Everywhere [Open]

[Elijah Cole (DELETED 5419)]

He had looked for her everywhere.

He had looked for her when the sun set and when the sun rose. He had looked for her in between his shifts at the veterinarian's office and between volunteering his time at Colonel's rescue kennel. He looked for her on walks with the large, overly-affectionate beast. He drove himself to exhaustion at the airport, hospitals, and even into the depths of the sewers. He walked until he was falling asleep upon his feet looking for her.

He had stopped every redhead he could in the beginning. Every redhead that was her height, her build, or had as long as lustrous hair as she had. He could see her face in them. He could see her smile. He could see her bright blue eyes and hear her laugh when ... it wasn't her at all. He had lost weight. His mother was worried about him the last time he had accepted that novel idea of FaceTime. He had made the excuse that he had been busy at the office, running the night shift for emergencies.

He had Colonel often at his side, that large black dog with his tongue lolling out and his tail wagging. He was waiting for his playmate to come throw his bones and Elijah just wasn't the same friend. He'd gotten the black beast new toys. He had changed his food. He had even let the good hearted monster sleep in his bed at night. Elijah knew depression's ugly, cold grip.

His heart broke.

He had spent hours on his feet. He had spent days off of work, even so much as going into the local police station and filing a Missing Person report. His chest had clenched when there was no one to help him. He had tried to recall any numbers he could have possibly remembered from playing with her cell phone from time to time. Nothing. No one. She had a human family. She had a vampire family, for Christ's sake!

Zelda.

Where are you!?

He screamed these thoughts over and over within his mind. It was sunset now. The weather was cooler. The colors on the trees have changed from their lush green leaves to the crinkling orange and reds. He hadn't shaved in a while. When he set foot into his apartment, he often collapsed onto the nearest seat to afford himself some shut eye before venturing the streets again.

A few times he had woke, confused and dazed. Colonel had still been by his side. He was the perfect guard dog and playful pet rolled up into one. It was his fault. It was, wasn't it? He couldn't keep her. She wanted to leave. He needed her. He had begged her to stay! He had asked her for another chance.

He loved her.

One could barely tell the flex of his jaw underneath the week's worth of growth. Colonel nudged his hand with his cold, wet nose and gave a sad, soft chuff for attention. Elijah Cole dutifully lifted his hand, settling it upon the Great Dane's head to pet. He never forgot a meal for his beloved beast. No, Elijah Cole was always sure to feed him at breakfast and dinner. His own stomach seemed to growl in that moment, his abdomen emitting this curling ache of a sound that it needed nourishment.


Love wasn't enough though to keep someone close.

Love wasn't enough to make the other person feel happy or safe.


He needed to shave. He needed to do some laundry. He needed to move on. He was wearing his last clean outfit. The black slacks and the pale grey dress shirt had been rolled up at the sleeves. His head was throbbing from the constant way he clenched his teeth and sawed his molars together. His clearance for working as a Veterinarian had cleared in Canada; accepted from the United States of America's board. Still, he couldn't bring himself to offer that information up yet to where he volunteered his time. Instead, he continued to sit on the park bench, Colonel's soft chuffs for attention only earning the beast more pats along his back.

"I know, Colonel. I know. We tried." He tried to keep his voice from breaking. He felt the cold wind stinging his eyes. Yes, that is what he blamed it on. The darkness shrouded them in the outskirts of that park. The lamp light above his head had been knocked out nearly a week ago. The same time. Every night, without fail, Elijah Cole and that black Great Dane took up space upon the bench.

It was the spot that Zelda would often or not happen upon them most days.


He was waiting.

[Mora]

Mora was out. She had actually clawed her way from the Crypt she liked to reside in. She liked it there; it was homey – homey enough that she rarely left. If someone was to ask her where she did her business papers, and sorted out the wages – she had taken up a desk in the bedroom whilst Judas would ritual in the main area, Mora was in the bedroom working – they were a perfect pair, never overcrowding the other. They both had their own things to do throughout the night. Mora would often hack, and sabotage business to hoard those lovely source codes she loved so much. When it came down to it though, Judas and Mora were there for each other – his dwelling was her home, and a home to their family.

She had done everything she had wanted to do tonight; her business papers were done, and handed in. Ophelia, her new thrall was off delivering them to the main area – which she kept all her papers within. The woman was Zara’s replacement. The woman had been brutally murdered at Mora’s hand. There was blood everywhere, all down her chest, all over her lips and hands. She didn’t understand how it had happened – there was anger, so much anger and then she exploded and the woman closest to her had paid the price of being the vampire’s friend, and a fragile little thing. Mora had killed Zara in a blind rage. If you asked her now what she was angry about, she wouldn’t tell you. She couldn’t remember.

So her stroll thus far had taken her to a small park. There was nothing special about it. Dark, like most were it was the night time, after all. Only the monsters dwelled in the streets at night. Any human out this late was either stupid – or knew what they were getting themselves in for. Humans knew about vampires. Well, some of the human populace at least knew – perhaps not all of them. So Mora walked, each foot slowly in front of the other as she pocketed her hands into her red coat, her trusty red coat she had, had since her turning there was no way she would outgrow it – she would never gain weight, and she would never get taller – she was stuck like this, forever. It wasn’t a bad thing. The woman looked around once more – the sound of a dog panting caught her mid step. As she focused on the sound, there she found a man sitting on a bench, alone with a Great Dane sitting next to him, like a loyal companion would.

The man, looked sad – his eyes had welled up, was that tears or the cold weather. The wind was quite brutal at times in this place it was Canada after all, but the cold she never felt. She would always be the same temperature to those she knew, forever, however long forever would be for her.

”Hey, you alright?”

Mora called out to the man, the telepath was always wanting to help those in need, she often took pity on humans – she wanted to coddle them, sometimes protect them – that was the maternal instinct within her, she’d tell you if you asked. For now, she wanted to see if this man was alright, if he was – she would bid him goodnight and move on, if he wasn’t she’d try to help, or make him feel better.

But, she was oh so hungry. That craving swelled deep within the pit of her belly.

[Elijah Cole (DELETED 5419)]

The moon was bright in the sky. The clouds were rolling over the eerie pale light that the large round ball provided. The skies were clear and the stars seemed to twinkle against the navy blue background. If he were an artist, he would want to paint. If he were a photographer, he would want to click those pictures. If he were a song writer, he was sure to gain a popular hit by the end of the year. Instead, he was sitting there with his legs sprawled out in front of him and those expensive Italian boots were sitting upon the cement of the sidewalk in front of him. Colonel's leash hung loosely from his hand as his other continued to stroke the solemn beast's head between his ears.

"I don't think she is coming back, Colonel." He murmured to the beast who sat next to him. In the meantime, the four legged friend seemed to slouch himself down across the bench and lay his giant head upon Elijah Cole's thigh. Time had stood still. Time seemed to function as an entity beside him. It was neither friend nor foe. It was an existence that a woman who had he had come to look forward to had disappeared into thin air. There was no note, no call, no sad departure. There was no final kiss, no final hold, and no final good bye from her.

It shredded his heart. He didn't know if she was gone or if she had just left. He knew that his good friend from childhood was missing. Should he add Zelda to that running tally too? Was there something about him that caused people to be repelled?

Was he cursed?

Did he have an invisible sign somewhere or an aura of failure? His eyebrows drew together while the muscles in his jaw clenched more tightly. He barely even heard the woman's approach. He knew it was not safe to be out after dark. He knew that Zelda had once warned him. He had given her a teasing smile that she was his body guard then. They had laughed. He had pulled her into his lap. He had squeezed her *** and she had popped him in the chest. He loved her ***. He loved asses in general. He found no harm in letting his eyes have their fill of that body part that was nothing but a blessing.

Funny, the things that one thinks about after their lover is gone. She hated the way he'd squeeze her ***. Or bite her ***. Or sink his fingers into it. He was not objectifying her in any way. He truly did love her ***. He loved her laugh. And he looked forward to her smile. He wanted to hold her after a long day volunteering at the kennel and fall asleep with her in his arms on the couch watching the late night shows. Maybe he wasn't good for that.

Maybe he didn't deserve that.

Maybe he didn't deserve to have that kind of relationship.

Maybe he wasn't good for any relationship at all.

His friendships were broken. His lover was missing. His dog, as if sensing his gloom, continued to nuzzle underneath his hand to get that wide palm to keep stroking along his head. The wetness didn't trail down his cheeks. No, he didn't allow himself that kind of emotional release. Instead, his heart just seemed to pound a little harder and a little faster as he finally heard her approach. He saw her outline standing there facing the moon. He took in her face. He took in her hair color. He took in the width of her eyes.

For a moment, his brain superimposed Zelda's face upon her features. His heart slammed into his chest. It tripped over itself, bouncing around behind his ribs in almost an exuberant manner. So much so, that the tickling pain feathered down his left arm and had his fingertips tingling in anxiety.

"No. No... I'm not okay." He was cold and tired. He was hungry and dirty. It had been over twelve hours since he had eaten and Colonel no doubt wanted to get home to his bed. It was well after midnight. Or so, his watch had indicated a while ago the last he looked. His hair was free, long and brown and far past his shoulders. His beard was scruffy, the growth more than a week old.

"I lost someone. I cannot find her." Zelda was whipped from the woman's face. Soon, he was looking at a stranger again. He shook his head. He tried to make sense of it all. He was, after all, so very tired. The exhaustion could be seen if one looked closely at his face. The circles were so dark underneath his eyes. The pale blue circles seemed to have lost all hope weeks after he had last heard from his lover, Zelda.

[Mora]

Mora found herself studying the man who looked so upset. She found herself pitying him. This was the type of person Mora was though, she liked to help those who needed help, or shelter – or anything she could provide otherwise. You could often find Mora giving money to the homeless, though – what was the point really when a rabid vampire – or feral, could pick them up in an instant and eat them, perhaps even kill them – that person would never be seen again and her money would be for nothing. No one to save, because that was what she did, she saved people.

She looked at him, her forest green irises took this man in, he had rings around his eyes a shade of purple if you looked close enough – he didn’t look like he’d be eating, the dog at his side was certainly faithful. They both looked exhausted. Mora took a tentive step forward, closing the gap between them and takes a seat beside him on the bench, she thinks about probing his mind – perhaps even easing him. That would be a nice thing to do, right? She could do that.

No.

That would be a masquerade breach. (again.) She watched him, those moss orbs of hers looking at him curiously. He speaks then, he tells her he isn’t okay. Well, she could gather that from the way his eyes looked – she could tell from his body language, he seemed rigid, but alert – perhaps even waiting, what would a man be doing out here, on a bench with his dog at midnight.

Waiting for death.

She shook her head. Getting up slowly from the bench. He speaks again, telling Mora that he lost someone, and he cannot find her. It was a her, and Mora put two and two together, a lover, a mother, perhaps a sister – it was a loved one. He wouldn’t be so upset otherwise. She nodded her head. It wasn’t hard to lose someone in this place, especially at this time of night, the monsters had come out to play. The easiest thing for Mora to say was that she may have been taken by a creature of the night – but perhaps she could be wrong. So she kept her lips shut.

“When did you last see her? Do you want help to find her? Or, perhaps you should go inside. You look cold, and your wonderful dog looks hungry.”

She said that really to try and get him off the streets and away from prying vampire eyes, looking for a blood bag to feed from. Mora’s voice was gentle, soothing really. She had that calming effect of humans sometimes – perhaps it was because she was kind, in general.

[Elijah Cole (DELETED 5419)]

Too many times to count within the last weeks of his life had he felt like his breath was stolen. He had went to call Zelda multiple times. Her number was finally disconnected, citing that the number had changed or was no longer in service. He had thrown his phone against the wall. He had a broken screen, replaced when the new iPhone 6 had come into stock. White, he requested. White was the color of something pure.

She was bright. She was the light in his darkness and now she was gone.

Zelda.

Zelda.

Zelda.

His mind revolted, stomach churning with the thought that she had left him. Left. There had to be a reason. There was no note. There was no letter. There was simply a promise that she would have stayed the night with him. She had, that is, stayed the night. He remembered what it felt like to have her arms around him and the hum of that sweet, playful voice.

But, her eyes were sad.

That was what he remembered. Her eyes held some type of pity. Some type of ... emotion he couldn't bear to comprehend in that moment. They had kissed. He had laid there with her, wrapped in her arms and he begged her to give him another chance. Begged.


In that moment, it was almost disgusting to look back on his weakness.

He wasn't strong enough for her.

He wasn't man enough for her.

He refused to become like her when she had hinted that their relationship would go nowhere.

She wanted a promise he couldn't give her.


Over and over again, it was like a stabbing pain to his chest. He even so much as brought his hand up over his heart to ensure that the sticky warmth of his blood wasn't oozing from his chest. Colonel canted his head and gave a low whimper once the woman sat beside his master. The dog's tail started to thump softly upon the wooden bench, hoping perhaps that this new female would play with them like the other one had.

"It has been three months. Just over. Zelda." He sounded like he was rambling. His voice was quiet, filled with angst and pain. His brows knit together as he lifted his bushy chin. He turned his attention to the softly speaking woman. Blonde hair, he could tell that now with her so close sitting beside him. "Her name was Zelda. She had red hair. Her smile was so big. She's been gone for a while now. She told me she would stay. She told me she'd try."

She did. Hadn't she? Was he wrong? Was that why her smile didn't reach her eyes? Was she going to go anyways? "I didn't have a plan, you see. She said that she wanted a plan from me. I wasn't like her. I wasn't.... like you. I couldn't. I can't. Not right then. But, she's gone now. I'm glad... I didn't. She would have left me alone. I'm not like you." Elijah could feel the panic set in. He could feel the worry swarm his senses. The emotions of a lost loved one could be overwhelming.

He was drowning in them.

Colonel lifted his big head off Elijah's thigh now. As the woman rose, Elijah's voice started to get a little more broken. "I am cold. But, she was cold too. She'd lay against me and keep warm, she said. She had the best personality. She always looked for the good. I touched her, you know. I touched her. I needed her. I had to have her. And for a while, she was mine. But, she was tired. She was sad, too. She was alone. I tried to keep her occupied. I tried to make her happy. But, her family. She was missing her family. Her human one, see. I wasn't enough for her."

Since the woman rose next to him, so did he. He automatically reached out for Colonel's leash, winding it just once around his wrist. "I should get him home. He had dinner before we started our walk though. Don't let him fool you, Colonel will eat anything. My shoe laces twice this month alone. He misses her too. He liked her skates. He'd nudge them around the wooden floors of my apartment like they were his toys. I'm sorry. You don't need this. I... I'm sorry."

As if in a daze, he nodded his head to the woman. Stiffly, he shifted and started to walk away from the figure of the female. But, he stopped. The cold breeze of the night then lifted the ends of his hair, caressing goosebumps over his flesh of his neck. "Her name was Zelda. I can't find her."

[Mora]

So she looked at him now with sad eyes, he was hurting – she could almost feel this man’s pain. The look in his eyes was enough to make Mora cry, if she were human she would have but her heart had hardened a little more since then – and now she rarely cried. She figured it was a vampire thing – showing her own emotions to other people wasn’t her forte, it was how you got hurt and Mora didn’t like hurt – she had enough hurt growing up as a child, so she locked it up and put in a box, and that was what Elijah needed to do, no matter how much he’s hurting he needs to put it in a little box and throw away the key. Pain was no good to you, not here in Harper Rock where monsters much like her fed on that pain.

Her features were sober, as she nodded her head slowly listening to each word he said. The woman could faintly pick up on a name; his mind was practically screaming it at her. It was so loud it drowned Mora’s own thoughts out – one of the many down points of being a Telepath was something’s hearing things from another’s mind. Trinity’s mind was doing that right now, Mora felt for the woman and here she was doing it right now. Tuning into someone’s mind when she had trained herself not to – a mind was not hers to wander into!

Zelda.

The man said her name was Zelda. Mora nodded her head, blonde hair bobbing on her shoulders as she listened, and poor fellow. He must’ve been dumped – and this was how he was coping with it. Abandoned.

Then he rambled on and on, some things Mora listened to, some she didn’t but the one thing that did catch her attention was that he wasn’t like Zelda, like her either – and she canted her head to the side. Did he know about vampires. Was Zelda a vampire – was this what he was getting at. She tapped her finger against her chin and thought about it.

• ”You're not like us”

She said slowly. She could hear the blood pumping through his veins, and hear his heart tapping against his ribcage. She almost drooled. She was hungry, but she kept her lips firmly closed. He said then she was cold, and cuddled up to him to keep warm. Zelda had to be a vampire. He got up then and began to walk away but stopped to say her name was Zelda again. He couldn’t find her, well she was either dead – or lost within the Shadow Realm. Mora reached out for Elijah, her cold hands wrapped around his wrist.

• ”Come with me. I have an ability that allows me to find those like Zelda, and myself. I can see if I can find her. “

She didn’t let go, but there was an invitation, she had reached out to him.

[Elijah Cole (DELETED 5419)]

Colonel at his side continues to wag his tail. The hour is late, but the great beast was used to being out late into the night. The dog wanted to find his favorite red headed playmate, after all. Colonel had often flopped himself around, chuffing sadly on the couch or on the enormous dog bed of his that sat near his fireplace within the practically all white interior of his apartment. Modern edges and crisp lines, his mother had called it when she last visited.

The woman certainly knew how to meet her mark, going shopping that very day while he went into the kennel to handle an emergency case. Once the mother chocolate lab, pregnant and had been hit by a car had emergency cesarean section with a repair of her two broken legs, all seven puppies were doing well in a large kennel with lots of love and adoration from the night shift workers. His mother had went out and purchased items like throw pillows and blankets, a set of silverware instead of his plastic ware from various take out joints. She also got him actual plates, bowls, cups, coffee mugs, a Keurig machine with the Starbucks line complete with his infamous IV kit of creamers.

His family doted on him when they could. He hadn't even allowed his mother to visit, but she claimed to be in the country. Christ, even his laundry had been done and his mother hated to do laundry. He wrapped her up in his arms when he came home, thankful that she had decided to stay another night. He made her dinner - her favorite, roasted chicken with red potatoes that he had stopped and gotten at the market before close. They used the new plates and silverware, he shook his head when she said she had hired a cleaning service and laundering company.

He complained that he was a grown, thirty year old man who could do his own cleaning. She simply smiled the way she always did and asked her sometimes absent-minded son whose panties had been stuffed in his favorite pair of grey slacks. He blushed. It wasn't often his mother could make him blush. So, instead he had distracted her with dessert and their favorite old time television show - reruns of The Golden Girls and Quincy on Netflix.

He had seen his mother off to the airport, texting Zelda later that night. He was going to surprise her with the changes to his apartment and tell her that he had a plan. His plan was to be with her for as long as she would let him. His plan would be to love her as long as she would allow. Because, in truth, he couldn't promise his death. He couldn't give her his life. However, she could have his heart.

Now, his heart was still inside his chest. His drawn eyes looked down, seeing the clasp of the cool fingers around his wrist and over his expensive timepiece. It was a watch that his father had given him when he graduated at twenty from the state university with his degree in Veterinarian Science and went on to complete his residency at one of the largest animal hospitals in the state.

He had passed his boards without so much of a blink of an eye. He had had friendships that lasted and others that fell apart. He partied, he enjoyed the need for speed, he had wracked up a few speeding tickets before deciding to go with a large SUV to help curb the need to put the pedal to the floor. Now, now he was in search of his childhood best friend who had sent him a postcard from Harper Rock with blood smeared on the back and a sprawled script of 'Help me, Cole' upon the back of it.

"Okay."

He let out an exhale that he didn't realize he was holding. He turned to the cold woman, letting his eyes follow her hold. He needed to know. His heart beat picked up. The organ was certain to bound out of his chest soon. He fought the feeling of his surroundings starting to close in upon him. So much was different in this city. So much was different for him here in every aspect of his life.

Vampires?

Who would have thought they were real?

Who would have thought that he would have fallen in love with one... And she left him?

Sweat broke out upon his brow, even in this cool evening where even his own fingers were chilled. He gave a gentle tug upon Colonel's leash that had the Great Dane moving in the direction of the woman now instead of out of the part. He'd follow her. As his palms were now gathering sweat, he felt like he did when he was taking his driver's exam at the age of fifteen.

Nervous.

"Cole. My name is Elijah Cole." He spoke quietly, attempting to distract himself from he feelings of impending doom he had.

[Mora]

Okay

That word left her lips as she let her grasp on his wrist loosen, until finally her steel like grip was gone from his arm. She let him go, he was free to do what he wished. Mora may be a vampire but she allowed free will. She even gave Robin Little free will when she told him about vampires, she would have allowed him to run if he had chosen to run from her. She smiled at Elijah though. She couldn’t help it – it was said a smile could brighten up anyone’s day. She wanted to do that, brighten up his day. That okay, told her that he would come back with Mora. So she turned on her heel and began leading him towards Honeymead Library, where above the books was her apartment that would be scattered with books, paper, business listings.. everything a Telepath would need to run four businesses, and possibly find a lost vampire, for this sad, so sad fellow.

• ”My apartment is just this way.”

He introduced himself then, and she smiled, even though this man was riddled with pain, and sorrow he was still polite in giving his name. She threw her head back to look at him, her legs still moving through the park. She beamed at the man, her moss orbs twinkling under the night sky. Her name, yes. She would give him her name.

• ”I’m Morghan, or Mora, Mora Daradasi.”

She was sure he had never heard of her. Not many people had that’s how she liked to be, off the radar. She hated people knowing about herself – unless you were family, or friends of the Telepath. She knew some people liked to walk around the city with painted targets on their back. She shook her head in thought as she reached the Library doors. She pushed her key within it’s lock, twisted it counter clockwise until she heard the click and the doors opened, she held the door for the human, and his dog before closing the door after them. Locking it. The library wasn’t open tonight. Her manager had phoned in sick, and she didn’t have the time to sit there all night and run this place. So, day off for everyone – she had emailed.

She led the man through another door, that would lead them upstairs into her small apartment. The walls were mocha brown, a fireplace against the wall. Books scattered across the floor, an Apple Mac computer, attacked by an array of sticky notes, each a different colour. She rubbed at the back of her neck. Laughing, nervously.

• ”I don’t have company often. I hope you don’t mind the mess, please. Sit down.”

She pointed to the sofa which was pushed up against the wall, with a full bookcase of first editions to the right.

[Elijah Cole (DELETED 5419)]

Her fingers left his wrist. He no longer felt that gentle, insistent pressure. Oh, he knew that her hold could break his wrist. He knew that she could bring him down onto his knees, pleading for his life in a heart beat. For some reason, though, Elijah did not feel threatened by her. Her smile was wide. Her eyes were large. Her look was concerning and full of something that he normally did not get a look of - pity.

He had heard the emotions in her voice, but yet he knew that this woman wished to help. He knew what it was like to be floundering in the middle of No Man's Land and unsure of which way to turn. He had checked hospitals, police stations, subways, and the local airport. He had posted signs just that night, in fact, upon telephone poles with large italic words that read, "Have you seen this woman?" All while he was stapling the fliers, he tried not to get his hopes up. It had, after all, been almost four months. Four months.

Should he just wash his hands of it? Should he of just walked away and tossed his arms up in the air with a last hoorah of 'Oh well!' No. No, he couldn't do that to Zelda. He couldn't do that to a woman who had captured his attention and squeezed his heart. He swallowed painfully. Moving with Colonel in the woman's footsteps, he jogged across the street and down to this library she spoke of. As she held the door, he merely nodded his thanks.

His beard was getting a bit bushy. His skin no doubt was gaunt. His hair was too long, perhaps even for him. He knew. He knew that she was going to be gone. He could feel it in his bones. Now, when he was staring the possibility in the face of a woman who just upped and left. She wouldn't do that, would she? She... He had told her about his friend. He had told her about that childhood friend that had needed his help. He was trying to find her - why would Zelda add to his list? Why would the woman he considered his just leave without a word?

"It's fine." He heard himself reassuring the woman. Morghan. It was a beautiful name. But, he liked Mora better. Mora was brighter. Mora fit the light in her lovely green eyes. She looked hopeful. He stayed back, a visitor of course in this woman's home. Colonel at his side though was quite ready to make himself at home. He tugged on his leash, propelling Elijah into the woman's living room from her doorway. "It is your home, right? It is meant to be lived in. I prefer Apple products too."

Syncing and all. All his files, all his music, all his documents and spreadsheets and bill reminders in one place. He took a deep breath, smelling the woman's soap from her clothes and that own unique individual perfume. He walked where he had been instructed to. He tugged Colonel with him. He swallowed tightly. By now, Adrenaline was rushing through his veins. His heart was bounding against his ribs and he could barely hear properly now. He paled even more, if, of course that was possible under the poor eating habits and the lack of sleep already he had suffered without.

Fear.

There was true fear in his dark, navy blue eyes as he waited for the woman he had just met to use that ability to tell him just where Zelda was.

[Mora]

Mora moved about the apartment quickly. Bending down and picking random things off the ground. Books, clothes, and odd socks. A few things that used to belong to Zara. She smiled as Elijah sat down and his dog sat next to him. It had been a while since she catered to a human. Zara didn’t count she was in and out all the time, and she usually made her own things, and left Mora alone. Here she was though, milling around the apartment. Grabbing the sticky notes off the Mac and throwing them in her metal, circular bin that was beneath her mahogany desk.

She moved to the fireplace with her inhuman speed, forgetting sometimes as she began to make a fire. Grabbing a lighter and burning some of the firelight logs – easy to catch flames, she blew on it a few times letting the flames grow, and dance. She smiled.

• ”You must be cold..”

She muttered as she threw a few more logs in the fire, prodding them with a metal pole that was against the tiles that surrounded the fire place before turning her attention to the kitchen. She moved once more with inhuman speed and began to boil the kettle. She had bought the damn thing for Sabra. Except, Sabra returned to Queens. Zara used it often, she liked Coffee. Often had a mug of it in her hands when she was hanging about – hovering close to her master. So here she was making a cup of coffee. A teaspoon of granules, some milk – she had fresh in the fridge. She had a feeling her human guest liked coffee. She just knew. The way a telepath knew things.

She didn’t add sugar, she plucked a small bowl from the cupboard, added some sugar to it and a silver spoon and took it out, setting it on the small coffee table in front of Elijah. As well as his black coffee.

• ”You look like a coffee person.”

She told him, as she pulled her beanbag over to the coffee table and collapsed on in. She closed her eyes then and did the one thing she had promised she would do, she would triangulate Zelda. Perhaps she was lost. Olive could find her, if she was lost to the realms. She placed her hands against her knee’s as she sat in a meditation like pose and focused, focusing on the name Zelda. She sat like that for five minutes, beads of sweat falling from her head. Her blonde hair matting with sweat. She couldn’t find Zelda, no matter how hard she focused. Finally after a moment she opened her eyes, with a grave look on her face. She didn’t want to tell him her findings, but she felt like she had to. He had to know.

• ”I can’t find her. I focused, She’s not anywhere. That means.-“

She paused, gnawing on the inside of her lip.

• ”-She’s dead.”

Mora looked tired, run dry. She had been tapped of all her magical energy.