Page 52 of Fall into Place

Someone was banging on her door—what in the name of god was happening?

“What time is it?” the woman asked. Octavia was pretty sure her name was Rachel. Maybe Roxy?

“No idea.” Octavia rubbed her eyes and reached for the black silk robe she’d left draped over the chair next to the bed.

“Octavia? Open the door!”

“Ugh, Joni,” Octavia muttered.

“Wait, your name is Octavia?” Roxy/Rachel looked suspicious. “And who’s Joni?”

“My…” Octavia wasn’t sure what word would work here. “Assistant? Kind of? She’s helping me with a project.”

Octavia opened the door and scowled. “I was sleeping.”

“Really? It’s after seven.” Joni was typically—and annoyingly—in high spirits. “Anyway, I have an idea, it might be nothing but—who’s that?”

“Hey, I’m Ruby.”

“Ruby!” Octavia whispered.

“Yeah?” Ruby asked. She had the sheets pulled up under her armpits, and otherwise seemed none too fussed that a stranger had just walked into a room where she was naked. God, she was cute.

“Joni, you can see I need a moment—would it be possible for you to meet me at the lobby bar in thirty minutes?”

“Unless you’d rather hang here,” Ruby said with a smile.

“No,” Octavia and Joni said at the same time.

“Suit yourself.” Ruby shrugged. “I’m gonna shower.”

She got out of bed and padded over to the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.

“How did you, I mean, is she—did you feed on her?” Joni sputtered.

“Not on her blood.” Octavia grinned, and Joni flushed red.

“How was the park?” she stammered. “No portal?”

“Nada.” Octavia sighed.

“I figured. But we have other options. That’s why I’m here, I think that next we should—”

But Octavia put her hands on Joni’s shoulders. “We’ll discuss it downstairs. Okay?”

“Oh.” Joni nodded. “Sure. See you soon.”

Transcript of Here to Slay podcast, episode 89

Cat: Hey, this is Cat!

Ruby: And this is Ruby. And I feel like before we get into today’s show, I should disclose that I’m pretty sure I had sex with a vampire last night.

Cat: Ruby, what the fuck.

Half an hour later later, Octavia and Joni were sitting at The Georgia’s lobby bar (a mezcal negroni for Octavia, a fruity IPA for Joni). Octavia was wearing a swishy black jumpsuit with her hair slicked back; even though she had gotten ready in twenty minutes flat, she looked like she’d stepped out of the pages of Vogue, as usual. Joni felt respectable in a short navy wrap dress printed with little red flowers, and she wore her hair down in waves instead of in her typical messy bun. She’d sort of thought maybe Octavia would notice how much more effort she’d put into her outfit than usual (granted, not a super high bar), but clearly Octavia had other women on her mind.

It was impossible to sit across from Octavia and not think of her and Ruby in bed all day, of Ruby’s casual invitation for Joni to join them, of just how quickly Octavia had refused.