House of Darkness

by K. R. Alexander

  “Vel!” I still screamed. “What the fuck are you doing?!”

  “Christ!” Wade leapt from bed in his underwear, glowing hands held out toward Vel, ready to attack with more. “How did you get in here?”

  “He’ll blow your scheming little head off if you don’t watch out!”

  “Is that the fox?” Wade was shouting over me, moving around the foot of the bed while Vel got to his feet. He was naked this time.

  Wade, I realized with some confusion, had never seen Vel in a human form. All three knew him only as a gray fox lurking in shadows.

  “That’s him.” I scrambled back across the bed, away from him. “Vel. He already broke in earlier.”

  Vel cocked his head at that, raising his eyebrows. Of course, he’d waltzed right in before. And … Wade standing downstairs holding the door while we’d been distracted? Had Vel slipped inside while he weighed nine pounds a second time? Why hadn’t any cats or wolves noticed?

  Speaking of wolves, they were running upstairs, feet thumping, claws clattering, voices calling my name, asking what happened.

  Vel didn’t say anything. Wade was demanding to know why he was here and how he got in. I stared at my phone on the floor, screen still lit.

  I reached to turn on the lamp and grab my glasses. “What were you doing with my phone?” Anger beginning to catch the fear. How many more ways could one be violated in a night?

  “Ripley? What is it?” Adam ran down the hall.

  Faster, though, Gideon loped along the boards.

  Wade dropped his magic light with the lamp on. Still, he faced Vel with his hands up. “You better start talking before your wolf friends get another round with you. She might not be able to save your life a second time.”

  Vel’s eyes widened at the sound of wolf claws, his expression changing from the impetuous one he’d aimed at us. I was deeply gratified to see him looking scared. After what he’d had the nerve to do this time, I was done with him. Gideon could have him. I mean, my body is one thing, but no one messes with my phone.

  Gideon burst into the room as Vel jumped onto the bed. Not scrambled, but jumped—feet on the floor, then feet on the bed.

  “Hey!” Forgetting magic, Wade lunged to grab his ankle and drag him away from me.

  Gideon let out a roar as he caught the scent and sight and sprang at Vel, hitting Wade as Vel dodged across the bed. Vel fell on my legs and tumbled off the other side. Where to?

  Adam dashed into the doorway. “That fox is hunting a black Moon!” Like Wade, he wore only underwear.

  “Don’t you dare break my window!” I shouted.

  “I’ve got this under control!” Wade grabbed Gideon’s hind leg as he sprang onto the bed, ready to trample over me to reach Vel.

  While everyone was running and yelling and thrashing, Vel snatched the sheet and quilt, landed on his feet, and promptly jumped into bed with me.

  I’d moved to the far end, trying to get away from him. To fit in, Vel was nearly on top of me, darting against me as if he still thought he was the size of a cat in an extra fur coat.

  Gideon snarled, making me shudder as it appeared to be directed at me. Adam yelled at the vulpine shifter to get away from me. Wade was shouting at all of them. He yanked Gideon off the bed, crashing the huge beast to the floor on his chest while the snarl was cut short with a yelp. Gideon was a bit darker and more solidly gray than Adam had been. Where Adam had all sorts of creams and buffs and darker red-browns in his coat, Gideon looked monochrome, from white limbs and throat to black guard hairs bristling ferociously down his back. Both, though, could easily be taken for oversized Canadian gray wolves.

  As Vel scrambled in close beside me, I retreated, going the other way and twisting to face him. “My phone? For real?”

  Vel clung to me, sinking to make himself smaller, trying to paste his body along mine like bark on a tree. “You’ll be wanting a chance to see how much you can benefit from me as an ally.” His voice was smoke against my neck. He didn’t sound scared, only intense.

  “Get away from her!” Wade shouted, releasing Gideon and raising both glowing hands.

  Adam came around the bed to Vel’s side, growling, “Shouldn’t have come back here, maggot.”

  Gideon leapt to his huge paws and fixed on what little he could see of Vel, poised to attack.

  Through their shouts, in my ear, Vel kept talking. “You’ll forgive a glance? You could always secure your device with a passcode. If not, how can a curious fox resist a quick taste? You take excellent animal pictures.”

  “You were looking at my photos?”

  “Your Instagram, Cabby. I do adore your cats. We foxes have much in common.” He kissed my collarbone. “I’m in your debt. You won’t throw that away by letting a bunch of barbarians rip me apart in the manner of all tormented foxes at the end of the hunt in a thousand-year bloodbath of monster and victim? I can be of far, far more help to you than Fulco can.”

  I was part sitting up, part facing him. Gideon on one side of the bed, mouth open and fangs showing. Wade stood at the foot, hands bright, ready to attack—maybe ready to try blowing up a head with extra density. Adam was on the other side, close enough to grab Vel, pausing, fists bunched. Indeed, they all paused, all watching me.

  “What is this?” Adam snapped.

  “Get out of there,” Wade said. “Or we’ll make you, and you’ll wish we hadn’t.”

  Gideon kept growling.

  No one actually grabbed him. They were too thrown that I wasn’t ousting him myself. I mean, I was still pissed off about the phone but, after the first shock, I think I was the least upset person in the room.

  “Okay,” I said in a normal voice. “We’re not friends. If you’re stupid enough to come in here after what they tried to do to you, I don’t see why I should help a second time. They’re the ones in the right.”

  “In the right? For murder?” He finally pulled his face from my neck to look at me in the light of the purple lamp. Now his eyes were wide, startled, wounded by my words. “You can’t really think that. You’re supposed to be one of the good guys.”

  “Yeah, well, you’re already supposed to be dead. I guess we can’t make snap judgements in this world and always assume they’re true.”

  “You won’t really let that wolf tear me apart before your eyes.”

  “Of course not. That would give me nightmares.”

  “Drop-cloths in that front room,” Adam said. “Roll him up and take him out back.”

  “There you go,” I said to Vel. “You seem to be one of those people who have lived their lives without consequences. This will be good for you. Maybe you’ll have learned something for your next life.”

  Vel had been wormed in against me, legs on mine and penis pressing my bare thigh, but he made the mistake of propping up on an elbow, staring at me in some consternation.

  Adam grabbed his neck with both hands and yanked him backward in the slickest display of underhanded strength I’d ever seen.

  Caught from behind when he’d apparently thought he was immune, Vel’s reply was cut off. He yelled and hissed in a weirdly foxy sound, just like the wolf shifters seemed to have no trouble with canine vocalizations while on two feet.

  Adam wrenched him out of bed as if he’d weighed no more than his furry self. Vel twisted while he crashed to the floor, narrowly missing landing on his feet this time, Adam jerking him toward the foot of the bed, presumably to leave the room.

  Wade grabbed his wrist, ready to help. Vel kicked him in the shins so hard with both feet he fell, crashing into the dresser. Gideon threw himself at Vel at the same time, past Wade, jaws wide. Vel flung up his arm and Gideon sank his teeth into that. Vel screamed and kicked while Gideon, wagging his tail, fur bristled, shook and jerked at his arm like a dog with a tug-toy—only his jaws were clamped like death around naked flesh and bone and nerve endings. All the time, Adam held onto his neck, dragging him toward the door.

  Heart hammering, I sat up. “He said he can
help us.”

  They ignored me, tugging him away. Wade, wincing, followed them to the doorway.

  “Hey!” I called over growls and yells of pain from Vel. “I know you’re pissed off. I’m sorry he hurt you and he broke in and he was invading my phone and he’s an asshole and whatever. But he said he’d help with these houses. We need help, in case you didn’t notice.”

  Adam paused but only Wade looked at me. Gideon gave a mighty jerk and rested his victim from Adam’s hands, sending Vel sprawling in the doorway.

  “Gideon!” I gulped against bile in my throat.

  Wade sent a spray of what seemed to be fire into Gideon’s face, finally making him drop his prize and jump back. It was only light, but Gideon didn’t know that.

  Vel scrambled into the corner by the door on his knees, his useless arm running with blood from deep puncture wounds all the way around, already beginning to swell. Was it broken? It looked horrifically painful—but not as bad as watching it happen.

  “Sorry you’re upset,” I told Gideon. “But I’ve been trying to find people to work on this and if he’s volunteering, free of charge, then he gets a chance. He seems to know his way around a dark and creepy house. And he knows that vampire. I don’t trust Fulco either. Maybe having Vel along will give us a bit of an edge with him.”

  Gideon snarled at Vel, head down, menacing him in the corner. Vel was gasping, cradling his arm, the sleekness finally gone. He looked incredibly small and vulnerable next to the wolves.

  Adam sighed and crossed his arms, turning to me. “Go ahead and shake his hand—but count your fingers after. You know that?” Arching a brow.

  I also let out a breath. “Yeah, I do. We don’t have to be pals. I didn’t say I trust him. But maybe someone knocking you into a pit isn’t much justification for murder either.” I looked at Gideon, who still menaced Vel.

  Wade looked between us all. Finally, he said, “It’s her home. If she wants to try someone else and doesn’t mind him around…” Giving me a funny look like he couldn’t really believe this bit, then shrugging. “Just…” Glaring at Vel. “You stay away from her.”

  “That’s right, maggot,” Adam growled.

  “Okay,” I said. “Show’s over. Gideon? I told you not to come up here. You’ve upset the cats.”

  He prowled closer to Vel. Gideon opened his jaws wide, lips rippled back, exposing his fangs to the gums. He leaned into Vel’s face, puffing hot breaths on him, teeth almost brushing skin while Vel winced and screwed up his eyes.

  Having made his statement, Gideon stalked out, never looking at me, fur still bristling.

  “Your rodeo,” Adam said with disgust, turning away. “Long as you know a fellow like that’ll steal the lard out of a biscuit. He’ll be as useful as a back pocket on a shirt—mark my words.” He went on muttering as he also stalked off.

  Wade watched Vel gasp on the floor. “Can you … you know? Change your shape and heal that?”

  Vel shook his head. He tipped down his chin, clenching his teeth and hissing out a breath before speaking. “Changed too much. Need a break.”

  “Can you take your break out in the woods?” Wade asked.

  Vel glanced at him, realized he was serious, and looked at me pathetically. Arm red and puffy, soon to be twice that size and purple, with blood dripping onto the wood floor. His neck probably didn’t feel so great either.

  I squeezed the bridge of my nose below rubber glasses pads. “You can’t stay in here rummaging through things and sneaking up on people and whatever you do.” I looked at the tattoos on my own wrist, Latin letters like ancient runes. “Just … stay on the futon, I guess. And Wade, lock him in there with magic. If he wants to go out the window that’s his problem.”

  Wade nodded, though he looked more than a little dubious.

  Vel turned his pitiful expression on Wade, reaching with his good right hand. Wade helped him up. Vel gave me a shaky bow.

  He stopped at the bathroom to wash the arm, then Wade tucked him in. While they were gone, I grabbed my phone off the floor and set a passcode.

  32

  Wade soon returned, looking even more pale than usual. His icy eyes were alarmed.

  I felt a bit better to know he’d been shaken up by having to witness that also. Sure, I’d been angry. I didn’t know how to feel about Vel. But watching something like that… It didn’t matter who the victim was. Nor was it like watching violence on a screen—protected by space between you, unable to affect the outcome.

  I managed a long breath, sitting up in bed, glasses still on, as well as the light, while Wade sat on the edge and rubbed his eyes.

  “How did he get in here?” Wade asked.

  “Probably while the door was open and we didn’t notice. Does it matter? He seems to be able to get wherever he wants to be.”

  “Are you okay?” He looked around at me, shifting on the bed and drawing up a knee.

  “He didn’t hurt me. He just wanted safe harbor.”

  “That’s not what I mean.” Wade frowned.

  I shrugged. “I’m fine.”

  He heaved another sigh and eased back into bed beside me. Gently, in a gesture of strange intimacy, he removed my glasses and set them aside.

  He kissed me, returning both hands to my face, whispering, “You’re beautiful. After that Friday night you were the only woman I kept thinking about.” Another kiss. He smiled. “And tall. Next to your wolf friends I feel tiny, but it’s awkward towering over a date.”

  “Tell me about it.”

  Wade laughed and I grinned.

  “I guess you’re taller than many of the guys at that place also.” He touched his forehead to mine, the softness of his smile filling the tone and feel of him against me. “Don’t you like it, though? Commanding space? No one with hair that color is shy of attention.”

  “I didn’t dye my hair to get attention. It’s sort of a long story.”

  “I’d like to hear it.”

  “Not tonight.”

  Another kiss. He held my lips, sweet and warm, still amused. I returned it, then slid past his face to hug him, startling myself. Arms around his back, chin at his shoulder, rattling breath.

  “Thanks, Wade,” I whispered.

  “For what?”

  “I don’t know. Everything. I’m glad you’re here.” I pulled back and he kissed me again, more insistent, lingering, his tongue stroking my lips. I had to tell him about Vel—about what had happened in this very room. Why? I wasn’t sure. It just came to me that I somehow owed Wade. Like it meant something. Did it mean something? Other than that my emotional stability was fucked up these days?

  I didn’t say anything. Just kept kissing him while he was touching me more and I didn’t want to stop to say anything. I should have been exhausted, sound asleep again. Instead, I was wired after the emotional rush we’d just been through. We could nap tomorrow. No reason to go back out before sundown. If you ventured into one of those houses in the daylight, you’d most often detect nothing. Vampires certainly hid during daylight.

  Wade kissed my throat, stroking around my body, hands running to my hips.

  When he came back up I felt my way to his mouth, my tongue seeking his.

  Wade pulled away. “I have a … uh… Can I be right back?”

  “What?”

  “Really, just sixty seconds. Be right back.” Quick kiss and he was gone, dashing from the room.

  Not the first time tonight that people came and went strangely. What was he doing? Getting a breath mint? I thought he would run into the bathroom. No … his steps dashed down the stairs. Was that the front door? Then hush. He was going to his car?

  I fell back, pulling the sheet over my head.

  I’d have done anything with him, wanted anything in that moment, just to be close—sex secondary to being wrapped up with someone, not alone. Now I wanted to pop him, tell him to find his own bed, tell them all to leave me in peace for that matter, and go to sleep.

  Who was I kidding? Still sha
ken from the scene a minute ago, I’d rather them all be back in here and … anything: fighting, climbing on me, watching TV, playing boardgames, rather than alone in the dark—lamp notwithstanding.

  Everyone has issues. Indecision between hitting on someone and anxiety, thinking that having your hands nipped is grounds for murder, excessive use of down-home expressions and animal metaphors, and a propensity for break-ins and seduction were totally not the worst things in the world. Although … Vel might be walking a fine-line if I was totally honest. He’d seemed to like cats. So had Wade. Give each a point…

  Steps dashed back into the room.

  Far past the naiveté to make assumptions tonight, I peeped over the sheet to make sure of which guy it was. Or maybe someone new? Why not?

  Only Wade, still in briefs, flitting into the room and shutting the door this time. He clutched his car keys and a water bottle with a couple other things. Travel pack of tissues? How very fastidious.

  “Welcome back, Dorothy,” I muttered and pulled the sheet over my face again.

  “Sorry,” Wade panted, dumping his stuff on the bedside table and turning out the lamp as he hopped into bed.

  I jumped—his feet were cold—and he scrambled down with me in the sheet and quilt. I bit my tongue against telling him he didn’t need to turn out the lamp. I’d never been scared of the dark. Not even as a kid, when Mom would tell me about lingering spirits and what was really out there—99 times in 100 being benevolent, even helpful. And I didn’t need to worry about the rare bad egg because she and Dad aided them in finding their ways “home.” So go to sleep, little chickadee, and know they’re watching over you.

  Were they still? Even now? What had gone wrong? Why, tonight, was the darkness almost as terrifying as the aloneness?

  Wade swam through sheets with me, kissing all over, down my face and around the shirt collar, stroking my arms, twining his feet with mine. Whispering, “Didn’t mean to leave you, Ripley. Sorry…”

  Didn’t mean to leave you? Was it something wrong with me? Or their free choice, lifting the curse?

  “Wade? I…” I gulped. What was I doing? I couldn’t tell him about me, couldn’t admit that I’d lost the only thing that could get me through this mission.