Black spots danced across her vision, and she struggled to inhale. So many people, all outside her comfort zone. Even knowing how unbearable it’d be, she wanted to go. Good God, she wanted to go. It was more than getting the opportunity to play the alpha version of the newest Deathmatch. It was for bragging rights and prestige and a public recognition of how freaking amazing she was at this game.
It was the chance of a lifetime.
And she was going to have to turn it down.
Ninja Kitteh gave a meow, a sure sign that her best friend Jules—and probably Adam—were back from their football-watching venture. They’d invited her like they always did, but as much as she disliked organized sports, she disliked Quinn Baldwyn more.
He was a big brute of a cowboy, and he liked to poke at her just to get a reaction. She knew that’s what he was doing, but that didn’t stop her from practically hissing every time she saw him. It was bad enough that she had to share Jules now—though she was legitimately happy for her best friend of six years—but to have to share her time with him was nearly unforgivable.
“Honey, I’m home.” Jules sailed through the back door and smiled. “How are things?”
Jules’s cousin, Jamie, shrugged. “The usual, though Loki is in as foul of a mood as this one.” She jerked her thumb at Aubry.
“Hey!”
Jules pinned her with a searching look. “It must be the day for it.”
“I can hear you.” Aubry crossed her arms over her chest, doing her damnedest not to slouch down and glare harder. She knew she was the cranky one, the snarly one, the one everyone in Devil’s Falls gave a wide berth.
Except that asshat Quinn.
Jamie took off like a little coward, leaving Jules standing there watching Aubry with a contemplative expression that she did not like.
“What?”
“Just thinking.”
Aubry grimaced. “No, I know your thinking face. That’s not your thinking face. That’s your hatching plans face. Don’t try to talk to me like I don’t know the difference.”
Jules dropped into the seat across from her. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
“What are you planning?” Aubry asked. Ninja Kitteh rearranged himself, and she held still so he could get comfortable before she started petting him again. “You might as well just tell me so we can get this over with.”
“What’s got you so upset?”
Aubry hesitated and then decided to let the subject change go. Jules could be as stubborn as a mule when she wanted to be, and she obviously wasn’t willing to talk about whatever was wheeling around in that head of hers yet. When she was ready, Aubry would hear about it, whether she wanted to or not. She sighed. “I got an invite to DeathCon to play the new Deathmatch.”
“I thought that didn’t come out until next November.”
“It doesn’t. And that’s Deathmatch IX. This is Deathmatch: Redemption.” Even saying it was downright painful. “It won’t be out until next November.”
Jules frowned. “I think I’m confused. Shouldn’t you be dancing around and doing your booty shaking victory wiggle?”
“I don’t have a booty shaking victory wiggle. That’s you.” She normally settled for sitting there and looking smug. But there was no room for smugness in her current situation.
“Right. I forgot. All the same—spill.”
It was like saying it aloud made her even more pathetic. She didn’t want to admit how weak she was, even to Jules, who wouldn’t judge her in the least—though she might give Aubry a well-deserved kick in the ass. “There’re going to be thousands and thousands of people there—people I don’t know—all packed in like people-shaped sardines.” She shuddered. “If I believed in hell, this would be my version of it.”
“Aubry, of course you believe in hell. You were just talking about how you’ll own a nice little piece of property there when you die.” Jules rolled her eyes. “But I’m getting off topic.”
“Yes, you are, and I don’t like you pointing out how I’m going to burn my way through the afterlife.” Though the bantering was making her feel a little bit better.
“The point is that I still don’t see why the glum face and lack of victory lap. This is a big deal, right?”
“The biggest deal.” She clutched Ninja Kitteh closer, earning a warning growl. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Out of the millions of people who play this game, I’m one of ten they picked to test the alpha version.”
Jules sat back. “I know you don’t like people, but shouldn’t you make an exception for this kind of thing? Just this once.”
She wanted to. God, she wanted to so much she could barely stand it. “Would you go with me?” Maybe if she had a shield between her and the crowds, she’d be able to survive the encounter.
“I would…”
Aubry cursed. “Sorry, I forgot. You have that trip planned with Adam and Lenora for his mom. I’m a horrible fucking friend for forgetting that.” Adam’s mom had passed away a month ago, and her dying wish had been to have her ashes scattered in the Gulf where she and Lenora had their honeymoon. They were leaving next week to drive down there and spend a few days doing a memorial of sorts. Right in the middle of DeathCon.