Misery County

Chapter 6 - Part 1

"Wow, this must be really embarrassing for you," Cassie said as Eric climbed into her passenger seat. "Getting a girl to drive you to her house, then getting another girl to pick you up."

"You're not wrong, but let's be fair here," Eric said, his face already beginning to glow red. "With how drunk I was last night, I was in no condition to drive. I made the prudent choice by letting Nevena drive us to her place."

"Did you really make that choice, or did she drag you around on that short leash she seems to have got you on?"

"OK, maybe I let myself get a little carried away."

"A little? Only a little?"

"I don't remember most of it, so I'm going to save my dignity and stick with a little."

"Partner, you were like one of those annoying little dogs that grab onto your leg and –"

"Yes, yes, thank you for the visual. I counter with this: Last night I got laid while you went home alone. So who's the real victor here?"

Cassie tried to suppress her anger at his comment. How was he to know what happened between her and Nevena? He'd been at the bar getting drinks.

"What enraged me more than anything else..." Is that you went home with her instead of me, Cassie thought, but she didn't say it out loud. "...is that you didn't even check up to see what had happened to me. What if I'd gotten shanked in some grimy back alley? I thought you cared more than that."

"I suspect that if someone tried to shank you in some grimy back alley, they wouldn't be walking out of it alive."

"And just last night you were saying I was inexperienced."

"Yeah, at dealing with monsters, not low-rent street thugs. I know you're always carrying. Still got that same little pistol?"

"You bet your ass I do."

Cassie was watching her road, but she could hear Eric shift uncomfortably in the passenger seat.

"Cassie, look, about last night, I truly am sorry. I don't know what happened. It was partly the alcohol and partly – I don't know how to describe it."

"Eric's in love?" Cassie mocked.

"God no."

"Then Little Eric's in love."

"I'm gonna be honest with you. When you refer to my schlong as 'Little Eric,' it's weird and kind of demeaning."

"What do you call him then?"

"Reynaldo, but that's beside the point."

Cassie let out a chuckle.

"So are we cool?" Eric asked.

"Yeah, we're cool, partner. Just don't ever ditch me for some strumpet again."

"How can I when I'd end up needing to call you to pick me up after all's said and done? If I make you mad at me, I'd have to actually walk to my car." Eric mock-shuddered.

A question had been on Cassie's mind since the night before. "Hey, was it just the alcohol talking last night when you said you'd take me under your wing?"

"Maybe it was, but I suspect there's nothing I can do to get you to fuck off, so it's probably better that I'm watching over you."

"Really?" Cassie lit up. It wasn't the first time she'd heard him say it, nor the first time she'd reacted that way, but it was the first time that they'd both done so sober, and that carried far more weight.

Eric seemed to just realize something. "How come we're not driving in the direction of my car?" he asked.

"Because we're going to the werewolf house."