Down To Earth
Despite how drained he felt, both mentally and physically, Thomas didn’t leave Lilith Park until the first rays of sunlight began creeping over the horizon. Even then, he drove aimlessly, the opened collar of the slightly too-small shirt he’d borrowed from a crew member flapping in the wind. So Thomas wasn’t too surprised when motion out of the corner of his eye caught his attention and made him realize the road he was driving on was unfamiliar.
The motion that had caught his attention was a woman’s hair, long and dark waving like a banner in the early morning sun. She stood next to a car with its hazards flashing, her arm extended, thumb up, in the universal sign of the hitchhiker and Thomas slowed the motorcycle to a stop beside her. Thomas had absolutely no talent with cars, but the woman’s body language had indicated she needed a ride, which he could provide. Up close now, he could see she was beautiful, almost unearthly in the morning light, and the beginnings of Hunger gnawed at him. “Need some help?” he asked, climbing off the bike.
The woman’s face blossomed into a smile of profound relief and she pushed her fine, almost iridescent, black hair out of her face to reveal a pair of bright green eyes. “Thank you, I’ve been standing here for an hour and you’re the first person to pull over,” she said, her voice rich and resonant. Thomas smiled unconsciously, hungry and predatory, but she merely smiled back, the gesture lending her a mysterious, almost feline quality. She reached over and patted the hood of her car, the motion sending a stream of acrid smoke into the air. “I was driving up to visit a friend,” she explained. “But, as you can see, my car’s not as eager to see my friend as I am.”
“You want me to call a tow truck?” Thomas offered. “The only thing I know about cars is how to call the mechanic.” He ran a hand through his hair and chuckled self-deprecatingly as he reached for his phone. “How far away is it to your friend’s?”
“About ten miles or so,” the woman answered, waving up the road. “She lives in the artsy loft district. And honestly, I’d rather go find her before I call a tow truck.” She gestured at herself and laughed. “I’ve spent the last hour being honked at by every trucker that passed by. You’d think I were wearing a red dress and six inch heels instead of tshirt and jeans.” She shook her head and offered a hand. “By the way, I’m Catherine; most people call me Cat.”
“Nice to meet you, Cat. I’m Thomas.” Her hand was cold against his and Thomas frowned briefly as he relinquished it. “If you have an address or directions, I can take you to your friend’s place right now,” he said, gesturing to the bike. “If you don’t mind riding without a helmet, that is.” His smile was warm but still holding a hint of hunger. “I promise I’m a good driver, and I’d hate to leave a beautiful woman at the mercy of randy truckers.”
Cat tossed her head back as she laughed at his words, the ink black length of it catching the light. “You are just a knight in shining armour!” she exclaimed as she approached the motorcycle. “I’ll leave myself in your capable hands.”
*****
With Cat’s arms around his waist a cool reminder of her presence, Thomas drove slower, both for safety and so she could guide him to her destination. To Thomas’ surprise, Cat guided him to the building across the street from Zero. He killed the bike’s engine and got off, extending a hand to help her dismount. “There’s a nice club around here,” he said conversationally. “If you’re around for more than a few days, maybe I’ll see you there.”
Her hand’s touch on his was brief, just a flicker of cold fingertips. “I will be. I’ll keep an eye out for you, knight on a motorcycle. Maybe you can show me around.”
Her touch made Thomas frown. “Are you alright, Cat? Your hands are cold.”
“I’m fine, but thank you for your concern, Sir Thomas. Just poor circulation.” She laughed as she reached over to kiss him on the cheek, and there was something familiar about her laughter, the warm full-throated purr. But then she spoke, and that moment of recognition was gone. “I have a feeling we’ll see each other again.”
Thomas waited, watching until she disappeared into the building, before he mounted the bike again and pulled into the road. Her kiss had been like a touch of winter frost, cold for a moment but faded quickly in the morning sun.
The motion that had caught his attention was a woman’s hair, long and dark waving like a banner in the early morning sun. She stood next to a car with its hazards flashing, her arm extended, thumb up, in the universal sign of the hitchhiker and Thomas slowed the motorcycle to a stop beside her. Thomas had absolutely no talent with cars, but the woman’s body language had indicated she needed a ride, which he could provide. Up close now, he could see she was beautiful, almost unearthly in the morning light, and the beginnings of Hunger gnawed at him. “Need some help?” he asked, climbing off the bike.
The woman’s face blossomed into a smile of profound relief and she pushed her fine, almost iridescent, black hair out of her face to reveal a pair of bright green eyes. “Thank you, I’ve been standing here for an hour and you’re the first person to pull over,” she said, her voice rich and resonant. Thomas smiled unconsciously, hungry and predatory, but she merely smiled back, the gesture lending her a mysterious, almost feline quality. She reached over and patted the hood of her car, the motion sending a stream of acrid smoke into the air. “I was driving up to visit a friend,” she explained. “But, as you can see, my car’s not as eager to see my friend as I am.”
“You want me to call a tow truck?” Thomas offered. “The only thing I know about cars is how to call the mechanic.” He ran a hand through his hair and chuckled self-deprecatingly as he reached for his phone. “How far away is it to your friend’s?”
“About ten miles or so,” the woman answered, waving up the road. “She lives in the artsy loft district. And honestly, I’d rather go find her before I call a tow truck.” She gestured at herself and laughed. “I’ve spent the last hour being honked at by every trucker that passed by. You’d think I were wearing a red dress and six inch heels instead of tshirt and jeans.” She shook her head and offered a hand. “By the way, I’m Catherine; most people call me Cat.”
“Nice to meet you, Cat. I’m Thomas.” Her hand was cold against his and Thomas frowned briefly as he relinquished it. “If you have an address or directions, I can take you to your friend’s place right now,” he said, gesturing to the bike. “If you don’t mind riding without a helmet, that is.” His smile was warm but still holding a hint of hunger. “I promise I’m a good driver, and I’d hate to leave a beautiful woman at the mercy of randy truckers.”
Cat tossed her head back as she laughed at his words, the ink black length of it catching the light. “You are just a knight in shining armour!” she exclaimed as she approached the motorcycle. “I’ll leave myself in your capable hands.”
*****
With Cat’s arms around his waist a cool reminder of her presence, Thomas drove slower, both for safety and so she could guide him to her destination. To Thomas’ surprise, Cat guided him to the building across the street from Zero. He killed the bike’s engine and got off, extending a hand to help her dismount. “There’s a nice club around here,” he said conversationally. “If you’re around for more than a few days, maybe I’ll see you there.”
Her hand’s touch on his was brief, just a flicker of cold fingertips. “I will be. I’ll keep an eye out for you, knight on a motorcycle. Maybe you can show me around.”
Her touch made Thomas frown. “Are you alright, Cat? Your hands are cold.”
“I’m fine, but thank you for your concern, Sir Thomas. Just poor circulation.” She laughed as she reached over to kiss him on the cheek, and there was something familiar about her laughter, the warm full-throated purr. But then she spoke, and that moment of recognition was gone. “I have a feeling we’ll see each other again.”
Thomas waited, watching until she disappeared into the building, before he mounted the bike again and pulled into the road. Her kiss had been like a touch of winter frost, cold for a moment but faded quickly in the morning sun.