Pure Requiem - Aja James Page 0,13

by—but it’s Ishtar’s hair.

That is, not her hair exactly, since it’s on my head, but I guess I get my hair from her. That’s what Benjamin said. And if I get my hair from her, then it seems too precious to hack haphazardly off.

My eyes dart around the long marble counter that runs along the length of the mirror. Maybe I can find a comb or a brush. I don’t think I’ve ever brushed my hair in my entire life. I’ve never had to. But if this is really my mother’s gift to me, these riotous black waves, maybe I should start taking better care of it.

I continue to critically consider my face in the mirror.

It’s all sharpness and angles, devoid of any stubble. I’m hairless all over (except the top of my head, of course, and the short curls around my groin), and my jaw is no different. My skeletal thinness doesn’t help, making my cheekbones jab out like jagged glass, the sides of my face hollowed out to reveal the bones of my jawline.

Shit. I really should eat more. And now that I’m slowly starting to get into the habit of eating regular meals, small bites at a time, my belly rumbles in hunger, loudly agreeing with my assessment.

My nose is a thin, long blade in the middle of my face, incredibly straight despite the number of times it’s been broken. I guess I have my immortal healing abilities to thank. It’s not perfect, if I’m honest. The tip is just a tad too long, drawing one’s attention to the full, wide mouth below.

Huh. I have pretty lips. There’s no other word for it. Who woulda thought?

The lower lip is rather pillowy-looking, slightly fuller than the upper lip. But only slightly. Both are downright carnal. Sinful. If the man in the mirror wasn’t me, I’d be tempted to kiss him.

I mean, dayaam! That fucking mouth is divine!

My tongue darts out to lick across them, making them shine with saliva, plumped with blood flow. They’re the softest looking part of my body. Such a shame that they’ve never been kissed…

Have they?

A fragment of a ghost of a memory buzzes through my mind, but I smack it down like an annoying fly.

Finally, I look into my eyes. Tal’s eyes. Or what they must have looked like when he was still whole, before my Mistress got her claws into him.

This is definitely my favorite feature of all. My eyes are kaleidoscopic prisms of turquoise that turn blue or green or a mix of both depending on the angle of light, and I suspect my mood. I’m not exaggerating; you should see for yourself.

They’re…beautiful.

Hypnotizing. Mesmerizing.

My heart suddenly twists painfully in my chest. Did Tal used to have these eyes before they turned cloudy and opaque with blindness? No wonder Ishtar fell in love with him. He didn’t say so when he told me their story, focusing only on his point of view. But she simply must have. How could anyone see this male and not love him?

And so I conclude: I’m not ugly at all.

At least on the outside.

I smooth some waves away from my face and try to pat down the knots on my head before exiting the bathroom with my head held high. In appearance, I have nothing to be ashamed about. No one will run screaming from the room at the sight of the real me.

I hope.

Benjamin beams at me when he sees me approach. I see quite a large variety of dishes set out on the kitchen counter, steaming from having been recently heated. Three place settings are arranged at a right angle along the edge of the stone plank.

Wait.

Three?

My eyes widen as they ping-pong around the apartment, searching for the third attendee to this elegant, yet casual dinner affair.

“Hullo, binu,” Ishtar says softly, calling me the fake human name I’ve given myself, which is also the Akkadian word for “son.” Given that I am not wearing any of my disguises, I know she’s using the noun instead of the pronoun.

My Adam’s Apple bobs in my throat on a ragged swallow as I stare unblinkingly at the most beautiful woman in the world.

My mother.

“I hope you don’t mind,” she murmurs. “M-may I join you for dinner?”

I can’t find my voice to answer her, and my body has frozen entirely.

Thankfully, Benjamin jumps in and declares, “Of course, Mama Bear! Binu and I can’t eat this all by ourselves.”

Then, he looks a little uncertainly at me.

“Umm…Do you still want us