Bosy returned. “First, I want to play this for you guys so you know what it sounds like all the way through, though I’ll skip the rapping for now.”Ciel Karhillaz sat in his chair. Wimer Aslix sat in the other. Francel and Alta sat on the couch, once again with Alta’s feet up in Francel’s lap.Bosy played the song through, and then did it again, this time singing the words he’d written. Over the next few hours, the five of them practiced, changed words, and orders of singing, until Ciel Karhillaz broke off during his solo to yawn.It was one am.“Shit,” Francel said. “We should have been in bed hours ago.”“It’s alright, hyung,” Ciel Karhillaz said. “I like to sing, and we sound good.”They all exchanged glances and they all thought the same thing. Ciel Karhillaz was right. They sounded good. Silence fell and it was the first time not one of them felt animosity, irritation or disdain.“Well,” Francel said. He moved Alta’s legs and stood up. “Let’s get to bed. We need to get to the stu
“We’re falling apart.”“Not my problem.”“But Chunnie—“He was across the room faster than she could react. A hand at her throat. He held her off the floor. “Don’t call me that. Ever. You lost that privilege a long time ago. Like I said before, I have somewhere to be right now. If I see you, or any other former clan member anywhere near this building again, consider yourself dead.”He dropped her. “Now get out.”She stood slowly, looked around the ragtag group of creatures and then hissed. “I’ll tell them about the company you keep and they’ll change their minds anyway.” She stalked from the room, determined to get Bosy back. If not into her life, at least into her bed.The other four stared at Bosy while he looked at the floor, gasping, fangs still out, rubbing on his bottom lip. Wimer Aslix stepped forward, to hold him, but he held up a hand.“Not right now. I might hurt you. Just give me a minute.”Wimer Aslix frowned, but listened and stayed away. Even with the tense energy in the
“What about Wimer Aslix?” But she smiled.Francel Gumaka smirked. “I have a feeling he’ll be preoccupied elsewhere.”He took her hand, and they walked along the streets. Francel Gumaka sighed. Three years ago he couldn’t have done this. Too many people knew who he was and loved the Werewolves. He wondered if this group would have that kind of popularity.About a block from his building, a wind blew from behind them, gusting their hair and jackets. Francel Gumaka stopped walking. His lip curled and he snarled as he looked around.“What is it?”“Vampire,” he whispered. He couldn’t place the smell now that the wind was in front of them. He sped up, Athena easily keeping pace.He didn’t breathe easy until they were in his apartment. Alta looked up from the couch and made a face at him. A human girl was wrapped around him. A different one from the Kelly he’d met before.Before he could ask who it was, Alta jumped off the couch and said, “Puppy, your sense of smell is good.” Alta flung his
A couple hours before dawn, Bosy opened the door to his room. He smiled at Wimer Aslix’s sleeping body. He was on his stomach on top of the covers. He wore only sweats. The muscles in his back rose and fell with each breath. Bosy slipped out of his shoes and pulled his shirt over his head.He crawled into bed. Wimer Aslix shifted and then woke up enough to smile at him. Bosy kissed his cheek.“You okay?” Wimer Aslix asked.“Yeah. No vampires around for the moment.”“’Cept you. But you’re a good one, so it’s okay.” Wimer Aslix arched up, pressing his back against Bosy’s chest. Bosy shivered. He wrapped an arm around Wimer Aslix’s middle and kissed his neck.“Bite me,” Wimer Aslix breathed.“But—”“I’ll heal it.”Bosy only hesitated for another moment. He sat back, lifting Wimer Aslix with him, so they both ended up kneeling with Wimer Aslix’s body still pressed against his. And then, against his better judgment, he sank his fangs into the elf’s neck.Fresh, rich blood poured down his t
Alta Presion stared, mentally traced the curve of abs with his tongue and the top of those sweats with his fingers. God, that body was utter perfection.Alta snorted.“What?” Francel said.“Just wondering why the powers that be wasted such a great body on a werewolf,” Alta said, and cursed the tiny note of longing in his voice.Francel raised an eyebrow. Again.“Stop looking at me like that.”“Like what?” Francel demanded.“Like I’m … like I’m … ” Crazy, his mind finished for him, but he said, “Whatever. Just stop.”“Sorry sorry, but who are you, and what have you done with Alta Presion? The Alta I know does not care about how a werewolf likes his coffee and the Alta I know would not toss, not one but two compliments at a werewolf about his body. Even if they’re underhanded compliments, they’re still compliments.”Alta didn’t reply. What was he supposed to say? Well, Francel, I’m falling in love with you?Alta’s breath caught. Fuck. And he knew that was true. He screamed in his head,
Bosy waited until they were in the car and said, “Isn’t Lexy here every night?”“Usually,” Ciel Karhillaz said. “I didn’t notice that she wasn’t here yesterday.”Francel Gumaka said, “Last night was clear, though, right?”Bosy nodded. “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean it will stay that way. Someone knows I’m here.”“Why are you hiding?” Alta asked.“None of your business,” Bosy snapped.“It’s my business if a vampire is suddenly going to dig fangs into my neck.”“We won’t suck on faeries,” Bosy said.“Bosy,” Francel Gumaka said as a warning.“Not like that,” Bosy said. “We can’t. They’re creatures of light. Pretty much made of sunlight. It fries us from the inside, especially the pretty ones. Alta’s blood would probably kill me in about five seconds.”Alta smiled. “You think I’m pretty,” he crooned.Bosy rolled his eyes. “Way to take the important information out of that. Good job.”“I did. You think I’m pretty.”“You are pretty,” Francel Gumaka said. Silence fell. Alta’s mouth opened in s
“He has a girlfriend,” Bosy suddenly whispered.Alta scoffed. “He has a girl he’s been fucking for a few days. Hardly girlfriend status.”“Point. And your humans?”“They’re just humans,” Alta said and then cringed. “God, I hate having a conscience about stuff like this now.”“I doubt Francel Gumaka’s gay, or even bi. Wolves aren’t like that. Very one-mate-for-life kind of creatures.”Alta rolled his eyes. “I doubt he’s going to be mating with this cat for life.”“Or a faerie. Look, he’s probably going to end up with some girl in his pack because of some type of status builder.”“How do you know so much about it?”“Vampires are the same way. That girl Tsuki wanted to be clan leader. She decided she needed a mate, and bam, guess who that was? Eventually we took over the clan. We were pretty powerful, ruling together and then she let it go to her head a bit, and I started pulling away from her. She started lying about me, and then suddenly the pack turned on me, and I was kicked out. Tsu
“Yes. Or until they kill each other off.”Daniela glided to the wall and leaned in close. She sniffed Bosy, and then her nose wrinkled. “You’ve been drinking elf blood.”Bosy didn’t try to deny it.“Your band mate?”“Yes.”“Why?”Bosy laughed. “He’s got a bit of a fang fetish, if you’d believe it. And it beats the shit out of animal blood.”“But he’s an elf.”Bosy sighed. “Yes, he’s an elf. But he’s also cute, and funny and makes me laugh. He makes me laugh, Dany. I actually wrote a happy love song last night. Well, it’s not finished, but it’s happy, about being in love, and how every time it’s new and—”“Okay, okay. I get it. What about the other members?”“The faerie is still a bit annoying, but he actually called us his friends today. He’s in love with the wolf and the wolf is falling in love with him. And Ciel Karhillaz is just Ciel Karhillaz. He sits there quietly and observes us. When he does talk though, it’s usually pretty profound.”Daniela nodded and settled a hand on Bosy’s