Page 34 of The Nephilim's Touch
“Damn,” Pike says as he drops a hand to my shoulder. “Before he would have stayed just to find someone to fuck in the bathroom, then start a fight with. What have you done to my best friend?” He chuckles and squeezes my shoulder.
“Not me. He’s a great guy. I just think people don’t understand him.” I start on another lime and keep my eyes on the job, not wanting to meet anyone’s eyes.
Pike laughs so loud everyone looks at him. “No one understands Van. Not even me and I’ve known him the longest.”
“Have you tried?”
That makes him clamp his mouth shut. Lark flushes and looks away from me.
Pike fills a shot glass with HellFire and drinks it. “I love Van and Wick like they’re my own siblings. But neither of them make sense to me.”
Lark lays a hand on Pike’s forearm before making eye contact with me. “I understand where their anger comes from, but the way they act out is still foreign to me. I was taught poise and etiquette as a courtesan-in-training. How to not let my anger fuel me like it does the demons. But I wish I had allowed myself to throw fits and be angry when I was Drake’s captive. Maybe it would have served me better than being pliant. I’ll never know. But I do know one thing.” He squeezes Pike’s arm. “Van saved me from Drake draining my blood and I’ll be forever grateful for him.”
“As will I.” Pike pulls Lark into him and kisses the top of his head. “Van’s my best friend and if I knew how to get things through his thick skull, I would. But he never listens to me about anything.”
“Perhaps you take the wrong approach.” I move on to a few lemons to cut. “I’m working with him and he’s doing better.” But this afternoon…
“I think you’ll be the calming influence he needs,” Lark says. “You always help rowdy customers.”
Pike chuckles. “Gabe just has to flutter those pretty lashes and the customers fall in line.”
“That doesn’t work every time,” I say with a laugh.
“Ninety-seven percent of the time,” Lark says. “I’ve seen it.”
Warwick sulks the entire evening and stares at his phone. His fingers stay in Frankie’s short fur. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think Wick was content, but it’s the little twitches in his tail that give him away.
I half expect Van to stomp back in at some point, but he doesn’t. Three am rolls around and the night’s been mostly quiet with our usual crowd. If it were a themed night, it’d be different.Everyone loves karaoke or drag night, especially loves the pole dancing nights where Sparkle shines. Sometimes Lark gets back on stage. But it’s Kristy, part succubus, part siren, that draws in the biggest crowds. When she’s headlining, the place is packed. Though I’m pretty sure it has something to do with the fact Pike brings in more couches and gets rid of the tables and chairs. Basically, the place turns into an orgy.
I’ve only worked one orgy and while I’m intrigued, I ask to be off those nights. They affect me in a way I’m not comfortable with in public. I have to wonder if some of my hangups are because I grew up with humans and still have human morals. I can’t think too much like a human in Hex, though. While there are humans in Hex, full and half like me, most don’t think or act like the humans outside of Hex. What would I be like if I grew up here? Or anyplace like it?
“Gabe?” Lark calls my name as lights go out.
“Sorry! Distracted again.” I’d already done my cleaning and take off my apron to shove into the laundry basket behind the counter.
“See you tomorrow night,” Pike says as I hurry out the door.
Van’s pacing the parking lot and rushes to me the moment he sees me.
“How was your night? Are you okay? Did you get sick at all?” He doesn’t let me get a word out before he’s pulling me into a hug.
I melt into his big arms, his warm body. His tail wraps around my thigh and I chuckle when we pull apart.
“Sorry, I couldn’t stay in there with Wick. I get too upset seeing him like that.”
“It’s okay.” I pat his tail because it’s too awkward trying to walk with it claiming me. He loosens, only to wrap around my waist instead. “Did you do anything fun?”
“Actually, yes.” There’s a bounce in Van’s step that warms my heart. “I went back to the community garden. It did take me about half an hour to figure out how to get the gate open, but I got there. Watched Nef’s show again, took a nap. Grabbed some food. Made you some dinner.”
I stop in my tracks. “You made me dinner?”
“It’s nothing too fancy, but yes.”
I grab his hand. “Thank you. And thanks for walking home with me,” I say. I’m used to the easy walk everywhere, but I hadn’t realized how much I wanted someone to be by my side.
“I’ll be here every day.”
“You don’t have to.”
