Wucaii

Chapter Eleven

Aelana placed her deception spell back on before heading into the bar. During the day and from a distance, it was all right to be seen by the locals, but mingling among them, it was safer to appear human. The bar was again crowded, but not nearly as much as the first night she'd walked in. She scanned the room quickly. A woman stood on the bar, swaying back and forth, unbalanced from too many drinks. A group of men gathered beneath her. She hooted and hollered, lifting her shirt and exposing her breasts. One of the men handed her a shot, and she threw her head back to drink it. Another screech resounded through the bar.

"The world's gonna end, and I'm not gonna die a virgin!" Her words were slurred.

One of the men offered his hand and helped her down from the bar. Her feet thudded onto the floor; her mouth almost planted a kiss on his lips, but the woman lurched to the right, almost falling over.

Aelana scowled and turned away, continuing her search for Kalen. He wasn't in the bar. She decided to wait in a corner booth. As she sat down, the same bartender from before met her at the table with a glass of dark beer. She looked up at him, confused.

"Oh, crap. I'm sorry. Did you want something else?" He pulled the glass off the table.

Her fingertips touched his wrist. "No, it's fine." She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I didn't expect you to remember me. Plus, I don't know how long I'm staying."

His grin widened. "You're pretty hard to forget. And if you're waiting for Kalen, trust me, you'll have plenty of time for a drink." He winked before heading back behind the bar.

She picked up her glass and took a sip of the dark liquid. Was it good or bad to be remembered? He couldn't possibly see her as what she truly was, but what made her stand out otherwise? Maybe it was because she was with Kalen. Maybe the two of them were really good friends. She shrugged. It didn't really matter, although his comment about Kalen concerned her. Was he running late? Did he have to deal with the people's escalating fear and anarchy because of the end of the world? How long should she wait? She didn't really have anything else to do, but spending all night in the bar wasn't her ideal choice. She set her beer down and licked the froth off her top lip.

"You looked gorgeous today." Someone pushed into her body, sliding her across the booth. Dek forced his way into the seat. "You said you looked just like the statue, but I didn't really believe it. You're more stunning than I ever imagined. When can you drop this guise?"

The question concerned her. No one usually wanted to see her in her true form. It was different and scary. She wasn't exactly sure how to respond.

"Um, well, not until the apocalypse starts."

He sighed and slumped his shoulders. "That's too bad. You really are a vision to behold. I prefer you in your true form."

She smiled. "Thanks. That's very sweet."

He placed the straws of his drink into his mouth and took a long sip. "Bayn's planning another meeting. Do you think you can show up on the dragon again? That would be really dramatic. Might make a few more people believe in the impending doom."

She thought about it for a moment. "Yeah. I might be able to do that. When's the meeting?"

"Tomorrow night. Six."

"Sure. I'll be there."

"Wonderful." He stirred his drink and averted his gaze. "Do you think that maybe . . . ah . . . you and I could meet in the field again?" He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "But this time, you can come as you really are."

She giggled. When was the last time someone liked her for what she really looked like? Had they ever? She thought back to Thoran. Initially, he had been freaked out by her appearance, and he ran from her. Dek, though, hadn't. Twice now he'd mentioned wanting to see her in her true form. At that moment, he was disappointed he couldn't see her as a hybrid. Her cheeks turned red. It was flattering—and unexpected. She grabbed her beer and took a long drink to cover up her embarrassment.