Page 2 of A Spark in the Ash

I breathe my shadows out when I reach the end of the tunnel. My willowy legs spring forth, smoke taking over my skin. It’s a relief. I haven’t shifted in over two weeks now. I can’t remember the last time I went that long between shifts.

The both of us climb up the tunnel, working our way through its twists and turns. The heat intensifies as we climb. I should have bothered to look what time of day it is.

When we exit out the tunnel, the sun is blazing high above our heads. I’m already sweating the second I shift back.

“I hate this place,” Renwick says as we walk over to my car, which is still parked at an odd angle from when Jaxon and I made our frantic race through the desert to get here before he manifested.

Renwick’s motorcycle is parked next to it. He retrieved it two weeks ago from my apartment.

“Yeah,” I say as I pull the driver’s door open, but it comes out halfhearted.

My feelings toward this city and this verse seem to have shifted a little recently.

I buckle up and turn the car around, pointing it back toward the dirt road.

"Considering we're timeless, I didn't think it would be quite this hard to get used to having so many people around again," Renwick says as we bounce over the rough terrain. "Everyone can hear everything in that place. Insulation wasn't such a thing back when we built in the eighteen-hundreds."

"It might not be so bad if you and Philomena knew what it meant to be quiet," I say with a smirk as I look over at him.

"I am what I am, Serena," he says with a smile. "When it's time for pleasure, being quiet just ruins it."

I shake my head. It feels good to smile. I haven't done it in a while now. It feels good to get out of my head, to get out of the compound, to stop staring at that vault twenty-four seven. Renwick has that effect. He can always make just about anyone smile.

"Vegas is going to be different with such a large population of darklings," he says, moving on. "I don't know how yet, but things won't be the same around here. You think those two ultralights that live here will stay?"

"They're good people, Ren," I say as I adjust my grip on the steering wheel. "We're lucky they are the way they are. We could have gotten a couple of assholes who would love nothing more than to give us hell every day. We need to make sure all the other darklings know to leave them alone. Now is not the time to stir up anything new when it comes to the ultralights."

"Ah, man," he says in mock defeat. "Things have gotten a little boring around here the last few weeks. I mean, we fought a couple of ultralights, you fell in love with one and made everyone hate you for a while. Things have gotten slow recently. I think we could all use a bit of entertainment, Serena."

Once more, I shake my head at him.

We reach the dirt road and I lay harder on the gas.

"Gotta say," he continues, moving on to a new topic, "I didn't expect this. I mean, I feel like all the darklings usually get control, at least a decent amount, within a week. That man of yours hasn't shifted back to his human form even once."

I grip the steering wheel even harder. My jaw clenches tight, threatening to crack my teeth. "Yeah, but none of us had to manifest with our mortal enemy surrounding us on every side."

"I'm not trying to make things worse," he says in a soft voice. "I'm just… I'm sorry. I know this isn't easy for you. The others might still be pissed, but they're obviously not paying attention. You're different, Serena. I don't know that I've ever seen you happy and I've known you for a really long time. But when you're with him, you're happy."

My throat feels tight. Something uncomfortable pricks at the back of my eyes. I should probably say something, but I have no words right now.

So, I simply turn onto the main road, and press harder on the gas.

The temperature reader in my car says it's 111° outside. Waves of heat rise from the surface of the pavement. It's exactly how the air looks inside of the vault. Right now, the desert looks dead. Which it is. Not much of anything can survive in this kind of heat. It's the seventh of August. We still have at least a month until it starts to get comfortable again.

"What are we going into the city for, anyway?" Renwick asks for the first time. It's one of the things I like the most about him. He doesn't question me, really ever. He's a ride or die type of person, and I love that about him. If I had to be stuck with someone for a century and a half, I'm kind of glad he's one of those people.

"I was supposed to give up my lease a week ago," I say, relieved that we’re moving on to a topic that feels sort of normal. "I know I'm going to lose my deposit, but, whatever. However, my bike is still parked there. I need you to take it back to the compound."

"And what areyouplanning to do?" he asks as he gives me an incredulous look.

"There are just a couple of things that I need to wrap up," I say. It's a lie. Yes, I need to turn my keys in. But really, that shouldn't take more than a few minutes. The manager lives on the first floor of my building.

But Davorian was right. I need a break. I need a little bit of space. I need a few hours for my brain to think about something other than the ball of fear and anxiety that has wrapped itself around my heart.

Renwick doesn't ask any more questions. I think he knows. He knows what a mess I am right now. So, we finish the rest of our drive in silence.

Thirty minutes later, we pull into the parking lot of my apartment. It's surprisingly empty for this time of day. Most of the people who live here work on the Strip, meaning they don't usually start work until five in the evening or so. I park in the spot right next to my bike, which still sits there, undisturbed.

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