Lyra's POV
The warm sea air and the lively chatter of her companions suddenly felt claustrophobic to Lyra. Her smile, which had been genuine moments before as she caught up with Maya and Chloe, a neighbor and an old friend from her art history program, froze on her face.
Is it just a coincidence, the thought hissed in her mind, a cold dread seeping through her veins, out of all the beaches in this city, why is Selene here?
Her eyes, against her will, tracked Selene and Eliza as they walked past the restaurant. She saw the exact moment Selene noticed her. The way her steps faltered, the way her expression shifted from relaxed to utterly stricken. The sharp pang of guilt was immediate. She had just told Selene she was immortal and then immediately been caught seemingly carefree and socializing.
Ariana, ever perceptive, followed her gaze. A slow, mischievous smirk spread across her face. "Well, well. Looks like our favorite archaeologist is here. And she does not look happy." She leaned closer to Lyra, her voice a playful whisper. "Let's make her jealous. Put on a show." She gave an exaggerated wink.
Lyra shot her a withering look. "Ariana, no. This is not the time."
But Ariana was already in motion. She leaned in, draping her arm around Lyra's shoulders in a way that looked far more intimate than it was, her laughter a little too bright. "Oh, come on, live a little! Let her see you're not just pining away for her."
Feeling trapped and horribly exposed, Lyra had little choice but to go along with the charade. She forced a laugh, hoping it didn't sound as hollow as it felt. She tried to engage with Maya's story about a local gallery opening, but her entire being was focused on Selene. She could feel the weight of her stare like a physical pressure. Every glance she stole revealed Selene looking more and more hurt, more withdrawn.
Then, she saw it. Selene looked down at her phone. Her face, already pale, drained of all remaining color. A look of pure alarm replaced the hurt. She said something rushed to Eliza, then stood up so quickly her chair scraped against the patio stones. Without a backward glance, she practically ran from the restaurant, heading for the parking lot.
Lyra's blood went cold. Every instinct screamed that something was wrong. Terribly wrong.
"Excuse me," Lyra said abruptly, standing up and cutting off Chloe mid-sentence. "I... I have to go. An emergency. I am so sorry."
Ariana's playful smirk vanished, replaced by genuine concern. "Lyra? What is it?"
"I do not know," Lyra said, her voice tight with anxiety. "But Selene... she looked terrified."
She didn't wait for a response. She grabbed her purse and wove through the tables, her heart hammering. By the time she reached her car, she saw the tail lights of Selene's vehicle disappearing onto the main road.
Why is she driving back to the library? Lyra thought, her mind racing as she followed at a discreet distance. What business does she have there tonight? She just saw me... unless... unless that message wasn't about me at all.
A new, more chilling fear took root. What if the danger wasn't emotional? What if it was something else entirely? The memory of hunters, of the constant, low-grade threat that followed their kind, flashed in her mind. Her protective instincts, always simmering beneath the surface, roared to life. She wasn't following as a jealous lover. She was following as a guardian, her own heartache forgotten in the face of a potential threat to the woman she loved.
End of Lyra's POV
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Back on the beach, a heavy and awkward silence settled over the table Ariana and Eliza now shared. Maya and Chloe had tactfully excused themselves, leaving the two women alone.
Eliza stared at the space where Selene had vanished, a confused frown on her face. She then looked at the stunning, enigmatic woman across from her the one who had been all over Lyra just moments ago. She offered a weak, awkward smile. "Well. That was... dramatic."
Ariana studied her, the concern for Lyra melting into a different kind of interest. She leaned back in her chair, a slow, sly smile gracing her lips. She let her gaze travel over Eliza, openly appreciative.
"It seems we have been abandoned," Ariana said, her voice a low, smooth purr. "First by your date, then by mine." She picked up her wine glass, her eyes never leaving Eliza's. "I do not know about you, but I find myself suddenly with a free evening. And I have never been one to waste a good opportunity... or the company of a beautiful woman."
She paused, letting the invitation hang in the air between them. Her smile turned into a knowing, playful smirk.
"Besides," Ariana added, her tone dipping into something more intimate, "if I recall correctly, you still owe me a rather significant favor. Or have you forgotten the night at the hotel so soon? I believe a certain... cleanup... was involved. I think the least you could do is buy me a drink."
She winked, the gesture far more genuine and flirty than the one she'd given Lyra. The air between them crackled, no longer with shared concern for their friends, but with a new, unexpected, and charged potential, underscored by a shared, embarrassing secret.