34 Night shift II
L
My smile didn’t waver , but my eyes turned cold .
“ I’m afraid that’s not on the menu .
Coffee and pastries , however , are .
Would you like to order ? Can I get you guys started with water first before you decide on what you want to have or should I ask you to leave ? ”
The guy’s friends snickered but he looked taken aback by my firm response .
After a moment of tension , he straightened up .
“ Fine .
Fiverge ck coffees .
To go .
”
I moved over to the counter and in a few minutes , I ‘ had their order ready , I package it in the to – go box
and went over to them with c
OS .
“ Hey ! ” I said casually – they stopped talking as soon as I approached them but I paid no attention to them .
I dropped the coffee on the table .
“ Here you go gentlemen ,” I shed them a smile but my eyes held a warning .
“ Before you pay , are you sure you don’t want me to get anything else for you guys ? Our Lemon cake is quite popr .
”
19 : 25+
1/9
Read thetest and free novels at .Com</a>
“ No ,dy ! ” their leader huffed and brought out his card .
After swiping up and confirming their payments , I thanked them again and went back to the counter marvelling at myposure , In the pack , I would have shrunk away from such confrontation .
But here , in this small coffee shop , I found a strength I didn’t know I possessed .
It was as if a lot of things had changed since I got back .
To say the truth , it hasn’t been all sun and roses .
I remember when I and Nanny – Miriam had first arrived in the human world exactly 3 years and six months ago today .
We had little more than the clothes on our backs and some money my parents had given me .
It had been a hard transition , especially for me who was used to living in ple
Having whatever I
wanted to eat , all the clothes that I liked … and also for Miriam who was used to the structure of the pack life .
But we had managed , surviving on Grace’s little savings and the little money I had left .
For six months , we wandered from one shop that was looking to employ .
We didn’t have referees or CVs as the human called it .
They couldn’t trust us enough to let us work for them .
Despite , our willingness to work
34 Night shift II
without being paid until they realized we weren’t fraud , they had all refused .
Finding this job had been a stroke of luck for us .
One of the days , famished and munching on hamburgers we got at a ce where they gave free food , we stumbled upon the ‘ Help Wanted ‘ sign in the Coffee
Nook’s window .
The owner , a gruff but kind – hearted man named John had taken one look at us and hired us on the spot .
“ I trust my instincts .
” He had said peering at us “ And they’re telling me you two are exactly what this ce
needs .
”
He hadn’t asked for references or even our experience , he just smiled and told Miriam after she finished recounting how her husband left us to fend on our own .
“ You look like someone who needs a break .
”
It was the first time since we’d left the pack that I felt seen for something more than my past .
We settled into the little apartment above the coffee shop , and for the first time , I started to believe we could make a life
here .
C
34 Night shift II
Thankfully , I and Nanny were quick learners and soon found out that we enjoyed the work .
It was simple , predictable – everything our lives at Blue Ridge wasn’t .
A yearter , we’ve saved up enough money and moved out of the apartment above the coffee shop and Mr John made Nanny the manager .
These days , he was always on one cruise or the other and only called every month to get the analysis of sales .
The memory brought a small smile to my face as I prepared another order .
Just as I handed it to the customer , my phone buzzed in my pocket .
I frowned , slipping the phone out and ncing at the screen .
It was a private ID and had no number .
“ Sarah , can you cover for me for ninute ? ”
I hesitated for a moment frowning as I stared at my phone before stepping into the back room to answer .
“ Hello ? ” I said , but all I heard was static .
“ Hello ? ” I repeated , a knot forming in my stomach .
There was no response , only the faint crackle of interference .
I was about to hang up when I thought I heard something – a voice , perhaps ? – buried beneath the white noise .
But before I could make it out , the call
34 Night shift i
disconnected .
Puzzled , I stared at my phone .
Almost immediately , it
–
rang again this time , it was an unknown number .
My heart quickened .
This time , I answered with a sense of urgency .
“ Who is this ? ”
Again , only static .
I was feeling frustrated at this point as I hung up once more .
The pattern repeated several times over the next hour .
Each time I thought I could almost make out something in the static – a word , a name , warning ? – but it slipped away before I could grasp it .
Frustrated and unnerved , I fir
breathing heavily as I leaned
a
turned off my phone ,
inst the wall .
What
was going on ? The constant calls were grating on my nerves , adding to the stress of the day .
Feeling a sudden need for air , I called out to Nanny , avoiding her knowing gaze .
“ I’m going to step out for a minute .
”
I slipped out of the back door of the shop , then went towards the suggestion box that no one ever uses and retrieved a pack of cigarettes and a lighter .
I leaned against the brick wall of the alley beside the coffee
34 Night shift II
shop , contemting if I should break what I’d worked so hard to leave .
I’ve been sober for three months .
But I needed it at this moment , my nerves were all over the ce .
I lit it with trembling hands , inhaling deeply as I took the first smoke .
It was a habit I had picked up at seventeen , finding it an easy way to deal with all the bullying in school .
I had promised Nanny that I would quit but right now , I needed something to calm my nerves .
The day had been too strange – first school , then these phone calls .
And that man … Mr Dupree … there was something about him that set me on edge .
‘ I took several drags , watching he smoke curl into the evening air .
The memory of M upree’s eyes on me earlier sent a fresh wave of fear down my spine .
Who was he ? Was he really Xander’s dad ? And why did he make me feel so uneasy ? Why does it seem like I’ve met him before ? I had never reacted to anyone like that before .
It wasn’t just fear …
Lost in thoughts , I didn’t notice the group of men approaching until they were too close .
They moved with a certain sleekness , their eyes glinting in the dim light .
Something about them was off , putting me on
10:26
<
34 Night shift II
alert instantly .
As they drew closer , my eyes widened
in shock .
Their pupils were slitted like cats and I recognized their faces from earlier .
They were a rude group of five men .
And they were – shifters .
I had heard of humans dabbling in dark magic to gain the ability to change form but I’d never encountered any before .
They weren’t like our kind – they were dangerous .
Diabolical .
My heart began to race , but I forced myself to remain calm .
My grip on the cigarette tightened as I took another drag , ignoring them , keeping my eyes focused on the ground .
But they didn’t walk past me .
Itead , one of them – a burly man with a scar, runnin own his cheek – stepped closer .
“ Hey there , sweetheart .
We meet again .
How about you give us that number now ? ”
I clenched my jaw , taking another drag of my cigarette as I gave the man a sideways nce .
“ You’re not my type , ” I muttered , trying to keep my voice steady .
“ That’s a shame , ” he drawled “ Because you’re exactly our type .
How about you go with us home and we will show you that appearances can be deceiving … you
24 Night shift
know , teach you a little lesson on how you should treat your customers right … ”
“ My memory is bursting with enough lessons but thank you for your help .
I’ll pass .
”
The man chuckled – both him and hispanions as they closed in on me .
“ Who said you had a choice ? ”
My mind raced , this felt all too familiar .
“ Look ! ” I said , dropping my cigarette and grinding it out with my heel .
“ I’m sorry if I had spoken to you guys in a way that wasn’t pleasant enough .
It won’t happen again and I’m sincerely sorry .
”
‘ The shiftersughed .
“ That sounded fake , L , too fake
that it’s annoying me .
Perhap
e should teach you a
lesson about fake apologies … ead .
”
I tensed , ready to defend myself .
I migh