Read Online Love for the Cold-Blooded by Alex Gabriel - Free Book Online
Authors: Alex Gabriel
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like a tool. It was hard to take someone seriously when they were screeching like a kindergartener throwing a tantrum. “And as for who’s going to come rushing in to save the day — Star Knight, Captain Cool and Ariadne.”
Zen snorted. “What, three hoagies, are you crazy? And Star Knight? Please, like he’d get out of bed for Sharky this far from the ocean. No, I’m going with… Silver Paladin, because he’s a chronic meddler who’ll roll out for a pickpocket, and… yeah, okay, Cap Cool. Couldn’t keep him away from a photo op with a military grade force field.”
Most other guests were collecting their cups, coats and cake to relocate to the back of the café, away from the windows opening on the market square. Some left altogether, screw the city council and their recommendation. A handful of curious thrill seekers were pulling up chairs right by the windows, and two women had even stepped outside, brandishing camera phones.
A waitress came by with a small plate. The promised villain cookies turned out to be buttery shortbread cut into evocative shapes — Pat was pretty sure the one Zen was biting into was a large cat’s head, no doubt intended to stand for Jaguar.
“By the way, Patpat.” Zen patted some Jaguar crumbs from her face in a thoroughly unladylike fashion. “Dad called this morning. I’m supposed to tell you all that he had a great flight, and will be heading out to the skinning cavern right away. He’s hired some jungle guides, so he’ll be perfectly safe. He’s going to hike to a village with phone reception at least once a week to call us. He thinks it won’t be long before he and Mom will be ready to come back.”
Pat hmmmed noncommittally. His own villain cookie looked like an irregularly shaped W, or maybe an M. He had no idea which challenger it was supposed to represent, but popped it into his mouth anyway, demonstratively chewing to show that he totally couldn’t speak.
He’d be glad to see his mom again. She’d been gone for over a year this time, and he’d missed her a lot, like he always did. It was only that he was pretty damn busy, what with working and studying and swimming and all. He couldn’t afford to take several months off the way she was going to expect him to. He had his own life to live. He couldn’t just drop everything whenever his mother decided she wanted to take over the world.
Zen fixed him with a disturbingly perceptive gaze, but didn’t say anything. Instead, she simply gathered her shopping bags and counted out the money for her coffee and cake. “Anyway, Patpat, I’ll be on my way. No time to waste waiting around for the Corny Corps to get their heroing on when we’re going to see it all on the news, anyway. I intend to collect my winnings in the form of pasta, so you’d better brush up on your carbonara skills.”
Like it was really going to be The Shark, right smack in the middle of the city, during shopping hours? Patrick gave Zen a suitably disgusted look, but in the way of sisters, she was immune. She just grinned and tossed him a kiss before slipping out the door.
“Oh, I get it. Cassiopeia!” That’s who his villain cookie had been. Cool — Cassie was pretty rad. Last time she’d tried to take over the world, the Hero Corps had had to call in every single one of their reserve members, even the really embarrassing ones, like that dude who shot laser beams from his crotch like a total creeper. “Awesome.”
Pat turned to share a triumphant grin with the café at large, and caught one of the other guests staring after Zen. He glared at the dude until the offender cleared his throat and looked down, pretending to be entirely absorbed in his newspaper.
Whoever was causing the commotion outside was coming closer; they were probably heading for City Hall. Pat had better get a move on himself. But before he did, he stole a second to fire off a quick text to Delilah, because seriously, that shit was not okay. WTF? Dump that
Zen snorted. “What, three hoagies, are you crazy? And Star Knight? Please, like he’d get out of bed for Sharky this far from the ocean. No, I’m going with… Silver Paladin, because he’s a chronic meddler who’ll roll out for a pickpocket, and… yeah, okay, Cap Cool. Couldn’t keep him away from a photo op with a military grade force field.”
Most other guests were collecting their cups, coats and cake to relocate to the back of the café, away from the windows opening on the market square. Some left altogether, screw the city council and their recommendation. A handful of curious thrill seekers were pulling up chairs right by the windows, and two women had even stepped outside, brandishing camera phones.
A waitress came by with a small plate. The promised villain cookies turned out to be buttery shortbread cut into evocative shapes — Pat was pretty sure the one Zen was biting into was a large cat’s head, no doubt intended to stand for Jaguar.
“By the way, Patpat.” Zen patted some Jaguar crumbs from her face in a thoroughly unladylike fashion. “Dad called this morning. I’m supposed to tell you all that he had a great flight, and will be heading out to the skinning cavern right away. He’s hired some jungle guides, so he’ll be perfectly safe. He’s going to hike to a village with phone reception at least once a week to call us. He thinks it won’t be long before he and Mom will be ready to come back.”
Pat hmmmed noncommittally. His own villain cookie looked like an irregularly shaped W, or maybe an M. He had no idea which challenger it was supposed to represent, but popped it into his mouth anyway, demonstratively chewing to show that he totally couldn’t speak.
He’d be glad to see his mom again. She’d been gone for over a year this time, and he’d missed her a lot, like he always did. It was only that he was pretty damn busy, what with working and studying and swimming and all. He couldn’t afford to take several months off the way she was going to expect him to. He had his own life to live. He couldn’t just drop everything whenever his mother decided she wanted to take over the world.
Zen fixed him with a disturbingly perceptive gaze, but didn’t say anything. Instead, she simply gathered her shopping bags and counted out the money for her coffee and cake. “Anyway, Patpat, I’ll be on my way. No time to waste waiting around for the Corny Corps to get their heroing on when we’re going to see it all on the news, anyway. I intend to collect my winnings in the form of pasta, so you’d better brush up on your carbonara skills.”
Like it was really going to be The Shark, right smack in the middle of the city, during shopping hours? Patrick gave Zen a suitably disgusted look, but in the way of sisters, she was immune. She just grinned and tossed him a kiss before slipping out the door.
“Oh, I get it. Cassiopeia!” That’s who his villain cookie had been. Cool — Cassie was pretty rad. Last time she’d tried to take over the world, the Hero Corps had had to call in every single one of their reserve members, even the really embarrassing ones, like that dude who shot laser beams from his crotch like a total creeper. “Awesome.”
Pat turned to share a triumphant grin with the café at large, and caught one of the other guests staring after Zen. He glared at the dude until the offender cleared his throat and looked down, pretending to be entirely absorbed in his newspaper.
Whoever was causing the commotion outside was coming closer; they were probably heading for City Hall. Pat had better get a move on himself. But before he did, he stole a second to fire off a quick text to Delilah, because seriously, that shit was not okay. WTF? Dump that
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