Once Bitten (Shadow Guild: The Rebel #1)(30)

“Shoot at the same time!” Coraline shouted.

Okay, I could do that.

Only problem was, I felt utterly pissed. Something in the last potion made my head spin like a top. I blinked and squinted, gripping my ball too tightly and focusing on the one cup left in front of Mary.

“On the count of three!” Coraline shouted from the side. “Shoot!”

Shit, shit, shit!

I sucked in a deep breath, blinking frantically. I’d been drunk before. In fact, I used to have a tiny plastic basketball hoop on my fire escape that I’d found in the dumpster. I’d thrown a tennis ball in it over and over again, imagining that Cordelia was my cheering audience.

Sure, this red plastic cup was a hell of a lot smaller, but I could do this. I could so do this.

“One…two…three!”

Instinct and desperation took over. My life was on the line.

I tossed the ball, holding my breath as it flew through the air. Mary’s ball shot toward me, and I wanted to knock it off track. I resisted, clenching my fists.

Finally, my ball dropped into her cup a split second before hers landed.

“Hell, yeah!” I raised my fists, victory surging through me.

Mary scowled. “I hate losing. But I kind of like you, so come on. Let’s talk.”

I looked at Mac. She raised her eyebrows and grinned, giving me a thumbs-up. I followed Mary to one end of the pool, wading through the water to the wide stairs. We climbed out, and she waved a hand at me. “Be dry.”

My swimsuit immediately dried, and I grinned at her. “Thanks!”

“No problem.” She gestured me toward a door. “Come on.”

Coraline joined us, along with Mac and another girl with glowing dark skin and braids. A pigeon sat on her shoulder. The second room was shadowed and sparkly, the walls covered in glittery fabric. A disco ball hung from the ceiling. There was a padded leather booth in the corner that looked like something out of an old steak restaurant, and the rest of the room was filled with dancers.

A few women with tiny horns scrambled out of the booth as the witches approached. The three witches slid onto one side of the booth, still in their bikinis.

I was still in mine, for that matter, but I was drunk enough off Mary’s magic that I couldn’t complain.

Mac and I sat in the booth across from them. The girl that I didn’t recognize leaned forward and grinned. “I’m Beth.”

“Hi. Carrow.”

“So I hear. And you want something from us.”

“I’m willing to trade.” I made my voice firm. Sure, this world was insane, and I felt totally outgunned by three witches, but I could at least pretend to hold my own. “I can read the history or future of objects. Sometimes people.”

The three witches raised their brows.

“Pretty good,” Coraline said.

“Pretty useful.” Mary nodded.

“But what do you want from us?” Beth asked.

“A potion to change my appearance. Or better yet, to make us invisible.”

Mary shook her head. “Nope, no can do on the invisibility. That shit takes forever to make and is, therefore, insanely expensive.”

“You mean my magic isn’t a worthy of a trade for an invisibility potion?” If I still had feathers, they would have ruffled.

Beth shrugged. “Don’t know yet. Would rather sell you something easier and make sure your skills live up to what you’re saying.”

Fair enough, and it wasn’t like I had time to wait for a complicated potion to be brewed. Time was ticking.

Jeeves appeared at the table, his back stiff and his lip curled with distaste as he looked at Mac. In his hands, he held a tray of silver goblets that emitted pink smoke.

“Jeeves!” Coraline shouted.

“Jeeves,” the other two chorused.

I expected Jeeves to look irritated or long-suffering, but he seemed to glow with pleasure.

“Ladies.” He set the platter on the surface of the table, and the three witches each leaned forward to grab a cup.

Mary whispered something to Jeeves that I couldn’t hear.

Coraline eyed Mac and me. “Drink up, bitches!”

Mac and I grabbed a glass, and I took a sip. Flavor exploded on my tongue, the most amazing cocktail I’d ever had. I couldn’t tell if it tasted like fruit or flowers or sugar or magic—probably all of the above. It was amazing, and I couldn’t get enough.

Vaguely, I recognized that maybe I shouldn’t be slugging it back like a two o’clock drunk, but I couldn’t seem to help myself. My hand kept dumping the cocktail into my mouth, and I was all too happy to oblige.

Next to me, Mac did the same.

Finally, we finished and set our cups on the table.

Mac shook her head and looked down at the cup, then up at the witches.

“Holy crap.” She scowled. “You put ambrosia in that.”

“Sure did.” Beth cackled.

“What’s ambrosia?” My voice nearly slurred.

“Witchy drugs,” Mac said. “We’ll be high off our asses soon.”

“Godly drugs,” Coraline said. “And they’re hard to come by.” She beamed. “You’re welcome.”

“Thank you.” Maybe I shouldn’t have been thanking them, but everything seemed so nice right then.