Page 33 of Demons and Debts
‘House of Vicious?’ I ask.
She snorts. ‘That’s what ‘Vic’ stands for. Vicious.’
At my blank look, she looks at the girl making the coffee and raises a brow.
‘You know. The Iron I President.’ She puts her feet up on the coffee table. ‘It’s not really his name, I heard. It’s sorta a family thing. His dad is a big deal with the supes or something.’ She looks me over like the other girl did. ‘What's your name?’
‘Jane,’ I say.
‘I’m Carrie,’ Sugarplum says, slowly plaiting her long blond hair into a single braid. She gestures to the other girl. ‘That’s Julie.’
Carrie’s wearing a short, shift dress like the one Theo gave me and, as she stands up and it rises, I see that she's not wearing anything under it. She doesn’t say anything about knowing me from the other day when I went to the bar to hire the Iron I’s, but then she was indisposed, I guess, and I don’t think she ever looked my way actually.
‘Sorry if I’m not supposed to be down here,’ I say. ‘I was trying to get away from the big one.’
‘Sie,’ both women say together, glancing at the room behind me where the third one’s still sleeping.
‘How is Monique?’ Carrie asks her friend.
The redhead shrugs. ‘She made her way back here sometime early this morning. She’s ok. Groggy, but no bruises.’
‘That's a plus, I guess,’ Carrie says. ‘Weird that he called for Monique though.’
‘You think so? Really? First, Theo and then Sie within a few hours?’
Carrie looks at me and must see whatever it is that Julie’s talking about because she snorts, a look passing between her and her friend. ‘Guess not.’
‘What do you mean?’ I ask, trying to figure it out in case it’s important.
‘Don’t worry about it,’ Carrie mutters with a shake of her head.
Julie brings her a cup of coffee that she accepts with a nod of thanks.
‘You want one?’
I shake my head, still trying to figure out what I have to do with Sie’s choice of female company. ‘No, thanks. I was actually gonna take a look around.’
‘Have fun,’ Julie says, taking her coffee and going back to the bedroom.
Carrie sits back down on the couch. ‘I’m guessing you already know to be careful of Sie.’
I nod.
‘Don’t turn your back on the shaggy-haired one either. That’s Korban.’ She starts messing with her phone, sighs, and makes eye contact again. ‘Look, I don’t know how well you know these guys, but I should probably tell you, girl code and all, don’t trust any of ‘em. They might need humans to stay alive, but we’re just the food. Remember that. They don’t like us.’
My forehead creases at her words. ‘Why not?’
She shrugs. ‘I don't know, and I don't really give a shit. I'm under contract so it doesn’t matter anyway.’
‘So, like, you can't leave?’
‘Nope, but most of the girls who come here don't have anywhere else to go anyway, so it works out. They make it worth our while. I’ll have fifty grand in my pocket when my three years are up.’
I know what she’s talking about, I suppose. I have nowhere to go either. I could easily be one of these girls … if it wasn't for, you know, the way I am.
A funny little pang hits me in the chest. It’s not that I wish I was one of the contracted girls, but it would be nice to have the easy friendship that these two at least seem to enjoy with each other. Sometimes it’s hard being all alone, always looking in at the party that everyone else seems to instinctively know all the rules to and knowing I don’t understand the first thing about how to join it.
Silence pervades the space. Carrie’s attention is now fully on her phone and coffee, and I feel like I'm intruding.
