Moonlight and Midtown Read online

  I turn to Elle. “You know how we planned to go fae shopping next week?”

  Elle eyes my nasty tablecloth-toga. The thing smells like old ketchup and fryer grease. “You wanted to get an unshreddable outfit.”

  “Think we can go tomorrow?”

  Elle grins from ear to ear. “Oh, yeah.” She notices some tooth puncture marks on my shoulder. They’re almost healed now, but there’s a slight redness still. I’ll get better at the healing thing the longer I’m a wolf. Until then, nothing looks like werewolf bite. Elle’s face slackens with shock. “Hey, what happened to you?”

  “Knox may have driven me out to the woods and asked me to kill him with my wolf.”

  Elle takes a half-step backward. “What?”

  “My wolf had been getting out of control. It’s an animal thing. Knox needed to show her who was in charge and show me how to do it as well. I don’t have Alpha power, but there’s a ton of other magic in here.” I tap my chest. “Knox thinks I have more than enough to control her.”

  “That’s great!” Elle beams. “I know it’s been bothering you how you can’t control your wolf. Has Knox’s advice helped?”

  “My wolf has been borderline catatonic since the fight, so I don’t know yet.” I shift my weight from foot to foot. It’s good to know my wolf can be controlled by magic, but I still don’t know how to make it work.

  “All the more reason to go to bed early and let me get things ready. Here’s the deal. Fairies don’t like weres. They don’t like warlocks. They really don’t even like other fairies. If we’re going to go shopping, you need to get a handle on your animal. That wolf pops out, and we’re kicked out of the store for good. And probably cursed. Oh, and murdered in some slow and painful way.” Elle winces. “Fairies. They are all things cruel and horrible in a cute package.”

  “Say no more. I’m heading to bed.” I sniff the stinky tablecloth. “You know, after I shower.”

  “Good plan.”

  As I trudge off to the bathroom, I try to ignore the jittery feeling in my chest at the thought of fae shopping. Sure, fairies hate everyone, but all Elle and I need to do is get one unshreddable outfit. I’m sure my wolf can behave for a few hours.

  Pretty sure.

  Maybe sure.

  I picture Queen Nyxa, the fairy who joined my last birthday party. She enjoyed enchanting mortals into dancing themselves to death. And that was when she was in a good mood. The thought sends a chill up my spine.

  It takes an effort, but I’m able to shake thoughts of Nyxa from my mind.

  Tomorrow will be fine. There’s nothing to worry about. Hopefully.

  Chapter Six

  The next morning, I wake up to the sight of my boyfriend Knox. He leans over my bed, wearing a leather jacket and a sly grin. There are a number of things I could say at this moment.

  How did you get into our apartment?

  Why are you here at 7 a.m.?

  Do I smell bagels?

  Instead, I say the most important thing first: “Elle and I are going fae shopping today.”

  Knox lifts his brows. “I didn’t know they were for sale.”

  “They’re not, but they have their own network of hidden stores in Manhattan.” I lace my fingers behind my head. “Remember how you wanted to know about the next big scheme for me and Elle?”

  “I did.”

  “This is it. Fae shopping.” And because I just woke up and am not yet thinking clearly, I move right on to the second most important order of business. “Thank you for bringing me bagels.”

  One advantage of being a werewolf is you have an incredible sense of smell.

  “I did, yeah.” Knox runs his finger along my jawline. “Alec is bringing the lox and stuff.”

  At the sound of Alec’s name, Elle’s voice echoes in from her room. These walls are like paper. “Did Knox say Alec is coming?”

  “That he did. He’ll be here any second with lox.”

  Elle whips open my bedroom door. “Good morning, Bry. I let Knox in. Is Alec coming over?”

  Knox does his chin-nod thing. “Yup.”

  “Do I look terrible?” she asks. “I’m not a morning person.” Elle isn’t lying. Her hair is knotted into one of those beehive things that went out in the 1960’s. It really is amazing the kind of bedhead she achieves.

  No point making Elle feel crappy about her bedhead, though. “Who looks great in the morning?”

  “Runway models,” says Elle. “Most of lower Manhattan.”

  Okay, she has me there.

  “You look adorable. I love those jammies.” Today, Elle is wearing these super-cute flannel pajamas with little cartoon tigers all over them. Adorable.

  “Really?” She smooths down the top. “Well, I’m not leaving them on just to look cute for Alec.”

  I’m aiding her self-delusion, but what else are friends for? “Okay, but no boys when we go fae shopping.”

  Knox gives me a chin nod. “That’s right. Fae don’t like weres.” His ice-blue eyes narrow. “Will you be safe?”

  “Bry has fairy power,” explains Elle. “So I can sneak her into stores. But having you along? Nuh-uh.” She twiddles her fingers at us. “I’ll let you discuss.” With that, Elle leaves the room.

  Knox frowns. “I’m not too crazy about you going shopping at stores run by the fae. I can wait outside or whatever.”

  I crook my finger at Knox. He leans in closer. “Here’s the thing, big guy.”

  Knox runs his nose along the length of mine. That move always makes my insides go squirmy. “Yeah?”

  “Most of my schemes with Elle are dangerous.”

  “I get it.” Knox brushes a kiss across my lips. “You two don’t need a babysitter. Just promise me one thing.”

  “What?”

  “Keep your cell handy. Text me TBL for trouble. That way, I’ll know to come running.”

  “TBL. You got it.”

  “Cool.” A faraway look washes over Knox’s ice-blue eyes. I don’t know Knox too well yet, but I’ve seen that face before. It’s the one he wears sometimes when we say goodbye.

  “What are you up to today?”

  “I need to see Az again.”

  My brows lift. “Is everything at Lucky’s okay?”

  “Oh, the place is fine now. Alec put in new wards last night. They seem to be holding.” Knox sighs. “Nope, the trouble is that Az wants to have another talk with me. About leading.”

  “Those two weres—Abe and Hollywood—they’re part of the Northeast pack, aren’t they?”

  “Yeah. And they’re really persistent.” Knox sits down on the bed. “I’m just not ready to lead. Before you, Alec was my only friend. And I rarely saw him. Most of my time was spent hunting and killing Denarii. Being pack means being connected to other weres 24-7. They’ll get in both of our heads in a way that can’t be undone. It’s a huge commitment. I can’t even look at them without wanting to run.”

  I link my fingers with his. “There’s no rush to be pack Alpha. But maybe there’s a step between being mentally connected and growling at them?”

  Knox gives me a crooked smile. “I don’t growl that much.”

  I give his hand a squeeze. “You’re a total grouch and I like it that way. I don’t like sharing your sweet side with anyone.”

  “Mmm.” Knox grins, leans in, and brushes a gentle kiss across my lips. “That’s enough about Az and pack politics. Tell me, what are you shopping for, exactly?”

  I must be getting better at this girlfriend thing, because I can tell that Knox isn’t ready to talk any more about the situation with Az. “We’re getting some girl stuff. You know.”

  “Like enchanted tampons or something?”

  “I can’t believe you just said the words enchanted tampons.” I punch him in the shoulder.

  “Go on. You can tell me anything. Even the enchanted tampon thing, yeah?”

  Knox’s eyes look especially big, blue, and earnest. He really would talk tampons with me if I needed it. But I don
’t. “Well, you know how when we shift into our wolf forms, we all end up naked?”

  “Yeah. I told you; it’s not a big thing for weres.”

  “Well, I wasn’t raised to be a werewolf, and it’s super-awkward for me, especially because there aren’t a lot of girl weres.”

  Knox rubs his neck. “I can see where you’re going with this.”

  “So Elle and I are going shopping for some enchanted clothes that I won’t destroy when I shift. I’ll feel more comfortable then, especially at West Lake Prep.”

  “That’s cool.” Knox tilts his head. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”

  “I thought it might be insulting to were culture or something.”

  “Hey, I don’t want to look at some stranger’s junk any more than the next person. What are you thinking about?”

  I scooch in closer. This is shopping talk, so I need to be able to focus. “Maybe some jeans and a top. What do people wear at West Lake Prep?”

  “Regular stuff, I guess. I can’t get a straight answer out of Alec.” He bobs his brows up and down. “Yet.”

  We’ve talked about this a few times. Alec’s family is on the board of West Lake Prep. For the record, I was super-excited to attend this school because it seemed like the perfect normal school. Well, normal for parts of Manhattan anyway. Alec pulled some strings to get me, Knox, and Elle to attend for our senior year. I’m super happy to be attending, but I need to get my wolf under control. Reading school brochures can wait for later.

  An idea appears. “Hey, when I’m at the store, do you want me to pick up something for you?”

  “Sure, that’s a great idea.”

  “Really? I thought wearing unshreddable clothes might be seen as politically incorrect for weres or something.”

  “Maybe that was true at some point, but not today.” Knox shakes his head. “Things were different before every cell phone became a video camera. I’ve already gone viral with footage of my naked butt. You never know where people are hiding.”

  “Viral? You’re joking.”

  “Have you seen the Central Park Ass Man meme? It’s the one with a young naked guy who’s walking away from the camera.”

  “That’s you?” I pop my hand over my mouth. Come to think of it, that ass man had a certain swagger that is really familiar. “Oh yeah. That’s you.”

  “Sign me up for sweats and a T-shirt. I’m in.”

  The two-tone doorbell sounds through the apartment, signaling that Alec has arrived with his lox and cream cheese. My inner wolf can smell them both from here.

  “Food,” she cries. “Go, go, go!”

  I smile. It seems like my wolf has now fully recovered from the fight with Knox yesterday. I search into my soul, feeling the three kinds of magic swirl within me: witch, shifter, and fae. Today, I’ll test out the lessons from my time with Knox. I’ll channel that power into my wolf and keep her under control. Sure, it may not work perfectly, but I have to start somewhere.

  Today is as good a place as any to begin.

  Chapter Seven

  It’s late morning by the time Elle and I are navigating the crowded sidewalks of Canal Street.

  Fae shopping central.

  Humans crowd the sidewalk, as do vendors with pushcarts who sell everything from fake watches to real hot dogs. The smell of cheap perfume and cigarette smoke fills the air, as does the chatter of many voices.

  I shake my head. “I still can’t get over it. I always thought of Canal Street as the best place to get knock-off handbags. I can’t believe that you-know-who are here.” It’s risky to say the word fairies in public, especially around tourists. Humans will whip out their cell phones and just start taking random video. In fact, I’m pretty sure that’s how the Central Park Ass Man meme got started.

  “This is the place for bargain you-know-who shopping,” says Elle. We talked about this over bagels. Canal Street is the hidden base of operations for Belle’s Basement, a secret discount superstore for fairies.

  Who knew?

  My best friend Elle, evidently.

  “So let me get this straight,” I whisper. “You have to give a gift to get inside the store. And then, you have to pay again to shop?”

  Elle shrugs. “It’s run by the you-know-whosies. We’re lucky there are any rules at all.”

  That’s my Elle. She rolls with the punches. Today, my best friend is wearing fitted jeans, tall black boots, and a sparkly blue tank that reads “Bippity Boppity You.” Her sunglasses are perched atop her long blonde hair.

  Damn, she looks like a million bucks.

  For my part, I’m wearing mismatched flip-flops, a Christmas sweater-dress, and new orange sweats from the bodega. My brown hair is held back in a clip, and I wear no makeup. I’m like the ugly friend to the cool girl in class.

  A chill crawls up my neck. I pause.

  Elle stops beside me. “What’s wrong?”

  “I feel like we’re being watched.”

  “If you’ve got a tail, the worst thing to do is stop.” Elle tugs me back into the flow of sidewalk traffic. “It’s probably just some fae wards you’re detecting. There’s only one fae shop around here, but they love to screw with humans.”

  “It’s not the fae I’m concerned about.”

  “No? What’s got you worried?”

  I lower my voice. “Humans. Becoming a meme.”

  As if on cue, a little girl points at me as she walks by. “The brown-haired girl. She’s got magic. Can I take a picture? Can I?”

  The mother slows, considering. I think the Christmas sweater-dress must throw her off because she hauls her daughter off in the opposite direction. Elle and I share a long look and grin. We don’t need to say anything; I know we’re both thinking the same thing.

  This really is an atrocious dress.

  “Did you see that?” I ask. “Ever since I fought Jules, I have so much power inside me. Even some humans can sense it.”

  “Come on.” Elle waves her hand dismissively. “She saw the Christmas sweater, that’s all. When you’re little, you think a unicorn sweatshirt is a magical gift.”

  I rub my neck as if the motion can wipe away the sense I had before. All Elle’s talk about gifts reminds me what we’re going to do. “So the you-know-who need a gift to get in. What kind of gift did you bring?”

  “It’s not a big deal.” Elle says that far too quickly, though. Which can only mean one thing.

  It is totally a big deal.

  “Elle. It’s me. What did you bring?”

  “Nothing major. This is Belle’s Basement. It’s not like we’re at Nyxa’s Boudoir.”

  At those words, a shiver rolls over my shoulders. “Queen Nyxa? You mean the crazy you-know-who from my birthday party?” We played a game of riddles because that’s just what a nutso fae like Nyxa likes to do for fun. It was close, but in the end, I won and she took off. All in all, I consider myself very lucky to have survived the encounter alive. “That Nyxa runs a store?”

  “Sure, what do you think she does?”

  “Float around on a cloud, crunching on the bones of her victims.”

  “That’s a rather specific image.”

  “Nyxa is a rather frightening you-know-whatsie.”

  “Well, I don’t know about bone-crunching, but Nyxa definitely runs a high-end boutique.” Elle pauses before one of the small storefronts. It’s one of those deals where they roll up a steel door in the morning and line the store frame with bags galore. Since it’s late morning, all the steel doors are open, and the storefronts are lined with bags that seem nailed into the brickwork around the garage-style entrance. The smell of roasting hot dogs and human sweat fills the air.

  Sometimes, I wish my werewolf sense of smell would take a vacation.

  I gesture at the storefront. “Is this the place?”

  “Yup.” Elle grabs my wrist. “You remember the rules?”

  “You talk. I stand around and hide behind my, ahem, energy.” As in fae energy.

  “Beca
use?”

  “Elle.” I roll my eyes. “I was raised by my aunties.” Who were incredibly evil fairies, not that I need to say that part out loud.

  “Whatever you think you know about your aunties and their people, you’re about to see a side of them you never imagined. This is shopping. It makes them a little crazy.”

  “That would be something.” My aunties used to throw quite a few parties. That’s how Nyxa ended up at my birthday. I’ve seen drunken fairies. Eventually, they start to play Pin the Tail on the Human or Let’s Start a Snowstorm in the penthouse. Not pretty.

  Elle pulls me off into the store. It’s a snug space that’s surprisingly empty. That never happens in New York, but then again. Fairies. Who knows what enchantments they’ve cast here?

  Elle looks over her shoulder, ensuring no one is within hearing distance. “Give me the rules one last time.”

  “Fine.” There’s no arguing with a bossy Elle. “I need to stay tapped into my fae power.”

  “Why?”

  “If these fairies think I’m a human, then they’ll try to torture and kill me.”

  “And if they detect that you’re were or witch?”

  “Then they’ll still see me as a threat, and they’ll try to torture me and kill me, too.” According to Elle, the fae do a lot of torturing and killing while shopping.

  “Good.” Elle drags me deeper into the store. It’s a classic Canal Street setup, so the tiny entrance extends into long rectangular space that seems to go on forever. Even so, this particular store stretches on even longer than usual. Elle pulls me past handbags, luggage, and some really cute silk shirts. After what feels like forever, we reach the far wall, which is a cramped square of space lined with fake pashmina scarves.

  Elle pauses before the wall of scarves. She becomes so still, I wonder if she’s even breathing. The air turns heavy with the sense of power. Silver dust motes twinkle in the air. I’ve felt power coming from Elle. Hers is warm and inviting. This stuff is chilly and prickly. I’ve never sensed fae magic quite like this before.