It was almost dawn; the sun was beginning to brighten the horizon turning the sky above brilliant shades of pink red and orange. The ocean before her was almost like looking at a mirror, perfectly still as the sun decided to make it's appearance to the world making the start of a new day. A day that could only bring something good. She was sitting still letting the suns rays wash over her in the only way it could, filling her with life. She loved to get up and see the sunrise, it banished the dark and the dreams of the past. Dreams and memories that even after so many years still haunted her thoughts at night. Even with the help of the Oneiroi.
Letting the waves wash up onto her feet she stood looking out onto the world enjoying and savoring the sand beneath her toes, felling it sink under her feet as the water rush up and then away. Thinking back to a time when she would have been punished for even thinking about the outside world, but thanks to her best friend and close confidant she was now able to enjoy something like this, along with think and do what ever she wanted. Thinking back to when he made all this possible and the time it took for her to fully come to the understanding that she would never have to go back to such a horrible existence, she smiled at the thought. He was always trying to make her happy, even after he found his soul mate. Always trying to get her to come with him and meet new people. But after so many years of living like she had it was hard to trust again. There were only a handful of people that she truly trusted with her life.
Speaking of people she could trust, one of them was walking toward her right now.
"Hello Ash." She said before he came to a stop beside her.
"Hello Aura. " He said, "Dreams again?"
Without even turning away from the spectacular sight before them she answered truthfully and quietly not wanting to disrupt the wonderful morning. "Yes, they still are bothering me sometimes."
Ash sighed. How he truly wished he could help her find comfort in someone other then him, like in the way he had found it in Tory. But her future was hidden from him it had always been hidden. Turning to face her he gently took her hand and turned her to face him.
Aura had to look up at him, considering she was only 5'3 and he was well over six foot. His hair was black with a blood red strip in the front. He also had a stud in his nose. He was dressed in his usual attire whenever he was at her house. Black jeans, biker boots with skull buckles and a simple black tee that hugged his upper body so tight that it would make any woman start panting at the sight, but to her it did nothing. Sunglass's adorned his face like always.
Sensing that he was about to start talking about her dreams and what they might mean, she decided to change the subject.
"So how are Tory and Katra?"
Ash couldn't help but smile at the though of his beautiful family. Only last week he had been to Vegas to visit Sin and Katra.
"They're good. Sin and Katra are doing great, and Tory is off with the girls having a girls day, Simi is with them." He answered well aware that she did that on purpose.
The thought of Simi out on a girl's day brought a smile to her face, something that Ash was thankful for. In his mind she didn't smile enough, especially after the live she had live before he had made her immortal.
"Tory was wanting to know if you would like to come over for supper today." Ash mentioned after a moment of silence. Knowing that she would say yes like she always did.
"Of course, is there anything I can bring to help?" She smiled at the invitation. Tory like to have her over every other week or so, just to make sure her new found friend was doing ok.
Ash shook his head no, "Just show up, and if we need anything we can always flash it in."
Aura nodded before turning back to face the ocean before her. By now the sun had risen just above the horizon. Savoring the slight breeze that was blowing she drew in a deep breath before she waited for Ash to say something else.
Ash watched her turn back and face the sun, with the breeze that was flowing her long copper hair was caught up and swirled around her face before she brought a hand to brush it back behind her ear. Taking the time to fully look at her, he noticed that she was still a little thin from that last time he had seen her. Then remembering back to when he had first met her he decided that she was actually at a good weight. He eyes still held the sadness and pain in them that he was coming to think that even after 10,000 years she would never be without. She had gotten tanner now that it was the summer and she was spending more time at the beach. She had always loved the beach, with the sand and the water. He remembered when his dear sister had tried to free them and they had ended up at the summer palace that after slowly getting over the fear of being punished that she would take daily walks along the shore there, sometimes spending all day out on the shore. Then when they had been taken back to Estes she had become a shell of the person that she had been. She had even stopped talking to him, eventually falling ill and almost dyeing. Estes had sold her then, not wanting to deal with a sick slave who might never recover. That was two months before he had died. He still remembered finding her after all those years of being separated. He had saved her from a daimon, then recognized her and she had told him everything that had happened after she had been sold and he had told her everything that had happened to him. Since then they had been inseparable, as he slowly helped her realize that she could be free from the masters that had her and actually live.
Before he could take the chance and tell her that he needed her to look after some of his dark-hunters, a familiar presence appeared.
"Aura, there you are, you didn't show for our morning session." The man said as he made his way to stand by the.
Aura turned to face the new comer. "Hey Savitar, I know, I got caught up in the sunrise and then ash showed up. I make it up to you, I promise."
Savitar grimaced at the thought of just standing on the beach and not being out in the water. "You better missy, or else I'll make it even harder on you."
"Oh, really? I'll have you know that the last time you said something like this, it was you not me who failed at the task at hand." Aura said with a smirk on her face, remembering back to when he had tried and failed at besting her at a game.
"That was one time, this time I've been practicing and I know I will beat you." Savitar simple waved the comment away with his hand like it was nothing. "He grom, why did you delay her?" he asked looking at Ash.
"I was simple checking up on her and asking her who she was doing along with inviting her to supper tonight." Ash explained to the God Killer. "Which by the way, Tory told me to invite you as well."
"What time?" Savitar asked even though he already new the time, he just felt like asking it anyway.
"Just after sundown, our place in New Orleans." Ash replied hoping that Aura wouldn't catch on to what he and Tory where trying to plan. Ash glanced at Savitar hopping he would get the under lying message on why it supper was in New Orleans vs. Katetaros.
"See you then." Was all Savitar said before vanishing, most likely to try and catch the next big wave.
Aura looked at Ash questioningly but he offered no explanation so she just turned and started the short walk back up to a simple looking house that sat on the beach.
Ash followed her up the beaten wood walkway to the doorway that was only covered with flowing white linen that was pulled apart to allow people entrance to the simple living area of the small two-story loaf/cottage. Most of the décor was simple wood with white and soft blue accents. All in the entire home was just the right style for Aura who loved the colors and style.
Entering the room she crossed over to the small open kitchen and pulled open the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water, before turning to Ash and asking "Would you like one?" All the while knowing he only really drank beer.
"No, a beer will be fine." He answered.
She grabbed one from the frig before closing and opening the draw by the sink pulled out the bottle opener and passed both to Ash who stood across the counter from her.
"Ok Stolos spill, what is the real reason you came to see me this fine morning?" Aura asked once she settled on the comfortable couch while Ash got settled on the chair across from her.
Stolos the name stemmed from his god name Apostolos. When he had told her about being the son of Apollomi she had taken his name that only his mother called him and came up with Stolos. It was something only she was allowed to call him.
Taking a sip of his beer he leaned back in the chair. "I need you to look after the Dark Hunters for a few days, Tory want's to have a few days with me without worrying that the world is going to end. All I would need you to do is basically take all the phone calls and handle any disputes between hunters and squires. If you do need me you may call but please don't unless the world is about to end and you absolutely need me." He explained to her.
The whole time Ash was talking she sat there and nodded. It wasn't the first time Ash had asked her to do something like this. She had done it multiple times over the years the last one being over his honeymoon with Tory.
"Sure I can do that, do you need me to watch Simi as well or is she going to be with Alexion and Danger?" She asked sipping her water.
"She will be with them, but if you need her just call." Ash said before they fell into a comfortable silence.
The relationship between them had always allowed them to be able to fall into these types of silences, neither one needing anything from the other but the simple presence they each provided. It went all the way back to when they were both teens after a hard day, they would simple lay in bed holding on the each other while they tried to forget about what they had just been through, what their live consisted of. Even though she wasn't as desirable as he was, there were times when she work just as hard and long as him, sometimes together other times separately.
Trying not to think about those dark and horrible days, Aura rose up setting the bottle of water on the end table, she crossed over to one of the big windows that opened up to show the ocean she looked back at Ash before sitting on the window seat and grabbed a note book. Ash was enjoying one of the few moments that he was able to sit and relax he didn't notice when she got up, it wasn't until about 20 minutes later when he heard her say "Here, give this to Tory when you see her."
Looking over at her, he saw that she was holding a piece of paper that could only mean one thing. She had been drawing, and she had just spent the last 20 minutes drawing him in his relaxed position. Standing and taking the picture from her he saw that she had only done a simple outline of him with few details, but you could still make out what it was that she had drawn. It was a beautiful piece of artwork; he knew Tory would love it. Manifesting a simple black frame he smiled before telling her thank you and that he would see her that night before flashing out of her living room.
Aura smiled, she had always loved to draw, even when she was a slave. She had found she had real talent for it when she had spent those months at the summer palace with Ash and Ryssa. Along with drawing she also found she enjoyed playing the violin, piano and the cello. Sometimes she would go out to the local park and pick a corner and just let herself get lost in the music. Many times, people had asked her to play for special events and such, but only a few she had told she would.
Besides music and drawing she was very active with her life, often she could be found surfing with Savitar, training with Ash, or shopping with Simi. But what she absolutely loved to do in the summer was go to her horse ranch up in Montana and work with her favorite animal. Her ranch had been a gift from Ash on her birthday a few years ago, it was run by a family of squires and was also the home of a Dark Hunter that patrolled in the near by town. Many times she had even set up a horse summer camp where disabled children would come from miles away just to ride her prized horses. It was her most favorite think in the world.
Deciding that she wanted to go surfing she changed into her swimsuit and grabbed her board before flashing herself to her favorite surfing place, which would ultimately lead to her meeting the person that would change her life.