Shift

Bonus: Blaze's Birthday Pt. 1

Kayden walked down the streets of New York, hands wrapped around a gift, her fingers freezing.

She wanted to slip her hands into her pocket—the late October air was crisp and she hadn't brought any gloves—but with the present, her hands were occupied.

"Where is this stupid place...?" she muttered to herself, her eyes scanning each building for numbers. They were hard to spot; most of the numbers were either hidden near posters or had disintegrated years ago. But finally, she found it. Building 113. It was supposed to be a small bar in the east village, but you couldn't tell that from the front of the building. There was no welcoming awning, no large glass windows offering a peek inside. There was just a heavy grey door with the number 113 and a small image of a cat painted on it in peeling black ink.

Tucking the present under one arm, Kayden walked inside.

The door opened to a thin hallway, and for a moment Kayden wondered if she had written down the wrong address. It looked more like the entrance to an apartment complex. But then she heard the murmurs of voices, and she followed the sound around a corner and through another door until she reached the bar.

It was a cozy space with peeling upholstered stools and several small tables scattered throughout. The lighting was dim, lit by mason jar sconces and flickering candles, and the floors were a deep distressed wood. You would have guessed it was 10pm from the ambience instead of 2 o'clock in the afternoon.

There were only men in the bar—or rather, boys, depending on your definition. A small group of seventeen year olds were hanging in the back corner, sipping drinks and laughing. Kayden didn't recognize any of them at first glance, but she did notice the marquee above their heads. Floating in mid air was a stream of fire that had twisted itself into a sign that read "Happy Birthday Blaze!"

Magic.

This was definitely the right place.

As she approached the group, one of the boys saw her and quieted, looking concerned. Kayden knew why. Female wizards were rare; the boy probably thought she was a non-er crashing the party. He was half right. She was a non-er; she had no magic in her veins whatsoever. But she wasn't crashing. The birthday boy, who happened to be a wizard, also happened to be her boyfriend.

She spotted him in the corner, cracking a joke to a guy she didn't recognize. Kayden smiled to herself; she had always thought Blaze looked most attractive with a grin on his face. It somehow complimented his dark hair and dark eyes, made him look less brooding and more warm. More like the guy she liked.

His eyes darted up and he grinned widely, spying her. "Kayden!"

She hurried over and he wrapped her in a hug and tilted her head back, kissing her on the lips. She still felt sparks, a physical tingle as his magic flooded through their shared touch. It was intoxicating.

And yet she knew they had an audience, so she pulled back after a few luxurious seconds and held up the gift. "Happy birthday Blaze."

"Why thank you," he said, taking the small box from her and placing it atop a table with a few other presents. Disappointment flooded through Kayden for a moment—she had wanted him to open his gift right away, to see his reaction—but she knew she could wait. He would see his present soon enough.

"So this is her, right?" asked one of the guys. He was skinny, dark, and looked like he could hardly contain his excitement. "The infamous gf?"

"Infamous?" Kayden said, raising an eyebrow.

"You're the girl who tackled Naven, right? At the LA casting this summer?" At this announcement, a few more guys turned to stare at her.

Kayden felt her cheeks flush. "Umm... Yeah, that was me."