Page 34 of Half Dead

“Maybe not, but yours are,” I said. “I’m surprised you don’t see two Xanders.”

“You’ve been keeping tabs on how many drinks each person in the bar has ordered?” Camryn asked.

“Only the ones I identified as potential supers.”

“Supers?” Gun asked, amused. “Aren’t they the guys who fix problems in an apartment building?”

“Well, you need a better name. Supernatural makes you sound like a bunch of spirits.”

“That’s only a small subset of us,” Gun said. “Can you spot anyone else?”

Camryn elbowed her way in front of me. “Do me now.” She tossed a glance over her shoulder. “Seriously. He should. He’s very attractive.”

Leo grinned; it didn’t take supernatural hearing to catch her comment. “I already know you’re a mage.”

“But if you didn’t, tell me how you’d figure it out.”

Leo’s gaze tracked her from head to toe. “Expensive clothes that look out of place in a town like Fairhaven.”

Cam brushed one of her sleeves. “Thisisvintage Gucci.”

“People can afford luxury fashion in this town,” Gun argued.

“Not the humans,” Leo said. “I’ve noticed a pattern, and not just on the clothes. The higher the price point, the more likely that the wearer is a supernatural.”

Camryn flipped her hair out of her face. “What else do you notice about me?”

Gun groaned under his breath. “Here we go.”

“Your skin is too perfect. You need a pimple or a freckle somewhere.”

Cam’s laughter was Marilyn Monroe-style breathy. “That has nothing to do with being a mage. Look at the size of Gun’s pores. You can spot them from the moon.”

“Whoa,” Gun said. “I don’t think we want to start naming each other’s flaws out loud, Miss Penis-Shaped-Birthmark-On-Her-Buttocks.”

“Fair enough.” Cam tugged a small box of Nerds from her purse and opened it.

Leo’s eyes locked on the box like a heat-seeking missile. “I can’t believe you have Nerds.”

“They’re my guilty pleasure.” She paused. “One of them, anyway.” She tipped a few into her mouth and then offered him the box. “Want some?”

He held out his hand and she dumped a bunch of the colorful candies into his open palm. “These were my favorite when I was a kid.”

“There’s no age requirement when it comes to things that taste good in your mouth.”

Gun winced. “You might want to rephrase that, cousin.”

Leo chewed the small pieces of candy. “Nostalgic sugar and copious amounts of beer. This has been a great night. A-plus.”

I tapped his shoulder. “Listen, I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself, but do me a favor and calm down when it comes to identifying other species. If a werewolf catches you eyeing him, he might decide to give you a closer look at his fist.”

“I can take care of myself.” He patted his shirt where his badge would have been.

“Oh, you sweet golden Labradoodle,” Gun said, pinching his cheek. “More moxie than sense.”

Leo’s face grew flushed. “I think I might’ve had enough for tonight.”

“I’m sober,” Camryn piped up. “I can drive him.”

---