Page 60 of It Varies
“Oh, fuck.Okay.We are going to do this before you go anywhere.Come to my workshop.I have the bottles there.”Vine grabbed her by the hand and hauled her out of the kitchen.Mia grabbed the passports.
* * * *
Vine’s mind boggled.She had always assumed that Meeda’s height meant she was a beta.The emotional instability was pointing in a different direction.All those years with no one to hold, and a raging fire in her bloodstream, should have driven her nuts, but Mia was her anchor and was a neutralized omega.She knew what Meeda needed, and, as her older sister, she tried to make sure Meeda got it.
It was no mystery what had set her off.The first contact she had had with a male had been necessary, and, from what Mao had said to Kazuya, it was pleasant, but he was still ready to serve.So he wasn’t attached to Meeda, and she knew it.The first contact with the opposite sex and it was just something he did because he was bored.That had to hurt.It would have crushed Vine if Kazuya had simply told her to make another appointment and that he would see her then and not after.
Meeda was still upset, and when they got into Vine’s workshop, the door shut and wards locked everyone out.
The schematic for the spell to bottle the heat came up, and Meeda looked at it.She sniffled.“I can do that.”
Vine gave her a bottle with a flip top, and Meeda looked at the schematic, pulled on the unruly emotions being caused by hormones, and stuffed them into the bottle until she felt calm.She corked the bottle and sighed.“May I have another bottle for my next one?”
“Sure.”
“Thank you.I am not sure where I can get them on the islands, and my heat is coming faster and faster.They are two months apart right now.”
Vine gasped.“Oh, that’s not good.”
“I know.The ocean will help.It slows it down if I can swim or fly.”
Vine touched her hand.“It’s good that you have somewhere like that.I was taught to do this early on.Very early on.”
“Lucky.”
“Yeah, I am feeling that now.Oh, Meeda.I wish we had gotten together sooner.”
“We have met for coffee.”
“You know what I mean.”
Meeda smiled.“I know.You had your village, and I didn’t want to add the idiot.”
Vine smiled softly.“You know better than that.”
“I could see you were happy.In pain but happy.Now, you are delighted, and it is very good to see.I am very happy for you.If you end up engaged, I want to be invited to the wedding, please.”
Vine grinned.“You will be my maid of honour.”
“I doubt it.”
They giggled and hugged again, and Vine opened the doors.Meeda took a few steps, and Vine said, “Your heat bottle.”
“Give it to Mao.He caused it.Oh, can I get the empty?”
Vine went and grabbed the empty bottle.She handed it over and said, “Get in touch with me every three days, or I will come and find you.”
“Yeah, yeah, but if I am in a good current, you will have to contact Mia.Don’t worry.I wear a beacon.It’s hilarious.I am usually being tailed by two yachts.One for Mia and one for her retrieval squad.”
Vine grinned.“That is amusing.I look forward to seeing it.”
“You going to bring tentacle-boy?”
“You know it.”
Meeda squeezed her hand.“See you in the big blue.”
She walked out with her empty bottle in hand and found Mia.They made their farewells to the hostess and promised a baby present, and Meeda walked her sister to their car, got behind the wheel, and drove off with Vine watching and holding the bottled heat.
