“Wade?” I turned my head. My jaw felt achy where I’d been cut. Had the AC totally given out? No … I could hear it. The damn thing just didn’t do much against August opposition.
“Hmm?” His eyes were shut—pale lashes on chalky skin. He didn’t look hot, smiling a little. I bet he got cold real easy. He’d been shaking like a doorstop spring after the door whacks it last night.
“What are you so happy about?” I asked on a rush of irritation. Same irritation, really. Anger at Xaphan, at Fulco, at my shortcomings and my parents dumping this on me instead of doing their jobs like responsible adults—now asking me to be one.
“We made it through another night,” Wade said happily, eyes still shut.
I opened my mouth to demand if that was it. Instead, I laughed. “And we even cleared the house this time.”
“One down.” He grinned.
“We’re supposed to go through it with detection spells and warding to make sure it’s really clean. We shouldn’t check it off the—”
Wade sighed and blinked. “For real?” He had a tone.
I chuckled. “Sorry. Yeah, house done, we’re good. Woo-hoo.”
“Thank you.” Back to smiling, he kissed me.
I pulled away.
“Sorry—”
“No, I’m just hot.” I sat up, then jumped back. “Why are you on my bed again?”
Wade flinched.
Vel, tiny and furry, lifted his head from where he sprawled by my feet and yawned at me.
“How did he get in here?” I rounded on Wade, who still looked concerned at my outburst.
“Uh…?” Looking to the shut door. “Got his paws around the knob? I don’t know.”
Vel stood up and stretched luxuriously, bushy tail arching like a question mark. He climbed into my lap as if we were besties, sniffing his pointy little nose toward my face.
I shoved him away. “Back off, Jack.” Scrambling out of bed. I winced from a small cut on the ball of my foot. I’d taken off any bandages last night and washed my feet again.
Phlegmatic, Vel climbed on Wade and licked his face instead. He sat on Wade’s chest to lick his own paw like a cat, then dragged it over his whiskers.
I was already grabbing clothes from the dresser while Wade eyed the fox apprehensively.
“Don’t let him treat you like that.”
“Like what?” Wade glanced past gray and orange fur at me.
“Walking all over you.”
“He only weighs ten pounds…”
“That’s totally not the point.” I stalked out, walking on one foot and one side of a foot.
Able to smile at the morning once clean and dressed, small wounds tended, I found I could enjoy our victory. Yes, there was the next night and vampires, and the red gables, money and mortgage and paid work and adulting, but we had this. I’d banished a demon. We were alive.
After brunch from Gideon and a talk with Wade over the laptop and my parents’ list of houses and contacts, plotting how we could make something, I grabbed several plastic bags from the pantry and announced I was going peach-picking. Really, I wasn’t comfortable going to feed the feral cats anymore in the evening. Plus, I was eager to drop off Vel, who made me uncomfortable with his sniffing and touching while the wolves growled at him and I tried to concentrate. This was all in skin form. Time to ditch at least one guest and focus on our immediate future plans with the other three.
Vel didn’t want to return to the farm in the first place. Once we got there, he simply stared. So did I.
His boxes, laundry basket, and sleeping bag, which seemed to make up his worldly possessions, had all been piled in the center of the driveway by the county road.
“Looks like someone else invited you to leave before I could even get to it,” I said and killed the engine.
“Tough luck.” Wade actually sounded sympathetic.
We climbed out. Vel took a moment to follow, scowling at his boxes and the old farmhouse—blinding in midday sun. By the time I had the trunk open for cat food, practically feeling my skin liquefy in the blaze, sweat trickling, desperate to get food out, peaches gathered, and run, Vel had a box in his arms and joined me at the back of the car. Wade followed, carrying his laundry basket of folded clothes.
“What do you think you’re doing?” I demanded as the two motorcycles rumbled into the weeds and went quiet.
“Sipping a tequila sunrise on the beach.” Vel gave me a look.
“I’ll drop you off somewhere, but you can’t just come live with me.”
“Why not?” Vel shoved past to drop his box in among Mom’s stray gear in the car. “Three’s your limit? No foxes need apply? You won’t even notice me on top of everyone else. Or should I say ‘below’?”
“No,” I said.
He was already going to grab another box.
“I’ll drop you off,” I repeated. “There are loads of abandoned buildings and not many squatters in Midway City. Take your pick.”
Wade helped to rearrange the trunk space. “What do you expect him to do, Ripley? It’s just for now. Until he can figure out where to go.”
“Not you also.” I rolled my eyes. “He was managing before we showed up.”
“Was he?”
Gideon walked over, helmet off, grinning, as Vel mashed his sleeping bag into the back. “Kicked the varmint out on his ass, eh?”
“Sort of raises your opinion on undead, don’t it?” Adam asked. “Momma always says, even a flea’s got a good side. Making food for the birds.”
“Now we know there’s good about a vampire,” Gideon said. “Still can’t spot any in a fox, but we’ll keep working on it.”
“Ain’t got long.” Adam wiped his brow. “Seeing as how that one won’t be around any longer than a mole’s tail.”
“We’ll gather your peaches while you look after the—after your cats.” Gideon grabbed the heap of plastic bags from the backseat.
Adam followed him into the peach grove, laughing.
Vel ignored them, loading the rest of his possessions, which amounted to two more cardboard boxes. That was it. He stalked away, heading for the barn, presumably to search out if anything had been overlooked.
Wade’s mouth was drawn, eyes hidden behind sunglasses as he watched Vel go, but obviously worried. How was it that every one of these guys had contrived to make me feel guilty in different ways, yet at the same time?
Water jug and garbage bags in hand, I headed for the back of the barn. Wade brought the replacement food and paper plates and bowls, so only one trip was needed.
“Hey, Mil-Mil. Kit-kit-kits… Sorry to make you get up in the heat of the day, Bramble.” Wondering all the while about their future. We would have to come back and clear this house. We couldn’t leave it. With the initial anger worn off, I wasn’t sure how I felt about Fulco, but I knew every vampire in Midway City had to go, and we’d been wrong to ever ally ourselves with something like that.
He would be expecting us. In the meantime, I had no desire to hang out in the evenings anymore, trying to catch the slippery Mil-Mil who defied live traps, or any other cat who might need vet care. Vampires couldn’t tolerate the sun, but they could come out in sun if needed.
Of more pressing concern, right now: Vel. What was I supposed to do with him? Just let him hang out? For free? All while being mocked or harassed?
Was this really all he had? Where was his family? Had he fallen on hard times, or had he enjoyed living like this, spending most of his life flitting about in fur and occasionally having clothes and a sleeping bag if he needed it?
I felt irritated with myself even for wondering so much about him, giving over brain space to him, but maybe Wade’s better influence was rubbing off on me. Or maybe there was some part of me that couldn’t shake the feeling that I was dealing with a lost little animal—not a human being—in which case I’d have felt a pull to help no matter what.
Wiping sweat off my face with a paper towel, I left Wade to finish setting up the food bow
ls inside water moats to stop ants, then headed back around to the front to check inside the barn.
I eased into the dark by pulling out the warped door instead of sliding it on the rusty track, then had to stand for a minute with my eyes shut, trying to get used to the gloom.
With sunlight filtering dustily through many chinks in the wall, I could make out the old farm equipment. Cats gathered around the back wall, peeking out at Wade with their food.
I looked to the loft, but it appeared empty. I took a moment to spot Vel, who must have already jumped back to the floor from searching or bidding farewell to his space. He had squatted down, rubbing one of the cats, who arched against him.
I waited while he scratched the chin of the dark little figure that I couldn’t make out. Only when he stood up and the cat rubbed along his shins did I recognize that upright, crooked tail. I almost gasped.
Vel kicked aside vintage straw, bent to pick something up and put it in his pocket, then took a last look up at the loft. He stroked the cat’s back one more time before walking away.
“Vel?” I was hardly breathing. “Is that a tortoiseshell?”
He glanced at me in the gloom, then around at the cat. “That’s the mamá. Local matriarch.”
I swallowed, throat dry. “Would she let you pick her up? If I brought the cat carrier from the car, could you get her into it?”
Vel stopped ten feet away, giving me a look that I couldn’t really see in the dark, but felt. One hand rested on his hip. “You’ll find the number to animal control somewhere inside that fancy touchscreen of yours, Cabby.”
“If you can get Mil-Mil locked in a crate, I’ll let you stay at my place for a week, no questions asked.”
I was still breathless, looking past him at the cat, who hadn’t fled at the sound of my voice, but sat upright, watching him narrowly.
“You’d turn me out otherwise? I don’t think so, señorita. You may have a temper—and disregard for property laws—but you’re not devoid of all morals. Falling into line with those people who are easiest to manipulate, by the way. Chaotic good, I’d say? Robin Hood type? Twist your own code to suit your ends as long as you believe you’re doing right? Even someone with a badly cracked moral compass can see the clarity of a path involving helping abandoned animals when the opportunity, nay, the pressure to help, is shoved under their noses.”
I blinked, shifting focus from the cat to the fox. “You seriously think I’ll let you bum around for nothing at my place because the vampires chucked you out? That I’ll feel that sorry for you? Newsflash, pal, I happen to know you can look after yourself and there are plenty of roofs to lurk under in Midway City if you don’t mind the company of things that go bump in the night—which you obviously don’t. One cat capture for a free room for a week is way more than a fair deal. I’ll even let you keep helping us clean houses if you insist. As to your shaming me into taking you in, or thinking I’ll succumb to peer pressure from people like Wade, who’s obviously a big softy and should enforce a few boundaries, I’d be perfectly happy to put that theory to the test.” I crossed my arms, glaring at him. “Would you?”
Vel stepped right up to me. “Now … how could a simple zorro possibly imagine you might succumb to peer pressure, señorita?” He touched my shoulder and I pulled away, out of space with the door at my back. “No, no, no, that could never be. Unless…”
I refused to let him bully me back and crash into the wall, or squirm, so I stood stiffly while his hand ran down my bare shoulder and he stepped against me. I wore a sleeveless blouse and shorts but still it was flaming in here.
“Unless it was he who sparked her choices? Hmm…?” Speaking in my ear, so close his breath was on my skin, and I turned to face him, otherwise staying where I was. “Could it be our simple zorro started off the whole thing?” He leaned in, nose to my neck, inhaling. “One taste and all the other local males began succumbing to the pressure, sure enough. Or didn’t you think I’d be able to taste all you’ve been up to on your skin?” He licked my neck, making me jump. His voice dropped to its most silky purr. “Such pack animals, wolves and humans, rush to do what everyone else is doing.” Another lick. “So they all had to rush to do you.”
I’d proved in the past few days that I would take a lot and make “poor choices”—as my parents would have called them. But even when I’m at my most messed up, I have limits. He was standing on one. So I tried to make up for one or two of the poorest right there. I kneed him in the balls—really, really hard.
Vel was still swearing, on his knees, when I bent and grabbed his hair. My own voice was far from smooth, shaking with anger but still managing a forced hush as long as Mil-Mil remained in the building.
“Listen. I’ve never seen anyone get within ten feet of that cat—ever. She’s a standalone kitten-machine responsible for half the cats around here. I want her in a carrier, going to the vet’s office to be spayed. If you can get her in a crate for me, I’d consider it a great favor. Good enough to put up with your bullshit for a little while longer as you sort your life out. If you can’t be bothered, or if your only interest in life is seduction and jeering at everyone around you, fine. I’ll take your shit straight to the county dump and you can see how it feels to be a simple zorro without even any friends left in the world. Your call. But I’ll get the cat carrier just in case you’re interested.”
46
Everything can change with one phone call on one night. Your life can be flipped, even ended, in an instant. I knew this as well as anyone. Even so, it left me a little dizzy to think that four days ago I’d been desperately alone, panicking over having no help and no one to talk to about all this. Now four “men” were living with me and, aside from Wade, they didn’t even seem phased by the whole thing. Like this had been their plan all along—all cool, pass the buffalo wings.
Vel carried the yowling Mil-Mil into the only clinic in town for me and I triumphantly informed the startled office manager of the feat.
“You caught Mil-Mil? The mom? For real?” She got up from behind the counter for a look, then gave me a high-five, while Vel just looked sulky.
We stopped for wooden stakes at the hardware store, then more groceries. Over $100 but a lot less than I really should have owed them otherwise and the shifters, at least, seemed pleased with the arrangement. Also less than eating out, and Gideon appeared to really enjoy cooking. They planned to make us a catfish fry for supper, Wade and Gideon arguing about whose was better until I told them each to fix their own. Wade was eager to offer up his jalapeño cornbread, while Gideon claimed fried catfish should be served with fries or hushpuppies along with slaw and braised greens.
I didn’t care what they did. I took to the living room while Vel moved himself into the office and futon, and Adam set up a backgammon game for us.
Nervously tapping a pen on my knee, with many throat-clearings and deep breaths, I tried some numbers on my parents’ list. A couple of voicemails and a couple of times explaining who I was and acknowledging the sympathy for what happened to my parents left me worn out and glad of a game. At least I’d tried—even if no one had offered us work. It seemed like a step in the right direction.
I also knew from their notes where to take us tonight. We were hitting vampires and hitting them hard, the bastards. The wolves were excited about this, Adam launching into tales of previous exploits, which all seemed to be the same story of how he had cornered and staked a devilishly tricky undead in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, while it had tried to hypnotize him. Gideon never featured in the stories—which he pointed out once he showed up from the kitchen.
Wade looked hacked off, worn down and intimidated out of arguments with Gideon over food. They had everything put away and peach smoothies blended for us—fixing supper later.
I moved over for Wade to join me on the couch, relieved to tell him I’d left voicemails and we’d find real work. Also relieved by his smile and light touch. He was so pretty, I just wanted to lean in and smile back, bask for
a few minutes in our achievements. But I was too awkward with the guys there together. Was it just me? Gideon and Adam seemed to hold no resentment for Wade. While Wade only glanced at the elephant in the room and looked away as if to say, “Well, yes, it will probably dissolve on its own. If not, we can talk about it another time.”
That worked for me. I told them about this house. Actually in town this time, so we’d have to be mindful of the noise and lights. “Power might be working in this one for all I know. They’d only cast detection spells on it and marked it in here as the worst undead house—bit of a hub in town, I guess. Now that Fulco knows we’ve got it in for them, we’d better hit hard and fast. Don’t want them getting more organized or sending in even more reinforcements. Not another round, Adam. Set up something we can all play.”
Adam swapped out his backgammon board for vintage Yahtzee, with die cups and tray to roll.
Vel had stopped to lurk in the hallway, cup in hand, proceeded by Pickles.
The peach smoothie blended with crushed ice, milk, and vanilla was heavenly.
“Sure we shouldn’t get him first?” Gideon asked. “Fulco? Back to the same place?”
“I thought about that. I don’t know…” I pushed a hand into my hair, watching Adam, who sat on the floor, setting out scorecards. “This place in town is probably the bigger danger, but Fulco knows us. That’s bad enough danger with a vampire.”
“Tell you what,” Adam said, offering around his pack of Black Jack gum. With peach to drink, he had no takers. “When we get in there and start busting heads tonight, that young one will show up. Mark my words.”
“Yeah,” I said, “that could be. In which case, we’re better off staying in town. Get him off his own turf, face them at once and try to take out Fulco fast if he does show up.”
“Doesn’t seem right…” Wade frowned at the game tray. “He helped us get through that place…”
We all looked at him, including Vel, who had slunk around to perch on the far arm of the couch, as if in fur, away from Gideon and Adam.
House of Chaos Page 17
