13. Gabe

13

GABE

Pike cat calls from the bar as soon as Van and I walk through the door of Flutter and Fangs. My cheeks blaze hot when he whistles and Lark just shakes his head at his partner.

“There are bets on whether you two fucked,” Warwick says from his usual spot at the counter.

Van wraps an arm and his tail around my waist. “I’d never fuck and tell, and certainly not with sweet angels.”

“He told you what he is, then?” Pike laughs. “Took an entire two months before he trusted us.”

My cheeks burn hotter. “I didn’t know if I could trust you yet or not. I was still getting a feel for the place and Hex.”

“And now you love it,” Lark says as he hops off the countertop. He’s in his signature sparkly booty shorts. This pair is bright orange. Pike likes seeing his ass on display, and so does everyone else.

Van growls behind me and pulls me closer. “What do you say about changing your uniform to a pair of those?”

“Nope. Not happening.” I shake my head so hard I almost trip over my own feet. I’m just not comfortable with everyone seeing so much of me in public.

“Booty shorts aren’t for everyone.” Lark shakes his ass and I think we’re all mesmerized by it.

“Close your mouths boys, Lark is mine,” Pike says as he pulls him in for a kiss. They’re so sweet together and I still ache for something like that. Where someone cherishes me and I cherish them.

Warwick huffs and throws back a shot of HellFire. There’s a yip from the couch and Frankie charges towards us.

“Awe, girl. I missed you, too.” Van drops to his knees and takes all the slobbering, flaming kisses the Hellhound gives him. Despite his magic being gone, her lava like saliva doesn’t affect him.

When she’s done with him, Frankie makes her way to me and boops me a few times with her nose as she extinguishes the flames from her ears so I can pet her head. “Sweet Frankie. Are you having a good day?” I ask and she boops me a few more times. We discovered months ago I can’t handle her saliva. At least not yet. I have to wonder if I broke the magic sealing away my wings and my full abilities if she wouldn’t affect me. “Okay, I gotta get ready for my shift. But I’ll come play with you when I can.”

She yips and barks before running in circles and dashing back to her favored couch to chew on her toy again.

Pike laughs. “She knows your schedule and gets sad when you’re not here.”

“I miss her, too.” I wrap my half apron around my waist and start with my prep. I haven’t been to work since Van fell into my life and I’m anxious to get back to it.

“You charm every person and creature you meet, don’t you?” Van asks. He takes me in as if he’s never seen me before.

“Everyone deserves kindness, and that’s how I strive to live.” I slice into the first lime of the night with him watching my every move.

Warwick slams back another shot of HellFire, and Van sighs.

“How much have you had to drink already?” he asks his brother.

“None of your business.”

“I just.” Van wipes at his face. “I wish I could help you. I wish I could snatch Ethan back from his family for you, but he’s unobtainable.”

Wick pounds his fist on the countertop. “Don’t you think I know that? I try everything I can find just to get a glimpse of him, and yet every effort is thwarted by his bitch of a grandmother. Everyone says Cordia’s the best thing for Hex since the founding leaders, but they don’t know what she does for power. It’s almost as bad as Drake tethering Lark’s soul to him.”

We all tense and Lark lets out a small chuckle as he waves his hand around. “And Pike freed me from the soul tether. I’m sure one day you’ll find your Ethan and live happily ever after.”

“Exactly,” I say. “If there’s anything you think I can help with, let me know.” I reach out to squeeze Warwick’s hand before remembering I’m covered in lime juice now. “Anything.”

Wick gives me a lopsided grin, then looks at his brother with a scowl. “Do not hurt this man like you do all the others.” My heart aches. What happened to the others?

Van growls. “ I don’t hurt them. They’ve all been one-night stands, or several night stands and don’t understand leaving me alone afterwards.”

I go back to my limes. Van’s different with me, I just know it. He wants to be a better person and I can help him. I think so anyway.

Wick rolls his eyes. “Sure, tell yourself that, Van. Yev was at my place for days after you rejected him.”

“Yev? I have no idea who the fuck Yev is.”

“Exactly!” Wick shouts. “You can’t keep treating people like they’re disposable.”

“I don’t treat people like that.” Van’s tail rattle snakes behind him and I’m surprised he doesn’t stomp his foot.

“Wick,” Pike says, getting the demon’s attention. “I think you’ve had enough HellFire for now. Go sit with Frankie and sober up before you start saying things you’ll regret.”

“I haven’t said anything I’ll regret.” Wick slides off his chair and sulks over to Frankie, who barks a happy little bark and pounces into his lap.

Van stands staring after his brother, fists clenched. “I don’t treat people like that. I don’t.”

“Van,” Pike says his name as if to contradict Van’s words.

“I don’t mean to.” Van turns. “I’ll see you at the end of your shift, Gabe. If that’s okay?”

“You don’t have to leave,” I say.

“I do. I need to.” Van runs a hand down his face. “Or I might start a fight.”

“Whatever you need to do.”

Van nods and leaves the bar.

“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.”

“I want to. More than anything.”

I think I do too.