Beauty is the Beast: Beasts Among Us - Book 1

by Jennifer Zamboni

  It wasn’t like Doug and I were actually dating. I had to keep reminding myself it was not a possibility the entire day. No, no, no, no, NO!

  I dropped Doug’s hand, trying to be casual about it.

  “Something wrong?” he asked.

  “No. Yes. I don’t want to talk about it.” Not with him anyhow. I’d unload it all on Lacey-Marie later.

  “Oh.” He lagged a for a bit, then caught up. “Did I do something wrong around your friends? I know I’m not the most socially conscientious guy—”

  “No, nothing like that. I’m just feeling a bit psycho today. I’m glad you’re here.” Exceedingly glad. I might have lit into Greg otherwise.

  “Yeah, I noticed. Is that normal?”

  “Uh.” Was it normal for me to start wolfing out every five minutes? “No.” I usually have my wolf on a short leash, except for those days when the night was bright. I seemed to have slipped my collar. Was he worried he’d become a maniac if the alpha decided to change him? Perhaps I should have lied.

  “Good. I like being with you, but you can be a little scary.”

  It didn’t matter how tame I may have appeared. He should always have a healthy fear of the wolf.

  We made it to Percy’s car. “Yeah, I know. I really can’t help it. It’s been a stressful month.” I had one of Percy’s keyless remotes in my pocket, so I waved my foot under the back, popping the trunk.

  No violin. I looked under the blanket, digging down to the spare tire, then started tearing the car apart.

  “I’m absolutely positive that I put my violin in the trunk. Where the hell is it?” I hopped into the trunk to dig some more, hoping it had just been pushed farther back into the emergency blankets.

  “Ah, Gretchen? What are you doing?” Doug held the trunk open as I frantically shoved the back seat down and crawled through.

  “Shit, shit, shit! It’s not here. It’s not anywhere! Where is it?” my performance outfit hung from the garment hook in the back seat, but no violin.

  “Gretchen, you’re um—”

  “What?” I turned around and snarled at Doug.

  “Fuzzy,” he finished.

  I ran my tongue over my growing teeth, and the pain kicked in. Double and triple shit!

  Suddenly, Doug went flying sideways and was replaced by Quintavious, who reached through the trunk, grabbed my leg, and dragged me out.

  I started wolfing out faster, and I roared, my fangs inches from his face.

  “Gretch, easy.” Doug pushed the were out of his way and placed his hands on my shoulders for the second time that day.

  He was too late. I could feel it. A loud snap punctuated with snarls escaped my body.

  “Get away from me!” I roared, pulling away from Doug’s soothing hands.

  He didn’t listen, pulling my face into his shoulder again. He was breathing calmly and evenly. Not at all what I would expect from someone who was afraid of me from time to time. He kept one hand in my hair, massaging my scalp, the other made slow circles between my shoulder blades, down to my lower back and back up.

  “It’s okay, ma colombe. You’re going to be fine.” His voice was as soothing as his heartbeat and hands.

  Concentrating on making my breaths match his, I relaxed little by little and brought my arms up to hug him back. There was another snap, and I groaned in pain. He continued to hold me as the fur and extra bits of teeth receded back to wherever they came from. It was quick and far too unsettling for it to happen twice in one day.

  As soon as Quintavious knew I’d calmed, he dragged Doug from my clutches. “What the hell is wrong with you? Do you have a death wish? Do you realize she could have ripped you to shreds?” Gone was the peace keeper. After all, a submissive were was still more dominant than a human.

  I squirmed my way between them and shoved Quintavious back. “Leave him alone.”

  “She won’t hurt me,” said Doug.

  I didn’t want to hurt him, but if he kept taking chances like that, appreciative though I was of him, he was going to end up dead. That’s how a wolf works. I didn’t say anything, just tugged on Doug’s shirt and went to find Percy.

  She was waiting for me at the gazebo, carrying my violin case.

  “You looked busy, so I retrieved it for you.” She held it up, not knowing the disaster she’d almost caused.

  “Thanks. Don’t ever help me again.” I snatched Lola and stalked away, leaving Doug to explain.

  My boys were still surrounded by weres. Quintavious hadn’t reappeared to enlighten them about my latest episode.

  “There you are,” said Scott, slinging an arm around my shoulders. “We were wondering where you’d wandered off to with the hairy guy.”

  “His name is Doug. We went looking for my violin. I had a minor panic attack when I couldn’t find it, and here I am.” I wiggled away.

  “Ok—ay.” He let his arm drop back to his side. “Well, you should probably get changed, so we can get going on sound check.”

  Right, changed. Back out to the car I went. At least I knew my stage costume was still there. I picked it up and hiked over to the bathrooms halfway across the fairgrounds. I was grateful they had bathrooms and I didn’t get stuck changing in one of the bright blue port-a-potties.

  I had several layers: a tight black long sleeve shirt as the under layer, a loose bell sleeved shirt, and the black and red corset over the top. Hey, I wanted to look warm. It was expected that people get cold when the thermometer drops, so I had to follow conventions to avoid suspicion. Knee-high buckle-infested boots and black skinny jeans completed the look. I’m a creature of habit, and people recognize the costume. I pinned and teased my wild curls into a Mohawk to rival Mark’s, pinning in some red extensions and weaving them in. Makeup, hairspray, all done.

  I marched out in much better spirits than I entered. I had needed the time alone and managed not to get pissed off by any of the obnoxious teenagers who haunted the festival after school hours. They needed to watch their mouths. This was a family event. Of course, it was almost dark, and the families had a tendency to leave, making it a young person haven.

  I tuned up and plugged in, just in time for sound check. Mark smiled at me, and I grinned back. Yep, I was in much better humor.

  We worked well with the Club North sound guy. I wondered if we could talk him into doing gigs with us on a regular basis. It’s so much better when you can use just one sound guy, instead of suffering through some of the hacks available at some venues.

  As final dark descended, we jammed in preparation for our show to draw in the crowd. There were five sets of wolf eyes, besides my own, glowing throughout the crowd. I hadn’t thought about the glow. Our eyes are reflective, just like real critters. Of course, mine wouldn’t be too bad, as we had lights shining in our direction.

  When we were satisfied with the size of the crowd. Mark made our introductions, and we began playing in earnest, my computer set up with the sound guy to record everything. We’d pick through it later and see where we could make some improvements. The sound guy was familiar with my software and was perfectly happy to fiddle with it along with the sound board.

  With adrenaline zinging through my system, I played more were than I normally would in public, managing to pull my attention away from the glowing eyes staring back at me and pouring myself into the music. There were spots in a couple of the songs where we each got a chance to improvise and show off. I took full advantage, reveling in it.

  When we finished the set and went about breaking everything down, a guy in his forties with a neatly trimmed beard approached us.

  “I’m Blake Adams.” He held out a hand to Mark, who shook it. “You guys have a great sound. I’ve been hearing your name thrown around a lot lately, so I came to check you out, and I’m glad I did. I own a studio down in Portland, and I’d love it if you’d came and recorded an album with us.” He shook hands with each of us in turn with a firm grip.

  Mark looked around at us, taking in our matching grins
. “We’d love to. How can we get in touch?”

  Blake pulled out his wallet and handed Mark a business card.

  We finished breaking down and found ourselves surrounded by the pack.

  “Congratulations, Gretchen, that was a great show. And a chancy one.” Kaine referred to my near wolf out moments before the show.

  “Thanks, I’m fine now.” I could keep the wolf muzzled, at least until I got home.

  “We’d like to invite you and your friends to join us for some drinks.”

  Werewolves in a crowded bar. That didn’t sound smart. “Sure. You guys up to going out?” I turned to my boys.

  Austin shrugged, and Scott didn’t say anything at all.

  “Yeah, sure. Sounds great,” Mark said, flipping down the clasps on his guitar case.

  I wound up my cords, using Velcro strips to keep them organized before storing them back in my duffel. I had a surprising amount of equipment for such a petite instrument. I relinquished it all to Percy, who waited just out of earshot.

  “We’re going out for a drink,” I muttered

  “Is that wise? You smell positively canine,” she muttered back, searching my eyes with concern.

  “Wanna come and hold my leash?” I invited.

  “No, no. I’m sure Doug can manage you without me there. Besides, Hades and tequila aren’t a good mix. Unless you’re trying to make a bomb.” Percy waved me off. She wasn’t one to get drinks anyhow. In fact, the hair show was the first time she’d been out with actual drinks in over a year. She usually ordered lemon water.

  I waved and turned back to the kerfuffle I may have created.

  The wolves were looking convincingly young and innocent. It was almost scary how well they pulled it off. I did all right, managing to fool customers and friends alike into thinking I was really 24. They were a whole different pan of cupcakes. If I couldn’t smell what they were, I’d never know. They were so much more in control than I, keeping each other in check, and Kaine had the whole pack to balance him out.

  I was a dominant wolf without a pack. And though I’d found some balance with Percy and Lacey-Marie, they lacked the doggy social skills, or whatever magic is involved in forming a pack. Maybe I should have gotten a dog for mental health purposes.

  I stopped Percy to grab my cash and ID from my purse and let her cart the rest away. I didn’t have any workable pockets, so I stuffed everything down into my bra.

  “Mr. Wolfemin, will you be joining us tonight?” Kaine asked.

  I hadn’t been aware of Doug’s last name.

  “If you’re sure you don’t mind me tagging along.” Doug shrugged, looking uncertain. He knew what they were, despite their disguise as normals.

  “Not at all. And if you’re willing to stay out late our, ah, boss would like to have a word with you.”

  Very well done, slipping in the alpha changer into the conversation without betraying what he was.

  “I’ll definitely be there then. I hope it’s business we’ll be discussing?”

  The pack closed in around Doug, and I tensed. I had a feeling it would be more than a conversation taking place later on. I didn’t like being cut off from him. I wasn’t a member of the pack, so apparently I didn’t have a say in the matter.

  “So, you know all those guys?” Scott asked, pointedly not looking at my face.

  “Yeah, they’re kind of family.” I stared at the group surrounding their potential new member.

  “Right. Family.” Scott stalked off.

  Why was he so angry? I’d already told him that Quintavious was my brother, hadn’t I? Apparently he didn’t believe me. Whether they were my pack or not, they were all family. We had the same father, after all, in a loose sense of all being bitten by the same fae.

  “Hey, Austin,” I called across the small crowd.

  “Yo!” He waved.

  “Can Doug and I catch a ride out to the bar with you?”

  “Sure. Help me drag the rest of the gear out to the van, and we can get going.”

  “Of course.”

  First I had to extract Doug from the midst of the pack.

  “Hey, we’re getting ready to leave. Can you finish your conversation at the bar?” I asked, planting myself at Doug’s side.

  “Of course, my lady.” Kaine took my hand and kissed my knuckles, all the while keeping his eyes on mine.

  I yanked my fingers from his grasp, adding a little dramatic flair by wiping them on my pants. “Doug. I was talking to Doug.” I took his arm and gave him a small smile. “Are you ready?”

  I was using him to push the point home that I didn’t belong to Kaine, who just smiled at me like I was a precocious child rebelling against him.

  “Yes, I’m ready.” Doug’s smile was even bigger than Kaine’s, and I could hear his heart race with excitement, which didn’t bode well if the alpha turned him down.

  Being a wolf has its positives and negatives, and I firmly believe that if one has the chance to remain human, they should hold on to that existence with a death grip. I walked away brooding over the change of events, hauling gear, mindless of the fact that I shouldn’t have been able to lift most of it so easily.

  Doug followed me, toting some lighter things. His smile had disappeared, my mood rubbing off on him.

  “What’s the matter?” he asked, shifting his armful into the puzzle of equipment.

  “Nothing. I’m fine. It’s just been a long day.”

  His shoulders slumped with disappointment. “Would you rather go home?”

  “No, I think it would cause less trouble if we just go. I can’t afford to tick off the pack tonight.” I rearranged some amps so the big plastic bins could fit in without too precarious a balancing act.

  “So the pack’s leader seems to be in love with you.” He couldn’t have brought up a sorer subject. His statement was innocent enough since he didn’t know what it meant if a wolf carried a torch for someone.

  Wolves are very loyal to their packs. They’re even more loyal to their mates. From what I’ve picked up over the years, divorce between were-couples is unheard of. There were the occasional cases of death and dismemberments, but those were rare and far between. The bond is on a primal level, chemical, and it’s a solemn vow. Wolves also pair up quickly when they find someone compatible. I think it’s a survival thing, as there aren’t so many women who’ve been changed. The males have to snatch them up before someone else does. It’s yet another reason I have problems with relationships and commitment. I’m fully aware that if I make any sort of commitment to a mate or a pack, it will be instantaneous and eternal.

  I wasn’t ready for forever, not with Kaine, no matter how badly I wanted a family.

  “Who’s riding shotgun?” Austin saved me from having to come up with something else to say to Doug.

  “Me!” I pasted a smile on my lips and darted for the passenger side door.

  “Where do I ride?” Doug asked, glancing at the van’s two seats.

  “In the back with the junk. As long as Austin doesn’t get pulled over, we’ll be fine.” I opened the door and hopped up into the seat.

  I hated seat belts and all they represented, but I clipped mine in just the same. The whole ‘you must wear a seat belt because it’s the law’ thing really irked me. It’s just another way for someone to tell you what to do when it doesn’t affect them at all. Besides, even if we did get into an accident, it wasn’t as if I could get hurt badly enough to die. But Doug could.

  I hopped back out. “I changed my mind, I’ll ride in the back.”

  Doug had already settled himself in amongst the equipment. “No, I’m fine back here.”

  “Sit in front,” I hissed quietly at him, proving my temper was still too close to the surface.

  “Fine, okay, I’ll sit in front.” Doug held up his hands in the defensive position and scrambled up to the front of the van.

  I found a good spot between an amp and the bass drum.

  “All set back there?” Austin asked, tu
rning the key in the ignition.

  “Yep. I’m comfy.”

  The fairgrounds were close to Bangor, so I wouldn’t get jostled around too badly, especially with Austin on his best behavior behind the wheel to avoid attracting any police attention. There were plenty of things to hide behind if we had the misfortune to be pulled over, but we made it to the bar without mishap. We had the good fortune to be the first ones to arrive, which meant the pack would have to join me, instead of me joining them, giving them the wrong message.

  Kaine had mentioned that the alpha would be around at some point, and I briefly wondered if he would show up at the bar, or if there was some preordained place where he’d meet with Doug and me.

  I felt a little like an overdressed bar skank, compared to the blue jeans and sweaters all around. The hair and makeup didn’t help my case, as they were intended for the stage, not for a night out on the town.

  Being the most aggressive of my little trio, I fought my way through the crowd to the bar. The bartender was a big guy in his early thirties, dressed in a black wife beater-style tank top to best show off the tattoos on his biceps. Both his ears were gauged, and he obviously made a slather and bic a part of his daily routine.

  “Two beers and one Captain and coke,” I sang out as soon as his attention wasn’t quite so in demand.

  “Be right with you.” He looked me over, his eyes roving over my costume and lingering on my face. “You look familiar.” He set the beers down in front of me, then proceeded to mix my drink.

  “I’m here every once in a while, and my band plays around. We played the festival tonight.” I used a swinging hand motion to explain my getup.

  “You’re the chick who plays the weird looking fiddle.” He set my drink in front of me.

  “Electric violin,” I supplied, trying to figure out how I was going to carry three drinks.

  “You guys are good.” He crossed his arms over his broad chest and smiled with a nod.

  “Thanks, I’ve had about 150 or so years of practice, and the guys were playing together before I joined up.”