The Company of Darkness (2 page)

“Sometimes I feel like I’m the only person in the world not having sex.”  Cady Garrett leaned against the scarred table, chasing after the cherry in the bottom of her glass with a skinny red straw.  She’d barely had time to change into jeans and a black asymmetrical top before being pulled into an impromptu girls’ night out.

“Are we back to this again?” Penny exchanged a look with Kelli, her lips pulled into prim disapproval. 

Kelli waved the end of a toothpick at her; the blonde had taken to drinking martinis with extra olives.  She thought it made her look more sophisticated, despite the outfit that screamed more
Girls Gone Wild
than Bond girl.  “It’s your own fault you’re not getting any.  You’ve shot down the last three guys that tried talking to you.  That last one was super cute too.”

Cady didn’t want to get into
why
she wasn’t having sex, she was just bummed to be in a sweaty club celebrating her new job instead of finishing what she’d started with Ethan.  None of the guys at the bar stirred even the hint of interest from her, not when she had her own sexy demon hunter waiting at home.  Too bad it was his home and not hers. 

“Yeah, Cady.” Penny seized the opportunity when Cady didn’t say anything, her soft, babydoll voice somehow managing to cut through the din around them.  “You’ll never find love if you don’t leave yourself open to it.”

“I’m open to love.  Way open.”  She only wished they were able to be with each other as openly as she wanted.  It killed her not to be able to tell her friends or Ian that she was in a serious relationship for once. 

“Good, ’cause we were sorta hoping you’d say that.”  Kelli suddenly beamed like someone had announced drinks on the house for bottle blondes, and Cady’s head came up. 

“What did you do?”

“Don’t be mad,” Penny insisted quickly, her dark eyes wide.  “We only want you to be happy.”

“That’s never good,” Cady muttered, her stomach plummeting down to her shoes as she caught sight of Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome, approaching with a hundred watt smile.

Kelli jumped up to make the introductions.  “Cady, this is Derek.  Derek, this is the girl we’ve been telling you about.”  Cady suppressed a groan, her lips pressed together into an awkward smile as Penny took over.   

“Derek is Justin’s cousin.  You’ll be walking down the aisle with him in the wedding.”

“Oh?”  That didn’t sound so bad.  For a moment she’d thought they were setting her up.  “Nice to meet you, Derek.”  Cady’s smile turned polite as she offered her hand. 

Derek had a firm handshake, not too limp and he didn’t try to stroke her palm or anything gross.  “Likewise,” he smiled.     

“Oh no…” Kelli exclaimed, her blue eyes wide.  “There’s something in my shoe. Come and help me fix it, Penny.” She tugged at the brunette’s elbow.   

“Huh?  Oh, right.”  Penny nodded like her head was too heavy for her neck.  “Yes, we’ll be right back.”  They hobbled off together, matching lunatic grins on their faces once they got out of hearing distance. 

“Your friends seem nice,” Derek ventured.  “Especially Penny, Justin’s a lucky guy.” 

“Yep, they’re the best,” Cady replied, pulling out her cell phone.   

“Listen, do you mind if I sit?”

“Knock yourself out, Derek,” she smiled absently, fingers sending Ethan a text. 
I hope your night is going better than mine.

“Can I get you a refill on your drink?”

“No, thank you.”

Not likely.  Just doing a weapons check,
Ethan sent back. 

“Would you like to dance?”

“No, thank you.” 
I’d be happy to help you handle your weapon anytime.
  She smiled over her own comeback. 

“Um… Are you going to be on your phone for the whole date?”

“I’m sorry, what?” Cady looked away from the screen for the first time.  “This isn’t a date.”

Deep furrows appeared across his brow.  “Okay, I’m confused.  ’Cause your friends said…”

“Look, I don’t know what my friends told you, but I’m not in the market for a new guy.”  The phone buzzed in her hand, but Cady didn’t look down at it yet.   

“Then why did Penny ask me to come down here?  She said you were excited to meet me.”

The poor guy looked genuinely upset, and Cady felt a tinge of remorse for blowing him off so coldly.  It was nothing against him personally, she just wasn’t single.  “I’m sorry, you look like a really awesome guy and all, but I’m not interested.  I’m getting out of a thing and I’m not ready to start anything new.”

“I just wanted to…”

“No, thank you,” she said more firmly.  The phone buzzed again.  Cady looked down to see a flirtatious comment followed by a couple of question marks and she sent him a quick response. 
Sorry, just got set up on an ambush date by my friends. 

“Hey, I’m not looking for anything serious either,” Derek said, the tension going out of his shoulders as he lost the bewildered puppy look. 

“Good.”  Cady relaxed, until she felt his hand on her knee.

“But that doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun tonight.  Does it?”  His eyes flashed with amusement.

Why did some guys think groping = charming?  “Actually, it does,” she said, going still. 

He didn’t take the subtle hint, leaning closer.  “Aw, come on, don’t be like that.  We could have a lot of fun together, I’m thinking.”

Her phone buzzed and Cady darted a look down. 
Yeah?  Is he better looking than me?

“That’s not my idea of fun.  You want to get your hand off of me, please?” 
Not where it counts.  Now if I can just get his hand off my knee…

Derek let go of her leg but didn’t move away.  “Playing hard to get, I dig it.  You say no, I chase you around a bit – as long as it ends up at my place in a sweat, I’m in.”

You want me to come down and kick the shit out of him?

Cady smiled. 
No, I can handle it.
  Setting down the phone, she jammed her thumb into the web between his thumb and forefinger, right on the pressure point Ian had taught her to use against anyone who got too handsy.  “I’m going to ask you really nice because you’re a friend of Justin’s and I figure it’s kind of late for him to have to replace you in his wedding.  But I’m happy to push you down the aisle in a wheelchair if you don’t fuck off right now.”

Derek flinched under the hold, and Cady marveled at how easy it was to keep him there.  Maybe he was a big fat baby when it came to pain.  She held it a fraction longer before letting him go with a shove. 

“No wonder you can’t catch any dates,” he snarled, cradling his hand to his chest.  “I wonder if Justin knows what a psycho bitch you are?”

“Does he know what a tool you are?” she retorted.  “I’ll see you at the wedding.  And I’ll be sure to tell everyone all about this charming conversation, so you can forget about scoring with any of the bridesmaids.”

Cady heard him mutter something like “whatever” as he backed away from the table, heading straight for the exit, his hand held close like a broken bird. 

Everything alright?

Yep, just missing you,
she sent back.   

Soon, I promise.

Won’t be soon enough.  I miss your hands.

My hands miss you too.  I miss that sound you make when I kiss you.

What sound?

It’s like a cross between a sigh and a moan.  It makes me want to…

Kelli and Penny skidded up to the table, jarring her from the conversation.  “What the hell?  You blew off Derek already?”  Kelli demanded and Cady didn’t pull any punches, letting them know right from the start she wasn’t happy with them and their ill conceived plans. 

“Are you kidding me?  You ambushed me on my celebration night with a total creeper!”

“He’s not a creeper, he’s totally cute,” she insisted.

“The two are not mutually exclusive.  I told him I wasn’t looking for a relationship so he tried to get me to go home with him.”

Penny’s features crumpled in disappointment.  “Aw, I’m sorry, Cady.  I thought he was one of the good ones.” 

“I’ve had dates like that,” Kelli admitted with a half shrug.  “What’s the big deal?”

“Ick.  That’s not how I imagined spending my night.”

“You said so yourself, you’re the only one not having sex, so why not have some?  You wanted to celebrate.”

Not the only one.  Ethan was out there somewhere sending her dirty texts and she was more than willing to see where it led, especially if he sent pictures.  “I think I’m going to head for home, I’ve had enough celebrating for tonight.” 

“Nooo, stay and have one more drink with us, it’s our treat,” Penny insisted, and Cady gave up, shoulders slouching in defeat as her friend bounced off to the bar. 

“Fine.”  At least this gave her a chance to read the tail end of Ethan’s text.

“Who are you texting?”

No such luck.  Cady hit the sleep button as Kelli tried to look over her shoulder, slipping her phone back away.  “Um, nobody, I thought I had a text from Ian, that’s all.”

“Sorry about that Derek guy. I thought he looked pretty tasty and Penny said he’d be a good date for you to take to the wedding since you’re walking down the aisle together.”

“I don’t see why you guys are so hot and bothered to set me up with anyone.  Why can’t I go to the wedding with Ian?”

“Because
I’m
going with Ian.”  Kelli’s face looked like she’d just ripped off a Band-Aid and hadn’t decided if it hurt or not yet. 

Cady’s jaw dropped, but she recovered a half a beat later.  “Oh really?  So this is a thing now?”

“It could be a thing…” Kelli shrugged.  “I don’t want to jinx it so shush, okay?”

“Sure, right, of course.”  Not that she wasn’t going to grill her brother over it the next time she saw him.  She held her tongue when Penny came back to the table though.  In the end Cady shared the drink and then one last dance before she begged off, walking to the bus stop alone. 

Cady no longer feared the figures huddled against the night, their destitute squalor pale in comparison to darker predators.  Those scared her far worse.  The idea that demons like Ash were out there, waiting to prey on the innocent.  And there were other creatures, things the Company fought against that didn’t require a reaper.  Were they lurking under the cover of darkness waiting for her to step into the shadows?

Headed for home.
  It made her feel better to send the tenuous connection to Ethan, as cold a comfort it would be if she really ran into trouble.  

Wondered what happened to you.

I got caught up.  Tell me again what you want to do to me?

I’d rather show you.

Come over then.

Can’t. 

The bus came then, and Cady had to settle for her imagination, which was enough to leave her cheeks high with color that had nothing to do with the muggy summer night.  She was still thinking about Ethan when she got to her room, sitting on the bed to lazily peel off her jeans.

Her phone vibrated. 
Close your blinds.
 

Her head came up, half expecting to see Ethan crouched on her fire escape, but she was all alone. 
Why?

You’re showing too much.

Nobody can see me up here.

I can.  So can anyone who looks out their window in this alley. 

Cady edged closer to the window, trying to spot him, but the windows in the next building were dark.  What kind of a game was he trying to play? 
Okay, that’s kinda creepy.

Tell me about it, anyone could see you dressed like that. 

He wanted to play, she’d play.  Instead of closing the blinds, she set the phone on the window sill and went to the buttons of her blouse, opening them slowly, tracing her fingers along the exposed skin before she moved lower and lower.  

The phone buzzed once, twice… three times.  Cady picked it up to read,
Jesus Christ. Anyone can see you if they look up.  Cady!

Smiling to herself, she reached for another button and shrugged the top off to pool at her feet, leaving her in a bra and panties.  The phone buzzed again, longer and louder, this time calling her directly. 

Cady picked up the phone, not even bothering to look at the screen.  “Yes?”

“How much farther are you going to take this?”  Ethan’s voice slid over her, making her lips curve in satisfaction.  She was getting to him.

“I don’t know.  How much more do you want to see?”  Her fingers trailed down to the front closure of her bra, hovering there. 

“I never knew you had such an exhibitionist streak in you.”

She snapped it open but didn’t move, the bra staying in place for the moment.  “There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”  Like the fact that she got a distinct charge from imagining him out there in the darkness, watching her.

“Cady…”

“Yes?”  Her voice dropped to a sultry purr, even as the flimsy lace slid free, her skin pebbling at the soft breeze coming in through the open window.