“I should turn this car around and drive you right back,” she says.
“Where’s the fun in that? Besides, I owe you two drinks, and I do my utmost to be a woman of my word, though my track record’s been a bit spotty of late, don’t want more red on my ledger.”
The witch mulls this over. I can practically see the angel and demon on her shoulders duking it out. When a smirk forms on her round face, I know I’ve corrupted another pure soul. Hope this one thanks me for it later, unlike the last. “One drink. But if Frank asks me …”
“I held you at gunpoint and told you to make a break for Canada, I swear.”
“Alright, but don’t make me regret this.”
“Miss McGregor, after a night out with me, may the only regrets you have be that you made out with the hot busboy, and they haven’t invented a cure for a hangover.”
_____
“… two, three, go!”
Lick, pour, suck. The tequila rolls down my throat like battery acid. The lime cuts the taste, but I still shudder from the after burn. Mona spasms too and sticks out her tongue in disgust. She sucks on the lime but shudders again. “Hell’s bells, that is awful!”
“Then why’d you do it again?” I ask with a laugh.
“Because …” She grabs another lime and sucks. “Peer pressure?”
“I accept full responsibility.”
“Good. Thank you. Should we do another?” she asks with a glint in her eye. “Bartender! Another shot!”
The fifty-something bartender shakes his bald head with disapproval but does as asked. Kind of judgmental here at the Adolphous Inn. Maybe we should have gone to Ocean’s Bar at the edge of town, but Mona insisted we come here with its beige wallpaper, paintings of sailboats on the walls, and wooden stools and booths. At least there’s some prime talent here tonight with two handsome devils in a diagonal booth checking us out periodically. Vivian from a week ago would have already grabbed Mona by the collar, dragged her over there to be my wingman, and had my tongue down faux hawk’s throat. She could have the Italian stallion. Tonight I do my best to ignore them. Once you’ve had prime rib, a hamburger just won’t suffice.
The bartender finishes pouring and Mona holds up her shot glass. “To my first girls’ night out in … um … hell if I remember.”
I hold up my glass too. “To booze, boys, and howling at the moon because of both.” We clink glasses, salt, lick, pour, suck, and shimmy. “Oh, fuck, that is rank. No more.”
Mona tosses down her lime rind with a grin. “I am having so much fun. I never get to do this.” I notice she glances over at the men and turns red, not from the hooch this time. Her eyes then avert down to the bar, the grin fading. “Do those guys keep looking at us or am I nuts?”
“Mona, we’re the only two drunk women in this place, who also just happen to be smoking hot. Damn straight they’re checking us out.”
“Maybe you,” she says with a scoff. “A man hasn’t checked me out since Clinton was in office.”
If she only knew. Be it the booze, her sadness under the strong façade, or just my lack of ability to keep my mouth shut, I want so bad to tell her about Adam. But my new Popeye-after-spinach- strong self-control instead makes me grab the water and drink to keep my mouth occupied until the urge passes. “Sorry. Tequila makes me thirsty.”
“What about you? Got someone special back home?” Mona asks.
“It’s complicated. Very complicated. He … the man has two settings, lava hot and deep space cold. He’s always searching for something in me, and I can’t for the life of me figure out what the hell it is. He wants me, he cares about me, but he’s holding back. And it’s not like I’m asking him to propose or anything.” I shake my head. “I don’t know. I don’t want to talk about it. I came here to get away from that bullshit.” I sip my water again. “Let’s talk about you. You really haven’t been out on a date this millennia?”
She rolls her eyes. “I’ve been kind of busy. Raising my teenage sister, caring for my dying grandparents, running my shop and house, not to mention being responsible for over a hundred witches and their education and problems. I barely have time to sleep let alone date.”
“Does that bother you? Not having any time for yourself? Being at everyone’s beck and call?”
“Sometimes, I guess,” she says, drinking her water. “But … they’re family. I love and respect them. I give myself, my time because I know they’d do the same for me if they could. That’s what family does. That’s what love is—putting someone ahead of yourself. That’s the true test. And I was always an excellent test taker,” she says with a smirk.
“Well, I’ve failed more than I passed,” I admit.
“But I bet the ones you aced the hell out of were the ones you actually cared about,” she counters. She leans in toward me. “When it matters, when it really matters, you’ll be shocked at the strength you have inside you. I guaran-damn-tee it.” She leans back with a smile. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to see a horse about a man. Excuse me.”
Mona leaps off the stool, only to wobble a little. She uses the bar to steady herself before tottering off in search of a bathroom. I sip my water and sigh. She is right. I got straight As in music and P.E. I loved those two classes. Maybe that’s my problem, I just don’t give a shit about anything. Anyone. It’s just so damn hard to rev that motor when it’s rusted over from lack of use. I—
“Alone at last, Miss Dahl.”
I glance to my right, the way Mona went, and notice a large man strolling toward me with a grin. He’s tall, almost as tall as Jason, with the same musclebound physique shown off in a white shirt and tight jeans, but softer face complete with shaved bald head and goatee. Not my type even pre-Jason. Something about him, be it the grin or hard brown eyes staring me down, instantly puts me on edge. The moment he’s at my side, so are the other two men from the booth, circling me so I have no way to escape. Despite the familiar heat radiating from them, my blood goes ice cold.
“We haven’t been introduced. I’m Seth. Welcome to the family.”
Fuck.
My hand shoots toward the purse on the bar, but Seth grabs my hand halfway, squeezing it so hard I clench my teeth. “Wouldn’t do that if I was you,” Seth whispers into my ear. “Not unless you want me to go upstairs and rip open the witch’s throat, that is after Mal here shoots you dead with the gun under his jacket.” I glance from faux hawk’s jacket to the bartender, eyes pleading. I’m met only with terror in his before he looks down and turns his back on me. Bastard.
“How’d you know I was here?” His buddies came in about ten minutes after we did. “Your rat?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Get up.” Seth literally pulls the chair out from under me before latching onto my arm to guide me out. “See you later, Simon,” Seth calls to the bartender as he maneuvers me out.
Fuck. Fuck.
Whether it’s the tequila or near-maddening fear, it’s difficult to walk through the hotel’s small lobby and outside. “I lost some of my best men because of you,” the monster says on the death march.
“Good.”
He squeezes my arm harder. My teeth may break, I’m clenching them so tight. “Tough. We’ll see just how tough by the end of the night. Why should Jason just get his leg over, huh?”
He thrusts me out the hotel’s double doors into the warm night. The Inn is situated in downtown Adolphus, with shops and restaurants lining the brick street, and people filtering in and out. People. Hallelujah. Screw this noise. This isn’t happening. Not again. I’ve already seen what’s at the end of this road. I haven’t healed from the last ride. “Let me go.”
“Now why would I—”
“HELP ME!” I shriek at the top of my lungs. “HELP! RAPE! RAPE!”
The men are so shocked at my disobedience we stop moving, giving me time to turn sideways and knee
Seth in the groin. He releases me, and I make it two steps toward the bystanders before Mal with the gun lunges. Five years of cardio kickboxing training takes control. My foot pounds into his stomach with all my force as I roar. He folds in the middle as all the air is knocked from his lungs. The third stooge just gawks for a second at his doubled-over compatriots. They thought I’d make this easy for them. Morons. Unlike the Italian, I don’t hesitate, I take off toward the hotel.
“Hey!” one of the people down the sidewalk calls.
I don’t get far. The Italian catches up to me not ten feet from the hotel door. The fucker grabs my wrist, and spins me around into a bear hug not even a bear could survive. “Fight and I’ll snap your goddamn neck,” the Italian stallion snarls.
“Let her go!” the Good Samaritan shouts, “or we’re calling the police.”
The stallion’s brown eyes are alight with fury and indecision. He’s not used to making the calls. “Let her go,” Seth calls behind us. “We have to get out of here.”
Without hesitation, the Italian releases me and I back away, panting now I’m able to breathe again. My eyes jut to a snarling, seething Seth who stares me down with utter contempt. I mimic the gesture. “This isn’t over, bitch. Tell your father I’m going to rip his spine out. I’m coming back for what’s mine, and I plan to rain hell down on anyone who opposes me. Those already dead will be the lucky ones. You’re going to be wishing I’d killed you tonight.”
“Come on, we gotta go,” faux hawk Mal says to his leader.
“And you’re first, bitch!”
With one final snarl, Seth turns and sprints down the street with his pals a clip behind. I just watch, still panting like I’d just finished the Tour de France, as the threesome climb into a black van and tear out of the parking spot, then down the near empty street. Away. Jesus Christ. My legs finally buckle, and I collapse onto the sidewalk, staring down that road.
Jesus Christ. Can’t a girl just enjoy a drink around here?
_____
“Really, I’m okay. Stop mother-henning me. I’m fine.”
Mona stares down at me, lips pursed with disapproval, but she does back away. She’s been fussing over me since she found me outside trying to convince the Good Samaritans not to phone the police. I am still a fugitive after all. They listened to Mona more than me. Despite three shots of tequila, she took charge like a pro, convincing the couple we’d phone the police from her hotel room before ushering me up here. Without another word, the witch sat me down on the bed, poured black salt along the door, then phoned Frank. She just gave him the broad strokes, where we were, then hung up to check on me. For what just happened, I’m oddly calm. No more shaking or trouble breathing. I just sit calmly on the edge of the bed, sip the water Mona got me, and wait for the cavalry. Think the tequila’s doing its job, otherwise I’d probably be a mess.
My new friend sits beside me, pulling up the blanket she insisted I drape around my shoulders. “You’re not freezing or—”
“I’m not in shock, no. I swear to you, I’m fine,” I assure her. “I didn’t have to kill anyone, I didn’t have to dig a bullet out of someone’s arm, there was no car chase. I’ve dealt with worse, but I’m sorry I dragged you into this.”
“I’m sorry I wasn’t around to help. Though it doesn’t sound like you needed it.”
“I got lucky.” I scoff. “First time for everything, right?”
The knock on the door jolts us both an inch off the bed. My hand instinctively reaches for the gun by my side. “Mona?”
Oh, I’ve never been so happy to hear someone’s voice. Mona rises to unlock and open the door. Frank sent the big guns. Jason steps in first, followed by Adam and Tate. All for little old me. I am in so much fucking trouble judging from the brutal scowl on Jason’s face. That look is more deadly than an army of werewolves. “Mona,” Jason says, not removing his eyes from me, “could you please excuse us for a minute?”
“Yeah, you can help me check in. I’m your bodyguard for the rest of the night,” Tate says with a gentle smile.
“Is that necessary?” Mona asks.
“Just a precaution,” Tate says, ushering her out.
Adam nods at me before following his brother out. He probably hates me right now for putting the love of his life in danger. I don’t blame him. I blame me too. He shuts the door behind himself and I’m alone with the very person I was running away from.
“Are you—”
“3GK245, Maryland plates. The car was a black van, a newer model not more than five years old. Chevy I think, but that was definitely the plate number. The rat must have seen me sneak out because the other two wolves got here very soon after we did. I wasn’t paying attention, but it could have been anyone in the hall or in the driveway when I was talking to Mona.”
“Vivian—” he begins, the scowl melting into impassivity.
I pull the blanket off my shoulders and manage to rise. “I’m an idiot. I know I’m an idiot. I put myself in danger, I put Mona in danger, I know. There is nothing you can say that will make me feel shittier than I already do. I just … I had to get out of that house. I took every precaution, but I fucked up anyway. I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry, and I will never, ever do it again. But at least we have a lead and no one was hurt. I’m just … sorry.”
Jason just stares at me, unreadable for a few seconds. The silence around us is palpable, deafening even. “Jason, just fucking say som—”
He takes two strides toward me before enveloping me in his arms and hugging tight. I’m too shocked at first to move, but that’s over in a millisecond before I embrace him back. I melt into him, into his scent, into his heat and the rapid rise and fall of his chest. I—
Over too soon. He pulls away, mask back on and eyes down to the blue carpet. “Adam will drive you back to the house. You are not to leave it again. I know you won’t. Thank you … for your leads. I’ll follow them up.” He nods before spinning on his heel and stalking out, not even bothering to close the door.
What the … ? I don’t think I’ll ever understand that man.
Adam steps into the doorway, usually cheerful face as stony as Jason’s. I did almost get his mate killed. “You ready to go?”
“Yeah,” I whisper. After I stick the gun back in my purse, I follow Adam out into the hallway. We walk shoulder to shoulder, both staring straight ahead. “I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, well … I’m sure you’ll make it up to us.”
And I will.
fifteen
“… gave proof through the night,
that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner
Yet wave. O’er the land of the free,
And the home of the brave?”
Our audience applauds as the children take their bows with wide, well-deserved grins on their faces. Whew, pulled that one out of my hat well. A day of practice, most can’t read the lyrics I printed out for them, and half couldn’t keep still in rehearsal. It took every ounce of my patience, including the little I keep in reserve, not to scream at them every five minutes. Glad I had only decided on the one song. The munchkins didn’t let me down. I shouldn’t have doubted them.
“Happy Independence Day everyone,” I say with smile affixed. I glance at Jason, who is making a rare appearance today for the picnic. He keeps his eyes to the ground as he claps. “Let freedom ring.”
Three days. It’s been three days since my jailbreak and three days until my birthday. Not a word, not a look. The only time I even laid eyes on him was last night from my bedroom window as he dropped Omar off before driving away again. Scuttlebutt is he’s been following leads on Seth acquired from Donovan’s computer and my keen observation skills. Of course I know this is crap because Devin told me there was nothing but work files on it, not a single e-mail even, and the van hasn’t been found or its owner. Guess Frank
had to tell them something. There are further rumors that Jason is investigating missing persons, that Seth’s building his ranks with new “recruits” like van owner Malcolm Jaffe. Okay, Adam told me point blank there’s been the odd wolf sighting, a missing man near Gettysburg, then more reports of strapping young men disappearing around the area as well. Sounds like Seth’s getting desperate. I knew that when I looked in his eyes. Not sure if that’s a good or bad thing.
Regardless, the natives, me included, are growing restless. Katie, Mac’s mother, even admitted to me that her husband Reid is planning on leaving after the full moon extravaganza tonight. He’s a hair’s breadth away from getting fired from his project manager’s job in D.C. He’s not the only one, and if he starts a precedent, there could be a mass exodus. Whatever Jason’s up to all day and night out there in the world, he better do it quick.
The good news is that I’ve been too tired, busy, then tired again to obsess over him too much. Only every other minute as opposed to every single one. I thought working two jobs plus auditions was exhausting. It’s got nothing on being responsible for ten children and four teenagers. At least Troy takes the job seriously now. After he lost Mason for hours during the scavenger hunt, I threatened to chop off his balls complete with snipping motion. He shaped up. Me too. All in, me. Penance paid one runny nose wiped or temper tantrum quashed at a time. I’ve barely had the energy to take an always cold shower, werewolves love hot water, before crashing into bed around ten. But I’m shocked how much I’m enjoying myself. Playing with them, talking to the kids, I haven’t had so much fun in years. I’m like the fucking kid whisperer.
“Thank you children,” Frank says as he strolls up the stone steps. “Vivian.” My mouth twitches into a cordial smile before the children and I join the others on the lawn. Devin, Linda, Claire, Maureen, and the children all greet me with proud smiles, which I return. Adam, who stands in the back with Jason and Tate, gives a reverent nod. He earns a smile too. His best friend keeps his head down. None for him then.
Werewolf Sings the Blues Page 23