A fantasy romance flash fiction
by Linda Mooney
Brinn sat
down next to her. “What ‘cha doing?”
“Watching.”
He gaze out
at the celebration. “It’s loud.”
“It always
is.”
“But they
seem happy.”
“I bet they
are.”
He cast her
a side eye. “You sound…”
“Bitter?”
“Cynical.”
She snorted
in reply. To her surprise, he scooted closer to her, to where their shoulders
almost touched.
“It’ll be the new year pretty soon. That’s
always a reason to be happy,” he observed.
“Why?”
Realizing how she must sound, Sassa apologized. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for
it to come out sounding the way it did.”
“It’s all
right. No offense taken.”
A shriek of
joy rent the night sky as another rocket zoomed upward and exploded in a
kaleidoscope of colors. Brinn raised an arm to point to something overhead, and
the feel of it brushing up against hers sent a little thrill through her. Glancing
over at him, she noticed the delight on his face.
“See that?”
he asked.
She
following his pointing finger. “Yeah. So?”
“It’s a
full moon tonight. Know what people are calling it?”
Sassa
grinned. “Other than a full moon?”
“They’re
calling it the Cold Fairy Moon.”
“What’s
that supposed to mean?”
“It’s
supposed to be an omen of good luck.”
This time
she reared back to give him a quizzical look. “Good luck?”
Spreading a
big grin across his face, Brinn nodded.
“With a Cold
Fairy Moon?”
“Uh-huh.”
“What does
that even mean? That fairies get
cold?”
The smile
drooped slightly. “I guess that’s what they think.”
“Or that
fairies are cold-natured?”
He
shrugged. “I don’t know, Sassa. I’m just repeating what I’ve heard.”
Realizing
she’d trodden on his good nature again, she reined her tone in. “So what kind
of good luck is this moon supposed to bring?”
“A happy
new year.” He appeared reluctant to elaborate.
“Is that
all?” she pressed.
“Well, I
heard someone say that dreams will come true. People will find true love.
There’ll be better health all around, and everyone will find happiness.”
She
blinked. “All because of a Cold Fairy Moon?”
“All
because this Cold Fairy Moon appears on New Year’s Eve.”
She stared
up between the bare tree limbs at the huge, milky white orb that sat almost
directly above them. “Did someone ever tell them that fairies don’t get cold?”
He
chuckled. “I don’t think it matters to them.”
He moved
his arm again, this time bumping against hers and sending another little shiver
through her. He noticed the slight movement. “Are you sure you’re okay?” His
hand folded over hers. Unconsciously, she spread her fingers to let him lace
his between them.
“Yeah. I’m
sorry I’m being such a goose. I do hope the Cold Fairy Moon brings us good luck
this next year.”
A loud
explosion made her jump. Instinctively, she leaned over to Breen and clutched
the front of his shirt. His other arm went protectively around her shoulder.
She turned to look at him as the sky turned a brilliant blue, then red, then
yellow.
They were almost nose-to-nose. She
didn’t want to disengage herself from his embrace, but neither did she want him
to think she was asking…
Oh,
shoot. What does it matter?
“So we’re supposed to find love,
happiness, and good health?” she confirmed.
“And have our dreams come true.”
“How’s that going to happen? Do we
have to…ask?”
It was difficult to read the
expression in his eyes. Luckily, she didn’t have to.
Slowly, almost hesitantly, he
closed the distance between them to touch her lips with his. It was a sweet
kiss. A warm kiss, in spite of the chilly temperature. Sadly, it ended too
soon. Sassa didn’t try to hide her disappointment when he pulled away.
“I guess it depends on who you ask,
and what you ask for,” he softly replied. “Sassa? I’m tired of seeing you so
sad. You deserve to be happy. You deserve to find love.”
It was difficult to tell what sound
was louder—the crowd of revelers, the fireworks, or her thudding heart.
“Brinn.” She got no further. He
leaned in again to kiss her a second time, another sweet, warm, but too-brief pressure.
When he released her, she almost reached for him.
“I have a request to make. I’m going to ask,” he informed her. “Give
me a chance, Sassa. Let’s both start the new year afresh. Let’s look for
happiness together. Let’s work on being healthy together. Let’s…see what love
has in store…for the both of us. Whaddya say, Sassa? Are you willing to give us
a chance?”
She drew a shaky breath. Would now
be the time to tell him how much she’d been wishing to hear him say what he was
saying? She cast her eyes upward once more at the brilliant moonlight flooding
the world. The Cold Fairy Moon. “All I have to do is ask?” she whispered.
“Uh-huh.” He raised an eyebrow at
her. “And I’m all ears.”
Her eyes automatically went to the
side of his head. Brinn had some of the sexiest looking ears of any man she’d
seen. Their pointed tips almost curled.
“I would love to start this new
year fresh with you,” she confessed. “I’m ready for some happiness.”
“And love?”
She didn’t try to hide her smile.
“And love.”
Another bone-jarring boom rattled
the sky, ending in cascading white trails.
Brinn got to his feet and held out
a hand. She took it, and he helped her to her feet.
“Come on. How about we go somewhere
where it’s not so noisy? Where we can look at the moon in private?”
“Sounds wonderful.”
Spreading his iridescent wings,
Brinn launched himself off the twig they’d been sitting on. Sassa unfolded her
wings to follow after him, and together, they soared into the sky, keeping just
above the treetops to avoid being seen as the celebrations continued throughout
the night.
Website
No comments:
Post a Comment