by Amber Lynn
“So, do you think you can be packed and ready to go by six tomorrow evening?” I ask Walt. “I would like to leave as early as possible once dusk starts settling in.”
“There is nothing here I really need to bring. I just need to throw my armory in a bag and then I will be ready.” The guys in the circles I travel with know how to pack. I would take a bag full of guns over clothes any day.
“Has the man with the plan decided if I get to come with?” Dante asks in a voice that makes me envision him hopping around like a little girl asking for a pony.
“You can come. I will have to do a few checks before you are allowed into our inner sanctum, though. With our large force of vampires and werewolves, you should be safe from Alan. I don't think even he is dumb enough to try to take us on,” Sebastian tells him.
“So, what is the deal with this Alan person?” Other than Collective people, I haven't heard of really anyone Sebastian doesn't get along with, especially if the person has fangs.
“It is a bit of a long story. Alan is around a century younger than me and hates that fact. He wants to take over things and, so far, hasn't been anywhere close to beating me in a fight. He has spent many of his years creating people like Dante to become a soldier in his fight against me,” Sebastian explains.
I look over to Dante and nothing about him really shouts killing machine. He is tall like the other guys, but he doesn't have the body mass that they do. He isn’t as wimpy looking as Sam, the underdeveloped werewolf, but his light coloring does give him a wussy look.
I look back at Sebastian and he nods. “Exactly. Dante was not a fighter when he was human. He was a freaking poet. How can you take an intellectual mind like his and try to warp it into a brainless robot set on destroying whatever you point at?”
Just my favorite type of person, the kind that likes preying on the meek. “I take it Dante fought back against the scallywag.” I have decided I am in a pirating mood. Shiver me timbers and thar she blows. Okay, I think that is about enough of that. At least, I only thought them and didn’t say anything out loud.
“The best I could,” Dante says answering for himself. “It is a little hard for a new vamp to fight back against a centuries old one. Plus, there were all those early years of hating what I had become. Back then, people were starting to become aware of paranorms, but there were still a lot of people like me that didn’t believe.”
I always wonder what it would be like before the world, as a whole, knew about us creepy crawlies. I don’t guess it was much fun for the paranorms that had to hide their true natures for fear of persecution.
“It seems you are going to be one of us now, which means you will have our protection. It is something many people try for, so you better respect it and not use the things you learn against us,” I say staring him down.
“He will take a blood oath like every vampire that comes in contact with you,” Sebastian adds.
“Whoa. You guys are really serious about this if you are evoking blood oaths.”
“Believe me, it isn’t something you will want to take lightly. Ask Marcus about it if you need a little extra motivating. Sebastian can be a mean son of a bitch when he is crossed,” I say as I pick Demon Dog up. “It is time for bed, Clyde. Let’s go see how nice and comfy that new bed is.”
Sebastian laughs and moves to follow us. “I am telling you he is going to end up in the big bed curled next to you. We are going to have to leave him with Walt if we ever want to try to get some special alone time together.”
I am not looking for alone time now, so testing that theory is going to have to wait. Right now, I am focused on a task and I am going to accomplish it.
When we get to our room, I put Clyde down and open the door. “Bedtime, Clyde.” He looks up at me and then runs over and jumps on the big bed. He must be part jackrabbit because that jump looks a little too high for someone of his stature.
“No, puppy bed,” I explain picking him up and putting him on his padding. It is a nice little bed, really it is. He looks up at me flashing red eyes and then smiles his goofy looking grin.
He moves around a little and then settles down. See, it wasn’t that hard. Time for mommy to get some sleep herself.
Chapter 23
His bark really is worse than his bite
The morning, or midafternoon, dawns and I feel Sebastian breathing down the back of my neck and breath from another source in the front. Clyde.
I look down and sure enough, he has tucked his little body in close to my chest. I guess I know what the smile was all about. He was just lulling me into believing he was going to sleep. I bet after my first snore he hopped up to join us.
I hope Night Owl City has an opening in Hellhound obedience school. I think the idea is probably just some more wishful thinking on my part.
“At least, he isn’t growling at me this morning,” Sebastian whispers into my ear.
“I expect that is because he isn’t awake yet,” I retort.
“Oh, he has been up for a while. He is just pretending, so you don’t yell at him.” Clyde hops up and looks over my shoulder. I cannot see the glare, but imagine it is the usual one Sebastian gets for telling on him.
“Stop glowering, Clyde. Let’s go get you some breakfast and then take you on your walkies.”
That gets him moving and he jumps off the bed. Maybe if I line his bed with steaks, it will make him stay in it. I think about food and can feel my blood thirst climbing to the forefront. I am not in the mood to feed, though, so I push it aside. I won’t be able to do it for long, but for now, it is livable. I throw on my weapons and grab Clyde’s leash so I am officially ready for the day.
I can hear Walt and Jonas talking downstairs as we climb down to join them. “Morning fellas. We have a hungry puppy here. Do you know anywhere in this town we can get a good steak?” I ask steering Clyde in their general direction.
Walt had said that he does get business from the town, but since we have been here, I haven’t seen anyone stopping by for a drink. If I was so inclined, I might take it personally.
Clyde becomes a bit excited at seeing Walt again. So excited that he gives one of his great big boy barks and tries his hardest to catch a barstool on fire. Thankfully, it doesn’t ignite in flames.
“They are really sturdy plastic. I have had to replace a few in my days after the wood versions broke from the rough housing that sometimes goes on here. I got tired of spending the extra money, so I went with something that was more durable,” Walt explains the lack of a bonfire.
“Smart move,” I say as he bends behind the counter and comes up with a plate with what looks like a couple pounds of ground round stacked up in a nice pile.
Clyde’s eyes zero in on it and he starts jumping. The little guy is making it a good four feet in the air. With a running start, I bet he could clear the counter. I study him a little closer and if I didn’t know better, I would say he is bigger than when I first saw him in Demon Boy’s lap.
“Anyone know how fast Hellhounds grow?” I ask really wishing he came with that instruction manual.
“From what I have witnessed he seems to be progressing at an inch a day and adding about five pounds in the same time frame,” Sebastian says looking at the pup.
Walt brings around his breakfast and Clyde attacks it while I do some mental calculations of my own. I am seriously hoping that this is just an isolated growth spurt and not something that continues for long.
“At that rate, he will tower over me within a couple months. Just how big do Hellhounds get?”
“The ones I have seen were about my height,” Sebastian informs me. “I haven’t seen one with all three heads, though, just two.”
I am stuck envisioning my little baby over a foot taller than me. It just isn’t computing. Walt saying, “Good morning, Sheriff,” brings me out of my haze.
“Howdy, Walt,” Kent says with his cowboy drawl that he has seldom used in the day that I have known him. “I am glad I caught you up and abo
ut, Slaughter. I wanted to thank you, if I didn’t get around to it last night. I was given a pretty big shock and I may not have been my most courteous.”
Frankly, I don’t remember if he said thanks or not. It didn’t matter to me at the time and it doesn’t really now. I am just hoping he has learned from the incident.
“You are welcome, Kent. We are going to be heading out in just a little while, so I am turning the crime fighting back over to you,” I say laughing to myself at what a hilarious statement that was.
“Yeah, well. I don’t plan on having a repeat of the drama. I have decided to take some time out from my extracurricular activities and focus on Sheila’s recovery. Doc said her skin looks like it is in good shape and he is optimistic about most of it reattaching, so she doesn’t have to regrow the whole thing.”
“That is good news for her. What about the rest of your harem, have they been informed the gate is closed?” I ask. If he thinks all those women are going to let him ride off into the sunset, I think he is going to have a ton more trouble on his hands.
“I have started telling them,” he says scuffing his feet on the floor. “So far, they aren’t too happy. A few have decided to leave town, but at least a couple of them have said they were going to just hook up with someone else.”
I am afraid in the not so distant future our paths will end up crossing again. I had better keep his list of girlfriends handy. Maybe back in the real world I will get a jump on things and run background checks on all of them. I can see if I am able to predict which one goes nuts next.
“Good luck to you,” I say trying to be nice and hide my doubt of a happy ending.
“Well, I better get back to Sheila. Just wanted to say thanks and give you this,” he says taking an envelope out of his back pocket. Said envelope is very thick and looks to me like my paycheck.
“If you need help in the future, you know where to find me,” I tell him pocketing the envelope.
“I have your email and know where you live. I think we are both hoping I don’t have to come looking for you again, but I like to keep my options open. Have a safe trip back home,” he says as he walks out of the saloon.
“Well, that finishes up the last of my business in this town. I don’t think I even had a chance to unpack. I am going to take Clyde for his walk and throw my bag in the Suburban. It looks like we are going to have a full vehicle, so pick your seats out now,” I say leading a lip-licking pup upstairs to grab my bag.
We run back down, after the quick snatch, and this time Sebastian follows behind us. He opens the back of the Suburban for me, so I can toss the bag in, and then shuts it with a loud thud.
This town has the same issue with lack of green space as Night Owl City does. Maybe I should go take Debra’s flower box down and let Clyde water it. She isn’t going to be using it anymore.
As we turn a corner, I hear a growling noise. Looking down I see that it is not coming from Clyde, who is currently enthralled with a clump of dirt. If it is not him, then chances are it is going to be a puppy of a much bigger variety.
A russet colored wolf walks out of an alleyway up ahead. Great. It doesn’t look like she, judging by the missing male bits, is in a good mood and I think she has an issue with yours truly.
I concentrate on Alex’s scent like I do when I shift. I figure if she wants to fight, I will give her a fight. I need to practice my wolf combat skills anyway. The scent trick doesn’t seem to be working. I try envisioning Alex in his wolf form and I still cannot change.
“It’s not working,” I tell Sebastian who has moved a little in front of me giving me a chance to change and handle the situation how I see fit.
Clyde hears the bit of distress in my voice and looks up from his dirt. He sees the wolf edging closer to us and takes his big dog stance. He growls softly before letting out a loud echoing bark that shakes the ground.
Holy crap. Where did that come from? I look over to the wolf and find Claudia of the red hair in the wolf’s place. Did Clyde just somehow command her to switch forms?
“Now that is a trick I didn’t know he had in his toolbox,” Sebastian says looking down at the little guy. Clyde looks very proud of his accomplishment.
Wanting to praise him, but wanting to make sure humanoid Claudia isn’t a threat, I slip one of my wrist knives out of its sheath and walk over to her.
“Are you done with whatever you were trying to prove here?” I ask leaning over her horizontal form.
“It’s all your fault,” the woman cries huddling herself into a ball.
“I find most things in life are. I am guessing you didn’t take Kent’s news too well.”
“What was so wrong with him spreading his love around? Most of us were just fine with it. Just because Deb goes and gets psycho about him, doesn’t mean the rest of us will,” she wails.
“Even if this didn’t happen, the way he went around spreading that love couldn’t have lasted forever. In this small of a town, something had to have snapped. It would have been nice if it didn’t come in a form of one of you crazies starting to skin the others.”
“That’s true. Betty and Sheila didn’t deserve that. It is just so hard when you love something so much to have it taken away,” she explains.
Her words make me think of Sebastian and the way he feels about our dead bond. Thankfully, our bond is something we can reestablish. I don’t think she will have the same opportunity. As far as she goes, she is a wolf so she cannot really be “in love” with the sheriff unless he is her mate, so I am just guessing she really likes the way he makes her feel.
“You will get over the hurt. You just need to find yourself a more stable man. I hope it is one that is a little bit more dedicated to your specific relationship. I don’t know what has brought you to this town, or your general situation, but you are a wolf, so you should have a specific mate out there somewhere. What would you have done when you met him? I saw a mate bond connecting just the other day and I can tell you, when it happens you are not even going to remember Kent Newhouse existed.”
I am getting really tired of giving these motivational speeches. Where I keep coming up with them, I have no clue.
“That’s right. I do have someone out there waiting for me and he will be one hundred times better then Kent,” she says cheering up and uncurling from her cocoon. “I think it is time for me to go face the real world again. Maybe I will get lucky and find what you two have.” She glances between Sebastian and me. Dante may not have been able to feel the physical bond between the two of us, but as Demon Boy mentioned, we still have a strong connection.
“I wish you luck in that venture,” I tell her truthfully. “Can you make it back to your place by yourself? We need to be getting on the road.”
“I will be fine. Thank you,” she whispers as she stands and goes to leave. “Your pup packs quite a punch.”
That’s right he does and right now he needs some praising for being such a good little puppy and I know just the person to give it to him.
Chapter 24
I have had it up to here
After treating Clyde to a good belly rub, we head back to collect our band of misfits.
The ride home goes downhill fast, in my book anyway. I am cranky from being hungry way too soon, me not being able to switch to a wolf when I called upon it doesn’t help matters, and Sebastian's presence has officially driven me batty.
“You are really tense, I think you need a massage,” Sebastian says from beside me. That’s just what I need, more touching.
“I am kind of in the middle of driving right this second. That makes it a little difficult,” I say between gritted teeth. “Anyone else want to drive the conversation here?”
“Looks like we might be seeing some rain,” Jonas says thinking up the most mundane topic in the world. It is enough to make me laugh, but not enough to keep me amused for long.
“So Jonas, how well do you know my father? I have heard Walt's tale of how they know each other, but I am inter
ested in yours,” I say knowing the weather conversation is not going to take long enough, or even take my mind off the vampire rubbing my thigh.
“Aaron and I go way back. I have mentioned before that our families have always been close and I followed in my father's footsteps to serve the Gentry line,” he states.
“So you have said. Did you know him about the time I was born?” I query. So far, the only person that knows about my mother for sure is my dad. Ben knows vaguely what she is, but not anything about their courtship. I really wish Walt hadn't been out of country back then.
“Yes, I was around during that time frame. In answer to the question I am sure you are wondering, yes, I am pretty sure who your mother is,” he claims. “I don't know her name, but I saw her hanging around with Aaron a couple times.”
That causes me to pivot in my seat and look back at him, not caring if I run over everything in my path. Old ladies and small children watch out. “And you didn't think to mention that to me during the last month?”
“I think the phrase ‘it isn't my place to say anything’ comes to mind,” he retorts. “There wasn't much I could tell you anyway. Only your father knows all the details and it is something you should hear in full, not just pieces that you will most likely make false assumptions about.”
“Can you give me anything? You don't have to tell me what she was or how they met, but can you tell me what she looked like?” I ask wanting to know anything I can about the woman that gave me away.
“She didn’t look like you at all, other than maybe the shade of your skin and height. She did have long hair, but it was blonde almost to the point of white. She had translucent skin that seemed to pulse with the flow of her blood. Her eyes were a bright blue that shone with an unearthly light behind them. I only saw her one time real good, but she sort of leaves an impression on you.”
“And you won't tell me what species she is?” I ask hoping for just a little more information. Now, I have something to picture when I wonder about the lady. Maybe for my dad’s birthday, I will make a giant life-sized target he can use to practice his aim. From what little he has said about her, she isn’t his favorite person.
