by Michelle M Pillow & Mandy M Roth

Tis’ The Season To Be Dumped

Michelle leaned forward and filled her glass with more wine.  She caught the worried look in Mandy’s eyes and just laughed.  “It’s not like a few glasses of wine are going to do me in.  Relax.  And go fish!”  

Mandy arched a black brow, grabbing a card from the pile on the floor before them.  “Right, that was an acceptable,” she hiccupped and giggled, “umm, excuse three bottles of wine ago.  But it isn’t about to fly now, honey.  If you die, I’ll bring you back!”  

Laughing Michelle shifted herself on the floor of the Raven and found a more comfortable position.  Not that there really was a comfy spot on a floor as hard and shiny as a damn bowling ally lane.  “God, please don’t try.  I can still remember the last time you talked me into a séance.  How the heck long did it take you to get rid of those ghosts?” 

“Ester left as soon as I cast her out, but Martin is still around.  Though he hardly shows up anymore.”  Mandy’s bottom lip stuck out and Michelle giggled at the thought of her friend being upset that she wasn’t haunted as often. “I do miss coming home to find the house tidied up a bit.  Marty really disliked dust.”  

“Only you would luck out enough to get a ghost as anal retentive as you about cleaning,” Michelle droned.  “I’d end up with Jack the Ripper.” 

“Ohh, that could be interesting.  I’d love to find out who he really was.”  

“Ask Armando.  He’s like ancient.  Maybe he’ll know.  Hell, could have been one of his chums.  It’s not like he’s always been easy going.”  Mike’s sudden outburst reminded Michelle that he was with them.  He’d had so much beer that she didn’t understand how he was still awake, let alone semi-coherent.  

Armando, easy going?  Right.  

Mandy turned slightly and Michelle noticed the unshed tears in her green eyes.  It had been well over a week since her friend had any communication with Armando and even Michelle knew it was over between them.  Mandy, as strong as she pretended to be about it all, was heartbroken.   

It was still hard for Michelle to travel around, especially since the damn doctors wouldn’t let her drive anymore.  At least not until her ‘little episodes’ stopped.  She would’ve ignored their order, but Dmitri watched her like a hawk, or was that watched her like a lycan? She was still waiting for them to tell her how her house burned down. Actually, she was keeping the fact she knew about it to herself, watching all her friends squirm around the subject.  

She chuckled to herself. Yep, she was drunk. She so needed to be drunk. Mandy gave her a strange look, but Michelle pretended not to notice as she drank more wine.  

Since she couldn’t drive, she wasn’t available to her friend, even though Mandy had never asked her to be. Michelle wished someone was there for her.  That being said, Michelle was happy that Darren had gotten stuck in the city due to the blizzard.  Sure, he was a decent enough guy who seemed to be helping Mandy through some rough times but she didn’t like him.  The crap he’d pulled had been the catalyst to all Mandy’s current problems and someone who supposedly cares for you doesn’t do that.  

Michelle hadn’t told anyone but Mike that she still viewed Darren as pond scum.  Mandy had enough baggage to deal with and didn’t need to hear her ramble on about her new choice of roommates. Besides, the only other candidates to keep Mandy company were Mike and James.  There was no ‘lesser of two evils.’  There was just Jack and Ass. Mandy didn’t have a Dmitri to run around and wait on her every need.  

Although, Michelle thought ruefully, if he continues to annoy me, I’ll make him trade Darren for Mandy.   

The fact they wouldn’t survive a week together would make it worth doing.  They were too much alike.  They’d sterilize each other to the point their skin molted. Michelle drank more wine, hiding her laugh. 

Glancing around a very empty Raven, she still found no sign of Dmitri.  Mike had picked her up from his home and brought her down to the club late the night before.  He wanted to help with the decorations for today’s Christmas party. Only, due to the blizzard, there wasn’t going to be a Christmas party. Mandy got a ride in from Darren, who had to run into the city at the last minute to close a deal, and Michelle had little desire to watch the two of them together any longer.  She’d gotten kind of used to Mandy and Armando being together all the time.   

Funny, but she sort of felt as though her parents were breaking up.  Not that she viewed Mandy as a mother figure. But learning their relationship was over had the same impact on her. It was a cruel twist of fate that two people so meant to be together, couldn’t make it work. 

Mike caught her searching for Dmitri and shook his head softly.  He’d already told her that Dmitri wasn’t coming. It’s not like she really wanted him to brave the elements just so she could pretend to ignore him. He was a great deal more observant then Michelle had ever given him credit for.  In the car on the way in, he’d did his best to make small talk before giving up and heading straight to the grand daddy topic at hand—her and Dmitri.  Mike had insisted that Dmitri cared for her and that he just needed some time.   

Time to think of new ways to ‘get off’ without me.   

Humiliation threatened to creep back up on her and she’d frankly had enough of it.  Taking another sip of her wine, Michelle focused her mind on other things, like how no one could make it through the blizzard to attend their Christmas storm.  Oddly enough, it wasn’t so bad.  She and Mandy had needed to spend time together and Mike wasn’t being his normal dork of a self.  Listening to him snore last night as they camped out on the floor of the Raven did make him seem like more of a man than a smarmy bar barracuda.

   *****

Mandy stared at the front door, wondering if Armando would still show up.  He’d refused to return any of her calls and when she’d stopped by his house her key no longer worked.  That had been the moment she broke down the hardest.  It was the ultimate sign of being shut out of his life.  Not that she didn’t deserve it.  The minute Darren told her they were still married she should have went to Armando and told him all about it.   

Why the hell did I think I could fix it?  Why did I ever even let myself get involved with someone again?  I should have learned my lesson after Darren.   

Armando had made her feel as though she was worthy of love.  Sadly enough, she wasn’t.  Her decisions were always wrong regardless how hard she tried to make them right.  It didn’t matter anymore.  She’d taken it upon herself to write to each and every guest invited to their wedding to inform them that it had been called off.  Already, she’d gotten so many calls about it that she’d taken to leaving her answering machine on.  She wouldn’t mind talking with everyone about it but felt Armando should be the first she discussed it with.  Since he’d vanished and literally locked her out of his life that wouldn’t be happening anytime soon.  

Shockingly enough, Darren had been her rock for the last week.  He’d not once tried anything sexual and he never said an ill word about Armando.  That in itself was freaky enough to make her believe the world may be ending soon.  If that wasn’t enough, Mandy had been experiencing some odd things.  Twice since she and Armando had their big blow up, Mandy’s body had felt as though it were on fire.  The heat had been so intense that she’d stripped down, believing her skin was on fire and screamed for Darren.  He’d taken her directly to the shower and held her while cold water sprayed all around them.   

After the heat wave had passed, Mandy could barely move on the bed without something stimulating her, making her crave sex.  Darren, who had refused to leave her side, spent the majority of the night fighting off her advances.  The very scent of him in the bed next to her made her mad with lust.  The intense arousal didn’t pass until late into the next day.  She’d been at her desk when her boss, Hank, had walked in.  The craving for sex dissipated immediately and she’d been so shocked by its quick withdrawal that she jumped to her feet.  The strangest thing happened then—her computer monitor caught fire and her screen cracked.  

Hank, afraid the company would be sued if she was injured, checked her over thoroughly.  The second his fingers touched her skin, a fiery sensation surged through her and into him, leaving him lurching backwards holding his burnt fingers.  

Other oddities had started as well.  She’d been too caught up in thinking about Armando to sleep so she decided to watch see what was on television.  Darren refused to go to bed without her so he lay on the couch, holding her in his arms.  As usual, it didn’t take him long to fall asleep.  The moment she heard his breathing shallow, she realized she’d left the remote out of reach.  Not wanting to wake him and not wanting to spend the evening watching infomercials, Mandy cursed softly and glared at the television.  A fraction of a second later, the channel changed.  Confused, Mandy stiffened in Darren’s arms and watched as the channels continued to change.  When Darren squeezed her tight it stopped.  They both lay there, silent, knowing something was very off with her.   

“Do you have any Jack-In-Irons?”  

The sound of Michelle’s voice brought Mandy out of deep thought.  Glancing down, she did her best to focus on the cards before her.  Knowing it was pointless to continue, she laid them down and rose to her feet.  “I need some air.” 

“You aren’t planning on going out in the middle of a blizzard are you?”  Mike asked, concern lacing his voice.  

Mandy smiled, hoping it would ease his worry.  It did.  “I promise not go far.  Besides, I don’t have a snow shovel in my purse so it’s not likely I can even get too far out the front door.”  

Michelle looked up at her and nodded.  It was amazing how well her friend knew her.  If Mandy told her she needed air then Michelle accepted it.  No questions asked. That’s part of the reason they got along so well.   

“Thanks,” Mandy said. 

“Take all the time you need but know that I will not kiss anything that gets frost bite.” Michelle winked. 

“Hey, will you kiss anything that doesn’t?”  The gleam in Mike’s eyes made Mandy laugh and Michelle snarl.   

“Try not to kill each other you two!”  

  ***** 

Michelle watched Mandy grab her coat and head outside.  As much as she liked Armando, she really wanted to hit him over the head with something heavy.  Sure, Mandy was far from perfect but her intentions were always good.  And the month’s Mandy and Armando had been together, Michelle had watched her friend mature before her eyes.  Would she regress now?  Would she begin using men and discarding them at will?   

Maybe Mandy’s onto to something.  Maybe men aren’t worth the trouble.  I could do that.  How hard can having casual sex be?   

Glancing over at Mike, who was now sprawled out on his back staring at the ceiling, singing  A Teaspoon of Sugar, she realized just how unequipped she was to do that.   Who was she kidding?  There was only one man she wanted to have sex with and he preferred his hand to her.   

So much for the theory men will screw anything they can fit their willies in.  

“Stop thinking about him.  You’re making my head hurt,” Mike said, rolling over to stare up at her.  

“I’m not…grrr…what are you a mind reading too?  As if being a sarcastic lycan wasn’t keeping you busy enough.”  

Tossing his hands in the air, he smiled. “Hey, don’t attack me for stating the obvious.  I already told you he’s into you.  Stop worrying about it.”  

“Pfffttt, yeah right, let’s see how you feel after you throw yourself at a woman you love and she rejects you only to go into the bathroom to masturbate.”  The minute the words left her mouth, Michelle froze.  

Mike appeared to have grown springs in his ass as he leapt to his feet and jumped up and down. “Holy Shit!  Dmitri really did it?  Ohmygod, this is too good.  He jacked off and you caught him in the act.  Man, you should have taken a picture of his face.  That would have been a riot at family reunions.” 

“Shut-up, Mike!”   

“Wait, tell me exactly what happened.  I need details.”  

Michelle cast him a disgusted look.  “You want to know what your male cousin looked like while he was…” 

Something passed over Mike’s face and he paled considerably.  “Right.  On second thought, keep the details on that to yourself.  But could you elaborate a bit more on the loving Dmitri thing.”  

Michelle opened her mouth to tell him she never said she loved Dmitri and shut it fast.  I said that out loud?   

In a roundabout way she had admitted it out loud.  “Oh my gawd, I told you I love Dmitri!” 

“Well duh!”  

It was Michelle’s turn to fall back on the floor and sprawl out.  What had she done?  The mouth of state now knew how she felt about his cousin.  Mike would have a banner up in no time flat to tell the world. 

   *****

The bitter cold wind whipped past Mandy, leaving her wrapping her gray scarf around her neck.  Chilled to the bone, she just stared out into the white wall of nothingness.  It was symbolic of her future that she shuddered.  For the fist time in almost a year, she couldn’t see past the moment.  She’d lived by the seat of her pants so long that one would naturally assume it was like riding a bike.  One would be wrong.  

Where are you, Armando? You would really think that as old as you are, you’d be grown up enough to face me.  

For some reason Mandy thought that by concentrating hard on Armando, he would come.  Looking through a brief reprise in the excess snow fall, Mandy spotted a tall figure with long flowing black hair walking in her direction.  

“Armando?” Hope surged through her as she watched the figure approach.   

No, I am most certainly not Armando, a strange, deep voice boomed through her head.  

“I’m not going to scream.  I’m not going to scream.”   

Why would you feel the need to scream, Mandy? 

“Okay, I might scream.”  

The heavy snow fall around her cleared, as if by magic.  Suddenly, it looked as though she was under an invisible protective canopy.  Now, with the snow cleared from her line of vision, she saw the person approaching and he was certainly not Armando.  

While similar in height, build and hair, the man walking towards her seemed to almost shimmer.  The closer he got the more detail she could make out.  What grabbed her most were his eyes.  They were royal blue.  Not a color normally found in nature.  It was too intense, too alluring.  In fact, all of him was too alluring, from his squared face, full lips, down to his black, knee high leather boots.  

Taking a step back, Mandy grew nervous about whom or what was approaching her.  The only supernatural around for miles was Mike and she doubted he’d be very effective if she needed protection. Hell, Michelle with a stick of gum would be more effective than Mike. He’d put his eye out with it.   

I mean you no harm.   

Mandy bite back a nervous laugh.  “Yeah, I’ve seen that movie, buddy.”

  *****

Dmitri stood silent in the shadowed office doorway too stunned to move.  Had Michelle really just admitted to loving him?  His heart raced.  The need to go to her was great but the less he was around her, the better he was at controlling the urge to claim her as his own.  The last thing she needed was wild lycan sex while she was sick. He’d made an appointment for her with the best supernatural doctor in town. Only problem was he was booked solid and it was all Dmitri could do to get in that year. 

Mike continued to jump up and down like the moron he was, but on this occasion it was warranted.  It seemed to be validation of what Dmitri had heard.  How long had Michelle felt this way?  What if it was temporary?  What if one of the meds she was on caused erratic behavior?  If he acted on what he’d just hear would she laugh in his face?  

Where the hell was Armando?  Dmitri needed someone to talk to and he was still missing in action. Talking to Mike was out of the question.  The last time he’d taken Mike’s advice, he’d ended up with his hand wrapped around his shaft and Michelle’s pale face behind him.   

Now that Mike knew about that little incident, he’d be all to willing to rub it in too. 

“Are you ever going to come out?” Mike yelled at him. “You’ve been hiding in the corner for over an hour. I can’t do anymore to help you out, buddy.” 

Dmitri took a hesitant forward. There was no point denying his presence now.

“Michelle, I need to talk to you,” he said, coming forward.  “Alone. It’s important.” 

“Won’t do no good,” Mike said. “She can’t hear you. You missed your chance, lover boy, ‘cause she’s fast asleep.” 

Dmitri sighed. That was the story of his life. Would the fates ever give him a helping hand in this matter? What were they trying to tell him? Closing his eyes, he thought of their relationship—not all of it, just the part where they’d been dating. He stepped to Michelle. Her eyes were closed. Drinking down the last of her wine, he handed the empty glass to Mike.  

“I’m just going to put her in the office. The couch is much more comfortable,” Dmitri said. 

“Hey, don’t make me send in a chaperone. Mandy’s right outside.” Mike grinned. “Or wait, would the chaperone be needed in the bathroom? I hear you like to fly solo.” 

Dmitri lunged, but Mike ran out of the way, dashing across the bar to join Mandy outside. Going to Michelle, he lifted her in his arms. “We ever going to get this figured out, sweetheart?” 

That was it. If he had to slash a few throats, that doctor would be getting her in sooner.

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