Tales of the Bartender - Part II

BY: Gigs

Disclaimer: The insanity continues. There's no stopping it. It's like a crack in the Hoover Dam. Egad!
Rating: PG-13 (might have let a little language fly here.

"Lousy Mongrel!" I called after Richard's retreating back as Crystal mouthed 'sorry' back at us. Once they sped out of the parking lot in one orange and black streak, I grumbled my way back into the Circus heading for the bar tent. "Somebody should have told Dick-for-brains that when they said the guys should be hardheaded tonight...THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE OTHER HEAD!"

"Maybe YOU'D like to say that to the Ulfric's face," Stephen's voice wafted over to me from a dark corner where he and Viv were having a secluded conversation before her act. "I have actually. On several occasions," I answered grimly. 'I need a drink or that big, dumb dog is going to ruin my night.'

I walked into the bar tent and proceeded to rummage through the bottles behind the bar looking for something good, and instead came up with a bottle of sparkling grapejuice. I stared down at the bottle for a minute, trying to make my fuzzy brain work. Then I looked up at the room, displaying the bottle for all eyes to see, "Who brought this?"

Dare, Kash's Aviartra partner who was talking lazily with another Aviartra I didn't recognize, spoke up immediately. "I thought it was customary for the guests to bring something, so I brought it." he answered matter of fact-like. I gave him a look and a snort. "Leave it to you Dare to be the goodie two-shoes." He leaned back in his chair with a grin. "Look who's talkin."

'All right, you lily-white featherweight. You want to challenge the Big Kitty on how naughty she can get, tonight's your lucky night' I thought as a mischevious smile crossed my lips. I pounced over the bar and slowly stalked Dare watching his grin change to a look of mild concern. Spouting my favorite Mother Goose mis-quote, I sprang onto his lap and proceeded to molest his kissable lips. I hadn't realized how tauntingly sexy Dare was before. A bell clanged loudly somewhere in the back of my head at that thought, but for some odd reason, I wasn't really paying attention to it anymore.

After a couple rather enjoyable moments of the angel-wanna-be flailing in my grasp, a rather insistant tapping on my shoulder brought me around to myself and I looked up to see Kash standing there in a robe looking very amused. "Hi sweetie. Things going ok?"

"Yeah. Esther's on now. I think Greg is glued to his chair. Speaking of being glued to people, Dare you got a new admirer?"

Dare took my distraction as an opportunity to practically throw me off his lap and across the room a ways. I laughed as I picked myself up off the floor. "Yeah, that's what I thought angel-boy."

Kash stifled a laugh and kept him busy talking for a few moments, so I wandered back behind the bar as Tamara came in with a couple last minute drink orders. "I need to get ready to change now. Is it ok of Nat covers me for the next few sets?"

"Sure," I shrugged back at her rather good humoredly. Boy was my mood swinging back and forth or what? "I imagine the crowd is beginning to thin out a bit anyway. By the end of the night we'll probably be standing here by ourselves."

She nodded, radiating her mirth, and gathered her costume from its hiding place under the bar. I had to concentrate a minute to raise a shield so that Asher couldn't see what she was doing through my eyes. I shook my head, trying to clear the cobwebs and smiled brightly at her as she stood back up. "Have fun," I murmured rather dazed. She wiggled her eyebrows and headed off towards the backstage dressing area.

Esther's song was blaring through the satin black strips as Caleb slid through them. Wow, he looked hot tonight. Was it getting warm in here or what? I tried fanning myself with a bar napkin as he sidled up to the bar, grinning at me. Me? Think Caleb was cute? You've got to be kidding? However my body had plans of its own apparently and leaned over on the bar across from him. "Howdy partner. What's your poison?"

INDEXor NEXT CHAPTER