Some Thing Called Myself (Complete)

XLIV: Some Things Change

Ch. 44: Some Things Change

Mara latched a hand around Teresa's wrist. The curved blade trembled in her hands, only centimeters away from the warm skin of Tai's neck. She won't touch what's mine. It all happened so easily. So fast. One moment, Mara was at Tai's side. The next, she tackled Teresa to the ground and straddled her.

No; Mara wouldn't let Teresa hurt Tai. No, she wouldn't forgive her for the fire. No, she wouldn't die in this place!

Now, whispered the hunger. Now! it screamed in pain.

Mara lunged, sinking her teeth into the warm, tender muscle between Teresa's shoulder and neck. A wave of bliss and relief spread across her body, the taste and texture strong on her tongue. It was the best sashimi she had ever tasted.

She swallowed. Looked down. Wanted more.

Another tug at her chest, stronger this time.

Only then did the sound reach her. Teresa's scream pierced through the stillness, painful in her ears. Mara snapped with a start from whatever trance she'd been in. She looked at her clean, white-knuckled hands on Teresa's arms. At the ugly, bleeding wound on Teresa's shoulder.

A knot formed at the base of her throat.

"Oh, Goddess," Mara mumbled, her voice weak. Her heart raced, breathing quickening, mouth drying. "Shit. What did I do?"

Mara got up on wobbly legs. The feelings she'd been trying to suffocate for the past weeks, maybe months, came crashing in. Teresa's scream turned into sobbing, and Mara fell to her knees at her side.   

"I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I'm so sorry! I'll...I will help! I can—I'll...!"

Oh Goddess, there was so much blood. Mara's face twitched and tensed, her hands trembling.

"Tai." Mara crawled to them and held their shoulders. With a loud crash, a bookcase fell over somewhere in the room; the tongues of fire grew taller and the smoke denser. "Tai, I need help." She patted their cheek. "Tai, please! Please...you said—you said you'd help me, and I need your help!"

There was movement behind Tai's eyelids, and then their eyes opened—the mermaid song was broken. Tai groaned, and Mara held their arm, tugging them toward Teresa.

"I need help," Mara repeated. "She's hurt. It's really bad. You need to dress the wound, or...I don't know. You...y-you can help, right? Do something? Please?"

Tai's upper body couldn't resist Mara's pull, but they grasped her jacket to avoid falling over. The movement put Tai's face mere centimeters from Mara's, close enough for them to see the tears in her eyes, even with the dense smoke between them. Tai looked around and cursed under their breath, coughing.

"What the hell happened here?" Their eyes widened. "Your mom's stuff! Mara, we have to save what we can!" Tai did their best to get to their feet. "Help me with the books first, they—" Tai looked over, and the words died in their throat. Despite the raging inferno around them, they froze. Whatever sleep remained in their eyes was gone. They sucked in a sharp intake of air, only to start coughing again.

The mermaid.

Tai was staring at the agonized mermaid on the floor.

"Please help her," Mara said. "Just...p-please help her."

After a heartbeat of silence shattered by another cry of pain from Teresa, Tai furrowed their brow. Their hands balled at their sides as they gazed at Mara again, a new feeling swarming behind their eyes.

"I will, just...clean your face before anyone sees you." Without another glance toward Mara, Tai hauled the mermaid's body in their arms and carried her outside.