Shadow Range

        “Today is just going to be one of those days.” Ariadne mumbled as she climbed out of the car and headed for work. “Nothing is going to go right and of course I still have to deal with all the assholes at Tuckers.” Ariadne worked at a bar on the east side of Andora. As she walked down the lane from the parking lot where she had left her car, which she had only recently acquired, she couldn’t help but hear the whistles and catcalls as she walked. Working in the bad part of town had its repercussions. She wasn’t a very big girl; after all she was only 5’3 even if she was athletically built. But it was the way she filled out her work uniform that drew the attention. She knew she was good looking, after all being hourglass shaped and having a nice rack was hardly unnoticeable since all the girls in her family looked like that, but this was a little ridiculous. Tucker always put her in the most revealing clothes he could find simply because of her build.

     This week’s outrageous outfit was her in cut-off jean shorts, a belly and cleavage revealing tank top, chaps and cowgirl boots. Yes, granted she was from the south but making her  dress like this to work at a bar was just wrong and her momma would be rolling over in her grave, bless her dear old heart.

     “Hey there sexy,” a voice growled in what she almost thought was amusement as she turned up the walk to the front door, “You lookin’ for some fun tonight?” As a hand came at her from the side she decided there was no amusement in his tone and grabbed it flipping the assailant onto his back. “I don’t know; are you looking to have your ass kicked?” She retorted as he landed on the ground. She looked down to see who the drunken culprit was and found herself looking into a pair of familiar ice blue eyes completely clear of inebriation. Her mind went blank as she realized there were only so many reasons he could be there to get her. This meant that they had finally decided she couldn’t be left to her own devices anymore.

“Damn Ari,” the voice growled “I don’t remember you being so fucking strong.” The young man sat up and looked her up and down “Well hell, when did you grow up into something as pretty as a Texas sunset?” He cocked his head and raised an eyebrow.

     “About the same time you decided to desert the rest of the family and left us to fend for ourselves.” Ariadne sidestepped the man and walked around him getting two steps before falling forward and barely catching herself on her hands. “What. The. Fuck.” She growled “Is your problem? Do you usually go around harassing people you don’t know?” She sat up and mirrored his position placing her right hand over her knee.

“Well technically I do know…” He was cut off as she interrupted him saying hotly

“You know that 15 year old girl watching you walk off from everything we had ever known. Not who I am now.”

“And I am trying to remedy that. But it isn’t like you didn’t do the same damn thing as soon as you turned 17.” He looked at her smugly knowing that he was more than right.

     Ariadne drew in a deep breath then hauled off and punched him as hard as she could. She heard a satisfying crunch as her fist connected with his nose before his fist connected with her jaw. “You Bastard!” She yelled as she launched herself at him. He caught her and she started hitting him in every opening she could find. By the time Tucker, the owner of the bar, came running out the door they were rolling on the ground fighting like little children.

“Hey! Hey!” Tucker yelled as he pulled Ariadne off the stranger “What in the holy HELL is going on here?” Tucker pulled himself up to his full height of 6’5, normally menacing if Ariadne hadn’t been around him for so long. He looked back and forth between them as his employee glared at the man and took deep breaths trying to explain.