Amina ran her pale fingers along Finn's arm and finished her touch with kisses. Finn smiled at the woman and pulled her to her face, kissing her. Their tongues ran over one anothers softly. Finn sighed contently into her mouth.
"We could go again," Amina said, laying on top of Finn. Her undead flesh only held the heat it took from hers.
Finn shook her head, "no, love. The sun will be up soon."
"You're right, my heart." Amina stood, pulling on her clothes.
"You don't have to do this," Finn tried again, knowing there was no changing her mind. "My sweet girl, you have given me an amazing last few years. More lovely than my last seven hundred. But I'm tired. My life is death to others. I'm done." They had been over and over it. Amina wouldn't change her mind now. No matter how much Finn had begged.
Amina crawled into Finn's outstretched arms, holding her tightly. "Thank you. For everything," Finn whispered.
"No, my love. Thank you." She said, kissing Finn's fingers.
They sat like that until the sky darkened even more, a warning of the dawn about to break.
Amina felt Finn's tears falling onto her. "Don't cry, my darling."
"You have been the only good thing in my life, how can I not cry?"
"Because I was just the first. You will have more love. Love I couldn't give you. Love in the light."
"I like the darkness."
"And it likes you but one day you will need to step out of it."
Finn gripped her tightly as the light of dawn broke over the horizon of the roof they had made love on. Amina gasped. "It's... so beautiful." she sighed, content.
"I love you!" Finn cried, holding her tighter.
"And I you!" were the last words Amina ever said. The sunlight kissed her skin and she erupted in flames. Finn did not let go, her skin burning, holding her lover until she was naught but ash.
(2)
Finn opened her damp eyes. Ramsey was bent over her, a wet cloth in his hand. She grabbed his hand and squeezed until she heard his joints begin to pop.
"It's okay, Finn," his voice was kind, "I was just checking on you." He put his other hand up in an attempt to show her he meant no harm.
"Where...?" Was all she could get out. Her mouth was a desert. Her eyes felt like there was sand in them despite the tears. Her entire body felt sore and swollen. She slowly sat up, Ramsey reached out with both arms to steady her. "Please take it slowly, little sister. You've been asleep for over a week."
"A week?" She croaked out.
She frantically called out to Carter, she had to know they were okay. "Are you safe?" She wiped falling tears. It hurt her already sore head but she did not stop. A migraine began to bloom behind her eyes. She called him again. "Carter!"
"Where the
fuck
have you been?" He replied, his fury barely restrained in his voice. She could feel his own discomfort from their bond, though her own pain masked some of his.
"Is everyone safe, Carter?" Fear twisted in her stomach. She was about to throw up.
"What? We are all fine. You on the other hand haven't responded to me in weeks. I ask again, where the fuck have you been? I was worried you were dead!"
Calm flooded through her. Tears continued to fall but they were relief. "Thank you. And I'm sorry," was all she said. She stopped replying. His fervent demands she tell him where she was left unanswered. She pushed it down, as far as she could, to dull the feeling and pain. His fury was hard to hold down, she knew it so well and fought her urge to sink into its comforts
She looked at Ramsey, "where are the others?"
(3)
Ramesey helped her into the main room of the cottage. She saw Eutus and Izzy sitting around the only real piece of furniture in the living area, an old table. She pulled out a camping chair and settled into it uneasy, still very sore.
"Good morning darling, glad you are finally awake," Eutus said, getting up to fetch some food for her. He returned with a small bowl of oatmeal. "Please take it slowly. You can have more food in a bit." He also handed her a cool cloth, "for your black eye. You hit the ground pretty hard when you passed out."
She nodded her thanks and scooped the food into her mouth with her fingers, ignoring the cloth. She had experienced many black eyes in her life and it was the least of her concerns. Ramsey pulled out the remaining chair and sat down, producing a spoon out of one of the pockets of his robe. "Would you prefer this?"
"I'm okay," she said between bites, "I'm done." She finished the bowl. Nausea rose in her but she choked it down. "Have we learned anything?" She asked, looking at the tomes spread out on the table. Discarded papers littered the floor beneath them.
