"Toneit down," she gasped, and I focused on the taste instead of the happyfeelings welling up from my very sore parts.
"Woah."
"What?"I asked after pulling my mouth from her flesh.
"Youshut it off."
"What?"
"Thefeeding frenzy. You know. The bow chicky wow wow that comes with it."
"Isthat good?"
"I'mmore comfortable with pain compared to that. If I'm being honest with you."She pulled back and blushed at me.
Ikissed her forehead and leaned back into the spray, a little more stable on myfeet. "I got this now. Thanks for the snack. I feel almost…human again.Pardon the expression."
"You'vegot a bit more color in your cheeks, too. I'll wait on your bed. Holler if youneed me."
"You'llbe the first to know."
Sheslipped out of the shower and I could see her toweling the excess water off herskin as she walked out of the bathroom, leaving me alone with my guilt, shock,and fear. Still uncertain as to what exactly happened in Shea's apartment, Iknew only one detail. I didn't want to know. My back still cringed at thefeeling of the wings that had torn through my flesh. Of all the things that hadhappened, that freaked me out the most. Dar didn't have wings, why the hell did I suddenlysprout a set of flappers?
Catchingmyself starting to doze under the spray of the shower, I shook my head andsoaped up before I collapsed in a melted puddle of Dot.
Bythe time I got out of the shower, Yuki was fast asleep in my bed. I covered herin the comforter and threw on a pair of jogging shorts and a T-shirt.
Imade myself a cup of coffee and sat in silence on the couch avoiding the worldoutside. And inside.
∞∞ ∞
"Youlook like shit."
"Morning,Jay," I said and stuck my tongue out at him. He was behind the registerand unable to retaliate in any way, shape, or form.
"Isthe reason you look like crap the reason that half my employees didn't show upfor work this morning and I feel like I woke up with three hangovers afterspontaneously orgasming while floating in my office?" He cocked an eyebrowat me.
"Maybe."
"Couldyou give a guy some warning next time?" He was playing, but I still feltguilty.
"Iwill, next time I'm conscious."
"Oh,shit." He looked at the two noobs still running the one register together."You guys have the desk. I'll be back shortly. If you get into a jam, justscream really loudly."
"Yes,Sir," They answered in unison, both shooting me shy glances. They weren'tvamps, but I could still feel the fear coming from them. It made me wonder whathorror stories Jason had been telling them about me behind my back.
"Comeon," Jason said as he walked around the counter and put his hand on myback. "I'll buy you a cup of coffee."
Thestore was busy, but not packed. It was after noon but not quiteevening when things would pick back up. Even the coffee shop was a littleslower than usual. The line was only five people deep, which saved me an extended period of Josie's nervous glances.At least Candace had her back to us while she was slinging espressos. Sheprobably would have taken one look at me, abandoned her post, and run over tome to give me a hug. She did turn around when Josie asked if I'd been run overby a train.
"Sortof." I blushed.
Shesputtered at my response. "Not your first train wreck, how come you looklike death?"
Trueto my musings, Candace wandered around the back of the counter and wrapped mystomach in a hug before wordlessly going back to the espresso maker.
"Beatsthe hell out of me."
"Itlooks like it already did." She leaned over the counter and pulled at thebags under my eyes.
Sheeyed the line behind me. "Tell me later."
"Iwill." I nodded for emphasis.
"What'llit be for you today?"
"I'llhave a cup of caffeine, please."
"Makeit two," Jason said with a chuckle and pulled out his wallet.
"Putthat away," Josie told him and nodded at Candace.
Wemoved to the waiting counter so the lady behind us could order and watchedCandace as she grabbed two paper cups off the stack, flipped them into the air,and slammed them down on the counter. She set the espresso machine to brew fourshots, poured coffee into the cups, filling them halfway full, waited a momentfor the espresso, and then dumped two of them into the coffee. Greedily, I heldout my hands, but she gave me a dirty look as if I was interrupting herperformance. She flipped a bottle of vanilla syrup over one handed like abartender, splashing a swirl into the brew before flipping it back into thestainless-steel rack. Then she committed the ultimate sin, she poured milk intoa frothing pitcher and jammed it onto the steam spout, twisting the spigot andfilling the air with an angry hiss.
Iopened my mouth to protest and debated jumping the counter to stop her madness,but she held up her hand in a preemptive measure. Once the milk was heated, shestuck the end of an electric frother inside and whipped the ever-loving shitout of it. My lip quivered as she brought the pitcher over the cups. "Please,no," I whispered.
Shegrinned and stuck a long spoon into the milk and extracted a puffy cloud offoam and dolloped it on top of the coffee. Please be done. She couldn't hear me, I knew, but I hoped my innerpleading reached her ears somehow.
Shewasn't. She slammed a shaker of sparkling powder against her wrist, shaking itover the froth.
Now?
Shetook a squeeze bottle and nested a jewel of caramel on top.
Ijust want some fucking coffee!
Sheused her thumb to trace an intricate pattern on her forehead with one hand andheld the other over both cups and muttered something in her native language. Icould have sworn her hand glowed pink and then the froth glistened iridescentlylike unicorn barf.
Shelooked up, smiled, and nodded, passing both cups over the glass partition. "Enjoy,"she whispered.
"CanI get a lid?" Jason hesitated before taking the coffee.
Hewithered under Candace's disgusted glare.
"Nevermind. This is quite beautiful. What is it?"
"It'snot on the menu. I call it a Witch's Tit."
"Thatexplains the caramel nipple." I stared blankly at the cup in my hand,unsure if I could handle all the floofiness. There was no way to drink
