“Are you sure you’re all right? You know, you don’t have to go in there tonight if you don’t want to. You…well, you don’t look very good.”
“Thanks. Same to you, buddy.”
Luis blinked, then barked out a laugh. It was the first time I’d heard him laugh or even seen him smile for that matter. “Got it. I’ll stay in my lane,” he said, getting out.
The walk from the parking lot to the front door felt fraught with danger. Even with Luis right behind me, I kept glancing around. I wasn’t sure what I thought would jump out at me, but I couldn’t get the idea out of my head. Every shadow looked like a place someone could hide. The only thing that kept me going was the sound of Luis’s boots thumping into the pavement. I’d be damned if I’d break down and lose my shit in front of him.
I stepped inside, the cool blast of the air conditioning refreshing against the late afternoon heat, but it also chilled me to the bone. My eyes locked onto the spot on the floor where the shifters had attacked me, and more memories flashed through my head—things I hadn’t been able to recall while I recovered at Nico’s. The shifters attacking. Me climbing over the bar, scrambling to try and get to the door. Then thechinksound of a thick beer glass being pulled from the shelf. I could almost hear it banging into the base of my skull. I could even recall the flash of metal in the last moment of consciousness. All of it came roaring back as I stared at the floor.
“Holy shit. Maddy!” Abi ran from the kitchen and threw her arms around me.
Luis nudged my side. “I’m going to check outside. Be back in a minute.”
“Thanks. I’m good here,” I said, walking back to the bar with Abi.
The rest of the staff was there, setting up. They all knew something had happened to me, but none of them had heard the truth. Only Abi knew, and I wanted to keep it that way. There was no reason for them to think it was unsafe working here. Shifters weren’t trying to kill them. Only me.
“What do you want to do tonight?” Abi asked. “Kitchen? Stay away from everyone in there?”
I shook my head. “I’ll help bartend. Staying behind the bar will feel safe, but I can still feel like I’mhere.”
As the night got started, it became obvious that I’d made a mistake. The first time a customer called to get my attention, I jumped and dropped a full bottle of beer on the floor. Then I heard a bunch of guys having a good-natured argument about whether the Dolphins or Buccaneers had a better chance at the Super Bowl that coming fall. Their happy, boisterous voices had seemed like rage-filled shouts for an instant. That was all it took to send me back to the kitchen, almost hyperventilating. It was all I could do to keep the staff from seeing me like that.
When I came back out, Luis raised an eyebrow at me in question. I waved him off and went back to work. Later in the night, I got another wave of near panic and went to the kitchen again to calm my nerves. I stood at the back door getting some fresh air, surprised to see Nico’s other friend Felipe sitting on the tailgate of a truck watching the rear entrance. He spotted me and nodded. I forced a smile and waved back. I bit into the side of my cheek and went back out into the main room.
Abi nudged up against me. “Are you sure you’re okay? The look in your eye is?—”
“First night back jitters. Nothing to worry about,” I lied. “All good.”
Abi looked at me suspiciously, but didn’t force the issue. Luis strolled up and tapped the bar with a knuckle. “Can I get a drink?” he asked with a smile.
I stepped over and started polishing a glass. “Is that really wise? Aren’t you, like, on duty or whatever?”
He shrugged. “Shifters don’t get drunk like humans do. Takes a lot. Mostly, I enjoy a well-mixed cocktail for the taste. Plus, I’m getting weird looks standing around a bar not drinking. What do you?—”
Luis froze, then tilted his head to the sky, sniffing the air. I looked over his shoulder, and dropped another glass on the floor. The sound of shattering glass filled the bar, and almostall the customers cheered at the sound. I barely heard them. Instead, it seemed like the entire building went dead silent. A group of shifters had walked in the front door.
Abi saw them and moved to my side. “Hey, Maddy? It’s okay.”
I nodded and said nothing. My eyes flitted across every face as the group found a booth to sit at. None of them were familiar, none were part of the group who had attacked me. The memory of that voice returned, unbidden.You shouldn’t even exist.
Luis was already in motion, striding over to the group of shifters. My body felt completely worn out. It was like I’d run a marathon and then come in to work a twelve-hour shift. I’d made a mistake, and I knew that. The way my hand shook as I watched Luis talk to the other shifters told me all I needed to know.
“Babe, go home. We can handle this,” Abi said.
I nodded shakily. “You’re right. I need to rest or something.”
Luis finished his discussion with the shifters and returned to the bar. “All good. They’re from a pack about four hours’ north from here. It’s a boy’s road trip to a concert in Miami. They’re cool.” Luis looked at my face and frowned. “Hey, are you okay?”
“No,” Abi answered for me. “She needs to go home.”
All I could do was nod while staring at the men in the corner. Even though Luis had told me what was going on, I couldn’t stop thinking that they were about to leap to their feet and rush me, knives and teeth flashing in the light from the bar.
Luis came around the side of the bar and took my arm. I glanced at Abi once before letting him lead me away. The bar’s entire atmosphere felt strange as he escorted me out. It was no longer welcoming, warm, and pleasant. Now, it seemed every face had a hidden motive, every hand a concealed weapon, every word spoken a warning. I even glanced back at the table of shifters. Not a single one of them was looking at me as I left.
The ride back home was silent, for which I was grateful. The last thing I needed was some kind of lecture from Luis. I didn’t even know what he’d say, but I imagined a ton of obnoxious and annoying things. The fact that he was the kind of guy who was fine with awkward silences was a blessing in disguise.
When we got back to the house, Nico wasn’t there. Luis checked the house, making sure he wasn’t in one of the other massive rooms. He took a seat at the kitchen island. “I’ll hang out until Nico gets back.”
