Night Marks (8 page)

“Sounds good to me,” Jake says bouncing a little, clearly bored with the subject. “I probably better go get the princess her food before she turns furry and starts gnawing on our ankles.”

“Hmm. Ankles. Don't remember the last time I had a good ankle bone.”

“Exactly. You probably haven't, but I have learned you aren't afraid to try new things. I will be back in fifteen.” He quickly runs out of the room. Maybe he is a little hungry himself.

“Is it just me or does he get stranger every day?” I ask taking a seat on one of the comfy looking sofas.

“He has always been a weird bird. I have known him since he defected from the Collective and I don't remember him not being a touch flighty. These days he may be a little worse, but I figure it is just the fact he isn't used to guarding someone with boobs,” Jonas says with a shrug.

“You mean he actually notices them? I cannot tell they are there most days.” If I wanted to go undercover as a dude there would be no need for tape to flatten them. It is something I have just grown to accept over time.

My statement causes both men to laugh. “Even without them sticking out loudly, you do smell a bit different than just one of the other guys. Jake is still pretty young and, even though you are spoken for, exponentially I might add, you are a hot little lady. Your small size brings out the protective streak in all of us,” Jonas informs me. “And before you get huffy, we all know you don't really need the protection.”

“Well, at least you admit it. So, does this place have any amenities or are we roughing it?” It really isn't much more than a little country cottage or cabin. It is cute from what I have seen. There are two grandma style flowered couches in the living area, a beat up looking green recliner, and a small dinette with four chairs.

That does it for what I can see. There is no visible television or any other electronics, for that matter. Thank God for smart phones.

“It is really just a place for us wolves to hunt when we have to come into the city. Being around humans for too long brings out the earthiness in us and the woods behind the cabin are full of game.”

“Going for a run sounds like a fun time. I have only shifted a few times and I don't see anything better to do tonight. Smitty, you are going out for dinner, right?”

“I don't like fur in my teeth and I am pretty sure taking a sip from you would make me ill, no offense,” he says with a wink, showing that he may not totally hate me.

“Ill maybe, dead for sure,” I supply with a smile. “I figure we could go for a quick run while you were out and then the guys are probably going to need to alternate naps, so you will have to make sure I stay out of trouble.”

“You get in trouble? Never. At least I have wings in case you try to fly away.”

Him and Jonas share a chuckle. My guards, such comedians. Jake returning draws their chuckles short.

“Food,” I shout jumping up and grabbing a couple bags from Jake's hands.

“Calm down, tiger. I have plenty of food and it will only take a second to put some heat to it.”

I growl at him softly. “I am so hungry I think raw will work tonight.”

Jake shakes his head. “Fresh off the bone raw is one thing, but this has probably been sitting out under harsh lights at the grocery store all day. Trust me, you want it at least seared.”

He puts his sacks down and grabs a pan. Taking one of the butcher paper wrapped packages, he quickly pulls out the steak and throws it on the heat.

“Twenty seconds each side will be enough tonight,” he says flipping the steak over.

“While you play with your cow, I am going to head out,” Smitty says. “I should be back in three hours or less. I have some regulars in the area, but I think I am in the mood for some fresh blood. Enjoy your run.”

Before I can respond, he is out the door. At this point my food is done, so I really don't care. Barely waiting for it to hit the plate I dive in. This is probably worse than the bacon I had for breakfast, but as I may have already mentioned, I don't care. I am hungry and as long as the guys don't have their phones out videotaping, it is going to stay between the three of us. I will make sure of it.

By the time, Jake cooks a steak for Jonas and himself, my plate is totally clean. I quickly start doing the dishes while they finish up. We are only going to be here the one night, so I don't want to make too big of a mess.

“Ready to get furry?” Jake asks as I finish with his dish. While I was zoned out on my steak, Jonas must have clued him in on our run plans.

“Sure, let's head out back, I hear nature calling.”

I walk to the sliding glass door at the back of the living area. I try to move the door, but it doesn't budge, so I flip the little lock and it moves much easier on my second try.

There is a gentle westerly breeze. The air smells nothing like Night Owl City. There is a heavy staleness that makes my stomach a little queasy. Even with a city full of living, breathing humans not that far away, the air feels dead to me.

“Takes some getting used to, doesn't it?” Jonas asks coming to stand next to me. “My nose isn't as good as yours, but I sense it too. It is one of the reasons you won't find wolves in heavy populations of humans. They make the air just wrong.”

“Yeah. Even the ones like me that like to toy with the human girls, don't do it very often or we figure out a way to draw them to the closest paranorm community,” Jake adds. Jake has to be the only paranorm I have met that would stick his male bits into any species of woman.

“I guess I didn't notice it when we arrived.”

“You were too busy worrying about getting some food. Your stomach overruled your nose,” Jake says with a smirk. “Don't worry. It happens to the best of us.”

“Whatever.” I take off in a run heading for the tree line. Halfway there I focus on the way Alex smells. I figure my wolfy side is a big slut since his smell seems to draw it out of me quicker and easier than anything else does.

A flawless shift comes over me and I am instantly running on four legs instead of two.

“Catch me if you can, suckers,” I taunt as I dodge through the woods.

“You can have some fun, but try not to get too far ahead, Princess,” Jonas dictates and I can tell he is in furry form.

The world is so different in wolf form. I have great senses when I am a humanoid, so that isn't all that different. It's my instincts that are radically changed. It took a couple outings, but I am proud to say I don't go “oh squirrel” every time one passes in range anymore. Talk about embarrassing.

Tonight, I can sense wildlife in the forest everywhere. I feel how they tense when they hear me charging by and see many smaller creatures darting away. I feel alive and very playful.

After running and playing keep away from the guys for two straight hours, I am worn out. I head back towards the cabin and allow them to catch up.

“I'm calling it a night,” I say shifting back, after breaking the tree line. “I haven't woken up as early as I am planning to tomorrow for a long time, so I need to sleep now or you really won't want to be around me.”

“Lack of sleep makes you more difficult?” Jake asks as he shifts as well. “I don't think that is possible.”

“Laugh it up all you want fur butt. Just make sure I am awake by ten, if my alarm clock somehow finds itself flying out the window by mistake.”

“Gotcha boss. Sweet dreams.”

I leave the two of them to plan the rest of their night and quickly fall asleep, after I get rid of my weapons. I don't even take the time to look around my room, once I follow the scent of my bag to it.

Chapter 10

High school days are here again

A knock on the door jolts me awake the next morning. I look over at the alarm clock and see it says 9:55. Ack! They couldn't let me sleep five more minutes.

“Enter to receive your beheading,” I yell at the jerk.

“Sorry, Princess. Alex on line one. You haven't called him since you left and he isn't happy about it.”

“What the fuck is he doing up at this hour? This is prime sleeping time.” If I wasn’t planning on earning fifty grand today, there isn’t a bribe in the world you could give me to get me out of bed at this hour.

Obviously, that is not true because I am doing it for the now measly looking amount of said fifty grand.

“Some early morning meeting,” he explains handing me his phone before leaving the room.

“I am so not happy with you right now,” I say moaning and moving myself out of the bed.

“You didn't think it necessary to call to let me know you arrived safely?” he asks in what sounds like a mood matching very closely with mine.

“I figured Tweedle Dum and Dee had to report in, so you would get the message,” I reply heading to the bathroom to take care of my morning business. Just outside the door, I drop the phone so it isn't with me while I tinkle.

“Of course, they reported in. It isn't exactly the same thing as having you tell me you are okay.” Even with the phone outside, I can hear him talking. “Hey, are you listening to me?” he asks when I don't reply immediately.

I flush the toilet and wash my hands before picking the phone back up. “I didn't think Jonas would like me taking his phone with me to the bathroom, so you had to wait outside.”

“Nyx, as my mate you need to take things a little bit more seriously. Not alerting me of when you arrive safely at your out of town destination is a big no-no.”

“Really? Does that mean that mind reading thing doesn't work long distance? Exactly how long after I left did it stop?” I ask walking back to my room to have a look around.

It really isn't much to look at. It has a queen sized bed with a royal blue comforter and matching sheets and that is it. I cannot envision anyone spending more than a night here.

There is a window on the far wall and I take a second to look outside. Not a whole lot to see. There is grass and there are trees. There isn’t really even a good variety in shades of green, so it all just combines into a bucket of blah.

“Our connection still works, and probably would continue to do so no matter where you went. I was trying to be respectful and not use that method of communication because you are still new to it.”

Damn. Not the answer I was looking for. I abandon the window and dig around in my bag for the clothes I am wearing today. Since I am going to be around a lot of humans at the airport, I settle on the single pair of blue jeans I brought and a black t-shirt. Don't want to overdo it with the usual ninja outfit. Clothes ready, I sit on the bed to finish our conversation.

“I'm safe and will probably be on my way back tonight, so stop worrying. You will get premature wrinkles.”

“We both know that is impossible. Please be careful today and call before you head back so I know when to expect you.”

“Of course, dear,” I say while thinking I will get Jonas to make the call for me. As Jake mentioned to Alex yesterday, I hate being tethered and right now my leash seems to be pulled extra tight.

“I did mention I can still hear your thoughts, right?”

“You know Sebastian doesn't give me this kind of grief.”

“Sebastian has known you longer and is satisfied with the hold he has on your heart. I, on the other hand, have to fight for everything I can get.”

“Well, when we have known each other for a few years, like me and Sebby, maybe it will get easier for you. Things weren't exactly hearts and stars for me and him in the beginning.”

“I know and I have kept you long enough. Be safe today and try not to kill any humans for just looking at you funny,” he says with a laugh.

“I will try, but don't hold your breath. I will see you either later tonight or when I wake up tomorrow.”

“I'll hold you to that.” Done talking, I hang up the phone and head for a shower.

Sadly, the shower isn't as refreshing as I would have hoped. The water only heats up to lukewarm at best. Any lingering sleep is shoved aside quickly from the chill, but it leaves me very unsatisfied.

I pull on my undies, jeans and shirt, then insert a few, okay five, knives into sheaths at my ankles, thighs and my left wrist. I think in the human world five is probably overdoing it, but I would feel naked with any less.

After a quick brush of my hair, I am ready for some breakfast. This morning I am not starving, so there probably won't be any fingers lost trying to feed me. I hand Jonas his phone as I join him at the little dining table. The chair I sit in wasn't built for comfort. It is solid wood and with my boney butt, it feels like bone on bone contact.

“Smitty in a blackout room somewhere?” I ask smelling and seeing Jake in the kitchen puttering around.

Both men are in their standard black on black ensembles. Short sleeve black shirts that show their huge biceps and black cargo pants that probably hide more knives than what I am currently carrying. I am surprised their shirts don't have security written in big block letters on the back. It has to be obvious to everyone they come across.

“More or less. There is a hidey-hole in one of the bedrooms, like a cellar, that he crawled into a little before dawn. He kept muttering about how it was worse than the Dark Ages or something. Guess he has grown used to a big comfy bed.”

“Yeah, all the vampires I know live in style. Even if he could sleep above ground, he would probably think the cottage's amenities were beneath him,” I reply as Jake hands me a plate with a big ham steak on it.

We tend to be a red meat family, so the choice is a little weird, but I guess it will do. I did just have bacon for breakfast yesterday, so maybe it isn’t all that weird.

“Thanks,” I say before digging in. “I want to leave in about an hour, just in case the flight is miraculously ahead of schedule. We simply have to get the chick to call her parents and give her and her new husband a ride home. What happens to the husband after that is not our concern.”

“Are we coming back here after or heading straight home?” Jonas asks.

“Home, most definitely. I don't think Jake will last much longer without his video games.”

“Finally, someone is aware of my plight,” Jake responds as he starts cleaning up the kitchen. It seems the boys ate before I got up.