23. Piper
23
PIPER
Ant is sweet. He starts texting me little embarrassing facts about himself. When he accidentally says ‘You too’ after the barista says ‘enjoy your drink’. When he flew into a tree branch in front of a group of teenaged gargoyles. When he turned too fast and his wings knocked over a whole table full of drinks at Moonshine.
It’s to easy to fall for him all over again.
So when Bailey calls me the next weekend I immediately insist that she take me out to a bar to meet strangers and be my date to Kelly’s art show after.
Bailey suggests a cryptid bar called Labyrinth. She warns me it’s a bit more intense than Moonshine, but if I want to meet another cryptid, then this is the place to do it.
I am so nervous that I manage to arrive twenty minutes early. The place isn’t my usual hang, and I’m not dressed appropriately. I grabbed my favorite dark wash jeans, pink Doc Martens, and a distressed tank top. I feel just trendy enough to hang with Kelly’s art crowd, but I don’t exactly fit in at Labyrinth. I don’t think I’d fit in here no matter what I was wearing.
Labyrinth is a classic nightclub—dim lighting, blaring music, overpriced drinks, and almost nowhere to sit. These places have always made me feel vulnerable, like I am on display.
It doesn’t feel safe and cozy like Moonshine does.
I grab a stool at the bar and pull out my phone. I’m so embarrassingly early I can’t even text Bailey to see where she is. Instead, I open my reading app. I’m right in the middle of a juicy paranormal historical romance when some women clamber up to the bar beside me, one bumps my shoulder as she releases a loud laugh.
I adjust so the giggling woman isn't in my space.
“Oh my god, sorry,” says a beautiful, dark-haired human. She’s sitting with a group of women, a blonde human, a female Bigfoot, and a lizard with scaly green skin.
“Not a problem,” I say.
“Oh, it’s you!” the blonde exclaims. “This is the bitch that Pleasant left me for!” She tells her friends.
I recoil.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean that you are a bitch. I don’t even know you.” She leans forward and puts an overly familiar hand on my forearm. “I mean bitch in a generic ‘this woman stole my man’ way.”
That makes me recognize her. The sexy demon the night I met Ant. She’s not a demon at all. She’s Ant’s ex-girlfriend. Tall, slender, beautiful, with perfect makeup, high heels, and all the other ‘hot girl’ things I haven’t quite managed to get a handle on.
“I’m Tiffany!” she exclaims. “Surely Pontius has mentioned me.”
“A little,” I admit.
“Oh god, he’s not here, is he?” she asks. “Sorry if I am being, like, so awkward. This is Pontius’ mate!” She says the last part to her friends.
Tiffany. I am face-to-face with Tiffany. The woman who told Ant that no one would ever be okay with his body. She’s a monster. An actual monster.
I stand from my stool, clenching my fists at my side. I’m not sure what I plan to do. Hit her? That’s stupid. Insult her? God, she’s pretty. What would I say? I guess I could go for an attack on her character or something?
“Oh my god! Look at you! You are so cute!” Tiffany immediately exclaims, looking me up and down.
“I bet you two are perfect together. You got lucky there,” Tiffany’s friend tells me. “I’d love for a rich cryptid to just pluck me out of obscurity. I bet it’s fantastic!”
“I—we—” I fumble for words.
“He’ll buy you just about anything you want. I taught him that women love presents.” Tiffany laughs. “You can thank me for that.”
“I’m not…We’re not together.”
“Oh, you rejected him? That makes sense. He’s kind of a freak.” Her face falls briefly before it lights back up. “Is he single again? Maybe I can get him to put a ring on it this time.” She waggles her fingers, which are free of any kind of jewelry.
All of her friends laugh.
That’s not right. She can’t do that. She can’t date him. He deserves someone better than a woman who just wants to use him for his money.
“No!” I shout. The women barely acknowledge my outburst, already chatting over me.
Over Tiffany’s shoulder I see a familiar pink head walk into the bar. Bailey is finally here, right on time.
“Can I buy you a drink or something?” Tiffany asks. “You can sit with us if you like.”
“No, thank you. Have a good evening.” I spin on my heels away from them, and am immediately filled with regret.
Crap. That isn’t what I wanted to say. I wanted to tell her off. Insult her. Say that Ant is great. He’s too good for her. I wanted to tell her she should fuck off to hell.
“Hi.” I greet Bailey when I reach her. “Can we go somewhere else?”
She raises one eyebrow and spots the women sitting at the bar behind me. Her eyes go wide with recognition.
“Is that—” she asks.
“Can we just leave?” I shake my head, not wanting to talk about it.
“I’d love to tell her off.” Bailey’s brows furrow before she catches my expression. “No. No. Of course, let’s go.” She loops her arm around mine and leads me out of the building.
We end up getting snacks at a convenience store and just eating them while we chat walking down the sidewalk.
“What does rejecting a fated-mate do?” I finally ask, needing to get my curiosity off my chest.
Bailey gives me a sidelong glance, a strained smile pulls across her lips. “Rejection cuts off the mating bond. Completely severs any emotional or physical connection you might have had.”
“Completely gone?” The idea brings a well of sadness to my stomach. “That sounds serious.”
Bailey nods. “It happened to Ness, you know? Fate usually gets it right but when he met his mate, she was already married to someone else, with one kid and another one on the way. She wanted to stay with her family, she rejected Ness.”
“Then it wasn’t a big deal?”
“It was a huge deal. They both were in pain for a while. I don’t think he’s ever really gotten over it.”
“Pain?”
“Yeah. Like, physical and emotional.” She winces.
I press my lips together in a thin line. I don’t want to hurt Ant. Or myself.
“It’s really the final option,” she says. “I’m not telling you not to do it, but it is serious. You should consider it carefully.”
“How do you do it?” I’m nervous even asking.
“From what I understand, you just say it.” Bailey shrugs. “I reject you, Pontius. He needs to be around you. You really have to mean it. But you could practice now, if you like.”
I shake my head solemnly. That feels too serious, like a risk I don’t need to take.
I don’t miss the way that Bailey smirks at my refusal. I move our conversation to lighter topics on the twenty-minute walk to the art gallery. The event is on the second floor of an old building, above a cute vintage shop. The space is packed. Kelly is one of three artists being shown today. It’s a classic art gallery—white walls, wood floors, super specific lighting that I am sure is supposed to make the art look good, but it doesn’t mimic anything I’ve ever seen in a real home.
Kelly is busy when we first arrive, so Bailey and I circle the room admiring the art. I show her which ones are Kelly’s. We pause in front of a large piece of a laughing woman. The woman is covered in reds and oranges, like she’s on fire, but also loving it.
“It’s gorgeous, isn’t it?” I ask Bailey.
”Your friend is really talented,” she agrees. “She’s got some great stuff.” Her eyes track a movement behind me. A second later, I’m enveloped in a side hug.
“So glad to see that someone cool is here!” Anam says. “I need someone to hang out with.”
She’s wearing a chic black dress and cute strappy heels. Why do I never think to buy cute heels? I’d probably wear them if I had some in my closet. ? ? 1
Anam’s eyes catch on Bailey, she leans forward to whisper in my ear. “I thought you weren’t bringing a date. Who’s the hottie?”
Bay makes a face that implies she heard every word and doesn't mind one bit.
“Anam, this is my friend, Bailey.”
“Just a friend?” she asks Bailey conspiratorially.
“I’m actually engaged,” Bailey says.
“Oh, you move really quickly.” Anam winks and laughs. “And my goodness, look at that rock!” She grabs Bailey’s hand in that overfamiliar way that really charismatic people like Anam can pull off. “When is the big day?”
“Two months!” Bailey flashes her engagement ring in the light.
“How do you know Piper then? She can’t afford a rock like this.”
“This is the cat lady I told you about,” I say.
“Oh, I love Mercutio!” Anam exclaims.
Anam and Bay break into a long conversation about animal adoption. Anam might not be ready to commit to a man, but she seems like she might be ready to commit to a kitten.
I leave them to circle the room. Two glasses of white wine later I think I’ve put in plenty of face time for artwork I could never afford.
Kelly appears beside me in an almost panicked state, her boyfriend, Jeremy, behind her with a tense smile. He’s tall, white, handsome, and has an excellent hairline. If the two of them ever decide to have babies, they are going to be the most gorgeous little things.
Kelly wraps me in a tight hug. “He’s here,” is the first thing that she whispers into my ear. “I’m so sorry. I have no idea how he found out about it?—“
“Hi! Hello! Congrats on the show! Who are you talking about?” I laugh.
I make eye contact with Colin the second the words have left my mouth.
1 ? I absolutely wouldn’t wear them.