offer for Christoph to escort her like Clarisse had done with Ashi. She managed an awkward smile, wishing mightily for her usual skirts and blouses instead of this crazy getup.
“So, where do ye boys want tae go, eh? Home, the bar, or do ye fancy a night on the town?”
Christoph took Mouse on his arm and shrugged. “I just used up all my adrenaline for the next ten years and Ashi doesn’t drink. Ever.”
“Clouds the mind and sl—”
“‘—ows the body’, yes, you’ve told me this. You may notice, however, that you are not in danger of being torn apart by Amberguard here.”
Ashi shook his head.
“I would like to take this moment to mention that I am, in fact, opposed to wearing a thong,” Christoph added.
“I never want to see you in a thong,” Ashi muttered, covering his eyes again.
“Was I pretty?” Christoph asked with a giant, goofy smile at Mouse.
Mouse was rather glad at that moment that she couldn’t say a thing.
So Ken answered for her. “Adorable. Get out. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Touchy,” Clarisse murmured, leading the way to the employee lot.
Mouse ducked her head to hide her smile.
“You can add that to your list of things that ought to help you gain rank,” Ashi commented.
“Yes,” Christoph agreed. “Single-handedly took out ten Amberguard, saved three cubs from certain death, assisted River in tracking down and exterminating a warlock, and was adorable.”
Ashi looked around, blinking. “My eyes are still weird from the strobe.”
Christoph twisted and leaned this way and that, frowning. “I want to take this thing off. It’s not as comfy as I originally thought.”
Ashi looked at Clarisse. “Could we go home? I want to punch the boxing bag until I feel manly again.”
Mouse was silently laughing again, running the fingers of her free hand along one of the straps on Christoph’s side. She wasn’t in any hurry.
Clarisse, on the other hand, was impatient, taking charge and easily guiding Ashi through the dark to the exit. She took her purse from a guy in a black shirt with big white letters reading “SECURITY” on it, digging out her keys to a cute little sports car. She got into the driver’s seat, and Mouse took a seat in the back.
Christoph managed to squeeze into the back with Mouse while Ashi sat in front with plenty of leg room. They were pretty quiet the entire way home. Ashi looked like he was going to go comatose at any moment.
Christoph kept stealing glances at Mouse. He was reminded of the story of an ancient Goliath, Aulus, and a vampire, Rosa, and how Aulus was entranced by Rosa’s beauty. Then she tore him in half.
Mouse didn’t seem like Rosa, though.
* * *
Once they got back to the building, Clarisse didn’t mind that Ashi wanted to get the hell away from her. She waved a hasty goodbye, barely returning Wes’s nod of greeting in the foyer before going straight to her room to change.
Ashi immediately went upstairs to shower and sleep.
Mouse, on the other hand, cocked her head at Christoph questioningly. She planned to slip into her room to get out of the crazy getup she was wearing, too. Whether he’d stick around or join her later was on her mind, but she didn’t have anything with her to write down her questions.
“Can I change first, then come back down?” Christoph asked, tugging at the BSoE and making a face. “I’m finding it really hard to take myself seriously.”
At her nod, he jogged upstairs, overtaking Ashi. He got the hell out of the getup and back into real clothes. He never thought he’d be so happy for a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. He was counting the time he had to drive home naked after he obliterated his clothes defending himself against an Amberguard ambush. He’d been pulled over for a taillight that was out.
That had been awkward.
He jogged back downstairs and went into Mouse’s apartment.
Mouse’s outfit took a bit longer to get out of. She was on the couch, one foot propped on the edge of the table so she could work the laces of her boots. She jerked her chin to one side to gesture he sit, though she didn’t stop what she was doing. It was taking forever.
Christoph sat next to her and scratched his chest. He had a red outline of the BSoE imprinted in his skin, thankfully covered by his T-shirt. It would take a lot to surprise him from now on. He had a very distinct feeling of