Chapter 3
Stone
“Hey, Stone, you coming for a drink?” Erik asks as we finish up another grueling day of refacing the old bank on the corner of Main Street and Poison Petals Road. The temperature is thirty degrees higher than it normally is in early February, and the humidity is off the charts.
I rub my arm across my forehead, wiping off drops of sweat.
“Where at?” I don’t know why I’m even asking.
I’m going to pass. There’s no time to shower and freshen up, and I smell as good as horse dung.
Plus, I’ve been in a shit mood lately, and the last thing I need to do is drink too much and get into a brawl.
Then again, maybe that’s exactly what I need. As long as it’s not with my boss.
“Poison Brew Liquors and Spirits.”
“Ahh, I don’t know. You know I’m not technically of age.”
“Human legal age. You know those rules don’t apply to us. Once you’re out of high school, you’re a man.”
“Yeah, but the place is full of troublemakers, and I’m in need of a shower.”
“All the better.” Erik claps me on the back, his superhuman strength jolting me forward.
“Your stench will keep the instigators at bay.” His head tilts a bit.
“You know what?” He wears a strange look.
I can almost smell the smoke from the brainpower he’s using for whatever great idea he thinks he has.
“It’s time we find a sexy little succubus to give you a lap dance. ”
I don’t know why he thinks a lap dance is what I need, but with a succubus? “Why a succubus?”
“Because she’s looking for essence and will be eager to accept yours. She won’t care if you’re sweaty and stinky, just as long as you pull down your pants and give her what she wants.”
“In that case, she won’t care if it’s my essence, yours, or anyone else’s.”
“That’s the best part.”
“No, thank you.” I shake my head.
“It will help you understand why your friends don’t come around as much.”
I’m not the least bit interested. Not one iota of that scenario is appealing. I don’t know if Erik is trying to throw me a bone or piss me off. I’m still unsure of how to take him, and I don’t want to insult him. But meaningless intimacy turns me off. Especially if Erik and I are interchangeable.
I’ve never seen him as a full draugr, only half-shifted, but even in his human form, Erik is large and terrifying.
The unnaturally dark shade of his skin makes him look like he stepped out of a fire.
That, in contrast to his icy blue eyes, makes Eric downright haunting.
I’m not sure I want to go anywhere with a zombie viking, especially not to a supernatural hangout.
My boss is new to our community and mostly keeps to himself. I don’t see him outside of work. Supernaturals are free to be themselves here, but sometimes that’s asking for trouble, and Erik’s the only draugr in Erie Cove.
“Maybe next time.”
Erik skulks toward me. His long strides close the distance between us in three steps.
Standing inches from me, he looks down his nose, as if he’s trying to intimidate me.
Not going to work. He may be bigger than me at the moment, but I’m no slouch as a human, and even bigger in my gargoyle form. Not to mention, I can fly.
Leaning his face inches from mine, he speaks again, “You’re not afraid to go for a drink with me, are you?”
Not that I’ll admit to. I shrug. “What I’m not into is paying for a woman’s attention.”
“You won’t have to,” he says in a much lighter tone. “She’ll be happy to oblige. Just promise her a little jizz.”
I shake my head. My jizz isn’t for sale. “Maybe some other time.”
Erik twists his mouth to the side, his features betraying his disappointment.
“What’s the big deal?” I ask. “Do you want to go see her?”
He shrugs in response. “I don’t.” He answers a little too quickly.
I think he’s lying. Maybe he thinks that if he uses me as an excuse, it might open the door for him, too. That’s definitely not what I’m into. If I’m with a chick, I’m with her, end of story. “Boss, you don’t need me to go hold your hand.”
“You think I’m afraid to get my rocks off with her?” He sneers at me.
“I think you want to use me as an excuse.”
“I don’t need an excuse, and I’m not looking for anything but a way to get you to stop complaining about your friends wanting to do the dirty with their women.
I figure if you experience the sensation of a silky pocket of warmth—” His eyes close and his shoulders rise as he fills his lungs with air.
“I get the point,” I interrupt before he can continue.
“And I’m still not interested,” I repeat.
Gargoyles aren’t turned on by looking at any old thing with a skirt on.
It’s more like love at first sight, getting hit by a bolt of lightning or Cupid’s arrow, and all the other cliché bullshit that people make movies and write books about.
All the things that I’ve never experienced.
“I have no interest in seeing if the succubus makes things click for me, because she’s a succubus. It’s a hard pass.”
“You need to find a woman.”
I shrug. “Maybe I’m doomed to prattle around this dreary town waiting for my fated-mate while watching my friends frolic around with theirs.
” That’s a load of bull. Erik has my mind spinning in the wrong direction.
I want no part of love and marriage. I’m not even sure I believe in them.
I tune my boss out and focus on the nail I need to hammer down.
“Stone.” Erik grabs my arm. “Eternity is a long time.”
I wonder if that’s his story. Is he so lonely that he’ll turn to a succubus that has no interest in the man, only the man parts? I swing my hammer and hit the tip of my pointer finger.
“Fuck!” I watch the end of my finger shatter and fall to my feet. Luckily for my finger, Erik wants us to stay half-shifted when we’re on the clock. That way, we have all our gifts handy. In my case, that means opposable thumbs and wings, not to mention, as a half-gargoyle, I’m a lot less fragile.
“Times like this,” Erik explains, “are easier to get through if you have someone at home to love on you.”
“It’s no big deal. It’ll grow back.”
“Still takes time. Go home, Flint. You’re of no use until your finger grows back. Think about what I said. Because if you don’t find someone to share your life with, the loneliness may drive you mad.”
“Then it’s a good thing I can be shattered to bits so I don’t have to live forever,” I gather my tools and stomp away.
THE BELL OVER THE DOOR to Mummy’s Tomb Café jingles as I enter, announcing my arrival. Cayden, my other best friend, turns from the table he’s serving and locks eyes with me.
I’m greeted with a quick smile that disappears almost as fast as it appeared. I don’t see much of Cayden these days, not since he met his fiancée, Raven. I sit at an empty table to wait until he’s finished serving his current customers.
Something sitting in the middle of the table catches my eye. I pick up the plastic stand and look over the flyer inside. Is Cayden ready to put on another concert? He was killing it at his first one—until Raven’s father almost killed him. I thought he gave up on the idea of performing.
Dance off?
“What is this?” I ask myself, reading the details.
“Give me a minute.” Cayden taps his fingers on the table, jarring me from my thoughts about the upcoming competition he’s hosting. “I’ll ask Dad to cover for me.” I don’t say anything, but give him a nod.
“Where have you been?” Cayden says, sliding into the chair opposite me. “I haven’t seen you in weeks.”
“Busy working.” It’s not a complete lie. “ The draugr is a slave driver. Look.” I hold up my bandaged finger.
“Oh shit. Are you okay? What happened?”
“Smashed my finger. Nothing to do now but go home and rest.”
“Sorry, that sucks.” An uncomfortable silence falls between us; it’s like we forgot how to speak to each other. My friend narrows his eyes at me. “Are we good?”
“You have a problem with me?” I ask, sounding way too defensive, even to my own ears.
“I never said that.” He straightens the packs of fake sugar in the holder on the table. “It’s just . . . Forget I said anything.”
“What?” I snap, my voice rumbling more than usual.
“I don’t know,” he shrugs. “It feels sometimes like you’re avoiding me.”
“Why would I do that? You do something to piss me off?” My muscles tense and my eyes burn. I tell myself it’s because I’m overworked, not because Cayden hit a nerve.
“If I did, I hope you’ll tell me so I can set it right.
” My friend gets to his feet. “Listen, I have to get back to work, but hey, I hope you come to the dance off.” He says, a little too happy about it in my opinion.
“It was Raven’s idea, and I think it will be a lot of fun.
It’s next Friday evening, so hopefully you have enough notice to keep the night open. ”
“I need more details.”
“Of course. Follow the QR code to sign up. We’re going to have a solo match, and also a couples round with a special guest.”
Now he lost me. “Who would I couple off with?” Jerk knows perfectly well I don’t have a girlfriend.
“There’s an option for a blind pairing. And you never know, it might be a good opportunity to meet someone new.”
“Do you think I need you to pair me up with someone? What am I, a pathetic slab of rock that can’t meet someone on his own?”
“Of course not.” Cayden’s eyes trail to a table toward the front of the café, where a man holds his hand up signaling for the bill. “I’m just saying that if you wanted in on the couples portion, we’ll pair you up with another contestant randomly.”
“Randomly,” I say, not believing a word of it. It’ll be as random as a cloudy day.
“Yes. Randomly.”
“And me and this nonexistent random woman are supposed to compete against you and Raven?”
“Afraid of the competition?” He needles me. Until I shoot him a dirty look. “We won’t be the only ones. Drake and Sandy already signed up. Think about it, it’ll be fun.”
Of course Drake and Sandy did. They’re probably helping to plan it. Now that my friends are both in serious relationships, they can couple up and cast me aside. No problem. I know when I’m not wanted. I rush to my feet. “Count me out.”
“Stone,” Cayden’s tone turns serious. “I’d love for you to come, even if you just watch. Maybe we can add you to the judge panel.”
I shake my head. “No need. I won’t be missed. It’s not like I’m family. These days, I’m not even sure I’m a friend.”
“Stone!” He calls after me as the bell over the door jingles. I ignore him and head for home.