Silent Cravings

by E. Blix

  “I do the shopping for the men-folk from now on.”

  She flipped him off.

  Royce was still chuckling over Ken’s antics as he exited Mouse’s apartment. He ran into Analie, who was holding a box, in the hall. Clarisse and Angus, who followed Royce out, both waved a greeting to the girl.

  “Welcome back. How was class?”

  Analie smiled broadly, feeling like her face was going to crack.

  “It was great. Too busy in the kitchen, so Jacques kicked me out early. ʼScuse me, please.”

  She edged around the shadowy group and raced upstairs with the box of cookies. Tonight had been way too stressful—difficult cookies, no chaperone—and as soon as she dropped off the box, she was going straight to her room to text Freddy. Crap, she still had to ask Royce or someone about the White Hats. She’d do it later, after she wasn’t so jumpy.

  At the end of the hall she knocked on Sebastian’s door. She could hear a movie going on inside and it sounded awesome.

  Christoph came out of the bathroom, now clad in jeans, and walked over to see what Ken was moaning and groaning about. He reached around the vampire and snagged a shirt, pulling it over his head. Finally.

  “Hey, I like that aftershave,” he said, scooting past Ken and fishing the bottle out of the trash.

  “You may like it, but your adoring fans will not,” Ken said, snagging it out of his hand and throwing it right back into the trash. “If you’re going to work Twisted Temptations, you have an image to uphold.” He grinned wide enough to show a bit of fang as he looked Christoph up and down. “Though you might be able to get by on looks alone with a body like that. Ooh, Daniel is going to love you.”

  Mouse hid her head in her hands, shoulders shaking in equal parts silent groans and laughter.

  Christoph grabbed the aftershave out of the trash again. “I don’t have adoring fans. And what the hell is Twisted Temptations?”

  He was starting to feel very uneasy. Not that he was completely at ease before, but this “Twisted Temptations” thing people were talking about was not a word combination he wanted to be associated with.

  “Oh, you will. Twisted Temptations is one of Alec’s clubs. He expects you to play the part of eye candy.” Ken’s grin widened, his canines gleaming sharply. “It’s one of the hottest nonexclusive clubs in the city. Don’t tell me you’ve never heard of it?”

  Analie had to knock a couple of times, finally pounding the door with her fist to be heard over the mayhem on the big screen.

  “Come in!” Sebastian shouted, still focused intently on the TV. Even Thad had woken up a little and was watching the screen avidly as Jason Statham performed a very unlikely maneuver with his fist, destroying the face of the guy he was fighting.

  Analie entered the room and winced at the volume of the movie. She was surprised to see Ashi sitting on the couch, looking incredibly at ease and un-asshole-ish, with Thad and Sebastian. He glanced back as she came in and quickly stood and approached her. Analie edged away.

  “What’s that?” he asked, pointing at the box.

  Analie glared and walked over to the couch, careful not to startle Thad. She dropped the box off in Ashi’s vacated spot, mumbled, “Sorry about the whole fuzzy thing” and hurried back to the door. Thad barely had time to say “thanks” before she was gone.

  “Hey, wait. I have a favor to ask—” Ashi began.

  “Ask whoever wants to chomp you,” Analie snapped and slammed the door shut behind her.

  “Harsh,” Sebastian muttered, not looking away from the screen.

  Thad opened the box Analie dropped next to him and pulled out a cookie, munching on it. “Ish good. Ya shud try shome.”

  Royce was staring at one of the security feeds on a monitor in his office. Analie had defied him again. She knew very well that she was never to travel unchaperoned. It probably had something to do with Christoph and Ashi being here, though he wasn’t sure precisely how they tied into the matter. She had returned on her own so he wasn’t too terribly put out, but it was a concern, nonetheless.

  “John.”

  “Yes, sir?”

  “Make sure someone is keeping an eye on Analie. She’s not to travel alone again.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  He thought about it a bit longer, reviewing the security feed one more time. He watched the way she bounded up the steps, and the cheerful smile on her lips, with narrowed, calculating eyes.

  “One other thing.”

  “Sir?”

  “Make sure the Goliath alpha gets copied on the promotional piece for our new guest stars at Twisted Temptations.”

  John’s lips curved in a wicked grin. “With pleasure.”

  Christoph would not describe himself as “eye candy”.

  “I don’t care what happens in New York. I live in California.”

  He glanced over as Analie entered the living room, breathing a long sigh of relief.

  “How’d it go?” he asked.

  “Great,” Analie said, giving him a warning look. He nodded and turned his attention back to Ken.

  Analie went to her room and changed back into her jeans and T-shirt. Bliss! She grabbed her phone from under her mattress and texted Freddy.

  Weirdest cub-hide ever. Lookin forward 2 ur visit!

  “Christoph, you just know you are going to draw all the honeys if you tell them you’re a Hollywood star. You wait right here, I’m going to go get that other boy. What was his name?”

  “Ashi,” Jessica answered, the dry humor in her voice tempered with concern. “I’ll come with you. He might not agree right away.”

  As in, not at all.

  Ken shrugged and nodded. “Okay then. We’ll be right back.” Mouse gave him a look. He smiled brightly. “Right back. Promise. Then we can shop.”

  Christoph offered Mouse a tentative smile, still wary of the small vampire. “Hey, thanks for the clothes and shaving stuff. Ken’s an idiot. You got great stuff.”

  After Analie left, Ashi shuffled back to his room and did push-ups until his noodly human arms told him enough was enough and refused to carry his weight. Retreating to the closet seemed a little silly to him now. He’d watched a couple movies with a vampire and nothing bad had happened. It hadn’t been anything like when John cornered him and all the fast dodge maneuvers in the world couldn’t get him past that monster, and when John finally did pounce he couldn’t do a damn thing about it, and when he bit—

  Ashi marched into the closet and slammed the door behind him.

  Mouse gave Christoph a wan smile.

  Considering Ken was both the floor manager and lead entertainment at Twisted Temptations, she figured he’d know what was “suitable” for Christoph and Ashi more than anyone else in the building. Royce often consulted him for his fashion knowledge since his expertise did extend beyond the risqué attire the dancers wore at the various clubs.

  She pulled a pad and pen across the counter and started writing, then tore the sheet off and handed it to Christoph.

  Ken means well. He’ll help you get what you need to work for Alec. I’m sorry, you probably won’t like it, but he’s expecting to feature you two as a curiosity at the club. Otherwise, he would put you to work somewhere else and it wouldn’t matter what you wore.

  If there is anything else you need, we can pick it up or order it tonight.

  “So he’s afraid of us?” Ken said, pouting at the news.

  “Very. I think John stomped all over his pride, too, so take it easy and try not to flash any fang, okay?”

  “Okay.” He sighed, overly dramatic. “I’ll try to keep myself in check and not throw myself into his arms, brush my fingers through his hair, run my fangs over his neck…”

  “Enough, enough!” Jessica cried, laughing.

&nbs
p; The two of them chuckled over the thought, though they’d gotten their laughter under control by the time they reached Thad and Sebastian’s apartment. The door was open and Sebastian was talking to Angus while Thad snored on the couch. Ashi was nowhere in sight. Sebastian hooked a thumb in the direction of Ashi’s room when Jessica threw him a questioning look.

  The two of them went over to his room, Jessica hushing Ken while she called out cheerily, “Oh, Ashi—we need you for something out here!”

  Ashi heaved a sigh and exited the closet, feeling drained. Jessica was smiling at him, and he wanted to smack it right off her face. He kept such thoughts behind an expressionless mask.

  “What?” he said, then noticed Ken.

  Before he beat them all senseless and established his rank, other Weres liked to poke fun at Ashi being the prettiest Were to ever join Goliath. He looked like he should be putting lime green highlights in his hair and singing and dancing with the Japanese equivalent of the Backstreet Boys, or moodily playing bass in one of those Asian metal bands where the guys wear gothic dresses.

  This guy was prettier.

  Ashi looked at Jessica, at Ken, back to Jessica, back to Ken, swallowed a thousand caustic remarks, and gently shut the door in their faces.

  “That went well,” Ken drawled.

  Jessica huffed and knocked again. “Ashi, come on. Ken’s going to help you get new clothes. Mouse and Christoph are waiting downstairs.”

  “I’ll keep my fangs to myself! Promise!” Ken said.

  Jessica smacked his arm, and he gave her a wounded look.

  “What?”

  Ashi opened the door a crack. “I’ll come out if no one bites me.”

  Analie wandered out with a book and Christoph poked his head out of the kitchen. “Hey, Analie?”

  “What?” She sat on the couch and opened her book, giving him her best I’m-quite-busy-kindly-go-away look.

  “I’m being put on display at Twisted Temptations. Know what that is? Any Goliath-to-Goliath advice?”

  Analie’s eyes went huge. “I have no idea what that is.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  Analie ducked behind her book. “Go ʼway, I’m reading.”

  Mouse frowned heavily at Christoph, poking his arm so she could show him yet another note.

  Twisted Temptations is not for kids.

  At his puzzled look, she scribbled a bit more beneath that.

  Strip club. Not for kids.

  “No one’s going to bite anyone,” Jessica said.

  “Unfortunately.”

  “Hush!”

  “What?”

  “Whoa! Whoa!” Christoph made the “time out” motion with his hands. “Ken said nightclub, not strip club!”

  “I’m out,” Analie said, going back to her room, hands raised. “Good night.”

  “I know we Weres are always bursting out of our clothes, but you’ll notice Ashi and I were at least wearing sweats! I don’t do public nudity! And prancing around bare-assed naked in front of a bunch of people is considered public nudity! I don’t care if it’s in a strip club or not!”

  Christoph’s outburst would have been a bit frightening had he not looked so frantic.

  “Christ, can’t I be the damn janitor or something?”

  Ashi glared at the two.

  “Fine.”

  He stepped out of his room, edging away from Ken.

  Ken turned to Jessica, hands on his hips. “What’s his problem? I said I’m not going to bite. Would I lie?”

  “About that? No.”

  Ken affected a wounded look while Jessica ushered Ashi to the door.

  “Be nice. Ken’s the one who has to approve your outfits before you show your face on the club scene.”

  Mouse was not succeeding at hiding her amusement at Christoph’s outburst. She scribbled a bit more, then handed him another note.

  Nobody said you had to get naked. You wear something revealing, take off your shirt, and tease the audience a little. Ken will explain the finer details, I’m sure.

  Mouse couldn’t help it. Her shoulders heaved with silent laughter as she handed him the note. The idea of Ken giving Ashi and Christoph lessons on how to strut their stuff was giving her a hefty fit of the giggles.

  Ken poked his head in, giving Mouse and Christoph a goofy grin. “All right, kiddies, ready to shop ʼtil we drop?”

  “Hey, why do you get clothes?” Ashi demanded upon seeing Christoph.

  “They’re going to make us strip!” Christoph shouted.

  “Screw this,” Ashi muttered, turning to go back upstairs. Christoph darted forward and grabbed his arm.

  “Hell no. It’s your fault we’re here, you’re facing the consequences!”

  “You know, if you had a sponsor, they’d spoil you, too,” Ken said, quirking a brow at Ashi and Christoph’s antics. “I mean, look at Mouse. She’s been guarding you from the rest of us like the damn Ark of the Covenant.”

  Mouse gave Ken a dirty look, which he ignored.

  “Come on, let’s hit the road. You two can wrestle for possession of the least revealing thong when we get to the store.”

  Mouse socked him hard enough that he left a dent in the wall on impact.

  “Ow! Hey, just joking over here!”

  Mouse stared at him.

  “...okay. Mostly joking.”

  Rolling her eyes, she led the way while Ken pulled out the keys to a sleek, shiny BMW that chirped pleasantly when he unlocked it.

  “Pack in, everyone. Time to see how tasty you boys look in Speedos.”

  Mouse hit him again.

  “I’m not wearing a Speedo,” Christoph said, his expression grim. “Or a thong.”

  “He’s going full monty,” Ashi said.

  Everyone stared at the Asian Were. Ashi returned their stares mutely for a few seconds before rolling his eyes and waving his hands around. “Ooh, look! Ashi has a sense of humor!”

  Christoph looked accusingly at Ken. “What did you do to him?”

  “I have to agree with Christoph, though,” Ashi began. Christoph gripped his shoulders.

  “It’s gonna be okay, man. You’re gonna get through this!” He turned to Ken again. “See what you’ve done? He’s agreeable.”

  Ashi glared at him. “Don’t touch me.”

  “Great, broke him, yadda yadda. Shut up and get in,” Ken said, making shooing motions at them while he went around to the driver’s side.

  They took off for the masses of boutiques and specialty stores around Fifth and Madison Avenue. Mouse’s longing look at FAO Schwartz as they passed was so pitiful that Ken promised her they’d swing through the toy store before going home.

  It wasn’t far from Royce’s home and didn’t take long to arrive, but it did take forever to find parking.

  “All right, boys and girls. First stop, Abercrombie. I’m not taking you into Luigi Borelli’s or Hermes dressed like that.”

  When he saw Christoph’s stung look and Ashi’s eye roll, Ken pointed an admonishing finger at the two Weres. “Like it or not, once you make your first public appearance, important people around town are going to connect you with Alec Royce. That means you need to dress like the fabulous little flunkies you are, mm-kay? You may not think much of it now, but trust me, you’ll be thanking me later.”

  Mouse was making exaggerated faces and hand gestures behind his back as he started in on the two, mocking his dramatic flair. He flipped her off without looking at her and sauntered down the street toward the huge Abercrombie & Fitch store.

  “Give me a good thrift store any day. If my jeans cost more than five bucks, they’d better come with a car.” Christoph looked around. “Christ, this is ritzy. It’s like one of those travel magazines.”


  Ashi tugged on his collar, trying to get it to sit lower. “This thing is driving me crazy.”

  “You heard the man. You’re a fabulous little flunky.”

  “I want you to get cancer of the throat.”

  “I’m finding it sad that we’re shopping for clothes so we can go shopping for clothes. In the clothes we just shopped for.”

  Ashi reached over and jammed his thumb into a pressure point at the base of Christoph’s spine.

  “Oh, you fucker,” he gasped, trying not to walk like an arthritic penguin.

  Ken waited impatiently at the huge, glass entrance, tapping his foot and arching a sardonic brow at the pair. He ushered them in, immediately heading for the khakis and turtlenecks in search of something that would “showcase those asses and hide those tacky collars.” Mouse was heartily amused and hung back to watch.

  A couple of salespeople—a slim, statuesque blonde and a spends-too-much-time-at-the-gym beefcake—wandered over. Ken broke into a smile, his voice taking on a high-pitched, girlish squeal. “Oh my God, Jason, fab to see you!”

  Jason blushed and returned Ken’s smile with a shy one of his own.

  Mouse and the saleslady exchanged an amused look, then went off to peruse the button-downs, Mouse scribbling her a note explaining what they needed.

  “Okay,” Jason said as Ken gestured with vague disapproval at Ashi and Christoph’s clothes. “Let’s get you two dolled up!”

  Christoph raised his hand. “I like jeans. Jeans are great.”

  Ashi looked around with obvious disapproval. “I only wear athletic pants. And hakama pants if we’re doing that sort of thing in the dojo.”

  He wouldn’t have had to put up with this at his job, where he taught martial arts. Sure, he had to deal with wannabe tough guys who only wanted to learn Tae Kwon Do for the fancy kicks, but at least he could smack the smart-asses upside the head. Back in California, he was respected and feared. Very few people would dare cross him in any way.