Chapter 11
Grayson
“You,” Jenna said, smacking Grayson on the arm. “Us. Bar. Go.”
“Reduced to single syllables?” Grayson teased.
“Yes.” Jenna bent forward, stretching her lower back. “God, I thought the week would never end.” Her scrubs were maroon today. The color brought out the rich hues in her skin and almond-shaped eyes.
“I need orthopedic shoes,” Tara grumbled, appearing from behind Grayson. “Did I hear bar?”
“Yes. Bar. Drink.”
“Jaeyong and Aureli, too?”
Jenna grunted an affirmation.
Grayson could hear the other two men’s voices from the locker area, wishing the night shift nurses luck. There were three ongoing labors, all male Omegas. Grayson personally blamed Aureli, who had uttered the cursed words, “It’s quiet today,” just an hour after they arrived at the birthing center.
As soon as the final two joined the group, the gaggle of exhausted midwives ambled off, beelining for the nearest pub.
It was a cozy place with a bar and good food called Vitor’s Place.
The owner, Vitor, was a Brazilian Omega who continued to run the bar despite his thirty-nine week pregnant belly.
Every time one of the Brighid’s Well staff came for a drink, Vitor would be soundly scolded for working so hard in his condition.
“I’ll bet everyone five bucks it’s twins,” Tara said with a roll of her eyes. “I have no idea how that man is walking upright, let alone mixing drinks.”
“Spite, I imagine,” Aureli said. “The more we tell him to rest, the longer he’s going to fight it. At least it’s a good reminder to take your suppressants.”
“Should we not say anything this time, then?” Jaeyeong asked.
“Nah, that would ruin the fun.” Jenna grinned. “I already have at least three jabs lined up for tonight.”
“I can’t believe his Alpha lets him work at this stage,” Grayson muttered.
“Oh, she’s not happy about it, trust me,” Tara said. “Nerual says she’s the bouncer, but really, she just wants an excuse to lurk and stare disapprovingly.”
Aureli snorted. “I can’t imagine someone getting thrown out of Vitor’s.”
The group meandered up the short walking path that led to the pub. It was edged with vibrant purple Usoi flora Grayson still had no name for. The facade of the building could pass for a fantasy tavern, though the inside was more like a medieval Denny’s.
“Hey, Brighid’s Well!” Vitor called from the bar. “Long time no see.”
“Vitor!” Jenna gasped dramatically. “Is it triplets?”
“Shut up and sit down.”
Snickering, Jenna led the others to the wide, faux wood bartop. “I’ll have a mimosa.”
Vitor placed a bracing hand on his lower back and frowned at her. “It’s six o’clock on a weeknight, not Sunday brunch.”
“And? Do you have both bubbly wine and orange juice?”
Vitor grimaced. “Fine. What else?”
Grayson raised his hand. “Mimosa.”
Vitor groaned. “Not you too.”
Aureli stretched out a comforting hand and patted Vitor’s shoulder. “I’ll make it easy for you, Daddy. One mimosa.”
“Did you just call me—”
“Oh! Vitor, do you have prosecco?” Tara beamed at him.
He glared back suspiciously. “Yes.”
“Fantastic, I’ll have a mimosa.”
Vitor heaved a sigh. “Jaeyong?”
Jaeyong eyed the others. “Uh. Mimosa?”
The girls cheered. “One of us, one of us…”
“You guys are going to drink all my damn prosecco.”
“Vitor.” Jenna waggled a finger at him. “There are children present. Four of them, just going by size.”
Vitor squeezed his eyes shut as if in pain. “Twins, it’s twins, are you happy?”
“You all owe me five bucks!” Tara declared.
Vitor threw his hands in the air and waddled off in search of orange juice.
Jenna sighed happily. “And I still have one jab left.” She glanced over her shoulder at the sandy-haired Alpha in the corner. “Twins?” she mouthed.
Nerual winked back. Her scales were a fascinating blend of creamy sandstone and scarlet. She reminded Grayson of a koi fish, albeit one that possibly resided in ancient Egypt.
Another group of tired employees trickled through the door, then another. Slowly, the pub grew to its usual Friday night cacophony.
Grayson sipped his mimosa, reveling in his newfound existence. The Grayson Miller who left Mineral Bluff wouldn’t have recognized the Grayson sitting at this bar.
“Oooh, some Alphas just walked in,” Tara said, craning her neck.
“Cute Alphas?” Aureli asked, without bothering to turn.
Tara frowned, considering. “Can you really call any Alpha ‘cute’?”
“You know what I mean.”
Jenna rotated her entire body to stare in the Mer’s direction.
“Jesus, could you be any more subtle,” Tara hissed.
“They’re not even looking this way,” Jenna retorted. “Hmm. The one facing us is very good-looking. Wavy red hair and teal scales. Seems male.”
Grayson’s heart stopped. It couldn’t be…
“Then there’s a female, I think. She’s very pretty. Light green scales. I can’t tell if her hair is black or dark green…”
“Oh.” Tara shivered. “They’re with one of those deep sea Mer. The ones that look like giant anglerfish. He’s a little scary.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Grayson saw Jaeyong’s head snap up. He cleared his throat. “Oh, uh, that last one has gold scales. Unique.”
Grayson’s frozen heart plummeted to his feet as Aureli whipped around. “No way.”
“What?” Tara stared between Aureli and the Mer at Grayson’s back.
“That’s the bad date guy!” Aureli whacked Grayson on the shoulder. “Isn’t that him?”
“I don’t want to know,” Grayson mumbled. “I’ll just keep facing this way, thanks.”
“Want me to kill him?” Jenna offered.
“Let me get back to you.” Grayson flagged Vitor down. “Just the prosecco this time, please.”
“I can respect that.”
Grayson’s friends hovered in uncertain silence, as if waiting for him to decide the next move.
“So,” he said with forced cheer. “Who won the big ass baby award this week?”
Jenna clapped a palm to her forehead. “I forgot about the BABA! Quick, everyone rattle off your high score, and no cheating. Mine was thirteen even.”
“Eleven pounds, three ounces,” Grayson replied.
“Ten and a half,” Jaeyong sighed.
“Eleven pounds, eight ounces.” Tara downed the final dregs of her drink and signaled for another.
“Thirteen pounds, one ounce!” Aureli crowed, punching the air with a victorious fist.
Jenna groaned. “God dammit, one ounce off…”
“Better luck next time.” Aureli patted her back in mock sympathy.
Work gossip shifted to family drama, which shifted to another round of chastising Vitor.
With each fresh glass of wine, Grayson glanced over his shoulder.
It was definitely Keld. His long, auburn hair was pulled back in a messy bun today.
Loriun was sitting opposite him, though the Alpha didn’t seem to have noticed him yet.
Grayson slurred for a fifth glass and twisted his body around once again. This time, he wasn’t met with the back of Keld’s head. Instead, eyes like flame locked with his. Grayson gasped and spun back to the bartop.
“Shit, did he see you?” Jenna stage-whispered.
Grayson nodded miserably.
“Now do you want me to kill him?”
“No!”
“Why? He was a complete asshole for no reason! He deserves to have his ass handed to him. Or… tail.” Jenna giggled, her face as flushed as Jaeyong’s.
“Not only are you drunk, but you are a human Omega,” Grayson said, exasperated. “You can’t kick his ass.”
“I’m tall!” Jenna protested.
“Yeah, for a human Omega,” Aureli said.
“My dad’s Okinawan!”
“What the fuck does that have to do with anything?” Tara laughed.
“We invented martial arts.”
“Somehow, I feel like that’s not genetic.” Grayson huffed. “No, you know what, you’re right. He was a complete dick. I’m going over there.”
His four sloshed friends cheered.
“You tell him!”
“Make him cry!”
Undeservedly emboldened, Grayson swung his legs around and slid off the barstool. Now that he was upright, the room tilted under his feet, just a bit. He stumbled a few times making his way to the table of Mer, giving Loriun time to spot him and shoot Keld a look of alarm.
Grayson’s palms hit the Mer’s table with a crash. The female Alpha jumped.
“Agthi’asi salki—”
Grayson cut through her stream of presumable Loaish curses. “Keld. I need to talk to you.”
Keld’s expression was impassive as he rose to his feet. He was wearing a beige collared shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and the top button undone.
Stop staring. Grayson chastised himself. We’re pissed at him.
Without a word, Keld led the way through the crowded pub, to a side door Grayson had never noticed before.
He threw a glance at his friends, who were starting to look worried. Aureli was already half out of his seat.
Grayson shook his head and waved him off. Keld wouldn’t hurt him. The protection laws in place for human Omegas were unforgiving.
The door led into a back alley, shared by several other businesses. It was empty, save for a few seagulls inspecting the dumpsters.
Keld turned and folded his arms. “Talk.”
The single word was enough to fan the flames of Grayson’s rage. “You’re an asshole, you know that?”
Keld didn’t so much as blink, which only made Grayson angrier. He jabbed a finger into the Alpha’s chest.
“You had no right to treat me the way you did, just because I was nervous. It’s normal to get nervous on a first date, never mind your first interspecies date.
” He stabbed his finger at Keld’s chest again.
“Even if that was how you felt, you could have just told me you weren’t interested in a second date.
Instead, you told me I looked like a cornered rat—”
Keld’s hands flashed out, so quickly they were a blur. His fingers wrapped around Grayson’s wrist and his other hand hit the brick wall at the side of Grayson’s head. Before he could comprehend what had just happened, Keld’s lips were on his.
Grayson stood frozen in shock for a few moments.
Then he was kissing the Mer back. Their mouths mingled with something like urgency or unspent tension.
Grayson’s tongue brushed Keld’s, and the Alpha deepened the kiss.
An explosion of rich earth and fresh grass clouded the air around them, soaking into Grayson’s lungs and spurring a visceral reaction from his body.
All at once, Grayson’s senses came crashing back. He shoved Keld away with his free hand and yelled, “What the hell are you doing?”
Keld’s eyes glittered with mirth, his mouth curled in a smile. “You’re tempting when you’re mad.”
Grayson gaped at him. “What happened to ‘shaking rat’?”
Keld released Grayson’s captive wrist and traced his fingers along his arm. “Not shaking now, are you?”
Both of Grayson’s heads were demanding two very different things. His cock strained against his scrub pants, while his mind raced with irritation and indignation.
“Don’t touch me,” he snapped.
Keld’s fingertips vanished at once. With one last furious look, Grayson stormed back into the pub.