Page 27 of House of Ruin
“Listen, Garson,” Blaze called for the water sprite whizzing behind the bar. The fae turned to Blaze, one eyebrow arched. “Did you give me some watered-down shit?”
Garson flew over to Blaze, his wings dark blue and teal, swirling behind him like the ocean. “Are you serious, Leveau?” His tiny feet landed on the bar top right in front of Blaze. Garson stood so close, in fact, Blaze could smell the salty ocean as if he were standing right next to it.
Which reminded him of someone.
“It lacks the usual punch,” Blaze observed, tilting his head to the side.
“Maybe you should skip a day and then see if it still packs a punch,” Garson drawled. Then he clapped his tiny hands, and water splashed into Blaze’s face, making him huff a laugh as the sprite whizzed away.
Intently, Blaze twirled the glass in his hand, frowning as he inspected its contents.
Garson was probably right. Maybe he had numbed his throat enough to get used to it.
“Hey there.” The voice was soft and silky in his ear, the presence of the body making the hairs on Blaze’s neck rise.
He turned to find familiar green eyes looking up at him, wide and teasing.
She knew exactly what she was doing.
“Hi there yourself,” Blaze drawled, returning his attention to the glass in his hand.
You’d think the girl would take a hint, but witches were nothing if not resilient.
“Drinking alone tonight?” Fallon asked, settling on the barstool on the right, not so subtly pushing someone out of their seat.
Blaze didn’t bother hiding his smile.This girl.
“There are about two dozen people here,” he replied. “I wouldn’t call it drinking alone.”
“And here I thought I might offer my company.” She didn’t even miss a beat, her sweet voice smooth as she crossed her legs, letting her short dress hike up her juicy thighs.
Blaze stole a sideways glance, hovering his glass a few inches away from his mouth as he stopped for a moment to think.
Hazily, Blaze remembered taking her to the bathroom behind the bar. The giggles, the rushed touches. Maybe she’d gotten on her knees, or maybe it was another memory mixed with this one.
It was hard to tell at this point.
There was also a line of coke on the sink. Maybe two.
Fallon’s pupils had swallowed her irises completely the moment the line had disappeared up her nose, the emerald hidden beneath two pits of Hel.
Clearing his throat, Blaze averted his eyes, suddenly wishing she weren’t next to him anymore.
“Maybe next time,” Blaze said, placing his drink on the bar top as he twisted in his seat and stood. Heading for the door, he added over his shoulder, “Killer is lonely and sad after his loss. I’m sure he’d be more than willing to accept your offer of company.”
Blaze didn’t hear Fallon’s reply; he didn’t look back to see the flash of hurt or annoyance on her sculpted face.
Frankly, Blaze didn’t give a shit.
He walked to the side of the main entrance, then leaned on the brick wall of the bar as he lit up a smoke.
The large grey ball that escaped his lips, the smoke and his breath in the cold mixed together, cut off his view of the dark campus.
It was tempting to send her message.
The thought had crossed Blaze’s mind multiple times this evening, but he had resisted it.
He had the green light; there was nothing stopping him.
