Chapter 8
Bjorn
T he red and blue lights announce the fun before the four cops pour in from the outside. Koru and I are in the brewery’s kitchen, prepping ingredients for tonight’s dinner, as well as some spices for a new beer he wants to make for whatever blah blah competition he’s entering. I will never understand Koru’s fascination with boiling water with hops and herbs and yeast. Don’t get me wrong, I love drinking it. But the process of making it makes me want to swim across the North Atlantic, in the middle of winter, in nothing but a Speedo.
“These pals of yours?” Koru asks under his breath just before he plasters his fanged smile to his face and saunters out to the bar to greet the demon sheriff and his minion officers in minotaur, gargoyle, and troll forms.
“Good afternoon. We are looking for your brother, Bjorn. His neighbor said he may be here.” I growl. Mr. Palmer is always trying to screw me over; I’ll be sure to thank him next time I see him.
“Bjorn! Get your ass out here!” Koru bellows. My finger twitches to flip him the bird, but I use self-control. Seems like demonstrating my self-control is a good thing to do with visiting police.
I wave as I leave the safety of the kitchen. Before I can say anything, the deputy with the shiniest badge and the biggest hat come right over to me—I don’t recognize the gargoyle, he must be new to town. His menacing wings twitch, like he’s hoping there will be a fight as I crack my knuckles. New leaf. You have turned over a new leaf, I remind myself. Officer Stone is apparently a snuggler—he’s standing way too close to me. I refuse to take a step back—two can play his game. He says, “Bjorn, you’re under arrest for kidnapping August Mason.”
At those words, my vision narrows, and my ears block out every sound around me. I see Koru’s face appear, his god-awful mouth open in a yawn or yell. Probably a yell. He slaps the bar countertop, cracking his precious gleaming wood he’s so proud of. Another cop appears near him, hand on his holster, and Koru’s hands go up grudgingly in surrender.
Cold metal pinches my wrists; it really is too bad that they don’t carry orc-sized cuffs. Or maybe it is a good thing. We all try so hard to be good citizens...most of the time.
It isn’t until I’m being pushed out the door into the chilly sunshine that my brain kicks into gear. Koru is cursing me out, following the cops, but at a distance. The second cop keeps one hand out toward my stupid brother, as if Koru were a dog about to attack. I mean, he is...
“Wait, is August missing?” Words finally funnel themselves out of my head and mouth.
“She was last night. Her cousin reported her missing.” The curt reply makes me angry.
“But is she missing now? Because when I came here, she was on her way to her cousin’s place. Is she in danger?”
“Not anymore,” the cop says with bravado, like he’s just saved the world. He pushes me at the car with the lights still spinning and flashing. This doesn’t make any sense. If she’s with May, why am I under arrest?
The last thing I hear as the engine starts is Koru shouting at me, “She better be worth it!” He stalks off as the car shifts into reverse. I hope that means he’ll post my bail. And yeah, she is worth it.
The next two hours pass in a blur. I’m fingerprinted. Mug shot taken. I’m put in a cell by myself. When I ask where my inmates are, the lonely officer just shrugs and says, “Small town. It’s quiet.” That explains some things. I will say, this isn’t my first time to be arrested, but this is the first time for charges so serious, and the first time it wasn’t my fault.
Leaning back against the wall, I let my mind wander. It doesn’t matter where I start—work, climbing mountains, past misdeeds, current misdeeds—my mind always comes back to August. Her succulent curves, her spirited laugh, her keen wit. And her lips. Always, her lips. The taste of August’s lips is tattooed to my soul.
I hear my brothers’ voices echo. Then I hear what I think is my captain’s voice. Shit. I’m in serious trouble now. One day on the job and now my boss is coming to visit me in jail? Suppose that universal truth is right, and I can’t go home.
I’m released in quick fashion by a human deputy. He keeps his sunglasses on, even inside to hide his nervousness. No matter, I can smell it on him. He makes no apologies. All charges dropped. Good. I need to buy a bed, and I did not want to spend the night on the hard bench in the cell. It’s not orc-sized.
Brann, Koru, Urk, and Grev are waiting for me outside. All four look pissed. Koru opens his mouth, I’m sure to yell at me some more, but I hold up my hand in a stop motion, as does Brann.
“Is August okay?” The words are croaked, as if I haven’t had water in a week.
“We think so. Her cousin says she came by. We got her to call and explain to the lovely Moonfang Haven PD that August has been seen and is safe.”
“Glad you’re out. Try not to fuck up anymore, okay?” Urk says, slapping my back and walking away, back to his weird wood art in the forest. My reclusive brother, ladies and gents.
“Where is she?”
“I’m not sure. Now, before you get completely riled up, I want you to know that this will be in the paper tomorrow. Small town.” Brann shrugs like that’s a perfectly good explanation for my embarrassment. “And I’m going to get pushback to fire you.”
Fire flares up in me. He sees my chest puff and my hands clench into fists as I prepare to wage a one-orc-war on this town. I will burn it all down. How did I think it was a good idea to come home?
His posture changes to be less forceful, less captain-y. “Don’t. It will be under control. I’m not letting you go anywhere. You were incredible scaling that mountain yesterday. Quicker than anyone else on the team. And you were able to help August without crushing her pride or causing any sort of scene. Impressive. You are great at your job. I hope you know that.”
Damnit. I hate when people put out my fire. Especially with compliments. Stupid captain, knowing how to take care of his people. “Fine,” I growl. As I suck in a breath, I realize I no longer have her scent in my nostrils. An ache builds in my chest. I need to be with her, hold her. “But I need to know she’s okay. I need to find her.”