Damned and Cursed (Book 2): Witch's Kurse (23 page)

Erica nudged his shoulder.
 
"Did you see that?" she asked, gesturing to the front door.
 
"That was nice."

"Yeah.
 
I was going to double as a bouncer, but looks like I won't have to."

"He would have beat your ass."

"You're probably right.
 
Do you think I should get those ladies some free drinks to make up for all that?"

She laughed.
 
"Would that be for the bar's benefit or yours?"

"Both, of course."

Rob eyed Erica briefly as she served another customer.
 
What he wouldn't give to slip a hand under that skirt.
 
He already took a swing when Marie first introduced them, but he missed.
 
It wasn't hard to see the signs.
 
She obviously just went through a bad breakup.
 
He hoped he could have served as the rebound lay, but Erica showed no interest.

Nia stopped at the bar after dropping off a food order.
 
She gave a flirty wave to some guys at the pool tables.

"This is nice," she said.
 
"A lot busier than I thought it'd be."

Rob pointed at her.
 
"Now you won't have to work the street corner anymore."

"Oh, shut up."

The three laughed, and watched Marie through the door.
 
Not only did she set the drunk in his car, but actually
talked
to him.
 
She gave him time, and listened to whatever sad story he had to share.

"Wow.
 
She's pretty cool," Nia said.
 
"She really pulled all this off."

Rob nodded.
 
He supposed he shouldn't have been too surprised.

Long ago, he learned never to underestimate a werewolf.

His cell phone vibrated in his pocket.
 
The caller ID wasn't a surprise.
 
It'd been a while since they last spoke, but the timing was terrible.

"Shit.
 
It's my mother," he lied.
 
"I need to take this."

Erica shooed him away.
 
"Go ahead.
 
Nia and I can handle this."

"Okay.
 
I promise, I won't be long."

He answered the phone on the way out of the bar and got the first word in.

"Don't say a word.
 
Hold on."

Marie was halfway across the parking lot, having left the drunk in his car.
 
She frowned in confusion as he held up the cell phone, but didn't seem angry.

"I'm sorry.
 
A tiny emergency.
 
Five minute break?"

"Sure."

"Thanks, boss lady."

She smiled and mockingly punched her open palm, indicating what would happen in the future if he kept calling her boss lady.

Rob feigned terror.
 
Little did Marie know, it was her own future she needed to worry about.

He climbed in his car and rolled up all the windows.
 
The radio was the next step, just enough noise to add another layer of sound.
 
Werewolves had great hearing, but he imagined the bar setting was throwing her off, no doubt why she needed the occasional break in the kitchen.

"Okay, I'm here.
 
What's going on, brother?"

"Hey, how's everything?
 
You haven't called in a while."

"I know, I know.
 
I've been busy."

"Mom told me to say hi.
 
Where the hell are you at?"

"I'm at my new job.
 
Is everything going okay over there?"

"Yeah.
 
We're finishing this hunt up now, and then we're heading up that way.
 
What's the word on the target?"

"The target is about one hundred feet away.
 
She's finally got her bar up and running, and I work for her."

"What?
 
Say that again?
 
You
work
for her?
 
You take a
paycheck
from her?"

"Exactly."

"Ah, Jesus Christ, Rob.
 
You were supposed to
watch
her.
 
Damnit, if you fuck this up—"

"I'm not gonna fuck anything up.
 
I know where she lives, where she works, I know when she likes to do her little runs out in the woods."

"Do you know anything about her pack?"

"This will sound weird, but I'm not sure she has a pack, Sean."

"They've
always
got a pack.
 
It might only be two or three, but she's got a pack somewhere."

"I don't think so.
 
I've been watching.
 
She just hangs out by herself all the time.
 
And that's a shame, too.
 
If I really tried, I bet I could get in that."

"You want to fuck a puppy?
 
Are you out of your mind?"

"Hey, I'm just saying.
 
She's not a puppy all the time.
 
She's outright gorgeous.
 
Got a hell of a body on her.
 
Her lips, and that smile—"

"Of course she's beautiful.
 
You want to know why?
 
Because she's not fucking human.
 
You
do
know that, right?
 
I'm sure she's real sweet and gives a mean blow-job.
 
But we're coming up there, and we're gonna kill her and her pack.
 
Is that okay with you?
 
I'm not ruining any plans to stick your dick in a dog, am I?"

Rob gripped the phone tighter.
 
He didn't play by the rules, was certainly looser than his brother and the rest of the organization.

But he was serious about killing werewolves.

"Don't talk down to me.
 
I know what has to be done.
 
What I'm doing, getting right up in a werewolf's face, that's the type of shit the organization needs to do.
 
No one there has the balls."
 
Rob paused a moment.
 
"So, am I in or not?"

Sean sighed.
 
"You know I'm trying to get you in.
 
And I will, but you have to be patient.
 
You can't do boneheaded shit.
 
But…you did get a lot of intel, and I'll make sure the bosses know about that.
 
I'm doing what I can.
 
But it might not happen until after the hunt."

He grimaced.
 
He was tired of wolf watching.
 
He wanted to be a part of the wolf
kill
.

"I'll keep doing my part.
 
You'll know what time her period comes by the time you get here."

"Female werewolves don't have a—"

"I know, I know.
 
It was a figure of speech."

"You keep doing your part," he repeated.
 
"That's exactly what the bosses want to hear.
 
You stay
safe
, little brother, especially if you're playing in the dog's backyard."

"Not a problem.
 
Remember, keep putting in a good word for me over there."

Rob hung up.
 
He watched Marie in the bar, moving from customer to customer, and even walking a few to the front door.
 
If she were human, he'd give much more effort to convince her to remove her clothes.

But she wasn't human.
 
Everything about her was an illusion.
 
Even her age didn't match her looks.
 
She certainly wasn't anywhere near thirty years old.

It was a shame she had to die.

*****

All the voices were finally gone.
 
The only sound that plagued Marie's ears was the almost nonexistent three in the morning traffic that passed outside.
 
There was a couple making out in the parking lot against a car, whispering what they were going to do to each other, but whispering was more than okay by Marie.

The bar was empty, except for one person.
 
The scents still lingered, but didn't bother her.
 
She placed the stools upside down on the bar so she could sweep.
 
A strange mix of fatigue and excitement ran through her.
 
It took a lot to exhaust a werewolf, but she was nearly there.

Erica stepped out of the bathroom.
 
She smiled and let out a deep breath, not having to say a word.

"Tell me about it," Marie said.
 
"Do you think it'll always be this busy?
 
Or was it just the novelty of a new place?"

"I hope it stays busy.
 
I could use the money."

"Did you do alright on tips?"

She smiled sheepishly.
 
"I did okay."

Erica nodded.
 
That was code for
I did very okay
.
 
Marie could see why.
 
Her attention was pulled in every direction throughout the night, but she saw many men giving Erica a second and third look.

"I'm really sorry I was late," Erica said again.
 
"I didn't mean to put you in a bind like that.
 
It's been crazy since I moved here, just trying to get on my feet, and then my car breaks down."

"Don't worry about it.
 
I'm just glad you showed up."

Marie's thoughts drifted to the next step.
 
It was a great opening night, but would it last?
 
If it did, she would certainly have to hire more people.
 
She loved the bar, but even she didn't want to work seven days a week.
 
Jerry did an excellent job in the kitchen, but he probably wouldn't mind some help as well.

"Hey, Marie," Erica said.
 
"You mind if I stay inside until the cab gets here?
 
This is a quiet town, but I'm not sure if I want to hang around outside this late."
 
She smiled.
 
"Or this early."

"You called a cab?
 
Erica, go into my office and call them back right now to cancel.
 
I'll take you home."

She wrinkled her nose.
 
"I can't ask that."

Marie pointed.
 
"Go."

Erica laughed and disappeared in the back.
 
Marie could hear her on the phone.
 
She'd just finished sweeping and turning lights off when Erica came out front.

"Thanks.
 
I really appreciate it."

"Anytime.
 
You ready?"

The two women left the bar.
 
The couple was still making out in the parking lot.
 
They drew the attention of the man as they walked to Marie's car.

"Hey, babies," he said.
 
"Interested in a foursome?"

The woman slapped him across the arm.
 
"You can barely keep
me
happy.
 
What do you think you're gonna do to them?
 
Bore them to death?"

Marie and Erica pulled out of the lot.
 
Erica was quiet at first, content to be alone with her thoughts.
 
Marie decided to take the opportunity to get to know one of her employees.

"So, how's life in Sandy Cliffs treating you?
 
You settling in okay?"

"It's real nice, yeah.
 
Thank you so much for giving me a job, even though I never poured a drink in my life.
 
I kind of moved here in a hurry."

"You're quite welcome.
 
You did great tonight."

"Listen, I'll be honest with you.
 
I'm really trying to get a job teaching at the elementary school.
 
So I don't know how long term this will be."

"I understand.
 
Just give me some notice, okay?
 
Don't leave me high and dry.
 
Is that what you did back east?
 
Teaching?"

"Yeah.
 
I wanted a fresh start, but I don't know if I'll ever leave the classroom."

Marie nodded.
 
She could identify with fresh starts.

They were quiet for a few minutes.
 
Marie could see Erica had gone through something.
 
She couldn't imagine what it was, but could see it wearing on her.
 
Erica flashed a smile to the customers, laughed with the other staff, was great with people.
 
But Marie could see it in the few moments Erica was alone in the bar.
 
Marie wouldn't ask; it wasn't her business.

It turned out she didn't have to.

"It's cliché, isn't it?" Erica asked out of the blue.
 
"To have your life turned backwards because of a guy."

"Well, they
are
evil creatures."

Marie chuckled at her own joke.
 
Erica did not.

"This one might be," she said softly.

Marie stole a sideways glance at the scar on Erica's cheek.
 
Erica noticed, and quickly shook her head.

"Oh, no, he didn't do that.
 
That was an accident from my bar-hopping days."
 
She managed a smile.
 
"And now I'm on the other side of the bar."

"I'll do my best to make sure you don't get one on the other cheek."

"I'd appreciate that."

They shared a laugh.
 
For a moment, Marie thought Erica was loosening up, if only a little.

Erica sighed as they passed a car stranded on the side of the road.