And The Truth Shall Set You Free

Gill looked around the table, noting every face and person present.  Many of the Peak’s elite citizens sat around the table.  Several shot him dirty looks.  Others glared at him and looked away.  Some nodded and went back to talking amongst themselves.  Gill swallowed hard and looked back to the head of the table where Dante sat.  To his left, Vernon sat along with Delvezio who gave everyone at the meeting the once over twice.

Dante rapped on the table drawing all eyes to him.  He raised his glass and drank.  Everyone at the table followed suite.  Gill drank a second time savoring the flavor coating his tongue and taste buds.  The rich mineral water came from the well deep within the mountains surrounding the town.  Having gotten used to the taste and flavor lemon juice added to the liquid, Gill knew what this precious commodity meant to the town and its surrounding farm lands. 

 As Dante lowered his glass, he spoke.  “Many of you believe Gill is siding with the enemy.  The outsiders as we refer to them.”

Murmurs sounded and heads nodded.  Dante tapped on the table drawing attention to him again.  He continued speaking.  “For a while now, we’ve grown in size and population.  New species of shifters call the Peak home as well as other supernatural beings.  Our human citizens’ numbers are increasing too.”

Vernon cleared his throat as Dante paused.  He glanced at Dante who nodded.  Vernon rose, speaking as he made his way around the table.  “To survive and thrive, we’ve got to come together.  Separation of species is tolerable to a point.  Some are crossing lines and forming families.  Uniting is in our best interest.”

Vernon flipped open the flip chart setting on the easel to Dante’s left.  “This is a topography map of the town and surrounding land holdings.”

Dante pushed back from the table, flipped to the next page, and spoke.  “Recent rumblings at the state capital want to use the eminent domain to start fracking for oil not far from here.”

“There goes the water table,” Gill said as he rose, making his way around the table.  “Also strangers.  Not ones that pass through or decide to stay because they found a place to call home.  One that will snoop and dig.”

Murmurs started.  The noise grew.  Dante leaned on his hands, growling low.  Many of the wolves present silenced.  Vernon moved between Gill and Dante.  “Gill, Dante, and I covertly met when the first state agent drove into town and approached Gill.”

Dante righted himself.  “We knew getting the state to leave us alone would take some doing.”

“I prefer an open door policy,” Gill offered as he spoke in his defense.  “That wasn’t an option this time.”

“Why not?” a voice called out.  Others added their comments until the fervor grew intense.

Dante and Vernon rapped on the table until quiet filled the room.  Dante spoke first.  “Because sometimes you have to surprise the enemy.  Aka the blasted state. “

“Yes spilling everything isn’t good policy and you all know this.” Vernon sat down as he said more.  “How many of you would have scared the crap out of the state agents and personnel in hopes of running them out of town?”

Heads began to duck.  Many looked away.  Vernon chuckled.  “Believe me the thought crossed our minds more than once.  This time there was no easy way out.”

Gill tapped the flip board.  “The state will declare our area off limits if we can show them certain pieces of information.  The good old statistics that lead to hash marks.”

Dante stood raising his hand.  “So a united Peak working together can fudge some wonderful numbers and show off our organic farms.  Lovely pesticide free orchards and gardens as well as our solar powered sewer system.”

“Oh man that place stinks worse than road kill on a super-hot asphalt.”  Laughter followed.

“Very true,” Dante added.  “So Gill didn’t sell us out.  Instead he lit the fuse that got many talking and ready to act.”

“So now what?”  

“We start informing the city about the next phase.  Damn state agents and personnel roaming around.”  Vernon leaned back in his chair.  He winked at Gill who stood behind Dante.  

Gill reminded himself to take deep breaths and count with each one.  Brainstorming how to get the word out was next.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HAPPY WEEKEND GANG!

Well the truth comes out.  Or is there more to come?

Hope you and yours are staying dry and safe with this bout of weird summer weather we're dealing with.  Even the spice homestead had to deal with crap from it.  We're on our way to bouncing back.  Let's hope the next round is a stalemate.  If this is what we got now, what is our winter going to look like?

Keep a few good books handy to share with your loves and spice.  I've got a few to do that with myself.

Until next week,

Solara

Clean it up...

 My apologies for the lateness and the roughness of the following post.  It was a spur of the moment idea from my school work soaked brain, but as rough as it is, it sure screams Nick to me.  Honestly, I fall a little more in love with this alpha every time I write him.

 ~yes, Ziva, I know he's yours.  I'll keep my hands to myself, but you can't stop my lustful thoughts.~

Enjoy!

~~~
“Tell me you didn’t just say he was whoring out his she’s, Dante.” 

“’Fraid I can’t, man. Osbourne is up to no good and yes, it’s been confirmed.”

“Fluffing Lupa!” Nick raised a hand to his forehead and squeezed his temples. He’d hoped this day would never come, but wasn’t surprised that it had.

“S’cuse me?” 

“What?”

Dante’s barked out laugh stopped Nick’s thoughts short.  This was no laughing matter, yet his friend was somehow finding humor in the subjugation of she’s.  It was so unlike the man.

“Shucks, Dante, this is not fluffing funny.  That gosh darn, flea ridden, pretend alpha is abusing his she’s and you’re laughing? Fluffing, h.e. double hockey sticks, ya pike, er, hiker, we need to stop this!”

“I-I know…”

“Then stop you’re mother-fluffing, ina-fluffing-ppropriate laughter you son-of-an-itch-bay!” Nick roared.

Dante continued with the hysterics, but he wasn’t the only one as Nick soon realized.  He left his office, phone still to his ear only to see the entire newsroom holding their stomachs and laughing like the Talbot’s Peak hyena pack after a night of drinking and revelry.   “What the heffer is going on out here!  Don’t I pay you to do work, not laugh your bums off?”  The verbal reprimand missed the mark as his crew just laughed harder, and Dante gasped for breath on the other end of the call.

Penelope grabbed his arm and pushed him back into his office.  He could tell she, at least, fought a losing battle with trying to swallow her mirth. “Stop, swearing!  Just stop, Bossman.”  She shut the door and laughed so loudly he could hear her through the wood.

“Yeah, please do what Mistress P suggests.”

What was the deal with his swearing? 

“And thank you, my friend, I needed that.  With everything going on around this town, it’s nice to have a moment of lightness.”

“You’re welcome,” Nick muttered, not really understand what was so funny. “I guess.  Though I don’t know what was so funny.”

“Really, you couldn’t hear it?  You just fill the wavelengths with the pinkest, non-swearing swear words known to man, or little girl rather.  Fluffing, gosh darn, son-of-a…”

“All right, I get it. You can stop.”  Nick dropped back into his chair and looked at the calendar.

“Ziva’s trying to break me of my swearing habit before the pup comes.  I promised I’d try.”

“Call it a success then.”

“Doofhead.”

Dante barked then coughed quickly to cover up his laugh. “Don’t get me started again.  Tell me more about this Osbourne.”

“You don’t remember him?” Nick asked, surprised his friend would be drawing a blank on this particular subject.

“Should I?”

“Wow, I figured you would.  Anyway, Ozzy went to school with us.  He was the dorky wolf who was only alpha by the slimmest shred of luck.  He spent all of his time regaling the betas around him with stories of how your old man loved him more than he did you and that he was going to lead your pack one day and then your bum was going to be grass.  Ring any bells?”

“Fluffing, son-of-an-itchbay…”

Nick grimaced. “Oh, shit – shoot – scat, that does sound horrible. I need a new clean up my mouth plan.”

“Yeah, you do, my friend.  You can do it for that sweet mate of yours and your pup.”

“Thanks.”

 “But damn, Ozzy is that punk?  I only vaguely remember him.  The shit he spewed was ridiculous and I would have been head over heels if Damien had shown this dickhead his brand of love.”

“Fracking right.” Nick laughed alongside Dante at that thought, though it was a humorless kind of laugh.  He remembered all too well the hell that was his friend’s upbringing.  He once again thanked Lupa Dante was so strong.

“That one is better than fluffing.  You know, if I remember correctly, Ozzy ran away and hid anytime I came near.

“He did, then he would beat up one of the betas in his group for not being a better alpha and protecting their alpha’s back.  He screwed up many a wolf that way.”

“Did Mooney ever spend time with him?”

“Never.  I would have garnered Vernon’s wrath if I’d let anything happen to the Moonster, but also, I kill any alpha runt who messed with my brother.”

“I’m glad you and Mooney have come as far as you have.  You’re better together than apart.”

Dante’s word made Nick smile.  “Me too, man.  I’m hoping to get there with Reetha someday, as well.”

“You will.  Just give her time.  Now, is there a story here we can use to take this runt out?”

Nick looked at the notes he’d already been unconsciously taking while taking to his fellow alpha.
“Sure there’s a story here, but I think that’s a bad way to go.  One, because, getting the word out would be tricking…we want the wolves to know what’s going on and the human’s left in the dark.
And two, what this runt needs is totally un-PC and could get us in hot water with some of the other groups here in the Peak.”

“What do you suggest?”

“We grab him during the pack nap and drop him into a group of our alpha she’s.  They will serve up justice, nice and quick-like.  Hell, knowing some of our she’s, he’s going to become someone’s bitch and served up on a whore’s platter.”

Dante’s laugh was infectious.  “Karma’s a bitch!”

“Actually, she pretty darn nice, but I think she has her hands full with helping Erol…and is somewhere over the Atlantic right about now, but I get your meaning.”
~~~

Have a wonderful weekend!

Serena

The Solution in a Jif

Ewan and Maureen helped each other out of the mammoth poo and wiped each other off as well as they could. This meant shedding what remained of their clothes. Ewan didn’t mind public nudity, especially in front of a woman. Especially since he could now happily stare at Maureen’s sweet little tits. They made his mouth water, in spite of the stains and the pungent aroma permeating the air. Yep, true love for sure.

Maureen clearly wasn’t as comfortable with nakedness as a shifter, and tried to distract herself by focusing on the matter at hand. “Atcheson’s still headed for Talbot’s Peak. He’ll stomp it to bits just for the heck of it. He’s not just an a-hole, he’s a psycho a-hole. Getting changed into a giant mutant mammoth didn’t do him any favors.”

Much as Ewan would have enjoyed a romp in the woods with his favorite naked lady, even he had to concede now was not the best time. “We should join up with Dante. He’s set up a defense line at the creek. If Dumbo makes it past them there’ll be no stopping him. Hope Dante’s rustled up some weapons. Like a dragon, maybe.”

“You have dragons?”

“Just the one that I know of. We’re a pretty open town.”

Maureen hugged her arms over her breasts, and Ewan muttered swears. “Pity they don’t have some peanuts. That’d stop him for sure.”

“Peanuts for the elephant? Well, if he stops to eat ‘em—”

“No, not that. He has an allergy. A really bad one. Just the smell of peanuts gives him a rash. If he swallowed some, jeepers, anything could happen.”

“Hold up there. You’re serious. Are you sure about this?”

Maureen made a sour face. “I was the group girl, duh. Guess who had to do all the cooking and grocery shopping? Atcheson was really specific about what he wouldn’t eat. Every time Ted had a candy bar Atcheson would pitch a fit. Especially Reese’s. It wasn’t hard to figure out.”

“So if we got him to swallow a Snickers he’d keel over?”

“Probably. He’s still mostly Atcheson genetically. If the allergy carried over—”

“We can stop him in his tracks.” It was a wild, off-the-wall idea, just the kind that appealed to coyotes. “I need to shift for a minute,” he told her. “Try not to scream.”

Maureen massaged her throat and offered up a wry grin. “I’m pretty much screamed out.”

Ewan couldn’t answer. His mouth was now a muzzle. Dante needed this new information, and a howl would travel faster than their feet. He lifted his head and filled his throat and sent his song out into the air, in the hopes wolf ears would pick it up.

# # #

Cochrane pointed. “There he is!”

The point wasn’t really necessary. A four-story-high mutant werewolf/mammoth hybrid was pretty easy to spot. He’d reached the open stretch of road that angled down toward the creek. If he made it past the bridge, it was only two miles to Talbot’s Peak. Even if the town was prepared, there would still be damage and injuries, maybe even casualties.

The monster wouldn’t cross the bridge. Even if Dante had to drive his motorcycle down its throat and choke it.

He turned to Rafe. “Is she still on his back?”

The golden eagle shifter shaded his eyes. “I don’t see anybody up there. Let me check.” He spread his arms, which shifted to wings, and sprang into the air. Cochrane and Turkle, more pragmatic, continued loading their elephant guns.

The long grass at the side of the road shivered and a wolf emerged. He loped up to Dante, where he shifted. Deuce hunched over with his hands on his knees and gulped in breaths. “Ewan,” he gasped when he had enough air. “Back there. Had a plan.”

It must not have worked, because the beast was still coming. Dante peered grimly at the rapidly-approaching Hellephant. “He’s not slowing,” he said, “and we can’t wait any longer. Will those things bring it down?”

“If we hit the right spots,” Turkle said. He and Cochrane nodded to each other. “We’ll hit the right spots.”

Off to the side, Syprelli stared in horrified fascination at the lumbering mammoth. She was not a fighter. Dante had expected her to shift and bolt well before now, but she’d held her ground, determined to do whatever she could to help. His admiration for the Pegasus shifter increased.

Rafe swept back and circled overhead. He shifted while still in the air, and landed hard. “Nobody’s up there,” he reported. “It’s just Jumbo by his lonesome. I didn’t see Ewan, or the werewolf or the girl.”

“Then we’re clear,” Dante said. “Fire at—”

Then he heard the song, the long coyote howl of trills and yips. The mammoth paused in mid-step, snorted through his trunk, and kept coming. “What—” Cochrane started.

Dante chopped his hand through the air for silence. He and Deuce listened intently to the coded message inside the howl, translatable only to canine ears.

When it ended, Deuce blinked at Dante. “Peanuts? He wants us to fight it with peanuts?”

“Food allergy,” Dante deduced. “Cochrane. Did your man have a food allergy?

“Is that what it was?” Cochrane said. “I thought he was just a prissy boy. Damn finicky about his food. Worse’n a goddamn cat.”

Dante had already tuned him out. “Your place is closest,” he said to Turkle. “Do you have any peanut products?”

“Hell yeah,” Turkle said. “Peanut butter. Buckets of it. The missus makes her own. She baked a batch of cookies this morning. There might be some left.”

“If we can get him to ingest some, it might slow him down, maybe even stop him completely. Rafe—”

“I’ll go,” Syprelli said. “I’m no good in a fight.”

“You’ll need someone to carry it. Will you take a rider? Deuce.”

Deuce saluted and darted toward Syprelli. Where the girl had been now stood a red horse with crimson-feathered wings. Deuce asked permission before he got on. He clung tight to her mane.

“Password’s ‘giblets,’” Turkle said. “Better yell it as you come in. The missus don’t know you two, and she’s got dead aim.”

“Got it,” Deuce said. His words were whipped away as the horse leaped skyward. She and her rider shot over the trees.

Far closer than he’d been only moments before, the mammoth lifted his trunk and trumpeted. He’d spotted the enemy. Tiny eyes narrowed in hate, he charged the bridge.

# # #

No, I didn’t pull the allergy bit out of my butt. I set up that plot point weeks ago, in this entry here. Even pantsers can plot now and then. (smug grin)

Selfie with Dante?

Since it's kids week here on Shapeshifter Seductions Daniel and Silas Swans wanted to make an appearence.  They were determined to try a selfie stunt after watching a teenager across the pond get a great shot, and the stink eye, of himself and the Queen of England.  What, they wondered, could they get from the great and wise, Dante of Talbot's Peak?

If you haven't see the Queen's stink eye moment yet, check it out here.
 
~~~
“Did you get it?”

“Shush, he’ll hear you, then we’ll never get the shot off.”

“Here he comes, here he comes.”

“Damn Daniel, you are such a loud butt dork.”

“Am not! You are Silas.”

“Shut up and get ready.”

“Jerk.”

Dante grinned to himself as he followed Ally down the steps inside The Talbot’s Peak Inn.  At the bottom, her boys waited to “surprise” him in some form or fashion.  He could hear their hushed conversation, but he didn’t smell malice so whatever they had planned must be a bit of harmless fun…and it would be from his point of view.

“Everything looks to be in good working order, Ally, and business appears to be booming.  That, I’m sure, is due entirely to your hard work.”  Dante smiled at the lovely human Hawke had already claimed as his own.

“Thank you, Mr., ah, Dante.”

She blushed prettily at his comments. Even in his renewal phase, or death as some might call it, Hawke had found his other half.  He was happy for his friend and had promised to watch over her and the children until his return.

“Are there any problems you’ve come across to which I could be of assistance?”

“He’s close, get the camera app ready…”

“It is, dork.  You go round the left and I’ll take the right, then get close enough to be in the picture. 
That kid in England…”

“Ireland.”

“Whatev’s.  That kid got a selfie with the Queen, but we’re getting one with Dante.  He rules this town and has way more power than some Queen.”

“Awesome!”

Dante smirked.  If the boys only knew how much power he wielded, but he wasn’t alone.  He shared power with a few others, as it should be.  Now, how could he make the selfie more exciting?

“Now!”

The boy’s jumped out, not at all sneaky, and crowed in close.  The camera was up and both boys were laughing.

“Daniel!” Ally scolded. “Silas!”

Dante bent between the duo, made a V behind each boys head and flashed a special grin at the camera.

“No way…” “Hey, you look like a…” Both boys hollered at the same time.  “Wolf!”
~~~

Worry not, Dante assured me he didn't shift his face for the picture, just added the essence of wolf to the air for the boys to "see" for a moment in the camera.  Yeah, he's that powerful.

Have a great weekend!
Serena

Convergence

Overture, curtain, lights. This is it, the night of nights. The players have been introduced, the plot is rolling, the stage is set. That stage is Talbot’s Peak.

# # #

Out at the exit, the police release the Scooby Gang at dawn. They have no real charges to hold them on—everyone agrees Cochrane, currently MIA, was the only one with a gun—and the cops need the cells for the drunk drivers and brawlers that litter the strip every Saturday night. Even Barry receives a “Get Out of Jail Free” card. While the others were ditching their knives, he was flushing his last bag of Panama Red. Barry’s from California. He knows the drill.

The cast assembles at the far end of the cop shop parking lot: Atcheson (“Freddie”), Barry (“Shaggy”), Ted (“Comic Book Guy”), and Lowenstein (“Agent Mulder”). Atcheson tries Cochrane’s number and gets no response. Ditto for Maureen and Pete. He pockets the phone with a vicious oath, his face contorted in frustration.

“What now?” Lowenstein says. “Breakfast?” Ted asks hopefully.

“Screw breakfast,” Atcheson says. His eyes are glittering. This is his chance to seize command, and he grabs it with both hands. “We have to find Cochrane. The werewolf bit him. He’s a monster now, just like the rest of them. He has to die. For his own good,” he quickly adds, noting the expressions of alarm on the faces of his team. “Nobody wants to live as a monster. He’ll thank us, believe me.”

After a moment, they reluctantly nod. Like Ewan before him, Atcheson reaches the conclusion his partners aren’t very bright. That doesn’t dull the thrill of power becoming their new leader gives him. Hunting and killing monsters is what he was born to do. Especially the killing part.

He gives his first orders. “Cochrane’s bound to head for Talbot’s Peak. That’s where we need to go.” He gazes around the parking lot. The motel’s at least a mile away, and the van may not even be there. On the other hand, half a dozen cop cars are parked on the lot, just sitting there. “How are your hot-wiring skills?” he asks Lowenstein. Lowenstein wriggles his fingers and grins.

Ted stares longingly at the string of fast-food places that line the commercial strip, and sighs. There goes breakfast. Maybe they can stop for something on the way.

# # #

Already miles along the road to Talbot’s Peak, Cochrane floors his Chevy, throttles the wheel and grits his teeth. He got away from the alien bunny probe-free, only to discover his arsenal in the trunk was gone. Goddamn freaks. However, they missed the pistol and full clip of ammo he had hidden under the driver’s seat, and the three grenades in the glove compartment. That’s all he’s got left to wipe an entire town full of shapeshifters off the map.

And he’s naked. Again.

“Sons’a bitches,” he snarls. If that’s all he has to work with, so be it. They’re monsters. One way or another, they’re going to die. Vern and the Mayor first. He’s going to twist their heads off their necks with his bare hands. More satisfying anyway. As for the wolf boy, Cochrane can’t wait to beat his head in with the cast on his broken wrist. Wolf Boy gave him that cast. It has symmetry.

A rabbit takes a tentative hop onto the side of the road. Cochrane swerves to run it down. The rabbit makes a frantic dive back into the underbrush, inches ahead of the Chevy’s tires. The car rockets on up the road.

“They’re all gonna die,” Cochrane vows. Yeah, even the bunnies. Especially the bunnies.

# # #

Some miles behind Cochrane and ahead of the Scooby Crew, Ranjeet Patel, aka Pete, aka Silent Sam, drives his own stolen vehicle at a moderate pace along the road to Talbot’s Peak. His trained eye spots the “checkpoints” he’s been warned about. He keeps well within the speed limit. The wolf clan will have agents stationed all along this road. He does not want to draw their attention.

Zhere Ghan’s empire has long employed human servants, even before the tiger lord came to America. Ranjeet’s family has served the House of Ghan for generations. Somebody has to keep the poachers away from the tigers’ pelts. The Ghans were the first shifter clan to recognize the need to fight fire with fire.

Now the wolf lord, Damien Hancock, has stolen that idea. He’s found a human willing to turn other humans into beasts. Lord Ghan wants this human. Ranjeet is to see that he gets him.

The Doctor will not be in Talbot’s Peak itself, but those who know where he is will be. Ranjeet has a name and a species (Ewan the wolf) and a place to start (Dante’s bar). If Vishnu favors him, he will accomplish his mission without the need for violence. Violence is messy, and ruins one’s day.

Violence is what the Tiger Yakuza is for. At a single phone call a dozen ninja will swoop in and do what they do best, once Ranjeet provides them with a location. He himself will secure the Doctor. Some things must be handled personally, to ensure success.

He spots the gleam of saffron eyes by the side of the road, reflected off the headlights. He’s not worried. Cochrane will be travelling this same road, if he isn’t already. The man is insane, and so will make an excellent diversion. While the wolf lord deals with him, Ranjeet can slip in and accomplish his task.

He turns on the car’s radio and whistles along with the tune that comes on. One by one he passes the checkpoints, unhindered.

# # #

These are the pawns. The two kings in this chess game, Zhere Ghan and Dante, stand alert in their command centers and direct their men across the board. Dante gulps coffee. Zhere Ghan sips tea. No one knows where Damien Hancock is, or where he’s hiding his Doctor. Securing that knowledge is the top priority for both sides.

The sun rises on a Talbot’s Peak teetering on the brink of assault from numerous directions. Its populace has no clue. If Dante has his way, they never will. Zhere Ghan is less caring of the pawns. If some of them, including the Doctor, die in this skirmish, so be it. That’s all pawns are for.

# # #

Ewan and Maureen? They’re down in the kitchen of the Pleasure Club, feasting on sandwiches cobbled together from whatever’s been left over from the dinner rush. Maureen wonders if she’ll ever become a real werewolf. Ewan wonders if he’ll ever get to see her tits. They’re the only players on the board not looking to kill anybody. Poor bastards, they haven’t a chance.

Friends, Lovers and Mated Seals... Hooyah!

It had been a week since they’d brought Tark into the pleasure club for questioning and Reetha was tired.  No matter what she and Dante tried this ass-packet would not break.  She’d considered going in initially and acting like his friend, warning him of Dante’s wrath, but when it came to this skeeze her skills were no longer that good.

“You ready to try again?”

Reetha stopped trying to hold up the wall and looked back at Dante. “No, but we need too.  Everything okay with Ewan?”

“With Ewan – yes, with this entire situation – no.”

“Has something happened, Dante?”

“A skilled hunter has come to town, with a band of wannabe’s in their cute little mystery machine and my sire is making monsters.  I’d be willing to bet the designer drug, Tranq, is a part of his evil genius as well.  Damn, what I wouldn’t give for some peace.”

“Yeah.”  Reetha sighed, dreaming of one or two nights of peaceful pleasure spent here at the club.  Bound and free from the overwhelming guilt of failing everyone she loved.

“Chin up, love.  This too shall pass.”

She smiled at the wolf who was without a doubt the best friend she’d had since Ziva in her youth. 
“You know we need to read Nick in on this soon.”

“I do, but I hate the thought since Ziva’s now pregnant.  He’s snarly at the best of times when it comes to his mate, but now he’s got a hair trigger.  Time with this guy will not help that.”

“True, but he’s scary and he’d already stumped Tark’s tail before you got to them…”

Dante laughed. “That he did and now that there’s a hunter in town gunning for your dad among others, we need more help”

“Pops is still tough, but giving him a heads up would be a good idea.”

“We will.  Now, did this lowlife take the bait?”

“Sure did.  He grabbed the phone when we tussled couple a days ago.  There would have been just enough battery life for him to make one phone call.”

“Let’s go see who he reached out too.”

##

Rafe Silva had caught his mate’s scent the moment he’d entered the pleasure club and it had taken everything in him to hold his wolf back.  Now she was entering the room and he needed to use all of his seal training to keep some space between them. 

“So Tark are you…”

He knew the exact moment she realized he was here as she turned towards where he stood behind the door.  Agony, so clear in her eyes, beat at him.  Losing Jilly forced her to flee and instead of coming to him, she’d run far away.  Well he’d lost that sweet deer too.  And even though Reetha had been the main thing they’d had in common, he still had tender feelings for the woman who shared a bed with him and his mate.

“You!  He called you!  I should have known one rat bastard would call the King Daddy of rat bastards.”

“Ah Reetha, I prefer Sir, but if you want to give Daddy a try I guess I can be accommodating.”

“What the…” “Hell!” “Gaaa!”

Everything happened at once as goatfucks were wont to do.  Dante led with a confused question, Tark swore and banged his head and Reetha came at him only to be pulled back, by another pissed off alpha, before she made contact.

“Whoa there, love.”

Rafe’s wolf got the better of him at Dante’s term of endearment along with the arms surrounding his mate and he issued a mean growl – a warning to the other man.  Dante in turn growled and shoved Reetha behind him.

“Who is this, Reetha?”

“No one, lover,” she oozed, her arm around the other wolf’s middle – fingers toying with his abs.
“Just another lowlife lawyer.”

Rafe willed himself not to react further as he studied the couple before him.  Dante was good at hiding the emotions in his eyes, but he couldn’t quite contain the flinch as Reetha’s fingers pass over him.  His body language screamed that he belonged to another.

“To right you are Ms. McMahon and as such I am taking my client from this place, which is clearly not a police station.”

“We’re not done with your, client,” Dante sneered.

“Yes, you are.  Anything further can be directed to me…Reetha knows the number.”

Rafe directed Tark from the room, closing the door on his mates raggedly wailed “BASTAR….”

##

Outside the pleasure club, Rafe pushed the beaten up waste of space pusher into his car and told him in no uncertain terms to stay put before stepping away and placing his call.

“What?”

The slap of skin on skin, followed by giggles told him all he needed to know about where is friend currently was.  “Aren’t you supposed to be working?  Not indulging in a round of slap and tickle?  And to that point, if it is a little S & T why the hell answer the phone?”

“One moment…Stooly, get in here and cover for me…okay, okay.”  Rafe listened to mumbled threats about not looking and keeping quiet before the sound of a door shutting and a pissed off penguin filled his ear.  “I blame you, fuckhead.”

“Burge…”

“Don’t Burge me.  This guy is a freak, and not some nice loveable one either.  But you knew that already.  Damn Rafe.”

“You’re the only one I could trust with this.”

“We had a lot of buddies in the teams…”

“But you and I were the only shifters.”

“Shit.”

He knew exactly how Burgess felt.  This op felt never fucking ending and it was getting in the way of their relationships with their mates.  “I need you back here.”

“Tell that to the freak.”

“I intend to.  Be ready.”

“What’s going on?”

“The Tranq worked and I was called to Talbot’s Peak.” Rafe once again looked to the self-satisfied knob contaminating his car.  “To save the douchebag.”

“Shit!”

“Exactly.”

~~~

 Have a splendid weekend & keep warm!


Serena

Doctor? Who?

Dante’s enemies—and the guardian of Talbot’s Peak had quite a few—often wondered if the seemingly-omniscient wolf ever slept. For instance, he was still awake and dressed at three in the morning when the van pulled up to the bar. Ewan, naked as a jaybird and just as chatty, got out, with a human she in tow. He pounded on the bar’s locked door and demanded to see Dante. “Hate to bust in like this,” he said when finally ushered into Dante’s presence, “but we got a hunter out at the Rocky Top looking to blast all comers. Oh, this is Maureen. One of us kidnapped the other one. We’re still working out who’s who.”

“Are you the Doctor?” the woman asked.

For a long time Dante just stood there, his narrow glare bouncing back and forth between the shifter male and human female. Finally he took Maureen by the hand. “My office,” he ordered Ewan.

Ewan shrugged and left Maureen to Dante. He wouldn’t hurt her, even though she was human and a hunter of sorts. She was probably safer with Dante than she was with her erstwhile partners.

Once in Dante’s office he shifted and curled up on the floor for a wolfnap. This had been one nonstop Saturday night, and only looked to get more interesting as the hours wore on. Best to grab rest when he could.

Sure enough, way too soon Dante woke him with a nudge of his foot. Ewan got up and switched back to human, and accepted the Levis and shirt Dante handed him. “How’s Maureen?” he asked while he pulled on the pants.

“Fine, for the time being. You?”

“Just a might ticked. I mean, getting a bag thrown over your head and dragged into a van can be fun, but only if you plan for it.” He buttoned up the shirt. “Same for being tied to a bed. It’s just not the same when hunters do it. Oh, and that dingo dog just happened to show up at the Rocky Top. Funny how that worked out.”

“Hoover warned me about that bunch as soon as they checked in. I was fishing for information. I needed bait. Dugger rode along in case matters got out of hand. I have confidence in your ability to preserve your own hide.”

“A little warning would have been nice.” So would an apology, but Ewan knew better. As an alpha, Dante had to be ruthless sometimes. Ewan shrugged it off with a coyote’s what-the-hell attitude. He’d chucked a human into Dante’s lap, so he figured they were even. “The Loony Toon Brigade is after those mutts of your dad’s. They think we’re building werewolves out of innocent humans. Cochrane wants Vernon McMahon and Lance Lincoln’s heads on a skewer. Any other shifter dies along the way, he’ll be happy.”

“Why did you bring that woman here?”

“It wasn’t exactly my idea. Anyway, they already know you’re involved, or at least the bar is. They came here hunting a werewolf victim, didn’t they? This bunch has done their homework. Cochrane’s a pro, and the rest of them are just stupid enough to be dangerous.”

“Especially now that they know about the Doctor. That was foolish.”

“What? I dropped a little chum in the water to see if the sharks would bite. It’s not like … scat.” Ewan breathed out a growl. “Don’t tell me there really is a Doctor.”

“My sire’s been secretly working with select humans for longer than he wants anybody to know. I thought the ‘Doctor,’ whatever his real name is, was only a rumor too. Then the mutants appeared. We had a chance to examine them when Marissa’s spell turned that one band into horses. Their wolf and human DNA had been knit together with Hancock shifter. My sire is using his pack to make monsters. He has to be stopped.”

But not killed. Ewan slid away from that topic with practiced finesse. “The Monster Squad will hit here first. They found one wolf here, they’ll figure they might find more.”

“Not for some time. My sources tell me most of them are currently incarcerated. I’ll see what I can do to keep them there. Cochrane’s on the loose. He worries me more. I’m guessing he’ll head for town. He can do the most damage there.”

“Yeah. He wants to kill shifters, all he has to do is stand in the square and start shooting.” Ewan sighed. “I’m up at bat again, aren’t I?”

“You’re on standby. We have others in town watching out for Cochrane. You … ” Dante grinned viciously. “You have a prisoner to guard.”

# # #

Dante had put Maureen in one of his special rooms. This one had been tricked out to look like a harem room, minus all the semi-naked girls. She was awake and curled up on a pile of cushions. She stared at Ewan warily when he came in. Ewan just plain stared.

Wellnow. Hell-oooo, Daphne.

Somebody had got her out of her baggy duds and into a little wraparound thingie that showed off a lot of scrawny arm and leg. He still couldn’t see any boobage, but he had a better idea now of where it might be. That same somebody had applied cosmetics with a master’s hand. Her eyes now dominated her face instead of those clunky glasses, and her lips appeared larger and infinitely kissable. The blush, he figured, was probably natural.

He shut the door and plopped down on a nearby cushion. Not too nearby, because she still looked a might skittish. However, she appeared happy to see him, which he took as encouragement. “They treating you okay?”

“Pretty much,” she said. “Who was that other guy? The mastermind?”

“Nah, just the bar owner. He’s a little ticked you guys picked his business as ground zero for an invasion. Things like that cut into profits. I see he helped you clean up, though.”

“That wasn’t him.” Yep, that blush was the real deal. “This—this chorus girl saw me, and shrieked, and dragged me into the ladies’ room and said I needed a makeover. She did my face and gave me this dress and then she left me here.” She plucked at the hem of the dress. “It doesn’t really fit me. I figured I could use it for a nightie.”

“Chorus girl? A redhead?”

“No, she had pink hair. Tall, with a deep voice.” Suspicion leaped into her mascara’d eyes. “Y’know, I think she might have been a guy.”

“Ah. That’s Lamar. He’s harmless. Just don’t let him hug you. He hates to let go.”

“They’ll come straight here, you know,” she said, switching tracks. “We’ve been studying this place. We ID’d over a dozen werecreatures, not just wolves.”

“We?” Ewan said. “Or you?”

She scooted a little bit away from him. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“I think you do.” Finally he got his finger on why her scent hit him as so homey. “You’re pretty good at spotting wolves, aren’t you? I figure that comes natural to you. Just how much wolf you got in you?”

Friendship at its Finest

One week after Valentine’s, or hell day as she was going to think of it from now on, Day and she was once again persona non grata with her family.  Not that she was really surprised by the turn of events.  Ziva was right to hate her, but not for the reasons she thought.

“What room is he in?”

“He’s in six, but Reetha, I think you should let me talk to him.  Alone.”

“Hell no, Dante.”

“Yes …”

“No way, and hear me out.  This ass-packet has caused me nothing but grief for years.  He hacked my computer, my computer Dante, he’s not bright enough to do that alone.  He tossed me to the dogs, literally, tossed my full blown heated ass into a pack of horny dogs.  My wolf was missing tufts of fur for weeks after that …”

Reetha stopped moving when she felt Dante’s hand on her arm and looked back at him.

“Jilly told me about that one, she was impressed … Reetha, shite, come here, love.”  Warm arms surrounded her as the tears she always tried to hold back, soaked his shirt.  “I know what it’s like to lose a partner, the hopelessness and frustration, but … “

Reetha pushed away and swiped at her eyes.  “She wasn’t just my partner, Dante.  She was my partner, my love … and this guy,” she huffed, pointing down the hall.  “This guy injected her with Tranq one time and the withdrawal killed her.  One time, Dante!”

“Reetha, I didn’t know.  I’m so sorry. Tranq is a designer drug that acts like several hits of heroin all at once and is the only drug that works on shifters.  It’s fast and it’s destructive.  Let me deal with this guy, Ree.”

“No.”  Reetha turned and headed toward room six.  “I want to take this guy apart.  Get the name of his supplier and then watch while Nick tears him apart.”

“You’d let Nick finish the job?”

“He’s my packs alpha and even though they don’t want me right now I respect his right to lead and provide protection to all in our pack.”

Reetha reached for the handle and took a deep breath.  “I can do this, Dante.”

“Yes, you can, but not alone.  I’m with you, my friend, and we will break this guy.  I promise.”

###

Nick held the trench coat closed with one hand and quieted the rulers in the pocket with the other.  He could do nothing about the big wings flopping around on his back as headed towards Ziva’s office.  He was completely nude beneath the coat and looking for a way to make up for the aborted Valentine’s Day dinner.

“Come in.”

Nick pushed the door open and stuck his head in and with his voice low murmured, “I’m here to give you my grace, human.” And he slid into the room.

“Oh my, come on in, angel-boy and let’s see what’s under that trench.”
~~~

Have a safe and warm weekend!


Serena

Favors...

Reetha shut the door to her room at the Talbot’s Peal Inn just as a peel of frustration rent the air from the manager’s young daughter.  Her older brothers had once again taken her doll and were threatening to Hari-kari it at dawn.  The stuffed toys possible death was too much for the little one to take and she was resorting to mom to save her friend and someone named Hawk to peck out her brother’s eyes. 

Here she thought her family was weird.

They were, of course, but she’d never had a mother to run to or a Hawk to take on Nick and Mooney for her, at least she didn’t remember her mom anyway.  For years her brothers would antagonize her with stealing her kills, eating her portion of the meat and leaving her with the option of the nasty parts or subsisting on berries she found in the woods.  Oh her dad had tried to help, but he was busy leading and left her care up to her oldest sibling.  As a wet behind the ears whelp and upcoming alpha himself, Nick spent more time fighting to prove himself and fucking his way through the available she’s.

Reetha stood before the mirror not seeing herself, but still engrossed by memories of the past and hopes for the present.  Her past loneliness had presented itself as unruliness, trouble-making and eventually desertion.  She had long since forgiven her brothers as they were doing what older brothers did, but clearly it would take longer for them to forgive her.

“Come in.”

The door to her suite opened allowing Dante to enter.  “Damn, Reetha, I hadn’t even knocked.”

“I have excellent hearing,” she said, turning to face her boss and friend.

“True.”  Dante nodded, his gaze drilling into her probing for a truth she didn’t want to share.  “But that’s a bit extreme.”

“It is what it is and it helped get the job done.”  Reetha gestured for the chair to her left.  “Please, have a seat.”

She didn’t want to talk about the job or what she’d done on Dante’s behalf.  What was done, was done … had to be done.  He didn’t know the extent of her depravation – of what had been required of her in Hollywood and if she could avoid telling him she would.  Dante would take the pain as his own and she would not allow her friend that kind of suffering.  She was home to stay and she needed him to agree to let her tell her family the whys and what-not of her defection.  The rest would be buried deep enough down that she’d never allow herself to remember it.

##

Dante moved to the sitting area and slid into the plush, high backed chair.  He crossed his legs and straitened his pants, all the while looking at Reetha’s expressionless face.  She thought she buried her discomfort well enough, but they were friends and he could feel the scream she held in – her pain beat at him.  She was home and needed help.  He would find it for her, no matter what it took.

“Thank you for coming here.”

“No problem, Reetha, but why here rather than the club?”

“Privacy and I really didn’t have it in me to schlep out to the club."

“You do look a little beat up.”  Hell, she looked a lot beat up and very beaten down.  “Who do I need to punish for putting you in this condition?”

Reetha laughed, but, in his estimation, it was a weak representation of humor at best.

“Sorry, no beatings this time.  Thanks for being a great friend and offering.”

“Alright, who am I not beating?”

“Mooney.  It was the only way I could get him to consider forgiving me for leaving.”

“He required beating you for the possibility of forgiving you!”  Dante shot her a look he knew to make others around him cower. “That is not acceptable, Reetha.  Plus, I trained you myself … he should be dead.”

“I made the bet and threw the fight.  His boys were looking on … he had to win.”  Reetha moved to the other chair in the room, her smile finally honest as she spoke of Loki and Thor. “You should have seen the pride in their faces when dad beat Auntie Reetha.  It was worth the aches and pains.”

“Those boys get into a lot of trouble.”

“They are precious and I defy anyone to disparage them in my presence.”

It was no surprise to him that she loved those two already, Reetha had a very soft heart.  Not many saw it, but it was there, waiting to be filled with love.

“I have a favor to ask of you, Dante.”

“If I can give it, it’s yours.”

“I need to tell my family the truth about where I’ve been and why.”

Dante’s heart broke at the question he’d been expecting.  His answer would hurt her more, but there was no helping it – the time was just not right.  “Anything but that, Reetha.  I can’t allow the truth out yet.”

Her tears gutted him.  As long as he’d know her, Reetha had never cried in front of him, or anyone - until today.
~~~

I don't think life is absurd. I think we are all here for a huge purpose. I think we shrink from the immensity of the purpose we are here for.
Norman Mailer

Kind of a cool quote that made me think of Reetha today.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Serena 

Secret Squirrel

Gil stared at his computer’s screen, and the addition to the file he’d thought safely passcode-protected. The message was brief and very Rachelesque: You really sure you want to go there, boss?

So, in addition to her many other skills, Rachel was a hacker. He could go ahead and add that to her profile. But not what kind of shifter she was, assuming she was a shifter to begin with. That was the whole point of the file.

He logged off with an unsquirrelish growl. His efforts to get a clearer picture of the population that had elected him mayor kept hitting wall after wall. Centuries of having to hide their existence had made shifters overall tighter-lipped than clams. How the hell was he supposed to help them if he didn’t know who he was helping?

He’d just have to ask someone who did.

Gil pulled a pocket-sized notebook out of a drawer and flipped through it. He kept only special numbers in here. People looking for the super-secret files would zero in on the computer. They’d never think to check a spiral notebook with Dollar Depot stamped on the front. The number he wanted was nestled innocuously between those for Rattigan’s and Java Joe’s. He dialed.

After the third ring someone picked up. “I need to speak to the boss,” Gil said. “Tell him it’s the mayor.”

Sheesh. All this cloak and dagger. The things people went through in the name of politics. Had Lance Link ever been like this? Probably worse: he’d cleaned out the filing cabinets and started a fire in the trash can when he left office.

His sour thoughts were interrupted by a cautious voice on the other end. “Mr. Mayor?”

“Just Gil. How’s it going, Dante?”

“How did you get this number?”

“I have friends in low places. In particular, a rat from New Jersey.”

Dante’s chuckle had an edge in it. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I’m trying to compile a list of the shifter species in Talbot’s Peak. I’ve got the population numbers from the Census and tax records, but I can’t get an accurate count of who’s what or how many.”

“Good luck. If I recall, your predecessor distributed a survey in an attempt to garner this same information. I hear it didn’t end well.”

“There’s an understatement for you. The citizens trashed City Hall.” Gil leaned back in his chair. “That’s why I decided to ask the man who already has such a list.”

Long, wary silence on the other end. Then: “What makes you think I—”

“Because you’re Dante, and because I'm buds with a rat. Look, let’s cut the shit. I’m not trying to go NSA on Talbot’s Peak. Thanks to the fair and private contributions, we’ve got enough funds for the rec center. So how am I supposed to spend them? What programs will benefit the most people? Hell, do we even need a rec center? We’re surrounded by woods. They want to run and jump around, they can go out there.”

“That’s true, at least for the predators and the larger species. However, at least two-thirds of the population is smaller types and herbivores. I know they’d appreciate having a place to take their kids that would be safe and carnie-free.”

“Herbivores come in a lot of flavors. Give me some numbers.”

“The largest and most vocal group is the bunnies. You should know; they put you in office.”

“Yeah,” Gil snarled. “I’ll have to remember to kick their cottontails for that—excuse me, tell the little fluffernutters thanks. Bunnies, got it. What else?”

“Rather than specifics, let me make a few suggestions. An outdoor hedge maze, with bolt holes to underground tunnels. I’ll bet the parents would even volunteer to dig them for you.”

“How tall for the hedges? Kid-sized, or higher? Like, say, for deer and horse.”

“Horses aren’t much for mazes, but the deer would love it. Somewhere in between. I can give you a list of edible bushes, in case the kids get hungry.”

“Okay, maze and playground. How about indoors? Do we need a pool?”

“I don’t think so. The swimmers we have prefer non-chlorinated. The high school opens their pool to humans during breaks. You might want to coordinate with the school system. Some of the programs you’re considering might already be in place.”

“Call the schools, got it. So sports are out?”

“Not at all. The school programs are for students, not adults. This will get the grown-ups interacting with each other.”

“Today volleyball, tomorrow the world. Gotcha.”

“You certainly have a unique way of looking at things. Keep in mind wolves like team activities, while cats prefer one-on-one.”

“But we’re good with anything with a ball. Great. I’m already set on a basketball court. Bunnies love basketball. They’re not all that tall but damn, can they jump.”

“I have another suggestion. If you’re planning on daycare, or babysitting during the adult programs—”

“Habitrails?”

“Huh. You’re ahead of me.”

“Yeah. I was wondering what to do about the hyper little darlings. Then I stood in front of the pet shop window for a while. We could put some tubes against the walls. And shelving, like people do for their cats. The human kids can use it too.” Gil considered. “I’d better make sure we have first-aid stations on hand.”

A sound of approval came through the phone. “You’ve thought this through. For all species.”

“That reminds me. How d’you think self-defense classes would go over?”

Dante laughed. “The wolves may not be happy, but quite a few other species would thank you. What did you have in mind?”

“The usual. Karate for beginners … how to read animal body language … ”

“Sounds good. Do me a favor: call me when you’ve got a plan. I’d like to go over it with you. I can also set you up with a local construction company.”

“Thanks. I’m betting you already have my private number.” Dante didn’t respond one way or the other. “Yeah. That’s what I thought.”

“I’m concerned with the safety of Talbot’s Peak. I see now you are too. I look forward to working with you, Mr. Mayor. Gil.” He hung up.

Gil set down the phone. He had a powerful ally now. That had to count as a good thing. He also had more info than he’d started with. Dante probably wasn’t even aware how much he’d let slip.

People tended to trust a squirrel because they were so small and cute and harmless. People also tended to forget Gil had been born human.

He shoved his little phone book to the back of the drawer and slammed it shut. “Now I need a shower. I hate politics.”

The Name's Wolf. James Wolf.

“Lupa fuck me,” Dale Hancock groaned. “This thing is obscene.”

“So stop reading,” his buddy Ewan Carter advised. Ewan was currently up to his dirty eyeballs in one of those filthy boy books, where two men—or more, Lupa help them all—wasted their skills on each other. Not that this perverted tale the human she had concocted was any less disgusting.

Vampires. Vampires, for prey’s sake. Performing acts a dead body shouldn’t be able to handle. And women lapped this stuff up like cream off the top of the milk pail. If he lived to be as old as the bats in this story, he knew he’d never figure it out.

It was only two pages covered in a cursive scrawl, torn out of the human female’s notebook. Well, he’d wanted to know. Practically demanded to know. She’d been sitting in the coffee shop, studying each and every patron and furiously scribbling away. And she was human. She could have been anything—a hunter, a reporter, a spy. Dante had tasked Dale and Ewan with keeping a surreptitious eye on all humans new to Talbot’s Peak. When he saw one taking notes, he had to know what those notes were saying.

So far, they said the human was one randy, twisted she-bitch.

Worse yet, she’d put him in there. Only on the page his name was Pietro and he was a vampire with ocean-dark eyes and, apparently, a never-ending hard-on. Barely two sentences after meeting the girl—Aramilla, for crying out loud, who the fuck names their kid Aramilla?—and “Pietro” had her bent over backward with his teeth on her neck and his hands grasping “the glorious globes of her ass straining against the thinnest of silken panties.” The panties were gone by the next sentence. Ripped off, wadded up, and tossed aside by the undead horndog with Dale’s hair and features.

Ewan was in there too, but he didn’t seem to be taking part in the fun. She must not have had the chance to observe him for long.

The rest of the pages went into lush, lurid descriptions of all the things “Pietro” did to “Aramilla,” and everything she did in return. And then, right before the main event, it all stopped in the middle of a sentence. Ewan had only managed to snag the two pages. No matter how many times Dale poured over them, he would never know what happened next. Although he could hazard a guess.

He made himself focus on her handwriting. Theory was, you could tell a ton about a person by how they formed their letters. Hers were loopy and cramped. She’d been writing in a hurry, trying to squeeze as much on a line as she could, as quick as she could. Just what a spy would do. Whether a spy would have a man perform randy acrobatic sex acts with a she he’d known for less than five minutes, Dale didn’t know. Maybe this was written in some kind of human code. Lupa knew sex was all the monkeys ever had on their minds.

Why she was still on his mind he couldn’t figure out, and it pissed him off no end.

“Wooo-whee!” Ewan burst out. “Three straight pages of holding it in and then he comes like a rhino. I’d try that myself if I wasn’t so impatient.”

Dale made a face. “Put that away.”

He thrust it at Dale instead. “Take it. Maybe you can pick up some pointers. Chaos knows you need ‘em.”

Dale shrank back like the book had fangs. “I ain’t interested in two he-dogs humping each other’s legs.”

“They ride a lot more than legs in here. Where’s that one chapter?”

Thankfully, before Ewan could blast his sensibilities with the offending scene, the office door opened and Dante stepped into the vestibule. Both wolves sprang to their feet. Ewan shoved the paperback into his pocket. They stood straight but with eyes lowered in respect.

“At ease, boys,” Dante said with a chuckle. For an alpha from a tightassed pack, Dante was an easy-going wolf and a joy to take orders from. Dale didn’t mind at all being cousin to him, or doing surveillance work on behalf of him and the Peak. His hand crushed the pages and their sick insinuations. Up to this point, anyway.

“Now then,” his cuz said, abruptly all business. “What’s this about you two assaulting a human she in the coffee shop?”

Instantly Ewan slid a half-step back and became unnoticed. He had this coyote trick of fading into the background whenever the scat hit the fan. As usual, Dale stepped up. “It wasn’t assault. We were scouting a new human female in town, like you told us to. She was watching everybody and making notes. Ewan tried to chat her up, get a look at what she was writing. Things got out of hand.”

“Ah,” Dante said. Ewan just shrugged and grinned. “And that’s what got Sergei involved?”

“Sort’a.” Dale swallowed hard. Getting Sergei involved in anything was one of Dante’s no-nos. “He came to her rescue. You know him.”

“But we got what we needed,” Ewan piped up. He elbowed Dale. “Show him.”

At Dante’s expectant look Dale handed over the now sweat-smeared and crumpled pages. “Here’s what she wrote. But I gotta warn you, she put this, uh, unique spin on ‘em. I don’t know what it means.”

Dante scanned the pages. His eyebrows climbed higher and higher. Towards the end he made a little snort, either disgust or amusement. Dale never made snap guesses where Dante was concerned. “Well. That’s an interesting take. Not your usual sort of intel gathering.”

“That’s what I’ve been telling him,” Ewan said. He fished out the dirty boy-book and handed it over to Dante. “She had this on her, too. I think she’s just a harmless writer.”

Dante took a quick peek at the cover and returned the paperback to Ewan. “A writer, huh? She’s got an imagination, that’s for certain. Unfortunately, there’s no such thing as a harmless writer. They see plots everywhere, and they never stop watching. That’s why you two are going to keep an eye on her. Make sure fiction is all she writes, and all she knows about us.”

“But how are we supposed to—” Dale started.

“You can start by giving these back to her.” Dante stuffed the pages back into Dale’s hand. “Otherwise she’ll go poking around looking for them. We don’t want her poking the wrong bear. Or tiger. Then get to know her, see what she’s up to.” His lip curled wickedly. “Offer to read her book.”

“I’ll do that part,” Ewan said at Dale’s sick expression. “Some of us appreciate lit’rature.”

Dale wobbled out of Dante’s office in a daze, with Ewan ambling beside him. “Stalk a human she without her catching wise? How are we supposed to do that?”

“Stealthily.” Lupa bite his dangly bits, Ewan actually looked eager. “We go undercover. Two randy cowboys looking to show the new gal in town a good time. All the while we pump her for information. Like a spy movie. Maybe we can talk her into a romp. We already know she likes sex.”

“Sex between hes.” Dale gestured at the paperback, once more riding snugly in Ewan’s pocket. “That’s a lot more above and beyond than I’m willing to go.”

“Then I’ll handle that. You man the camera. C’mon, bud. It’s just a human she. She didn’t even get our species right. This’ll be a roll in the grass. What could go wrong?”

With a human involved? Dale considered listing the many possibilities, but decided against it. If the chance for a romp presented itself, Ewan would be there with both heads held high. All he could do was stick close and keep them both out of trouble. The pages seemed to burn in Dale’s vest pocket. Yeah, fat chance of that.