Black Stars - The Mors Mortis Trilogy Book 1

Chapter 22 - Offers

Two wrongs don't make a right, but they make a good excuse. 

- Thomas Szasz

Leah was back in her corner seat with another beer in hand when Jared walked inside. She watched as his eyes found Ash and then his feet followed. The red mark on his cheek was shockingly clear, even from across the room, and it didn't take long for Ash to notice and consequently glare in Leah's direction. Usually, it would've been enough to make Leah disappear up the staircase. But not tonight.

Ash's anger was insignificant to the panic that waited in her hotel room. Leah knew, without knowing why, that her days of harmless dreams were over, that all the forgotten horrors of her past were reawakening. She could feel them creeping in the corners of her mind, and soon she'd have to face them.

She took another sip of her beer, pointedly avoiding Ash's gaze, and tried to vacate her mind of everything. The process had been somewhat accomplished when a guy sat down beside her.

Leah had seen him approaching out of her peripherals as a tall flash of blonde hair and a flannel shirt, and had presumed he'd continue past her table. The change in events was surprising enough for her to turn and face him.

"Hi," he said with a grin. "I'm Matt."

Leah stared.

Matt glanced down at her near-empty beer and cleared his throat. "Want another drink?"

"No, I'm fine," Leah said, eyeing him uncertainly.

"Okay."

He looked away, but didn't leave, and Leah wasn't sure whether she was pleased or annoyed about it.

"I'm sorry, is this your table?" she asked.

Matt looked back at her, the corner of his mouth twitching in amusement. Words hovered on his tongue and she could see him weighing up whether to speak them or not.

"No," he said eventually. "I just think you're cute and you looked lonely."

Leah flushed quickly. "Oh."

Matt smiled, picking up a drink coaster and fiddling with it, and Leah watched him, trying to decide whether or not to get up and leave.

"Are you staying at the hotel?" she asked.

Matt glanced at her. "Nah, I live a block away. I come here for drinks on the weekends with my mates, but none of them are here yet."

"Right. So, I'll be ditched once they arrive?"

He laughed, a noise like water flung up into the air. "Not if you don't want to be."

Matt, Leah realised, was vacating her mind of anything and everything a lot quicker than her own attempt had. She sat back and grinned.

"What about you, then?" Matt asked. "Why are you here?"

"Stopover. I'm heading north."

Leah took another sip of her drink, glancing around the bar. Ash was no longer staring at her, but that brought little comfort as Jared was instead. His gaze was indiscernible, but Leah felt it like a hot rod against her spine, searing in its intensity.

"So, what is there to do around here?" she asked, turning back to the blonde beside her.

Matt grinned. "Depends what you like doing."

"Surprise me. I need a good distraction."

He eyed her for a moment.

"Want to see one of the best views in the city?"