Bait

A girl stepped off the elevator as Bay-Lee was trying to get on. They avoided impact by mere inches. The stunning blonde purposely blocked Bay-Lee’s way. A malicious smile curved the girl’s pink mouth as she said, “Jeepers, look what the cat dragged in. Bay-Lee Van Helsing, I have been looking forward to this for a very long time.”

  “You have?” Bay-Lee recognized the face. It was Jordan Hayes, the drummer for Nick’s former band. “When did you get here?”

  The answer came to her before Jordan’s lips could part. This was the girl Nick had told her about, his new girlfriend. He hadn’t been lying. Bay-Lee’s heart dropped to her feet.

  Jordan broke through her dark thoughts with, “Friendly warning, girl to girl. Keep your hands off my guy before you get yourself hurt.”

  Bay-Lee played dumb. “What guy?”

  “You know who I’m talking about.” Jordan used proximity to intimidate. She moved closer until she was nose to nose with Bay-Lee. “I’ve got friends here and they say you got your eyes on my guy. Find someone else or find yourself in the hospital. I don’t think I can make it clearer than that.”

  Bay-Lee nearly laughed out loud. The girl had no idea she was trying to scare off someone who’d faced a reaper and a border monster and lived to talk about it. Feeling brave, Bay-Lee said, “Nick has a mouth. He can speak for himself.”

  “Mike says Nick already told you to hit the bricks and you can’t take a hint, and he also told me you went whining to your father so Van Helsing would make him mentor you. Classy.”

  “You’re in my way. Move.”

  Jordan stepped to the side, but the warnings continued. “Get another mentor. If I see you with my boyfriend, I will rip your face off.”

  “You can try.” Bay-Lee stepped into the glass elevator.

  Jordan got halfway inside the tube so it couldn’t begin its ascent. “I’ll do more than try. Stay away. I mean it.”

  “If he wants me to stay away, all he has to do is say so. I don’t take orders from you.”

  “Nick is too sweet to hurt your feelings.”

  Sweet? Nick? Who was she kidding? “That’s it.” Bay-Lee shoved Jordan backwards, palms striking the denim of her jacket, and she told the elevator which floor to take her to as the blonde girl stared daggers at her. The elevator went up and Bay-Lee leaned against the glass wall, thoroughly deflated. After her confrontation with Jordan she almost didn’t want to talk to Alec about the prophecy.

  Almost.