The atmosphere in the bar was slowly returning to normal. Guests went back to their glasses and conversations. On the other hand, most of them had changed the subject. What they'd just seen and heard was a lot more interesting, even if it did fit rather neatly into Carnivora's everyday weirdness.
As for the people at the center of it all…
Callisa still hadn't come back, but no one doubted she'd return soon.
Frida, Aiko and Morona were sitting at a table, looking miserable and on edge. On the other side of the table sat Evan. His expression made it obvious he still didn't fully grasp what had just happened.
On either side of him sat Shaun and Rufus.
At a side table, sunk comfortably into an armchair, Professor Albert Gator was sipping brandy on the rocks.
At some point, Frida's phone rang.
"Ingrid? Yeah, it's me. Sorry, there's not gonna be any meat. I've got… a mess… a big one. No! Don't you dare get involved! I'll call when I know more."
For a moment a heavy silence settled around the table. Shaun broke it first.
"Hey, Rufus! Maybe you should just do what Evan did. At least you'd score."
Rufus' ears sprang up in anger.
"Screw you, Shaun. I do want to score, but I don't want to die for it."
That snapped Evan out of his haze.
"Uh… so… here, dates… you know…"
Rufus leaned forward onto the table and started talking.
"Well, if you're dating a carnivore and they invite you over and they've got a proper kitchen, you should expect… this."
He jerked his thumb at Shaun.
"On the other hand, that's the exact fulfillment of dreams like his."
"And I'm sure you had fantasies like that too."
Rufus flattened his ears and looked away.
"I did—and I still do—but that doesn't mean I want to die for some fantasy. That's why I don't date predators. I don't want to end up like Evan at Callisa's place."
"I didn't plan that," came a voice.
Everyone turned toward it. The vixen had returned, handed Evan a bag with his things, and sat down beside them.
"Any news?"
"Fate hangs over us, unseen like the new moon," Morona said.
"So, nothing for now," Evan translated the mantis' phrase. Still, he felt like he should say something to the girls.
Callisa dropped heavily into her chair and grabbed her head.
"We're screwed. The Headmaster can be scarier than Professor Ratel."
A funeral silence fell for a moment. A second later, the goat bartender appeared next to them.
"Here you go, young man. Something to reverse the roasting."
He set a glass with a faintly pulsing liquid in front of Evan. The boy grabbed it and downed it in one gulp. It tasted like some fizzy pharmacy medicine. After a few minutes, Evan's body returned to its pre-roasting state. The smell lingered, but according to the girls, a good bath would take care of that. Evan wanted to ask something, but suddenly beer appeared in front of them.
"Wait, we didn't order anything."
The bartender smiled and jerked his head toward Gator.
"But he did. Said you all needed it."
Everyone took a swig from their mug. The bitter liquid spread warmth through their stomachs. They all breathed out. Evan finally asked his question.
"So, actually, how did… I… um…"
"Survive being roasted?" Shaun finished for him. Evan nodded.
"All thanks to the biology here," Aiko replied, and Evan gave her a puzzled look.
"Our cells have a dual metabolism. Because of that, you can survive being cooked and then be brought back to your pre-cooking state."
"Well, as long as nobody cuts you open." Rufus chimed in.
Evan swallowed. He remembered the scene in Callisa's house. He had been literally millimeters from death. He didn't understand one thing, though: why that excited him. He kept that detail to himself.
"Not everyone survives," Frida added. "If you end up with a lousy cook, you don't come out of the oven alive."
Evan shuddered at the thought of what might have happened if Callisa hadn't done a good enough job roasting him…
"Thanks, Callisa."
"You're very welcome. I didn't intend for it to happen, but I wanted to do it as well as I could."
Callisa twitched her ears and flicked her tail, and Evan felt a jab in his side. It was Rufus.
"You're thanking her for the way she cooked you? You really do sound like a piece of meat."
Callisa shot Rufus a look—like he'd insulted her culinary pride. She couldn't just let that go.
"And you sound like a virgin."
Rufus pulled a pained face.
"Loser who's never gotten laid," Frida added without mercy.
"Or maybe…" Aiko began to spin a theory.
"A bee that fears the flower will never know the sweetness of nectar," Morona added.
Rufus stood up and glared at them.
"Alright, drop it. I need to say something. Evan…"
Callisa looked him straight in the eyes.
"I tasted your juices, and I think you are absolutely delicious. I still want to eat you, even though I know I'd be losing something important in my life if I did. The other girls feel the same way, don't you?"
All the girls nodded.
Suddenly a voice above them cut through the awkwardness. It was the bartender, collecting their empty mugs.
"That's not exactly rare. There are lots of mixed couples."
Callisa pulled out a credit card and ordered another round. A moment later, the bartender returned with full mugs and continued his explanation.
"There are lots of herbivore–carnivore couples. They love each other, even though instinct keeps pushing one of them into the kitchen."
"And what happens to them?" Evan asked. The bartender answered with a heavy sigh.
"In most cases, instinct wins. Sometimes the herbivore ends up waiting in the kitchen for their partner. Sometimes the carnivore takes the initiative. One way or another, instinct usually wins. Only a few couples manage to beat it."
The whole group lowered their heads and stared blankly into their beer.
"Relax. Nobody said that has to happen to you."
"Why does it happen at all?" Evan just couldn't understand how so many couples could lose to instinct.
"Meat erosion."
"That's just a myth," Rufus muttered. He clearly didn't share the bartender's view.
"It's more than a myth. Evan, I can see you get along well with both herbivores and carnivores. Are you looking for a job? I could use an extra hand around here."
"I'd love to, but…"
At that moment, Gator walked up to them.
"Don't worry. I'll speak with Arslan and we'll work it out."
Before Evan could say anything, four wolf girls entered the bar. Frida's gang.
Before Frida could say a word, the girls rushed over. They stared at the group, all sitting there drinking beer. Astrid was the first to explode.
"Frida! You say there's no meat and you're in deep shit! We're worried and looking all over for you! And what do we find?! You sitting in some bar and pounding beer?!"
"Please refrain from using such language in a public place."
Astrid turned around. Behind her stood Professor Gator, eyes full of disapproval.
"And what are you gonna do about it, grandpa?"
The professor furrowed his brow.
Then something happened that no one could believe. The strong young wolf girl started shaking like she'd just stepped out of an ice bath. In a tiny little voice she admitted she'd been naughty, then hid behind Ingrid. None of the wolves could believe what they were seeing.
Ylva stepped forward.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to check, Mister…"
"Professor Albert Gator."
"Thank you very much."
Ylva made a malicious face, like she was expecting a mountain of dirt on the alligator in front of her. But her expression quickly crumbled, and she also ducked behind Ingrid.
"Chairman of the Council? Here?"
A moment later she started furiously stabbing at her phone, muttering "delete, delete, delete," like she'd just walked into a minefield.
Mira stepped up next. She pulled out a coin on a string and started swinging it in front of the alligator's nose like in a hypnosis routine.
"You are getting sleepy. So sleepy…"
The professor calmly pulled a lollipop from inside his jacket and handed it to Mira. She instantly forgot about hypnotizing him and focused on the candy.
"Mira, what the hell are you doing?!"
Ingrid decided to try something else: puppy-dog eyes. It might have worked on Evan, but not on Gator.
Frida grabbed her head. The whole bar was staring at her gang. If this got out, the whole neighborhood would laugh at them.
Gator gave everyone a sweeping look and told them to finish their beer—because next, they were all going to see Arslan and face the music.