Two

The Night Has Just Begun

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Bright blue eyes of a six-year-old girl stared back as she stuck her tongue out at the mirror.

She smiled to herself as she balanced on the rickety stool beneath her. She squinted her eyes and watched as they changed color to purple and she giggled.

She leaned over the old sink further with an exaggerated scowl on her face as her eyes slowly turned to a deep brown.

She squealed with joy and hopped down from the sink after grabbing a bright shell from the porcelain sink and tucking it away in her pocket. She bolted out of the door and down the small hallway. “Mama!” She cheered. “Mama! Look!”

The little girl stopped suddenly when she caught her mother’s face that looked as stormy and dark as the sky outside. “You should be in bed, Nightingale.” Her mother’s voice was dark, and she did not turn to look at her child.

“Mama… look! Look what I did?” The girl said with less enthusiasm. She pattered over to her mother quietly and tugged on the hem of her dress. She frowned suddenly when she saw the outline of a scale forming on her mother’s leg. “Mama?”

She heard it then: the squealing sound of something flying through the air at a fast past. Her brow furrowed and she opened her mouth to say something else when her mother shoved her. “GET BACK!” The words came out just as something exploded against the side of their house.

The whole house shook and her mother yanked her back and away from the window as half the wall was torn and splintered out.

“MAMA!” The child screamed with fear painted in her voice. Alarms were going off in the distance and her mother’s eyes were searching through the new hole in the wall and off into the distance.

In an instant her mother was dragging her down the stairs as the little girl wailed. She couldn’t hear anything as the explosion caused her ears to ring. Bombs were going off in the distance and people were screaming.

“Child!” Her mother shook her. “ESMERELDA!”

She froze in place as she stared at her mother, glass-eyed. “Mama… what’s happening?”

Her mother stood next to the waterline of the house and she shook her head. “Swim, Nightingale. Swim for shore and no matter what you do, don’t look back.”

Esmerelda looked at the black water and shook her head furiously. “I don’t wanna, mama… I don’t-” She was stopped short as her mother’s hand collided with her cheek hard in a sound that seemed louder than the bomb-like explosions dotting the islands.

Her mother tore off her necklace and placed it into Esmerelda's hands, folding her fingers around it tightly. “You will swim, child! NOW!” She grabbed Esmerelda roughly by the the shoulders and threw her into the water. Esmerelda screamed in protest.

“MAMA!” She cried as she splashed at the water in panic. “NO!”

“SWIM!” Her mother shouted as she pointed. “You HAVE to, child! Get far away from here as fast as you can. Run and don’t ever look back!” Esmerelda could hear pounding on the door upstairs. “GO!” Her mother’s voice shifted to a magical command. “Swim. Now.”

Esmerelda’s body began to move on it’s own. “NO! NO! MAMA!” Her body was magically dragged under the surface from the weight of her mother’s magical voice. Panic filled her as she struggled to keep pushing water past her. Her body flailed and she finally yanked her way up towards the surface. Her tiny lungs gasped as she struggled to suck air into her lungs where water had started to fill.

Against her mother’s wishes, she turned back to look at the city that caught fire. Her eyes burned as she cried tears that vanished instantly into the salt water she struggled to stay afloat in. She sucked in a long breath when something grabbed her feet and yanked her back under the surface while she screamed.

Her eyes burned as she opened them beneath the surface of the water and saw the horrifying, bright-blue-eyed gaze staring back at her.

He was a reflection of her and he was dragging her under. She flailed and struggled, kicking as fast as she could but his grip was practically stone around her leg.

Her lungs were burning, needing more air. This merman with her face was going to kill her.

“Esmerelda?”

The little girl of just six years kicked and kicked against the man.

“Esmerelda?!”

She looked up to the dark night above her and there weren’t even stars in the sky. She was going to die. It was all she could think about as she closed her eyes and resigned herself to it.

“ESMERELDA!”

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“ESMERELDA!”

Bubbles exploded from her as her eyes came open wide. Esmerelda yanked herself from the sink that she clutched and stared at her nearing twenty-six-year-old reflection in the mirror while she panted for air.

Water dripped down her face and into the full sink that she had used to wash her face in just moments before. Her eyes drifted to the bright shell that rested on the side of the sink.

Her lucky shell. It calmed her. She wasn’t there anymore.

“Geez, Ezzie! You freaked the crap out of me!” A green-eyed woman spoke with relief.

Esmerelda kept her gaze on her own piercing blue eyes in the mirror as she swallowed hard. She shook the memories from her head and turned to look at her friend. “Sorry Mellie… I’m just… trying to decide what color my eyes should be tonight.” She lied.

“I love your blue eyes! You should leave them like that! They’re mysterious!” She said sweetly as she batted her green eyes.

Esmerelda shook her head quickly. “No. Anything but these eyes.” She bit her cheek and realized her voice came out harsher than she intended. She cleared her throat. “I was thinking… maybe hazel eyes tonight? Or… should I be a brown-eyed girl?” She tried to tease.

“Oh! Do some big browns tonight.” Mellie winked at her. “You’ll captivate the club no matter what color eyes you’re wearing.”

Esmerelda laughed a breathy laugh and stretched her shoulders. “We’re not here about me, Melanie and you know it. You’re the one getting married!”

Melanie grinned and beamed. “Can you believe it?! I almost can’t! I’m so glad you could come with me to Carule’s temple tomorrow, Ezzie! You’re the best!” She came over and hugged Esmerelda’s shoulders tightly, happiness radiating from her.

Esmerelda rolled her eyes and shrugged nonchalantly. “You know I am.” She shook her head and frowned. “I’m sorry that you had to come all this way for me.”

“Nonsense! You’re my best friend!” She laughed. “Besides, I’m traveling all the time with the pack. What’s an extra stop to see my bestest friend, huh?”

Esmerelda smiled at her and shook her head. “The good news is, Bridgeport has the best nightlife ever. What a way to finish off your life as a single lady!”

Melanie was grinning widely. “Oh! This is so amazing!” She paused and walked back into the hotel room. “So… what dress should I wear?”

“Whichever one shows the most cleavage.” Esmerelda said without missing a beat.

She could hear her friend groan. “No, Ezzie. I’m getting married.”

“I know.” Esmerelda sighed as she looked back at herself in the mirror. “And this is your last hurrah.” She carefully closed her eyes and rubbed her face with her hands, slight exasperation in her movements.

Magic shimmered and shifted around her and she opened her eyes to see a stranger staring back at her. She smiled weakly at the stranger in the mirror.

At least she didn’t look like the man who haunted her nightmares anymore.

Esmerelda stood up and walked into the cramped hotel room as Melanie struggled into her dress. She smirked as Melanie finally sighed and looked at herself in the mirror. “Woah there, Mellie, you’re actually showing your knees. Didn’t realize we were dressing down that much!”

Melanie looked at her, wide-eyed. “Do you think this is too revealing?”

Esmerelda carefully put her head in her hands. “No, Mellie. I was being sarcastic.”

“Oh!” Melanie laughed as she looked down at her dress. “I was worried there for a minute.”

“Mellie… I was the one who ran around the outskirts of our camp naked ten years ago. I’m not the best judge of what’s revealing and what’s not.”

“Oh yeah! I remember that!” Melanie laughed harder. “Casper looked like he was going to pop a blood-vessel in his neck. Not at you, of course. You couldn’t make that man angry even if you tried.”

Esmerelda smiled to herself as she remembered it. “Yeah… teach those boys to try to steal my clothes while I’m bathing again.”

“Well, I think they expected you to be embarrassed…”

“Sure, but they forgot that I have no shame.”

“It’s part of why I love you, Ezzie.” Melanie giggled. “Are you just changing your eye color tonight or the whole shebang?”

“Oh I’m going all out tonight.” Esmerelda smiled. Shapeshifting was her gift and it kept her alive. She could become someone else in the blink of an eye.

Anything to keep herself from looking like the horror from her nightmares.

“I’m feeling blonde hair tonight, and maybe some thicker curves.” Esmerelda let her hands slide down her sides. “Whatever helps us get our drinks mostly for free.”

“Do guys even still do that when you’re engaged?” Melanie looked down at her engagement ring with awe in her eyes.

“Not if you announce it, they won’t.” Esmerelda said flatly.

Melanie turned red. “Ah, right! That makes sense.” She shook out her hair. “We’re going to stay out all night, right?”

Esmerelda smirked. “If you can handle it, we will.”

“Oh please, I can totally handle that! Can you?” Melanie challenged.

Esmerelda raised her eyebrows. “Most definitely.”

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The music could be heard outside the club as Esmerelda and Melanie approached the building. Melanie looked at Esmerelda cheekily. “Just like old times, huh?”

Esmerelda smirked. “Exactly so.”

“When we were young and free!” Melanie walked with her arm hooked around Esmerelda’s.

Esmerelda snorted and rolled her eyes. “I certainly never stopped being young, nor free. You’re the one chaining a ball to your leg!” She watched Melanie roll her eyes back at her.

“I love Eric!” Melanie whined. “I’m excited to marry him! One day you’ll be in my shoes and squealing about getting married, you know?”

“As if.” Esmerelda resisted gagging.

“You know, Caden will be coming back to the pack from college soon.” She smiled knowingly. “He’s all grown up now.” She gave Esmerelda an expectant look.

Esmerelda scoffed. “What, do you want me to be a cougar now? Do I look desperate and in need of a cradle to rob?”

“Oh, please! He’s only three years younger than you!” She retaliated.

“You clearly have no idea what a big difference three years can make…”

“Yeah, yeah. I still think you should stop by and let him sweep you off your feet.” Melanie began to shake with excitement. “Oh! This is going to be so exciting!”

“Just don’t bring up your fiance when the nice gentlemen here try to buy us drinks, ok?” Esmerelda gave her a look.

“Right, right… My lips are sealed!” She ‘zipped’ her lips with a gesture of her hand and tossed the invisible key away.

“Good! Let’s go!”

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The music echoed into Esmerelda’s chest and she closed her eyes. It was the greatest feeling in the world. The bass shook her, bodies of people were pressed against her as everyone danced, she was just one of the crowd here.

Melanie was pressed into her side, her single martini putting her over the edge and well into ‘drunk’ territory. She shook her body rather hazily to the music playing and Esmerelda laughed. “I need something else to drink!” Esmerelda shouted and motioned with her hands. Melanie laughed and gave her a thumbs up.

“So good!” She slurred loudly back.

Esmerelda rolled her eyes before turning and working her way through the crowd.

She finally surfaced through the sea of people, her head rocking back and forth to the music as she made her way to the bar. Esmerelda leaned forward against the counter, yet the bartender was busy attending to someone else further down.

She slowly rested against the counter and sighed. It would be ages before she would likely see that drink, but that was fine. If she waited long enough perhaps some guy might take interest in paying for her drink for her. Her eyes drifted around the bar, looking for likely targets. She assessed each guy carefully, her mind shuffling them into categories as she did so when her gaze stopped at the one on the end.

A slight smile tugged on her lips. His dark hair was a mess and he had a cute face, but there was something subtly off about him. Perhaps it was because he was assessing everyone in the same way she was? She watched his eyes as he looked over the women from across the bar. It was a look she knew well and she casually slid down the counter closer to him.

She rubbed her hands together and pretended to be looking around the room for someone. Her head tilted slightly as she started to speak. “I would avoid the blonde one. She’s been twisting a wedding ring around her finger all night before she put it in her purse fifteen minutes ago. Likely a new divorcee and those just scream emotional attachment problems.”

The man chuckled slightly, his eyes still looking across the room without meeting hers. “Something did seem a bit off about that one.” He lifted his drink to his lips before taking a careful sip. A calculated sip - this man was clearly not as new to the rodeo as his cute face implied.

“Honestly, the pickings are a little slim tonight. You’ll be as likely to get a good catch as I am a drink within a reasonable time.” She bit her lip as she finally looked his way, a grin pulling on her lips.

The man glanced her way before a charming smile pulled on his lips, finally he extended his hand her direction. “Matt.” His voice said simply.

Esmerelda looked at his hand and then his eyes again. He wasn’t a Matt, that was for sure. She smiled coyly and took his hand. “Bullshit.” She said with a smile.

He looked at her quizzically. “What?” He thought she gave him her name.

“Esmerelda.” She said firmly while letting go of his hand. “And bullshit. Your name isn’t Matt.”

“Oh really? You seem to know an awful lot about me.” He paused as the gears were still turning in his head. “If that’s the case then… what’s my name?” He was staring at her with narrow eyes and a sly smile.

She rolled her eyes and looked away. “You hesitated before you gave me your name, I could see your mind processing a question you shouldn't need to think about.”

“I could’ve had a decent amount to drink, thus causing me to not respond quickly.” He tipped his head slightly, still smiling slyly.

She shook her head and pointed to his drink. “You had just taken a very careful drink of your low-alcoholic beverage. You’re not new to this game. Sloshed guys usually go macho on their drinks.” She pursed her lips and then shrugged lightly. “Not to mention, up until this point you’ve only defended the fact that your name could be Matt, not that it is.”

He continued looking at her as his smile grew bigger. Finally he shook his head. “Quinn. My name is Quinn.” He paused and took another careful drink. “Unless you’re going to contest my actual name not being mine this time?”

Esmerelda laughed and shook her head. “Nope. Quinn sounds nice.” It wasn’t a name she heard often. She watched the bartender turn and she motioned to him smoothly. The bartender’s eyes caught her before he turned around and took care of the group behind him. “Fuck!” Esmerelda cursed under her breath. “Are my tits not hanging out enough or what?” She laughed again as she looked down to examine her chest.

Quinn examined her carefully before shaking his head. “No, too much more and you’d be the drunk floozy. You’ve got just the right amount.”

“Well, I’m glad I haven’t lost my game.” She sighed before a familiar song started and she rocked back and forth, mouthing along to the lyrics. She moved her shoulders slightly in time with the music.

“HEY… ES...ES-mer-EL-da!” She could hear Melanie’s familiar slurring from across the way. She waved drunkenly at her before giggling and nearly falling over. Esmerelda looked at her with slight disbelief in her eyes.

“Wow… I think she’s hit her limit.” Quinn chimed in as he sipped his drink.

Esmerelda laughed suddenly before looking at him. “One martini, can you believe it?”

“Lightweight. Those are dangerous.” He remarked with an intrigued smile. She wanted to laugh again, yet there was almost something admirable in how much thought he put into examining people. It was something she did herself.

Suddenly an arm fell onto her shoulders and Melanie leaned heavily on her before giggling loudly. “Ezzie! I… I gotta… I gotta call Eric!”

Esmerelda frowned slightly. “No, sweetheart, you don’t need to call Eric.”

“But… but Ezzie… Ezzie you don’t understand! I… I love him… and I…” She stopped suddenly and her whole face went flat as she nearly fell over. She jolted back up standing before giggling. “I need… I need to tell him I love him, because… I do!”

Esmerelda could hear Quinn laughing next to her and she patted Melanie’s shoulder. “I know, sweetheart; you’ll survive another six hours without him. I promise.”

“I… I don’t think… I don’t think I can!” Melanie rested her head on the bar counter and closed her eyes, falling asleep almost immediately.

Quinn looked at Melanie wide-eyed as he had just taken a sip of his drink. He looked like he might spit the drink out and start laughing hysterically. Esmerelda snorted as she covered her mouth with her hand, laughter erupting from her. Melanie jolted awake at the sound with wide-eyes before putting her head in her hands. “I’m… I’m going to call Eric.”

“No!” Esmerelda sighed. “If you do that then you’ll just want to go back to the hotel. I know you, Mellie.”

“No I won’t!” Melanie slurred back, she shoved off of Esmerelda and nearly fell over. After a moment she straightened herself and focused hard on the floor. “The ground… is moving… What was I doing?” She looked up, thoroughly confused. “Oh! Eric! I need… I need to call him.” She slowly stumbled towards the elevators as Esmerelda watched her. She knew she would have to go with Melanie - the woman could barely walk.

Esmerelda turned back to Quinn who had put his head in his hands as he laughed and shook his head. “That’s impressive.” He said through his laughter.

His laughter was contagious and Esmerelda found herself laughing too. “She’s something, isn’t she?” She paused and shook her head. “Do you have the time, by chance?”

His face grew more serious and he nodded. She watched him reach into his pocket and pull out an antique pocket watch. “Just after 9.” He responded quickly before snapping the watch shut and putting it back into his pocket.

“Classy.” Esmerelda smiled as she pointed to his pocket, slowly the time sunk in and she groaned. “That early? Well, there goes my fun.” She slowly dusted herself off as she pushed away from the bar. “Well, Quinn, I wish you the best of luck with the hunt tonight.”

“It’s a shame that I’m probably going to need it. That blonde is looking to be my best option after you leave.” He responded smoothly.

Esmerelda admired his charm. She winked at him before walking in time with the beat towards the elevator that had just arrived and her dear friend who was leaning against the wall next to it with an awestruck expression plastered on her face.

They managed to make up to the ground floor where Melanie frantically began calling Eric before they had even stepped outside. Esmerelda listened in on Melanie’s giddy voice as she talked Eric’s ear off about the events of her night - the night that had only started two hours ago.

Esmerelda leaned against the outside of the building, the night air was just starting to be kicked up with the breeze. She slowly took down her hair that she had pinned up and shook it out, watching the blonde pieces fall. Being a blonde was nice occasionally, though it did startle her when she wasn't thinking about it. She usually liked to pick more interesting colors.

By the time she looked up, Melanie was biting her lip as she giggled into the phone. She waved at Esmerelda then and Esmerelda waved back softly. Melanie turned her attention back to her phone call and she grinned widely.

A song from one of the neighboring bars caught Esmerelda’s ear and she smiled too as she moved to the music, her eyes watching the sky above her darken.

“It’s a nice night.” The voice caught her off-guard and she turned to see Quinn smiling at her, leaning against the outside of the building just a few feet away.

“It’s hardly night, unfortunately.” Esmerelda smirked before staring at her friend. “Did you strike out with the blonde?” He hadn’t. She knew he hadn’t. The woman was easy pickings and if he wanted her, he could’ve gotten her. He was too good at this game to not have gotten the girl.

“Nope.” He shrugged loosely. “The only decent company left, so I decided it was time to pack it in for that place too.”

She was tempted to smile - he was way too good at this. She could appreciate a man who put effort in, though. “I should warn you, as tempting as your eventual offer would be - I’m babysitting Drunkee McWasted over there, assuming she doesn’t conk out on me for the night already.” She laughed.

“She talking to Eric?” He raised his eyebrow as he watched Melanie’s exaggerated movements. He made no remark to her previous response.

“Yes-sir.” She smiled as she pulled the words together. “My best friend is getting married soon, gods know why.” She paused. “Well, clearly I know why - she’s over the moon about him, which is better than her not being over the moon about him, I guess. Perhaps it’s just marriage I don’t get.”

“Can’t say I understand it, myself.” Quinn looked at her levelly, assessing her.

She knew exactly what was coming. Everyone always assumed she was just jealous when it came to marriage, and perhaps on some level she was, yet at the end of the day she’s just never felt strongly enough to ever want to marry someone. “Perhaps deep down I have this jealousy that I’ll never get that, but…” She sucked her lips before shaking her head and laughing. “Nope, actually, I just don’t understand why someone would give up their freedom to handle 9 o’clock phone calls.”

She turned and Quinn was staring at her with a look she didn’t quite recognize. She translated it to be some form of skepticism.

“What?” She asked sharply, narrowing her eyes as she looked at him, yet she still smiled. There was something about his face that made it hard not to smile. Some goofy upturn of his lips, or maybe it was the ever-intrigued looks he would give her. She wasn’t entirely sure

He shook his head suddenly and snapped out of the look he was giving her. “I was just…” He shook his head again. “No, it was nothing.”

“You think I’m bullshitting you? I honestly mean it-”

He was shaking his head and smiling. “No, it’s just I would’ve used the same words for it, and I just had this weird moment thinking about it.”

“Great minds think alike.” Esmerelda gave him a slight smile.

“Ezzie!” Melanie was suddenly right by her ear and Esmerelda jumped.

“Oh shit!” She grabbed her chest before laughing. “Melanie you gave me a heart attack!”

“Sorry, Ezzie.” Melanie leaned against her, putting her cheek against Esmerelda’s shoulder. “I think… I think I’m ready to go back to the hotel.”

“It’s so early sweetheart, are you sure?” Esmerelda hated calling it quits on a night early - she had hardly gotten anything to drink and the sky was just getting dark.

Melanie nodded. “I’m… I’m going to head back to call Eric again from the hotel phone. My battery… my battery is nearly dead.” She stared down at her phone sadly.

Esmerelda looked down before nodding. “Alright, I’ll call us a cab.”

“No need!” Melanie shook her hands in front of her. “Eric is... calling me a cab. You should stay out and... have fun!”

Esmerelda sucked in her cheeks. On the one hand she did want to stay out and she knew that Melanie would be in talking to Eric all night, but on the other it might be considered rude to leave her alone. “I don’t know, Mellie…”

“Oh! Are you… are you worried about being-” She hiccuped. “-alone? I didn’t… even think of that.”

Esmerelda rolled her eyes and as she opened her mouth, Quinn spoke. “It is a dangerous city, but you don’t need to worry. I can keep an eye on her for you.” He gave Melanie a charming smile - a smile that said she could trust him.

A taxi honked from the street in front of them and Melanie jumped to look at it. “Oh… that’s the cab!” She looked back at them with a devious smile. “Have fun, you two!” She giggled.

Esmerelda opened her mouth to protest when Melanie hugged her tightly, mumbling incoherently in her ear about how much fun it was to go out with her. Slowly she peeled herself off as the taxi honked again.

“I’m COMING!” She stumbled forward slightly and both Esmerelda and Quinn jumped forward to catch her before she fell. Melanie giggled again. “You two are so sweet.” She said happily as Quinn and Esmerelda helped her to the cab.

Melanie leaned heavily on Quinn as Esmerelda opened the front passenger door and gave the address to the driver. Quinn slowly put Melanie in the backseat while chuckling at her drunken musings.

They closed the taxi doors slowly and backed away as the driver took off into the night.

“You know, I know a bar about a block away with shit food and a bartender who owes me some money.” Quinn was smiling at her as he spoke.

Esmerelda looked at him before smiling back. “Lead the way.”

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Playlist

"Towards the Sun" by Rihanna

"Prituri Se Planinata" by NiT GriT

"Sexy Bitch" by David Guetta

"Where Them Girls At" David Guetta