The Holiday Pact

CREATED BY JUTOH - PLEASE REGISTER TO REMOVE THIS LINE

THE HOLIDAY PACT

Three stories by

Jamie DeBree, Alex Westhaven & Trinity Marlow

The Holiday Pact

Copyright 2014 by Brazen Snake Books

Edited by Carol R. Ward

Published by Brazen Snake Books

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination, and used fictitiously.

CREATED BY JUTOH - PLEASE REGISTER TO REMOVE THIS LINE

New Year’s Eve

Laura

Laura took a deep breath, another sip of her drink, and flashed her two best friends a bright smile.

This year, I think we should all make one goal - to spend the holidays with a guy. Or just the evening, anyway.

Judging from the looks on their faces in the dim bar lights, Jodi and Melanie weren’t as excited about the plan as she was. Then again, they didn’t know about Mr. Mysterious. And hopefully they wouldn’t until she’d solved the mystery herself.

The holidays are over, Jodi said. And next December is still a long ways off.

Laura held up her hands, motioning for her to stop. I don’t mean just Christmas. I mean all the holidays. Or the major ones, anyways. We’re all looking for men, right? So I propose that we all meet up at a different place for each holiday during the year and pick up a guy - any guy - to spend the evening with.

She took another sip of her drink - some fruity concoction that was going down way too easily. If she didn’t slow down, she’d be asleep before an important online chat scheduled for later that night.

Sounds dangerous, Melanie commented, though she didn’t seem particularly opposed to the idea. She’d always been...different, and she’d never lost the goth look she adopted in high school, but rather refined it as she aged. Her long, crimson fingernails tapped thoughtfully on the pub table, thick rings flashing in the light from a disco ball.

Laura looked at her own short, manicured nails. Would Mysterious prefer something longer and more claw-like? She hoped not. Maybe she’d try a brighter shade than her normal French manicure for their first meeting.

Jodi sat quietly across the table and Laura wondered what she was thinking. Tough and confident, Jodi had trouble finding men who could handle her particular personality. Would she be willing to at least give this whole thing a try?

We could make it safe. Melanie held up her cell phone. Regular check-ins at specified times through the night would make sure we know if someone needs help. Don’t call or answer, we call the cops right away. And pictures of each guy before we take off with him. Or his driver’s license even, for an address.

Laura nodded. I wasn’t planning on a bunch of one-night stands. Just drinks, dinner maybe. See what happens after that. She wiggled her eyebrows. I just thought it would be a good way to make our holidays less bitchy, more potential action.

Melanie nodded. We do have a way of making holidays bitter, don’t we? And I’m all for more men. She took a long sip off her own frozen drink. I’m in. Jodi?

Laura waited. At least Melanie would act as her safety net, but it would be more fun with Jodi there too. For starters, anyway. Besides, she needed to get out more. The woman was all work and no play these days.

Jodie finally nodded. I’m in. So when do we start?

Laura clapped, unable to contain her excitement. Yay! I was thinking our first major holiday would be Valentine’s Day, of course. Doesn’t that make sense?

Jodi rolled her eyes. Because there’s nothing more romantic than meeting up with a complete stranger on a holiday where everyone fancies themselves in love, right?

Melanie punched Jodi in the arm. Knock it off. You agreed, now don’t spoil her fun. She flipped her long black hair behind her shoulder. So where should we meet, and when?

Laura smiled. I was thinking Charlie’s at six. That will give us plenty of time to check out our options as they come in.

Fine with me, Melanie said, her eyes flitting over a group of college kids in the corner. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go make some young stud’s night. See you ladies on V Day.

Laura shook her head as she moved away. Melanie rarely went home alone, and Laura could never decide whether she was jealous or happy for her. A little of both, maybe.

Her phone buzzed against the table and it was all she could to keep her expression neutral as she picked it up. It was early, but she knew it was him. It had to be him.

Jodi drained the last of her drink. Charlie’s it is, then. I’ll be there. She pulled a bill out of her wallet and laid it on the table. I think I’m going to head home. It was a long day at work, and I’m beat. Do you need a ride?

Laura shook her head, barely comprehending Jodi’s question as she read the words on the tiny screen. Realizing she needed to reply, she forced herself to look up.

I’m fine, thanks. She smiled, feeling a little guilty that she’d rather respond to his text than chat with her friend. Thanks Jodi. I really feel like good things are going to happen for us this year. Don’t you?

Jodi shrugged as she got up. I honestly don’t know, but whatever happens will be something different, and I think we all need to shake things up, right?

Right. Laura nodded. I’ll see you next month then. Can’t wait!

She turned her attention back to her phone as Jodi left, reading the words on the screen again.

Where are you?

Her fingers flew across the small keyboard. Out with friends. Where are you?

Working tonight. Wish you were here.

Her heart fluttered. Me too. Chat later?

Sorry, can’t. Tomorrow?

Laura sighed, feeling like every ounce of energy had just drained out of her body.

Of course. She hit send, and then typed out another message.

I want to meet you.

Her thumb hovered over the send button, but she hesitated. They’d never talked about meeting. What if he didn’t want to? What if this was all just a friendly bit of online flirtation?

She considered some of the things they’d said...done, together online, and took a deep breath. Better to know now if it was just one-sided.

She pushed send, and then waited.

Ten minutes passed, then twenty. She gathered her things and went home, feeling like a pathetic loser when she placed her phone on the nightstand. He must have turned his phone off. Or maybe it was out of batteries.

Or maybe he just didn’t want to meet her.

She tossed and turned for an hour, sleeping fitfully for the rest of the night. He still hadn’t replied when her alarm finally went off, and she mulled all the possibilities around in her head while she showered and got ready for work.

That night, she waited online in their private chat room for two hours, but he never logged on.

Exhausted and feeling like an idiot, she sent Mr. Mysterious one final text before crawling into bed.

Valentine’s Day. Charlie’s. 7pm.

Melanie

This year, I think we should all make one goal - to spend the holidays with a guy. Or just the evening, anyway.

Melanie carefully kept her expression neutral at Laura’s suggestion, shrugging off a frown from Jodi who sat beside her. She was pretty sure her idea of spending the evening with a guy was different than either of her two friends. It wasn’t her fault she couldn’t resist the slide of a sharp blade through warm flesh.

Or maybe it was. Whatever. Artists need to create. Her art just required...unique materials.

The holidays are over, Jodi said. And next December is still a long ways off.

Laura held up her hands. I don’t mean just Christmas. I mean all the holidays. Or the major ones, anyways. We’re all looking for men, right? So I propose that we all meet up at a different place for each holiday during the year and pick up a guy - any guy, to spend the evening with.

Melanie suppressed a grin. Sounded like a good idea to her, although maybe not for the men she went home with. She couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate, though.

Sounds dangerous, she said aloud, tapping her fingernails on the table. Someone should say it, and it might as well be her, ironic as it might be. She waited for one of them to suggest a check-in, but the others seemed preoccupied with their own thoughts. Not wanting to see the idea die, so to speak, she continued.

We could make it safe, she said, holding up her cell phone. Regular check-ins at specified times through the night would make sure we know if someone needs help. Don’t call or answer, we call the cops right away. And pictures of each guy before we take off with him. Or his driver’s license even, for an address.

Mentally she berated herself for that last suggestion, but hopefully a basic photo would work. Otherwise, she’d have a nightmare of a time getting those photos off the girls’ phones later. The check-ins would be good though. Give her a deadline, some boundaries. Maybe her own personal goal would be to hunt only on these holiday nights out. A little discipline could be a good thing.

Laura nodded. I wasn’t planning on a bunch of one-night stands. Just drinks, dinner maybe. See what happens after that. She wiggled her eyebrows. I just thought it would be a good way to make our holidays less bitchy, more potential action.

Melanie nodded, even though she tended to find her own action after their regular holiday bitch sessions. We do have a way of making holidays bitter, don’t we? And I’m all for more men. She took a long sip off her own frozen drink. I’m in. Jodi?

Melanie suspected that something was brewing under that quiet, tough surface Jodi kept firmly in place. One of these days, she was going to snap, and it would be interesting to see where it led. Too bad she wasn’t sure what proclivities were simmering in that intelligent head of hers. It might be fun to have someone share in her artistic endeavors someday.

Jodie finally nodded. I’m in. So when do we start?

Laura clapped, an uncharacteristic display of emotion that revealed just how excited their little vanilla girl was. Yay! I was thinking our first major holiday would be Valentine’s Day, of course. Doesn’t that make sense?

Jodi rolled her eyes. Because there’s nothing more romantic than meeting up with a complete stranger on a holiday where everyone fancies themselves in love, right?

Melanie punched Jodi in the arm. Knock it off. You agreed, now don’t spoil her fun. She flipped her hair behind her shoulder, a group of young college guys across the bar catching her eye. Looked like she’d be celebrating a little early, thank goodness. So where should we meet, and when?

Laura smiled. I was thinking Charlie’s at six. That will give us plenty of time to check out our options as they come in.

Fine with me, Melanie said, zoning in on one young man in particular. Tall, muscular and a little rough around the edges. Just what she needed tonight. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go make some young stud’s night. See you ladies on V Day.

She slid off the stool and made her way across the dance floor. Years of practice had perfected the whole seduction thing, and if she was honest, it was almost boring at this point. But later, when the blood started flowing...that was always exciting.

She didn’t stop when she reached the young man, just shot him a come hither smile through her eyelashes and hooked her pinky finger around his, pulling him along towards the back door. He followed like a well-trained puppy, not offering so much as a whimper when she pulled him out into the alley and shoved him up against the cement wall.

Pressing her breasts into his chest, she wrapped a hand around the back of his neck and pulled him down for a deep, wet kiss. She felt him expand in his jeans, and reached down to give him a little rub.

I own a little studio not far from here, she whispered. And I really, really want to play with your flesh. Are you coming?

She turned and walked away, grinning as she heard his footsteps jogging to catch up. She wondered if he had any fun tattoos she could incorporate into her latest project.

It was going to be a good year. A very good year.

Jodi

This year, I think we should all make one goal - to spend the holidays with a guy. Or just the evening, anyway.

Jodi frowned at Laura’s suggestion, noting Melanie’s confused look and wondering if she’d heard correctly over the heavy bass beats that permeated the nightclub. Then again, Laura was the romantic of the bunch. It certainly seemed like something she’d come up with.

The holidays are over. And next December is still a long ways off. Jodi stopped as Laura shook her head and jiggled her hands, creating an odd visual under the disco-strobe-light thing that was spinning over the dance floor.

I don’t mean just Christmas, Laura explained. I mean all the holidays. Or the major ones, anyways. We’re all looking for men, right? So I propose that we all meet up at a different place for each holiday during the year and pick up a guy - any guy, to spend the evening with.

Sounds dangerous, Melanie commented, though her thoughtful expression looked somewhat more excited than afraid. Melanie had always been a bit odd, even in high school. And the men she dated tended to disappear, which was a little disconcerting.

Jodi thought about the list of goals she’d made earlier for the new year. This holiday plan might be a good way to accomplish that, though Laura would be mortified if she knew what was on Jodi’s list.

We could make it safe, Melanie said, holding up her cell phone. Regular check-ins at specified times through the night would make sure we know if someone needs help. Don’t call or answer, we call the cops right away. And pictures of each guy before we take off with him. Or his driver’s license.

I wasn’t planning on one-night stands. Just drinks, dinner maybe. See what happens after that. Laura wiggled her eyebrows. I just thought it would be a good way to make our holidays less bitchy, more potential action.

Melanie nodded. We do have a way of making holidays bitter, don’t we? And I’m all for more men. She took a long sip off her frozen drink. I’m in. Jodi?

Jodi took a breath. The list was daunting, but this would give her deadlines and a safety net, without having to reveal her plan. It was time to step out of her shell and start exploring. Otherwise she might never actually go through with it.

She nodded. I’m in. So when do we start?

Laura gave a little golf clap. Yay! I was thinking our first major holiday would be Valentine’s Day, of course. Doesn’t that make sense?

Jodi rolled her eyes. Because there’s nothing more romantic than meeting up with a complete stranger on a holiday where everyone fancies themselves in love, right?

Melanie punched her in the arm, hard enough that three of the four thick silver rings on her fingers might leave a mark. Knock it off. You agreed, now don’t spoil her fun. She flipped her long black hair behind her shoulder and turned back to Laura. So where should we meet, and when?

Laura didn’t even have to think about it. I was thinking Charlie’s at six. That will give us plenty of time to check out our options as they come in.

Fine with me, Melanie said, her eyes flitting over a group of college kids in the corner. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go make some young stud’s night. See you ladies on V Day. She slid off the stool and moved onto the dance floor, her hips rolling in that seductive way that Jodi had never quite mastered. Damn it.

Jodi drained the last of her drink. Charlie’s it is, then. I’ll be there. She pulled a bill out of her wallet and laid it on the table. I think I’m going to head home. It was a long day at work, and I’m beat. Do you need a ride?

Laura shook her head, her eyes glued to her cell phone as her demurely manicured nails danced across the screen. I’m fine, thanks. Glancing up, she smiled. Thanks Jodi. I really feel like good things are going to happen for us this year. Don’t you?

Jodi stood, shrugging. I honestly don’t know, but whatever happens will be something different, and I think we all need to shake things up, right?

Right. Laura nodded. I’ll see you next month then. Can’t wait! Then her gaze dropped back to her phone and Jodi knew she wasn’t listening any longer.

Leaving the bar, Jodi shoved her hands in her pockets and breathed in the crisp winter air. She walked along First street, then across and over to Hannon, and then two blocks down to Mulberry. Her steps slowed as she approached the garish red neon sign