by M. D. Grimm
“Shhhh.” Brian stroked the dog’s head and projected calming thoughts. The dog looked at him, panting hard.
Brian continued to soothe the dog with peaceful thoughts as he examined the Rott’s neck and leg wound. He was silent as he worked, and he could feel Derek’s rage like a visible pressure inside the room.
“We can remove the chain around his neck without too much damage.” Brian had double-checked that it was a male. And he was about three years old.
“The leg?” Derek’s voice was gruff.
Brian took a closer look. “It looks bad. Something very sharp cut the dog. The wound is down to the bone. He must be in such pain.”
Derek cursed and punched the wall. Brian tried to ignore him and focus on the dog. The Rott let out a pitiful whine every time Brian touched his leg.
He stroked the dog’s head. “I know, beautiful. I know. Derek, I don’t know if I can save the leg.”
There was silence and Brian glanced over. Derek had his face lowered and he clenched his fists at his sides. Understanding what he was thinking and feeling, Brian walked over and touched his arm. Derek was covered in blood and grime, and Brian knew he would go through worse to save an animal. Love made his heart ache.
“I can save him, Derek.” Derek meet his eyes. “Many dogs live happy lives with only three legs.”
Derek nodded, and Brian could see the struggle for control. He was relieved when the control won. Brian returned to the dog and gestured for Derek to follow him.
“I’ll remove the chain first. I need you to hold him.”
Derek nodded and gently placed his hands on the dog’s shoulders and head. The Rottweiler whined. Derek winced and Brian knew the sound sliced both of their hearts in two.
The work was tedious and Brian gave the Rott a local anesthetic to keep the dog from feeling too much pain. He feared giving the dog too much because he could easily kill him considering his lack of muscle mass.
Derek was silent during the procedure and did what Brian told him to do. Brian also noticed that Derek’s hands were shaking. Brian had to cut some skin that had grown around the chain, but it came off easily enough.
They both let out a relieved breath as the chain came off completely. Brian shoved it into a bag and tossed it onto the counter. They might need it for evidence. He cleaned the wounds thoroughly, and Derek winced at the torn skin.
“It will be best to allow the skin to heal naturally. If I sew it back together, bacteria can get inside, and then we have an entirely new problem.”
Derek nodded.
“I’ll need assistance on the leg. Can you call Eva or Lucy? See if one of them is free.”
Derek nodded again, his lips tight. He stroked the dog’s head before lightly nuzzling his face. The Rott’s tail wagged sluggishly. Derek headed for the door but when he grabbed the doorknob, he looked back.
“Those bastards are going to pay, Brian. One way or another.”
He left before Brian could comment.
Derek spent the rest of his shift gathering evidence and driving back to the property where he found the dog. It appeared that the house was abandoned and the owners had simply left the dog to die.
Derek stood underneath the tree and slammed his fists into the bark several times before leaning his head back. He stared at the overcast sky and wished he could shift and rip the neglectful, murdering bastards’ throats out. He spent several hours going up and down the neighborhood trying to gather information, but the neighborhood was the type to mind its own business. Amy seemed to be the only decent human in the entire place. She may not have liked the dog barking, but she gave a flying fuck if he was in pain.
He talked to her once more, but she couldn’t give him much about her neighbors.
“They kept to themselves, unless they were arguing. They had loud, shouting matches most nights. They also yelled at that poor dog. How is he?”
Derek could barely get the words out. “He’ll lose the leg.”
Amy made a sad sound. She shook her head. “It’s not fair.”
“Never is. Thanks.”
He left, completely unsatisfied. As he tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, waiting for the light to turn green, he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Derek narrowed his eyes and looked around him. It was getting late, and he had already put in for overtime. The streetlights were on, but he couldn’t see anything or anyone.
Then why the feeling of being watched?
Derek dragged his tongue over his teeth and hit the acceleration as the light turned green. The feeling passed, but he was still on edge as he reached the center. Brian stepped outside and Derek pulled up beside the Beetle. Derek rolled down his window as Brian approached.
“Status?”
Brian’s smile was tired. “I’m optimistic he’ll make it. The surgery went as good as it can go, and he’s getting food and water into him as we speak.”
Derek’s heart lightened a fraction. “And the other dogs?”
“Eva and Lucy volunteered to stay later to care for them. They shooed me away, actually.” He chuckled tiredly. “So far none have died. You might want to check in with the other officers. A few of them are staying late as well.”
“Yeah, I will.”
“You?” Brian asked.
Derek shook his head. “Nothing.”
Brian reached out and patted his arm that rested on the car door.
“You want to cancel?”
It took Derek a moment to understand what Brian was talking about. “No. Hell no. This is just what we need to take our minds off what happened today.” He had the strength to wink.
Brian grinned and rolled his eyes. “Good. It won’t take me long to get home and changed. Two hours?”
“Sure. I’ll pick you up.”
“Will you open the door for me as well?”
Derek chuckled. “Maybe.”
Brian leaned in and kissed him lightly on the lips, the beard tickling Derek’s skin. Before Derek could try and deepen the kiss, Brian was unlocking his own car and getting in. There wouldn’t be just kisses tonight, Derek promised himself. He was going to get the entire package.
Please, if there is any kindness in the universe, let me get the entire package.
Chapter Six
One year and a half earlier
“How is the cat working out?” Gwynn asked as they walked down the hallway to the cat room of the shelter.
“He’s great. He and my pug took to each other immediately.”
“That’s great to hear! I’m glad Tinker finally found a good home.”
Brian smiled. “So you said you got in a new feral? A male?”
“Yep. We’re hoping that you can use your mojo on him and help us get him adopted.”
“Me too.”
Brian had started to volunteer at the shelter the month before, usually coming in during the weekends. Sometimes it was to offer his vet skills but most often it was to coax feral cats into trusting humans. Molly had recommended him to the shelter and they’d enthusiastically welcomed him. No one in this business wanted to put down animals whose only crime was to be wary of humans.
They neared the cat room when noise through an open doorway caught Brian’s attention. He paused and peeked inside the small room. He froze when he recognized the person inside.
Derek stood across from a large dog, perhaps a pit bull and Labrador mix. The dog’s stance was aggressive, eyes laser focused on Derek, and still. Though he wasn’t growling, or showing his teeth, Brian was worried for Derek’s safety. What was he doing here?
“Oh, I suppose you know our very own dog whisperer?” Gwynn said in a low voice.
Brian said nothing, only watched. Derek crouched and a low rumbling growl came out of him. Brian didn’t know what to make of the inhuman noise. He hadn’t been aware, until Derek, that people could make such a noise.
The dog quivered and attempted to fight off Derek’s domination. He started to show his teeth. Derek moved closer
and since he had his back to the doorway, Brian didn’t see what he did. Whatever it was, the dog immediately submitted and lowered to the floor before rolling over, tail tucked. Derek kept his pace slow, and when he finally reached the dog, he braced himself over the prone animal, still making that strange sound.
Brian didn’t know what to make of what he was seeing. This was certainly not something the actual Dog Whisperer would do. Derek was acting more like a dog himself or a… wolf? It wasn’t a technique he was aware humans could actually do.
“Isn’t it amazing?” Gwynn whispered.
Derek started to gently rub the dog’s stomach, his neck, and then his rear. Touching him everywhere, and then Derek nuzzled his face. The dog’s tail tentatively wagged a couple of times. Then Derek leaned back on his heels and clapped his hand.
“Up boy, come on, up!”
The dog rolled onto his stomach, and Derek rubbed him a bit more roughly, making the dog’s tail wag harder. Soon, they were wrestling like puppies over the floor. Derek was taunting the dog and laughing like a loon. The dog barked and hopped around, tongue out, and shaking with excitement.
Brian clenched his hands buried in his pockets. What he’d just witnessed… all reserves he’d held since meeting Derek melted in that instant. Derek did what Brian did, just using a different technique. They both saved animals, not just through rescuing and treating but healing them mentally so they had a chance to be adopted.
Derek had his rough edges but then, who didn’t? He was a good man. Brian smiled.
“You want to say hi?”
“No, it’s okay. Let’s leave them. I want to see the cat.”
It took about an hour before Brian had a large ball of fluffy cat in his lap. He grinned at the scarred warrior, loving the rumbling engine of a purr he had. He scratched the cat under his chin, and the feline had his eyes half closed, and was on his back, the tip of his tail flicking. His large paws playfully batted at Brian’s arm but the claws remained sheathed and there was nothing but warm contentment in the cat’s mind.
The cat’s fur was black and gray, and his eyes were a bright blue, though one was badly scarred but still useable. He was only five and certainly had a life. The other cats milled around, a few rubbing against Brian, yet all of them kept their distance from the warrior.
“There now, that wasn’t so hard,” Brian said softly.
The cat opened his eyes and lifted his paw to press against Brian’s mouth.
Brian laughed. “Cheeky bastard.”
Someone cleared their throat behind him at the same time the cats scattered. Brian blinked at the feline retreat even as he recognized the sound.
“Hey, Derek.”
The warrior eyed Derek as he walked around to face Brian. He slowly rolled over in Brian’s lap but stayed, his tail still flicking, his claws kneading Brian’s jeans.
Derek stood there awkwardly before sticking his hands in his pockets. “Hey, Brian. Did Molly send you, too?”
Brian chuckled. “Yep, she did. I’m glad, too. This cat needed my help.”
Derek and the cat eyed each other for a moment. “Uh-huh.”
“I didn’t know you volunteered here, too,” Brian said after a moment of silence.
Derek shrugged. “I volunteer my time in most shelters around here. They all have my number if they get a particularly wild dog.”
“Yeah, I, uh, noticed your unusual technique.”
Derek scratched his head and shrugged again. “Since most people think I’m part wild, I might as well use it to my advantage.”
Brian smiled. “I was impressed with what you did.”
“Thanks. I spent a lot of time with wolves when I was a kid so I learned their mannerisms.”
Brian’s eyes widened. “What? How?”
“My entire family is heavily into wildlife preserves and a few are in the government to protect wildlife. I had occasion to be up close and personal with the wild.”
“Wow. That’s amazing. I’d love to hear more if you ever want to share.”
“Sure.” Despite his words, Derek appeared rather uncomfortable with the topic. Brian was painfully curious but didn’t push. Despite Brian being at the center for over six months, they didn’t know each other very well.
“Anyway, I’ll let you get back to your patient,” Derek said with a slight smile.
Brian smiled back. “Thanks. See you on Monday.”
Derek nodded. “Monday.” But he paused and stared at the cat. Then he crouched and held out his fist. The cat narrowed his eyes with ears slightly pulled back but he sniffed the proffered fist. His ears slowly relaxed. Derek lightly scratched the cat’s chin and then his head. The cat purred again, and Derek’s smile widened.
Brian enjoyed the view before he noticed the attention of the cats in the room. They were all eyeing Derek from their various perches. Brian had never seen such a spectacle.
“Later.” Derek stood and left.
Brian brushed his mind against the cat’s but the feline had already moved on. He left Brian’s lap, leaving a fur coat of shed hair on his legs, and headed for the water. Brian stood and went in search of a lint roll, all the while puzzling over what just happened.
Chapter Seven
Present day
“Well, what do you guys think?” Brian asked as he stood in front of the mirror, trying on yet another outfit. He felt like he was sixteen again instead of thirty-six. His first date in years, and it was with someone he already respected and admired. And loved. Take it slow regardless.
He was going to date a younger guy. There was something undeniably exciting about that. He knew Derek was in his twenties, but age didn’t always qualify as experience. Brian stared at his reflection, not really seeing it. There was something dark about Derek. Something secret in his eyes. Brian wondered if he could find out what it was. He hoped it wasn’t something they couldn’t overcome. Everyone had secrets. He wondered if he could tell Derek about his ability. The man seemed so down-to-earth, and he doubted Derek would take him seriously.
“No use worrying about it,” he told his reflection. “We have to see how this first date goes. And then the second one and the third….” He sighed. “I really hope I get lucky tonight.”
Fenrir snorted.
Brian turned around and corralled the dogs to their beds. They were in his bedroom, and though he loved his animals dearly, they were not allowed to sleep on the bed with him. The heap of cushions and blankets sat beside the bed, and Tinker, his cat, had a bed on a post above everyone.
“I don’t know if I’ll be back tonight, guys. But I will be back early tomorrow. Promise.”
The dogs settled in happily, already walked, fed, peed, and popped, and he sat on the bed to tie his shoes. He decided on an outfit of blue that set off his eyes. He didn’t know where Derek was taking him, but he hoped it was casual. Those fancy places always put him on edge, like if he did something wrong, those guys in the tuxedos would take him out and shove him in the trunk of some car. Damn it. He watched too many old mobster movies.
Straightening his hair, he glanced at the clock. Was Derek punctual?
The doorbell rang downstairs.
Brian grinned and grabbed his jacket. He really liked a man who was on time. There was something sexy about punctuality. He barely stopped himself from skipping down the stairs and only allowed himself one small jig before opening the door. He knew his grin was huge and ridiculous, but he couldn’t control it.
“Heya, Doc,” Derek said with a smile of his own, though not as wide. Brian drank in the sight of him. Most people wore black because it was either boring or slimming. Derek wore it an entirely different way. His pants were close fitting slacks paired with a button-down shirt that had the first three buttons undone. A fine dust of hair could be seen peeking out of the opening. He appeared even lankier than he usually did in that black, and it made Brian’s heart pound harder. He thought Derek looked the sexiest in his uniform. He might have to revise that.
“Hey, yourself. Looking good.”
“You too.”
Brian locked up his house before Derek took his hand to lead him to the Jeep. Such a gentleman. Brian’s stomach fluttered. It was shocking how contradictory Derek’s nature seemed to be. He could have the rage of a Greek Fury and yet be as romantic as Don Juan. Or as cuddly as a puppy. Derek even opened the car door for him. All the while, Derek never removed his eyes from Brian.
Brian sat in the car and smiled at his date. “I bet you got your prom date a corsage, too, didn’t you?”
Derek shrugged and shut the door. He walked around to get into the driver’s seat and buckled his seatbelt.
“I didn’t go to the prom,” he said.
Brian pulled on his own seatbelt. “Neither did I. I was too busy hanging out with my hamster.”
“Dear God,” Derek said as he pulled out into the street. “You had a fucking hamster?”
Brian gave him a look. “It’s a respectable pet.”
“It’s a rodent.”
“My parents wouldn’t let me get a dog or a cat or even a bird. It’s better than a turtle.”
“I’d rather have the turtle.”
Instead of letting it get to him, Brian simply shook his head and rolled his eyes. His stomach turned jittery. He didn’t want to get into an argument before the date had even officially begun. A red light stopped them, and Derek tapped the steering wheel with a nervous rhythm. Brian looked out the window, not knowing what to say.
“Well, maybe the hamster’s better than… a fish.”
Brian’s stomach muscles loosened, and he glanced at Derek. “Trying to backtrack your snippy statements?”
“Snippy?” Derek said incredulously.
Brian laughed outright at the look on his face. “You’re awesome, Derek. You really are.”
Derek winged an eyebrow. “Funny, my dates don’t normally say that until they’re naked and underneath me.”
