THE SCENT OF SHADOWS: The First Sign of the Zodiac by Pettersson Vicki

Author:Pettersson, Vicki
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Alistern Press
Published: 2023-11-02T00:00:00+00:00

Later, we lounged in the dressing area, now enveloped by a comfortable silence. “Thanks for letting me take you out today, Livvy-girl,” Cher said. “I’ve really missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too. This was…the most normal thing I’ve done in a long time.” I ran the back of my hand over my eyes, mortified to find myself close to tears.

All this girly stuff was getting to me. I probably just needed to hit something.

“I’m sorry we argued before.”

“It was my fault.” I shook my head. “You were right. I shut down. Thank you for being a good enough friend to say something.”

On a sob, Cher opened her arms for a hug. Thrilled—it was an indisputable sign that I’d passed this test—I held open my arms too. I’d no more than taken two steps toward her when she gasped so violently I jumped and whirled to defend myself against … anything.

“What?” I said, whirling back. Then I realized she was pointing at my chest. “What?”

“You’re streaked! Yulyia streaked you!”

I turned to the full-length mirror and sure enough, there was a medium-sized white blotch right in the middle of my chest.

“Now you don’t have a nice, even, all-over tan!” Clearly more distraught than I was, Cher had tears rolling down her face. “You’re not going to look cute naked! Oh, sorry.”

“It’s okay,” I said doubtfully. I wasn’t planning on anyone seeing me naked anyway. “How long did you say this stuff lasts?”

Cher wasn’t listening. She was moaning and cursing—delicately, of course—and pulling at her hair extensions. “I wanted this to be perfect!”

“It has been,” I assured her. “Really. I can’t think of the last time I’ve had this much fun.”

“Truly?” She sniffed, and stared at me through tearstained eyes.

I nodded. “This is the most fun I’ve ever had naked with another woman.”

“Except for that time in Cozumel.”

I’d puzzle that one out later.

“But now you have to wear turtlenecks for two whole weeks!”

Facing the mirror, I sighed. That answered that question.

“It’s not right!” Fresh tears welled in her eyes. “First you ruin your Louboutins and now you’re marked for life!”

“It’s not for—” I broke off, whirling to face the mirror again and looked closer. Marked.

“I think I’m faint,” Cher continued behind me. “I need a drink with something stronger than cucumbers in it.”

“It looks like…” I found I couldn’t finish. I cleared my throat and tried again. “It’s a…”

Cher gasped as she came up behind me. “I see it!”

Her amazement, my horror, and the symbol on my chest were all reflected clearly in the glass across from us. Cher was the first to find her voice, and it was reverent.

“It’s shaped like a stiletto heel!”

It was blurred, smudged around the edges, and not entirely drawn in—like a half-finished tattoo—but dammit, Cher just might be right. If I angled myself just so, squinting…

Damn. My glyph, I thought, turning to view it from another angle, was a fucking stiletto.

At least this time I didn’t have to wonder what Olivia would say.

“Well,” I said, and blew out a sigh.

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