Succubus Tear (Triune promise) (37 page)

Oh my God, it’s like the last few years never happened.

Charlie stared at the booth he and Cain had shared for so long, a booth they eventually shared with Holly and Cynthia.

Those were good days; it was the first time he and Cain both had a steady girlfriend that didn’t hate each other. Holly and Cynthia became just as good friends as he and Cain were. It seemed like those days were going to last forever.

But, it wasn’t meant to be. Cynthia was bent on wanting love, marriage, a home, and children. And Holly…

Charlie blinked, surprised that he actually was crying again for her.

I suppose it’s because of Stella.

Indeed, Stella seemed depressed; she kept sighing and looking around the tavern. Charlie was grateful that her expressions and body language were different than Holly’s. He couldn’t even remember the number of times he would keep her waiting just so he could see her face light up when she saw him.

Well, I can’t stay here forever,
he thought and strode up to the booth. As he walked up, Charlie felt dizzy, like his mind was detached from his body.

Cain glanced up and then back to the table. The usual mixture of surprise and shame crossed his features. His discomfort translated to his hands and the way they would always pick at the table.

Stella looked up at Charlie; her neck and cheekbones turned pink, but the blush went no further. Her face was blank and composed.

And Al’bah…her eyes were wide and full of expectation. It was as if she knew he was watching, and wondered why he took so long to sit down.

“Damn, Cain, what the hell is going on?” Charlie said as he sat down next to Stella. “Do you know how long it’s been since we’ve used that cipher?”

Charlie ignored the conversation for a moment to take Stella’s water and drink from it. She seemed half outraged and half amused. Charlie could tell she was holding her breath, and she nodded toward Cain subtly.

“Look, Charlie. You know I would never get into that kind of trouble, or you into this kind of trouble.”

Charlie sighed and ran his hands over his face.
“Okay, then perhaps you can tell me, oh, I don’t know,
what the hell is going on!
” Charlie said menacingly.

“Ah! No, no, no!” he said upon seeing Cain open up his mouth. “Don’t tell me it’s complicated. Don’t tell me that you wish you could tell me. I wanna know why the hell everything ended up here, and like this.”

“It isn’t your fight, Charlie,” Cain said with a shaky voice. “I never wanted—”

“Let me tell you something, Cain,” Charlie said. “We’ve been close, like brothers, you and I, but when I leave for Oxford it is over between us, and we both know it. Neither of us could go out and say it.”

He took another swallow from Stella’s drink and continued. “What the hell do you want me to say to you? They have at least two witnesses saying you and Stella shot and killed three people up there! Even though I don’t believe you could bring yourself to kill others, I find it hard to believe the situation you find yourself in is not your fault at least in some small way!”

He tossed his hands up and sighed. “If it wasn’t for our ten years of history, I would have never even come down to listen to your side.” Charlie narrowed his eyes. “And I don’t even get that much from you!”

Cain nodded but didn’t say anything.

“Yes,” Al’bah said softly.

Charlie eyed Al’bah, who looked ashamed; her eyes stared at the table.

“What?”

“Yes, it is my fault, Charlie. Yes, if I was not in Cain’s life, he would not be caught up in this misfortune.”

Charlie looked to Al’bah and then to Cain. “Really, now? Why don’t you tell me all about it?” he said, pointing to Cain. “‘Cause this guy is so pussy-whipped, he either can’t or won’t tell me anything about what’s been going on for the past few days.”

“Cain, Stella, I need a moment alone with Charlie,” Al’bah said quietly.

Cain nodded and immediately stood. Stella looked hesitant but went along with a gentle nudge from Charlie.
 “Five minutes, be right back.”

“So, let’s hear how you started this mess.”

Al’bah shook her head. “I will not tell you.”

Charlie started to get up. “Figures.”

Al’bah shrugged. “Do you not notice how Cain does not tell you either? Has Cain complained of my presence in his life to you?”

“He doesn’t tell me because of you,” Charlie almost shouted.

Al’bah shook her head slowly. “This frustration you have is not about whether or not you know of the trials Cain is going through. Cain does not tell you for the same reason I will not tell you; this struggle is not yours. You are not his keeper.”

“And what, you are?”

Al’bah sighed, staring into Charlie’s eyes. She blinked, but it was an unnatural thing. How long does it take a person to blink? Even if they were being deliberately slow? There was a threshold for bodily gestures, between the painfully obvious and the well-executed. Al’bah’s eyelids seemed to take an eternity to close, breaking all the rules while making up a few, and when they lifted again, Charlie could swear they had a flicker of fluorescence. It was the most mesmerizing thing he had ever seen.

“Cain
is
mine, Charlie.” Her tone was soft, but her words held the feeling of absolute authority. “He is still your friend, and the friendship you share is great; it defines the two of you.” She shook her head as she continued. “But there is a limit to friendship, and even the greatest friendship does not replace love.”

Charlie laughed. “Love? You’ve got to be joking! Cain’s never loved anyone. What makes you think he will love you?”

“That is because you will not allow him. Release your claim of ownership, Charlie, and he may yet choose to love me.”

Charlie narrowed his eyes.
Who does this woman think she is? No, I’m not going to get angry. I will not get angry, she isn’t worth it.

“I didn’t think that, Cain, that
people
could be owned like property.”

Al’bah lowered her eyes. “Cain does not suffer Bondage from me. You and Cain suffer Bondage from each other. The Bonds you and Cain share are Bonds from torment. Torment is what brought you two together, and you both have used it since to strengthen and define everything you are.”

She raised her eyes and whispered, “Torment, you blame Cain for, no matter how much you believe otherwise. Cain will not stop blaming himself, because you will not stop blaming him. He is your friend, but you hate him. You will not forgive, you do not give him your forgiveness. You do not give him love.”

Al’bah sighed deeply, never breaking eye contact. “Charlie, to you I swear truthfully, I love Cain. Will you not release your Bonds to him? Will you not forgive him? Must you punish him so harshly? Let me heal him, let him go. Please, love him, forgive him, and let
me
love him. Let me love him with your blessing.”

Charlie had since broken his eye contact with Al’bah. Her words brought the presence of a ghost to his senses.

I don’t blame Cain, dammit! He blames himself! He…

Do I?

Do I really?

“Why do you need my blessing?”

“Because the closest thing to love that Cain knows, is the friendship you share with him,” Al’bah said quietly. “And though I personally would never want something so important to my love to be severed and lost, it must be this way.”

Al’bah took Charlie’s hands and waited until he looked up. “There is nothing more for me to say. My request is at your mercy, Charlie. Cain’s freedom from certain ruin is at your mercy. Release him, forgive him, and love him. If you do, he will release you.”

Al’bah turned her head to Cain, who just reentered through the front door. She turned back to look at Charlie once more and added while pointing discreetly to Stella, “And you will find the peace that beckons you to her.”

The Line Between Friend and Foe

“
All according to plan.”

—Walter Stratton

Over the course of the evening, they all spoke a great deal about the events in the city revolving around Cain, Al’bah, and Stella.

Though the talk and food were good, Charlie sensed an icy tension between Cain and himself. He glared at his half-eaten club and felt a new sympathy to his best friend when he told him he was unable to answer his questions about Al’bah and what was going on.

Why can’t I force myself to speak?
he thought to himself, finally giving up and moving on to the more serious business he had to attend to.

“This was a good way to close the book on a lot, don’t you think?” Charlie said as he reached in his jacket pocket and pulled out two off-white envelopes.

“One is for Cain, the other is for Stella,” Charlie said. “That suit dropped by again. You know, Walter Stratton. Just before I got your message and went after you, he came by and asked me to deliver this.”

As Stella reached for her envelope, Charlie spoke again. “That one is a deal that was brokered between the Stratton Law Firm, the chief of police, the DA, and the FBI. Apparently the tricks you pulled taking the garbage truck and the cell phone make them want to remove Stella from the equation. I guess they think it would make it easier to catch you.”

Charlie shrugged. “Those suits at the Stratton Law Firm must have a great deal of influence to produce a deal like that. And as for the press, they fed them a great story. Something about you ‘forcing’ Stella’s actions and now holding her hostage.” 

“There are two deals in here,” Stella said, looking up at Charlie. “One is where I take you both in and I am just relieved of my badge with no charges.” She swallowed. “And the other—”

“Is you leave the country, and they will not extradite you,” Charlie said. “All the counts of murder fall on Cain either way. I’m sure we all know Shane Harper? He took the liberty of getting your ‘essentials’ from your apartment. They are in the car if you decide to leave the country.”

“I hardly believe that you could be here without the authorities tailing you,” Stella said, and her eyes grew wide with panic.

“That’s because I didn’t deal with the authorities—Walter did,” Charlie said, gesturing with his palms up on the table. “He told me Stella’s actions convinced him and the authorities that she was innocent enough.” He shrugged. “Something about you saving his life?” He glanced to Cain. “Oh yeah, Cain, you really shouldn’t have pulled your gun out like that. I mean, damn, man. That garage had camera security. The whole town was going crazy over that.”

“If they acknowledge that I am innocent, why won’t they restore me?” Stella said, her voice getting louder from anger.

“‘Cause the city police can’t accept you back. This ‘hostage’ BS the press is putting forth won you a lot of sympathy at first. But the force threw you under the bus, saying it was an indication of being unreliable.”

“Unreliable!” Stella tried to scream, but it came out like a squeak.

Cain shook his head as he read aloud his own offer. “‘Surrender that which is not yours, and circumstances will change, allowing you to leave with Stella.’
Yeah, right,” he said as he crumpled the paper and looked to Stella. “What will you do?”

Stella stared at Cain. She looked so lost and powerless. The silence seemed to stretch on and on. Charlie begged his mouth to remain still, but it would always be beyond his control.

“Come with me,” he said, surprising everyone except Al’bah. “I leave for England in two days.”

“I don’t even know you! I can’t run to England!”

“You’re shitting me, right?”

“Beautiful. Thank you, Charlie.”

 Charlie shrugged.
Might as well stick to my guns.
“Have anything waiting for you back in the city?” Stella only flushed a deep crimson. “Let me know, okay?”

He turned to Cain. “A moment?”

The two walked out without another word.

***

“Two days? I thought that you’d be attending the fall semester of next year,” Cain said with a tense jaw.