29. The Hot Guy Gets Protective
29
The Hot Guy Gets Protective
You
“What on earth happened to you?!” you ask, staring between his burned apron and scratched arm. “Are you okay?”
“ I ’m fine,” Ziros says, glancing darkly down the alley. “But I don’t like it out here. Let’s talk inside.”
That seems like a good idea. The bright, sunny afternoon sky is starting to grow cloudy, making the back alley even more dark and ominous than before.
You shiver as you step back in, hoping there won’t be any customers waiting inside who might start asking questions about your sword. Fortunately, the cafe is empty.
Empty, but messy . A stack of disposable cups has been scattered across the floor, and there are several scorch marks on the walls.
What the heck happened in here?!
Ziros shuts the door, latching the deadbolt before drawing the beat-up old mini blinds over its window glass.
Something about how cautious he’s being makes the hairs on the back of your arms stand on end.
The cafe feels way too dark and ominous all of a sudden.
“Uhhh, is everything okay?” you ask, glancing at the front door. Maybe you should forget getting any customers and go lock that, too.
Ziros frowns, but you can’t help but notice he’s peering outside through the closed blinds.
“Just fine,” he says at last, dropping the slats. “Fine as it can be, when we’re standing in a building constructed smack in the middle of a faultline.”
“A what?” You glance between him and the front door, gripping your sword hilt with sweaty palms. “Are we about to have an earthquake or something?”
“Not that kind of fault, human. This is different. This is a space where the veil between worlds is especially thin—that’s how monsters get through.” He pauses, glancing back at the alley, and you wonder if a skaddler could smash through the door window. Probably. “In fact, the whole alley runs right along it.”
You shiver. “I got your book from a shop run by a weird old man who told me the ‘world-veil’ was extra thin that night.”
“Yeah.” Ziros exhales, leaning back against the edge of the counter behind you, and you take that as a sign that it’s okay to relax a little. For a moment, at least. “The veil ebbs and flows, and right now we must be in a thin cycle. But no matter how thin or thick the veil is, it’s always worse in a fault zone.”
“So…” you glance at the alley door again, then over to the front. “Does that mean we’re not safe here? Should we lock up and leave?”
Ziros just laughs softly, pushing away from the counter.
“ We are fine here. And most normal humans are fine. But not you. Not now that your magic has been activated. You’ve got powerful magic running through your veins, human. And that magic calls to the monsters. It draws them in. You’ll never be safe, no matter where you go.”
“But you just said—”
“Exactly. You’re in danger, human.” He pushes you back gently against the opposite counter, tilting your face toward his. And his eyes flash with intensity as he growls, “So whatever you do, don’t leave my side.”
You gulp.
He’s so close, he could kiss you. Right here at work in the cafe with the giant sword at your side, the front door unlocked, where new customers or your boss could walk back in any minute.
And maybe you should remind him that you can’t leave his side. Not really. You can’t go very far without the magical link connecting you drawing you back.
Not that it stopped you from running right into danger.
So maybe he’s right.
You’d better stick close.
Then again.
“I have the sword now,” you whisper, though you’re still not entirely sure you could successfully defend yourself with it again.
Not without some proper training.
You can’t help but feel that you got lucky to escape this time.
Lucky , and Ziros finished it off for you.
He laughs softly, pulling away. Dropping your jaw, he steps back to survey the sword, arms folded, an amused, appraising expression on his face.
“Indeed, you do.”
“So, uh, it’s a little bigger now.”
He raises his eyebrows, still glancing between your face and the sword with that same half-amused expression.
“A little? Can you even hold that? Your arms are shaking.”
“They are not,” you say obstinately. Trembling harder. “I’m just frightened.”
Which is not a lie, but for some reason the idea of admitting how weak you are feels even more embarrassing.
He’s not wrong.
That sword is way too heavy for you. No question.
Maybe some weight training is in your future. And also sword fighting lessons?
There’s only one little problem:
Glancing between the now very full-sized sword and its pocket-sized sheath, you mumble, “How the heck am I gonna get this back in?”
You hold out the comically small sheath, pointing the blade of the sword at it. (Narrowly missing swiping the espresso machine in the process—oops.)
As if on cue, the blade suddenly glows, and you nearly drop it again as it shrinks.
And there you have it: It’s a tiny sword all over again.
“ Woah ,” you breathe, relieved that everything is back to normal.
Mostly.
Mostly, aside from the scorched spots on the walls and Ziros’ apron. Scorched spots you still intend to get answers about.
And you’re still not exactly sure how your sword transformed. Was it more of that desperate ‘power of wishes’ stuff, or is the sword your boss gave you actually magic?
If it’s actually magic, hopefully you can make it transform again.
Somehow.
And on that note, Ziros had seemed pretty suspicious of your boss. She’s a nice lady, but could she actually be hiding some secret magical side? That would explain why she told you the letter opener is a real sword.
It’s like she absolutely knew what she was giving you.
But if that’s so, why hasn’t she talked to you about this before? Maybe you’ll just straight-up ask her.
Ha.
Yeah, right.
That’ll go over well if she doesn’t know what you’re talking about…
“Hi boss, are you secretly a magical sorceress? What, no I was just joking, ha ha, here let me get that.”
But you’ve got bigger, more pressing issues at the moment.
Issues like cleaning up the mess of the cafe. And Ziros’ bleeding arm.
“Here,” you say, taking a step toward him. “Let me see that.”
“Don’t worry about it, human. I heal quickly.”
“You should still wash it.”
Before he can resist, you grab a sheet of paper towel from the roll above the sink, soaking it with hot water before dabbing his arm gently until the wound is clean.
“There,” you say as you finish, taking a step back. “Good as new.”
It’s almost true.
The line of the cut on his arm is indeed already healing.
It’s like magic.
And it probably is magic.
“Now are you going to tell me what happened while I was taking the trash out?”
The trash that you definitely still intend to clean up where it’s scattered in the alleyway. Only, you’d really like not to get attacked by any monsters this time.
And you’re not feeling too hot about going out there any time soon.
Ziros leans back against the counter, folding his arms over his singed apron.
“It’s my damn brother’s fault.”
“ Brother? ” You ask, swiveling to face him, midway through cleaning up the scattered stack of cups. Now that he mentions it, he did say he had one. “Your brother was here?”
“Yep.” Ziros frowns. “Twin, actually.”
“Wait, so there’s someone out there walking around who looks just like you?”
He shakes his head. “Fraternal. So, no. And we’re basically opposites. Never did get along. And he showed the hell up today just to pick a damn fight. If it weren’t for him, I’d have been out there to save you way sooner.”
“Wow.” You can’t decide whether this is a cool development, or a scary one. Corrine is going to flip when she learns she missed the chance to meet Ziros’ brother. You glance at the scorch marks on the wall, the marks you’re not looking forward to having to explain to your boss. “And does he possibly also have something to do with the burned marks all over, or is that just coincidence?”
Ziros laughs dryly. “Yeah, that’d be his fire powers.”
“Ah. So you’ve got wind, he’s got fire.”
“Don’t say it like that.”
“Like what?”
Ziros shakes his head. “Nevermind.”
It isn’t until the next customer walks in that it hits you—
Corrine said the guy who saved her from being mugged was shooting fire from his hands. Could it be—could the guy who rescued her have been Ziros’ brother?
It feels like ages before the cafe is empty again and you can finally talk openly.
For a birthday where you’ve had to work, at least it sure hasn’t been boring.
“Question,” you say, turning to Ziros where he’s using his wind powers instead of a broom to sweep crumbs off the floor. “Your brother wouldn’t happen to be the one who saved Corrine from that mugging she mentioned at the party, would he? A guy who shoots actual fire out of his hands?”
Ziros laughs dryly. “That sounds exactly like something Sy would do.”
“Sy?”
“Yeah. He’s a real white knight type. Sees himself as the good guy, always trying to save the damsel in distress. But if you ask me, he’s just a pain in the ass.”
“That doesn’t sound too bad.”
“Ha!” Ziros laughs again. “Yeah, until he decides you’re the problem, and then shows up at your human’s cafe to try to disintegrate you. Fun times.”
“Point taken.”
You’re about to ask more questions about his mysterious fraternal twin brother who has it out to kill him, but before you can, the front door swings open again.
Fortunately, it’s just another human customer.
Not a monster, and not a vampire—or whatever mix of things Ziros and his brother are.
Although…
“Welcome!” You beam as you step up behind the counter, customer service smile affixed perfectly in place. “What can I get for you today?”
The man on the other side of the counter looks familiar, and not in a good way.
Of all the people to come in—it’s him: the cashier from the convenience store beneath your apartment building.
Which would be all fine enough, except he takes one look at Ziros, glares, and demands, “What’s he doing here?”
“What, can’t a boyfriend come to work with his girlfriend?” Ziros asks, slinging an arm around your shoulder.
Ziros is taller than the nosy guy, and he stares him down from across the counter.
But that doesn’t stop him from asking more questions.
Ignoring Ziros, he looks at you and asks, “Didn’t you say he’s not your boyfriend? Just ‘roommates with benefits’?”
The nosy customer frowns as he says it, like those words leave a bitter taste in his mouth.
And you can’t help but feel a little annoyed that a complete stranger is taking such an interest in your personal life. It’s a little odd, to say the least.
Odd at best, creepy at worst.
“Does it matter?” You ask, letting a little of your annoyance show in your voice. “Now, if you have something you’d like to order, please make it quick. There’s a line.”
There isn’t a line.
He’s the only customer in the shop, and he spins, glancing back at the empty room.
“What?”
“ Go on ,” Ziros says, his voice lowering to nearly a growl, a gust of cold wind swirling through the nosy convenience store cashier’s hair. “Order what you came for, and then get out .”
Okay, so maybe that’s not the best way to do customer service, but to be fair, the guy kinda deserves it for prying.
Convenience Store Cashier Guy glares at Ziros all through his order, but smiles at you as you hand over a disposable paper mug in its sleeve.
“Thanks, have a great day!” You say on reflex, hoping that will encourage him to leave in a hurry.
But he just stands there, looking like he wants to say something else before finally heading for the front door.
Finally.
That was…odd.
You shake your head after him, shaking off the feelings of annoyance.
Just another joy of the job.
“I don’t like him,” Ziros announces with folded arms as the door swings shut. “Something’s off about him.”
He’s not wrong.
You feel it, too.
But you’re not sure if it’s the standard-creepy sort of feeling from someone who pries too much and doesn’t respect others’ boundaries, or if it’s the magical-creepy feeling of a monster in disguise.
Hopefully it’s not both.
For a short shift, this one sure has been exhausting. Fortunately, it’s almost over, and you know your replacement will be arriving soon. Maybe you’ll tidy up a little more before she gets here.
Cringing, that’s when you remember all the trash still strewn in the alleyway.