She picked up the bills and smoothed them out, then snatched up the coins and counted. She gave me a sideways glance, then finally her face softened.
“All right, you know I can never say no to you.” She shook her head and pushed the drink toward me. “Go ahead.”
“That’s my girl!” I said, grinning like a madman.
I lifted the glass to my lips and inhaled. The scent alone was intoxicating. Greedily, I took a sip. The icy beverage flowed over my parched tongue, tickling my senses and rejuvenating my soul.
It was heaven.
“You must put crack in these things to keep me coming back,” I told her.
Mei shrugged. “Pretty sure the alcohol’s enough to do that on its own.”
Couldn’t argue with that one. I took another drink, almost draining half of it in one go, then set it back down.
“So Mr. Adventurer,” Mei started. “Why the Ramones?” She pointed at my t-shirt and jabbed me in the chest with her bony finger. “Not into Duran Duran anymore?”
My expression soured. “Oh, that.” I lowered my gaze. “It happened in Ireland. ‘Twas part of the hefty price I had to pay to win this beauty of a weapon.” I shrugged. “Ramones was all I could find in a hurry, but at least I got it on the cheap.”
She softly shook her head and giggled. “Well, why don’t you tell us all about your trip, then? What was Ireland like?”
I grinned at her and took in a deep breath. This was going to be a long take. I told her all about my search for the sword and the harrowing near-misses that happened afterward, leaving no detail out. At regular intervals, I accentuated the tale by waving my arms about to recreate the excitement. By the end of the story, the whole room was listening in, hanging on my every word.
“And that’s when I came back here,” I said, ending the story.
“Tch. A skeleton army?” Hank asked, looking at me cross-eyed again.
I puffed my chest up. “Indeed. A whole army of skeletons. I fended them all off with one hand tied behind my back.”
He snorted. “Probably tripped on an old bone and fell flat on your face, more like.”
The room burst out laughing again, this time at my expense. I felt heat rise to my cheeks for a moment, then I joined in. I had embellished a few of the details. I supposed I deserved it. Besides, it was all in good fun, right?
A few minutes later, the room died down again, and I polished off my Manhattan. I set the glass down and patted my stomach for a moment, slumping against my chair, when lo and behold, another Manhattan appeared to take the first one’s place.
I sat up straight and shot Mei a curious glance.
“On the house,” she said, shrugging. “Consider it payment for the entertainment you just provided.” She gave me a smirk.
I grinned back at her and accepted the drink, taking a sip of it right away. Who was I to turn down a free drink?
Moments later, that glass, too, was empty, and I set it down, feeling satisfied for a moment as a slight buzz started to kick in, muting everything and filling me with a rosy glow.
I looked around and noticed that Hank, Sally, and Isaiah had left, turning in early for the night. I thought about joining them, but I needed about one more drink first. Alcohol could still affect me, if not as much as it did a normal person, but I needed a good amount before I could fall into a deep, cozy sleep back home.
Besides, something was gnawing at the back of my mind. I’d been gone a while now, and Mei had yet to even mention the little side operation I’d sent her on in the interim. Was she waiting for everyone else to leave?
I, for one, wasn’t patient enough to find out.
“Hey, Mei,” I said in a somewhat hushed tone, turning my attention back to her.
She leaned in a little closer to me and set down the glass she’d been polishing. “Yeah?”
“I don’t suppose you’ve found out anything? You know, about how to end my immortality and all?” If anyone could figure out how to end my curse, it’d be a dragon. They’re so steeped in the old magic, they’d practically have to know.
Her expression soured and she grimaced as she put a finger to her lips. “I tried, Damian, really I did. But…”
I shushed her. “It’s okay. I know you tried your hardest,” I said, nodding slightly. “It was a longshot of a longshot. No one’s ever been able to give me some ray of hope.” I slumped back into the chair again, shaking my head and sighing. “I suppose it’s too much to ask for, now that the god who granted it in the first place is no more.”
My mind went back to that fateful day in the mid-1720s. It was a long, sordid tale. Maybe one day, I’ll share the whole thing with someone, but suffice it to say my family, starting with my mother on down, had been granted immortality as a gift by one of the gods looking over our clan. My mom had done the god some great favor, and he’d considered it to be the least he could do to repay her.
The other members of my family didn’t seem to mind it as much as I did. But then, I’d never really gotten along with most of them.
Mei opened her mouth again and took in a deep breath, then shut it without saying anything.
I glared at her. “What is it?”
“Well,” she said slowly, “I probably shouldn’t be telling you this, but there is this one possibility.”
My ears perked up at that and I sat up straight in my chair. “Oh? Do tell. Please.”
Her eyes took on a worried look. “You’ve got to understand, this is a serious longshot. It probably won’t pan out. And your
