A Wicked Choice by Calinda B Read Free Book Online Page B

Two red garnet earrings adorned my left ear, while three silver hoops of varying widths draped from my right. The last piece was a silver snake curling around my neck, his mouth grasping his tail. I slipped into two soft leather shoes with open toes to show off my recent pedicure.  Scrutinizing myself in the mirror, I decided that this was as good as it was going to get. I grabbed my purse and threw my beloved battered leather coat over my shoulders.
    Mac and Jack, who had been sitting on the bed watching this ritual with solemn eyes, each jumped down and rubbed against my legs.
    I looked down at their furry bodies. “Is that a sign of approval?”
    Not , thought Mac.
    We’re just marking you so you’ll be safe , Jack added, with an extra rub against my leg for good measure.
    I chuckled to myself over their declaration of protection. Why did little furry four-leggeds feel like they had to keep me safe?
    You’d be surprised , Jack thought.
    I widened my eyes, always surprised when they caught MY thoughts.
    You ARE naïve . Mac flicked his tail at me and strolled out the door, his task accomplished. We’re so much smarter than you think.
    Tossing my phone in my purse, I strode to the door to head downtown.
    At Zuri’s apartment, a sleek, modern glass and granite building overlooking the Puget Sound, I buzzed her number and heard the door click to allow entrance. Taking the elevator up to the 6 th floor, I tried to brush off the day’s strangeness. When Zuri answered the door, she whisked me inside her contemporary apartment, all clean lines and bold colors. In the middle of her living room was a black leather wrap around couch covered with red, gold, and blue pillows. One side faced the Puget Sound through tall, sweeping windows. The other side faced a 50” TV placed on a low chrome and glass TV stand. A coffee table was festooned with a Chihuly glass sculpture, People magazine, and big books of photography by Richard Avedon, Helmut Newton, and Dorothea Lange.
    “Here, have a drink.” She handed me a fruity rum concoction that she had just made.
    I gave it a cautious sniff. “What is it?”
    “It’s supposed to be a Zombie.”  Zuri had been learning how to prepare various cocktails from her latest in a string of boyfriends, Alec.
    “I sure don’t want to be a Zombie tonight.” I took a polite sip and set the drink down on the colorful coaster on her coffee table.
    Zuri laughed. “Yea, but you want to be loose and ready! The Sungods percussion is crazy hot!”
    “I don’t need to be drunk to be ready,” I muttered.
    “Then here, take this…” She reached out and handed me a smoldering joint.
    “No thanks, Z.”
    “Ahhhh, Cheerio, come ON. Let’s be on the same wavelength.” She inhaled deeply and fell back onto the mountain of pillows covering her couch, not caring whether I answered her or not.
    “Remember I told you I need to tell you about something strange that happened today?” 
    “Yeah,” Z replied dreamily. “Go on…” She picked up her Zombie and took a long drink.
    When I relayed the story, one long lashed eyelid opened from her stoned reverie. “You’re shitting me, right, Chér?”
    “No, I’m dead serious.” I started nervously chewing on my fingernails.
    “That’s right out of a sci-fi book.  Are you sure you aren’t making it up?”
    I picked up a couch pillow and tossed it at her head. “God, you sound like Mother Clarice: ‘You’re always making things up, Chérie.’ No, I did not make it up, it happened just like I told you.”
    “Maybe she was just some homeless walk-in. Where did she go when she left the class? Did you see what kind of car she drove?”
    “No, Z, I did not stick around to play detective,” I said sarcastically. “I just ran to the bathroom to get myself together.”
    “Oh, my poor baby,” Z crooned, putting her arms around me. “What are we going to do with you?” She stroked my back and murmured, “I will not let you go down the dark