It's been a few months since I'd met Skye, The Phantom Thief. I haven't been able to keep him from my dreams since that night, if I'm being honest. Something about him. . . There's something about him I can't help but long for.
Autumn had ended. . . And the highly unproductive winter had overtaken the valley. The Harvest King had delivered a blanket of snow to everything that touched the ground, unfortunately wiping out my crops and leaving me nothing to do.
Great.
I'm lying in bed after another oh-so-productive day when I hear a knocking on the door. Who would want to see me in the middle of fucking winter? As bad as the snow is coming down out there, too.
I get up and open my door to see a bundled up Karen shivering at my door.
"Shit, I forgot I'd ordered something. . . Please come in and warm up. Great Harvest Goddess, I feel awful." She hobbles in and slumps into a chair at my kitchen table.
I run over to my kitchen and prepare her a cup of hot chocolate. She gives me a look of thanks as I set the mug down in front of her, and takes a sip.
"Ahh! Thank you, Jill. You're too kind." She manages, before taking another sip.
"Is there anything I can deliver for you while you stay here and get warm?" I ask her. I feel so bad for making her come out her in this weather.
"I couldn't a—"
"Please!" I nearly beg.
"Okay, okay." She gives in and a huge smile takes my face. Gone are my days of laziness! Jill is a work machine! "I have a crate of wine I need to get to the Blue Bar. That was my last delivery for today."
"No problem!" I tell her confidently. "I'll hook it up to Zayn and we'll get that thing over there in no time."
I pat her on the back and grab my wool coat, shrugging it on before tugging on a hat and heading out.
"Stay warm!"
Well, it's cold.
Cold is an understatement.
It's dead ass frigid.
Zayn isn't even acknowledging the snow as it comes down around him. I guess his own body heat is keeping him warm enough.
Me, on the other hand, I'm cold as hell. (I know, that doesn't really make sense.)
Eventually, I make it to the Blue Bar. I can practically taste the heat emitting from the building and I go inside to tell them I have their delivery.
I'm rubbing my arms trying to get the feeling back when I hear Muffy's voice beckon me over to Griffin and her, where they stand behind the counter.
"Oh, hey, Jill. You came at a good time." I raise an eyebrow in question, but don't say anything as I join them.
"We just received a notice from Phantom Skye," she continues.
I hate to admit it, but my heart skips a beat. Skye? He's coming? Tonight?
"'I'm going to bless your bar with my presense at midnight for a drink. Phantom Skye.'" Griffin reads to me. "He certainly loves himself," he scoffs with a small roll of his eyes.
"And sending a notice of his arrival makes me think he's quite confident. I kind of like that," Muffy tells me with a smile on her lips. I glance over at Griffin and he looks more irritated than I've ever seen him. Aw, he's jealous!
"Anyway," he begins, trying to slightly change the subject. "He is a thief. So, we gotta corner him."
"That's right," all the previous admiration has left her voice, replaced by a more determined tone. "We'll make him pay in gold for that drink."
". . . That's not what I meant."
"I'm kidding!" Even I'm not convinced, but Griffin nor I says so. "Do you have some time tonight, Jill? We could really use your help to catch that arrogant thief."
"I-I'd be glad to help." I stutter out. A chance to see Skye? I'll take it. Even if that means he'll be captured and taken to jail tonight.
"Thank you, Jill. We're depending on you." Muffy clasps her hands together happily.
"I hope you don't mind. We appreciate it." Griffin tells me with one of his few smirks. "Now, where's Karen with that shipment of wine. . ."
"Oh, I have that right outside!"
It's 11:20 at night and I'm outside of this stupid bar like I don't have work to do tomorrow. . .
I mean, just because it's winter, that doesn't mean I'm sitting on my ass all day with nothing to do but count snowflakes. I think the late night is just making me cranky.
I walk into the bar without knocking, but neither Muffy nor Griffin seem irritated at me coming in after business hours without announcement. Oh yeah, they're the ones who asked me to come. They were expecting me.
"Oh, Jill. So good of you to come!" Muffy says to me in greeting, her ever present smile glued to her face.
"The Phantom's not here yet," Griffin informs and I give him a nod of acknowledgement before I join them in front of the bar.
We all turn and watch the entrance, awkwardly silent. Then Muffy inhales all too loudly, Griffin and I both look at her quizzically.
"Mmm-mmm," her eyes are closed in pleasure at the smell we're all starting to get a whiff of. "Why do I smell curry?"
"Yes. . ." Griffin agrees. "That smells so good!"
Before I can say a thing, Griffin runs outside in search of the smell. And within seconds, Muffy is right on his trail.
Idiots! This is supposed to be an ambush. And they left me here by myself guarding their bar, because they couldn't control their curry urges. I'm stomping over to the door to call them back inside when a figure drops down from the roof outside and land right in front of me.
Skye.
Yes, I jump. Unprepared for his arrival. He merely smirks at me and steps forward.
I, in turn, step backwards and that draws that wonderf—annoying laugh from his throat.
"We meet again, my darling Jill," his hand reaches out and takes mine in his like that first time we'd met. Wait, he'd called me Jill. He knows my name? How does he know my name? My question catches in my throat as he continues. "Do you believe that fate has drawn us together?"
"I—" I can't think straight right now. Why do his beautiful teal eyes feel like judgmental arrows piecing into my very being. I don't know where my next words come from, but my mouth seems to move on its own. "Could it be fate?"
He laughs. . . Nervously? I must be imagining it.
"It makes me happy to hear that from a beautiful maiden." He squeezes my hand. And I'm once again reminded that this is real life and I need to get my act together as he releases my hand. "Anyway, I wonder if you could just hold still for a moment."
"For wh—" I begin but he points at finger at me abruptly, effectively startling me into silence.
"CHICK-BEAM. . . FIRE!"
A flash of light.
What the fuck just happened?
Skye is just looking at me cautiously, not moving. And I'm about to back away from him because that look is making me nervous. But, then I realize my feet aren't responding to me.
I look down and try to move my fingers.
Nothing.
I look at Skye, and the look of bewilderment on my face must be all the confirmation he needs because that smirk comes back to his face and he steps up to me. Of course, my efforts to back away from him are futile.
He strokes my cheek with the back of his hand and pushes my bangs away from my eyebrows, that smirk dissolving for a moment into something more tender. His eyes meet mine and my eyes betray my terror.
"Just relax. You'll be able to move again in a while." He pulls his hand back and it falls back into his pocket. "You should be able to speak, at least, in a few seconds. But for now, I have business to attend to."
He blows me a kiss that I can't attempt to catch if I wanted to. And then, he sashays past me. The quiet grunt and then tap of shoes indicates to me he jumped over the counter rather than walk around it to the back like a civilized human being. I scoff at that. There are some rustling sounds behind me. I guess he's looking for what he came her for.
The silence is too much for me. Especially since I can't even turn to see what he's doing.
"Why are you a thief?" I ask.
"I don't know why." He tells me. Well, there goes that attempt at conversation.
"I-It's just for fun?"
"Hehe. . . That might be it." He pauses, and then just to mess with me, adds. "And, that might not be it." I roll my eyes. Cheeky bastard.
"You want to know more about me don't you. . .?" He's suddenly back in front of me and I see the bottle of expensive looking wine tucked under his arm. "But if I simply tell you, it'll take the mystique out of our relationship. . ."
He just studies my face for a minute or two. Ugh, where are Muffy and Griffin? How could they leave me here like this?
"I know, Jill." He's successfully got my attention again.
"Huh?" The way that came out reminds me of something like a goose honk. How attractive. Good one, Jill. Knockin 'em dead!
"If you can catch me, I'll tell you anything you want." I'm considering this when, on cue, I hear Muffy's disappointed voice.
"That's odd. I could have sworn that great smell way coming from here."
Griffin's follows.
"Yeah. Let's go back to the shop."
"Hehe. Sorry, but I'm a bit pressed for time. Gotta jet!" He takes my limp hand in his and presses a kiss to my knuckles. Curse my blushing. He looks up and meets my eyes. "See you around, Jill." With a final wink, he turns and disappears into the night.
Seconds later, both Muffy and Griffin reappear in the doorway looking flustered. And at that exact moment, I realize I've regained control of my muscles. Must have disappeared with Skye. . .
I glare at the pair, crossing my arms over my chest. "Thanks for all the help with the Phantom, it was appreciated."
"What?" Wow, Muffy actually looks pretty pissed. I want to laugh, but it's really not the time. "The Phantom was here!?" She turns and starts sifting through all the vials of I wouldn't know what, while I relay to Griffin a very abridged version of the story. It consists of Skye paralyzing me and taking what he wanted. Nothing else.
"The Okuhattan is gone!" Muffy sounds so deflated.
"Are you okay, Jill?" Griffin asks me. The concern on his face is so genuine, I feel bad for not telling the whole story.
"I'm fine. . . I just need to get home."
"I'm sorry, Jill. I just left you all alone. . ." Muffy apologizes, looking kind of ashamed of herself. Whoa.
"And I'm really, really sorry. Thanks for the help today." Griffin finishes.
"It's fine. I promise. . . Bye."
The fresh layer of snow on the ground looks absolutely beautiful and untouched. Time to go mess it up!
I open my door to go stomp around in the snow for a while, but I see a small container with a note on top of it where I'm about to place my foot.
I cock my head in a way that would resemble Reilly. And then, bend down to pick up the container, turning to go back inside. I hold the note between two fingers and barely pop open the top of the container.
You know what it is?
Curry.
I bring it to my nose and take a small sniff.
Oh. It smells heavenly. The exact same scent from last night. . .
Last night.
I put down the container and open my note.
'It must have been fate meeting you again last night. Enjoy the curry. You can tell me how you like it next time we meet, beautiful. And meet again, we will. It's written in the stars.
~Skye
P.S. I know you're wondering how I found out your name. That's a secret. Hehe'
I bite my lip and hold the note against my chest with a small sigh.
Thank you, Phantom Thief.