A single spared quarter

*Two hours after the storm*

Vera woke up before dawn, every single muscle of her body complaining.

The night had been enchanting, pleasant, and perfect in every detail. However, the morning was hell.

She wondered how had she managed to last that long. And why did she have to pay the price in the morning? She still had to get out of Paris and go home.

Her lips curled up when she remembered that her mission was over. She was finally free! The contract had expired that same day with her hundredth mission completed. They couldn't give her orders anymore, and she was free to live her life.

No more travelling through Europe in search of the most dangerous and rare creatures. No more dealing with unpleasant colleagues who wanted to make decisions when they knew nothing - all because they were older than her. No more dangerous missions, or boring investigations, or risky stunts. She was free!

She would have gone home to her grandmother as soon as her job at the agency was done!

She turned on the bed, her face relaxed and happy when the shape sleeping next to her came into her visual field. Oh, right, she wasn't alone. She wasn't at home either, and it was time to go.

However, the light from the streets was barely filtered by the curtains. She could see his face. He was lying on his stomach and hugging the pillow, one of his arms under it and the other next to his body. The blanket covered his lower body, but his back was there for Vera to look at. Oh, she had done more than looking to that back.

She could see the scratches on his shoulders, and light blushing covered her whole face and neck.

He was so handsome while sleeping, and he seemed so harmless. She knew well how that angelic appearance was all a lie, but she stretched out her hand to caress his face. Just a moment before her fingers touched him, she stopped.

What was she doing? Why?

What if he woke up? She would have needed to say hi, and that was not in her mood at the moment. He might even express his feelings about the night, which was even worse.

Or, she realised, he might bounce on her first thing after opening his eyes, which meant not leaving anytime soon.

In the end, she retracted her hand and slipped out of bed. At least she had a memory to treasure for a long time. She even considered having one-night stands more often from then on; it did marvels to the mood!

However, it also meant interacting with males, and finding someone to her taste was difficult. Even more after Neven.

His name resounded in her mind as if telling her something, as if she knew something. Was he already fixed in her head? How could he not be? She would have been obsessed with him for a while.

But, eventually, everything would fade away.

With that relieving thought, she reached the bathroom. Thankfully, her clothes were dry. She took a shower and wore her things.

Then, once ready, she collected her backpack from where she had left it. She took out the phone and rummaged until - finally, after a lot of work - she found her wallet. She had to buy a ticket to return home.

The storm was over, proceeding to the west. She could take a plane, but suddenly she felt happy to travel. A train would have been just so perfect. She could even stop somewhere on the way to take a walk before returning to the grey, boring, and always in a hurry Milan.

The French countryside was just perfect for relaxing.

Returning to the storm, she had been so busy that she hadn't even heard it. It had been more silent than expected, by any means.

She couldn't be so distracted, could she?

Only after leaving the private garden and returning on the street - to Rue de Barres - did she find out that there were no signs of a heavy storm. Everything was in its place. Not even the tables of the cafes have been moved by the wind.

She walked towards the Métro, dumbfounded. Were her eyes playing tricks? Or had Gamayun done something to save Paris?

But... there was no way. Vera hadn't noticed anything odd regarding the sacred bird. She had no real interest in that metropolis.

«Oh, well,» she murmured.

She walked down the stairs to the subway. She was not on a mission anymore, so the agency might not reimburse the expense if she took a taxi. Lost in her thoughts, she took a train towards the central station.

Only after resurfacing did she snap out of her daze. The storm had hit the city.

Ambulances could be heard every second, and there were broken trees on the streets. Some windows had been damaged, and a few buildings were without electricity.

«Oh, no!» She had just started thinking she could turn things in her favour, making the agency think she did something to save the city!

But, no. Oh, whatever. Not that she minded losing her strike of successes.

Ninety-nine were enough. And she didn't literally fail. She did receive the message; all she couldn't do was stop the storm - which was unstoppable.

Except for a quarter that had been spared, for some miracle.

She bought the ticket towards South, choosing whatever train would depart earlier. Some were suppressed because the railway was damaged.

«What a mess,» she moaned. Now, she didn't have a choice. She had to visit France, willingly or not.

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