her head up so she could look into his familiar dark eyes.

  Ravin scooped her up into his arms and held her close against his warmth. He closed the door with his foot as he carried her back into her place. He kissed her forehead as he sank down onto the couch. “By doing what we do best.” He gave her a smile. “Spending time with each other in a low key way.”

  He flipped on her holo screen, and the game system below it with his mind. A controller floated over and hovered at perfect holding height.

  “If you’re alright with this, that is,” he whispered into her ear as he clutched her close, like the precious gift she was. He topped off his perfect cuddle with her heated blanket draped across her.

  Michelle gripped her controller and settled into the warmth. Her favorite racing game popped onto the screen. A smile erased the tears from her eyes.

  “As long as you're alright with me kicking your ass,” she declared, enjoying the soothing heat all around her.

  Ravin chuckled. “Please,” he challenged. “You think you can beat me?” he teased, keeping the spirit of competition alive. Though, in truth, he had every intention of letting her kick his ass nonstop until she got sick of it.

  Buttons clicked loudly as they went neck and neck, race after race. Michelle was the proud victor of most matches until they started on co-op mode. Together, they carried their team. For the moment, they both forgot about the fight and the reason behind it.

  All there was in the world was a game and each other. It was perfection as they got lost in the moment. Seconds, minutes, and hours flew by without them even realizing it.

  Finally, a yawn broke free from Michelle as her eyes drooped low. Exhaustion had finally caught up to her. Keeping her eyes open was getting more impossible by the second.

  “Best date I’ve ever had.” She stifled another yawn, leaned over and pressed her lips to Ravin’s. A dull happy glow filled the pit of her chest. It soothed her achy body and made her felt at peace. She settled against Ravin, and used him as her perfect pillow. Within a heartbeat, she slipped off into a serene sleep.

  Chapter 5

  When Michelle was deep into her sleep cycle, Ravin lifted her from the couch. He carried her to her bed and tucked her in. He had someone he wanted to talk to about a possible solution for his sanity. To himself, he vowed that he would find a solution for her, where no one else had before. Ravin wanted to be the one to save the day.

  He enjoyed being the hero quite a bit after saving the world the first time. Now, he had something more specific and special he wanted to rescue.

  Ravin tucked Michelle’s keys into his pocket so that he could return after he had his answer. He wanted to be there to see her light up when she realized he’d spent the whole night watching over her. It would be another good step towards making up for abandoning her.

  The door shut silently behind him and he locked it. He only had to go across the campus grounds to reach his destination. Though it was what most diurnal would consider late, it was still early for a nocturnal student. Ravin was on the hunt for the latter. They knew more than most others; there were so many secrets hidden in the night.

  He knew the path to the Night dorm well. It was one he’d tread often in the past. Since moving off-campus he’d had no reason to visit them. Until now.

  The scents of the evening washed over him. The plants that bloomed under the moon had opened their petals and were spreading their delicious perfume across the campus. Giggles from their occupants filled the air. From the corner of his eye, Ravin could catch a glimpse of the ethereal beauties that only emerged in the dark.

  Mingling with them would be unwise. More than a few of them were just as deadly as they were beautiful. If any of them were displeased with the presence of a demon among them, it would be as easy as a blowing a kiss at him to release their killer toxins.

  There was a reason no one was fool enough to attack the campus at night. Or, any time of day, really.

  While shy, the dryads were a more fierce defense mechanism than many of the other students. Everyone knew not to walk too close to the flowers, lest a threat be perceived. They were beautiful, and terrifying.

  All of the lights in the Night dorm were on. It was abuzz with activity, the polar opposite of most of the other buildings. The thick curtains that covered the windows during the day had been parted. It was one of the only ways to ensure that they didn’t face the dangers of the sun. Conversely, the older a vampire, the more resistant to the sun they became.

  The man he wanted to see in particular was entirely immune to the sun’s damage.

  Ravin entered through the front door and made his way to the stairs. He chose to take the stairs up, instead of the ones that descended into darkness. The downstairs was reserved for the youngest of the vampires at the school. Down there, no light would accidentally sneak in to damage their precious sensitive skin.

  The sun alone had been known to kill many a young vampire. It was a real danger for them.

  On the top floor, he found the room he was looking for. It was only one of a handful on the level. Most of the inhabitants were descendants of some of the oldest of their species. The money they possessed was uncountable, and was a large part of the reason there were so few rooms on the top floor.

  He gently rapped on the door’s surface and let out a sigh. There would be answers inside. There had to be. If Sin wouldn’t give him a solution, he would go to a different ancient source. There was more than one he could reach out to.

  After a moment the door swung open and standing in the entryway was a tall man with dark hair that fell to his waist. His eyes were a gentle periwinkle. The vampire tilted his head. “How may I help you?” His voice was delicate like cornflowers.

  Ravin offered a smile. “Hey Ari, is Xina home?” He leaned his shoulder against the door frame. “I’ve got a few questions for him.”

  “Of course, come in.” Ari held the door open; he turned his head and spoke in the same soft tone. “Xinalist, you have a guest.”

  Ravin stepped into large dorm room. He glanced around. It was decorated in a gothic style, but it wasn’t dark. The colors were light, and soft. It was the antithesis of what most would have expected from vampires powerful enough to have unique colored eyes. The average vampire was cursed with eyes as dark as Ravin’s own. It warned their prey of the black magics that vampires were feared for.

  Unique eyes meant a few different things in vampires: power, age, or more often, both.

  Rows upon rows of binders lined the wall beside a desk in the front room. It was separate from the main sitting area. The desk was where he would have put a dining space, but they didn’t need it. All of their nutrition came from blood.

  Xinalist stepped out of his bedroom and let out a lazy yawn. He popped his headphones off and smiled at his guest. “Ravin, what an unexpected treat,” the vampire crooned. “Sorry for not greeting you myself. I was enjoying some music.”

  Ravin strained his ears to catch a hint of the sound. It was a quiet dirge that touched him down to his soul. “It’s beautiful.” He admitted with no shame.

  “Mythraea,” Xina explained. “It’s her newest release. She dedicated it to all the elves forced into enslavement by the less… reputable of my kind.” He let the headphones rest around his neck. “You didn’t come to talk about music though. How’d your date go?”

  Ravin’s lips twisted into a scowl. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  The vampire sucked in a breath between his teeth. “That bad, huh?” As he shook his head, his long black ponytail flopped on his back. “So then what do you want to talk about?”

  For a few moments, Ravin was silent. He had to think of the best way to approach this topic, yet, there was no easy way to do it. “Michelle is dying.” He chose to rip off the Band-Aid fast, instead of slowly tugging each hair off individually. “I can’t let her die.
Sin told me to fuck right off and spend time with her, so I didn’t have anyone else to turn to.”

  Xina’s eyes darted to Ari. “Let’s talk in my room,” he offered.

  While Ravin didn’t understand, he accepted the offer. Xina’s room was spacious; he had a king-sized bed dressed all in black. Above his headboard was a magnificent sword. The blade was dark and gleamed like an oil slick. Markings covered it, but he couldn’t read any of them. There were a few posters, but most of the walls were otherwise bare.

  “Nice place.” Raivn glanced around; his gaze locked on a framed photo on his deskspace. A brilliantly smiling Letvan stared back at him. It seemed the elf had not a care in the world.

  Xina flopped down onto the side of his bed. He crossed his legs and leaned back. He fixed Ravin with a serious look. “I know what you’re going to ask of me, and I can’t do it.” He didn’t even bother beating around the bush.

  “It’s the only option I have, Xina,” Ravin countered. “I can’t watch her dissolve.”

  The vampire rested his elbows on his knees. “Look, Ravin, I know that you’re friends with my boyfriend, but I don’t think you understand what you’re asking of me.” He did his best to keep his tone polite, despite the fact that he was ripping Ravin’s heart out.

  “What would you do if it was Letvan?” Ravin pleaded.

  “It’s not Letvan.” His carefree amaranth eyes sharpened for a moment. “You can’t guilt-trip me into this Ravin. Turning someone is more in-depth than just dripping a little blood in their mouth. There are a lot of different things you have to consider, including the fact that the person you turn becomes like your child. Michelle would become my responsibility, and I would become her Father.”

  Ravin stuffed his hands into his pockets. “That’s your problem? You don’t want to be a father?” The shallowness sent a wave of frustration through him. “You’re older than half the teachers here. What’s the problem?”