Henri
The day was sunny and warm. My muscles burned from the resistance of the oars against the water as I steered the boat toward the mainland. With my islands still lacking in most modern technologies, I relied on Lucian to signal to me of your arrival. The sunborn flag had gone up that morning, imbuing me with a giddy delight. As always, I’d been counting down the days until your return.
I secured the rope around a piling and lay back along the boat’s bow, apricating in the sunshine like one of your cats while I waited for you to join me there. It had been mere months since Azrael’s demise. The Tribal Council was still in its formative stage, but I had every confidence that you and Aretha working together would bring about a lasting peace amongst the thirteen tribes. It certainly helped that Lena was currently “resting” in one of her many underground crypts and Hyas was under the yoke of his fairer twin.
“Well, hello there, handsome.”
I stirred at the sound of your voice, smiling before even opening my eyes. You stood on the dock, brilliant as a jewel with the sun shining on your head and your black hair loose around your shoulders. You looked like a sun-kissed vacationer, wearing shorts and a light-colored t-shirt with a satchel at your side and a suitcase at your feet. I nodded at Ashur who stood a few paces behind, your guardian when you were not in my keep. He bowed deeply and retreated, leaving you all to myself.
“Hello, my darling.” I took my time in straightening so that I might admire you longer. The only good thing about your trips was our reunions, sweet and sacred to me. Your head was tilted, shielding your eyes from the light; your smile was coy.
“Still haven’t gotten a motor for that boat, huh?” you asked with a teasing grin, nudging it with one sandaled foot. I looked forward to undressing and bathing you later, running my hands over your travel-weary skin and stripping you of the dust and dirt of foreign lands.
“I enjoy the exercise,” I said mildly and flexed for your benefit.
“I think you just like showing off those guns.”
“Whatever it takes to entice you.”
“Consider me enticed,” you said and licked your lips, flashing a bit of teeth as well.
I placed your suitcase in the bottom of the boat and assisted you onboard. Your step was light and airy, and I took that to be a sign that your treaty-making negotiations in Cairo had been successful. I did not ask, though, did not care to delve into tribal politics just yet. Our islands were a place of refuge, where the pressures and demands of the outside world only entered when invited.
“Some things of yours arrived from Miami,” I said. “Clothing, family photographs, school memorabilia, and a letter...”
“A letter? From who?”
I smiled. “You’ll see.”
“So mysterious. I bet Papa was happy to get his things back.”
“Yes, and I believe the sale of your parents’ property has finally gone through, so your father will be relocating here permanently.”
“It’s for the best, don’t you think?”
“Until Santiago returns, yes. Xavier’s safe here and he enjoys our company.”
“Has Dad visited him lately?”
“Only in dreams, but your Papa seems content nonetheless.”
We drifted into silence for a moment, enjoying the scenery and the weather. I caught the heated gaze you cast my way and felt the tension of things yet to come. And then I heard a very suspicious noise.
“Vincent, I believe your bag is purring.”
Your grin was shameless. “Are you sure it wasn’t me?”
“I know all of your noises, and I’m fairly certain that is not one of them.”
You shrugged sheepishly, acknowledging that you’d been caught, and pulled from your satchel a dusky, mangy mass of fur that had certainly seen better days.
“I’m never going to hear the end of it from your father,” I said with exaggerated distress. It seemed every time you ventured onto to the mainland, you brought back with you another stray, including one that was definitelynota house cat.
“He won’t eat much.”
“That’s what you said about Gorgeous.”
“Gorgeous is a lynx, a rare and endangered species.”
