Old Tom's Pub had that comforting warmth only places brimming with life could offer. Lucía liked places like this. Watching all these people living their lives, laughing and enjoying themselves, reminded her that her work mattered. Every horror she sent back to whatever hell it came from was meant to protect the lives of these people.
But Lucía had not come to the pub to get lost in self-reflection or existential musing. Those moments belonged to the nights when her loneliness refused to let her sleep. She was here to enjoy one last breath before plunging back into work. And hopefully, to recruit a very charming redhead.
She slipped off her jacket in one smooth motion, the leather brushing against the bar as she took her seat. Her eyes scanned the room without searching for anything in particular until she saw her.
Katherine was working and moving between tables with an awkward energy, handing out orders with a smile that was still warm, even if it didn't quite reach her eyes. Something in her expression had changed. Not enough for most to notice. But Lucía did.
It was a busy day at Old Tom's Pub, but Katherine still gave it her all. Her hands worked with purpose, carrying trays through the crowd, listening to orders, and responding when needed.
Elena's warning still echoed in Katherine's mind. Her voice, steeped in fear and conviction, had stayed with her like a song she couldn't shake. Though she tried to focus on work and push away everything she couldn't control, her thoughts kept slipping back to the questions that had no answers. And then she saw her.
Lucía was already at the bar. Her jacket was draped across the chair. Her usual confidence settled comfortably into her posture. The appetizers and beer in front of her suggested she wasn't in any rush.
Then it happened. Whether by chance or something more deliberate, their eyes met. Spring-green grass under sunlit hills met the deep amber of a guardian oak. Different in essence. Bound by some quiet force that pulled them together. Their eyes locked. Within them stirred different wishes, silent ambitions, and shared expectations about the bond that could unfold.
And just like that, the spell between them broke. But it had left something behind. When Katherine looked at Lucía now, with that flirtatious grin that had intimidated her the day before, she felt something different. Something that, for the first time that day, wasn't doubt or confusion. It was certain. And certainty has a way of making the body move before the mind decides.
Katherine drew in a breath, the weight of the night heavy in her chest, and walked toward her. She set her tray on the bar without much care, the sound of glass against wood blending into the ambient noise. On any other day, she would have hesitated. She never had the nerve to approach someone like Lucía directly. Someone who filled every room she entered with magnetism. Normally, she might have made a quiet comment about Lucía's food choice, something to break the ice. But today wasn't normal.
Lucía watched her carefully. Katherine had undoubtedly been the most intriguing discovery Hertford had offered so far. What she might eventually mean to Lucía remained unknown. Deep down, Lucía understood that even if they managed to build something stronger, their time would end the moment she left this town. Still, she hoped to gather a few memories worth holding onto when the darkness came again.
"What happened to you, little red hood?" Lucía asked with the same ease she had used to order her beer, her tone casual, like asking about the weather. A habit, maybe, or an instinct to soften whatever tension Katherine had brought with her.
Katherine exhaled softly, weighing what piece of truth to share. She glanced at the foam in Lucía's beer before speaking. "I want answers. I don't want to stay ignorant about what's happening in my own home. Help me."
Lucía leaned her elbows on the bar, a slight smile curving her lips. If Katherine was speaking like this, it meant she had given up on the idea of keeping her life separate from the supernatural. And while Lucía enjoyed Katherine's gentler side, this bold and brave part of her was stirring butterflies in her stomach.
"All right." Lucía said after a couple of long sips of her beer, hoping the taste would clear the intrusive thoughts from her mind. "You can be my assistant. Join me during my investigation. Get the answers you want."
Katherine blinked, considering what Lucía was offering. Working together made sense. It was logical. But some part of her still held doubt. Fear, really. Especially after witnessing the reconstruction of Jonathan Blackthorn's last moments. "I don't know if this is a good idea."
Lucía laughed softly, not mocking but certain. "If I leave you alone with all this supernatural information... no. I know you would go poking around anyway. And if you do, someone better be there to pull you out of the mess."
Katherine pressed her lips together and did not answer right away. She knew it was true. She had a habit of getting too involved. Not exactly famous for self-preservation. Besides, she was already knee-deep in this, whether she liked it or not. And Lucía was right. Facing it alone was not an option. "So, what exactly does it mean to be your assistant?" She asked at last.
Lucía made a casual gesture, but her gaze stayed firm. "I will handle whatever wants to kill us and keep you safe. And believe me, I will protect you with everything I have. You take care of the intellectual parts of the investigation. That, and dealing with ghosts. You are good at that, and I am not. Banishing Jonathan's ghost was pure luck. If his presence had not been so overwhelming, I would not have known where to focus when I said the words. Honestly, that was the first time I tried that, and it actually worked."
Katherine released a quiet sigh. That made sense. And she had to admit, most of her fear faded the moment she heard Lucía say she would protect her. Lucía's voice had sounded so full of conviction that doubt never crossed her mind.
A soft pause fell between them, the noise of the pub filling it easily. Katherine glanced at the bar. Her thoughts circled the meaning behind this new alliance. For the first time, she no longer felt like she was facing everything alone.
"All right. If I am going to get myself into trouble, it might as well be with you by my side." She said it after one careful breath. This was a big decision, but she was confident it was the right one.
Lucía smiled with quiet satisfaction. "Do not worry. My bodyguard skills are as good as this beer." And with that, she finished the last drop in her glass.
Katherine rolled her eyes, but for the first time all day, she smiled without effort.
The sound of the pub door opening went unnoticed by most, but not by Katherine. Her attention, which had just been locked into the conversation, shifted entirely the moment she heard a familiar voice.
"Miss Katherine. Working hard as always." The male voice was smooth, magnetic, laced with maturity.
"Elijah." Katherine's voice lit up like sunlight, her eyes brighter than emeralds.
Lucía watched as the redhead straightened with a smile she had not shown once all night. Her energy shifted. Her voice rose. Lucía lowered her eyes to the empty beer. Suddenly, it did not taste quite as good.
With confident steps, Elijah Flamesworth approached the bar. His dark jacket contrasted with neatly styled hair. His calm smile looked like something out of a magazine.
Lucía ordered another beer. No rush. No change in her expression. But somehow, the discussion about their alliance no longer felt urgent. She leaned against the bar, her fresh drink in hand, watching the way Katherine responded to every word Elijah spoke. The redhead had forgotten she was there.
Katherine had a different glow when she spoke to him. Her posture eased. Her smile deepened. A small forward tilt occurred when Elijah said something that caught her interest. As if every syllable he uttered held gravity.
They dove into a detailed conversation about literature and history. Lucía felt out of place. Her world, full of hunting and ghosts and danger, had never asked her to know anything about Renaissance literature. And for the first time, she felt she had nothing to say. No words that belonged there.
She set the beer down on the bar, watching silently as their discussion flowed. A symphony of stories and thought. One, she could not join. It was nobody's fault. Just the way it was. Her world had no place in these kinds of moments, rich with scholarship and quiet intimacy. And it weighed on her more than she expected.
Elijah never looked at her directly. But the faint tug at the corner of his mouth said everything. He knew Katherine was lost in his presence. And he knew Lucía was watching. And he enjoyed it.
Without a word, Lucía slid a few coins across the bar, finished her beer in quiet motion, and stood up. The cold air outside called her. Offering the kind of company that made sense to her.