Moon Shadows

by Neena Jaydon

  "It's not a problem, Theo," Max said, exasperated. "You saved my sister's life. I'll drive you anywhere you want to go." He kind of made it sound like he doesn't think we are friends. Is he still pissed off at me?

  "Is everything okay? Uh, at home?" Theo cleared his throat.

  "It's better," Max said. "Mom's almost talking to me now." He glanced at Theo and saw that his mouth had tightened up. Yeah, you should feel guilty. "Mom's really high-strung. She gets herself worked up sometimes, and it's hard to talk her down." Even just thinking about his mother's hysterical voice made his stomach twist. Theo's voice brought him out of his thoughts.

  "Do you think she'll know what we can, uh, do about them?"

  "We're going to do something about them?" Max asked, bemused. Theo stretched his hands forward and tapped the dashboard with stiff fingers.

  "They're causing trouble."

  "I'm not used to the idea of doing something about spirits." He rubbed his chin. "It's always been more live—well, exist and let exist."

  "They've gone for your sister twice, Max." There was impatience in Theo's tone now. "Plus Louis Wilson, and Marnie's sister. And you too. They're d-dangerous."

  "So are bears, and I usually leave them alone." Theo's insistence was starting to irritate him.

  "Max, what—" For a moment, Theo's voice rose, but he immediately stopped speaking, which irritated Max even more. Theo spoke evenly. "Don't you want to protect your family?"

  "Of course I do!" Max sat up abruptly, striking the steering wheel with his hand angrily. Theo's eyelashes flickered. "What are you trying to say?"

  "I just..." Theo grimaced. "I just don't get it." He laced his hands together in his lap and looked down at them, his hair falling softly over his forehead.

  Max watched the road and didn't say anything.

  "I guess protecting people—is just a thing with me." Theo spoke quite softly now. "Maybe it's because of what I am."

  Stopping at a red light, Max reached over to run his knuckles along Theo's jaw. He turned to look into Theo's widened eyes.

  "It is with me too." He traced the outline of Theo's ear with his thumb. "Are we good, Theo?" The way Theo's eyes widened and his lips quivered was beautiful. Max smiled at Theo's tiny nod. The light changed, and he drove on. I don't think I want to be done with you yet. He'd been relieved to get Theo's call, even if it was just asking for a favour.

  Someone had parked a big, red pickup truck in front of Theo's house, so it took some maneuvering to park.

  "Hey, there are lights on in your living room—" Before he could finish the sentence, Theo was on the sidewalk. Max scrambled to get out. Theo's nostrils flared as he stood on the sidewalk and his eyes narrowed sharply.

  "Excuse me," he said curtly, and marched up the stairs to fling open the door and disappear inside.

  "Hey, Theo!" Alarmed, Max followed. What if they have weapons or something? The irony of his thoughts was not lost on him as he too, charged into the house. Inside he found Theo standing in the living room, arms folded across his chest and giving the two people on the couch a dirty look. Max stood behind him, uncertain.

  The man getting up from the couch was big—really big. He had long legs and a powerful torso; his jaw and cheekbones were prominent, his mouth broad and confident. Straight black hair swept back from his forehead to his shoulders, and his light brown eyes focused on Theo from under a prominent brow. His eyebrows had the same arch as Theo's but were thicker and held at a clearly contemptuous height.

  "The key wasn't in the same place, but it's not like I couldn't sniff it out," he said to Theo in a quick, brash voice.

  "Yeah, Adrian, when the spare key's been moved and you weren't told about it, you should probably take the hint," Theo snapped. Behind the very big man was a much smaller blonde woman. She was slim, her long hair worn simply, her face lean and unremarkable. She gave Max a what-can-you-do smile.

  Adrian moved so suddenly Max didn't have time to react. The windows rattled as Adrian pinned Theo face-first to the wall.

  "Think you're a tough guy now? Huh?" Adrian pressed bodily against Theo, one hand holding his head in place. He jerked up the hem of Theo's shirt. Theo arched forward into the wall, then yelped and shoved back against Adrian.

  "Whoa!" Max started to move before he was sure what he was going to do. The woman caught him by the elbow. She shook her head in response to his startled look.

  Theo gave a trembling cry. A laugh.

  "Ade, get off!" Theo danced in place as Adrian's fingers tickled across the small of his back. He got his hands under him and gave a mighty push, sending Adrian staggering away. The woman put out a hand to stop Adrian from crashing into Max. Face flushed, Theo huffed in exasperation as he straightened his T-shirt. "Jesus, Ade, we aren't kids anymore."

  "Says the runt who's still ticklish." Adrian chuckled.

  "This is my house now. You can't just come in." Max's heart beat faster as Adrian drew himself up. He wasn't used to having to tilt his head back to look at someone's face.

  I don't think I could do a thing to this big bastard.

  "What the hell?" Adrian demanded. "This is Grandmother's house, Theofanis. You can't—"

  "Yes, I can." Theo didn't seem nearly as intimidated as Max felt. "She left the house to me."

  "Oh, yeah? She tell you to move the key too?"

  "It's my key. I can put it wherever I want." Theo gave Max an apologetic look. "Max, this is my cousin Adrian and his fiancée Kelsie. Ade, Kelsie, this is Max." Theo cleared his throat and rested his hand briefly on Max's shoulder. While Kelsie simply nodded, Adrian turned and gave Max a long look.

  Oh, boy. Max forced a smile and held out his hand. Adrian took it readily enough, but then he began to squeeze. Max kept the smile firmly in place, pretending not to notice as his hand started to hurt.

  "Next time call first," Theo said.

  Adrian abruptly let go. "Since when?"

  "Ade," Kelsie said. Her voice was flat, neutral. "Come on now. We just dropped in. Theofanis, how about I make some Greek food to apologize?"

  "That would be great, actually." Theo looked at Max, clearly hopeful. "Kelsie learned how to cook from Grandmother. She's really good."

  "Sounds good," Max managed. He felt like he hadn't gotten his bearings yet. I have to admit I'm curious. I can see if Theo's like other werewolves. What he's like with his family. He flexed his fingers to get the feeling back in his fingertips. Except his family seems kind of crazy.

  "Yeah." Theo's little smile rewarded him. "Except I've got nothing in the fridge."

  "That's okay. We can go get some." Kelsie scratched at her head. "Except I hate driving that monster in town. Could you drive me to the store?"

  "Uh, sure." Theo gave Max a worried look. "Except my car's not here."

  "Take mine," Max said. He went to Theo and patted his cheek, then whispered into his ear. "I'll be fine. I know werewolves don't eat people." He didn't feel as confident as he sounded. I can take a shower or something. Check my e-mail. Try to avoid the conversation I just know is coming.

  "Okay. He's a jerk, but at least you'll be, y'know, safe." Theo looked past him, then kissed his cheek. "Be back in a few minutes." He accepted Max's keys and led Kelsie from the house. The door closed.

  Max turned to find himself still on the receiving end of a penetrating stare. He put on a sunny smile. "I'm just going to wash up. Feel free to get yourself a drink from the kitchen." He enjoyed how Adrian's left eyebrow twitched at this subtle territorial claim.

  However, there was only so long that he could usefully stay in the shower. He dawdled long enough to dry his hair, then sighed and went out to face Adrian.

  Adrian was, to his surprise, sitting quietly in the kitchen with a pot of tea near him. He glanced up when Max entered.

  "Want some?"

  Okay, that wasn't quite what I was expecting. "Sure." Max watched as Adrian poured tea into a mug. He doctored it with sugar and milk, looking pointedly at the mug Adrian sipped from �
�� it was Theo's favourite. Adrian didn't seem to notice.

  "What you do for a living, Adrian?" Start with safe, manly, straight guy talk.

  "Drive a truck."

  "Long haul?"

  "Gravel, logging, wherever the jobs are. You?"

  "I'm a dog trainer."

  Adrian threw his head back and laughed, slapping the table. Teaspoons leapt and the milk spilled a little.

  I don't think he knows what an inside voice is.

  "Unbelievable." Adrian shook his head, his thick hair waving. "Ah, shit. A monkey who plays with dogs."

  Max grimaced and said nothing. He sipped tea, hardly tasting it, until Adrian broke the silence.

  "So how long you been screwing my baby cousin?"

  Max snorted in exasperation. "He's a grown man." His pulse quickened, but he kept his tone level.

  "Uh-huh." Adrian abruptly set down his tea and glared right into Max's eyes. "Theofanis, he shouldn't be with somebody like you."

  "Somebody like me." Max leaned back in his chair. "Now what would that mean? Gay? Ukrainian? Self-employed?" He tilted his head challengingly. Adrian's expression flattened. His eyes glittered unpleasantly under the shadow of his heavy brows.

  "Don't play games with me, monkey. You shouldn't know about us, and you shouldn't be anywhere near Theofanis."

  "I don't think you get to determine that." Anger warmed Max's face. Jesus, just how good are werewolf ears?

  "Monkeys aren't good for us. Can't trust you tricky weaklings. You sure as hell aren't good enough for him." Adrian leaned closer. "Trust me. You'll never satisfy him."

  "What?" Max snorted again. "I'm not twelve, do you seriously think—"

  Adrian leaned closer yet, his wide mouth curving into a dark grin. "I should know. I popped that cherry. Your weak little dick ain't going to do it for him."

  The room did a full turn around Max. He couldn't think of a thing to say. Adrian laughed through his nose, relaxing back into his chair with his tea.

  "Don't look like that. We're second cousins and, like, a half or something. Our family's kinda weird. Anyways, he was eighteen, I was probably twenty, twenty-one. I come over one time to hang out. He's alone, and it's real obvious I just caught him in the middle of something. Too fucking funny." Adrian sipped tea. "I couldn't help it, I had to razz him. I've never seen his face so purple." Adrian started to laugh, then sat up a little and hastily swallowed before he choked on his drink. He wiped his lips, his gaze distant. "Just to wind him up, I ask him if he wants any help. If he wants me to kiss him." Some of the amusement left his expression. "Little runt said yes."

  "I really—" Max's voice broke. His pulse thudded in his ears. "Don't think Theo would want you telling this story."

  "I couldn't help it. Seeing him just give it up to me like that was frigging hot. I swear we were at it for hours."

  "Really not appropriate," Max said. "Seriously."

  "As long as he didn't have to call the shots, he was good with whatever I—" Adrian paused, his gaze sliding to the side. The next moment the front door could be heard opening. Adrian smirked and licked his lips, giving Max a little wink.

  "You're an asshole," Max said under his breath. Adrian's upper lip curled.

  "Kane mou pipa, pithikos."

  Before Max could do more than realize Adrian had spoken Greek, Theo stormed into the kitchen. Plastic bags flying from his hands, Theo hauled Adrian out of the chair and threw him to the floor. Max, startled, got to his feet. Kelsie hurried in, pulling him to the far corner and shoving him behind her. Theo cocked an index finger at Adrian, letting loose a stream of irate-sounding Greek.

  "Whoa, Theo, cool it," Max said, left breathless by the sudden violence.

  "Stay back. You'll get hurt," Kelsie barked over her shoulder. She was about half a head shorter than Max, but he couldn't deny how easily she'd moved him around. He stiffened as Adrian jumped to his feet and lunged. Theo twisted, dodging Adrian's attack, and then caught Adrian around the waist and drove him against the fridge. The basket on top overturned, raining paperclips, envelopes, and old batteries down on them.

  "Jesus! Shouldn't we stop them?" Max hated the sight of Adrian's massive hands clutching Theo, even though Theo seemed to be winning.

  "This has been coming for a while," Kelsie said. "We have to let them sort it out."

  "But—" Max winced as Adrian hurled Theo aside. Theo spun around, then regained his balance.

  "You can't say stuff like that here, in my house. My house. Grandmother left it to me. It's mine." Theo's arm shot out, aiming a pointing finger back at Max. "He is also mine." That finger moved to indicate the door. "Get out."

  "You're kicking me out?" Adrian's face contorted in disbelief. "Theofanis, you little—"

  "Enough." Kelsie's slashing gesture cut off Adrian's words. "Ade, let's go."

  "What? Kelsie..." Adrian gestured in frustration with both hands, his shoulders slumping. To Max's surprise, when Kelsie left the kitchen, Adrian followed wordlessly behind. When the front door closed, Theo underwent a subtle but complete wilting. He slid Max a sidelong look.

  "Shit," Max said. His knees were trembling. "I've never seen you get mad like that."

  "Ade's—" Theo rubbed his face. "Ade's an asshole. I'm sorry."

  "What did he say? Do I want to know?" Max found he still hadn't left the corner. He forced himself to walk toward Theo, to try to regain some sort of normalcy. Theo's nostrils flared.

  "Told you to blow him, basically."

  Max laughed. "I'm not that fragile."

  "That's not the—not the point." Theo licked his lips. "He can't go saying shit like that to you."

  He is also mine. Max felt strange and trapped again at the very thought of those words, spoken without a hint of stammering. "I'll live."

  Theo cleared his throat, looking at the plastic bags scattered around the kitchen floor. "I can't really make dinner. Grandmother — I never learned how. Pizza, maybe?"

  "Actually, you know what? I think I'll call it an early night." Leftover nerves had killed his appetite. He wasn't finding the rundown little kitchen nearly as comfortable as usual. When Max moved for the doorway, a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He closed his eyes as arms wrapped around his chest and he felt curly hair against his neck.

  "Can you stay tonight?" Theo mumbled into his back.

  I should go. No matter what I think of that asshole, I love seeing you submit just like he does. Uncomfortable, Max put his hands over Theo's. I've got a lot to think about. Not saying any of these things, he turned his head to catch a peck on the cheek. Theo had never asked him to stay, and he wasn't heartless enough to ignore that. "Theo, how do you hurt a werewolf?"

  "Huh? Same way you hurt anybody. That silver bullet stuff's just, y'know, a myth. Why?"

  "Just wondering." That big sucker had you up against a wall, and I know if I had tried to pull him off, I couldn't do it. If I made him mad, he could probably yank my spine out. Max picked up one of Theo's hands and kissed it. I don't think I could ever protect you from anything. "As long as you're okay with just snuggling, I'll stay."

  "Yeah," Theo said in surprise. "I didn't mean we had to—"

  "Okay. I'm just not in the mood. Pizza sounds good, though. Maybe we could watch a DVD or something."

  "Yeah." Theo brightened. "I'll order. You pick the DVD." He went in search of his phone.

  Max dutifully went into the living room and looked at the jumble of plastic cases in the entertainment centre. The little house had become so familiar in such a short time that he resented Adrian and Kelsie's intrusion. He'd never felt so at home in someone else's house before. This was all alien to him.

  What have I gotten myself into?

  *~*~*

  Water. He was floating in grasping, dark, slime-thick water. At the same time, he was also walking. His body moved like a wind-up toy, unsteadily marching across the gravel road and through the ditch. He wasn't allowed to come this way. His feet were taking him up the slope to the hi
ghway. And all the while, he felt that heavy, ancient will. At the top of this hill were monsters made of metal; on the other side were trees, so many trees, holding mysteries. If it got him up the hill, he would die. Yet his feet kept moving, his body slowly rising. The light began to change as he drew clear of the tall grasses and spindly berry bushes. He was almost to the top of the hill. A roaring filled his ears. Almost to the top—

  Max's body jolted. He stared at the ceiling, his vision swimming as he tried to catch a breath. After a panicked moment of failure, he shook his head sharply and his equilibrium returned. He rubbed briskly at his face, trying to wipe away sweat and clinging unease.

  "It's been a while." His voice came out rusty. Max cleared his throat and, feeling a little ashamed, reached over to turn on the lamp. Sitting up in bed, he massaged his bare chest, which housed a restless heart. "It must be all this stuff with the weird spirits, bringing back memories." He was talking to himself to put some human noise into his trailer, which felt dark, confining, and yet not enough protection. Being reminded of Deep Murky made the trees outside his window into menacing silhouettes. "God, I'm a grown man."

  Knowing sleep wouldn't be back for a while, he flipped the covers back. He hesitated, looking at the pillow next to him. It suddenly looked empty.

  "I think I've been sleeping at Theo's too often." He reached out and ran his fingers over the pillow, wishing he could touch Theo's ridiculous black curls. Stroke his warm, smooth skin. Slip his fingertips between his lips and feel the wet heat of his mouth, anticipating that heat touching him elsewhere. Max's cock stirred, admittedly half-heartedly. "I can't think of anything that'd make me feel better faster than fucking Theo." He went as far as picking up his cell, then saw the time and sighed. "No, even he's probably asleep at three in the morning."

  Max went down the hall to his kitchen, turning on lights as he went. He grabbed orange juice from the fridge and stood there drinking it from the carton. Even in his own house, it was an act of rebellion. He could practically hear Mom's voice as he did it.

  The slightly dingy lighting of his kitchen didn't completely dispel his uneasiness, especially with the night peering in through his windows. Max sat down at the desk tucked into the corner of his living room and turned on his laptop, waiting for it to boot up and swirling the remaining orange juice around in the bottom of the carton.