No. He had to stop asking Mom for advice about every little thing that came up in a relationship. Working on being an independent adult. That’s what he was supposed to be doing. When he got home Friday night, he called and Jason picked up.
“Hey, Alex. What’s up?”
“Um, hi. I’m…not much.”
“Okay.” Jason’s slight huffs sounded like he was either running up and down stairs or maybe picking things up from the floor. “Look, I’ve got two kitties with eye infections here that I’m trying to run down to give them meds. Did you need to ask me something or could I call you back later?”
Wolf nearly lost his nerve. He swallowed hard and blurted out, “Did you decide on the engagement party this weekend?”
The huffing on the other end stopped abruptly. “Alex, listen. I need to be honest here. The whole gay men all wanting to get married thing makes me really uncomfortable.”
“It does?” Of all the reasons for Jason not to give him an answer, this hadn’t even occurred to him.
“I know it probably all sounds strange to you. But it feels like society throwing us a bone if we behave like they want us to. So we can be nice, married two-income couples and live like normal people and be more acceptable. I’m just…it makes me angry sometimes, I guess.”
Something hard and sharp lodged in Wolf’s chest, making it difficult to breathe. This tone of voice from Jason made him miserably anxious. “Oh. I didn’t know that.”
“It’s all right. I should’ve said something when you mentioned it.” A hint of softening gave Wolf hope that maybe this wasn’t a breakup call.
“I’d still like to see you then. Or before. It’s not like… It’s just a party.”
Jason hesitated for long enough that Wolf checked the phone to see if they were still connected. “I’ve got a lot going on right now, Alex. Tell you what. Text me the address and the time and if I can make it, I’ll see you then, okay?”
But it’s already been days. Wolf wanted to whine or to bargain. To plead for any little scrap of time. He cleared his throat and forced out, “Okay. Sounds good.”
“Alex. You didn’t do anything wrong, all right? I just need some time to think about some things. A little space. Can you give me that?”
I miss you. I thought we worked so well together. I really love being with you. He cleared his throat again and managed a steadier, “Sure. I can do that.”
“I appreciate it. I’ll see you soon. Take care, Alex.”
The soft farewell sounded so horribly final. Wolf put his phone down on the table and stared at it as his eyes blurred with tears. He could never get this right, never understand humans well enough not to drive them away. Most of the time, it wasn’t a huge surprise when they left him. Their discomfort with him grew after the novelty wore off. Even the ones who didn’t know all about who and what he was, there was just something off about him they couldn’t get past. Jason, though? He really had thought Jason understood him, an actual connection that had a chance of lasting.
Good thing Mom hadn’t come back from errands. She got so upset when he cried.
Chapter Nine
Kyle and Vikash had said the party was casual but Mom had looked so nice in her rainbow sherbet summer dress that Wolf changed into khakis and a blue button-down shirt. No tie, though. That would no longer be casual.
Throughout the day, he’d restrained himself from sending desperate messages to Jason asking to see him, just to talk. He wasn’t going to be clingy and needy the way Anna had said he was. Not this time. It hurt, of course, that Jason didn’t call or text, but he was being an adult and shoving the pain into a cave in his heart for later.
Instead, he concentrated on getting a little red bow on Audacity, who was coming with them, and making sure octopus went into the carrier with her.
“You look very handsome, sweetheart.” Mom smiled as she picked up the carrier and took his arm to walk out to the car. “Do you want me to drive so you can have a beer or three?”
“Yeah.” He handed over his keys and took up the champagne bottle they’d decided on for a present. “Thanks, Mom.”
“Just don’t overdo it. Remember what we said about drinking when you already feel a little down.”
“I know. I’ll be fine.”
They picked up Krisk on the way. Wolf had been a little surprised that his partner had accepted the invitation. Krisk wasn’t big on larger gatherings of humans, though he had come to the party at the Loveless place after Carrington’s commendation ceremony. As expected, Krisk managed casual and elegant in his tailored black pants and short-sleeved shirt in a kind of salmon color Wolf would never have thought of wearing. It worked on Krisk, though.
The party was at Kyle’s parents’ house since both Kyle and Vikash lived in apartments and Vikash’s parents lived out of town. The Monroes had a place in Penrose Park, a neighborhood with big yards and slightly odd-shaped homes. Wolf liked them, though. They looked like they were wearing half-flung-back rain capes with their slanted roofs on only one side.
Mom parked down the street and they took the walkway around the back of the house since everyone was obviously outside. Audacity rode happily on Wolf’s shoulder, taking in the new sights and smells. Within seconds of them rounding the corner, an older man with some red still threaded through his white hair bustled up to them with a smile.
“Hello, hello! You must be Officer Wolf. Good of you to come. I’m Pat Monroe, Kyle’s dad.” There was some resemblance, though Mr. Monroe’s nose was more bulbous, his chin more pronounced than Kyle’s.
Wolf remembered his manners before too much of a stumble. “Yes, sir. And this is my mother, Miriam Tudosz, and my partner, Krisk.”
He was spared from shaking hands as Mom and Mr. Monroe did while Kyle’s mom, a stunning woman a few inches taller than her husband with bright green eyes and dark blonde hair, bustled up to relieve Wolf of his present and fuss over him.
“Most of your squad is here somewhere. Oh, my god, your kitten is adorable. We have an awning set up for Carrington, but he said he’d stay inside until the sun gets a little lower. Kyle’s in the house getting some ice out of the basement for me. Kash is over there under the maple tree.” She laughed in a conspiratorial way. “He’s so handsome, isn’t he?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Wolf agreed because it was true and because she was a little overwhelming.
“Mom, leave Wolf alone.” Kyle trudged by with a huge bag of ice slung over one shoulder. “I see you tormenting him.”
“Oh, I am not.” She patted Wolf’s arm and whispered to him, “My little pookie is just too easy to embarrass. It’s hardly even fun sometimes.”
“I heard that!” Kyle called back as he dumped the ice into a cooler nearly bigger than he was.
Wolf sidled over to the buffet spread out under a second awning, keeping an eye on his mom to make sure she wasn’t standing by herself somewhere. So far so good. She was talking and laughing with a couple who had to be Vikash’s parents, the tall, serious man with the ice-blue eyes and the gorgeous woman with the raven-dark hair and Vikash’s royal nose. Krisk hovered nearby, not talking but obviously engaged. Good. He was comfortable enough with Mom that he wasn’t lurking on the edges.
“Hey. You doing okay?” Amanda wandered up with two beers and offered Wolf one as he grazed through the sausages and little meatball offerings.
“Yeah.” Wolf snagged the beer gratefully and took a long swallow. “I… Yeah.”
“I’m asking ’cause you look like death on a thundercloud.” She nudged his shoulder. “I know something that might get a smile. Or not. I could be reading things all wrong.”
Wolf regarded her suspiciously. “What? Are there dogs here?”
“Actually, yeah. They’ve got two. They’re inside with Carr. Didn’t think of that. Nah, this is better. There’s a blue Ford F150 just pulled up out front. Kinda familiar.”
A blue pickup… “Jason’s truck?” Wolf put the beer down, ready to dash off when Amanda
grabbed his arm.
“Walk, bud. Don’t run. It’s okay to look interested. Don’t look desperate. Besides, you’ve got a baby wolf on your shoulder. She’s not gonna appreciate being bounced around.”
He nodded, half-distracted already, stomach trembling, as he walked as calmly as he could toward the front of the house. Jason was just getting out of his truck. He spotted Wolf, hesitated, squared his shoulders and marched down the sidewalk toward him.
Before they were within ten feet of each other, before Wolf could even say hello, Jason started talking rapid fire, “You’re mad. Of course, you’re mad. I don’t blame you. Look, I was a dick. Let’s start with that because I know you’re thinking it. ‘Jason was a huge dick and now he’s got some nerve showing up here.’ I knew it when I hung up the phone with you. But I was being a stubborn dick. And I’m sorry. There. Now you can yell.”
Wolf stood frozen, mouth hanging open. His brain had stopped humaning again and he struggled for something to say, anything, while Audacity mewed from his shoulder and batted the air toward Jason.
“I missed you, too, little girl,” Jason told her. “But you have to let your dad get a word in edgewise here. Between the two of us, he’s not doing so great.”
“I’m not…” Wolf shook his head fretfully, trying to think past the tremors running up and down his muscles. “I thought I pushed you away. I do that. People tell me I have, um, boundary issues. Anna said—”
Jason held up a finger, which became fair game for Audacity, so he left it there. “Let’s not worry about what Anna said. I’m glad you’re not angry but now I feel like an even bigger jerk for making you feel bad about yourself. Alex, damn it. I’m really sorry.”
“You were angry. About weddings.” Wolf stole a quick glance toward the house to be sure they were still alone. “But you’re here.”
“I know.” Jason squeezed his eyes shut, his jaw clenched tight as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Yeah. I have issues with the whole throw the gays a bone and let them get married and that makes us wonderful, tolerant people, yay thing. That doesn’t give me the right to tell Kyle and Kash their happiness is invalid or that they’re wrong for getting married, though. And it sure as hell doesn’t give me the right to be a jerk to you because it took me a while to work through something really that simple.”
Wolf reached out and tugged one of Jason’s hands out of its pocket burrow. “I’m glad you’re here. It’s good to see you. So we didn’t break up on the phone yesterday?”
“That’s what you thought? Crap. I thought you didn’t call or text back because you were pissed off.” Jason tried to tug his hand back, his expression stricken. “Oh, fuck. I am such an asshole.”
“So…you didn’t know we broke up and I didn’t know I was supposed to be mad.” Wolf refused to let go and tugged Jason closer. “Is it okay to say I missed you? A lot?”
Jason let his head thump down on Wolf’s un-kittened shoulder. “I don’t deserve you.”
Wolf stroked his hair and pulled him into a hard hug. “Not sure I understand that. Don’t care. You want to go back to the party?”
“The least I can do, right?”
“And you promise if something bothers you even if you think I’m mad, you’ll still call? So I know we’re maybe not agreeing but we’re not broken up?”
“Promise.”
“Good.” Wolf kissed the top of Jason’s head and nudged him into walking beside him. He still shook from reaction, his body having anticipated more of a confrontation than a reunion, but he didn’t care. Jason held his hand, his scent and his warmth filling some of the hollow spots the last few days had carved out.
Carrington and Erasmus had joined the group talking to Mom now and Jeff had arrived with Vance at some point, too, so the request for a few hours on call must have worked. Some nudges and discreet pointing came Wolf and Jason’s way as they re-joined the party, but everyone looked happy for them. He tried not to blush too hard.
The dogs, a golden retriever and a black Lab, ran between Kyle on one end of the yard and Carrington on the other since they seemed to have picked the vampire as their new favorite person. Everyone avoided them in a good-natured way and Wolf warmed even more to a party where no one was afraid of dogs.
The canine partygoers ran over to investigate Wolf and he pulled up lawn chairs for himself and Jason so they could pet and be licked in return without worrying about tripping or stepping on paws. Audacity climbed down into Wolf’s lap, just as curious about the dogs as they were about her.
“Easy, boys, easy,” Jason admonished as a canine tongue nearly enveloped Audacity’s entire body. “She’s just a baby.”
She sneezed and growled at an intrusive nose but true to her name, she didn’t back off from her sniffing and patting. This was better. So much better. The tension drained from Wolf’s muscles as Amanda walked his beer over to him and Mom shot him a bright smile from across the yard where she was holding court by a rose hedge.
Mom’s group was having a lively discussion about something, with Carrington so engaged that he’d pushed his hat back and was gesticulating earnestly when he froze mid-gesture. His head whipped toward the roses just as Audacity arched her back and hissed in that direction. Wolf leaned forward, straining to see, when the scent hit him and his animal companions all at once.
The dogs turned, taking defensive stances, teeth bared as they snarled. Wolf found himself snarling in answer as he rose from his chair and handed Audacity off to Jason. “Carr! Get everyone back! Now!”
Carrington was already moving. He yanked Mrs. Soren away from the hedge just as a gray tendril reached for her ankle. She pulled her arm away, annoyed, but whatever angry thing she had to say died as she saw where Carrington pointed.
“Go! Get to the house!” Carrington put himself between the guests and the monster, always the first to play hero. “Kyle! Get the guests inside!”
It only took half a breath for Vikash, who was taller and could see what was happening, to tell Kyle. The two of them played guest herders while all the other officers in the yard converged on Carrington. All the guests, except Jason—who was scrambling to get Audacity secured in a beer case box—and Erasmus had left the yard.
“Ras, go!” Carrington bellowed. “There’s nothing you can help with here!”
Erasmus’ hard swallow was audible even as Wolf raced across the yard. “I wish I could, sweetheart. I really wish I could,” he whispered, staring in horror at his feet.
Gray enveloped Erasmus’ ankle boots. He shot a look of pleading desperation at Carrington just as the appendage yanked him off his feet.
“No!” Carrington bellowed as he dove for his lover, wrapping Erasmus in his arms and heaving with all his considerable strength in an attempt to get Erasmus free. His librarian clung to him, doing his best to help, but the monster dust bunny held fast.
A second gray arm reached toward Carrington followed by the rest of the entity, more terrifying than Wolf had imagined. The thing was easily eight feet in diameter and six tall, a shifting glob of dust and fur with other bits floating within it he didn’t want to consider. Even as it reached for Carrington, a fissure split its top and the thing split in two, each new monster only slightly smaller than the original.
“Kyle! Shop vac by the patio!” Amanda yelled and rushed the second appendage, beating at it with a heavy wooden baseball bat. “Not today, dust boy! You don’t get to eat my partner! He’d probably give you heartburn anyway, you fucker!”
While the beating didn’t damage the reaching arm, it did seem to make it more difficult for it to concentrate, which was an entirely weird thing to have to consider. But every blow from the bat separated a bit of the dust making up the arm. It appeared to be expending more energy keeping itself together and less reaching forward.
With a howl of rage, Wolf grabbed up a nearby awning pole and joined her, beating at the arm holding Erasmus for all he was worth. Greg in his sports jacket and Shira in her sundress joined them with
folded up lawn chairs while Jeff and Vance lent their strength to the Erasmus tug of war. Krisk had vanished but Wolf didn’t have time to give his partner’s sudden desertion much thought.
They weren’t winning. There was no way to win as the entities collapsed away when someone finally dissipated some of the collected dust only to split and reform a few feet away. Erasmus cried out in pain and Wolf redoubled his efforts, realizing that the monster had gotten hold of skin. They had to get him free. Then they could worry about containment and destruction. Amanda let out a snarl of frustration as her bat broke. Shira pushed Greg out of the way as an arm reached for his waist from behind him.
A strange humming started up under the shouts and pounding of blunt instruments. Wolf looked up in time to see Krisk teetering down the back steps from the house carrying the largest floor fan he had ever seen. An orange extension cord trailed behind Krisk as he advanced on the attacking dust bunny monsters, slowly but surely loosening their hold on their shifting forms.
Carrington gave a desperate triumphant cry as he pulled Erasmus free and rushed him into the house. Everyone else moved aside, giving Krisk space as he shifted the fan one way, then the other, herding the dust bunny entities back into the rose hedge. When most of the appendages had cleared the lawn, he did an odd thing. He nodded at Vance.
Vance stared at him. “What? Me?”
Krisk jerked his head toward the rose hedge, his heavily muscled arms shaking from manhandling the huge fan for too long.
“Got it. Get a hose going. Or three.” Vance lifted his hands palm up. His eyes narrowed as he concentrated and flame burst from every fingertip. “It’s go time.”
Krisk hurried to the far side of the rose hedge while Vance took aim at the dust entity roiling in the shrubbery. He hurled his first fireball and the dust bunny hissed, splitting and trying to escape out the far side. But Krisk waited there with the fan and drove it back into Vance’s second fireball. One after another, Vance hurled his incendiary missiles at the rose hedge, the smell of burned ozone becoming acrid and overwhelming enough to drive Wolf back, coughing. The hissing became a horrid shrieking, like air escaping through a too-small hole in a balloon. By the time Kyle had untangled the shop vac and its cord far enough to reach the hedge, it was all over.
Feral Dust Bunnies (Offbeat Crimes Book 4) Page 11
