I suck a breath in, my body humming with pent up desires I can’t act on. His eyes drop to my lips, and I want more than anything for him to come closer, but then AJ tugs at my sweater, breaking the spell between us. “Let’s go, before our regulars show up.”
“Right,” I say, reluctantly pulling my hand--and my gaze--from his. I turn away as Rune resumes stirring his pot. ”AJ and I will go open up while you finish brewing up your potion,” I say, trying to clear my head. “Bring Rain down when you're done. I don't want her left alone while those nutcases are out there."
The three of them nod and AJ and I head to the bar. Even before they finish their pledge, I’m already comfortable with them being around Rain. A lot has changed in a couple days. Everything, really.
We wipe down counters and prep the bar for whoever might wander in tonight. AJ peppers me with questions about Michael, from what we talked about to whether he was 'hung like a horse' in high school.
"You're terrible, you know that?" I say, spraying her with the water hose at the sink.
She shrieks, but before it hits her, she holds up her hands and the water turns to steam and dissipates into the air.
I shake my head. "I need some powers of my own." I wipe up the mess I made and walk to the door to unlock it. "Speaking of, I found out some news about me and Rain today. Apparently we come from a long line of witches."
She stares at me for a second, mouth agape, then rushes over and pulls me into a hug. "I always knew you were special. More special than me for sure."
I lean back to lock eyes with her. "AJ, that's not true. I don’t even have powers, not that I know of. You’re special. You've always been more special than you know."
"Pft," she says, walking back to the bar. "You're just saying that because you’re a very friendly, accommodating witch."
"No, it’s because you're my best friend and it's true," I counter, grabbing a rag left on one of the tables. "You just turned water into steam with your mind and you can make dudes do whatever you want. You’re, like, the most special. And maybe Rain has some hidden powers, but I'm just as ordinary as I was yesterday."
She flicks me with the rag in her hand. "Stop it. I see how those three sexy men upstairs look at you. Rune is ready to lay down his damn life for you. Zev looks like he’s about to hump your leg. And Darius wants to eat you, in the best possible way.” She wags her eyebrows, and I can’t help but laugh. “They didn't hunt a unicorn and make a vow for nothing. They want in your pants, bad. So don't give me any bullshit about being ordinary. There's never been anything ordinary about you."
Our conversation is cut short when the bell at the door rings. I expect to see Joe and Frank, but am surprised when it's Chief Roland.
I stand and smile. "Hey! Can I get you a drink?" I ask. "Scotch on the rocks, right?"
He smiles grimly. "Good memory, but no, I'm not here to drink. Unfortunately, I'm on official business."
"About what?" I ask, my heart suddenly pounding nervously in my chest. "Did something happen to Tilly?"
He shakes his head. "No nothing like that. It's about John Marsden." He looks over at AJ. "A few neighbors said he was driving this way the morning he disappeared.”
AJ freezes and I hold my breath, waiting to see how she responds. "And? You can drive this way without coming to this bar," she says, and I can almost feel the blast of her powers being thrown at the chief.
His eyes widen and his mouth drops open as he struggles to find his words. "We found... we found some blood, and the lab results finally came back."
"What do you mean?" I ask, repeating AJs words like an idiot.
"It was John’s blood. And we found it in front of Morgan’s. I'm going to need to talk to both of you, and definitely to those strange men that have been hanging around. This has officially become a murder investigation."
Chapter Fourteen
"How can I help you, Officer?"
AJ and I both turn to see Darius walking into the bar from the back entrance. He's inexplicably wearing a designer suit and tie, rather than his usual cos-play dress up, and his dark eyes are locked onto the Chief, who startles at the unexpected arrival.
"Uh, yes, I have a few questions for all of you about the night of John Marsden's disappearance. But I'll need to speak with your... the other men as well?"
Darius crosses the room quickly--normal human quickly not vampire quickly--and stands in front of the chief, towering over the stout man by at least two feet. "There were only two of us, and my colleague is in the middle of an important meeting. I can answer any questions you may have."
What kind of brain damage is the good chief going to suffer after being blasted by both AJ's nymphness and the vampire's mind melts, I wonder. Poor guy. I feel bad for him, but not bad enough to intervene, cuz I sure as shit do not want to get caught up in John's well-deserved murder.
"Right, well, this is... as I said, a murder investigation," Chief Roland mutters, looking around like he needs that drink after all.
I reach for his arm to guide him to a table. "Why don't you have a seat, and I'll get you something to wet your whistle while you talk to Darius and AJ, hm?"
He nods vaguely and sits as I direct him. I give AJ and Darius pointed looks that I hope communicate something along the lines of 'do not mess him up too badly but also get us out of this stat' and start pouring a scotch on the rocks, which I serve with a napkin and a smile as Nanny always taught me.
I take the fourth seat at the table and wait for the chief to begin.
Relying on familiar habits, he pulls a small notebook out of his breast pocket and puts his reading glasses on, then takes a swig of the drink before clearing his throat. "Where were you the day of Mr. Marsden's disappearance?"
"We were all here," I say. "I had just had my baby, which Darius and Rune helped deliver by a miracle from heaven. AJ came over as planned to help take care of me, the baby, and the bar while I recovered, and we were dealing with the power outage and the storm."
The chief nods, pushing his glasses up onto his nose before it slides off. "Right. Right. Can anyone else corroborate this?"
"Other than all four of us?" AJ asks with way too much snark. I kick her under the table and she flips me off when the chief isn't looking.
Darius rolls his eyes like an exacerbated teacher and leans in. "We know nothing of this man's disappearance. We were here throughout the power outage with no visitors. You will stop looking into this and determine John left town of his own volition. He was abusive, angry, and erratic. He walked around town looking for his wife, cut himself on a broken bottle of beer, grew frustrated, and left."
I sit silently, waiting to see if his Jedi mind tricks work.
The chief takes notes, then nods. "Right. Right. Yes, just had to dot all my i's and cross all my t's. You know how it is."
"Sure," AJ says, sitting forward in her chair, her face a mask. She doesn't have the same benevolent relationship with the chief that I do. To her, he's the dickhead who never stood up for her when she called in John's abuse. The jackass who always berated her for her youthful indiscretions. It's taken me too long, but I'm finally seeing the truth. AJ and I did not have the same childhood, despite growing up the exact same way.
My heart hurting, I reach for her hand and squeeze it, as the chief and Darius stand.
"How do you know Bernie, again?" The chief asks as they walk to the door.
Darius glances back at me. "Oh, I'm an old friend of her grandmother, Tilly’s. We go way back."
His cheeky answer grates my nerves, but I hold in my ire until the chief is in his car and driving away. Then I walk up to Darius and punch him in the arm.
The act of defiance predictably hurts my fist more than it hurts his steel arm, but I don't care. "Don't you dare bring my grandmother into this again, you hear me?"
He stares at me long and hard, making me think the punch was a bad idea.
“First of all,” he says, “it was a good cover. Second, it was a warning sho
t.”
I raise an eyebrow, now more confused than angry. “A warning… what, to warn the police chief not to do his job?”
“You think we would have left any trace of the man we murdered?” Darius says, his voice utterly patronizing. “He’s here on behalf of the same people who sent Karl. The nymph’s dead husband is just his excuse to get us all talking.”
AJ and I share a look, both a little miffed by the vampire’s assessment. Does this mean the whole police department’s in on this? That seems excessive.
In any event, I can’t think about that right now. I’ve got to save my baby from literally everyone and try to run a bar while I’m at it.
“Let’s just get this pledge over and done with,” I say, preparing to follow him upstairs, but he stops me.
“You cannot be present. It must be done with only those taking the pledge in attendance for it to work.”
Sounds like a lot of bullshit to me, but honestly, I don’t even care anymore. “Fine. Whatever. Go.”
I wave dismissively, sending Darius off to join the others for their little pledge, then turn to AJ. She’s chewing her nails and staring at the wall. With as much as I’ve been through, it’s easy to forget the tumultuous times that befell my friend these last couple days: getting shot, losing her dickhead husband, finding out she’s not human, becoming a full-time bartender.
“Hey,” I whisper as I put a hand on her back. “How are you?”
She turns to me quickly, the distant look gone from her face and replaced by a sweet smile.
“I… I think I’m fine.”
She sounds earnest, but it’s still a little hard to believe. How could either of us be fine right now? She sees my doubt and works to convince me.
“I’m almost ashamed about it, but I’ve only felt relief since John… you know. And I might go home and look at a picture or find an old birthday card and get hit with some grief, but right now I’m only worried about you. It sounds a little messed up, but the last two days are the best I’ve had in a long, long time.”
“That does sound messed up, A,” I agree. “I wish we could have turned this page a long time ago.”
She smiles again and puts a reassuring hand on my shoulder, turning the tables on who’s doing the comforting.
“No use thinking about what could have been. I’m a godmother to an angel and a freaking nymph now. Let’s open this damn bar!”
A few hours later, Morgan’s is in full swing. And by full swing, I mean nine people are quietly drinking beers. We get a little rowdy on St. Patrick’s Day, but otherwise we’re just a place for locals to escape into a pint and bide their time before they have to go back to lives they’ve mostly grown tired of.
AJ’s pouring drinks and I’m letting Joe tickle Rain’s toes while she’s wrapped in her little holster. As much as I’d love to let him hold her, I’m still too afraid. Joe’s as trustworthy as they come, but no one in my life is what they seem anymore. I remind myself of that everytime I look at Karl’s normal spot in the back.
Finally, the three Sexies arrive. Each looks a little off. Darius lacks his normal aggressive intensity, Rune has slight bags under his eyes, and Zev, in wolf form, is panting a bit. I guess the hangover from a pledge potion is legit.
The fae and the vampire sit at the bar next to a younger guy named Max who’s been coming to Morgan’s since his 21st birthday. He’s a couple years older than me and pops in a few times a week then goes home and lies to his wife about how much he drank. Max looks at Darius questioningly.
“You’re not from around here, are you?”
“No,” Darius mutters back.
“Where you from?” Max says, unaware of how poorly this small talk will go.
“Elsewhere.”
Max looks at me, eyebrows raised. “Got a real chatterbox over here, Bern.”
“I know, Max. He’s an old… family friend,” I say, my inflection dripping with distaste. “Can’t get rid of him, despite how much we want to.”
“I hear that,” Max says with a smile. “My wife’s two sisters are staying with us. It’s like the three of them can’t talk without screaming. Don’t matter if they’re happy or mad, just constantly yelling.”
Jennifer’s sisters are in town, huh? The beginnings of a plan start to percolate.
I look from Darius to Rune, then down to Zev. All three are here for the long haul, whatever that haul may be. They also just chased down a unicorn and chugged some serious moonshine in order to earn my trust. I’m not shutting down the bar because I need money and a home for my daughter, so I think I ought to make the best of this hand I’ve been dealt.
“Max, call Jen and tell her to bring her sisters here.”
“What?” Max says, terror in his eyes. “Not on your goddamn life-”
“Max, call your wife and tell her to come to Morgan’s,” I say, “and I’ll tell her you’ve had two beers instead of six. And your kids can play out back with my husky.”
There’s a moment of silence, then Max reaches for his phone. I knew this would be an easy win.
I look down at Zev, his head cocked to the side, undoubtedly thinking angry thoughts. I scratch him behind the ears and coo at him like a dog. Darius almost laughs at that, his permanent frown twitching into a near-smile.
While Max begrudgingly texts, I move over to the stool where Rune is sitting. He’s sipping what looks like a rum and coke, but I’m pretty sure it’s just water with some rum-colored magic.
“How are you doing?” I ask softly, feeling an almost uncontrollable urge to care for the man who’s done so much for me recently.
“Rather ill,” he answers. He doesn’t look up from his drink, but he does place his hand gently on my waist. It’s intimate and exhilarating. In response, I put my hand on his leg, my fingers falling over the inside of his thigh.
“Well, if you’re feeling up to it,” I say, fighting the urge to let my hand creep higher, “I have a favor to ask.”
“Anything.”
His response comes immediately, his eyes penetrating mine, and suddenly I want to ask an entirely different favor that would require a trip to the bedroom.
“They’ll be here in ten, Bern.”
Max’s voice reminds me of what I really wanted to ask, and possibly keeps me from passing Rain to the nearest person with hands and leading Rune upstairs.
“Thanks, Max,” I say quickly before turning back to my Elvin crush. “There are some ladies on their way. Think you can make a cool looking drink that’s the most delicious thing they’ve ever tasted and it gets them good and drunk but with no hangover in the morning?”
My request is utter BS and I’m about to laugh, but Rune answers with a curt nod.
“Of course. Should it be fizzy? Perhaps an alluring shade of pink? I’ll provide a few options.”
With that, he’s up and behind the bar, looking through my liquor selection and pulling small vials from the inside of his coat. AJ, now a little territorial as my head bartender, gives Rune an angry look.
“A, you’re on break,” I say. “Come hold the baby while I play piano.”
She smiles widely, jumping at the chance to hold Rain. It feels like weeks since I had my baby, but it’s only been days, and the opportunities for AJ to snuggle her goddaughter have been few and far between.
I may not trust many people right now, but I trust AJ with my life. Always will.
As she gently embraces my sleeping angel, I glide toward the piano, wondering what I’ll play. I’m instantly overcome with emotion, thinking back to my youth when I’d play for bar patrons all the time. Gramps used to tell me the bar would go out of business if people didn’t come to hear me.
I sit on the bench and uncover the keys. So many memories are tied to this instrument and this bar. My mom bought the piano when I was five, then a couple years later Tilly moved it into this bar, right where it still sits today. This is where I grew up, and now I feel like I’m trying to grow up all over again.
�
�Play, Bernie.”
Joe’s voice is soft and sweet, tied in with all those memories. It’s the perfect motivation to get my fingers moving.
I decide on Chopin’s Nocturne Op. 9, No. 2 in E-Flat Major, which was always Tilly’s favorite. Even after her mind went, this song would make her smile and give her a moment of respite from whatever was ailing her. It’s not the most complicated piece, which made it one I mastered early, and as my fingers glide over the keys, pulling from strings and ivory a hypnotic melody that carries its own kind of magic, that same relief washes over me. The music takes me out of myself and away from all the fear and uncertainty that have plagued me since Rain arrived.
I can’t wait to teach my baby to play piano.
I don’t realize how quiet the bar has grown until I finish, the pads of my fingers resting on the last notes. After a breath of silence, there’s a smattering of applause that seems much louder than our few patrons should justify. I turn towards the bar and notice AJ has tears in her eyes, the kind of crying you do when you’re incredibly proud of your friend. Rune has stopped mixing drinks, his enchanting face looking extra enchanted by my music. Darius looks calm and content, which is a big mood change for him. Even Zev seems affected and is now curled up by my barstool watching me.
“Girl’s night!! WOOOOOOO!!!”
No voice shatters a mood quite like Jennifer’s.
She and her sisters waltz through the door, looking like three women who refuse to let spring break end. They’re all attractive enough, even if each of them is wearing a dress that’s one size too small.
“Bernie, I’d kiss your baby but Miles has been wiping snot all over the house for three days and I don’t want you to have to deal with that shit. Holy Christ, who the hell are you?”
God, I love Jennifer. She’s finally spotted Rune behind the bar, where he’s got his sleeves rolled up as he firmly muddles some mint leaves.
“Good evening,” he says before throwing a quick wink at me. Rune is totally in on my plan. “We’ve got a special drink tonight if you ladies would like to try it.”
A Werewolf, a Vampire, and a Fae Walk Into a Bar Page 13
