The Moon Rises (14 page)

“He didn’t hurt Gigi. I’ll fix this.”

“Are you drunk?” Declan asked, studying her face for
signs of intoxication.

Ella ignored him and moved towards Finn who was
now just confused.

“You’re a Were,” she said, placing her hand on
his shoulder, “and you licked her. You’re right about her being beautiful, but
she’s also as dumb as a turnip.”

Finn frowned and then Ella saw understanding in
his eyes.

“I still scared her though.”

“Yeah, you did, idiot, but I’ll fix it. Sorry for
the right hook.”

Declan seemed confused, but some of that was just
his Alpha anger getting riled up with no one to take it out on. Ella headed out
of the ring, leaving the brothers to mumble to each other. She thought Declan
told Finn to clean up and meet him at their mother’s house. She wasn’t sure
what Finn said in response.

On her way to Gigi’s, Ella worked hard to keep
her bike steady as she laughed. Poor dumb Gigi must have thought the pretty boy
was going to eat her. How terrified must the dummy have been when their little
make out session turned dangerous?

By the time Ella reached Gigi’s apartment, she
was laughed out, but a grin remained. Once Ella knocked, Gigi again peeked out
and watched her guardedly.

“Weres don’t eat humans, Gigi. Even when we’re in
wolf form, we don’t eat humans. Even if we did, Finn never would. He’s a wuss.
Besides he wanted to get in your pants and eating you would have interfered
with this plan. Can I come in now?”

Frowning, Gigi opened the door. “I’m confused.”

“Yeah, I know,” Ella said as she entered. “If it
helps, I punched Finn for you.”

“Punched him why?” Gigi cried.

“Because I thought he hurt you.”

“He just scared me.”

“In his defense you smell so good that he
probably just wanted to see how you tasted?”

Eyes darkening, Gigi seemed scared again.

“Sex. He wanted sex, not a snack. You’re fine.
Once again Weres don’t eat people.”

“What do Weres eat?”

“Uh, you serve them food at the club. What do
they eat?”

“Anton likes steak. Declan eats a lot of pork.”

“Exactly.”

“But Vamps drink blood and they don’t serve it at
the club.”

“Yes, they do.”

When Gigi frowned, Ella gave her a big grin.

“Oh, that’s right, G. You don’t actually do any
work on the Vamp floor. Dahlia said you just hang out at Simon’s booth while he
fondles you.”

Gigi showed no reaction to this comment. “Do you
want a snack? I went grocery shopping this morning.”

Just like that, Gigi was fine which was why Ella
liked her so much. Minimal drama was a great quality in a chick.

“Sure,” Ella said, flopping on the couch. “Besides
when Finn was licking all over you, how did your date go?”

“I like Finn.”

Ella glanced away from Gigi’s pastel barf
inducing apartment and studied the blonde. The words themselves weren’t
startling as much as the tone Gigi used. She wasn’t kidding about liking Finn.

“He seemed to feel bad about scaring you off. I’m
sure now that he knows you don’t think he’s a monster who wants to snack on
you, he’ll ask you out again.”

“Really?”

“If he doesn’t, Declan will. Man, you should have
seen how pissed he was when he thought Finn hurt you. Declan would normally just
take his brother’s side over anyone, but he was ready to rip the poor bastard’s
head off. Yeah, Declan will be breaking his rule about dating waitresses soon.”

“I like Declan, but I already went out with
Finn.”

“So? It’s not first come, first served. You’re in
demand. Be picky.”

“I like Finn though.”

“Yeah, so do I, but Declan has money and power. Although
I saw you checking out Anton, so maybe you want your Alpha to be of the tall,
dark, and handsome flavor?”

Gigi sighed and stared out her window. “Finn was
really nice to me, but I do like Declan.”

“And Anton?”

Gigi’s face shifted when she thought about Anton,
as if rewinding every image of the Alpha in her mind so she could watch him and
sigh. In fact the blonde did sigh.

“Maybe I shouldn’t date?”

“Why?”

“I messed up my date with Finn.”

“Yeah, so next time a guy licks you, don’t freak
out. Unless you don’t like it, then just tell the loser to back off. Guys won’t
force themselves on you, not now that word gets out about how much Declan wants
you.”

“I liked when Finn licked me.”

“I bet you did,” Ella teased.

“He kisses really well.”

Ella rolled her eyes. “Look I dig Finn. He’s a
sweetie, but he’s a boy and you really should aim for a man. You’re not the
brightest bulb in the bunch. A powerful guy who can keep you safe is your best
bet. Finn might kiss well, but he’s working class.”

Realizing Gigi clearly didn’t understand what the
hell Ella was talking about, the Were changed topics.

“Just stay away from Simon. Let him fondle you at
work, but no dating the Vamp. He’s bad news. I mean you don’t get to be a
Master Vamp by being a nice guy.”

“Okay,” Gigi said with a shrug as she walked into
the kitchen. “I made potato salad. I could make you a sandwich to go with it.”

“You’re like my mom. Feed me and say ‘yes honey’
to everything.”

Gigi frowned, but seemed to understand Ella
wanted food. While waiting to be served, the Were felt a chill and shivered.

“Is your ghost here?”

“Yes.”

“What’s she like?”

Gigi glanced towards the window and shrugged.
“She can’t talk to me. She opens her mouth like she’s talking, but I can’t hear
her.”

“You just see her moving around your apartment?
Creepy,” Ella said then added towards the unseen spook, “No offense.”

Gigi brought Ella the food and a can of soda. “Do
you really think Finn will ask me out again?”

Glancing around Gigi’s apartment with the pastel
décor and polka dots, Ella had to wonder if the chick was mentally old enough
to date. Ella also wondered if maybe when the freak was taking Gigi’s memories,
he damaged her brain in the process? It would explain a lot.

“Probably. Declan scared the crap out of him, but
guys really dig you. It’s almost weird how much they dig you. If you were a
witch, I’d think you were using a love potion or something.”

Gigi smiled awkwardly, her mind clearly on Finn. Even
if Gigi wasn’t paying attention, Ella continued.

“Maybe you’re a siren?” Ella said and immediately
realized Gigi would think she meant like on the top of a police car. “A magical
chick that can bend men to her will. A siren came to the Circle two years ago
and just caused all sorts of trouble. It was actually pretty hilarious. She made
the three Alphas beat the crap out of each other. I heard from Dahlia that the
siren tried to put the mojo on Simon, but it didn’t work because he’s too old. He
still didn’t come into the club, just in case she figured out how to mess with
him.

“She was a bitch though. She made Tobin kill a few
of his ghoul kids. She ruled the Circle for a short time. Males melted for her.
Females hated the siren, but were scared to mess with her. Then she met Nolan. That
siren went gaga over the pretty boy and decided she wanted him as her sex slave.

“As a male, Nolan couldn’t say no, but no one
fucks with Mira. Mommy witch tore that siren’s head off. The rumor around the Circle
is that Mira keeps the head in a glass container at her house as a reminder of
how no one should mess with her clan.”

Ella realized Gigi wasn’t following the point of
the story.

“This siren could woo men just by being in the same
room with them. She could put them under her spell, make them do her bidding.
Her magic was super strong on the dudes. Since guys want to do your bidding,
maybe you’re a siren?”

“And that’s bad, right?”

“Maybe,” Ella muttered, her mind churning up
conspiracy theories, “you pissed off someone and they took your memories as
punishment? Sirens screw with people a lot and must have enemies. Maybe that’s
your deal?”

“What do I do then?”

“Wait, you have no magic though. The witches
would know if you were a siren, I think. Never mind.”

“What’s wrong with me?”

“Maybe you’re just hot and males are stupid? There
was a waitress a few years back named Natalia. Exotic up the yin yang. Hot as
hell. I’m no lezbo, but I’d switch for her. The guys drooled like crazy for her.
She really played up the exotic angle, acting like she no speaka English good.

“They all loved her, but not like they love you.
Simon barely tolerated her. I’m not sure why, but he didn’t like Natalia and
banned her from the Vamp floor. Dahlia said Natalia rubbed Simon the wrong way.
He apparently found her to be insipid. That’s just another way of saying she
was an idiot. Yet he just loves you and you’re no Einstein.”

Ella paused to take a bite of her sandwich while
she watched Gigi. The blonde wasn’t flattered by the compliments or bothered by
the insults. Gigi knew she was beautiful and understood the benefit in being attractive
at the club, yet that was the end of it. Besides good hygiene, Gigi didn’t put
a single bit of effort into her appearance. Yet Gigi was alluring in a way few
females were and Ella was confused as to why.

There was also something about Gigi which made
Ella think of a void. Maybe the males who lusted after Gigi were unknowingly
inserting all the qualities they desired in a female into that void. When they
looked at Gigi, having affixed qualities to her which she didn’t possess, the
males saw the perfect female. It made as much sense as anything Ella considered.

“Anton didn’t seem interested in Natalia either,”
Ella continued, having finished her sandwich. “Declan probably would have
screwed her, but no way he would get so pissed at his brother over her. It’s
just weird how they dig you. Natalia was hot and acted dumb. In her case, she
was actually average in the brains department. Most guys would have slept with
her, but these guys really want to sleep with you. Even Finn wants to sleep
with you. Like I said, I thought he was gay.”

“Why gay?”

“Finn doesn’t date much. He had a couple of
girlfriends in high school, but no one serious since. Some people say that’s
why he doesn’t join the pack because as a gay dude he’d be outed. Oh, and some
people say he and Michael are dating. I almost get that because why else would
Finn hang out with Michael?”

When Gigi said nothing and just stared, Ella
realized the blonde had different stares. There was her dazed and confused
stare. This one was deceptive because like in the boxing ring, Gigi wasn’t
nearly as dazed and confused as her expression. There was also her hard stare –
unblinking with a hint of challenge. Gigi pulled this one out when having
trouble understanding technology.

The current stare was a sort of dreamy gaze and
Ella realized Gigi was imagining Finn. Maybe Anton too.

Gigi suddenly smiled and gave Ella the soft,
almost loving stare. Without her even saying anything, Ella knew Gigi was
admiring her freckles.

“Freckles aren’t all they’re cracked up to be,”
Ella muttered.

“I like them.”

“You want me to take them off for the night, so
you can wear them?”

Cruel as it was to tease Gigi, Ella figured it
was also pretty funny. When Gigi’s eyes grew excited, Ella held back on
laughing as long as she could. Gigi eventually seemed to realize freckles
weren’t removable and just smiled awkwardly.

“They don’t come off.”

“Nope.”

“I’m going to get smarter and then I’ll make fun
of you.”

“Good for you.”

Gigi laughed. “I’m kidding. I won’t make fun of
you.”

“I can take it.”

“I think you’re sensitive, but you hide it
because you think it’s the only way to get respect.”

“Nope.”

Gigi then gave Ella her pools of darkness stare.
This was the stare that gave Ella the heebie-jeebies. Gigi was dumb as hell, yet
she would look at someone with this particular stare and Ella got the distinct
impression that maybe Gigi wasn’t dumb at all. Like maybe Gigi was in a dream
state which was gradually fading. With this particular stare, Ella thought she
saw the real Gigi - the one behind the dreamy hazy. Based on this stare, Ella
suspected the real Gigi might be one scary broad.

Finn arrived at his mother’s house as instructed
by Declan who still seemed pissed. The fact that Gigi was afraid of him because
she was confused about Weres should have improved Finn’s spirits. He looked at
Gigi and saw everything he wanted and always thought was out of reach for him.
Then he came close to having it all and blew it.