did so. Being human didn’t make one void of trouble or pain. If anything, it made those things worse.
“Yeah, I do. Mostly, I miss the ignorance, not knowing how bad things really are. I miss that.”
Willow wore a sour expression. “I know what you mean. Seeing the dark from the inside is a fucking ugly experience.”
“Why do you always show up when I’m miserable?” I asked, sucking on a lime wedge from the nearby dish.
Willow shrugged and drained the beer bottle dry. “Just lucky, I guess.”
He ordered a round of tequila shots, his favorite. I curled a lip in disgust; the drink didn’t agree with me.
“Did you come to talk me down? I didn’t think I tapped enough power tonight to draw attention.”
“You didn’t.” Sliding a tequila shot in front of me, he flashed a lopsided grin. “I dropped in at your club to talk about last night. You weren’t there, but a couple of bodies were along with one hell of an angry vampire. I thought you could use some drunken shenanigans.”
“Shenanigans,” I repeated. “Funny word coming from an angel. What did you have in mind?”
He continued to nudge the tequila shot a little closer until it was bumping my hand. “We could start a bar fight. Or, steal a car off the Ferrari lot. Maybe even try some illicit narcotics and spend the rest of the night staring at our hands.”
“Sounds like you’ve been watching a few too many teen party movies,” I laughed, giving in and taking the stomach turning shot. “That crap will rot your brain.”
“Good. I got you laughing. Now, tell me what’s bothering you.”
The alcohol-induced happiness dulled. Willow was easy to talk to. Telling him the horrible things I’ve done, confessing my dirty little secrets, I never felt judged. With him, I was able to share feelings no words could fully describe. He seemed to understand, always offering words of wisdom from a place beyond my reach. He was a genuine friend, and I didn’t have many of those these days. Of course, the fact that our relationship was platonic helped. It allowed me a sense of liberty. I was able to expose my soul to him without fear.
I swirled my whiskey but pushed away the next tequila shot Willow placed in front of me. I considered the deep golden liquid in my glass, imagining it as red and warm, straight from the vein. Muttering obscenities under my breath, I drank down the liquor, finding it to be a poor substitute.
“I’m a wolf with no pack, a twin flame divided from my other half and a Hound who is one of the very things I’m supposed to kill.” I slapped a few bills down for the bartender and smiled bitterly at Willow. “How much time do you have?”
“I’ve got all the time in the world. By all means, talk away.”
“I’d rather not. I don’t even want to think about it.” With a teasing scowl, I grabbed the drink he continued to push closer and swallowed it with a grimace. “You know, for an angel, you’re a terrible influence.”
Willow snickered. His eyes shone with delight. “What can I say? I’m a rebel. So are you. That’s why both monster and man wants to either control or kill you. It’s a good thing.”
I rolled my eyes but took his words to heart. “Oh yeah, it’s fantastic.”
“Seriously, Alexa, when the bad guys consider you a problem, it means you’re doing something right. Even if at times you’re one of them.” Willow plucked a lime wedge from the dish and bit into the tart fruit.
I shook my head and snorted with derision. “What am I really though? Wolf, human, vampire? I don’t fit in anywhere anymore.”
“You’re a Hound of God and the light half of a twin flame union. Those are good things. You exist to fight evil. Bottom line.”
“Until I become it,” I said with a frown. “Lilah said the twin flame bond is a curse. The worst part is that even though I know she’s a liar, I agreed with her reasons why.”
Willow appeared thoughtful. Even as he downed drink after drink, he was barely drunk. I would have been on the floor after that many.
“Remember, she’s the dark half of her union. Your roles are not the same. There’s good and there’s evil. And, some creatures walk in both worlds. There is something powerful in being able to experience both the light and the dark. But ultimately, even you must choose a side.”
He delivered that