What was that? Where the hell did she go?
Something ripped her away from me.
Something… or someone?
The thought of what I literally let slip through my hands intensifies the gnawing worry in my gut.
I’m so caught up in my thoughts that I barely notice passersby’s curious glances. They seem more like silent spectators to my personal turmoil. Gritting my teeth, I wrestle for control. I grip my keys tighter. Each breath I draw in is slow and deliberate, aimed at restoring any semblance of a collected demeanor. I’ve had enough strangers questioning my sanity lately. The last thing I need is a call to my lieutenant from well-meaning citizens.
Once my hand is steady, I insert the key into the lock. The smooth turn of the mechanism grounds me. I haul myself into the cab, throwing myself onto the soft, supple seats with a huff. My frustrations find release in the harder-than-necessary slam of the truck door. Sparing a moment to mentally apologize to my truck,Sorry, girl.I release a sigh. She’s weathered a lot of literal and metaphorical storms with me.
My knuckles turn white against the black leather steering wheel from my harsh grasp. Flexing my muscles, I groan as tension rolls over me. Gazing through the windshield, my mind runs over scenario after scenario. The world outside, temporarily forgotten.
Fuck! Get a grip, man!
Taking several calming breaths, I attempt to stop my mind from racing. Thoughts churn like a tempest, each one screaming for my attention. There’s got to be a way out, a path through this labyrinth of confusion.
There’s got to besomeonewho will knowsomething. A sage, or a scholar, with a vast knowledge of the supernatural. Anyone whose wisdom can shed light on this perplexing mystery.
We live in the Voodoo capital of the world, for fuck’s sake!
Shaking my head briskly, I roll my neck to ease the tension tightly knotting up my muscles.
Those are witches, dumbass! Aeris is no witch!
Yet, there has to be someone who can shed light on her sudden disappearance. Someone with the expertise to unravel this tangled web of fairy lore. Maybe weave the scattered bits of information I possess into a coherent picture. The scant information I’ve gathered feels laughably inadequate. A bitter chuckle escapes me, my own ignorance mocking me. There just wasn’t enough time with Aeris.
I fire up the truck’s engine. I’ve got no definitive path to follow, not yet, anyway. My mind cycles through the potential avenues of exploration. Who out there possesses the key to unlocking my baffling predicament? Who holds the crucial insights I’m so frantically trying to unearth?
Suddenly, like a bolt of lightning searing through the dark clouds of my thoughts, the image of my grandmother materializes. Why hadn’t her stories echoed in my mind earlier? Despite my initial skepticism about her tales, what if they held grains of truth? What if our lineage reallyislaced with Sylph blood?
She could be a Sylph for all I know. The idea sends an icy tremor down my spine. The repercussions seem too far-reaching for me to confront head-on. I’m not sure I can accept such a profound revelation… not on the heels of what’s happened.
Just as I shift my truck into reverse, my phone blares with a familiar sound. A quick glance at my wristwatch confirms what the call alert already gave away. Almost one-thirty.
Fuck!
I’m late!
Dread pools in my gut as my eyes flicker to the phone screen. My thumb dangles over the answer icon.
I can’t not answer.
He’ll have my ass.
What an absolute fucking mess!
Running my hand through my thick dark hair, I grit my teeth in frustration. Delaying the search for Aeris means her tracks will fade. Casting a rueful glance at the sky, I scoff out a laugh.
Who am I kidding?
Her trail went cold the moment the storm subsided. An exasperated sigh escapes my lips. The takedown of the Trahan brothers has been on the agenda for ages. And it’smycontact making this bust possible. “Damn it!”
Rubbing my temples, I battle the burgeoning headache, and accept the call as his ringtone trills again. “Hey, LT,” I muster a semblance of composure, “Yeah. Stuck in traffic. I’m on my way.”
As I sit on my moss-covered bed, I skim the pages of a book explaining the history of different creatures, hoping to find something, anything, about Sylphs and humans. Turning the page of the weathered book, I see an illustration with the wordSylphin the lower right corner.
The black and white rendering shows a tall male with small wings reminiscent of a dragonfly, but only one set, spanning from its body. The creature is exceptionally beautiful with strong features, dark eyes, full lips, wavy hair that falls to his shoulders, and a lean physique. He isn’t nearly as striking as Callum but attractive, nonetheless.
