Read Online The Fangover by Erin McCarthy, Kathy Love - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Erin McCarthy, Kathy Love
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around. “How the h-e-double-l I wound up in your friend’s bathtub, I have no idea. The last thing I remember was leaving work. Then nothing until I opened my eyes and saw the most beautiful creature on the face of the earth.” He gazed adoringly at Stella.
Fortunately, she ignored her admirer. “Okay, so how is it possible that you, me, Benny, Saxon, Cort, and Drake all don’t have a clue what happened last night? That’s basically impossible.”
That was really strange. Something else occurred to him. “Hey, have you been to Johnny’s?”
“No, why?”
“Because I was there looking for you and the place looked like it had been tossed. I just figured you’d been there looking for the necklace.” But if she hadn’t been there, who had? The relief he’d felt at finding Stella was replaced by worry. Something was going on.
“No.” Stella bit her lip.
“Did Johnny piss anyone off lately?” Wyatt racked his brain for anything his friend might have said that would have indicated someone might be out for him. “Did he owe any money?” That might explain his suicide, too. Maybe he’d gotten himself in some kind of trouble?
But Stella shook her head. “Not that I’m aware of. He wasn’t acting any differently.”
“Who’s Johnny?” Benny asked.
Wyatt struggled not to be annoyed. “Stella’s brother. Can we give you a ride home or anything, Benny? We appreciate you helping Stella out but she and I have a few things to take care of now.”
“I don’t have time to go home, but thanks, bro. I have to be back at work for the late shift tonight, in an hour.” Benny slurped his drink. “You live in the Quarter, right? Can I grab a shower at your place?”
Wyatt wished he knew who the hell this guy was and why Stella had bitten him. He figured he had been fairly patient. Now he was expected to let the guy bathe at his house?
“Of course you can,” Stella said, shooting Wyatt a warning look. “Come on, let’s go so you’re not late.”
Apparently she expected him to just go along with it.
Apparently he was going to.
Wyatt followed Stella and Benny as they walked out of the daiquiri shop, heads bent together, whispering like a couple of middle-school girlfriends. He felt left out. Bitter. Jealous. His head was still throbbing a bit from whatever they had drunk the night before. He was starting to feel like they’d been slipped a roofie. But all of them? How was that possible?
Heading down Conti behind them, he brooded. Some might even call it pouting. But he preferred smoldering. He raised his hand in a wave to Raven, who played at the Famous Door across from them and probably was on a set break. They weren’t friends, given Raven’s odd proclivities of gathering a harem of mortal women around him and doing animal blood sacrifices. It was showy and, in Wyatt’s opinion, cruel. But Raven had never given him reason to get into it with him. They had an unspoken agreement to politely tolerate each other.
Raven had been at the wake the night before. Wyatt wondered if he remembered anything from that night. He called to Stella to hold up, then jogged across the street.
“Hey, man, what’s up? Thanks for coming last night.”
“Sure.” Raven tilted his shaved head, the dagger tattoo trailing down his cheek glowing in the neon lights of Bourbon Street. “That sucks about Johnny. Didn’t think he would do himself in, man. Still can’t believe it.”
The thought made Wyatt’s throat tighten. “Me either.” He wasn’t sure how to broach the subject, so he asked, “Did you see Stella around last night?”
Taking a drag on his cigarette, Raven shrugged. “I saw her at the wake for a minute or two. I see her now with some douche bag across the street. What’s up with that?”
Like he needed to be reminded. “I don’t know.”
“You should shorten her leash, Axelrod. I wouldn’t let any of my girlfriends disrespect me like that.”
Wyatt suddenly couldn’t remember why he
Fortunately, she ignored her admirer. “Okay, so how is it possible that you, me, Benny, Saxon, Cort, and Drake all don’t have a clue what happened last night? That’s basically impossible.”
That was really strange. Something else occurred to him. “Hey, have you been to Johnny’s?”
“No, why?”
“Because I was there looking for you and the place looked like it had been tossed. I just figured you’d been there looking for the necklace.” But if she hadn’t been there, who had? The relief he’d felt at finding Stella was replaced by worry. Something was going on.
“No.” Stella bit her lip.
“Did Johnny piss anyone off lately?” Wyatt racked his brain for anything his friend might have said that would have indicated someone might be out for him. “Did he owe any money?” That might explain his suicide, too. Maybe he’d gotten himself in some kind of trouble?
But Stella shook her head. “Not that I’m aware of. He wasn’t acting any differently.”
“Who’s Johnny?” Benny asked.
Wyatt struggled not to be annoyed. “Stella’s brother. Can we give you a ride home or anything, Benny? We appreciate you helping Stella out but she and I have a few things to take care of now.”
“I don’t have time to go home, but thanks, bro. I have to be back at work for the late shift tonight, in an hour.” Benny slurped his drink. “You live in the Quarter, right? Can I grab a shower at your place?”
Wyatt wished he knew who the hell this guy was and why Stella had bitten him. He figured he had been fairly patient. Now he was expected to let the guy bathe at his house?
“Of course you can,” Stella said, shooting Wyatt a warning look. “Come on, let’s go so you’re not late.”
Apparently she expected him to just go along with it.
Apparently he was going to.
Wyatt followed Stella and Benny as they walked out of the daiquiri shop, heads bent together, whispering like a couple of middle-school girlfriends. He felt left out. Bitter. Jealous. His head was still throbbing a bit from whatever they had drunk the night before. He was starting to feel like they’d been slipped a roofie. But all of them? How was that possible?
Heading down Conti behind them, he brooded. Some might even call it pouting. But he preferred smoldering. He raised his hand in a wave to Raven, who played at the Famous Door across from them and probably was on a set break. They weren’t friends, given Raven’s odd proclivities of gathering a harem of mortal women around him and doing animal blood sacrifices. It was showy and, in Wyatt’s opinion, cruel. But Raven had never given him reason to get into it with him. They had an unspoken agreement to politely tolerate each other.
Raven had been at the wake the night before. Wyatt wondered if he remembered anything from that night. He called to Stella to hold up, then jogged across the street.
“Hey, man, what’s up? Thanks for coming last night.”
“Sure.” Raven tilted his shaved head, the dagger tattoo trailing down his cheek glowing in the neon lights of Bourbon Street. “That sucks about Johnny. Didn’t think he would do himself in, man. Still can’t believe it.”
The thought made Wyatt’s throat tighten. “Me either.” He wasn’t sure how to broach the subject, so he asked, “Did you see Stella around last night?”
Taking a drag on his cigarette, Raven shrugged. “I saw her at the wake for a minute or two. I see her now with some douche bag across the street. What’s up with that?”
Like he needed to be reminded. “I don’t know.”
“You should shorten her leash, Axelrod. I wouldn’t let any of my girlfriends disrespect me like that.”
Wyatt suddenly couldn’t remember why he
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