* * *
Elliott rubbed his head. If he didn't do something to calm Nate quickly, things were going to turn shitty. “Alright. Easy, boy. We’re just a little surprised, and worried about you. About all of us.” Elliott threw a clean, white bar towel to Nate who caught it at the same time Darrell rose from the couch, walked towards him, and held out his hand to Nate who quietly placed the broken glass in his hand. Satisfied, Darrell processed to pick up the remaining pieces of glass from the floor and threw them in the trash next to him. “Give me the towel for a second,” he said to Nate and Nate handed it to him with a grimace as Darrell began wiping the blood off his hand. They were treating him like a child and although he didn't like it, it gave him a weird but comforting feeling.“It's okay, I've got it, buddy," Nate finally said and collected the towel from Darrell. Darrell smiled and picked up the trash can while Nate proceeded to wrap his nasty wound up. Darrell walked away with the trash can in hand and as he stepped into the kitchen, Danny, who was still standing by the balcony door finally asked, “So tell us, Nate, What did you do with the body?” Remembering, Nate dropped his head and closed his eyes, blocking out the visual. “I left it there.” “YOU WHAT?” Danny barked. Nate shrugged heavy shoulders. “What was I supposed to do, get caught carrying a carcass to the water? Even if I was successful the body would be found eventually and it’d be obvious an animal did it. If an animal killed the guy, what’d the animal do then, try to hide the body in the fucking Bay? Smart animal.” Darrell walked back into the living room, processing out loud, “Right. An animal would just leave it there and not give a fuck.” “Well, I give a fuck,” Danny growled. “Yeah. Wow. So now what?” Nate asked. “Let’s wait for the news and find out,” Elliott muttered as he handed Nate a fresh, full glass of Scotch. “Because it’s sure as hell going to be on there.” “This is why we don’t kill,” Danny asserted, gravely. Nate dropped onto the couch and took a generous gulp, not flinching as the heat hit his throat. “What about your prints?” Danny asked. “What about cameras?” Nate looked at him. “No cameras. I checked before I shifted. I’m not an idiot.” “What about the girl?” “She’s not a girl. She’s a woman,” Nate corrected him, aware of the immediately exchanged glances around him. He rose. “Look, I’m tired. I’m going to bed.” He downed the scotch and laid the glass on the elegant coffee table. As he passed Elliott, he received a supportive swat on the shoulder. It was much needed, especially with Danny looking at him like he’d never been more disappointed in anyone. Darrell called to his back, “We’ll know more tomorrow.” “Yeah.” Walking down the short hallway to his room, he heard Darrell say, not too quietly, “What the hell was that about? The woman thing.” Danny concurred, “You tell me.” But Elliott assured them, “Don’t worry. Nate’s too smart to let a woman get under his skin. He just likes to play the hero. We all do.” Nate closed his bedroom door knowing it had been more than that. He’d felt something when he’d locked eyes with the brunette who was having a bad night in the club. His wolf had caught her staring at her friend's panties from across the bar and she had been modified. But when she’d opened her mouth to apologize and correct his impression, something had hit him. First, she was adorable with her beautiful wavy hair flowing around her like an organized mess - which he was sure she wasn't even aware of. Second, those eyes of hers, he felt like he’d looked into them before. Something snapped inside of him like he’d found something. And when she’d held his stare, that feeling only got worse. They had engaged in a few flirty conversations and he'd had fucked it all and asked her out if her friend hadn't gotten into trouble with a rude drunk customer. When he'd used his commanding tone to warn off the guy, he'd instantly smelt her arousal and that had done him in. Because he'd been one smell away from losing control of his wolf, he'd run. Ran to escape it. Then he'd found himself telling the boys to go home without him, to take a cab and leave the sedan with him so he could pack some stuff up with it. What they hadn't known was that he'd done that so he could secretly follow her home and find out where she lived. That way, he didn't have to explain to the boys why he was stalking someone. But then she’d taken her drunk friend home instead and had naively walked home. There were no cabs downtown at that time of night. She should have known it was dangerous and called someone. He’d considered offering her a lift, but that would have looked too obvious. She would have known he’d stalked her, and that couldn’t happen. So, distracted he’d stared down at the keys trying to will himself to turn the car on and go. He blocked everything out since he was trying to force himself to do something he didn’t want to. When he’d looked up, she was gone and the sounds of a struggle arrested his heightened aural senses. Swearing at himself for not paying attention, he’d rushed to save her, and when he’d gotten his teeth into the guy’s neck, the sight of his near-flaccid penis hanging out of his dirty jeans enraged him. The idea that this vial human being was about to hurt her and not only that but take what was his, took away his control. He couldn’t stop himself from killing the sonofabitch. Lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, Nate heard Darrell and Danny go home. A few moments later, a knock came on his door. “Come in.” Elliott walked into the dark room and didn’t bother to switch on the lamp. They could both see easily in the dark, and from the look on Elliott's face what he was about to say didn’t need more light on it. He stood by the wall with the sixty-inch flat screen T.V. set and growled, “You're gonna tell me what happened now that they’re gone. And I won't take anything but the truth. The whole truth.”* * *Nate rose on his elbows and looked at his best friend. “For a minute I thought you wanted to have a sleepover.” Elliott's hard features remained as he grinned, “Who says I don’t?” The smile stopped at his brown eyes, which were now glowing in the darkness. Here he didn’t have to hide his supernatural qualities as they did out in public. “When was the last time you killed someone?” Nate asked. Elliott stared at him. “Never have. I thought you knew that.” They’d been friends for eleven years since they were eighteen, but they’d never talked about this subject. “No.” Nate sat up, his shoulders heavy. “I didn’t.” “Why did you ask?” Elliott inquired. “Never mind.” Elliott nodded, rubbing his closely shaved head as he glanced out the window at the New York skyline before meeting Nate’s waiting gaze. “So, are you gonna make me torture the whole truth out of you?” Nate smiled a little. “I’d like to see that.” “No, you wouldn’t,” smirked Elliott. “Seriously. What’s up with the wo
* * *An hour later, Bonnie walked into the restaurant looking and feeling more like herself. She planned on telling Joan everything, but the words kept getting stuck. It seemed so dark a thing to haunt a beautiful morning with and she didn’t want to bother Joan about it until she had all the information she needed. Putting it behind her, for now, seemed a more positive, proactive approach, so she smiled extra wide and suggested a toast instead. Joan raised her glass, waiting. “To both of us getting home safely,” Bonnie said. Joan paused and clinked the champagne flutes together with a shrug. “We could toast to that every day.” Bonnie took a sip. “Mmm.” “Right?” Joan licked the pulp from her top lip and set the glass down on top of her menu. “What have you got cooked up this week?” Happy for the change of subject, Bonnie took another sip and set her glass down as she answered, “Well, I’ve hired some teens to do a Twitter campaign for Mac Designs.” “That clothing store in the Cros
Bonnie began walking into traffic without thinking and his widening eyes and hand flying into the air made her look at what she was doing. She scrambled back onto the sidewalk and glanced away, embarrassed, then found her gaze drifting back to meet his. Bonnie tried to look casual when she felt anything but. What is he doing here? She bit her lip and glanced around, then back to him. He wasn’t alone, she realized. A good-looking man with shaved short hair and mischief in his eyes stepped forward and said something in his ear. His friend wore jeans and a blue t-shirt with yellow writing that read, “Deal With It.” When other pedestrians walked past her, she realized she’d missed the light’s change. Joining them as though nothing ridiculously peculiar was happening, she kept pace with the crowd, but could not take her eyes off him. She smoothed her hair self-consciously and then realized she was being silly. Hold your head high, girl. That’s how to do it. Arriving in front of him, she
Nate watched her yelling at him. Of course, she was scared; why hadn’t he thought of that before showing up like this? But he couldn’t tell her the truth. She had him in a bad spot and she didn’t even know it. She’d looked at him like he was the problem like she was scared of him. What could he tell her? I’m the one who saved you? That guy will never bother you again, or anyone else–I made sure of that. I know where you live because I brought your things back to you. That bag in your hands, I know what’s in it. I studied everything in the purple wallet you’ve stuffed too many receipts into for it to close. I even know you forgot to take your pill yesterday. When she left, didn’t turn around or look back, he walked to the nearest building and leaned against it, watching her, oblivious to the many, many New Yorkers walking past him enjoying the bright Indian summer day. He pulled out his phone and called Elliott. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” “You scare her off or something? Wh
Darrell walked back to the kitchen. “You want some coffee? I’m assuming you do. So the woman last night, is she who’s got that weight on your soul? You know what I’d do?” “What?” “I’d go find her.” Not sure he wanted to reveal that he already had, Nate decided to ask, “How would I do that?” “Her scent. Duh.” Oh. That. The fresh shampoo mixed with her aroma that he couldn’t get out of his nose. And then the sweet scent of arousal he’d gotten a whiff of when they were walking hand in hand. God help me. “It’s a big city. That’s not so easy.” A knock at the door swung both of their heads in that direction as a muffled voice called through, “Let me in.” Danny. “How’d he get in the building?” Darrell mumbled, impressed. Nate opened the door and walked Danny with a look that sized up the messy room with distaste. He turned on his packmate. “Elliott tells me you’ve contacted the woman you saved.” Nate cast a guilty look at Darrell and shrugged at the dropped jaw waiting for him in t
They walked to a local restaurant that had a full bar and while Bonnie wouldn’t normally have a drink during work hours, this was her client and in a way her boss, so…best job ever. As the bartender leaned in, she was pleased to hear Lauren inquire as to whether they carried Chardonnay, one of Bonnie’s delicious favorites. “We have that by the glass.” “Two, please.” Lauren turned on her bar stool and crossed her legs. “So, what have you got for me?” The women talked about marketing for the boutique at first, but as they were halfway into their first glass they were laughing so much that the business was soon forgotten. “Yes, you should have seen his face!” Lauren mimicked her ex-husband’s reaction, lowering her voice. “'Do you know how many clothing stores there are in New York? You might as well throw money into the Hudson!’” Bonnie laughed, “Once I was dating a guy who told me that because I was a woman, corporations wouldn’t take me seriously! There was no way I’d get anywhere
“Can you turn the TV up?” Bonnie asked and the bartender glanced over to her and nodded, then grabbed the remote. The reporter grew louder by the second. “They still haven’t found the animal that killed Robert Williams here a little past 3:30 a.m. last Saturday. As we’ve told you, police say the body was torn to shreds, but now we hear that the zoo is denying any animals have escaped, assuring us they are on full lockdown. What was it that killed Robert Williams that night, are the supernaturals back? And most importantly, are we safe?” Lauren’s voice came through the fog. “So scary.” As if someone had just packed her gut with ice, Bonnie stared at the screen. “Oh my God,” she whispered. Lauren glanced over. “Haven’t you seen this? They’ve been talking about it for days.” Numb, Bonnie shook her head, admitting quietly, “I don’t watch the news.” Laying down the menu and picking up her fresh glass, Lauren shrugged one shoulder. “Smart. It’s always bad
Darrell and Elliot waited until they heard the door to Danny’s office close, then Elliott Looked at his bearded friend and said at a lower volume, “Between you and me, I’m not having her here to see if she can be trusted. I just want to get Nate talking again. He hasn’t said a word since Sunday.” “He’s got it bad. He hasn’t come in today, either. What’s he doing?” “Who knows?” Sitting in the chair opposite Darrell’s desk, Elliott added with a tired spirit, “You and I are the only sane ones around here. Let’s do something. Let’s promise to always stay single. Anything else is too messy.” Darrell stretched his arm across the desk. They clasped hands and said together, “Deal.” Looking at the door with his mind full, Darrell leaned back and sighed, “An animal escaped from the zoo. Can you believe it?” Elliott rubbed his head. “We’re lucky so far. They found fur on the body, so…” “Yeah. It’s a good thing the police believe werewolves no longer exist or they’d be checking that evidenc