Eudora's Gift

Jericho washed the blood off his hands in the sink, watching the red-stained water swirl down the drain with his usual numb detachment.  He was a man with nothing to live for, so he didn't mind taking on the most dangerous assignments.  It was a distraction, and some semblance of a purpose.  His cell phone vibrated.  He carefully wiped his hands on a clean towel before he pulled it out of his pocket and answered it.  "Hello Mom... yes, I'm fine.  I'm finished with my work... I'll be home sometime late tomorrow.  How's Dad?  James? …. Great... See you then...Love you too."  He slid the phone back in his pocket and leaned on the sink, looking closely at his reflection in the mirror.  He looked haggard.  His eyes looked hallow and dull.  He looked much older than his 28 years.  He needed a shave and a hair cut.  He sighed and pushed away from the sink. He switched on the TV in the hotel room just to have some noise in the back ground, and stretched out on the bed.  His muscles were tired and achy, his stomach was empty and raw, but he just didn't care enough to go find something to eat.  He ignored his body and closed his eyes.  He thought of his mom, with her laughing brown eyes, and her round, rosy face.  She was so worried about him, and that made Jericho feel guilty.  His dad tended to look at him with disappointment.  "Rico...” his father had admonished a thousand times, “just accept it and move on.  Take up your responsibilities.  I'm not going to live forever." It had only gotten worse this year. His little brother James had come of age, and within a month, he had found his mate.  Courtney was a great girl, and Jericho really, really wanted to be happy for his baby brother.  He wasn't exactly jealous, but his heart hurt every time he saw the two of them, so wrapped up in each-other's love, so complete, so satisfied.  And he was still alone. Most wolves found their mates soon after they came of age, if not the very same day.  For some it took a little longer.  And for some?  For some, it seemed the Goddess had forgotten them.  Jericho had waited, searched, yearned for his other half year after year... but never found her.  He felt the emptiness like a gnawing ulcer in his soul.  His friends advised him to give up, find a woman, any woman, and settle down.  But he just couldn't do it.  He had no desire for just "any woman".  He needed the one who would complete him.  He searched, he visited other packs relentlessly as he traveled for work, but he never found the One.  His hope had dwindled away.  Who knew what had happened? Perhaps she had been born on another continent.  Perhaps she had died.  Perhaps she didn't exist at all.  All Jericho knew was that his life was empty. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. He was walking through an unfamiliar wood.  It was twilight, the light was dim, the air was cool.  He sniffed the air, and smelled something.... something so faint, but so sweet.  Like his mother's lilacs in spring bloom.  The smell excited him, his arm hair stood on end, he began rushing through the forest, trying to follow the intoxicating floral scent.  Could it be?  Could it be her?  "Hello?" he called into the growing darkness.  "Where are you?  Tell me your name!"  He heard something, far, far off in the distance.  Crying, a girl weeping.  And then the wind blew and carried the sound away.  He was lost in the dark now, the scent was gone and the forest was silent. He jerked awake.  His heart was pounding against his ribs.  He had never ever dreamed of his mate before.  What did this mean?  Was she alive?  Did she exist?  He slowed his breathing and tried to focus...something felt ever so vaguely strange and different.  He felt some kind of tug in his heart, an almost imperceptible pull... it was so faint, he almost didn't dare to hope.