Chapter Seven - Smithy’s
Further down the beach Tatiana pointed out the two guys who had been with Eros yesterday. Looking in the direction Tatiana was pointing, Grasiella saw them too. They were coming back to the beach from the water with their surf boards under their arms.
Scanning the area, neither Tatiana nor Grasiella saw Eros. They approached the two guys asking them if Eros would be at the beach. The guys shared a knowing look with each other before the one with the short red hair said, “He didn’t say.”
“Did he say where he would be?” Grasiella asked.
The other one who had long black hair with tattoos on both arms answered, “He didn’t say.” Clearly they were used to inquiries from girls about Eros and had their standard answer ready.
“That’s disappointing,” Tatiana said as she glanced at her sister. “He has some stuff for us, but, oh well.”
The one with the red hair gave a glance at his friend who raised both arms with his palms up in a shrug. Turning back to Grasiella and Tatiana he said, “You can find him over at Smithy’s.”
Smithy’s was off the beach, but not to far that the twins couldn’t walk. It was more inland and not a place where the tourists ventured. It was an old, the white paint was peeling off in places, and the old sign posted on top proudly read “Smithy’s Best Shrimp Tacos” the shrimp that was drawn on the sign, was painted with a smile that looked more creepy than welcoming.
Opening the door for Grasiella, Tatiana let her walk in first as she was in no hurry to gain entrance. “What shall we order?” she asked with her nervous laughter.
“I’m glad you’re amused, Tatiana.”
The restaurant held about five other patrons and no one looked up as the girls entered the restaurant. At the counter there was another sign and this one displayed the menu. Every item included shrimp. As Tatiana took a moment to look at the menu, Grasiella checked the patrons over. She vaguely heard her sister talking to the guy at the counter.
“Do you serve anything without shrimp in it?” Tatiana delicately asked.
Grasiella moved further into the restaurant as she looked for Eros. She knew she was being rude, but no one seemed to notice.
“Hello,” a voice whispered behind her.
She turned to see that it was Eros. It looked like they found him she thought, or rather, he found them.
“I heard some girls were looking for me? Something about me having something for them?” he questioned them, looking perplexed. “All I have to sell are shrimp tacos.”
Not knowing how to respond, Grasiella stuttered out, “You work here?” He just didn’t seem like the type to hold down a job, not with that tan.
“In a way,” he said before looking around the place. “I own it,” he replied. His eyes then settled back on her. “I own this place and a few others around the island. Old family money, that kind of thing,” he announced, smiling to himself, amused with what he shared, but he didn’t want to share with her what he found so amusing. “Can I ask what you and your sister wanted with me?”
With her hands settled on her hips, Grasiella responded, “This is not what my sister and I wanted,” she informed. “But it seems we have something in common with you.”
“In common,” he asked. Placing his own hands on his hips, he mimicked her stance as he waited for her to continue.
“Can we go somewhere to talk?” she asked him.
Tilting back his head he let out a laugh, “Go some where with you two? Nope, sorry,” he replied, extending his hand as he indicated a table to the left of them. “Have a seat and we can talk here. Don’t worry; no one will hear whatever it is you have to say.”
He was the first to take a seat. He sat looking up at her as he waited for her to join him. He stretched his arms on the back of the booth as he patiently waited. “Here let me put some music on.” Snapping his fingers with his right hand, he relaxed as rock music began to play throughout the restaurant.
The moment Grasiella sat down at the booth Tatiana appeared at the table. She had a plate full of fish and chips with her. “Look, the cook made this special. It’s not on the menu.” Joining her sister, she took the seat on the bench next to her. She placed the tray in the middle of the table for them all to share. “Did you tell him yet, Grasiella?”
“No,” Eros answered her. “Why don’t you tell me what you want with me?” He said as he helped himself to the chips.
Instead of leaving her sister, Tatiana to fill him in Grasiella thought it would be best if she took back control of the conversation. She had to let Eros know that they were on even ground. “We know what you are,” she explained. “We don’t want to expose what you or ourselves to anyone on the island. We know what could happen if anyone found out about our kind.”
With that said she would have gone on, if Eros had not interrupted her. “I don’t think you have me figured out that easily. Why don’t you give me your names first, instead of worrying about whether or not I’m going to expose you?” He then took a bite of the chip.
Lifting her hand to her chest, “I’m Grasiella Najera and this is my sister, Tatiana,” Grasiella announced. Tatiana had just taken a bite of the fish, giving a wave of hello as her greeting.
“Good. It’s nice to meet you both. Now that we have the formalities out of the way what is it that you two want?” he asked, reaching for another chip.
“Faeries. We came to ask you about them.” Tatiana said, taking another bite. She felt her sister was taking to long. She wanted to get back to the beach to see Kye.
“There are no faeries on this island.”
“Are you sure?” she questioned.
Signaling for one of his staff who then brought him a beer, he casually took a drink. This caused both girls to wonder if maybe Eros was older than the late teens he appeared. “Why do you doubt it? A faerie hasn’t been seen of in nearly millennia.”
“How can you be sure about that?” This question came from Grasiella.
Taking a drink, he replied, “I’ve been around a long time.” Stopping to take another drink, he asked, “What makes you ask about faeries?”
Grasiella was confused. How he could be so sure about the faeries, when one of them visited them last night? Could it be that whoever visited them could have been something else? If so, then what was it?
“Do you know what a Sita Knook is?” she asked worriedly.
“Sita Knook? Where did you hear that name?” Eros was curious now.
“A faerie told us about Sita Knook,” Tatiana said. She then went on, “We were visited by one, but she didn’t give us her name, just that she was looking for Sita Knook.”
“Sita Knook,” he said again. Grasiella thought the name seemed to mean something to him.
“There’s a charm on our house. We are hoping you would know how to remove it.” Tatiana said in a rush as she was in a hurry to leave. As far as she was concerned, seeking out Eros was a wasted trip. He didn’t seem to know anything more then they did. Now Tatiana wanted to know if he would be able to help them by removing the charm from the house, so that they would be able to use magic again.
“She’s not good news,” he said, referring to Sita Knook. “Stay away from Sita Knook and whoever it is that’s looking for her.”
“Why, what is she?” Tatiana asked, afraid to hear the answer.
He was quiet for a moment before saying, “I’m also looking for her. She took something of mine, and I want it back.”
“We can help each other, Eros. Help us remove the charm on our house, and we will help you find Sita Knook,” Grasiella promised.
Eros considered the offer. He would have liked to accept; but these girls were too young to get mixed up with anything to do with Sita Knook. “I will remove the charm on your home, but that’s as far as it goes, and as for you two helping me find Sita Knook, I’m going to have to say no.”
“It’s not as if we want to look for her, we don’t have an option.” Tatiana ex
plained.
“Once the charm is removed, you will be under my protection. Whoever it was that showed up last night will not be able to return.”
“How can you do something like that? Our magic cannot repel a faerie,” Grasiella said, she didn’t believe he was capable of such magic.
“Grasiella, I’m not what you think I am. I come from a very old family.” He looked very smug as he sat there drinking his beer. “The second you step foot in your home the charm will be gone, that’s all you need to know.”
Eros finished the rest of his beer. He signaled for another. The disappearance of Sita Knook is what brought him to this Island, those damn faeries.