“No,” I say curtly.
“That’s weird,” he says, leaning in to sniff me. “You definitely smell like you miss me.”
I sigh.
“Cross, it is way too early in the night for your bullshit.”
His smile widens, and his brows lift.
“I see we’re still hangry.”
“I’m not hangry,” I snap, a little louder than necessary.
Elliot blinks, still grinning, but says nothing.
Okay, maybe I am hangry. Just a little.
But how could I not be when every man I meet turns out to be utterly useless?
“Iris!” Kitty calls, drawing my attention.
She and Elsie are now standing in the doorway, waving at me impatiently.
I toss back the rest of my drink and hand the empty cup to Elliot.
“Find me later,” I demand, before squeezing back through the crowd and out onto the dance floor.
It takes Kitty all of thirty seconds to find herself a partner. A lean selkie boy who has no qualms about being her scratching post for the night. He does his best to keep up, but mostly she dances circles around him while he stands there, too stunned to touch her.
Elsie keeps her promise, and after the sirens finish their set, Owen snatches her up.
She shrugs apologetically when he finally lures her off the dance floor, but I wave back, dismissing her concern.
She’s been irritable all week; maybe some dick will straighten her out. Besides, I’m more than capable of keeping myself occupied.
In fact, if the only faces I ever saw again were Kitty, Elsie, and Isaac, I’d be okay with that. But of course, that also means I’d starve to death, which, in my opinion, is the most brutal way to go.
The sunken eyes and hollowed stomach. Ribs nothing but a cage for your last breath?
No, thank you.
I would much rather have something swift. Maybe even peaceful, if the fates will allow it.
“Hey, Ashbourne.”
My morbid musings are interrupted as I turn to find Alias Woods standing behind me, holding out a fresh cup of brew.
His ears must have been burning.
“Hey, Woods.” I accept his offering, as is customary among the night-folk, and make one of my own by pressing a quick kiss to his cheek.
He smiles sheepishly, brown eyes softening as he comes to stand next to me.
“Should I be worried?” I ask.
He shrugs his narrow shoulders.
“Probably.”
