Page 29 of Dead End

What the fuck is wrong with me?

“There you are!” Auntie Pip said, rounding the corner. “Find any good books back here?” Tilting her head to the side, her eyes ran over me from head to toe, probably noting how disheveled I looked.

I knew I was blushing furiously, and my paleness didn’t help. I quickly grabbed the black leather necromancy book off the ground, waving it at her like a mad woman. “Uh, yeah! Right here. The book. Right here. Book.” I stumbled over my words, and she reached forward to place her hand over my forehead.

“Hmm, no fever.” She clicked her tongue a few times. “Why is your hair in such disarray?” She patted my wild hair down and pulled away to lick her fingers, ready to groom me again, but I dodged her reaching hand.

“So…I got lost, you see, and fell. Yeah, I fell. The books fell on me. Ouch. We should head to the front. I think I hear Maddie calling me. Coming, Mads!” The words tumbled out without a filter, and suddenly, my feet couldn’t carry me away fast enough.

Bad October. Well, at least I can mark getting fingered in a bookshop off my bucket list, even though it was technically never on there to begin with. Bad October. Was that slutty of me? Probably… Do I care? Nope.

Maddie’s giggle snapped me out of my embarrassing thoughts as I came around the corner near the entrance. I looked up to find her leaning over the counter as she straightened Baen’s bow tie. I rolled my eyes. She was such a relentless flirt.

He didn’t seem to notice anyone else in the room, and I swear he started rumbling as she patted his chest before leaning away with a sly grin and a wink. That little shit knew exactly what she was doing. Once Maddie set her sights on a lucky son of a bitch, it was game on every time. Her dedication to the game was fierce, and she went after the men she wanted with her whole heart. Baen was in serious trouble.

“Can we get the hell out of here?” Norman snapped, leaning against the front door frame. “I’m ready to pass out now.” His glare pinned me in place, those emerald eyes washing over me from head to toe. His black hair was disheveled, and it only made his skin look even more translucent in contrast.

Freddy walked over next, coming from the opposite end of the store. He threw me a cursory glance before heading to his brother. Leaning in, Freddy whispered something to Norman before folding his arms over his chest and squaring his shoulders.

“What happened to your shirt?” Norman asked suddenly, his eyes traveling over Freddy suspiciously.

“Did you drink?” Freddy asked at the exact same time, and the two of them stared at each other in silence for a few tense heartbeats.

“No,” Norman said, his voice like a whip, before turning away. “Let’s just get out of here. I’m sick of this little excursion.” He walked out of the store, letting the door slam shut behind him. Freddy glanced at me one more time before following his angry twin outside.

“Did you get what you needed?” Auntie Fe asked me before slapping Michael’s hand away from the tote bag by her feet. “For the last time, don’t touch the potions unless you want to be turned into a hairy rat. Men. I swear you never listen.” She huffed and grabbed the book from my hand with an eye roll before I could say anything as she paid with silver coins at the register.

“See you around, Bae.” Maddie caressed the love-struck fool on the cheek. He didn’t look like he was even breathing as she twirled away, her skirt lifting a bit and showing a little leg. “I hope Bae is okay with you. Baen is such a mouthful.” She winked, licking her lips suggestively, and it was all I could do not to snort.

“You can call me whatever you like, gorgeous.” He drawled back, eyes glued to her retreating form, and pushed his glasses up his nose with a loud, audible gulp.

That poor, poor, sexy man...

I gave Baen a sympathetic look before following Maddie out the door, with Jason hot on my heels. He’d been so silent, but I’d felt him staring at my messed-up hair and slightly askew skirt the whole time. I got ten paces away from the store with Jason practically breathing down my neck. I was about to turn around and demand to know what his problem was, but my attention was suddenly elsewhere.

Right by the door to another shop a few spaces down stood a guy about our age, leaning against the building while casually flipping through a book. His midnight-dark hair shone almost blue under the moonlight and brushed his wide shoulders. He looked up from his book when we got closer. Amber eyes outlined in black liner and thick, feathery lashes skimmed over the guys, paused on Maddie for a split second with a raised brow of interest, then landed on me.

With a cocky smile that tilted his lips invitingly, his shoulders left the wall. He was dressed in all black from head to toe; even his fingernails were painted black, and he wore a choker collar around his neck. My kind of people are goth and hot.

“I heard we had some newbies in the neighborhood, so I thought I’d introduce myself,” he said with a dramatic bow that, on anyone else, would have looked cheesy as hell, but on him, it just fit.

He peeked under his lashes at Maddie, who just twirled her hair and popped some gum in annoyance. He flickered his eyes from her toes to her lips, smirking, before he turned his attention to me.

“We’re good here, man,” Jason said with a dark glare as he grabbed me and slung his arm over my shoulder. We've already got the tour.”

I could only stare at Jason, wondering if he’d finally lost his mind. What the hell was going on with the guys all of a sudden? They hadn't been this touchy in over a year. Did I miss something, or was this all one big prank for them?

“Are you going to tell us your name or keep us guessing?” Maddie asked, pretending to be uninterested as she inspected her nails, but she kept flipping her black hair over her shoulder. She could fool everyone else, but she couldn’t fool me.

“Kind of you to ask, little raven.” He reached out and pinched a lock of Maddie’s dark hair. “The name’s Calvin, but everyone just calls me Cal.”

My eyes widened, and I had to cover them fast because Maddie was blushing deeply. I was in shock. Maddie never got flustered around guys, not ever, but she was fully blushing right now as Cal grinned down at her.

My aunties came outside arm in arm as they whispered with their heads bent together, until they noticed us standing in the doorway in awkward silence. Jessica crawled out of Auntie Fe’s maroon hood and skittered over to me, shooting her web onto my forearm and disappearing into my hair. In such a short time, I’d come to adore the little creepy crawlies, but that made me shiver every time.

“Calvin,” Pip hissed, uncharacteristically snippy with the newcomer. “What are you doing here? Is your father around?” Her eyes shifted from side to side, just as the sound of shoes tapping on concrete echoed down the dark street.

“Speak of the devil, and he shall come,” Fe added in a grumble.

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