Jacinda watched Rune leave. She didn't follow. It wasn't her place to insert herself into the girl's life. They knew each other but not as friends. She'd said what she said and she meant what she said and she'd do what she said.
And that was all a woman could do. Right?
Anyway, the girl had obviously been having a rough time of it- including being homeless and hungry and alone- and the plea was one swing in one direction and the response in another. She needed her time to find balance. But Jacinda would help her when she was ready.
Not my place. She sat back down to watch Nika drift back off. Hours must have passed because the girl woke again. Not moving as fast, so whatever she had taken had worn off. At least, she wasn't as keyed up as before. Hunted and feral and animal.
Jacinda watched her for a moment, let herself be seen and noticed. Finally, "I'm sure that goo was delicious, Amelia, but we have actual food upstairs. If you want it."
A glance at the clock. The early morning. She wondered if Ten was up. She was an early riser. Times she headed down for coffee to find Ten had gone on a run already. She'd shake her head. The energy of youth.
Course Jacinda still had energy to spare. But getting up early to run had never been her thing. She slept until she didn't have to and then needed her brain to wake. Being physical (for exercise, anyway) came later in the day or even early evening. Unless there was a hunt, of course.
Strange, all these women around her. Odd. Alone for so long. And somehow, she was in a house full....and she liked it. Wouldn't last of course. They all had lives. But Ten had said she'd stay. Partners.
She vaguely remembered the desire for a partner once before. A long time ago. Idly she wondered if Jill was still alive. Had she married? What had been that girl's name? She couldn't remember. Academic, anyway. She carried no torch. Funny how fires that burned so hot, burned out so completely they left everything around it dead.
Thinking of Jill brought neither pleasure nor pain, sorrow or wistfulness. Another life and another time. Regan had held until the last threads had withered away last night. Jill had been burned out long ago.
She headed to the stairs and turned back. "You coming?"
And that was all a woman could do. Right?
Anyway, the girl had obviously been having a rough time of it- including being homeless and hungry and alone- and the plea was one swing in one direction and the response in another. She needed her time to find balance. But Jacinda would help her when she was ready.
Not my place. She sat back down to watch Nika drift back off. Hours must have passed because the girl woke again. Not moving as fast, so whatever she had taken had worn off. At least, she wasn't as keyed up as before. Hunted and feral and animal.
Jacinda watched her for a moment, let herself be seen and noticed. Finally, "I'm sure that goo was delicious, Amelia, but we have actual food upstairs. If you want it."
A glance at the clock. The early morning. She wondered if Ten was up. She was an early riser. Times she headed down for coffee to find Ten had gone on a run already. She'd shake her head. The energy of youth.
Course Jacinda still had energy to spare. But getting up early to run had never been her thing. She slept until she didn't have to and then needed her brain to wake. Being physical (for exercise, anyway) came later in the day or even early evening. Unless there was a hunt, of course.
Strange, all these women around her. Odd. Alone for so long. And somehow, she was in a house full....and she liked it. Wouldn't last of course. They all had lives. But Ten had said she'd stay. Partners.
She vaguely remembered the desire for a partner once before. A long time ago. Idly she wondered if Jill was still alive. Had she married? What had been that girl's name? She couldn't remember. Academic, anyway. She carried no torch. Funny how fires that burned so hot, burned out so completely they left everything around it dead.
Thinking of Jill brought neither pleasure nor pain, sorrow or wistfulness. Another life and another time. Regan had held until the last threads had withered away last night. Jill had been burned out long ago.
She headed to the stairs and turned back. "You coming?"