01-22-2012, 12:31 AM
The bump caught him by surprise. He turned around abruptly knocked into the pale woman behind him, sending her to the ground. Mismatched eyes widened as he leaned down, pulling her up by her wrists. ”Sorry ‘bout that. Normally, less clumsy am I.” He peered at her, the good feelings draining from him. Ayasha, Liam’s girlfriend. And she had his scent plastered all over her. A terrible sadness swept through him.
”You’re so young, Ayasha. Why would you burden yourself with his crimes?” He didn’t speak the name, couldn’t speak the name, but his voice held a note that was immeasurably bereft. For a moment, he felt as if Tameri had brushed by his ankles in her sweet way, but it was just the wind. He stared at Ayasha, his eyes falling to the carved bluebird around her neck. He had wondered where that had gone to when it had gone missing. He figured it had fallen from the top of the dresser. Obviously it hadn’t. He wasn’t going to fight her over it, though. The boy must have taken it and given it to her.
If life had been different, Tal would have welcomed the girl with open arms. But she knew the murdered, she knew what he’d done. She hadn’t known Tameri, that was all there was to it. She hadn’t known the aching devastation that came with losing a beloved child, of losing the sweet smile, the melody of a child’s laughter. And she had been so excited about being a big sister just the day before... before losing her.
The wine had turned sour in his mouth. A hand fingered his necklace, the quartz pendant. He regretted coming here now, he regretted wanting to see what the excitement was about. He let out a soft breath, shaking his head. ”Never mind. Shawchert, he left the pack. I’m sure he’s looking for him. I don’t want to know where he is, because then I would have to keep my promise. I swore... I swore to kill him if he ever came near us again. I meant it, Ayasha. I would destroy him the same way he destroyed the little girl who called him brother. It would kill me, but I would do it for my pack and for my family. He is not family. I would apologize because that excludes you as well... but you made your choice to stay by him. I tried that once, with his mother. And her oldest son killed my daughter. Would have killed me. And frankly, I wish he would have killed him too.” He emphasized him, leaving no doubt as to whom he meant.
((wc: 446))
”You’re so young, Ayasha. Why would you burden yourself with his crimes?” He didn’t speak the name, couldn’t speak the name, but his voice held a note that was immeasurably bereft. For a moment, he felt as if Tameri had brushed by his ankles in her sweet way, but it was just the wind. He stared at Ayasha, his eyes falling to the carved bluebird around her neck. He had wondered where that had gone to when it had gone missing. He figured it had fallen from the top of the dresser. Obviously it hadn’t. He wasn’t going to fight her over it, though. The boy must have taken it and given it to her.
If life had been different, Tal would have welcomed the girl with open arms. But she knew the murdered, she knew what he’d done. She hadn’t known Tameri, that was all there was to it. She hadn’t known the aching devastation that came with losing a beloved child, of losing the sweet smile, the melody of a child’s laughter. And she had been so excited about being a big sister just the day before... before losing her.
The wine had turned sour in his mouth. A hand fingered his necklace, the quartz pendant. He regretted coming here now, he regretted wanting to see what the excitement was about. He let out a soft breath, shaking his head. ”Never mind. Shawchert, he left the pack. I’m sure he’s looking for him. I don’t want to know where he is, because then I would have to keep my promise. I swore... I swore to kill him if he ever came near us again. I meant it, Ayasha. I would destroy him the same way he destroyed the little girl who called him brother. It would kill me, but I would do it for my pack and for my family. He is not family. I would apologize because that excludes you as well... but you made your choice to stay by him. I tried that once, with his mother. And her oldest son killed my daughter. Would have killed me. And frankly, I wish he would have killed him too.” He emphasized him, leaving no doubt as to whom he meant.
((wc: 446))