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Ogden’s aura turned bright red. “I know you don’t like me, Tyson, but we’re in this together.”
I gritted my teeth and forced myself to take another sip of beer. I didn’t need to hide my feelings anymore. “I do like you, Swamp Monster. That’s part of the problem.”
Ogden’s aura pulsed a darker red once before fading into a yellow-orange. “Swamps would be more water dragons, don’t you think?”
“They’re undefined, like your warlock earth, whatever.” I rapped my knuckles against the table. “Ah, feck it. I’m still seeing colors. And I’m seeing patterns in those colors. And now that I can see people's emotional responses to what I say, it’s making it hard to be me.” I ran a hand down my face. “I gave Wiggles to Lux last night. Our pretty mate lit up like a Christmas tree, and it made me feel good. But I didn’t have Wiggles, he did! That shouldn’t have felt good. I didn’t win.”
Og froze before speaking slowly as if I was a wild animal. “Except you did. We don’t crave winning. We crave the endorphins winning gives us. You don’t have to be first to get that rush.”
I scowled at my beer, not liking how Og’s description matched my feelings last night.
“I’m not making this up.” I smacked the table, rattling our glasses. “I blamed Jay for giving away her firstborn, and her aura just dipped to nothing. And it destroyed me. I couldn’t think of anything else until I made it up to her.” Ogden’s aura shifted from color to color as he processed my words. “Right now, I’m watching you go from anger to pity, to curiosity and now disbelief. Fecking pick an emotion and land on it.”
Og put his hands up. “That is definitely not how emotions work.”
I scrubbed my hand through my spiky hair. “It fecking should be.”
Og grunted. “I won’t argue with that.” He studied me. “You are literally the last person I thought I would open up to, but when Lux was rutting, I spent the night with him. We didn’t talk about it, and then your show last night felt like a slap in the face.”
I blinked. “Is this going to happen a lot?”
Ogden put his hands up. “I mean, not if I’m the only one who wants it. I thought Lux enjoyed it. We kissed with Jay in between us, and she loved it.” Og pulled on his chin. “I mean, we’re all doing stuff together. Jay shouldn’t have to blow all of us if I enjoy the experience, right?” The warlock bit his lower lip and looked up at me as if I had answers.
I pulled my jaw off the table, barely wrapping my head around the situation. “I meant,” I spoke very clearly. “Are you dumping shite on me now that you think I’m empathetic?”
The Clay dragon’s entire aura turned a rosy pink that could only be the color of embarrassment. He picked up his beer and tried to hide behind it.
The man at the bar finished his cocktail and handed Caoimhe a business card. He even tipped his hat before exiting. She watched him go, her aura swirling with a lighter green and orange that I associated with curiosity and hope. She glanced at us but turned back to the bar and picked up a menu.
By the time I focused on Ogden again, he’d stopped hiding behind his beer. He took a deep breath. “I will endeavor to not dump shite on you in the future.”
I nodded thankfully. “Your shite sounds complicated, but when I told Lux my problem, he dove into it. Last night was about evening the score.” I pursed my lips. “Lux has been shafted, literally. He didn’t join us until Wiggles had three marks. He can’t even kiss our girl without at least one of us there. Not everything is about you, Silt Soil.”
Og’s eyes grew wide, and his aura swirled with a dizzying array of colors. “That was surprisingly blunt but helpful.” Og leaned forward. “You aren’t drawing a comparison between my actions and what you did with Tia?”
“What is wrong with you?” I threw my hands up. “Lux is one of us. If you’re trying to get away from Wiggles, that’s the wrong fecking direction to be running.”
Og leaned back, his aura glowing. “I take back what I said, Tyson. I’ll be dumping my shite on your more often.”
I squished my cheeks and dragged my hands down. “Feck, how do I turn this off?”
Ogden laughed. “I don’t think you can or want to.”
“Why not?” I asked.
Ogden cocked his head to the side. “Jay has four mates. Do you think she likes having four mates?”
Another man sat down next to Caoimhe. This one was tall and thin with lighter skin than the average tanned local. His thick dark brown hair had a set of stark lines shaved into the back that looked badass, especially with the gems and gold sparkling against every available location a person could wear jewelry. Confidence and power radiated off him. I instantly knew, when all of this was over, what my new look was going to be.
The man brushed Caoimhe’s hair off her shoulder before sliding a drink I didn’t see the bartender make to her side. Whatever he said made the red-headed nymph laugh. She pushed the drink away from her but turned to face him more fully.
“I have no idea what Wiggles thinks,” I answered.
Og waggled a finger at me. “Not thinks, likes. You’re the only one of us who truly knows how she feels.” Og paused dramatically. “Because you can see her emotions. She can’t hide from you like she can the rest of us.”
My unhappiness with my re-found empathy vanished. I. Me. Wiggles fell asleep speared on my dick. She trusted me.
I took a deep breath and pulled my shoulders back before picking up my beer. Og eyed my confidence skeptically, but when I held out my glass, he clinked his to it. We lapsed into companionable silence. Maybe the first one we’d ever experienced.
