1.THE BEGINNING.
“Your ink is pretty unique.”
The voice comes from behind me, referencing the ink at the small of my back that had been part of our tour costume. The same tour that I had just been kicked out of. Needless to say, i didn’t appreciate any reminders. Schooling my face, I brace for the unwanted interaction.
“Thanks, buy me a drink and I might show you the tramp stamp that goes with it,” I say, turning to the person who had dared to interrupt my sacred solitude.
“You’re so pretty!” I blurt, my mouth loosened by the number of drinks I had downed.
A snort comes from behind the gorgeous specimen, and I switch my focus, albeit reluctantly.
“Holy fates! What is in the water where you’re from? Girl, you are smoking,” I tell the sexy goddess behind the broody hottie, “You kind of look like that chick from that movie, The Old Guard? Her name was … Andy?” I blab fighting a hiccup.
They stare at me all silent and intimidating, but I was well on my way to tipsy so it didn’t work. Not giving them a chance to respond, I prattle on.
“So, what’s up? I ask turning back to the BH.
“I’m pretty sure you’re not trying to pick me up, not with sex on legs here,” I add, cutting him off, pointing to the ethereal female beside him.
Be annoying Mahina, it will make them leave, i repeat the mantra in my head, willing it to be true.
“Oh! Oh! Are you looking for a third partner?” I jump in again, “If so, no thank you,” I declare and turn back to my drink. That was enough deterrent, no one wanted to speak to a bumbling drunk.
“Uhm…” starts Broody Hottie.
Why? I inwardly whine. Why won’t they leave me alone?
“We are not really here for that,” Andy says.
Okay Mahi, you tried. Your evil therapist had better note that. I tell myself pulling up my ‘do I look like I care’ face on, and turning to the pesky gnats, sexy ones; yes, but still gnats.
“Talk.”
“We have an offer for you,” starts BH.
“Pass,” I cut in.
“You are not telling it right,” hottie with the legs huffs in frustration, pushing to the front. At this point, I’m signalling Ryder, also known as my favourite bartender ever, for another refill.
“Do you believe in mythical creatures miss…uh?”
“Mahina and maybe? … It depends on when you ask,” I answer the sexy goddess half-heartedly, manners and all that.
“Well, we are mage recruiters; basically, there are two groups; light and shadow mages,” she continues.
“Which are you?”
“Shadow.”
“Cool,” I say gesturing for Ryder to pick up his pace. Why was he watching us like a cat trying to figure out if it could get away with pushing a mug off the shelf?
“For the past two months, you’ve been pinging on our radar like crazy, but every time we get close to finding you, you disappear,” she pauses for dramatic effect but I just stare blankly.
“For instance, we followed you in here, but about ten minutes since you got into this bar, your signature disappeared.”
“Look,” I say finally grabbing my new, excitingly full glass, “That is good and all, but you want me to believe I’m a mage as in magical? That shit? Yeah no, I’m not that drunk.”
Am I?
“Look here, midget—”
“Oh look, he found his tongue,” I cut in going on the defensive, to kill the conversation that was getting weirder by the minute, “I was wondering if you were just here for the intimidation, which is not working by the way, you are way to pretty for that.”
I pause before something occurs to me, “Did you know that what you just called me could be termed as derogatory, in some crowds?”
“You are in danger, if we found you, you bet your ass others are going to and we can’t promise they will be nice,” he threatens ignoring my quip.
“I like my ass, so no betting it anywhere, thank you.”
“You don’t get it!” he huffs in frustration.
“I don’t want to,” I match his tone, injecting a whine for good measure.
“You might be as stupid as you look.”
Ass.
“Well, that isn’t nice of you good sir, but I’ll let it go. Oh, and those ‘others,’ they beat you here and their pitch was way better, though they did also call me dumb. I’m surprised you didn’t see them, some mages you are. So once again, no thank you.”
“Why didn’t you go with them?” BH asks.
“I need Ryder’s stuff to survive,” I start counting on my fingers, “I don’t do well under authority, I am as dumb as previously assumed,” I couldn’t resist adding, folding another finger. “And they were light mages.” I finish off, gulping down half my drink.
“What’s wrong with that?” Andy asks.
“I found out that most of the time, the people who claim to play nice are the meanest mother truckers on the planet and more often than not, also have a God complex, besides they were too pretty and bright.”
“What’s wrong with pretty?” BH asks, watching disapprovingly as I clear my drink.
“Nothing, I like pretty, but with a side of broody and rugged,” I answer, smirking at him.
“I like her,” Andy declares.
She really looked like Andy from The Old Guard.
“What’s your name? I can’t keep calling you Andy in my head.”
“I liked that movie,” she says, smirking.
BH snorts, making me turn to him in surprise, not believing that such an inelegant sound could come from the pedantic man.
“Am I missing something here?” I ask, my curiosity winning.
Andy holds out her hand with a smile, “Hi, I’m Morrigan, but you can call me Mor.”
“Hold up, was the movie by any chance about you?” I ask, offering my own hand in return.
“Yes, though they missed quite a few details.”
“Isn’t Morrigan Irish or something like that? Andromache gave a more Grecian or Roman vibe.”
“Staying in one place for long among humans is quite a task for immortals, so we tend to move around often. Different cultures give different names. I’ve forgotten some of them.”
“What was the original name?”
“The Morrigan.”
“So, you’re the crow lady.”
“For someone who’s sceptical about immortals and magic, you seem to know an awful lot,” she challenges eyeing me suspiciously.
Me and my stupid drunk mouth.
“I like fantasy and paranormal books, you’re very popular.”
“And you could be her new best friend,” BH snarks.
“Okay,” I say, placing my empty glass back on the counter, plastic smile in place, “This has been fun but I’ve got to jet.”
And with that, I haul ass with one last wave to Ryder, who blows me a kiss.
