Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

B el agreed with Morrisey that the day had been "too fucking long," and as soon he returned to the FBI compound and Lio, the better. So much horror to forget about. He needed to lose himself in companionship.

After the day from hell, Bel could use a friendly face. The second call had turned his stomach and made him glad that it wouldn't be fieldwork if he took a job with FAET.

First, though, he sat in the conference room while Morrisey and Farren wrote their reports.

"Besides us, how many people were at the second scene?" Morrisey asked.

"Six hikers, a park ranger, and a local sheriff. Oh, and later, four FAET members joined us."

"Very good," Morrisey said. "What killed the victims?"

"Occisors who fed on their fear." Even now, Bel shuddered at the memory.

Morrisey never even glanced up from his laptop. "How do we know an animal didn't kill them?"

"Knife wounds and the spice scent."

"That's enough for the day." Morrisey closed his laptop. "Go get some rest."

Bel couldn't escape the room fast enough, dashing down the stairs instead of using the elevator to get to the residential floor. Lio stood in the hallway outside his door, shoulders slumping. He must've had a long day, too.

"Hey, Lio!" Bel called.

Lio's face lit up, eyes crinkling at the corners, making Bel's heart flip. He matched Lio grin for grin.

"How was your day?" Bel asked. "I hate I haven't gotten to see you."

"Oh, by all the stars in the sky!" Lio rolled his eyes. "I feel like I've crammed so much information into my brain that it's going to explode. I wish I could remember my past so I wouldn't have to learn the basics all over again."

"Maybe they're hoping you'll jog a few memories loose." Bel was just as tired as Lio appeared to be and just as happy to see him. "Farren said we can have dinner in the cafeteria, order something to go, or order through a delivery service. Food deliveries aren't accepted at the door, so I'd have to pick it up at the guardhouse. No unauthorized people on the compound grounds."

Lio didn't answer, so Bel pushed on. "Would you care to join me?" Please say yes!

Lio's grin, which had dimmed while Bel talked of memories, now bloomed back into full wattage. "I'd love to. I haven't eaten since this morning."

"Jessa didn't offer you anything?" She was supposed to take care of Lio. Bel would have words with her later.

"She did, but I was too busy studying to eat." Lio shrugged. "Arianna brought cookies, but they smelled funny. Jessa said something about carrots and almonds."

"Yes, we've been warned about her cookies." Bel still hadn't touched the ones she'd given him that morning. "I was just on my way to my room. Would you like to come now, and we can decide from there what to do?"

"Sure." Lio turned away from the door.

"I thought we'd be sharing space at first." And didn't that recollection deflate Bel's good mood?

"I did, too, but they gave us each one."

Bel located the right door, fumbled with the keycard, and opened the door. The small room wasn't exactly homey but a place to sleep at night.

"It's just like mine," Lio commented, looking over the space. "But mine has a green bedcover."

Bel opened a sliding door to a tiny closet. A few of his shirts hung on hangers, and his empty backpack lay on the closet floor. Someone had unpacked his belongings while he'd been gone. On his way to check the dresser, he spotted Albert propped against the bed pillows and rushed over to pick up the dog. In his hurry to meet Errante, he'd not spared a thought for the little creature.

"How did this get here?" he asked, warmth in his chest. He hadn't even thought about the dog with everything going on.

"I thought you might want it." Lio sounded sheepish, and his cheeks appeared a bit flushed.

They'd been packing to leave the safety of the Carnival for parts unknown, yet even during the chaotic moment, Lio had thought of Bel. Did he think of Bel often during the day, like Bel thought of Lio?

"Thank you." Bel stroked the dog's head with his index finger, feeling Albert's familiar softness before placing him back on the bed. "I really appreciate it."

Why were his eyes misting? A strong impulse drove him to pull Lio into a hug and whisper into his hair, "Thank you so much." He meant to let go, but Lio felt so good in his arms.

Reality came crashing down. At the Carnival, he'd been afraid to say too much about himself to the other roustabouts, not knowing which of them might have come from different realms too. Though they were friendly, they didn't make much of an effort to get to know him. Then again, he'd been there so briefly. Why make friends he'd have to leave behind?

But his loneliness began long before in Domus. His parents were loving but not overly affectionate, and they depended on servants to take care of their only spawn. However, the servants also kept their emotional distance because of the disparity in their stations.

Then he'd risen above his parents to a council member position, and as much as he didn't want to think about it then, he now saw they'd grown jealous and bitter over his success. He'd not had many friends his age growing up since spawn in Domus had become a rare thing by the time he came into the world.

He'd taken an occasional lover in Domus and had a few casual friends, but he'd never formed a deep connection with anyone. His parents said his Lux nature left him searching for his counterpart, and no one else would do.

Bel left home for a lengthy council meeting. No sooner had they begun than the citadel shook violently. A council member rushed out the door and returned with the news. "Another sector has fallen."

Bel launched himself from the council room window, along with other council members, winging toward home. Please let it not be sector eight. Let Bel's parents and friends be okay.

Bel flew through three intact sectors. If they were untouched, surely eight would be too. It had to be. Residential areas gave way to trees. Not much longer now.

Both wings grew tired, but still Bel flew. A gray mist came into view. No! Bel pulled up short, dropping to the forest's edge.

Other people gathered there, clinging to each other and crying. For a moment, Bel felt totally empty.

Someone approached the mist. Someone else held them back. "No! If you go in there, you'll disappear too!"

Bel considered entering the mist. One footstep through and the pain would be over. One footstep and no more worrying about what happened. No! What if someone remained?

For three days, Bel searched but found no traces of family or friends. An older neighbor approached. "Bel Am'I. They're gone. They're not coming back."

Bel crashed down on both knees, too tired and numb to continue, and then fell asleep, drifting in the place between places, watching the bright souls for someone familiar.

Bel had been alone ever since.

With Lio in his arms, the loneliness lifted, and Bel would have stayed there forever if he could, but he'd probably held on too long. He released Lio and stepped back with a sigh. "Sorry. I don't know what came over me."

Lio looked up, his dark gaze connecting with Bel's, a touch of wonder on his face. "You can hold me anytime."

Bel drew Lio into his arms again, resting his cheek on the top of Lio's head. Lio squirmed closer, head tucked under Bel's chin as though he belonged there. Perhaps he did.

They stood in the room, simply holding each other, taking comfort in the presence of another.

Until Lio's stomach rumbled.

Bel laughed. "Do you want to go to the cafeteria?"

"If it's all the same to you, I've had enough of other people for one day. Can we eat here? Maybe watch TV or something?"

Staying in with Lio? Sounded like a plan. And nice to know Lio apparently hadn't had enough of Bel. "Let's see if anything's in the refrigerator."

A knock sounded on the door. Why now? Bel nearly yelled at whoever to go away. That wouldn't go over well with the boss. He sighed, gave Lio an apologetic smile, and opened the door to find Arianna holding a bag over one shoulder. She swept into the room like a bacon-scented gale-force wind and deposited her burdens on the kitchen counter.

"I know you two have had a long day," she said. "So I thought you might like just to chill tonight. I brought you some BLT sandwiches. I also brought bottled water, soda, and some of my special cookies."

Oh, dear. Not more of the dreaded cookies.

"Thank you, Arianna. That's very thoughtful." And meant Bel and Lio wouldn't have to leave the room.

"Once you guys settle in, you have an open invitation to come over to my place for video game night. I'm outstanding at Halo ," she said. "My apartment is down the hall on the right, unit L." She made a production of dusting off her hands. "My work here is done. Have a pleasant evening, and if you need anything else, just call. I left a list of important numbers by phone, including mine, Jessa's, and Farren's. Trust me, you don't want to call Morrisey during off hours. Tomorrow is Saturday, so Jessa and I will take you shopping for cell phones and more clothes, though if you decide to work with FAET, you'll also get logo shirts and laptops."

Bel recalled the money Errante gave him, feeling a flash of panic. Did he have enough?

Arianna put his fears to rest. "We have services for settling travelers into their new homes, so don't worry. Everything's covered. You'll have your own money once you start working." She headed to the door but paused to sing-song over her shoulder, "Good night."

She swept into the hallway and closed the door, taking the energy in the room with her. Bel nearly collapsed.

Lio stared at the door. "That was… certainly something."

"Yes, it was. Let me get us something to eat." The sudden overwhelming need to take care of Lio propelled Bel into the kitchen. After a few moments spent opening cabinet doors, he located plates and peered into the bag. "Water or soda?"

"Water, please."

Bel arranged sandwiches and chips on two plates. His stomach growled.

He returned to the couch with the plates, which he deposited on the table, and made another trip for two bottles of water. He sat and patted the cushion next to him.

Lio joined him and twisted the top off of a water bottle. "We should've tried getting the bottles with our minds, but I might be too tired."

"We can wait until we're rested. So much happened today."

Lio took a bite of his sandwich, chewed, and swallowed with a "mmm…" "Just yesterday morning, we were at the Carnival. Now we've met people like us and have a new place to stay."

Nothing else mattered but Lio being there now. The food was good, but far better for the company. "How are you feeling?"

"Disoriented, but fine." Lio gave a lopsided smile that just might become Bel's new favorite thing, sending fluttery feelings through his insides.

"Have you remembered anything?" He hated to push, but a lot hinged on Lio remembering who he'd been in Domus. What if he turned out to be evil? Or had a lover he pined for?

No, Bel couldn't be selfish. If Lio had a lover, then so be it. But how could Bel be a light in Lio's darkness and support him through his grief if Lio had bonded with someone who'd died with Domus?

You're getting ahead of yourself.

"I don't remember anything except waking up in this body, wracked with pain. Emilio pretty much said, ‘Take it, it's yours, buddy,' and then he left."

"Do you mind telling me more about that?" Bel asked. "Only if you're okay with it. I wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable."

"I'll tell you because I really don't want to keep it to myself. But I'm not ready yet to go into detail."

Bel listened in horror as Lio briefly told him about Emilio, Dave, Bennie, and Big Tony. He longed to hold Lio, comfort him, find these horrible men, and make them pay. The council member in him tallied up all the laws they'd broken and the punishments they'd earned.

"Then I saw you coming and didn't know if you were real or not. I hoped so. You picked me up, and I…"

"And you what?" Bel prompted, remembering the moment he'd thought Lio dead.

"I'd never felt safer in my life—either of them. Even though I don't recall my past in Domus, I can say with certainty that I didn't feel safe. It was a wonderful feeling with you." Lio's cheeks filled with color. "What about you? What's your story?"

Safe. Lio felt safe with Bel. "I was on the ruling council in Domus, and then they sent me here to find the Tenebris, you, and balance your power."

Bel told Lio about Kevin, the hospital, and meeting Errante. He kept to himself the horror he felt at finding Lio lying on hot sand. He also didn't mention how good Lio had felt when he'd first picked the man up. Lio was still on the thin side, but Bel would ensure he ate, drank, and slept.

Speaking of…

"While I've enjoyed our evening, I guess we'd better get some sleep." He'd love to have Lio stay, but Morrisey and Farren might not like that idea. They'd put them in separate rooms, after all.

Lio yawned and stretched, revealing a strip of tanned skin between his shirt and jeans. Bel's mouth grew dry. He waited, hoping for more.

"Yes, I am getting pretty tired." Lio rose and stretched again but didn't reveal any more skin. "Need help cleaning up?"

"No. You go on to bed. I'll see you in the morning."

They both paused. An invitation to stay perched on the tip of Bel's tongue. Lio stepped into the hallway and closed the door behind him before the words could be spoken aloud. Why hadn't Bel invited Lio to stay? Was Lio's backward glance filled with hope?

The room seemed empty now. Next time, Bel wouldn't hesitate.

He showered, dressed in boxers, and slipped into bed, catching a glimpse of Albert sitting next to him on the pillow. He'd rather have Lio, but Albert beat being alone.

Sleep came quickly, tugging Bel down into slumber.

Bel floated in the space between realms, no longer seeing bright souls drifting past. There would be no more traveling from Domus to Terra. His heart ached. Arms wrapped around him from behind, holding him close and offering comfort. He didn't have to turn around to find out who was holding him; the familiarity spoke louder than words, the sense of peace he'd never known before.

Lio.