Welcome to the Neighborhood (18 page)

A breathy chuckle slipped out of her. “I think I get the picture.”

His gaze stayed fixed on hers. “Did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?”

She couldn’t stop her lips from curling. “I think you mentioned it a few times.”

His shirt tightened over chest as he inhaled deeply. “Good. Just making sure you knew.”

She gave a quick jerk of her head. “Come on.”

She moved on to the other exhibits, and paused briefly at each one. Greg stayed a step behind her. He added little comments that kept her mood upbeat. To her surprise, the pain of her family’s loss and the anger toward her maker drifted away like a leaf in the breeze. She couldn’t change the past. As for the future, it was looking better.

She stopped behind several kids staring at monkeys behind a glass wall. The smaller ones with long tails and cute faces brought a smile to her face.

“Now that’s just butt ugly,” Greg said.

She found him standing a few feet away, staring at the larger baboon. Quietly, she strolled over and peered past his shoulder. The animal had a bare rear, but fur covered the rest of its body, except its long nose.

“Ew.”

“I don’t understand why people come to look at such hideous creatures.”

“They’re different to look at.”

“I could change into my wolf form and give people something different to look at.”

“Now that I would love to see.”

His eyes shimmered with surprise. “Really?”

“I’ve seen werewolves change before. It looks painful, and sounds like it too, but to consider how your body shifts and changes is…incredible.” She licked her lips as she pictured Greg changing from his wolf form into a man. His muscles would stretch and tighten. His dark hair would stand out from his bare flesh. And his cock would grow as if he were getting a large hard-on, only it would enlarge twice the normal size. Every werewolf she’d seen change had an impressive cock. Cheeks warming, she imagined what Greg’s would look like.

“The full moon is tomorrow night. Corey, Andy, and the rest of us in the neighborhood get together and explore the woods. You could come out with us, if you were seriously interested.”

The offer tempted her, but the thought of seeing her neighbors naked discouraged her. They were her neighbors. She didn’t want to see their goods on full display and have that mental image stuck in her head. If she did, waving to them as she passed by them on the street might be more difficult.

“I have a web meeting planned,” she said.

“All night?”

“It depends.” Her meeting probably wouldn’t last more than an hour, but she didn’t want to get his hopes up.

“Oh.” He sounded grim. “Well, we usually run for several hours. If you change your mind, I’m sure one of us will find you.”

“Superior sense of smell?”

He nodded. “Especially in wolf form.”

Note taken.

“I’ll give it some thought.”

His expression brightened as he took a step back. “Shall we move on?”

“Yes, let’s do.”

Alexi followed Greg’s lead to the different exhibits. They passed more families and she couldn’t help but notice the little kids running around gleefully. Greg grunted at a toddler that darted in front of him, nearly tripping him. She slapped her hand over her mouth so Greg wouldn’t see her laughing. After the little boy ran off, he mumbled, “Rug rats.”

“I thought you liked kids?”

“I like helping them to ensure they have the means to become productive members of society.”

“So you don’t want any of the little critters one day?” She loosened her arm and let it slip from his.

“Honestly, I don’t think so.” He stopped in front of the entrance to the train ride.

“Oh? Why?”

He let out a deep sigh. “Well, for starters, it’s a frightening world to raise a child in. Did you know hate crimes toward supernatural creatures has went up two hundred percent since P-Day?”

She gave a slight nod. “It’s been on the PTV news.”

He slipped his hands into the front pockets of his dark pants. “It may take decades for humans to truly accept us. I can’t logically bring a living soul into a world where he or she will be shunned and will have to struggle to survive.”

“And the people who do?”

“I respect them. I really do, but they need help. More importantly, the children need help. Parents can love their kids to death, but general society will chew on the outcasts and spit them out like gum. That’s how people see us right now. You know it, and I know it. Some kids will survive, but they will have to fight to make it. My own brother has kids and I see the difficulty they go through.” He placed his hand on the center of his chest. “If I had to watch my own child struggle, it would break my heart.”

Alexi stood speechless, staring at Greg. His strong words revealed how deeply he cared about others. The werewolf continued to impress her.

He slid his hand back into his pocket. “I see enough suffering every day. I want to help children and families so maybe one day the world will be a better place to live.”

Chills crawled through Alexi. Standing in front of her was a man who genuinely wanted to make a difference. He valued life and realized how he could make it better. She stared in shock, finding it difficult to believe she’d met a man who thought with his heart and head rather than his groin. And this was her neighbor, who barely knew her, and admitted his attraction to her.

The man was a godsend she could no longer ignore.

A dinging sound in the distance captured Greg’s attention. He glanced over his shoulder. Alexi tilted to the side and spotted an old-fashioned train approaching.

“Care to see some elephants and giraffes?” He gave her a warm smile.

“I’d love to.”

As she followed Greg through the maze to get to the train, she decided it was time to open up to Greg and accept him. Sure, she still felt a bit of hesitancy. Three centuries of dealing with self-centered, greedy men would cause anyone to form a generalized opinion of them. But he was different and she saw it clearly now. The time had come to stop fighting, stop resisting what could be the best thing to ever happen to her. Her heart urged her to listen and maybe now she should.

Was it love? Having never experienced it before, she couldn’t be sure. One thing she knew with certainty, he warmed her heart and soul and made her happy.

They sat next to each other on the open train as it traveled through the zoo. Greg continued with his witty comments as they passed by zebras and giraffes. She couldn’t stop from laughing and even added a few remarks that spawned chuckles out of him. Each minute was pure happiness with him. When the ride ended, they stepped from the platform and continued down the path toward more exhibits.

Alexi curled her arm around Greg’s and earned a pleasant look of surprise from him. She also noted his heart picked up an extra beat. Every time he touched her, she noticed the increased activity deep within his chest.

“I’m glad I agreed to this date. I’ve had a wonderful time.”

He slid his fingers over hers and held her hand to his arm. “The night’s young. We still have somewhere to visit.”

“You’re taking me to another place?”

“I wasn’t sure if you’d like the zoo, so I planned to visit somewhere else. Since we have plenty of time left, and you just admitted you’re enjoying our outing, then I’m going to follow through with my plan.”

A surge of elation ran through Alexi. She was beyond curious to know what was next and anxious to spend more time with Greg.

“Where are we going?” The words came out fast, revealing her excitement.

His lips twisted into playful grin. “You’ll see.”

15

Greg stared at the glowing red stoplight while he held his breath. Open windows allowed a slight breeze to pass through the car and the stench of the city’s sewage. The toxic smell would’ve seeped in through the vents anyway. Better to have the windows down then up, trapping the horrible odor inside the car. Regardless, he didn’t complain or let the sewage aroma bring him down. His trip at the zoo with Alexi had worked out better than he’d imagined.

He turned slightly, took a deep breath and gazed at Alexi sitting in the passenger seat. Immense joy filled his soul upon seeing her content expression. He managed to make her talk, laugh and relax. The task hadn’t been easy, but he’d done it. Had he lowered her shields fully? He doubted it. She had survived years of horror from the hands of her maker. One date couldn’t alter her judgment of men, or him, but with time he believed he could convince her he was one of the good guys. An honest and respectable man who would love her passionately.

“I’m guessing this place you’re taking me to is downtown,” she asked.

“You’re very perceptive.”

“Where are we going?”

He swallowed the laughter rising within. She’d asked the same question multiple times, and each time her eyes glimmered with excitement when he refused to tell her.

“You’ll see soon enough.”

“Can you give me a hint?”

The curl of her lips stirred his desire. Such a beautiful smile. Such lovely pink lips. He wanted to kiss them.

He veered his gaze to the road, trying to stop the arousal in his groin. “No.”

“No?”

He turned the corner, drove half way down the street then flipped on his turn signal. The tall buildings appeared empty and closed for the night. A dark alley separated two of the larger businesses. After the car going in the opposite direction passed, he steered the car toward the small street.

“We’re almost there, so there’s no need for a hint.”

He slowed the vehicle as they approached the back of one of the buildings. An oversize bald man and a lean tall one stood in front of a small shack in the large alley that separated the high rises. Both wore in black and if Greg had human eyes, they would’ve been difficult to see in the dark. Behind the men and the shack was a city garage. As Greg navigated toward the entrance, the husky bald guy held up his hand.

Greg stopped the car and shifted the gear into park.

“Are we getting out?” Alexi asked.

“Yes, and you can store your purse under the seat. You won’t need it.”

Alexi raised a brow, then followed his advice without further hesitation.

Greg left the car and with his heightened hearing he immediately heard music playing from the building nearby. He stepped in front of tall man who reminded him of Frankenstein with his sunken eyes and skin sticking to his bones.

“Evening, sir,” Frankenstein said as he held his palm up.

Greg quickly withdrew his wallet from his pocket. The stench of the zombie tested his gag reflex. He hurried to locate money.

“Busy tonight?” Greg asked as he placed a ten-dollar bill in the zombie’s palm.

“Not too much,” Frankenstein said.

Alexi stepped from around the front of the car, holding her arms close to her chest.

“Chilly?” Greg asked, offering her his hand.

She accepted it and moved closer. “A little. Are we going to a club?”

Of course she’d heard the faint music too. Humans couldn’t hear it, but anyone with sensitive hearing could.

“Yes.” He gripped her hand and noticed it felt cooler from earlier, not that it bothered him. He’d never pass on the chance to touch her soft skin. “It’s a club for people like us. Right now, two exist in the city. This is one of them.”

He led the way to the building where black railing surrounded a cutout portion in the ground.

“They have a few in Chicago. I never went to one though.”

“I’ve been here a few times. It’s decent.”

Side by side, they descended the concrete stairs until they reached a steel door. Muffled music sounded from behind it. Greg knocked.

Alexi squeezed his hand briefly, drawing his attention. “What’s the name?”

“Nightlife.”

The door swung open and the music blared. A tall female with pale skin and dark red lips greeted them. Her tight black clothes clung to her body as if someone painted them on her.

She smiled, revealing her two canines. “Please, come in.” She gestured as stepped to the side and held the door.

Greg held Alexi’s hand tight as he escorted her down the hall. The painted black walls and lack of lighting made it difficult to see, but his eyes adjusted quickly. He turned the corner, and led Alexi down another dark passageway. Lights from the club spilled in and helped guide them. At the end of the hall, they stepped into a wide-open room with a tall ceiling.

“Wow.” Alexi tapped his arm, and he stopped.

He followed her gaze as she scanned the room, starting with the bar against the far wall. Half the stools were vacant. Two waiters and two waitresses, all dressed in black, worked behind the counter. The decor was black and red with mirrors placed at eye level on the walls. She continued to the staircase and tilted her head back.

“What’s upstairs?”

“Just tables and rooms to socialize. There’s a small bar up there too, but no where near the size of the one on the main floor.”

She glanced at the dance floor. “It’s not too crowded tonight.”

Men and women danced, some in groups and others as couples. Compared to the weekends, the club wasn’t nearly as packed. Like humans, supernatural creatures had regular jobs during the week. Then on weekends, many spent their time socializing at clubs.

He tugged her hand. “Come on. I’ll buy you a drink.”

They passed up patrons sitting at round tables and headed for the bar. The music was a constant stream, one song mixing into another. Enjoying the Erasure tune, Greg tapped his free hand on his leg. Eighties night was always his favorite.

Greg found a spot with a couple available stools and released Alexi’s hand. “What would you like?”

Before Alexi could answer, a stocky woman with short, blonde hair approached from behind the counter. “Can I get you something to drink?”

“A glass of red wine is fine,” Alexi said as she sat on the stool.

Greg withdrew his wallet. “They serve vampires here. You can order blood types.”

“That’s okay. I fed before I left the hotel.”

He slid a couple of bills over the counter toward the waitress. “A Heineken and a glass of red wine, please.”