punching range. His stare looked fevered. And lustful, as it slid down her body and back up again, lingering on her tits. “Okay, I had that coming. Friends?” He held out his hand. Waiting.
She looked at his hand, then tentatively offered her own. Like me, I knew she suspected this to be a trick.
It was. Once he gripped her hand, he tugged her to him, catching her in his arms. Instead of a bear hug meant to bust her ribs, he kissed her—hard. The surprise of it kept her from struggling.
Crusher pulled back a little. “Come on, baby, loosen up. You’re so stiff, it’s like kissing a statue.”
I snorted softly. She’s a living statue. Earth magic. You’re kissing a glorified rock, dude. A rock wit hnice tits.
Shiva did relax in his hold. I expected her to follow up with a sudden knee to the groin. No such luck. She seemed to be enjoying herself.
The nurse picked up her bag and walked toward the entrance. “Well, my work here is done.”
The repair girl stood there, watching, an avid interest holding her as if she were the one being kissed. I knew the type. Her idea of a fun evening would involve curling up on a couch with a romance novel and a pint of ice cream.
Crusher broke the kiss, but not his hold. “I like a girl with fire in her belly.”
And then the ghost lights were back, pulsing, whirling around Shiva and Crusher, bathing them in pulses of multi-colored light. One of the lights, a purple one, wobbled over and hovered above the table—possibly disturbed by the gambling—but it flew back to the rest of the spirits, rejoining their chaotic orbits.
“This is getting old,” I said. I gathered up my winnings, preparing to leave.
Shiva stiff-armed Crusher to clear some space between them. She turned and came back to the table where I sat. The lights ringed her but didn’t impede her movements. Some of the spirits still circled Crusher where he stood, a cocky smile on his face. With the public display of affection suppressed, the lights zoomed off, losing interest in us.
Repair girl also turned away, heading toward the cafeteria entrance.
I pushed up from the table. “Back in a few.” I passed Shiva. She started to follow. I held up a hand to stop her. “Better stay here. Crusher may want to heat up those lips of yours again.”
“I was just…”
I kept going. “Not interested. Holy can keep me alive while you keep an eye on things here. If anything more threatening than spooky lights shows up, call me before kicking its ass.”
Holy walked a step behind me, on my right. She smelled of electricity the way the air does as a thunderstorm starts to build. I figured it wouldn’t be long before static charges crackled off her skin. We crossed the room to the hall. I spoke over my shoulder. “I need a few minutes with Christie. Give us some space once we catch up.”
Geek girl moved down the hall, toward some stairs. I called out. “Hold up. I want to talk to you.”
She turned and stopped like a bunny in the headlights of a speeding car, unsure which way to hop. I was glad she hadn’t run; that gave us something to build upon. She angled her head as I stopped a few feet away. Once more, the light ghosted across her glasses in a way that hid her eyes.
It’s deliberate. She tends to occupy points in space that conceal her gaze.
“You got a name?” I asked.
“Christie.”
I drew a deep breath. The hall smelled of dust, rot, mold, and mouse droppings. She smelled of hibiscus and rosehip shampoo, oatmeal soap, skin moisturizer, and clove oil. The last gave me food for thought. I eased closer, sliding my foot ahead before shifting my weight. It was a planting movement used by some martial artists to adjust or change their fighting stances.
Her breath caught. Her head dipped as she glanced down. Her hips angled in reflexive response. Yeah, she had some
She looked at his hand, then tentatively offered her own. Like me, I knew she suspected this to be a trick.
It was. Once he gripped her hand, he tugged her to him, catching her in his arms. Instead of a bear hug meant to bust her ribs, he kissed her—hard. The surprise of it kept her from struggling.
Crusher pulled back a little. “Come on, baby, loosen up. You’re so stiff, it’s like kissing a statue.”
I snorted softly. She’s a living statue. Earth magic. You’re kissing a glorified rock, dude. A rock wit hnice tits.
Shiva did relax in his hold. I expected her to follow up with a sudden knee to the groin. No such luck. She seemed to be enjoying herself.
The nurse picked up her bag and walked toward the entrance. “Well, my work here is done.”
The repair girl stood there, watching, an avid interest holding her as if she were the one being kissed. I knew the type. Her idea of a fun evening would involve curling up on a couch with a romance novel and a pint of ice cream.
Crusher broke the kiss, but not his hold. “I like a girl with fire in her belly.”
And then the ghost lights were back, pulsing, whirling around Shiva and Crusher, bathing them in pulses of multi-colored light. One of the lights, a purple one, wobbled over and hovered above the table—possibly disturbed by the gambling—but it flew back to the rest of the spirits, rejoining their chaotic orbits.
“This is getting old,” I said. I gathered up my winnings, preparing to leave.
Shiva stiff-armed Crusher to clear some space between them. She turned and came back to the table where I sat. The lights ringed her but didn’t impede her movements. Some of the spirits still circled Crusher where he stood, a cocky smile on his face. With the public display of affection suppressed, the lights zoomed off, losing interest in us.
Repair girl also turned away, heading toward the cafeteria entrance.
I pushed up from the table. “Back in a few.” I passed Shiva. She started to follow. I held up a hand to stop her. “Better stay here. Crusher may want to heat up those lips of yours again.”
“I was just…”
I kept going. “Not interested. Holy can keep me alive while you keep an eye on things here. If anything more threatening than spooky lights shows up, call me before kicking its ass.”
Holy walked a step behind me, on my right. She smelled of electricity the way the air does as a thunderstorm starts to build. I figured it wouldn’t be long before static charges crackled off her skin. We crossed the room to the hall. I spoke over my shoulder. “I need a few minutes with Christie. Give us some space once we catch up.”
Geek girl moved down the hall, toward some stairs. I called out. “Hold up. I want to talk to you.”
She turned and stopped like a bunny in the headlights of a speeding car, unsure which way to hop. I was glad she hadn’t run; that gave us something to build upon. She angled her head as I stopped a few feet away. Once more, the light ghosted across her glasses in a way that hid her eyes.
It’s deliberate. She tends to occupy points in space that conceal her gaze.
“You got a name?” I asked.
“Christie.”
I drew a deep breath. The hall smelled of dust, rot, mold, and mouse droppings. She smelled of hibiscus and rosehip shampoo, oatmeal soap, skin moisturizer, and clove oil. The last gave me food for thought. I eased closer, sliding my foot ahead before shifting my weight. It was a planting movement used by some martial artists to adjust or change their fighting stances.
Her breath caught. Her head dipped as she glanced down. Her hips angled in reflexive response. Yeah, she had some
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