CHAPTER SEVEN

ZAK

The event captured on the photo featured, possibly, the stupidest thing I'd ever done. I was sitting, passed out, slumped on Aaron's sofa, head lolled to one side and resting on the back. On the floor next to me was a digitally sketched Zylas, (also passed out) propped up on the middle cushion, using his outstretched arm as a pillow, with a table full of red disposable shot glasses in front of us.

Honestly, I don't really remember what happened that night, I'd only just met Zylas and Robin a couple days before, and after seeing his healing magic in action, I was curious. So, Tori arranged a meeting, and told me to come to Aaron's place that evening. She was expecting me, so when I got there, the door was unlocked and I stepped inside, to see that Zylas and Robin weren't the only guests. Surprisingly, all three mages were there. Aaron was sitting in the armchair on my right, elbows braced on his knees, game controller in hand. Kai was sitting on the corner of the couch closest to Aaron, laptop open on his knees, presumably doing work, while Ezra, who still looked pale, sat at the opposite end of the couch, smiling and chatting with Zylas, who was perched on the sofa's arm, elbows resting on his knees, his barbed tail moving lazily back and forth.

The second I walked in, Zylas hopped off the arm and strode confidently toward me.

"Zak the Druid," he smiled slyly, "I challenge you to shots."

"What?" I threw back my hood, and blinked a few times, not sure if I'd heard correctly.

"Aaron has told me that this is a common way for hh'ainun males to prove their strength." He stated, grinning.

I whipped a glance to Aaron, who was biting his lip in an attempt to keep his snickering quiet. His eyes still focused on the game he was playing.

Ooo, let's play my Druid. Lallakai purred in my head.

Absolutely not.

But we are so good at this game.

We've never 'played' shots. Negotiation strategies are not games.

Mmm. She pouted.

Are you that bored Lallakai? I snapped.

Perhaps.

"I told you he wouldn't do it, pay up Aaron." Kai's voice brought me back and I saw he had his hand open in a 'c'mon gesture, while Aaron grumbled as he reached into his back pocket.

"Fine." I barked, and looked to the demon still standing in front of me, "I accept." Aaron froze, eyes wide, his expression changing from shock to glee as he looked at me; Kai's mouth dropped open ever so slightly, looking just as shocked. And, Ezra… Well, Ezra was the only one who looked concerned; he was rubbing his jaw nervously as his eyes moved from Aaron, to me, then to Zylas.

I eyed Aaron, then stepped over his legs so I was standing over Kai, "Move." I growled. Although he was still looking at me in disbelief, he snapped his laptop shut and sidestepped around Ezra and the coffee table to stand next to Aaron on the opposite side. I shrugged out of my jacket, threw it on the armchair and sat down.

Aaron, arms crossed, smiled down at me looking like a kid who had just gotten the best present ever.

"Tori!" Aaron called, not breaking eye contact with me.

Tori and Robin rushed out of the kitchen, wearing matching pajamas which featured llamas in brightly colored sweaters, and bringing the sweet scent of whatever they were making with them.

"What? What is it?" she scanned the room, looking confused.

"Oh dear…" I heard Robin whisper.

" 'Oh dear'? Oh dear what?"

Zylas crossed the room, lips pressed into a grin and came to sit next to me.

"Get the whiskey, Tori," Aaron commanded, still staring me down, "we got ourselves a drinking competition." Then gave me cocky smile.

"Zak, are you…" She started, sounding concerned.

"Alcohol, Tori. Now." I snapped, still staring at Aaron.

I closed my eyes and rolled my shoulders. When I opened them, Tori was setting a bottle of whiskey and some red disposable shot glasses out on the table, while shooting dirty looks at Aaron and me.

I reached across the table, grabbed eight shot cups and lined four up in front of each of us, twisted the cap off the Jack and poured. Holding up my first shot, I nodded at Zylas and he did the same.

"Cheers." I muttered, and tossed it back.

"Vh'renith ve Thait." He answered back with a cock sure grin and followed suit.

Now, I don't really remember what Zylas and I talked / yelled about, the words zh'ultis and idiot were used liberally, and after Aaron poured us shot number nine, everything goes dark. The next thing I remember is a tingling feeling and Zylas standing over me, and mumbling either an incantation or demonic curse words.

"Ch, your fae works too slow, Robin asked me to fix you."

When he moved to stand next to Robin, I got a clear view of the girls; who were wearing very different expressions. Biting her lower lip, Robin's bright blue eyes watched me with genuine concern. Tori, arms folded across her chest, glared at me with a look that switched from concerned to pissed seconds after I opened my eyes could only be described as 'you're an effing moron.' Behind them, Kai and Aaron were taking down a very shattered flat screen.

"Disgusting, hh'ainun males are zh'ultis!" Zylas snarled, pressing a palm to his forehead, "My head is still hurting."

Tori rolled her eyes and threw her head back, "Ugh, no one forced you to do ten shots, so suck it up." She snapped.

"I am the winner though." He glared at Tori, still pressing a hand to his forehead, then grinned down at me.

"No one is the winner Zyals! It was a tie!" Robin shouted.

"I am awake first. I win." He flashed a sly grin at Robin, who shook her head in frustration and stomped into the kitchen. Leaving me with Ezra and Zylas.

At this point, I made an attempt to sit up and promptly vomited into the waste bin that Ezra was holding next to me. Apparently, demon healing magic didn't work very well on alcohol. Tori rolled her eyes and headed back into the kitchen, muttering something about a pissing contest. I fell back against the couch, closed my eyes again and tried to massage the remainder of my headache away.

"Sooo, water?"

I cracked my eyes open and saw Ezra sitting in the armchair, holding out a water bottle, which I took, gratefully.

And that is the story of how I lost a fair amount of my dignity in a drinking contest with a demon.

"Need anything else?" she smiled and pushed the cupboard door closed.

I gave a heavy sigh, and looked at the picture one more time before putting it into the inside pocket of my jacket. "Nope. Just apples."

She scrunched her forehead, "Don't you guys have apple trees?"

"Not the green kind."

"Ah, got it." She snorted

Giving her a quick smile and wave goodbye, I headed out. Now it was time to talk to Ryker.