Page 7 of Fanged Temptation

With a full face of makeup and those god-awful pumps, she was significantly overdressed for the occasion, fiddling with her visitor's card hanging from the lanyard around her neck.

She trailed behind me as I dipped out of the stream of bodies and headed toward the warded section of the rehabilitation tanks, big brown eyes darting from the iridescent marine life to the faded informational displays.

Through the staff-only gate, we hiked the damp concrete stairs to the seal enclosure, where Rachel, a fellow conservationist, was coaxing a seal pup over with a handful of pilchards. The distinct scent of brine tickled my throat as I sloshed my way through ankle-deep water, avoiding the steep dropoff into deeper pools to my left.

Maxine hesitated behind me, eyeing the threshold like it might bite her.

I could see her trying to mask her discomfort with what I suppose was meant to be a pleasant smile, but the delicate wrinkle of her nose gave her away.

“Is it always this… fragrant?” God bless her, she sounded genuinely concerned.

“It’s not so bad once you get used to it.” Rachel chuckled ahead of me, tossing another shimmering pilchard to the pup before angling her chin at Maxine. “You a friend of Leah’s?”

“Something like that,” I muttered when Maxine opened her mouth, dropping into a crouch and plunging my hand into the nearby bucket of fish guts. “More of an acquaintance, really.”

Maxine harrumphed from her post at the threshold and I cocked my head in her direction. “Are you coming in or are you just going to stand there?”

She glanced down at the shallow water pooling over the slick floor, then at her pristine shoes. Her lips pressed into a line, and she huffed. “You didn’t say anything about wading. These aresuede, Leah.”

I rolled my eyes, tossing some fishy mulch to a frolicking seal at the far end of the pool. “Then take them off, princess.”

Maxine scowled, but she kicked off her pumps and picked them up, holding them delicately between her pinched fingers. She tiptoed forward, wincing as her bare feet splashed into the cold water, glaring at me like her ridiculous choice of footwear was somehow my fault.

“Good job,” I drawled, turning my attention back to Rachel. She was kneeling at the edge of the pool, gently stroking the hide of another small, gray seal pup who had flopped onto his side, waving his flippers in lazy arcs.

“He’s friendly, at least.” Rachel glanced up at me, expression drawn. “But he still won’t eat. I’ve tried everything – hand-feeding, syringe-feeding, even a fish smoothie. He turns his nose up every time.”

“Hey, buddy.” I crouched beside her, reaching out to run a hand along the pup’s slick, smooth coat. He tilted his head toward me, round onyx eyes bright and curious. “What’s going on with you?” The little seal flopped onto his back, exposing his belly, and gave an enthusiastic wave of his flippers. “Well, at least he’s not shy.”

Rachel nodded, but her expression was worried. “It might be stress. He’s been through a lot – entanglement injuries, dehydration. Poor little guy’s had a rough start.”

I sighed, gently inspecting the pup’s flippers for signs of irritation or swelling. “He looks okay physically, but if he doesn’t start eating soon…”

Rachel nodded grimly. “We’ll have to intervene more aggressively.”

From the corner of my eye, I noticed Maxine edging closer, still clutching her shoes. Her expression was curious, albeit a little wary, her brow furrowed as she watched the pup wriggle around.

“Maxine. Want to say hello?”

Her eyes widened and she took a step back, churning water around her ankles. “Me? Oh no, I don’t think– ”

“He won’t bite,” I coaxed, beckoning her closer and shoving the smelly fish bucket out of the way.

Maxine hesitated, then slowly crept forward, squatting awkwardly a few feet away with her skirts hiked up past her knees. “Uh… Hi, there.”

The pup sneezed in response, a small snot bubble bobbing at its nose, before he yawned and splayed out in the shallow water. I braced for a swift expression of disgust from Maxine, but instead her face lit up with delight.

She shuffled closer, balancing her shoes in her lap, and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear – cocking her head to the side, mouth agape in an ecstatic grin.

And I… stared. It was like catching a glimpse of the Maxine I used to know, the one who would show up on my doorstep unannounced with a picnic blanket and a telescope at her back, and haul me to the rooftop to watch the stars.

“So… just an acquaintance?” Rachel whispered, her voice low and teasing in my ear.

I blinked once, heat rushing to my face, and shot her a glare. Rachel only shrugged and made a show of thoroughly examining the bucket of pilchards, a knowing smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.

Then the pup whacked his flippers down in the shallow water, showering all three of us with salty brine, and whatever spell it had cast over Maxine broke with immediate effect.

“Ugh!” she yelped, shaking her hands out like that would somehow undo the damage and turning an exasperated expression on me. “Why is everything here sowet?”

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