Chaz (VLG #15)

Chapter Six

“That parking space right there.” Shoni pointed to a carport space with numbers on it. “It’s my assigned spot. I have a double garage, but I rent out half of it to a neighbor.”

“Why?”

“Charles pays me to store his car in it. We only get one covered parking spot and a double-car garage when we buy a unit here. He’s married, and he has a daughter who drives, too. His wife demanded that she and their daughter get to park in their garage, and he’s paranoid the neighborhood kids might scratch or dent his Charger. It’s a cool car. Plus, two hundred bucks extra to me is awesome. It’s an income without having to work for it.”

Chaz pulled his rental car into the spot and glanced at the buildings as he shut off the engine. There were eight two-story identical homes along the street, all standing too close together, with two sets of double-sized garages attached to each of the small structures. The covered parking was on the other side of the narrow street. He instantly disliked the entire setup of where Shoni lived.

“Why isn’t your car in this spot?”

“It’s in the garage. My cousin drove me to the hotel since we were supposed to leave in a limo to reach the airport for our honeymoon this morning.”

“I see.”

“Home sweet home. I never wanted to live in a condo, but I got this place for a steal and was able to lock in my homeowner’s association fees for ten years. I plan to sell by the time they start raising them again.”

“I don’t really know what that means.” He exited his side, rounded the vehicle, and helped her out. Then he retrieved her suitcase from the trunk.

“It’s like a payment for maintenance and stuff. Never mind. Why are you scowling?”

He glanced at all the windows. He could see two more streets with the same structures and layouts from where he stood. “There’s no privacy.”

“That’s the downside of condo living, but it’s super affordable. Way cheaper than apartment rentals are now. The inside is nice. You’ll see. I bought shades, so most of my windows are covered. It’s got great security, too. That’s important for a woman living alone.”

They walked on a sidewalk between two of the buildings that couldn’t be more than ten feet apart. Shoni turned right, stopping in front of a door. It was number thirteen. She withdrew keys, used them on three locks, and then pushed open the door. A light beeping immediately started. She flipped on an interior light and faced a tiny white device attached to the wall, tapping on it.

“See? It has a security system and everything. I got a deal on it, too. That was Ember’s doing, though. You met her at the table this morning. She worked part-time for a security company because she was going through a stage of swearing off men after a bad breakup. Ember said it was better to keep busy and earn extra money until that happened. She quit after one of the guys there sexually harassed her.” She paused. “You probably don’t want to hear all that, but she got me two years’ worth of service and the system installed for free.” She backed up and beamed at him. “For not suing their asses. She totally would have won.”

Chaz entered the compact living room. It held a blue couch, a black coffee table, and an electronic fireplace along the wall. A television rested on top of it. One of those weird, one-sided slim couches was in front of large, double glass sliding doors. He locked her front door and let go of her suitcase.

A stairwell was to the immediate right after a closed interior door. He stared up, seeing that it curved out of sight near the top.

“Two bedrooms and a full bathroom are up there. A half bathroom is behind that closed door right as we entered, but don’t try to use it. I removed the existing counter and sink. The new one is on backorder. The kitchen is right over here.” Shoni backed up more and flipped on a light to the right, revealing another part of the room. A counter with two barstools separated the space from the living room. It was a compact kitchen.

“There’s a laundry space,” she went on. “My condo isn’t big, but it’s nice, right? The bedrooms are large, though.” She pointed to the back wall of the kitchen where the fridge and most of the cupboards were located. “Behind that is the garage. It’s not connected or anything. That was bad planning on the builder’s part, but hey, it’s another reason I got this place for such a great price. It’s possible to add a door to connect them, but then you’d lose much-needed space in the kitchen. I kind of like having a fridge instead.” She chuckled as if that was a joke.

“It’s obvious you put some work into your home.” He was being honest. The kitchen was tiny but looked updated with white countertops and gray-painted cabinets. It wasn’t somewhere he’d ever want to live, but he could tell she’d put a lot of thought into the decor. It was homey and neat.

“I probably shouldn’t mention that someone died here.” She gave him a sober look. “Spoiler alert. Realtors must disclose the information to buyers when that happens. It wasn’t like murder or anything violent. He had a heart attack but wasn’t found until the following day. I asked. Combined with the garage being separated from the unit by a wall, and um… it being number thirteen, well, it sat on the market for nearly a year. That’s considered an unlucky number. I put in a lowball offer, figuring they’d reject it right away, but surprise!” She smiled. “All mine. I even had enough downpayment money left over for paint, kitchen countertops, new flooring, and all the furniture I bought.”

“It’s nice.”

“Thanks. My grandma left me money when she died. She always told me to buy a home with it. So I did. She probably meant an actual house, but prices are too high. This was the best I could do.” Shoni backed into the middle of the little kitchen. “You’re still not planning on killing me, are you? Because we’re all alone, and since I don’t want any of my neighbors spying on me, I bought blinds to cover all the windows. No one can see us.”

He took in her glancing at the kitchen drawers by the sink, probably the one that held her knives, and resisted smiling. She was so obvious that it was cute. “No, Shoni. We’re going to order food, remember? Eat. I’ll make some calls to arrange for someone to come erase what happened with the Lycans from your memories. Afterward, you will wake up not remembering all the bad things you’ve seen and learned.”

She blew out her breath. “Okay. Good. Thank you. It would suck if you killed me in the one place I feel super safe. I guess I can stop babbling now, right?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” She licked her lips, still staring at him.

“Relax.”

“Sure.” She gave a sharp nod. “Right. Relax. Easy peasy. No prob. It’s all good.”

He couldn’t resist anymore and chuckled. Shoni amused him.

That caused her to frown. “You’re like super tall, all muscle, since I saw you without your shirt on, so I’d know that for certain, and…” She paused, lowering her voice. “You’re not human. It isn’t funny that I’m more than a little nervous. I watched you slice and dice people with your wings. Well, not human people who went from looking normal to what would be compared to something out of a horror movie. Did I mention that you sliced them into pieces? Or that you beheaded the leader of the pack? I’ve earned the right to babble and freak a little without being laughed at.”

That killed his humor. “You’re right. I apologize.”

“Thank you. I accept. I mean, forgiven.” Her gaze ran down his body. “Do you want to use my shower? Your pants are black, but I saw all that blood flying around. Then, you poured water over yourself to soak your upper half. That’s not exactly the best way to wash off all that yuckiness. I’m sure your pants got a bit damp. I could wash them for you.” She pointed to the wall where a decorative panel showed. “The washing machine and dryer are hidden right there.”

He felt confused.

“I know having laundry in a kitchen is bad for resale. I told you I got this place for a steal. I had a cabinet guy make that panel to hide the front-loading stackable machines. It opens and then slides back out of the way on the side of the machines. It’s easy to access when I’m washing loads, but once done, it’s all hidden.” She paused. “So, do you want to take off your pants and give them to me? The shower is upstairs.”

He fought hard not to laugh again. He’d believed Shoni was so open with her words when they’d first met because of alcohol. It seemed she didn’t need a bottle to say whatever was on her mind. “You want to watch me remove my pants? I’m flattered.” He cocked one eyebrow up, deciding to tease her a little.

Her cheeks pinkened. “Not like that! I mean, to wash them. I’m not hitting on you. You’re you, and I’m me.”

Once again, his humor faded in an instant. “What does that mean?”

“You know what? Stay all damp and bloody. Just please don’t sit on the couch or the chaise lounge. I didn’t pay extra for the fabric protection stuff. The fake leather barstools are comfortable and easy to wipe down. I’m going to take my things upstairs.” She tried to flee out of the small kitchen.

He blocked her path. She halted, peering up at him with wide eyes.

“I’d love to use your shower. I’ll go grab my duffle from the car and return in a minute. Then you can have my pants if you are still offering to do some laundry for me.”

She nodded.

“Be right back.” He spun and moved fast, unlocked her front door, and exited. It only took him a minute to grab his bag and return to Shoni’s door. He hoped she hadn’t decided to lock him out.

The handle turned easily in his hand. He entered, locked it behind him, and found Shoni waiting by the stairs with the handle of her suitcase clutched in her palm. She’d connected her makeup bag to the top of it.

“I’ll show you the way. Not that you can miss the bathroom. It’s at the top of the stairs. Follow me.”

He allowed her to go first. “Do you want me to take your suitcase?”

“No, thanks. I’ve got it.” She turned, gripping the handle of her suitcase with both of her small hands, and started to walk up the stairs backward.

He could tell the suitcase was considerably heavy for her as she paused on each step, yanking the case up onto the one under her. It was slow going, but he didn’t offer to handle it again. It was too entertaining watching her.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. He ignored it, figuring it was probably Fray. He hadn’t called his twin after the meeting. His brother could wait for a few more minutes before getting an update.

Once Shoni reached the narrow landing at the top, she backed up to the right. “My room is here. The guest room is on the other side. Make yourself at home. You’re welcome to use anything you need in the bathroom, too.”

“Thank you.”

She paused by her open, dark bedroom doorway, holding his gaze. “Thank you for not killing me or letting me be killed. I promise not to run away while you’re in the shower. I feel safe with you now.”

“Good.”

“Okay.” She backed up into the room and flipped on a light. He saw a large bed behind her with another covered window above it. Then she moved out of his sight.

He entered the bathroom, found the light switch, and flipped it on. Her entire home was dark inside, with no hint of exterior lights coming in. The bathroom had a small window, but a thick shade covered it. The room was compact but nice, with a comfortable-sized walk-in shower, double sinks connected to the same counter, and the toilet.

He put down his bag and removed his coat, dropping it on the white tile floor. Then he bent, removing his boots. Socks went next. Chaz crouched, opened his duffle, and removed his overnight kit. One glance at Shoni’s feminine products on the bath shelf convinced him to use his own stuff.

Chaz placed the kit on the counter and unzipped it. He removed what he needed, walked to her shower, and glared at the low showerhead. He’d have to once again bend his knees to wash his hair. He started to unfasten his pants.

A gasp had him freezing, and he turned his head to the side, only to find Shoni gawking at him from the hallway. Her eyes were wide open and fixed on his hands at the front of his pants. She tore her attention up his body, her gray-blue eyes lingering on his chest before she met his gaze.

“Um, I’ll close the bathroom door. I’m going downstairs. I thought I’d order us pizza. You look like a meat-lover kind of guy. Am I right?”

He’d forgotten about food. “I’ll do that after my shower.” He faced her more, just leaving his pants undone.

Her gaze dropped, and he saw her swallow hard. He smiled, liking the fact that she seemed to be attracted to him. Once again, his dick started to harden. He usually avoided entanglements of any kind with humans but was willing to make an exception for Shoni.

“Do you want to wash my wounds?” He turned around to show her his back, hoping it would tempt her. He twisted his head enough to see her reaction. “You’re welcome to join me. We can order food after.”

Chaz didn’t expect her to pale and stumble toward him. Her features showed horror instead of interest. She came right up to him and raised her hand. It shook badly as it hovered in the air. It was as if she were hesitant to touch him. Her gaze flew to his.

“You’re hurt! Why didn’t you say anything? I didn’t notice before. I have a first aid kit in the cabinet under the sink. Let me get it. Take a seat on the toilet.”

He moved to put his back to the large mirror over the double sinks, craned his head, and saw what had caused Shoni to get a first aid kit. She just dropped to her knees on the rug, yanking out the first aid kit and a bottle of something dark from inside the under cabinet.

“It’s fine. You don’t need to go to the trouble.”

She whipped her head around to gawk up at him. “Your skin is mangled, and you’ve got blood smeared all over your back!”

“It’s nothing.”

She clambered to her feet with the kit and bottle clutched in her hands. “Nothing? Did you hear me? Your skin is torn open!”

“It’s just the skin over where my wings come out. I caused a little damage by withdrawing them too fast. I’ll be healed within a few hours, and there won’t even be a scar.”

She came closer, her attention on his back. Shoni moved more behind him. “The wounds aren’t actively bleeding, but your skin literally looks torn.”

“There are hidden flaps under my skin. Or seams. Whatever you wish to call them. They normally unseal to release my wings when I want to let them out. In a fight, there’s sometimes no time to take those seconds to prepare my body. The layer of skin that conceals them tears. GarLycans heal fast. I’ve ripped open my back countless times. You’d think there’d be scars, but no.” He watched her closely, fascinated by how she wished to tend to him.

“I should still clean them.”

“We don’t suffer from infections the way humans do with open wounds. I have an immune system quite unlike yours. I appreciate that you offered medical assistance. It’s just not needed.” He grinned. “You could shower with me and wash the blood off me, though.”

She nodded, glancing at his damaged skin again.

He turned toward her, more than ready to pull her into his arms, strip Shoni down, and explore every inch of her body. He even had condoms somewhere in his duffle bag. Tempest, another GarLycan, liked to pass out boxes of them like prized gifts whenever they crossed paths. Chaz always stuck the condoms in his bag to avoid the male lecturing him on ‘missing out’ by not taking humans to his bed.

He had a few times in the past. That was something Chaz didn’t like to think about much. Every time had been awkward. Humans were so frail compared to him that he worried about accidentally hurting them. Or crushing them under his weight.

One human had even changed her mind once she’d gotten a look at his dick, going into a panic and fleeing his rented room. He was a big guy. She should have expected that size from his sheer body mass instead of being terrified.

Chaz was more comfortable with the Lycan women he occasionally hooked up with. They liked their sex rough, and he didn’t have to worry about hurting them. Even if they accumulated a few bruises, they faded fast and expected them. He was aware that Lycan women tended to unleash their claws, so he lightly shelled his skin to avoid them tearing up his back.

He’d learned to watch their fangs. One Lycan had tried to claim him while they’d fucked. Neither of them had been amused by her failed attempt. He’d been pissed at her for trying it in the first place, and she’d hurt her fangs that couldn’t penetrate his skin. He shoved that memory back.

“Strip.”

Shoni blinked up at him. “What?”

“Do you want me to undress you?” He reached for the kit and bottle she held.

She stumbled back, clutching them to her chest. “I’m not showering with you.”

He froze. “I asked if you wanted to. You nodded at me.”

“Sorry. You’re distracting me with open wounds and all those muscles.” She blushed again, spun away, and dumped the items in one of the sinks. “I’ll be downstairs waiting for you to bring me your clothes to wash.” Shoni fled, closing the bathroom door behind her.

Chaz growled low, disappointed. He walked to the door and opened it. “You’re in danger. I’m keeping this open so I can hear you in case someone tries to break in,” he called out. “Scream for me if that happens.”

“Got it,” she yelled from below. “I’ll stay down here.”

He sighed, finished stripping out of his pants, and turned on her shower. It was a nice-sized space, at least. He adjusted the water spray, then entered the shower and closed the glass door. The water warmed fast.

Hunger gnawed at him. He should have ordered food before showering. That pizza Shoni had mentioned sounded good. He’d find somewhere local that delivered and do that after he got clean.

He turned, bent his knees, and allowed the water to pound over his damaged wing seams. It hurt a little, but he wanted to make sure the dried blood washed away since reaching them was difficult to do with his hands.

Chaz cursed when he heard his phone vibrate from the floor where he’d discarded his clothes. He still hadn’t updated Fray. Shoni was distracting him and had totally fucked up his plans for later. Now, he was babysitting her instead of heading back to his Uncle Moe’s territory.

He decided it would be best to ask Fray if any of the VampLycans were still around. A few of them had come to assist with the Gargoyle problem they’d just dealt with. Some human women had become victims in need of mind-wipes and rapid healing.

Shoni needed to forget about her kidnapping, everything that had happened inside that warehouse, and even him being inside her home. She would only remember two of the times they’d spent time together at the hotel.

Chaz sighed in regret. Wiped memories could return if he triggered her to remember him by spending any time with her after it was done. That left him feeling… irritated. He quickly reassessed his emotions. It was more like disappointment. He’d never get to see or talk to Shoni again.

“Fuck,” he muttered, ducking more under the showerhead to wet his hair. His brother had found a human mate. Maybe that was why he felt so drawn to Shoni. He and Fray did everything together. They always had since conception inside their mother’s womb.

Their lives were about to drastically change. Fray would be spending most of his time with Lenore once they returned to the cliffs. Chaz would be alone. He knew adjusting to a new way of life would be hard.

His chest rumbled from displeasure. The idea of taking Shoni home with him was tempting. He never knew what would come out of her mouth next. She’d keep him entertained. The idea of having her in his bed sounded way better than partnering with other GarLycans for short-term assignments from their lord or taking up a hobby. Much more pleasurable, too.

That wouldn’t be fair to Shoni , he silently concluded. He wasn’t ready for a mate. Especially a human one. He’d tire fast of using condoms and end up getting her pregnant with his youngling. Possibly even two since he was a twin.

The idea of younglings scared the hell out of him. He knew so little about infants. He’d learn when Fray and his mate started to have them. Then, once he got some experience under his belt, he might consider fatherhood.