Pucker Up (A Damsels of Distress Novel) (27 page)

“You know, finding out you were

an Eradicator explains
so
much about

you.”

“What do you mean?”

“For starters, only a werewolf

slayer would feel safe living with a

house full of them. I thought maybe our

village found its new idiot when you

rented a room at the boarding house.

And now that I think about it,” she said,

pointing at Ivy's reflection with the

hairbrush. “I've never seen you use your

magic, on purpose at least.”

Ivy frowned. Athena seemed to

be having too much fun at her expense. “I

figured
someone
needed to keep an eye

on you guys during a full moon.”

“Of course, you did. Now I know

where you got the idea you can save the

world.” She finished putting half of Ivy's

hair up, leaving the back loose. It looked

better than Ivy had ever seen it. With the

front pulled away from her face, she

looked like she was a high-class call

girl any senator would sneak around

with.

After setting the brush down on

the bathroom counter, Athena crossed

her arms over her chest and watched Ivy

fidget with the dress again. “So, how

many?”

Ivy tore her eyes away from the

mirror to see Athena arch one perfectly-

plucked eyebrow. “How many what?”

Huffing a humorless laugh,

Athena leaned back against the door.

“Look at you, trying to play dumb. It

doesn't suit you. How many have you

killed?”

She really didn't want to have

this

conversation

right

now,

but

considering how nice Athena was acting,

she relented.
“Actually, I hadn't killed

anyone, until my magic made its

appearance and flattened out an entire

forest. My friend Ernie and I had always

managed to handle a situation without

bloodshed.”

“Wow, that's... really boring.

Had you ever even
been
in a fight?”

“A few, mainly with fae. I was

only sixteen when I left.” It sounded

even more pathetic when she said it out

loud. She sat on the edge of the tub and

shoved her leg into the gold hooker-

boots Athena demanded she wear. She

looked like a slutty leprechaun.

She helped Athena clean up the

mess of make-up and hair clips, tossing

them back into her bag. “Do you think

Garren will ever speak to me again?”

The cold shoulder he’d given her since

lunch was expected, but it still stung.

“I didn’t think you cared,”

Athena said.

“I don’t,” she said quickly. “But

it’s going to get rather annoying if he

keeps ignoring me. Thane got over it.

Why can’t he?”

“That’s because Thane’s ruled

by reason and logic where Garren lets

his emotions take control. Even though

he’d never admit it, he needs a gesture

on your part to get past your betrayal.”

At first, she balked at the idea

that Garren even
had
any feelings based

on his past treatment of her. But when

she thought about it, he did tend to react

without thinking. It was like dealing with

a child.

“So what you’re saying is that I

need to do something to sooth his ego.”

Athena nodded. “Exactly. That’s

why I chose that dress for you to wear.”

Her brow furrowed as she

looked down at her gaudy outfit.

“What?”

“Is this a dress you would pick

out yourself?”

She shook her head.

“Are you embarrassed to wear it

out in public?”

“Extremely.”

“That’s the gesture that’s going

to get Garren to talk to you again; your

utter humiliation for the good of the

group.”

She glanced at her reflection one

more time and winced at the bright

colors of gold and green. Mortified

better described how she felt being seen

like that. “Couldn’t I just apologize and

offer to do his homework for the rest of

the year?”

“Nope.”

She sighed. “Are we finished

yet? Or do you have something else to

torture me with?”

Athena smoothed down her pale,

pink dress. “We're done.” She pulled her

blond hair over one shoulder to show off

her scars from when she was infected. It

was a werewolf thing.

The iridescent Eradicator mark

on her right wrist glinted off the

bathroom light. “Do you have something

to cover this up? I don't' think my leather

bracelet goes with this outfit.”

Athena smeared some concealer

over Ivy’s wrist and gave her a gold

bangle to wear. The werewolf’s eyes

traveled up and stopped at the sapphire

around her neck.

“That’s got to go. It ruins the

whole outfit.” She reached to take it off

when Ivy clamped her hand over the

stone.

“I’m not going anywhere without

it.”

“Ivy, it clashes. Besides, you

shouldn’t use it in the club. With all the

witches, fae and anything else with

magic there, you’ll wear yourself out in

minutes trying to hide everyone. Best to

leave temptation at home.”

Reluctantly, she handed the

sapphire to Athena. After making sure

all the last minute touches were

complete, the girls left the safety of the

bathroom to find Garren and Thane

lounging on the beds, channel surfing.

She was so embarrassed for

anyone to see her that Athena had to push

her through the door. “Here she is. All

cleaned up and in a dress.”

“You look real nice,” Thane said

as he hopped off the bed. Garren

followed and stood next to Athena.

Ivy smiled and gestured at his

clothes with a wave of her hand. “Um,

thanks. You, too.”

Both guys were wearing their

jeans and button down shirts. Garren

eyed her with a scowl on his face. The

intensity of his gaze was messing with

her already wavering self-esteem. She

crossed her arms over her chest in an

attempt to hide herself.

If this doesn’t prove I’m on his

side, nothing will.

“You look... different,” he said,

his eyes widening slightly as he

scrutinized her outfit.

At least he’s talking to me.

“Different? Wow, you sure know how to

make a girl feel special.”

He grinned, dimpling his cheek.

“Well, you know me.”

“Unfortunately.”

“All right,” Athena said. “We all

know what we need to do. Try not to be

too obvious. We don't need some

nutcase following us.” She handed Ivy a

dagger, which she hid in her boot, just in

case. “Thane, I want you sticking close

to Ivy.”

Thane crinkled his brow in

confusion. “Why? I thought we were

supposed to split up to cover more

ground.”

Athena exhaled loudly before

explaining. “Well, look at her. She's

hot.”

“Maybe I should just stay

behind,” she said. The idea of attracting

so much male attention made her queasy.

Rolling her eyes, Athena grabbed

her purse and guided Ivy out the door.

“They're just going to flirt with you, Ivy,

not attack you. The worst you'll get is an

ear infection from all the cheesy pick-up

lines.”

Ivy had to grab onto Garren for

support as she teetered down the motel

stairs. Her boots were going to kill her

before any Eradicator had a chance.

It didn't take long before they

were parking the car at the rail yards.

Over 200 acres of land with abandoned

buildings and train cars which were

once the focus of the burgeoning city.

Sparky curled up in the backseat and

slept.

Ivy hesitated, glancing back at

the little dragon, then shook her head as

she followed the others.
I pity the idiot

that tries to steal this car.

The foursome slipped through a

hole in the chain-link fence, and made

their way in the dark to the cluster of

long, brick, train houses. The moonlight

reflected off the broken windows and

rusted metal roofs. The only sound was

their own footsteps clumping on the

ground and the passing cars of the

highway on the edge of the lot.

She worried this was the wrong

place, but when they opened the wooden

side door, the blaring music and flashing

lights spilled out and consumed them.

“We need some sort of signal if

one of us gets into trouble,” Thane

suggested as they entered the crowded

bar.

“Fine,” Athena said. “How

about... pumpernickel?”

The lighting was dim, except for

the bright colors that swam around the

room. The center of the room was filled

with people bumping and rubbing all

over each other to the beat of the music,

in what was supposed to be dancing.

Tall, round tables sat along the

perimeter of the spacious room where

couples and small groups huddled

together, drinking and talking. The bar

ran the length of the long wall opposite

the entrance. Most of the stools were

occupied with flirting patrons nursing

their drinks.

She was overwhelmed with the

assortment of magical beings there.

Salmagundi had a varied population, but

nothing like this. In the few minutes she'd

been there, she spotted werewolves,

satyrs, faeries, a couple drunk elves and,

of course, wizards and witches.

All chatter ceased when they

walked in, every head turned their way.

A figurative spotlight shone on her as

she made her way across the floor to the

bar.

Athena immediately broke away

from them and headed straight toward

the group of werewolves. They occupied

the corner of the club where couches

were grouped together into a square. The

three remaining were on their own,

again.

After a few moments, people

went back to their conversations,

ignoring them. Ivy sat on an empty stool

at the bar, next to a punk rock satyr. The

flashing disco lights gleamed off the

metal studs lining his black leather

jacket and his face was full of piercings.

As soon as she sat down, he

pulled his seat closer and leaned in.

“Hello, love. Can I buy you a drink?” He

spoke with the most wonderful British

accent.

She smiled and nodded. “I'll

have a Poison Apple.” The nice thing

about underground bars is that they didn't

card.

Thane took the stool on her other

side, nervously glancing around. Garren

stood behind her, leaning against the

wooden railing circling the dance floor.

He surveyed the area around him, but

didn't move to speak to anyone. She

caught his eye during one of his sweeps.

“Talk,” she mouthed.

Her attention was stolen when

her drink was set down in front of her.

She'd never tasted a Poison Apple, but

heard they were delicious. She took a

sip and her face practically caved in.

The satyr chuckled in her ear. “I

take it you've never had one before.

They tend to be a bit sour.”

She finally swallowed and

smiled back, being polite. “Just a bit. I

think my face might implode.”

His warm laugh put her at ease.

“What's your name, love?”

She leaned in close to be heard

over the blaring music and talking

echoing off the walls. He wore a

wonderful cologne that teased her nose

in the most delicious way.

“I'm Ivy.” This close up, she

could make out intricate designs carved

into his horns atop his head. His hair

was a nice chocolate brown and she

wondered if it matched the fur on his

goat legs.

“Ivy? Are you a fae?”

She gritted her teeth as she

answered, “No.”

“Well, it’s a lovely name for a

beautiful woman. I’m Ralph.”

She had to look the other way to

hide the blush rushing to her cheeks. She

didn't know if it was the beautiful part or

being referred to as a woman that caught