by Bob Dattolo
“Why’d we get in here?” The other three gave me a look for asking. “What? I’m just curious!”
“They’ll allow mages and dragons in here, but it’s really for those that have the favor of Keenan, which is what the bracelets signify.” Samantha handled answering easily enough.
“Oh, huh. Cool?” They laughed at my response. “What are we going to get?”
She stopped at the bar and a ridiculously handsome bartender caught us waiting and came down. There are arms reaching for him from the rest of the crowd, but he ignores them and leaves them behind. “Good evening, ladies! What can I get you tonight?”
She gives us a look and smiles as she answers, “Four rum sunsets and I’d like four shots of the reserve tequila as well. I’ll pay for the shots instead of Keenan handling it.”
Slow blinks from the guy, “You sure? The bands say otherwise?”
“No, that’s all right. Just the rum sunsets.”
“Oookay? It’s your dime!” He turned away and began grabbing bottles.
“I’ve never had a rum sunset before?” Parece watches the guy as if waiting to figure out what he’s making.
“I think you’ll love it.”
“What’s up with the tequila?” My turn to ask something.
“It’s a thousand bucks a shot. It’s for sipping, but I wanted to toast the end of year one.”
Huh, “I can pay for mine.”
She waved me away, “Don’t worry about it. Leave a tip if you want. I got the drinks.”
The other two didn’t argue with her, so I wondered if they’d be leaving a tip too.
He bustled behind the bar for a bit, then came back with four orangey red drinks that really do look like a sunset. Then he pulled a bottle from a locked set of shelves and poured four shots, delivering them to us a moment later. Samantha handed him a card for the shots, while the other two impressed me by offering their cards as well for tips. Just like I did.
I swear, that bartender made a mint from us for that one drink order, but I wasn’t about to complain about it.
We each took two drinks, with Samantha raising the shot glass, “Here’s to the end of year one and successfully surviving the trial!” She took a sip, and we mirrored her.
Holy cow, that’s really, really good. Crazy good.
Parece held her glass up again, “A toast from me as well? For this trip and relaxing and a successful year two!”
Another sip.
“I have one,” Angelica tiled her glass towards me a little, “for Maddie pushing the rest of us into making it through the trial and not just waiting to lose our power or to kill each other!”
We had a little bit left when we were done, and I raised my glass this time as my mind ran wild, “To us. The four of us. Something may change while we’re out here, but here’s to my hope that we’ll be the nucleus of a strong group for year two and things don’t turn into a bloodbath again.”
Nods from the girls as we all finished the drink. Then, without saying anything, we all sipped from our rum sunset, creating smiles all around, “Okay, that’s fucking delicious!” Parece said it all.
We were still sipping as we reached the edge of the dance floor again and watched the others for a while. “Umm, any issues if we find someone and want to take them back to the hotel with us?” Angelica’s eyes kept roaming.
“No problem for me. Unless they fuck something up or break something?”
“No plans for that. I’m just feeling it at the moment and could go for something vigorous.” She smells even more turned on than before.
“I’m more than okay with that. Depending on what’s on tap out there, don’t feel shy about saying yes to someone.” She also smelled more turned on.
When Parece’s eyes twinkled as she winked at me, I had a feeling we’d be going home with three strangers. All guys? No idea. While I’m not willing to do anything like that due to my history, I don’t have a problem with them playing the field, so to speak. Not in the slightest. Based on our conversations while driving, it’s pretty apparent that all three of them are active, with their time at the academy being pretty dry in comparison.
It’s hard to allow people in when you fear them killing you and draining you dry.
Instead of them finding someone immediately, we returned to the dance floor and staked out a spot that seemed to work for us. Over the next few hours, we danced and drank and mingled with people that joined our little quad and then moved on. Some were human, just trying to dance with people. I found it easier to do when it’s other girls trying to get away from the grabby guys. Then again, some of the girls were grabby, which I had to put a stop to. They took it well, so there’s that.
I hate to say it, but I handled those a lot easier than if it had been a guy trying to feel my crotch. That’s sexist as hell, yet still true.
By midnight, we had a good little grouping of fellow dragons and mages, and the group laughed and talked quietly. I did not take part much. The others seemed to think that I was a norm or something like that, so they didn’t include me a ton. I wasn’t exactly pining to be that involved, so I didn’t bother trying to force my way in. The girls picked up my desires, so didn’t try to stand up for me.
When 12:30 came around, a number of the group started splitting off, heading out with friends, people they wanted to hook up with, or just heading somewhere else. That seemed to be our signal to head for the door, hauling along three guys with us that were semi attached to the others. Vijay’s an ice dragon that’s a good four inches taller than Samantha is. She seemed to like that, especially since he’s not all that domineering, which I know she’d love. He has dark skin that looks amazing with his light blue stripes and eyes.
Angelica has an earth dragon by the name of Em. Emerson, technically, but he wants to be called Em. He’s slightly darker than Parece is and carries himself pretty well. Not a dick. Not too aggressive.
Parece has a handsome ice dragon that’s almost exactly her six-foot height. Russell is the smooth operator in the group and always has something funny to say to make everyone laugh. He’s the nicest to me without really including me all that much. He’s actually minimized his looks and subtle digs.
Not that the other two have been too overt. Overt enough that the girls definitely knew it was happening, just not enough to really do anything about. With a normal group of friends, I can see the others backing someone up, but with us? While I think we’re developing a friendship, there’s still the dynamics of being dragons to mess with things. You sort of deserve what you put up with, so since I’m not really willing to mess up their chances of hooking up, it’s not worth them saying anything and causing problems on their own. I’m pretty sure they’d do that if they were really aggressive about things, though. So there’s that.
The night air outside feels wonderful, starting to dry my skin pretty quickly and cooling me off. I aided it with a bit of wind magic, hiding that I was doing anything from anyone there. Since they can’t feel magic, I can very nearly do what I want that way without them finding out. Unless they realize something strange is happening.
For this, since I didn’t hit them with it and didn’t make it too obvious? It’s doubtful anyone would pick up on it.
The girls fell in next to their chosen guys, with me trying to decide if I wanted to stay in the back or not. Samantha and Vijay are in front, Angelica and Em, then Parece and Russell in the back. I had a bit of a debate on if I should push my way to the front, then decided not to mess with the order. I don’t think they would care, but it might invite questions that I don’t feel like dealing with. At least from the guys.
Em spoke up, “Where are we headed?”
Samantha smiled over her shoulder, “I have a place in Port Sur hotel.”
“Niiiice. I love that hotel.” Russell puts his arm around Parece’s side, “We walking there?”
“Nah, I have their car. Should be right up here.” She turned away, and we reached the corner of the street to find
the same limo as before.
The guys laughed at seeing the limo, although I can’t say that I understood their response. I know that dragons and mages tend to have money, so I’m wondering if maybe they don’t have as much or something? I know that Samantha’s parents are powerful out here, so maybe theirs aren’t as wealthy? I never even thought to ask.
The couples slid in, with Russell trying to close the door before I got in. I barely caught it in time and had to pull against his grip to get it open again. His smile looked strained as he leaned down to look at me, “We’re full. You should walk on home. Wherever that is.”
For my part, I leaned down and stared in at Samantha, “Your call. I’ll do what you want here.”
She laughed, “Let Maddie in. If you don’t, I won’t be to blame for what she does.”
He snorted, “What could she do?”
I’m so tempted to threaten him, but I really don’t want to mess with their plans. Much.
“Since I’m living with them, it’s probably best that I get in.”
He smirked at me a moment before his hair lit up and the car receded from me in an explosion of ice that rammed me into the building behind me. My head was rung like a bell, but I caught the door closing and the car driving away before I cracked the ice with brute strength and pushed my way from the wall.
A cop ran up, yelling into his mic, “We have a magical attack! One victim, bleeding from the head.” He grabbed my shoulders, “Miss, I’m sorry, you need to lie down! You need an ambulance!”
He didn’t let go when I stared up at him, although I know he wanted to. “Why would I do that?”
His eyes looked over my shoulder, “You…ahh…you…”
His stink of fear got me to turn.
Fuck.
He rammed me into the wall hard enough to dent it and there’s a spray of blood around it that creates a perfect outline for my body.
“You fucking asshole, Russell!” My hand came away coated with blood when I felt my head. No freaking wonder I have a headache, the back of my head is flat. I felt the pain, obviously, it’s just way down beneath the rage at the moment.
The cop finally backed away from me as my magic swirled, visible this time, and my skull healed. At the same time, blood was sucked out of my clothes and off the wall, the stone began reforming, and the ice melted.
The cop’s hand fell to his gun as he swallowed again and again, “What the hell was that?”
“That? That, officer, was me getting angry. You can call off the ambulance, I won’t be needing it.”
He backed away more, bumping into some of the late-night people that gathered to stare at the scene. Too bad I didn’t care enough to really worry about them. I have a date with Russell. I’m just trying to figure out if I let Parece have some fun first or not. Personally? I could go either way. I’m not sure how they’re handling this…
My phone lit up with a JESUS CHRIST ARE YOU OKAY???
Parece’s question gets a smile from me as I start walking. I can get an Uber or a taxi, but I think I’d rather walk right now.
My internal debate about how to answer her lasted maybe a half block before I began typing. I’m walking. I’ll give you an hour to get your rocks off before I collect my payment.
Her response took a bit to come back to me. You okay?
Healed. Mage and human would have been dead or in the ER at the least.
I’m so sorry. I can kick him the fuck out.
You wanted to get laid. Do it. Don’t think you need to kick him out for me. I’ll be dealing with him when I find him.
Fuck. I haven’t made up my mind yet.
Either have I. This is fucked. What’s so wrong with people that they think crushing the back of someone’s skull is okay? I mean that. I really do. The average dragon would have taken weeks in some cases to heal that unless they lucked into some severe healing while shifting. Not every dragon can do that all that well, so those on the weaker end? It doesn’t help to shift into a dragon and still have the back of your skull be all fucked up.
My rage simmered as I walked. The night here is pretty amazing. There are people everywhere, and I’m seriously not used to that. I was nine when I lived at home, and you don’t typically wander the streets after midnight all that often at that age. At least I never did. When I was with Jean, I was very rarely out of the apartment. Being a stricken with inch thick black metal mortmagi pounded into my skull tends to make someone stand out. That caused problems. Questions. Taunting. Attacks. So I was inside almost entirely for the four plus years I was there.
With Reggie? I was outside rarely there, usually when he’d bring me places. Otherwise, I was blind and a stricken, so where would I go on my own? He didn’t give his pets a lot of free time like that, but since I lived, I guess I can’t complain much. Unlike the more than 300 people he torture raped to death.
Thank freaking God my dragon side understood what was coming our way and stepped in to take it. I never would have done what she did, and every other reaction would have resulted in me being a ragged corpse and a statistic.
A thin guy that smells like some type of oil appeared at my side, “You looking to buy? I got cody, TNT, dillies, demmies, skag, oxy, coke, X, and pot.”
The fuck? “I’m not looking to buy any drugs.”
He didn’t leave me alone, “Bullshit! Look at you, I know your type. Wannabees. You want it, I got it.”
This is crazy. “Not interested. Get lost.”
He walked closer, “How dare you, you little bitch!”
I stopped, turning to him as he stopped a little later. I’m thinking he didn’t expect my reaction. “Get lost or I call the cops.” My phone was in my hand, unlocked and waiting for me to dial.
He leaned back into me, “You won’t do that. You’re out here on the streets all by yourself. It’s late at night. There are so many shadows. Alleys. Far too many places for someone as small and weak as you are to get hurt.” He trailed his hand down my chest until he touched my bare stomach, “Why, I can’t even imagine how risky it is for someone like you to be…”
My hand gripped his throat and I squeezed, making his face turn purple as he tried to claw at me. His fingernails began scratching up my arm, but I didn’t bother stopping him as I dragged him back towards the corner as I dialed the phone.
“911, what’s your emergency?”
“Hey. I had a drug dealer try to sell me drugs. I told him to get lost or I’d call the cops. He then threatened me with dark alleys and being hurt and raped.”
“How did you get away?” The woman sounds kinda freaked.
“I didn’t. I’m busy choking him right now. I’m a dragon, and he’s about 60 seconds away from me simply killing him for threatening me. I figured it’d be easier if you guys arrested him instead. Can you have someone come get him? If they can hit me with a truth spell, I’ll fill out whatever paperwork they have or do the video thing.” If you have the spell on you, they’ll take your video as full evidence.
“Oh my God, please don’t kill him.” She rattled off the corner that I’m on, which is pretty good use of the phone system, “You’ll have a car there in 30 seconds, please don’t kill him!”
My grip lessened, letting him get some air, “Thank you for reminding me. He should live. Unless he pulls a gun or knife. If that happens, then I won’t really have a reason to be so understanding.”
He had continued clawing at my hand on his throat, but his free one had dipped down. That hand froze when he heard my response. That’s right about when the piss started since I lifted him up, holding him in the air without straining. I was still holding him there when the cop car slid to a stop.
“They’re here. Thank you for your help.”
“You’re welcome? Good luck!”
“Thanks.”
Two cops spilled out, both with hands on their guns. “Can you put him down?” The closest smells freaked, which is pretty normal. In these types of situations, you never know when or if the mag
e or dragon will blame everyone around them and the crap will start to go down.
“I can.” He dropped to the ground and was rolled over and handcuffed almost like it was a freaking magic trick.
The other cop came over, still watching me closely. “You okay? You’re not gonna do anything?”
“No. I’m good for now.”
The hand on his gun relaxed a smidge, although it didn’t pull away. “Okay. I’m Officer Thompson. I have a charm here that allows me to cast a truth spell? It will light up if you lie. Do you mind if I interview you about what happened? That will go a long way towards making this painless for you.”
On the ground, the other cop is pulling baggies of all sorts of crazy crap out of the guy’s clothes. Damn, he really did have a ton of crap.
And two guns. And a knife.
“Sure? Here? Somewhere else?”
He nodded back towards the wall and away from the street, “Can we do it back there?”
“Umm, sure?” He stayed ready for me to freak and to have to shoot me, so I moved slowly and easily until we were at the wall. He relaxed way more at that point.
That started a bit of adjusting on his part until he tapped his body camera. At least I think that’s what it is. “Can you focus here? I’m going to hit you with a spell that will light up if you lie. You give me your permission to cast it on you?”
“I do.”
He pulled a small rod out of his shirt pocket and pointed it at me. I have never seen a magical charm used before other than on TV and in movies, so it’s funny to see one now. He pointed it at me and mumbled a word that I couldn’t quite make out, and it lit up briefly as it triggered a spell.
Sure enough, it’s a truth spell. Just not a crazy good one. I’m thinking they get charged a bundle for this thing and the mage is just fucking with them a little. It works, but daaamn, I’m thinking I could finagle a way around it in like two minutes if I wanted to.
The rod was put away, “All right. The spell has been cast. Can you state your name for the record? Then spell it, please.”
