Chaz (VLG #15)

Chapter One

Chaz threw the man stalking him into a row of bushes. “Fucking Lycans,” he snarled. “Did you really think I wouldn’t know you’ve been following me? I realized the moment I hit town that I had a tail when I stopped for a red light and you were behind me. Here’s a news flash for you, moron. Don’t ride a motorcycle, especially on hot days when you’re sweating like a pig. All I had to do was crack my window when the wind blew to know exactly what you were. Riding inside enclosed vehicles with air conditioning on will hide your scent.”

The scruffy shifter with dirty blond hair and pale blue eyes got to his feet, brushing off his clothes. “Fuck you.”

Chaz glanced around the parking lot again to make certain there were no witnesses or cameras. “How did you even know it was me?”

“One of our spies watching Moe’s pack gave a description of you and what you are driving. I was one of many tasked with looking out for you. I’m just doing my job.”

“So am I. Tell your alpha that I’ll see him at our meeting in the morning but to keep your pack away from me until then. Next time, I might toss someone in front of a moving vehicle. Got it?”

The blond scowled. “You’re in our territory. We’re supposed to keep an eye on you.”

“Your alpha refused to use a location between the packs, and this is the only decent hotel near your territory. Key word being near, idiot. Your pack doesn’t own this hotel or the land it sits on. Tell Keith too fucking bad if he doesn’t like that I’m this close.”

“You can’t speak about my alpha that way.”

“I hate to break it to you, but I rank higher than you on the food chain.”

The Lycan lowered his gaze, studying Chaz. “You don’t look so tough.”

“You really are a moron. I’m going to check into this hotel, and I had better not see any of your pack until that meeting tomorrow. Otherwise, I’ll take it as an act of aggression. I’m not in the best mood after the last few shitty days I’ve endured. All I want is a good meal, a few drinks, and about ten hours of uninterrupted sleep. Anything that gets in the way of that has a death wish I’ll grant. Get lost.”

Chaz spun and stormed toward the hotel entrance at the front of the tall building. The doors automatically opened, and he took it all in. Maybe twenty humans milled around in the large lobby, and as he inhaled, a hint of a smile curved his lips. No Lycans. He made his way over to the check-in desk. The man behind it looked up and gawked a bit.

“I need a room for a night with a large bed and at least four floors up. I don’t want to hear people milling around outside or to be near the pool.”

The clerk nodded. “You’re very tall. I’d suggest a California king bed. Will that be acceptable?”

“Sold.” Chaz placed his bag on the floor next to his boot, removing his wallet. “Does the restaurant here have good food?”

“Yes, sir. We only hire the best area chefs. Our restaurant carries a four-and-a-half-star rating.”

Chaz wasn’t sure what the hell that meant, but they had food. It beat having to leave the building to go hunting for something to eat. The idiot Lycans would probably try to follow him around again. He also didn’t want to order fast food and have to wait around the lobby for the delivery driver to bring it.

Chaz was in no mood to deal with any problems yet. Lord Aveoth had given him and his twin some much-needed time off. His vacation hadn’t been relaxing so far. He’d been looking forward to hooking up with a Lycan he’d had sex with a few times over the past two years. Kolana was hot and not looking for anything serious. Instead, he’d gone there only to learn she’d found her mate.

He’d been hanging out with her pack, trying to find some other attractive woman to hook up with, when he’d seen a bunch of missed calls from his brother. Fray had informed him that European Gargoyles were trying to take over their Uncle Moe’s territory. He’d packed his duffle bag, rented a car, and driven like his ass was on fire to help deal with the murderous bastards.

The situation was over since all the invading Gargoyles had been eliminated. He also felt grateful to have an excuse to get away from what was going on with his twin. Fray had mated to a human. One who happened to be the stepdaughter of their mother’s brother. Uncle Moe hadn’t taken the news well at first, and while he was acting as if he’d accepted the mating, things were bound to be tense for the first few days. Chaz was happy to avoid that.

The clerk typed on his screen, asking questions. “I have a California king bed on the fourth floor. Will that work?”

“Sure.” Chaz flinched over the price. Humans charged a lot for fancy hotels. It didn’t matter, though. Money wasn’t an issue for his clan. He shoved his wallet back inside his pocket after paying and took the packet the clerk handed him, his keycard tucked inside it.

“Have an excellent stay with us, Mr. Deslayer.”

Chaz chuckled as he lifted his bag. “Thank you.” He spun, heading for the elevator, and withdrew his phone. He dialed his brother, pressing the call button.

Fray picked up on the second ring. “You made it?”

“Yes. But I’m totally going to get you back for the identity you picked out. Do you know how tough it is to keep a straight face whenever someone calls me that?”

“You are too serious. It’s a fitting for us. We do slay shitheads.”

“Doesn’t the guy who makes our identities ever give you shit for the names you pick?”

“He likes me and always finds my requests amusing. Just don’t get arrested. He’s good, but not to that degree. Have you run into any trouble? I could have gone with you.”

“You have better things to handle, like your new mate. This is child’s play.” The elevator opened, and Chaz stepped inside, glanced around, and instantly spotted the camera in the corner near the ceiling. He tucked his chin and kept his eyes hidden behind his sunglasses. “I already got to meet one of the locals. They were watching for me. He also said something about someone spying on Moe’s people.” He was careful with his words in case hotel security could hear him. “You might want to share that and have them deal with the issue.”

“That’s going to be hard to do without revealing to Moe why you’re there and know anything about the Folsom pack.”

Chaz silently cursed. “Say I’m staying at this hotel on clan business, but someone approached me thinking I was here for them. They let it slip that they knew where I’d been since they were watching.”

“That will work. I’ll pass that info on to our uncle. Is the one who confronted you dead or alive?”

“He didn’t seem to like bushes much.”

Fray chuckled. “You’re so nice and polite. Was it poison ivy?”

“No. That would have been amusing.” Chaz felt his annoyance grow at the slowly moving elevator. It was taking forever.

“Where are you staying?”

“At that fancy hotel right off the highway. I figured the locals would be less inclined to mess with me here.”

“Good plan.”

“I thought so.”

“I could fly in tonight to back you up in the morning?”

“No. Keep bonding with Lenore.” Chaz stepped off the elevator, which had finally reached his floor, and caught sight of another camera down the hall. “The hotel has a lot of security, so it’s all good. How are things going since I left?”

“Fine. We ate great food, spent some time with the pack, and now we’re back at Len’s cabin. We’re meeting Moe and Lisa for breakfast in the morning.”

Chaz walked down the hallway, searching for his room number. “No wonder you’re offering to come here for this meeting. I don’t blame you. Moe is going to pull you aside to have a chat.”

“He already did.”

Chaz wasn’t surprised. “That’s why I left fast. Besides, I’m not feeling social. I plan to catch up on some sleep before the meeting.”

“Are you going straight to bed?”

He spotted his room. “I’ll eat first.”

“Just be careful,” Fray warned.

“These kinds of jobs don’t worry me. Especially after what we just went through. This is going to be easy in comparison. I’ll call you after the meeting.”

“You’re planning to come back here after you’re done there, right? I thought we could travel home together when I take Len to Alaska next week. I cleared it with Lord Aveoth for you to stay that long, too.”

“How did he take your news?”

“He congratulated me on finding a mate, and I think he’s thrilled that she’s human. His mate, Jill, is excited to possibly make a friend. They should have a lot in common.”

“That’s probably true. I’ll go to this meeting in the morning and then head back your way.”

“Good. Moe’s pack wants to throw us a barbeque tomorrow night. I’ll save you a seat at our picnic table.”

“Good deal. I’m out.” Chaz ended the call and put his phone back into his pocket, opened the mini folder, and slid his card through the slotted lock. It flashed green as it unlocked the door, and he shoved it open while staring at the hotel room.

It was decent. He’d seen plenty worse. He inhaled, happy it didn’t stink of cleaning chemicals or mold. He kicked the door closed behind him and walked over to the bed, dropping his duffle bag. He removed his coat next, tossing it on a chair, and peered out the window.

There were no balconies outside. It assured him that the Lycans wouldn’t be able to reach his room from the exterior of the building. They’d have to come in through the door if the bastards planned to attack.

Chaz entered the bathroom and flipped on the light, grimacing at the shower. The problem with humans was that they were built smaller. He’d have to bend his knees in the morning when he washed his hair to get it wet. He sighed, returned to the main area, and grabbed his overnight kit from his duffle bag.

He brushed his teeth, ran his fingers through his hair, and spun around, leaving the lights in the room on. He made sure he had the keycard and put on the ‘do not disturb’ sign before he exited the room. He didn’t want the maids searching inside his duffle bag. They’d probably call the police if they found his weapons.

Food. Drinks. Then sleep. In that order.

The elevator opened with two women already inside. He forced a friendly smile, hoping they wouldn’t feel afraid of him. Humans reacted to him badly at times. Some had good instincts, seeming to realize he was dangerous.

Wearing sunglasses all the time, night or day, didn’t help either. It was also his sheer size that put them off. The women didn’t scamper into the corner and huddle, though. One of them winked, openly admiring his body. The other one giggled.

He pretended to ignore them, watching the digital numbers change until they hit the lobby. He pressed against the side. “After you, ladies.”

“Thank you.” The winker did it again while her friend gave a flirty wave.

They strolled out of the elevator, and he followed, glancing around the lobby as he inhaled. No Lycan scent was detected. He spotted the sign to the restaurant but decided to peel off at the bar before he reached it. A few beers sounded good at that moment. He avoided the counter and picked a quiet booth near the corner so he could watch the room.

There was a blonde woman crouched in the booth behind him, head down, clutching a cell phone. A shot glass and an open bottle of something dark sat on her table. He took a seat at her back and caught the eye of the server. The human woman came right over.

“What can I get you, sir?”

“Do you have any appetizers I can order with my beer?”

“I’ll grab you a menu. You can order from the restaurant to eat here if you want. We share the kitchen.”

“That would be perfect.” It was dim and quiet inside the bar. The early afternoon hour meant few customers. Chaz didn’t want to be stared at by other hotel guests.

He wished he could ditch the sunglasses, but it wasn’t worth the risk. His eyes weren’t normal and would show he wasn’t human. It was one thing he hated about his life, but Chaz refused to wear the contacts he always kept inside his travel bag unless there was no other choice. They made his eyes water and irritated him while in use.

The server returned fast, handing him a menu. “Can I get you something to drink now?”

“A beer. Whatever’s on tap that’s cold. Thank you.”

She spun away, and he opened the menu.

There was a soft buzz sound. “You dick,” a female voice whispered.

He turned his head and peered over the booth divider, staring at the back of the blonde woman hunched in the next booth. He opened his mouth to ask her what he’d done to offend her, but she made a frustrating noise and shifted her body, revealing her phone gripped in both hands.

More soft buzz noises sounded from her phone. He narrowed his eyes, able to read the incoming texts. His eyebrows arched. That was a bad thing to call a woman, but whoever she was communicating with didn’t seem to be polite.

She gasped. “I’m a cunt? Are you kidding me? You can’t have the airline tickets. You’re crazy. When hell freezes over.” She muttered the words aloud that she quickly texted on her phone with her thumbs.

Chaz turned around and browsed the menu, choosing the prime rib. He caught the server’s attention. She came back to him with a smile, pulling out her tiny notebook and a pen.

“Charge me for two pounds of the meat instead of one.” He pointed, turning the menu to show her what he wanted. “The redder, the better. I want extra au jus. Give me a few of those fancy stuffed baked potatoes.” He paused. “Make that three. I’m hungry. Lots of extra butter and cheese. I’ll also take a slice of cherry pie. Just bring it all at the same time.”

The server nodded, giving him a smile. “Sure thing. I hope you can eat all that. That’s a lot of food. I have heard that bodybuilders need to take in a lot of calories.”

Chaz was fine with her assuming whatever she did. “I’m starving, so I’d appreciate it if they could put a rush on my order. And please keep the beers coming. I tip well.”

“You got it.” She fled.

There were more buzzing noises from the phone in the next booth. Another soft gasp sounded behind him, and Chaz turned again. The blonde had shifted in her seat a little more so she sat almost sideways, still crouched as if she were hiding.

“You’re such a dick. I didn’t cheat on you. You did that to me. How dare you.” She sucked in a sharp breath. “I don’t owe you shit. You ran off this morning right before our wedding. You’re not getting the tickets to Hawaii, so you can fuck that whore for a week on my dime. I canceled it all, asshat.” Her thumbs flew over the phone, dictating every word she said aloud.

Chaz winced as he faced forward again. It was obvious that he wasn’t the only one having to deal with some shit. Her phone made a new noise.

“Spoiler alert. You have nerve, Marco. You really do,” the woman whispered, anger in her tone. She paused, but Chaz could hear the man because he yelled. His hearing was too good to miss the other side of the conversation she was having on her phone, even though it wasn’t on speaker.

“Why the fuck would you do that? I paid for that trip, too,” the male whined loudly.

“You only gave me a hundred bucks. I put it all on my credit card, so guess what, dick face? I canceled it all. I’m getting a partial refund, and do you know what? I’m going to sue your worthless ass if you mention that lousy hundred bucks again. I’m out close to six grand because I can’t get a refund on the flowers, the dresses, the food, or the hotel stuff. I wish you had the balls to tell me you changed your mind in person. Do you want to know why? I would have smothered you with that stupid five-hundred-dollar wedding cake you insisted on. Don’t worry. I plan to freeze the top section and beat you with it when I see you next time. Death by cake, fucker.”

Chaz grinned, mentally imagining that. He’d seen a lot of death over his lifetime, but never someone going out that way.

“You psycho bitch,” Marco screamed through the phone.

“Me? You’re the one who hounded me to marry you. I wasn’t ready. I said it dozens of times, but you kept pushing. Do you know how humiliating it was to tell everyone you ran off with my friend’s slutty sister? That would be Della. Ask her about that lake party four months ago where she decided playing tag team with five guys would be fun. She bitched for a week about all the sand she kept finding on her body, no matter how many times she showered. I hope her hoo-ha is still gritty like sandpaper and you get open sores on your dick.”

Chaz muffled a laugh. He glanced around, but no one else was close enough to overhear the blonde’s words. None of the people seated at the bar across the room had turned to look their way. She was almost hissing her words. That was probably for the best.

“Now you’re making shit up.” Marco was still yelling, but his tone changed, as if he wasn’t convinced.

“Ask around. Della told everyone that story. What about the construction worker? She did him three days ago and texted a few of us pictures of his dick. Nice catch there, Marco. He had a tattoo of a snake on his shaft, and she thought that was so cool. I’d forward the text, but I deleted it because it was gross.”

“At least she puts out, Shoni. You’ve probably got cobwebs growing up your hooch. When was the last time you got laid? I bet it was your ex-boyfriend from two years ago, and that’s why he really dumped you. You’re such a fucking prude!”

“Do you want to know why I kept putting you off by insisting that we wait until our wedding night? I knew you’d be boring as shit in bed. I wanted to at least keep the hope alive that I might be wrong. Deep down, I knew that it was bullshit. Nothing is good about you.”

Chaz was taking a drink of his beer and almost choked, not expecting to hear that.

“I’m a great fuck. Ask Della.”

“I’m sure she’d know. She’s got so much experience. It’s fitting since you’re such a dick. You should thank me for refusing to give you the Hawaii tickets. There are a lot of hot surfer guys at that resort, and you won’t have to take a number for a turn screwing her since she’s got a thing for group sex. I’m hanging up now, loser. The tickets are nix, and if you are stupid enough to fly there thinking the hotel is paid for, big wrong. Maybe your new girlfriend can turn tricks so you can pay to go there. Screwing loads men is something she already does for free, but hey, use that to your advantage.”

Chaz was tempted to look back at the huddled blonde but didn’t. Humans could be amusing. He admitted feeling a little curious about seeing what the jilted bride looked like. She appeared small from the way she didn’t take up much of the booth, but she kept low, hiding. He wondered why.

The server soon brought him four plates of food, and he thanked her, unwrapping the cloth napkin holding his utensils. It looked delicious and smelled even better. He’d skipped breakfast and lunch. A phone vibrated behind him as he cut into his thick prime rib.

The blonde answered the call. “I’m fine, Ember. Really. Did everyone go upstairs yet? I couldn’t handle having dinner with our family and suffering the pity looks.”

“Not yet,” a woman responded. “I ducked into the bathroom. They just ordered dessert.”

“How pissed is my father and the witch?”

“Your step-monster is justifying why she talked your dad out of paying for the wedding and is acting smug as shit. God, I want to throat-punch her.”

The blonde softly giggled. “Will you have someone record it if you do? You’d be the best cousin ever. That would make my day.”

“I promise. I’m so sorry, Shoni.”

“I can’t believe I said yes to that douchebag.”

“This is my fault. You said no to him at first, but I pressured you into it.”

“Well, I listened. That’s on me.”

“I believed Marco would be good for you. You never tend to do anything out of your comfort zone. You know? He got you on a rollercoaster. You say only suicidal people want to be on those kinds of rides. I never saw this coming. Della is probably just screwing him because she wants to go to Hawaii. I heard him lying about paying for the trip but just thought it was a man-pride thing since we both know you were footing the bill.”

“You called that one right. He thought I’d hand over the plane tickets so he could switch out her name for mine and let them go on our honeymoon. The only place they’re going to is hell.”

“They both make me sick. You’re better off without him.” Ember paused. “Upside? Regina went home, so you don’t have to hear her apologize again for what Della did. Who knew Marco and her sister would run into each other in the parking lot of her apartment building when he went there to pick up his tuxedo yesterday? He couldn’t even be bothered to do that task himself. You dodged a bullet, hon. He’s a lazy creep.”

“It’s just so embarrassing that this happened.”

“I know, but you shouldn’t feel that way, Shoni. Marco is the son of a bitch who cheated and stood you up today. It only makes him look bad.”

“Wrong. It makes me seem even more pathetic than normal. Everyone kept telling me to hang onto him and saying how lucky I was to find a handsome guy.”

“Please.” Ember snorted. “You can do so much better.”

The hesitation in the blonde’s response had Chaz pause chewing his food. He heard something thump—the bottle on the table behind—and the woman gulped, making a hissing sound.

“You can,” Ember insisted. “What are you doing?”

“Getting drunk in the bar.”

“You don’t drink.”

“I do today. You’re my cousin and my best friend, Ember. I know my flaws. I don’t draw cute guys. It’s like high school all over again when Brad played that joke on me and everyone laughed.”

“Oh, honey. He was a mean asshole to ask you to that dance just to bring another date to embarrass you. You don’t look like you did back then. You got the braces off and outgrew the acne. You’re very attractive now. You just don’t have a healthy sense of self-esteem. It’s because of all the teasing you endured. You grew boobs, too. I’m envious. And you have a great ass.”

“That’s not a good thing. It’s too big.”

“I have to wear padded underwear when I wear form-fitting pants so I don’t have to hear pancake jokes, Shoni. I’d trade asses with you in a heartbeat. I have to get back to the table. Just go up to your room.”

“I can’t. It’s the honeymoon suite.”

“You can’t stay in the bar all night.”

“Says who? Maybe I’ll pass out here or end up in a drunk tank. It’s got to beat being married to Marco.”

“Come on, Shoni. Just go up to the room, and you only have to face breakfast in the morning. Then your dad and the step-monster will be heading to the airport to fly home. I’m taking them, remember? This nightmare will be over soon.”

“Yeah. The breakfast. That will be fun.” The blonde snorted. “The witch can ream me about how I can’t keep a man and try to set me up with her creepy son again. Like marrying my stepbrother, the perv, would be a step up. I’m going to have to go to a pet shelter to adopt ten cats. Mikey is highly allergic. You know he’s going to start asking me out again. At least dating Marco made him stop. Oh, God. This sucks.”

“I’ll come up to your room later, okay? I’ll also cancel my plans with Pam. She’ll understand why I can’t go tomorrow night.”

“No. Don’t you dare give your concert ticket away. I would feel even worse. You’ve been looking forward to seeing that band for months. Don’t do that to me.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Now, I’m going to keep getting plastered. I need some alone time right now. Just give me a call in the morning so I’m not late for the breakfast from hell.”

“Will do. Call me if you need me, Shoni. I’ll come to your place with lunch after I get back from the airport tomorrow. It’s non-negotiable. I want to spend a few hours with you before I meet up with Pam.”

“Fine. Bye.” She ended the call.

A heavy sigh sounded from the booth behind him as Chaz continued to eat. The server asked the blonde if she needed anything when she came to drop off a fresh mug of beer at his table. She said she was fine with the bottle.

He looked back, watching her play a game on her phone and sip from her shot glass. Texts came in from Marco, but she didn’t answer them. He finished his meal and motioned for the check.

Minutes later, movement had him turning his head as the blonde slid out of the booth and stood. She kept her back to him. He glanced at her body. She had a nice figure, and the cousin was right. Great ass. It was displayed nicely in a pair of stretch denim jeans that were snugly molded to her body.

She passed through the open archway into the lobby, her long hair down, hiding her face. She wasn’t a big thing, maybe just a bit over five-foot-three in flats. She swayed a bit as she walked, taking exaggerated steps.

He grinned. She was drunk but didn’t fall over. Once she was out of sight, he dug out his wallet.