Thorns of the Daffodils

Chapter 6

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Justin's POV

The silence of the empty bar soothes my rattled nerves. I decided to come to work early so I could focus on my new situation before I see Brian tonight. I feel an ache in my chest when I think of him, and the pain I know he has endured this past week. I close my eyes for a moment, wishing I knew the secret he is really hiding from, because I know in the depth of my soul there is more to his story.

I am drawn out of my thoughts when I hear the club door open. I don't have to open my eyes to know the man of my thoughts has just entered. I feel a cool, tingling sensation through my whole body, and know he is standing in front of me. When I open my eyes my words catch in my throat. Brandy is standing before me. Her green tinted eyes pierce into me, and I can feel the tears forming in my eyes when I see the hurt tormenting her soul. I want to call her by her given name and comfort her, but I know I need to wait until no one can hear our confessions.

I smile at her affectionately when I see her new look for the evening. She is wearing a shoulder length black wig with bright red streaks framing her face, accenting her features. I feel my breath hitch when I see the gold pendant of a crescent moon and a howling wolf. I gulp, reaching for the necklace, and then pull back my hand, knowing that this must be something very dear to Brandy's heart. I look into her green eyes and speak softly. "Your pendant is beautiful. I have always loved wolves."

"Thank you," she says sadly, touching the pendant lightly. "William gave it to me three months before he was murdered. He told me that I am, and will always be, protected by spiritual wolves." She laughs nervously, then speaks poignantly. "I never believed in that bullshit before, but for some reason when William spoke of his spiritual belief he seemed so alive."

Without hesitation I gently lay my hand over hers. "He's right; you are protected by spiritual wolves."

Brandy smirks. "How could you possibly know that?"

I shrug my shoulders and chuckle softly. "Call it a gift." I am a little stunned when I feel Brandy's light touch caressing my right index finger. I look down and her thumb is gently stroking my gold wolf ring with sapphire eyes."

She suddenly looks down at my hand and I can see the surprise in her eyes as she finally looks at my ring. She whispers softly. "How can this be? Where did you get this?"

I choke back my own emotions. "My adopted mother gave this to me when I was 8 years old. It was my birth mother's. She passed away the night I was born, and this is the only thing I have left to remember her by"

Brandy gasps and seems startled by my revelation. She hastily pulls her hand back and stutters. "I...I...did...didn't know." She swallows hard and watches me intensely, as though she wants to tell me something, but is afraid to. "Fuck! Shit!" She stands up. "I've got to go get ready."

I shake my head. "And here I though we might actually have a civil conversation."

"One must be social to be civil, and I am currently not in the mood be either." She smirks at me. "Which is lucky for you, because now you can get to work." She taps the counter with her fingertips, then retreats to the back of the club.

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I hear the gentle strumming of an acoustic guitar and instantly know it's Brandy. I wonder what song she will grace us with this evening. My heart plummets when I recognize the opening bars of 'Hurt' by Trent Reznor

I hurt myself today

To see if I still feel

I focus on the pain

The only thing that's real

The needle tears a hole

The old familiar sting

Try to kill it all away

But I remember everything

I hand one of the customers a drink then lean up against the back of the bar. Just like last night the whole place becomes silent, almost like they're under a spell when it comes to Brandy. Her voice is hypnotizing and even though she's in drag, she doesn't hide or fake her voice. As she continues to sing, I am startled to realize she is not looking around the room like last night, but looking directly at me.

What have I become?

My sweetest friend

Everyone I know

Goes away in the end

You could have it all

My empire of dirt

I will let you down

I will make you hurt

The words of the song cut me like a knife and I know she is purposely trying to tell me something, or push me away, then again, maybe she's doing both.

I wear this crown of shit

Upon my liar's chair

Full of broken thoughts

I cannot repair

Beneath the stains of time

The feelings disappear

You are someone else

I am still right here

What have I become?

My sweetest friend

Everyone I know

Goes away in the end

I promise myself, right at this moment, I will never turn my back on Brandy, or Brian for that matter. I felt it the moment I first saw her. I know we share a common bond, and are somehow connected in time. I don't know how, or when, but I know I will fight, to the death if I have to, and hope she is not hurt any more by the hate in our world.

You could have it all

My empire of dirt

I will let you down

I will make you hurt

If I could start again

A million miles away

I would keep myself

I would find a way

Brandy's eyes never leave mine, and now lines are drawn with a silent devotion to each other that neither of us can break. We both know we will be hurt, but somehow we will pull through together.

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When I walk out of the club, I freeze for a moment, noticing Brandy is already walking ahead of me. She turns around and smirks. "Well, are you coming or are you going to just stand there all night?" She lets out a dramatic breath. "Some protector you are."

I laugh at her antics and jog over to her. She smiles at me, and I'm shocked when she takes hold of my hand, interlinking our fingers. We walk to the apartment in silence.

I feel her hand become tense when we approach the alley I found her running out of last night. I squeeze her hand encouragingly, then a gentle breeze blows over us and I feel an overwhelming amount of love in the darkness. I look up, and notice a man standing next to the opening of the alley. I instantly want to run and get Brandy to safety quickly, but something stops me. The man seems to be surrounded by a bright light and when we draw closer I realize he is translucent and almost glowing. He smiles brightly at me, and I'm taken aback when I realize it is William. I'm shocked to see a pack of white wolves standing around him; each having a very distinctive color of eyes, ranging from light blue to dark green.

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Brian's POV

After sending Justin home I walk into the bathroom, taking off my wig and clothes. I stand before the mirror naked, in flesh and emotions. How could I have let everything get so out of hand so fast? I splash the cool water upon my face, trying to get a grasp of reality and how I am going to handle this new situation with Justin.

I blow out a loud breath and wipe the make-up off my face with a damp cloth. I glance in the mirror and it feels good to be myself behind these closed doors. I walk out of the bathroom and into my room, closing the door behind me. I make my way over to the dresser and open the top drawer to take out Williams's white handkerchief with a rose embroidered on it. His mother gave it to him before she passed away so many years ago. I can feel the small object that is wrapped inside, and carefully I unfold the material, revealing a gold wolf ring with silver blue eyes. I clasp the metal in my hand tightly, trying to hold back my tears and emotions.

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