by E. Blix
Mouse emerged some time later. She was both relieved and disappointed that Christoph had gone. She paced in the living room, lip curled in a silent snarl as she alternately wished the sun would set so she could hunt down Thad’s attackers and worrying over whether she could protect the humans in the building. She didn’t trust Lisa to do her job well. Not as well as she could herself.
That, and over whether Christoph had noticed that she’d checked out his package. God, how embarrassing.
Analie wasn’t very comfortable leaving her room in her current condition. Even at home with Gavin, she would refuse to leave her room while she had new moon sickness. Still, Thad getting stabbed was a pretty big deal—humans were fragile and took ages to heal.
Like she needed that reminder right now.
She quietly opened her door and peeked out into the living room. There was a woman there she didn’t recognized, in jeans and a comfy T-shirt. Analie blinked. She hadn’t heard talking, and the lady looked agitated. Maybe she was looking for Mouse.
“Uh... hi?” Analie said.
Mouse, though preoccupied, paused in her pacing to glance at Analie. She gave a half-hearted wave before running her hands raggedly through her hair and taking a seat on the couch.
Analie sounded a little different, but Mouse wrote that off as worry and concern. After all, it wasn’t every day that someone in the building got so badly hurt. It was truly worrisome because it meant that, despite her best efforts, Mouse wouldn’t always be able to save her friends from the dangers inherent in being around the vampires.
Analie wondered what could possibly have this woman so upset. Even though her usual senses of smell, sight, and hearing were dulled, the body language was clear enough. She inched toward the couch.
“Are you okay?”
Mouse nodded, then reached out to the table to grab a pad and pencil, writing a short message.
Worried about Thad.
Only then did it occur to Analie that the woman she saw was Mouse. No one else in the building had her problem or such impeccably neat handwriting.
Instead of a red-eyed, vaguely-human-shaped monster, she was faced with a careworn, all-too-human-looking woman. There were hints of circles under her eyes, mostly from not having taken a full day’s rest. Her long brown hair, shot through with a few streaks of gray, was tied up in a loose ponytail. That revealed skin bronzed by sun it hadn’t seen in centuries, sharp cheekbones, and wide, dark brown eyes that were dulled from fatigue. She hardly looked the part of the beasts of Goliath’s legends.
Analie took the note and read it, then blinked and slowly looked up at Mouse.
“You’re Mouse!” Analie all but screamed. She danced excitedly on the spot. “I pictured you completely different! I couldn’t make heads or tails of your shadows probably because of your hair and—” She paused, staring at Mouse. “And you’re pretty!”
All the Goliath scripture Gavin had allowed her to see showed illustrations of skeletal humanoid creatures with red eyes and needle-like fangs descending upon snarling Weres. She had expected nothing like what she saw before her.
Mouse’s mouth dropped open. Then she recalled that younger Goliaths could only see vampires as shadows. Obviously, that wasn’t the case for Analie anymore.
She ducked her head, her smile embarrassed. She didn’t know what Analie must have thought she looked like before, but she could guess. Analie had probably thought she was rooming with some hellish monster.
Running her fingers nervously through her hair, Mouse dislodged her ponytail and promptly busied herself with fixing it so she wouldn’t have to write a response. God, and she’d thought sneaking a peek at Christoph’s package was embarrassing!
Analie had never felt so relieved and excited at the same time. Though she had stopped bristling every time she passed a shadow in the hall, she was never totally comfortable here. Even with Mouse helping her cope early on and how much Analie liked the vampire, there was still that wheedling little horror that she was chatting with a living nightmare.
That meant the other Shadowmen might look like normal people as well. What did Angus look like? Or Sebastian?
What did Royce look like?
Mouse chewed on her lower lip, trying to think of something to write that wouldn’t sound ridiculous or cruel. It was harder than she thought.
Does this mean you don’t know what any of the others look like? You haven’t been able to see any of us before now?
Analie shook her head vigorously. “No, no one. I can usually guess where faces are, but if there’s too much light you’re barely an outline. I had no idea you looked like... like...”
A totally normal person bereft of the demonic qualities I had previously believed you possessed.
“—like this. I thought you were, you know, scary-looking.”
Mouse made a faint snorting sound of mixed disbelief and laughter.
We would not have been able to hide what we are from humanity for so long if that were the case.
Mouse smiled wryly. This building housed some of the most attractive vampires she’d ever seen in her terrifically long lifespan. Mouse was downright homely compared to Lisa and Clarisse.
Analie flopped on the couch next to Mouse. “This is so cool. I have to get Freddy to bring his camera so I can take your picture. You so need to be in our photo album.”
The day was waning, and vampires were rising from their beds.
For some, this would be cause for concern. Analie was about ready to vibrate out of her own skin with excitement.
Mouse was thoroughly amused. She led the search for anyone up and about so Analie could start placing faces to the names and shadows she’d become so familiar with.
Mouse took Analie to meet Lisa first, as she was still on watch. She was tall, slender, and radiated sex and danger, even in the simple black slacks and turtleneck she was wearing. Her blond hair was left loose, cornflower blue eyes heavily lidded with boredom as she lounged in the foyer, idly paging through a romance novel.
She returned Mouse’s wave, not looking up from her book when the two came out. Mouse wrote down the name on the pad, gesturing so Analie got the idea. This was the same girl who had put heavy moves on Christoph right in front of Mouse on his first day with the vampires.
Wow. Analie raised her eyebrows. Lisa was like a movie vampire—beautiful but probably willing and able to tear someone apart. Analie’s unease didn’t diminish much with Lisa, even with finally having a face for the name.
Analie nodded to Mouse. She wanted to find someone else.
Mouse approached Lisa, who didn’t seem terribly pleased to have her reading time interrupted. After Mouse made a few gestures, Lisa shrugged and hooked a thumb at the apartment.
“She hasn’t come out yet, so unless she spent the day with someone, she’s still inside. Go ahead and take a look.”
Mouse nodded, then gestured Analie follow her inside one of the apartments nearest the foyer. Clarisse was at the kitchen table studying some papers. She glanced up when they came in, offering a welcoming smile.
“Evenin’, ladies. Wha’ can I do for ye?”
Like Lisa, Clarisse was far more attractive than she had any right to be. However, like Mouse, she was short, curvy, and far less intimidating. Her pale skin had a scattering of freckles—which was distinctly un-vampire-y—and her heart-shaped face was framed by thick, riotous black curls that trailed all the way to her hips. She looked about as scary as a kitten with those deep dimples and Easter-grass-green eyes.
Analie was much more comfortable with Clarisse. Not only did she look a lot less threatening than Analie had imagined, her manner was amiable. If she’d been in Goliath, every unattached male would be courting her.
“Everyone here is really super pretty,” Analie blurted. Way to go. She held up her h
ands. “I mean, I can see you now, so it’s sort of a surprise. It’s really awesome to finally see you.”
Clarisse was confused at first. Mouse went into a spate of signing, and soon Clarisse’s expression cleared. She was rather amused with the situation—and Analie’s outburst. “I see. So Mouse is showin’ ye all of us so ye know which one of us is which, eh? Do ye mind if I tag along?”
“Nah, not at all. That’d be awesome!” Analie exclaimed. “I really want to see Angus. Like, really-really-really want to see Angus. He sounds a lot like Barry, this high-rank in Goliath, only Barry doesn’t have an accent. I wish you guys could meet my pack. I’d introduce you to all the cool people.”
She was babbling, but that was only to be expected. She was dancing on the spot again, eager to get going.
Mouse and Clarisse exchanged amused looks. Clarisse led the way, gesturing for the others to follow her.
Ken was on his way out when they were passing by, giving a nod to the ladies as he straightened his lapel and tie. On his way to work and dressed to kill, as always. Clarisse barely paid him a glance, despite the blond vampire’s devastatingly good looks.
They were so intent on finding Angus, neither Mouse nor Clarisse remembered to tell Analie who they just passed.
Analie turned as they walked, staring after Ken. In no way was he mate material (wouldn’t last five minutes in a fight), but he was certainly nice to look at. Analie sniffed in his direction. The nuances she was used to using to identify the vampires no longer registered without her Were senses. She turned and hurried after Mouse and Clarisse.
It occurred to her belatedly that, even without her heightened senses, the guy smelled almost as good as he looked.
“Bide a moment. Angus is probably still in bed, ye ken.”
Code for: more than likely naked, and if they valued their eyesight, they’d best let her tell him to throw something on before they waltzed in.
Clarisse went straight inside Angus’s apartment, not bothering to knock. Mouse didn’t seem perturbed when Angus’s gravelly voice shook the walls a minute later, roaring at Clarisse to “get the fook out” of his room.
Clarisse came bouncing out, looking mightily pleased with herself.
“He’ll be out in a moment. Ye can wait in the living room if ye want.”
Said living room was full of ancient banners, old broadswords, and a fair number of posters of anatomically impossible women in indecent poses. The number of beer bottles scattered around was impressive, and, despite the quality of the furniture, the place looked like exactly what it was—a bachelor pad.
“Ye best have a good reason ter roust me this early,” Angus grumped as he stomped out of his bedroom.
Lord, he was huge. He hadn’t bothered with a shirt, only throwing on his plaid and styling it in a kilt around his waist, one end thrown over his shoulder. While most everyone else was quite handsome or beautiful, Angus was simply chiseled. There was no better word for it.
He had greater mass than Christoph, and all of it was bulky muscle. His bright red hair frizzed around his head like a fiery halo, blending into his beard, which did a good job of hiding the lower half of his face. The thick, caterpillar-like brows gave him a permanently surly look, only a glint of blue eyes peeking out from beneath. A number of scars were visible beneath the mat of hair on his chest and arms, showing that he truly was a Highland warrior who led an exceptionally violent life when alive, however many centuries ago that was.
Analie almost flopped down in a “you win, you’re the big Were on the block” gesture right then and there. It was good she didn’t, given that the new vantage point would have scarred her eyes for life.
This guy was a warrior. If he hadn’t been a vampire, Analie would have invited him to see Gregory and join the pack.
Angus reminded her strongly of Gavin, only hairier, not blond, and wearing some sort of plaid blanket-looking thing. Analie wasn’t sure what it was. Damned if she was going to comment. This guy could go out in a ballroom gown and not a man would dare laugh.
Analie struggled to keep in a laugh at that picture. She ducked her head and turned to the side in a Were gesture of respect.
Angus picked up a couple of the bottles on the living room table, found one that wasn’t empty, and took a swig, grimacing at the warm, flat beer.
“Angus, lad, ye dinnae need tae be such a piss-poor host. Analie came tae see ye,” Clarisse scolded.
The Highlander arched a bushy brow. “Eh? Whatcher need, lass?”
“Oh—right. Hi. I’m just going around the house, seeing people, because I couldn’t see them—you—before. I could sort of see your shadows, but I couldn’t actually see all the stuff in the middle, that being you. It’s kind of complicated.” She thought for a moment. “You were almost invisible to me before, that being a thing kids in my pack have trouble with. Now I can see you!”
She felt pretty proud of that explanation, considering she had to give it to one of the fiercest people she’d ever seen, who didn’t seem to be too happy to see her.
Angus’ eyebrows did a slow crawl around his forehead, trying to settle on an expression, and not doing a terribly good job of it.
“Ye could nae see me?”
Mouse scribbled something down and passed it to Analie, all innocence as Angus eyed her.
He’s not the brightest crayon first thing in the evening.
“That’s what she just told ye,” Clarisse said. “Ken already left for work, but why don’t ye help us find some of the others?”
He shrugged massive shoulders and nodded, curiosity piqued despite himself. “If ye want.”
Analie really liked Angus. She wished she could bring him cookies or something. Being reminded of Gavin swept her with loneliness. Maybe when the cub-hide was over, Gregory would re-negotiate things so she could go home.
Until then, there were vampires to meet.
Grumbling mightily under his breath, Angus stomped out of the apartment, sounding like a great, big, grumbly bear. It lowered into a rumbling mutter when Clarisse hooked her arm through his, throwing a grin at Mouse and Analie over her shoulder.
Considering what had happened to Thad, it wasn’t the best time to be bugging Sebastian, so they headed back downstairs. Reece and Ken’s place was the next logical stop. Ken was gone, but Reece was there. Though their visit was unexpected, he was friendly enough.
The smooth, dark chocolate hue of his skin came as a surprise to Analie. That, and that he was built like a tank, all muscles, paired with slight traces of Brooklynese.
“Hi guys, what’s up?”
It was like this house was full of the ones that got away for Goliath. A lot of Goliaths would think twice before tangling with Reece if he was a Were. Analie was impressed.
“Uh, hi!” She really needed to get out of the habit of saying “uh”. It was a little difficult when so many unexpected things happened and made her train of thought derail violently into a crowd of mental bystanders, one of them being Mr. Speech.
She gave her explanation for the visit, much as she had with Angus, but smoother this time.
Reece, like the others, was nonplussed but interested in tagging along as she went through the meet-and-greet with the rest of the vampires on the floor.
John was on his way out the door, snarled something that made Angus smack him upside the head, and scurried away. His boyish good looks weren’t very charming with that attitude.
It took every last shred of Analie’s willpower not to gasp in horror and dive for cover. The idea of anyone other than the alpha smacking the deputy was something she didn’t dare even think about. And when John hurried off instead of retaliating by spraying Angus’s blood across the walls, Analie’s opinion of the surly deputy dropped to some point below Ashi’s level.
Weak deputies never last
ed very long.
Wesley, however, didn’t seem to mind their dropping in for the impromptu meeting. Like Ken, he was blond, pale, tall, and slender. However, he had a scruffy goatee, and his clothing would never win him any favors with the effeminate vampires down the hall. He favored jeans and T-shirts, much like Christoph, and had Reece clucking his tongue over his outfit in no time. Wes paid him little mind.
The vampires were quite content to socialize with each other. Clarisse was brassy enough to ask Mouse if Christoph had given in yet, which started off a whole line of chatter Analie didn’t want to hear about at all.
Though the topic at hand turned her cheeks and ears an endearing shade of pink, she stayed. It was almost like being at a pack gathering. She had never been more at ease here than at this moment, hanging out with her temporary New York pack.
“Ye need tae just bite the lad and get it over with,” Angus said, irritated.
“No she don’t, ye ruddy ox. She’ll scare ’im off.” Clarisse shot back.
“So what? Ye wait too long, and he’ll be thinkin’ he does nae ever need tae do it.”
“I don’t understand what the problem is,” added Wesley. “He’s been here over a month already.”
Reece agreed. “It’s not like you’re acting like John. He’s just being a coward about it at this point.”
Mouse signed something that had all four of the other vampires—Angus, Clarisse, Wes and Reece—rolling their eyes.
Clarisse frowned. “I’m going to have to up the ante.”
“Ugh, not again,” Reece said.
Clarisse’s expression turned rather sly as she put her attention on Analie. “What do ye think, Ana, love? What would it take tae get the boy tae loosen up?”
As much as Analie liked this strange little group, the one thing she never wanted to think about was her or her packmates getting bitten. She’d entered in on the bet, sure, but it was more “laugh lest we cry” than agreement with it.
