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“Stumble is the only thing you won’t be doing to that daddy.”
“Did I overhear you two talking about my future investment?”
Eclipse and his goon squad. It was bad enough I had to stare at the face of a man dressed in a neatly pressed white suit. But his clones? They were a whole different level of pathetic. So many white outfits and not an ounce of dirt or spray of blood. Either they had the best dry cleaners in Vanguard, or they had yet to do anything other than talk about being heroes.
“Scarlet and I were having a private conversation.”
Eclipse leaned on my bar, barely glancing at me. “You wouldn’t know what to do with a lady like this.” I couldn’t argue the point, but I’d be more than happy to show him why safe words were a necessity.
“A rum and coke.”
“We’re out of rum.” I didn’t need to turn around to know there were a dozen bottles on the shelf. It was petty. A better bartender would have pulled from the well and charged him for the top-shelf. I didn’t like his tone. Hell, I didn’t like the man’s face.
“Excuse me?”
“I can piss in a bottle and call it lemonade.” It was over the line. If Scarlet hadn’t been ready to retire, she’d have sent me home without my tips. Thankfully, she couldn’t use her powers with her jaw gaping at the insult.
“You’ll be the first thing to go when I buy the club.”
“The day you buy it is the day I resign. No respectable hero is coming to a club with a poseur for a host. They’d rather be at the donut shop with the police.”
“You petulant—“
“Stop a couple of Norse Gods from waging war downtown and then we can talk. After you take your clothes to the cleaners, of course.”
Nobody knew Eclipse’s powers. By the name, I suspected it had something to do with the moon. Or perhaps he spoke to some lunar God who imbued him with strength. He wouldn’t dare show up to the Alley as a lowly human. Though, if anybody was going to do it, it’d be him.
The hero’s teeth clenched. I had half a mind to crack a beer bottle over the cooler and then jab him in the neck. I didn’t want to stab him, not really, but if it made him get his hands dirty, it might be worth the attempted murder charge. Though, the more I thought about it, sinking the bottle—
“Both of you, stop.”
I looked down at the bottle in my hand. Had I grabbed it? I didn’t like Eclipse. The thought of him buying the club left me filled with more than a little hate. I was a lover, not a fighter. I was more likely to get Eclipse in bed and mock the size of his penis before causing him harm.
Scarlet’s words rippled through my body and I held my tongue as I set the bottle down. Even Eclipse found himself trapped by her abilities. There were few who could resist her siren’s call. The anger vanished almost as quickly as it appeared.
“I’m sorry,” she mouthed before taking Eclipse by the arm. “Follow me,” she said, forcing him to leave the bar. As she guided the man through his band of cronies, they turned, following their cult leader. I didn’t like any of them, but as I stared at the bottle, I needed to take inventory of my anger.
“Alejandro, what’s going on with you?” I whispered.
* * *
“What do you think they’re talking about?”
Bruno had abandoned his post at the door shortly after one. It was rare for a hero to show up that late unless they had been in a brawl. Instead of pretending he was the gatekeeper for the club, he turned to speculate about Eclipse and Scarlet’s arrangement.
“I can’t believe he’s going to be our boss,” I hissed.
“My boss, you mean. He’s going to fire your ass soon as the ink dries.”
He hushed as Verdant approached the bar. For an alien, he appeared almost human. It took a thorough inspection to see his arms were a little longer, his chest wider, and eyes further apart. Oh, and he hovered somewhere north of seven feet. He had been a regular at the Alley for as long as I had been slinging drinks. When your planet blows up and you get stuck on Earth, might as well go to a place that serves a solid cocktail.
“Little man,” he said with a hearty laugh. Bruno let out a snort at the moniker.
“Hello, fat man,” Verdant added. I snorted. Years on the planet and he hadn’t properly socialized. It made for amusing conversations. It took getting used to, but he was about as honest as they came. I always wondered if therestof him was as long and girthy. Based on the bulge in his emerald green pants, I had my suspicions.
“Ple’nian ale, little man. I thank you now.”
I slapped a napkin on the table and turned around to the shelves of alcohol. It had taken Scarlet months to track down a bootlegger that specialized in intergalactic alcohol. But with her connections, she had the delicacy recreated. We always had a bottle on hand just for Verdant. Her ability to go above and beyond was legendary, a legacy I doubted Eclipse would uphold.
