Chapter 12: 12. Jet Lagged

I dropped my backpack onto the floor halfway between the door and the bed, then when I reached the bed I flopped sideways onto it and finally rolled onto my back with a groan.

"I'm dead," I announced to the ceiling. "Not moving ever again."

Marianne suppressed a giggle as she sat on the edge of the bed and gently ran her fingers through my hair, "Here lies Lexi. Born May eighteenth, died May twenty-sixth."

"Do you think they have room service here?" I asked as I looked at the gorgeous brunette. "I'm really not up for going out tonight."

"I'll check," she replied as she got back to her feet, then disappeared back out the bedroom door.

The suite was huge, at least four times the size of my little hotel room in London. There were two large bedrooms, each with a queen-size bed plus dresser and bed-side tables. The big bathroom held a shower stall and separate tub. And we had a sitting-room with a sofa, reading chair, and a breakfast table with four chairs around it. That and one bedroom shared a balcony, and the other bedroom had large windows, and they all had a stunning view of the sun setting across the caldera.

And I was too exhausted and grumpy to enjoy any of it for now. Part of it was because I really wasn't used to travelling, but part of it was my own fault. I stayed up too late the night before, and I drank too much wine.

After checking out of the hotel around noon Monday I mostly hung out in that garden square to kill time while Marianne was meeting with profs and taking care of last-minute business with the university. We met for dinner when she was done, then went back to her flat where her roommates threw a little going-away party.

I lost track of how much wine I drank, and we all stayed up way too late. Suzi and Bleu both seemed very nice, but they turned what probably should have been a quiet early night into a celebration that lasted till at least one in the morning. I wasn't even really a wine drinker, but they didn't have any beer. And I got the impression they thought wine was the better drink and wanted to convert me.

So with no more than four hours sleep I was up much too early this morning, I showered and dressed for comfort, in leggings, a t-shirt, my hoodie and sneakers. And my day of travel began with me feeling tired, grumpy, and hung-over.

Not that Marianne had it much better. She didn't get any more sleep than me, but she was used to wine and used to travel. She got me up in the morning, she got us both showered, and made sure I packed all my stuff. And it felt like we'd been going non-stop ever since.

I was half-asleep when we left her flat in Bloomsbury this morning, and I was half asleep as I collapsed onto the bed in our suite in the hotel on Santorini in the evening. About the only reason I hadn't passed out already was hunger. I wasn't sure if we'd eaten at all yet today, though I vaguely remembered some kind of pastry at the airport in London.

"Good news Lexi," Marianne announced as she came back into the bedroom. "There is room service here. Shall I order us something to eat?"

"Oh yes please," I smiled at her. "You're a life-saver!"

Marianne smiled back, "I'll get us something nice. You just relax, try not to fall asleep before dinner arrives."

As the beautiful brunette left to order dinner Eva commented, "I'm glad she came with us."

I turned my head to find the blonde demon laying next to me on the big bed. She was dressed like me, in leggings and a comfy tee. The only difference was she didn't have a hoodie, and she was barefoot again.

"Hey Eva," I greeted her. "Me too. I don't think I'd have got here today without her."

She rolled her eyes, "I'm sure you would have Lexi. But you'd probably be a lot less happy."

I grimaced, "I'm not very happy regardless. I'm tired, hungry, and maybe still hung over."

My demon just smiled, "You'll survive. Some food and a good night's sleep is all you need. And I'm sure Marianne will help."

"Yeah," I nodded. "How come I didn't see you at all today? I remember you were really excited at the idea of flying, did you at least get a look on the plane? First class was amazing by the way, thank you for that."

Eva blushed, "I maybe had a little peek, but your way of flying is very much not for me. I will leave that kind of travel to you and Marianne."

"I'm not going to stay with you this evening either," she added. "I know you're hoping for a quiet dinner and an early night, so I will leave you in Marianne's hands. Once the two of you have had a good night's sleep I'll speak with you tomorrow to discuss our plans here."

I frowned as I moved onto my side to get a better look at her, "Are you going to be ok waiting till tomorrow? I'm sure you're really eager to start looking for your family right?"

My demon ghost shook her head, "It's fine. And this isn't a big island, it shouldn't take us too long to look around once we get started. If my child's here, we will find her soon enough."

"All right Eva," I sighed. "Thanks again for everything. I hope you have a good night, and we'll see you tomorrow."

She gave me a smile before vanishing. A moment later I felt her presence fade, as she receded somewhere deep inside me.

I ended up drifting in and out of a light sleep for the next hour or so, until dinner arrived. Then Marianne dragged me out of bed and the two of us sat together at the little table in the living-room part of the suite.

The food was probably really good, and of course she got a bottle of wine to go with it. Fortunately she also had them bring some bottles of spring water. I did my best to wake up enough to enjoy it. After all, I was having a nice meal with a beautiful girl, in a five-star suite on an island in the Aegean with a beautiful view.

After dinner Marianne and I both got undressed, and the two of us collapsed into bed together. We cuddled, but that was it. Next thing I knew it was around nine in the morning, the sun was shining and I felt alive once again.

You are reading story Missed Connections at novel35.com

I started to stir, but I was being held cuddled up against Marianne who was laying behind me. And when I tried to slip out of her arms I discovered she was already awake, as she held me even tighter against her. And from there, one thing led to another and it was another hour before either of us were ready to get out of bed. And once again I was left wondering how my life had become so perfect.

We did eventually get up, then the two of us showered together before getting dressed.

"I'm going to need more clothes," I sighed. I went with comfy again today rather than stylish, so I was back in sneakers, leggings, and a t-shirt. I didn't bother with the hoodie though.

"My stuff is more suited for spring in London, but I guess we're getting closer to summer. And I'm pretty sure the climate is warmer here than it was in the UK."

Marianne agreed, "Definitely warmer. I'm sure there's some shops where you can pick up a few things while we're here? Though I suppose it depends how long we're staying, or where we go next."

"I think next we're going to go get breakfast," I announced with a grin. "Then we can come back to our room, Eva wants to discuss the rest of the plans at some point today."

The hotel had a nice restaurant where the two of us enjoyed a light brunch, and while we were eating Eva spoke up and asked me to pick up a map of the island if I could find one. There was a little shop on the main floor and we got a map there, and finally the three of us returned to our room.

Marianne and I sat together on the sofa, and I spread the map out on the coffee table in front of us.

Eva stood next to the table and asked, "Lexi this might actually be easier if you and I trade places? That way both you and Marianne will be able to hear me."

"Ok Eva," I tried not to sound bothered by that. I hadn't enjoyed the experience when she did it the first time, but I couldn't argue that it would be easier that way. I let Marianne know, "Eva wants to switch with me so she can speak with the both of us."

My demon ghost had me stand up, and this time I was a little more prepared for the experience. There was still a moment of disorientation, then I was standing next to my body which Eva was occupying. I sat back down on the sofa next to Marianne again, but we couldn't cuddle anymore. At least she could still see me, she knew I was there with her.

Eva pulled over one of the chairs from the breakfast table and sat to the side of the coffee table, so she could talk to us and see the map and everything.

"So here we are in the capital Fira," Eva said as she pointed to the map. "I know we have this room for one more night, that's perfect. You two can take it easy and enjoy yourselves for the rest of today and tonight. Tomorrow though I'd like us to head down here."

She gestured to the south-west end of the vaguely-crescent-shaped island, "This is the modern town Akrotiri. My child made her home in that area three thousand years ago. I'm hoping she'll still be there now, but probably disguised as another human."

"While we're there, can we tour the ruins?" Marianne asked with a hopeful smile as she pointed to a spot further south on the map. "That's the ancient Minoan Akrotiri down there. I've always wanted to see it, but never had a chance before."

Eva smiled back, "Of course Marianne! If anyone should ask, we can say the ruins are the reason you and Lexi are here."

I asked, "So I guess that's what we need to work on today? Make arrangements to get us to Akrotiri, find a place to stay, and sort out the touring and stuff?"

"That's right Lexi," my demon double nodded. "If you could make arrangements so we can go there tomorrow, that would be perfect. Perhaps plan to stay a couple days? You and Marianne can work out how long it will take to do all the touring you both want."

I was pretty sure Marianne couldn't hear me while I was a ghost, same as how she couldn't hear ghost-Eva, but it wasn't too hard for her to follow my part of the conversation based on the context.

When we were done, she looked at our demon friend and asked "You mentioned your child is probably disguised as a human? How will you find her? And actually, could you tell me some more about her? Like her name, what she looks like, that sort of thing?"

Eva responded, "Similar to your ability to see spirits and the supernatural, I will be using my own form of magical sight. I'm also using other magical senses, so with luck even if she's hidden I'll be able to detect her once we're close enough. And I know where her home is, or was, so I also plan on going there to check in person."

She paused before answering the other question, and both me and Marianne could tell Eva was dealing with some emotions as she thought about her lost family.

The demon took a couple deep breaths before continuing, "My child was born here on this island, in about sixteen-hundred BCE. I've mentioned that my kind tend to stay put, my daughter made her home right here. The last time I saw her she was just barely five centuries old, still a child really. When she disguised herself as a human, she had dusky skin and long straight black hair. Her eyes were a deep dark green. She was adorable, playful and mischievous. She had a habit of getting into trouble, but her mater and I both love her regardless."

Eva sighed and added, "She'd be thirty-six centuries old now, she's older than I was when I was imprisoned. I can only guess how she's grown up, but I'm sure whatever she looks like she will still have dusky skin, straight black hair, and dark green eyes. We don't age the same way you do. Three millennia ago she looked like a ten-year-old girl. Today she might look like she's in her late twenties or early thirties?"

"As for her name," she continued with another sigh, "She was known as Mara, but I have no idea what name she might go by today. I'm sure you already know our true names are closely-guarded secrets. In the past my lover and child called me something different, but since Lexi woke me I've been calling myself Eva. It's a suitable name that doesn't sound too strange in your modern world."

"Wow," Marianne said quietly. "I hope we find her for you Eva."

"Thank you," the demon responded with a sad smile.

The discussion sort of tapered off after that, and the three of us were quiet for a few moments.

Eva finally said, "I suppose that's all for now. Lexi, I'll let you have your body back. I hope you both enjoy the rest of your day, and maybe we'll find success in the next day or two at Akrotiri."