“No?” Pandora asked.

Bridget came over before Monalisa could answer. “You ladies need another round back there? Might as well, seeing as how we’re snowed in.”

Pandora nodded. “Sure, and considering that we’re basically the only customers in here, why don’t you join us?”

Bridget laughed. “One of us has to be the adult here. Besides, I’m working.” She tossed a bar towel over her shoulder. “Refills coming up. I’ll run them back there in a second. Lisa, you ready for round three?”

She put her hand over the mug. “Yes, but no more hot chocolate. Something…stronger. I just don’t know what yet.”

Bridget gave her a nod. “I’ll get it for you the minute you do.”

Charisma leaned her arm on the bar. “Why don’t you join us in the back room? We’re celebrating Pandora’s engagement, but you look like you need to talk, and we’re all exceptional listeners.”

Monalisa opened her mouth to explain why she couldn’t, but nothing came out.

Charisma smiled. “And, as added incentive, Pandora’s fiancé is footing the bill.”

Finally, Monalisa found some words. “I don’t think you want your fun evening spoiled by the sordid details of what just happened between Van and me.”

Pandora hopped onto the seat between Charisma and Monalisa, her back to the bar. “On the contrary. This is a girls’ night out! We’re here to laugh and cry and commiserate. Also, if I can be perfectly honest, we’re not really the billiards and darts crowd. It’s getting a little dull back there.”

“Hey,” Bridget said. “You knew what that back room was for before you got here.”

Pandora looked over her shoulder. “True, but we came here for the cheap drinks more than anything.”

Bridget snorted and shook her head as she kept mixing cocktails.

Pandora leaned her elbows on the bar. “So what do you say? Join us? We’re a tame group. I’m a realtor, Charisma’s a life coach, Marigold’s a florist, Willa’s a jeweler, and Roxy is a writer. But above all that, we’re women, we’re supernaturals, and we all know how awful—and wonderful—men can be. And you look like you could use some sympathetic company.”

Monalisa stared at her empty mug. The urge to unburden herself grew stronger. But she didn’t know these women. Although, that was sort of a plus. So was the fact that she’d never see them again after tonight.

Pandora elbowed her gently. “C’mon. You might feel better.”

Monalisa glanced up at Bridget. “Shot of Jameson, neat.”

“Coming up,” Bridget answered.

Monalisa slid off her seat. “I’ll have it in the back. With the others.”

Van knew he was supposed to wait until Pandora called him. He decided the best place to do that was the back room of Howler’s. That way he’d be right there when Lisa decided she was ready to talk.

He just had to figure out how to get to Howler’s with eighteen inches of snow on the ground and more joining it with every passing second.

He also had his bad leg to contend with.

That meant driving was out. Not that the roads were passable anyway.

And he couldn’t shift into his dragon form because of the venom lingering in his system. He’d tried right after the injury had happened and had succeeded only in causing himself so much pain he’d blacked out. So flying was out.

At least for him.

He dialed Nick Hardwin’s number. He’d only met the guy once, at the Black & Orange Halloween Ball, but they’d hit it off talking about fighting techniques. Nick was a former Army Ranger and had some interesting ideas about hand-to-hand.

Also, they were two of the largest supernaturals in town, both could fly, and Nick’s girlfriend, Willa, was one of Pandora’s best friends. The two women had decided Van and Nick should be friends too.

Right after the ball, Van had left for a round of training and fights. But he liked the guy. Now he just hoped Nick remembered him.

Nick answered on the third ring. “Hello.”

“Nick, this is Ivan Tsvetkov. I was hoping you would remem—”

“Van, hey, man, what’s up?”

Van let out a sigh of relief. “So much. I hope you are well.”

“I am.” Nick hesitated. “I heard about what happened at your last fight. Really sorry about that. I should have called you, but Willa said Pandora said you weren’t up to visitors, so…”

“No problem. I was not feeling very friendly, that is true.”

“Everything okay now? It’s kind of late. But it’s cool you called. I was up.”

Van took a breath and uttered the second-hardest three words he could imagine. “I need help.”

“Yeah? Okay, what can I do?”

“This is an odd request.”

Nick laughed softly. “I was an Army Ranger. You wouldn’t believe some of the stuff I’ve done.”

“I suppose that is true.” Van collected his thoughts, trying to figure out where to start. “My injury makes it impossible for me to shift right now. And the weather is very bad. Also, I cannot drive anyway. So, I was wondering…”

He couldn’t quite make himself say it. It just sounded so odd. “That is, I was thinking…” Again, the words wouldn’t come out. “Could you…” Disgusted with himself for wasting time, he spat out what he meant to say. “I need you to fly me to Howler’s. It is an odd thing to ask, I know, but I am desperate.”