The Moon Rises

by Angela Horn

  Anton laughed and Gigi’s smile widened.

  “You could probably get a fulltime job cooking somewhere else,” Anton said, wondering about his restaurants and if he should offer her a job.

  “I’m supposed to work at The Moon Rises.”

  “Why?”

  Shrugging, Gigi glanced back at the windows. “The cats are gone. Do I need to leave?”

  “Do you want to leave?”

  “No, I don’t like sitting alone in my apartment. Maybe I should get a cat as a pet?”

  Anton smiled. “They do seem fond of you. Do other animals act that way?”

  Gigi shrugged again. “I haven’t met many animals.”

  Anton found this answer strange, but didn’t follow up.

  “You know you don’t need to keep filling the envelopes,” Anton said when she started working again.

  “But I want to be able to stay here.”

  Anton smiled. “You can stay without doing Melanie’s job.”

  “She doesn’t feel well.”

  “She was lazy before she got pregnant.”

  “Then why does she work here?”

  “Because she’s Garrison’s cousin.”

  Gigi smiled. “It’s nice that you let her work here even though she’s lazy. Silas said if we slack off, he’ll fire us.”

  “Well I’m a nicer boss, I guess.”

  Gigi glanced at him with a smile. “What’s it like to be a dog?”

  Laughing quietly, Anton rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s hard to explain.”

  “How come you never look like a dog when I see you? Do you not like being one?”

  “I like looking this way better.”

  “You do look beautiful.”

  Anton used every ounce of restraint not to close the distance between them and kiss her. Being Alpha had taught him how to remain in control and good thing too because she was tempting the crap out of him.

  The other Weres returned and the sudden commotion startled Gigi. Even though she glanced at them with a calm expression, Anton sensed she was bothered by the noise. He wished to be alone with her, but also knew his control was slipping. She was beautiful and available and he wanted her. His inability to be with her was going to make him crazy, but Anton was accustomed to doing without.

  When Gigi finished with the envelopes, she seemed ready to leave the suddenly loud office. Worried about her safety after Katia’s disappearance, he sent Chad to walk her home. When Gigi smiled and thanked him for saving her from the cats, Anton wanted desperately to follow after her. Yet he kept his ass in check until she was long gone.

  “Uh-huh,” Melanie said, watching him.

  “Shut up,” Anton told her with a grin as he went to hide in his office.

  “If she ever wants to volunteer to do my job again, please feel free to use the opportunity to flirt with her. Hell, she did more work in an hour than I do in a week.”

  “Ha ha,” Anton said, slamming the door when she began to laugh.

  Chapter Four

  Gigi hummed You Are My Sunshine as she changed into her uniform. Next to her, Sara was also changing, but she wasn’t humming. She was frowning darkly with her bright blue eyes focused on the wall.

  Gigi didn’t know much about how people behaved. Her “fake it until you make it” policy was working so far, but Sara didn’t like her. She knew this fact, not because Gigi was perceptive, but because Ella announced it to Dahlia in front of her.

  “I’m sorry,” Sara said and Gigi realized she was talking to her.

  “Why?”

  “I shouldn’t have made fun of you in front of the Weres. Now they’ll think they can mess with you. I shouldn’t have been rude like that to you.”

  Sara stopped staring at the wall and turned to look at Gigi.

  “You’re replacing Katia. She was my friend, but no one cares that she’s gone. They all just want to talk about you like she never existed.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s not your fault. You didn’t even know her. I just get upset by how everyone acts like we girls are interchangeable. Like who cares that Katia’s missing because Silas hired a new blonde. The girls only care about tips and floor assignments. The customers only care about how you’re hotter than Katia. It’s not fair. She’s a person and she matters, but no one except me cares how she’s just gone.”

  “Isn’t anyone looking for her?”

  “The police don’t care because she lived and worked in the Circle. The packs handle crime in the Circle and they don’t care because she’s human.”

  “A lady on TV hired a person called a private investigator to find her missing sister. Do they have those in real life too?”

  Sara frowned at her and Gigi knew she said something wrong. TV wasn’t real, she told herself.

  “The only guy like that around here who has the power to talk to anyone in the Circle is Michael, but he costs money and all my money goes to rent and school.”

  “I have money. I could give him the money and he could find Katia.”

  “She’s probably dead.”

  Confused, Gigi sat next to Sara. “But you said you wanted someone to care.”

  “I do.”

  “Can I care?”

  “Yes, but Michael won’t help us. He’s a Were and he doesn’t care about humans.”

  “Can I ask him? The lady on TV said she just wanted to know the truth. Maybe if I give Michael enough money, he’ll help you find out the truth about Katia?”

  Sara stared at her again. “Why would you do that though?”

  “Isn’t that the right thing to do?”

  Sara’s eyes searched Gigi’s face for something. “There’s something wrong with you, isn’t there?”

  Nodding, Gigi sighed. “I’m not sure what it is though.”

  “Do you really have money to do this? I don’t want you to get in trouble by spending what you can’t afford.”

  “I have lots of money in my checkbook, but I don’t know how to get it out.”

  Sara nodded. “I could show you, but I don’t think two humans going to see Michael will lead to anything. Maybe you could get Ella to go with you? Declan treats her like a kid sister and I’d think Michael would want to make nice with Declan.”

  “I’ll ask her.”

  “Where are you working tonight?”

  “The witch floor.”

  “They’ll screw with you,” Sara said immediately. “They screw with everyone, so it’s not personal. Even if they hurt you or embarrass you or do something mean, don’t get mad. They like to get girls into trouble that way. Don’t cry either. Just smile and act like it doesn’t bother you. They only mess with the girls who react to their crap, but you’re new so they’ll test you.”

  “Are witches evil?”

  “Yes. All of the monsters here are evil,” Sara whispered. “One of them probably killed Katia.”

  Gigi frowned at this idea. “Why do you work here?”

  “Because I can make enough money for school by working here, but this place drives me crazy. The Weres were so nasty with all their staring as if they’d never seen boobs before. The witches are mean. The Vamps are stuck up and the ghouls are foul. Every one of them sucks, but I need the money. I’m not sure why you’re here though.”

  “I want to be a cook and Silas said if I waitressed I could also be a chef. Eventually I could just be a chef.”

  Sara’s eyes changed and her face grew softer. “He’ll never let you be a chef here, Gigi. He’s a Were and they’re dicks. He only sees tits and ass with you, nothing more. The only females he lets be in the kitchen are ugly. Unless you throw acid on your face, you’ll never be a full time chef here.”

  Gigi felt her chest hurt at Sara’s words. She really wanted to be a chef and Silas said she could. If he was lying, what was she supposed to do now? Maybe sensing her unhappiness, Sara patted her hand.

  “Just be careful with the witches. Oh, and don’t tell them I said they’re evil. They won�
��t like that.”

  “Okay.”

  Sara nodded and stood up. “Thank you for trying to help with Katia.”

  “I’m sorry no one cares.”

  Sara smiled, happy again as she walked away. Once she was alone, Gigi pulled her boots on and looked at herself in the mirror. She was so close to being naked, it seemed silly to wear clothes at all.

  The elevator brought her to the witch floor and she walked out to a room full of rich blues, reds, and purples. The music sounded like what her neighbor Bethany listened to. The singer wasn’t speaking English and Gigi didn’t know what she was saying. The music was pretty though and not as loud as on the pack floor. Gigi didn’t like it loud.

  “Hi, I’m Holly!” said a loud brunette.

  “I’m Gigi.”

  “Uh, you can use your real name here.”

  “Okay.”

  Holly studied her like Sara studied her. It wasn’t pleasant to be studied, Gigi decided.

  “Okay, so it’s just like on the pack floor. You take orders and you bring them what they want. Flirting is fine, but be careful. Unlike on the pack floor, there are female customers here and they don’t like having you slobber over their family members. If you want to flirt, get the guy to come to the bar and do it. Never flirt at the tables where their witch mommies and sisters and aunties and grannies can watch. If you make them mad, they’ll curse you. Oh, and someone is going to play a trick on you tonight. When they do, don’t cry. They really hate that. Don’t get mad either because they really, really hate that.”

  “Okay.”

  Again Holly stared at Gigi who stared back and finally Holly’s eyes looked at something else.

  “I’m going to leave you on your own for a few minutes because we’re not too busy yet and I need to pee. Just walk around and ask if anyone needs anything. If they do, get it for them.”

  Gigi glanced around the floor and headed to the nearest table. The male witches were deep in conversation and waved her off. The next table was no better and Gigi was hissed at. The third table led to another female hissing at her. Finally she stopped at a table where the females didn’t hiss.

  “A new girl,” said an older, yet ravishing brunette.

  “Can I get you anything?”

  “Tell me your name, darling,” the witch asked with an accent which made her words sound pretty.

  “Gigi.”

  The witches at the table all stared at her like she was messing with them. She knew that look because it was the same look Silas gave her when she told him her name.

  “Well, Gigi, aren’t you precious?” a younger female witch said.

  Unsure if precious was a compliment or not, Gigi said nothing, but pulled out her pad and paper. She liked writing things down.

  “Do you need anything?”

  “Did you know you have a ghost bound to you,” said the older witch.

  “Yes.”

  The witches looked at one another seeming pleased. They were a dark haired, light eyed bunch and their skin coloring was soft like honey. Honey colored skin just like Anton who Gigi thought was very beautiful. Gigi thought these witches were beautiful too, but she knew witches were evil.

  “Come sit with us, Gigi,” the first witch said. “I am Mira. This is my daughter Verica and my beautiful boys Nolan and Spencer. Don’t you think my boys are handsome, Gigi?”

  Gigi nodded and it wasn’t a lie. Nolan was especially beautiful as he watched her with soft eyes unlike his brother who looked as if maybe he wanted to eat her. Did witches eat people? Unsure, Gigi felt nervous sitting there with the four of them watching her.

  “You are Katia’s replacement,” Verica said, looking bored.

  “Sad, sad news about Katia,” Mira sighed. “So pretty and I think her grandparents were Ukrainian.”

  Gigi said nothing because there was nothing to say. If there was, she wasn’t going to figure out what it was. Nolan smiled at her and the smile was soft like his eyes.

  “Tell us about your ghost,” he said quietly as his fair blue eyes studied her in a nicer way than Sara or Holly studied her.

  Gigi knew almost nothing about her ghost, like she knew almost nothing about anything. Yet they seemed interested in the white haired ghost who followed her around.

  “It’s a girl ghost and she likes flowers, but when she touched them at the park today, they died. I think that made her sad.”

  “They died because she is death,” Verica said. “Aren’t you scared to have death following you around?”

  “No. She seems nice. She dances when I put on music, but I think watching me eat makes her sad. A lot of things make her sad. I guess that’s because she’s dead.”

  “How long has the ghost been bound to you?” Mira asked, looking over Gigi’s shoulder at the ghost who was swaying to the music with her eyes closed.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Would you like to be rid of her?”

  “No. Does she want to be rid of me?”

  When the witches laughed, Gigi smiled even though she didn’t know why they were laughing.

  “Ghosts enjoy being with the living,” Mira explained, her steely blue eyes on the spot over Gigi’s shoulder. “Most bind themselves to places, not people. Maybe she is someone special to you? A relative, maybe?”

  “Maybe. I don’t remember many of my relatives.”

  Only Mamma Celeste.

  “Death following you could mean you will die soon,” Verica said and Mira shushed her daughter.

  “Say no such dreadful things about such a sweet girl. You are very sweet, aren’t you, Gigi?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe. How would I know?”

  The witches said nothing and Gigi knew she had made a mistake. Sometimes talking was good, but sometimes it made people act weird. Not people, but witches.

  “You have power, child,” Mira said softly. “Yet no magic flares in you.”

  “I don’t know what that means,” Gigi said, feeling a tad frustrated.

  “It means you’re special,” Spencer said while he continued to look at her like she was food and he was hungry.

  “Okay,” Gigi said, pushing her loose blonde hair behind her ears the way she saw Dahlia do the night before.

  The witches studied her silently again, until Nolan spoke up. “Maybe we should let Gigi get back to work before the floor manager complains.”

  “Oh, shush, Nolan. The floor manager will do no such thing,” Mira said. “Gigi child, where is your family from?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Mira cocked an eyebrow like Justine did the day before when Ella was teasing her. Maybe the witch thought Gigi was teasing her.

  “Nolan is right,” Verica said, still looking bored. “We should let Gigi go away.”

  Gigi stood up and waited to see if anyone tried to stop her. She smiled because she knew she was supposed to smile a lot and then she stepped away. Before she reached the bar, the floor moved under her and she felt herself falling.

  Gigi’s butt hit the ground with a jolt. Sliding further on the slippery floor and scraping her spine, Gigi never remembered feeling pain before. She rested on her back startled for a minute, just staring at the ceiling and wondering when the pain would go away. Suddenly a face came into view – a handsome face with soft blue eyes.

  Nolan took her hand and helped her stand, but her leg hurt and she wobbled. Holding her under the arm, he helped her find her footing and Gigi smiled awkwardly. Nolan returned the smile, but his eyes looked angry.

  Don’t get mad. Don’t cry. The witches hate that.

  “Thank you,” Gigi said with a big, possibly crazy looking, smile.

  “My brother is a prick.”

  Gigi thought this to be a strange declaration, but she nodded and kept her smile.

  “Everyone falls down sometimes,” she said because it sounded true, but her butt really hurt and her left leg didn’t want to hold her up.

  “Are you alright?” he asked in a gentle voice which made
her want to listen to him talk more.

  Nodding, Gigi took a tentative step and smiled brighter, now definitely using the crazy smile. “Thank you, Nolan.”

  Walking to the bar, she wondered if the ice would return or if the trick was over. Either way she faked like she was happy the rest of the evening, but her back and leg throbbed. Her boots made the pain worse, but she just kept smiling and never complained because witches really hate that.

  Chapter Five

  Gigi watched as Ella - the redheaded girl who turned into a dog - walked around her apartment. The Were had dots all over her face called freckles and Gigi had an incredible urge to touch them. Ella put her hands on her hips and sighed.

  “Who decorated your apartment, an eight year old girl?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “It was like this when you moved in?”

  “Yes,” Gigi said, still wondering about those freckles.

  “You could change it.”

  “It’s pretty and it relaxes me.”

  Gigi wasn’t sure she actually could change the apartment since she didn’t know why it looked the way it did.

  Ella watched her with a grin. “Yes, because you need to be more relaxed.”

  Not understanding, Gigi just smiled because people seemed to like when she smiled.

  “Michael won’t help us,” Ella said. “You should be ready for that.”

  “Why won’t he help us?”

  “He’s weird and grouchy. He’s also more of an enforcer than a detective. If he thinks a Were killed Katia, he’ll be inclined to cover it up, even if he kills the Were who did it.”

  “We shouldn’t try then?”

  “Oh, we’ll try. I just didn’t want you getting emotional when he blew us off. I had to hear enough crying last night on the pack floor. Monica got her feelings hurt because the guys bitched about you not being there. She must have been PMSing because she started bawling and didn’t stop for a fucking hour.”

  “Do Weres get mad like the witches do when girls cry?”

  “No, they’re dudes. They just get awkward and look for some other chick to get the first chick to stop crying. She probably got really good tips from them. They were bummed you weren’t there though.”