Page 85 of Blue Moon Mistress

Five girls who have no idea how cruel the world will be if they encounter men whodotake what they’ve got on offer. None of the guys even glance their way.

The game proceeds and the guys explain things to me as they happen.

The girls walk past two more times.

Chase and Johnny get a little more uncomfortable each time they do, but Joshua has mastered the art of ignoring them completely.

“I probably would have done the same in their shoes. Remember, they’re told being desired is the most important thing.”

“Doesn’t mean we have to like it.”

I pat Chase’s arm. “You’d be a creep if you did.”

A shrill whistle blows and I grimace at the sound. “I’m going to have to leave you defenseless for a little bit.”

They look at me, concerned.

“Point me toward the bathroom?”

I’m not sure what they thought I meant, but they immediately relax. Joshua’s the one who takes my hand thistime. “We’ll walk that way with you. Chase wants a hotdog anyway.”

“How did you know?”

Joshua doesn’t answer and Johnny just laughs.

We get to the line for the concessions before the bathrooms, and Chase nods toward the back of the north bleachers structure. “It’s underneath, follow the signs.”

And it is clearly marked. But before I get there, unearthly movement catches my eye.

The wolves have been absent all night, but one appears in front of me now.

When I see why, I breathe a little easier.

Out of everyone at the field tonight, I’m probably the only one who doesn’t need to worry about a vampire.

But that doesn’t mean I’ll tolerate his presence.

Movies would have you believe blood suckers are always beautiful creatures. That they have some hold over of class and elegance from an earlier age. This one looks like he was probably turned in the early nineties and is still grieving Kurt Cobain.

He was turned young enough that he doesn’t stick out while his eyes follow high school girls around, but knowing how easy it would be for him to pull one that needed a confidence boost, I make a detour.

He stiffens when I get within thirty feet of him. The crowds no doubt hid me from his nose. They can smell magic. It’s meant to help them avoid us.

“What’s a bitch—I mean witch like you doing here?”

He gives me a tight lipped smile even though we both know he doesn’t have to hide his fangs fromme.

“Get lost.” I glance at everyone around us. “Or tomorrow morning, you’ll wish sunscreen worked for your kind.”

His dark eyes study me, for a long moment and then catches sight of the wolf. He looks sharply away, “Horrible menu offerings anyway.”

I wait, long enough to watch him pass through the exit gate and then, after I take a long breath of chilly air, I continue on.

Another problem to add to my ever-growing list.

I shake off the sickly feeling of being near him and continue on. My ghostly wolf escort gone.

The bathroom has that eerie familiarity.

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