Blue Sacrifice (Blue Davison) (18 page)

“Sure. Have at it,” I said, relieved to set aside
the menu with its bankruptcy inducing prices.

Giving me a dazzling smile, Tyson ordered for us
both and I was curious about what we would enjoy. When my salad arrived with
unknown ingredients, I thought to inquire, but instead dove in and lived a
little.

Keeping the conversation casual, we talked about
school and work. Tyson had recently bought a local business from a family
looking to leave Lily Falls in a hurry.

“We got a great deal,” he said, signaling the
waitress for my refill.

“Have you ever thought about leaving Lily Falls?”

“No,” he said with an expression which made me believe
him. “This is where my family is. We’ve been here for four generations. It’s
where I hope to raise my children and watch my grandchildren grow.”

“Lily Falls can be a violent place though.”

“Lily Falls has many beautiful qualities and every
place has crime.”

“People are on edge lately.”

“People are always on edge. They just don’t show
it, but it’s always there.”

Even nodding, I thought about the two attacks at
Gretchen’s food truck. Nothing like this had ever happened since as long as I
could remember. It happened now because I was too afraid to die.

“Do you remember Uncle Assad?” Tyson asked,
leaning back into his chair and watching me with his dark eyes.

“He was a good man.”

“Yes, he was. Very quiet. Mild mannered unlike his
wife, Aunt Gia. Do you remember Gia?”

Recalling his big mouthed aunt’s antics, I nodded
and Tyson continued.

“Aunt Gia never encountered an argument she couldn’t
escalate or a bad mood she couldn’t take out on others. In my family, we would
say how we pitied Assad for listening to Gia’s mouth every day. Even if Gia had
a big mouth and a nasty temper, she wasn’t a violent person. Did Lacey ever
tell you about the incident at a bar in New York City?”

Shaking my head, I was curious where he was going
with his story.

“Well Gia was mouthing off, being a bitch as
usual. Turns out she met another bitch with a big mouth, but this one had angry
fists too. When the woman hit Gia, my aunt didn’t hit her back. Violence just
wasn’t in her nature, you see? Not even in self defense. I doubt if someone
attacked her children if she would have done anything. Some people are loud and
rude, but they can’t cross the line into violence.”

When Tyson reached for my hand, I allowed him take
it while I attempted not to sigh at how good his warm touch felt.

“When I was a boy, my family was at Uncle Assad’s
house one weekend for a BBQ. My mother told me to go find my uncle and let him
know the food was ready. He was at the side of the house, sitting on an old
stump, staring at the woods by their house. When I said his name, he looked at
me and smiled.” Tyson paused and caressed my hand with his thumb. “Do you know
what I saw in gentle Assad’s eyes?”

With my eyes locked on his, I shook my head.

“Evil. Madness maybe, but certainly evil. This was
long before he killed those people. I looked at my uncle who I had known all my
life and I saw a monster hiding underneath. Assad was kind in ways Gia never
was, but he was filled with darkness long before he destroyed all those lives.
Do you understand why I told you this?”

Shaking my head, I felt dumb for not following his
logic.

“Many people believe Gia drove Assad to murder.
Others say it was the town and it’s happening again with all of the violence
the last few weeks. People say evil possessed Assad, but evil existed in him
all along. Gia didn’t cause him to snap and it wasn’t the town. Maybe they were
factors which increased the evil, but there’s a reason Assad became a murderer
and Gia didn’t. He always had it in him and she didn’t. No one made it happen.”

“This town is different,” I whispered. “You know
that.”

“Yes, but the town doesn’t make people evil. It
might lie to them, but the people who hurt others listen. I have bad days when
I want to punish those who have done me or those I love wrong, but I don’t act
on the feelings. Some people want to hurt others and they look for a reason.
The town gives them one, but they’re still choosing.”

The waitress brought our entrees and Tyson
released my hand. Once she left, I felt overwhelmed by what he told me.

“I believe the need for a sacrifice is a lie,” he
said, gazing at me with a look full of heat and even a hint of anger. “This
town tells so many lies and it can be difficult not to listen, but I won’t
believe in lies and I hope you won’t either.”

Tyson said nothing more about lies and death.
Instead he focused on my dinner and waited to see my reaction. The foie gras
was so good I wanted seconds, but I was certain it was expensive so I didn’t
ask. Tyson watched me eat and smiled whenever I seemed pleased. While I didn’t
ask for more, he ordered himself seconds and shared with me. Just like on my
birthday, I felt pampered and couldn’t stop smiling.

“I always enjoy spending time with you,” I said as
an oddly worded attempt to tell Tyson how much I cared for him. Loved him even.
“You make me feel special.”

“You are special.”

“Not so much, but always with you.”

Tyson let out an unsteady breath. “Tell me about
this boyfriend you have.”

Awkward.

“He’s new to town and he’s traveled a lot. He’s
nice.”

Tyson gave me a little smirk. “Lacey says he’s
awful.”

“I’m sure she did.”

“Says he’s the worst ever.”

We laughed and the awkwardness faded. “He’s really
great, but he’s an outsider.”

“It’s difficult for them to understand Lily Falls.”

“True.”

“Does he know?”

Shaking my head, I sighed. “How could I explain
such a thing? I’d sound crazy.”

“Does he know about this?” he asked, reaching
across the table to caress my still tender wrist. “Or about your bruised ribs
and shoulder?”

“Yes.”

“What does he think caused these injuries?”

“He thinks I’m sad.”

“If he believed you, maybe he would help you during
the next few weeks?”

My heart broke at the thought of Tyson encouraging
my relationship with Flynn. If Lacey was right, and she was always right since
it was her gift, the beautiful man across the table loved me and had loved me
for some time. He deserved better than this moment where he gave so much and received
nothing in return.

“Those pajamas you gave me are my favorite thing,”
I blurted out. “Whenever I’m sad or scared, I wear them. They’re precious to me
and I never really thanked you.”

Tyson’s dark eyes held grief and longing. He desired
to say things he wouldn’t say. He ached to do things he wouldn’t do. For days
he waited for this evening. Even after I hurt him by trying to kill myself, he
still hoped. Now he was giving up the hope. Maybe he hadn’t realized this fact
earlier, but he accepted it now.

“I’m happy to know they brought you pleasure.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You apologize too much when we know some things
are beyond your control.”

“I don’t love him,” I whispered, my eyes burning.
“I care for him, but…”

His gaze on the food and not me, Tyson
interrupted, “Maybe you could love him? Maybe you should try?”

When he refused to look at me, I sighed. “Maybe.”

The magical moment of a wonderful night together
was suddenly over and we still had the opera to enjoy.

And enjoy it I did. In the opulent Riser Performance Center, I watched my first opera. Despite my constant sobbing at the
beauty and emotion of the performances, I loved every second of it. I loved how
we had such great seats and I was wearing such a beautiful dress. I loved how
Tyson shared one of his favorite things with me, but I didn’t love the silence
between us. I certainly didn’t love the pain radiating from him all through the
performance.

As we exited the opera house, I felt overwhelmed.
For sixteen years, I’d simply accepted life and made the best of what was dealt
me. For the last eight years, I put the pain of my mom’s death behind me and dismissed
the idea of my sacrifice as something in the far off future. Now the pain was
back as my mom haunted me and the time for the sacrifice was days overdue.
Somehow I had allowed it all to sneak up on me and I wasn’t ready for the
emotions swirling inside me.

Mostly I felt guilty. Guilty for having feelings
for Tyson when I was with Flynn. Guilty for being with Flynn when I had
feelings for Tyson. Guilty for wanting to stay with the ones I cared for, therefore
avoiding sacrificing myself and saving the town. Guilty for planning to
sacrifice myself and save the town, therefore leaving the ones I cared for.

My no worries motto just wasn’t going to hack it
this time.

As we reached the car, Tyson placed his strong
hands on my shoulders and turned me to face him. “Don’t go, Bluebell.”

“It’s getting late and Hans has texted me like ten
times. I need to change, get my stuff, and go home.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

Searching his face for wisdom, I found only sorrow.
“The voices tell me I have to go.”

“Then why haven’t you gone yet?”

“I tried, but then that guy showed up and the
bridge was being watched and I can’t cut myself. I couldn’t handle looking at
the blood.”

Face pained, he studied me. “Then not everything
says you have to go. You need to focus on the signs telling you to stay. Ignore
the others.”

“You know what will happen?”

“You owe this town nothing,” he said, pulling me
closer. “The people here wouldn’t die for you, so why should you die for them?”

“Tyson,” I whispered, tears spilling down my cheeks,
“you know what happened when Penny failed.”

“I told you about Assad. He was no saint driven to
madness by the lack of a sacrifice. He made a choice. Every single one of the
people who allow the tension to turn to violence makes a choice. You have no responsibility
to save them from themselves. You are one girl and you have given up enough for
Lily Falls.”

Wiping my eyes, I sighed. “I don’t know what to
do.”

“Stay,” he literally begged. “Stay and survive. Do
what I would do. What Lacey would do. What anyone would do. Why should you or
any Davison woman be expected to bear the burden? Why must it be you and not me
or our waiter tonight or the mayor? Why you?”

“It’s why I exist.”

“This town is alive. I know it is and I feel what
you feel, but the town isn’t a benevolent creature. Why give it what it wants?”

“Because people will suffer if I don’t. The town
will explode with violence like when Penny failed.”

“Fuck this town,” he spat, his temper flaring. “It
took your mother and your childhood. Rhiannon was a good woman and she didn’t deserve
to die. She shouldn’t have had to choose to end her life and leave her child
behind. No one else would have taken on such a burden, but the Davisons are
trained to accept this evil deal from the time you are born. It’s a lie. A sick
bargain you didn’t make and shouldn’t have to keep.”

“I want to live,” I said, realizing how desperately
I had searched for reasons to avoid dying. “I want to live, but I’m afraid of
what will happen to everyone else. I’m also afraid that…”

Tyson studied my face then he pulled me into his
arms. “You fear the town will survive without the sacrifice. You wonder if
maybe after Assad spilled blood, the act of an evil man, the town would have
had its payment. You fear your mother’s death was unnecessary and she left you
for nothing.”

Sobbing into his chest, I did fear knowing my
mother made a mistake. She died for a righteous reason, but she might have been
wrong. My mom died the day after Assad killed all those people. She didn’t wait
to see if this sacrifice would be enough. Guilt ridden for waiting so long, she
chose to die and leave me before she knew the truth.

“I miss her so much,” I wept.

Caressing my head, Tyson spoke soothingly, yet I
also heard the edginess in his voice. “This town took her and it shouldn’t take
anything more from you. Don’t let the evil win again.”

“But what if something happens to you or your
family? Won’t you hate me for choosing to live?”

“I will hate whoever hurts my family. That will
never be you.”

Wrapping my arms around Tyson’s waist, I wanted to
feel safe with someone who truly understood. Flynn was beautiful, but he was
new to Lily Falls and didn’t understand how the town lived and breathed in a
way those other places he lived had not.

“Is that why you blew me off after my birthday
dinner?” I asked quietly, my face still pressed against his chest so I wouldn’t
have to look at him. “You knew I would die and you didn’t want to get too close.”

While I might have wanted to hide, Tyson let go of
me then took my face into his hands and lifted my gaze to meet his. I shivered
at the warmth in his eyes.