“And you talk about him? Jeeze Dae, your Sasquatch impression is fierce.” Iya said.
Dae halted the growling she didn’t realize she started and decided to plan her revenge on Marcus later. Oh and there would be revenge.
“Anyway, so while you two got to enjoy the day I was stuck here. I don’t think that was fair.”
“I offered to take you out to tons of places Dae. You refused each one.” Koda said.
“That’s because all those places sucked. Maybe if you had a better i-ma-gin-ation you could have come up with an idea that was actually fun.” Dae retorted. Dae made a box shape when she said ‘imagination’ that made Raj and Iya laugh. Classic SpongeBob Squarepants.
Koda narrowed his eyes at Dae, wondering what his mate was up to. He scented a hint of half-truth and it wasn’t because Dae didn’t want to go anywhere with him, which she truthfully didn’t. This wasn’t her usual insults and snide remarks.
He knew what Dae wanted him to say, and he couldn’t help the curiosity he felt to see where this was going. It was definitely going somewhere.
“Ok, how bout you use some of your ‘i-ma-gin-ation’ to figure out something fun to do.” Koda said making the box shape as well.
They all laughed when Koda made the imagination box. He looked like an idiot.
“I want to go to the mall.” And there it went. The silence was deafening and Dae worried that she was caught.
Iya froze then regained her composure before the Sasquatch looked at her. “Sounds good to me.”
“The mall is a very bad idea.” Koda objected.
“The mall is a bad idea? Are you serious? Will all the shopping hurt my fine sensibilities?”
“No logistically it’s going to make it harder to protect you.”
“First of all you damn abominable snow thing I don’t need you to protect me, you need to protect her. That’s why I’m here. Since Raj and Iya became the cuddle buddies, she’s good. Second of all the mall is highly populated which means no one’s going to do anything to draw attention to themselves.” Dae snapped at Koda.
“How do you know that? You don’t know them–”
“And you know them? You know what they care about and don’t care about! Oh Mr. Sasquatch, please school the rest of the class.”
Dae stood to yell at Koda. Who the hell did he think he was? Protect her? He was about to need some protection himself.
Koda really couldn’t say anything without giving Dae the whole story… and Koda knew that would be very bad idea right now.
“Mr. Sasquatch, a quick reply would be much appreciated for this asinine argument.” Dae said and then she realized that he had no argument. He was speechless… Score!
“And since the Mr. Sasquatch is speechless I give myself an A. The student has become the teacher. I am the Yoda to your Obi Wan. Going to go get dressed now, I am. Yeesssssss…” Dae smiled triumphantly.
Dae even skipped along ignoring the silence of the room she just left. That went amazingly well. Once she closed the door to the bedroom, she started doing her football touchdown dance as silently as she could.
Phase one complete. Now on to phase two.
Iya sat as speechless both of the men. Dae had completely lost her mind. Dae actually wanted to go to the mall? Iya had to twist her roommates arm to get her to go to the mall. And then Dae complained the whole time about how much everybody stank. What was more confusing was how Dae flipped her lid on Koda in a heartbeat. Dae always had a temper, but rarely did she jump up yelling like a crazy woman.
But the Yoda-speak was just disturbing. She even made her voice Yoda-like.
“I’m going to… yeah.” Iya patted Raj’s leg, feeling comfortable with Raj even though she just met him. It was nice. Iya wanted to cheat and see if she could channel her gift to see what his future held but she knew that would be a bad idea.
Iya knocked to let Dae know she was coming in and entered the room. Dae didn’t like surprises. Dae was searching through her duffle for God knows what. Maybe some Star Wars action figures? Iya didn’t even know that Dae liked those kinds of movies.
“So… the mall?” Iya asked whispering.
For some reason Iya felt as though she needed to keep this conversation away from Koda. Iya sensed it.
Dae motioned a finger to her mouth in the universal shush gesture and Iya nodded. “Sure, it’s been a while you know. I want to buy a new shirt.”
“Me too. It’s been forever since we went shopping.” Iya mouthed ‘tell me!’ to Dae.
“I know, hopefully they’ll have some sales.” Dae mouthed ‘later’.
Iya mouthed ‘Star Wars?!’ incredulously.
Dae answered by grinning shamelessly. Iya decided to drop it for the moment. Star Wars love aside, Iya really did want go shopping.
Shopping!! Whatever game Dae was playing was ok with Iya as long as she got a cute outfit.
The Mall was packed with people. Young, old, kids, babies… Dae had to make sure she had nothing in her stomach so she didn’t retch all over them.
That would definitely blow her cover.
Places like malls rarely were cleaned top to bottom and the scents of people stuck to every surface. Some people didn’t smell so bad but then there was the perfume bathers who often congregated with the lotion smotherers and were always close to the hair fryers (dyers, permers, product bingers). The perfume bathers tended to be older in age, the lotion smotherers tended to be younger and the hair fryers were both young and old.
The combined odors assaulted Dae’s nose and not for the first time in her life she wished she had a regular person’s nose.
Dae wanted to laugh aloud; Dae never could fit in as ‘regular’ but since they were in the underwear isle in JC Penney she decided to hold it in. She didn’t need to advertise her insanity while she looked at thong underwear she would never buy. Causing a scene might interfere with her plans.
Dae felt more than she saw Koda and Raj keeping an eye on Iya and herself. They kept their distance, sort of like solders but Dae knew they would be there in a split second if either needed them.
Dae felt so stupid. Had she not had that altercation with Koda earlier, she wouldn’t have stumbled onto her great revelation in the shower: Koda had the nose. It made sense, how he knew how she felt regardless of how well she hid it. Dae really should have known. Didn’t he even tell her in so many words?
That was a huge mistake on his part, huge. And she messed up too. Dae was getting sloppy. Dae didn’t talk to people so no one knew her strengths or her weaknesses. And her nose? It was both. Dae just hoped Koda was dumb enough to believe that she hadn’t caught on yet. That will teach him to rub himself along a doorway every single night.
And she knew he was doing it every single night!
Raj accompanied them on Dae’s revenge trip and surprisingly was not as annoying as Dae thought he was. Raj was making his intentions with Iya known. Anybody could see he was smitten with Iya. As much as Dae wanted to make Raj wish he never laid eyes on Iya, Dae knew that she shouldn’t get involved. Iya had to do whatever made Iya happy, so Dae decided to ignore the uneasy feeling she felt in the pit of her stomach.
Iya dragged them all along to Sephora. Dragged being the operative word because none of them wanted to step foot in that place. When she said ‘Sephora!’ Iya swore all three of them cringed.
At Sephora, Dae positioned herself by the cosmetics counter. Iya was looking at something or other while Raj was her shadow and man repellent. Dae didn’t wear makeup but who the hell said she couldn’t pretend to be interested in it?
The cosmetics counter was close to the male side of the fragrance counter. Close to that was a group of guys trying to get the phone number of the pretty fragrance girl who worked there. Perfect. Dae would never again cringe when Iya squealed ‘Sephora!’
Or Dae wouldn’t visibly cringe. Ok, maybe she would still cringe but she wouldn’t run away screaming. Forget it; she would still try to run. That place stunk to hig
h hell.
Dae felt Koda’s eyes on her as she perused the selection of lipsticks. Hmm. Maybe she should try some on. Dae picked a deep red from the selection named ‘Red Riding Rouge’ and almost laughed aloud.
It was new. Dae refused to use an opened lipstick; she even scented it to make sure. It smelled like plastic, wax, light perfume and oil. It didn’t smell repugnant so Dae applied it to her lips. She even made a popping noise when she was finished. It felt… weird.
Smiling wickedly, she pretended to act unsure if she was going to purchase it. There was no way she wanted to waste money on lipstick. Besides, she had already caught the attention from one of the guy’s in the crowd who was flirting with the fragrance girl. Dae didn’t really care who it was, she just needed a pawn.
“You are working that lipstick.” Big Dumb and corny said. He moved to stand next to Dae as she batted her eyes and pouted in the mirror.
“You think? I don’t know. This red is very red, it might stain. Would you mind walking around with red lipstick stains all over your clothes?” Dae said coyly noting the innuendo. Dae had to admit she was good at crap like this. It was going better than the first time she tried it. Maybe it didn’t work the first time because this was fake and before was…
Focus! She did not need her hormones getting in the way, which seemed to happen anytime she was near, thought or dreamed about the Sasquatch.
In the time it took Dae to blink, Koda was so close to her Dae felt him all over her skin. Koda was growling and Dumb was soon followed by Dumber.
Dae chose well today.
“What did I say about my personal space! You can’t just show up like this!”
Dae backed up towards her new friends as Dumber asked menacingly “He bothering you?”
Koda stalked Dae until she had the Dumb and Dumber at her back. Dae hated people at her back but it was the only way for her plan to work.
Dae shook her head and said, “He got too close.”
Dumb touched her arm and Dae felt like gouging his eyes out with the hand he was sure to lose if he didn’t stop touching her. Patience, Dae told her crazy self. This would work and then it would be all worth it.
Koda was foaming at the mouth. Dae saw Iya and Raj making their way over. She didn’t have but 15 seconds before her plan went south and she was not starting all over again. Dae felt enraged as Dumb pushed her behind him but Dae couldn’t have asked for a more predictable pawn.
“Why don’t you leave the lady alone?” Dumber said, Dae guessed feeling mighty good about having all his six friends surrounding him. Dae knew Koda would kick all their asses sooner or later. Dae was just hoping it would be after she was able to complete her task.
Koda’s eyes looked completely black and crazed. Something about it excited Dae’s crazy self. Dae had pocketed a foul smelling cologne earlier in JC Penney and was waiting for her moment.
Koda growled menacingly and Dae understood it to mean ‘move or die’. Dae needed to get some serious help. She was imagining too much crap in that man’s growls. Koda grabbed Dumb and lifted him clean off the floor. Dumber and their friends rushed Koda and he smacked two of them away before they attempted a pile-on. This was her chance. Dae ducked behind the counter barrier so it blocked her from Raj and started spraying the nasty cologne upward towards all the men. Koda was busy tossing bodies aside with his back to her as he got caught in a cologne cloud when he inhaled. Dae yanked the spray top off and rolled the bottle under the pile up. Now they would all reek of it.
Raj arrived as Koda made it to his feet. Dae stood and widened her eyes as if horrified.
“Dae that was a bad idea.” Raj said.
Dae snorted in disgust as she got unbelievably pissed. Who the hell did Raj think he was?
“Excuse me? I was trying on lipstick. I know everybody doesn’t look good in red but nobody fucking asked for your opinion ASSHOLE!” Dae was about to jump on Raj but a security guard stepped in front of him.
“Whoa! Back up lady!” He had his nightstick in his hand and Dae was debating on what was the most uncomfortable way to make him taste it.
Definitely through the rear entrance.
Dae was about to test her theory as Koda grabbed her arms and pulled her back. Instead of spinning on him to kick his ass she started to back up as he did the same. Dae opened her mouth and growled. Koda echoed the same growl and Dae swore it meant ‘run’. So she did. She saw Raj grab Iya before Koda grabbed her and they were off.
The run through the mall was crazy and Dae loved every minute of it. She made her way through the crowd like she was buttered; the crowd just slid right off her. Or maybe it was the growling Koda behind her that made the crowd part like the red sea. All Dae could say was it was amazing, she never felt more alive than when she was running with Koda. Her only destination was away and it felt good. It felt freeing. If Dae could she would have run forever. They made it outside as more rent-a-cops started pulling up.
Koda was fast as he grabbed Dae’s waist and flung her into his arms. He slipped them back behind the tree pot that held a young birch. He made a small note on how good she felt against him as he made sure the incoming cops couldn’t see them.
His wolf was so close to the surface, he felt the need to shift and protect his mate. If those cops came upon them right now… He scented his mate’s excitement as they ran and her contentment as he held her. Dae twisted herself and squirmed out of his hold as the rent-a-cops stampeded into the mall. They would only have precious seconds to slip away. Dae hoped Raj got Iya out of another entrance but somehow Dae knew Raj wouldn’t let Koda down.
Koda and Dae began ninja stepping stealthily around the parking lot. They made it to the trees by the highway and Dae scented cinnamon and hot cream… Iya’s scent. She started rushing to it dragging Koda along by the hand. Dae looked back at Koda and saw him eyeing everything suspiciously. Dae scented and caught Raj’s scent with Iya’s but nothing else. Ahhh. There. Koda had indeed lost his nose. Phase two complete. Dae was going to dance around as soon as she got the chance to be alone in the bedroom.
They made their way silently to where Raj and Iya sat. Iya was shaking like a leaf as Raj held her. Iya looked up as Koda and Dae approached and demanded, “What happened??”
Dae looked at her hands; one clutched Koda’s massive hand and the other the lipstick. Dae immediately yanked her hand back and handed the lipstick to Iya. “I guess I’m a thief. And it wasn’t even my color.”
Dae heard Koda sneezing in the behind her. She hoped his nose would be messed up for a while tonight. There was more to Mission Eighty-six the sidekicks than a cologne cloud of revenge.
“What? Tell me what happened. What did you do?” Iya accused.
“You know what! I am so sick of everybody asking what I did. Let me tell you I am not the reason everything goes to shit. The national deficit, not me! The crappy economy, not me! Bad reality TV, not me either! All I was doing was looking at lipsticks. I tried one on and some random asshole approached me.” Dae pointed at the still sneezing Koda as she continued, “Then this guy starts jumping in my space when all I want to do is get the hell away from everybody. Next thing I know all hell broke loose, were running from rent-a-cops and you accuse me of doing I don’t know what!”
Everything Dae said was the truth and she only left out how she planned this all along. But since Iya didn’t ask…
Dae was pissed, but not at Iya, Raj or Koda. She was pissed at herself. Again. She finally noticed she had held the Sasquatches hand all through the mall and trees and she didn’t know why. What was wrong with her?
Koda was still sneezing unable to defend himself and Raj looked confused.
“I’m out. Ya’ll can enjoy yourselves as you blame me for ageism, racism, and sexism here all night for all I care. I really wanted to do some shopping. I didn’t even get my damn shirt.”
Dae stomped off and Iya felt guilty. Iya gave one disapproving look at the sneezing Koda and followed Dae. Could Dae be telling the t
ruth? Yes, Iya believed Dae was telling the truth. Was it the whole truth, nothing but the truth so help her God? Iya doubted it. Dae may have instigated the situation a little somewhere along the timeline but Iya was pretty sure Koda’s overreaction was all his doing.
Iya caught up to a fuming Dae. “I’m sorry.”
“Whatever. You don’t mean it.” And Iya didn’t. Iya was just trying to get Dae not to be mad at her.
“Ok, but Dae seriously? After all the crap I’ve seen you pull, you’re actually going to get mad at me for assuming this was all your doing? You were the one who wanted to go to the mall–”
“You give me too much credit Iya. I wanted a shirt. You ruined one of my favorite shirts because of your allegiance to the Horned One. What would I get out of starting a huge fight in the mall before I got my shirt? Because of this, I am a wanted individual. They’re going to have composite drawings up of me all over. I’ll have to cut and dye my hair. You know how bad I am going to stink after that! I’ll be on the lamb for the rest of my life with stinky hair!”
“I’m not the one with allegiances’ to the Horned One. A bit over dramatic there, don’t you think? I’m pretty sure Koda didn’t hurt anybody and if anyone’s wanted, it’s him. What set him off anyway?”
“Some random creep and a comment about my lipstick being everywhere.” Dae loved being her. So what if her behavior may indeed look like she was an agent of Satan? What she said was the absolute truth. Some random creep and that comment about her lipstick was what set Koda off like land mine. The only thing Dae was withholding was that she was the one who said it.
Potato, tomato.
“So a loser hit on you and Koda freaked?”
“Yup. He’s got problems a psychology degree couldn’t fix. Can we go home now?”
“No, Dae. He may have some issues but you have to understand why. You know he’s so in love you he doesn’t know what to do with himself. Right?”
When Iya said that Dae felt like smiling. Why? She didn’t know and that made her angry. This was not a celebratory moment!
Godsdammit!!
“Iya your really have to stop huffing that paint. You got brain rot.”
Lost & Found (A Lost Ones Novel Book 1) Page 23