Chapter 10
The apartment was no longer stuffy, but there was an odd smell.
“What is that?” Desmond wrinkled his nose. Sakura sneered back at him in reply. “Yeah, yeah, I know, time for food. Huh, I thought there was more for you than that. I'll have to go get you some more. I'll stop by the butcher tomorrow after work.”
Sakura replied by trying to entangle his legs as she threaded her way around and through them.
“Look, Miss Thang,” he chided. “If I trip and fall, you won't be getting this any faster.” He opened the plastic container, slipped the contents into a bag that he zipped closed, then placed in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes before decanting the meat into her bowl.
“There, see. And I even warmed it up for you just the way you like it.” Sakura ignored him in favor of sniffing at the meat in her bowl before tearing into a chunk. “Yeah, you're welcome,” he muttered.
He wrinkled his nose again. The scent reminded him of old bologna sandwiches. He shrugged. Maybe they needed to see about shampooing the carpets. He stretched. Carrying the bags of clothes had tired his arms out a bit, especially after all the packing and unpacking.
A shower and then the Xbox before bed.
Steve surprised himself with how closely he was able to pay attention to what the other man was saying about their plans for expansion.
He could practically feel his mate's tension.
And why does he need to keep nibbling on his lower lip like that?
Does he have any idea what he does to me when he does that?
Laurie cleared his throat. “So, as I was saying, the shop next door is looking for a larger space as well, but as they're a book store, they don't have a lot of specialist equipment such as ovens and what not to move like we do. We'd like to take their space if possible.”
“Huh? Oh, yes, sure. I'll have to speak with them and find out if they've located a new space yet and sound them out as to when they'd plan on making their move. Alternatively, we do have a lot of room behind this building and could apply to build an extension maybe.”
Laurie waved a hand. “That would require a complete re-model for us, to move the kitchen to the rear. That would preferably be a last resort.”
Steve frowned. “Yeah, I can see where that would take longer to do.
Just don't make any plans to move out or anything until I speak to them, please?
I'll try to get a hold of the owners tomorrow.” Steve wracked his brains.
Ah... I wonder if the bookstore would be interested in the retail space that's for sale that's a few blocks the other side of our building.
Perhaps the pack could invest in it and expand our holdings while keeping known clients happy.
Jared turned to serve the customer who had just approached the register. His face blanched.
“Hi. Fancy running into you here. We've missed you at the club. How about we go grab some lunch?”
Jared's mouth went dry. “Uh, n-no. Sorry, I can't. I'm not off until four and my boyfriend will be here to pick me up.”
“Your boyfriend can't save you now.”
When had the he gotten to the alley behind the store? Jared backed up, meeting the dumpster at his back. He heard laughter.
“He sure can't. He's not here and won't be until four o'clock, right?” The second man who appeared in the alley rubbed his hands in delight.
A third all too familiar voice then, next to his ear. “On your knees, and open your mouth.” A rough hand grabbed his shoulder and shoved him down.
“Please, stop! N-” his voice cut off as he gagged on the thick member being forced past his lips.
Tears filled his eyes as he struggled to breathe through his nose, the pain in his jaw made worse by the cruel fingers digging into his chin as it kept his mouth pried open.
A deep growling sounded nearby. Abruptly, the offending flesh was pulled away as its owner turned to face the wolf that made its way towards them.
“Nice doggy,” the second man said as he raised a gun. A muzzle flash was followed by a yelp. The wolf fell. “Silver bullets, hey. Didn't think we'd come unprepared, right? Thought you could sneak the fact that he's a wolf past us, boy?”
“That's not friendly” the first man said.
“No. Steve...” Jared collapsed onto his knees, one hand beseeching Steve to get up. The eyes had already begun to dull over and Jared knew he'd lost his chance at true happiness. “You fuckers!”
His head snapped back violently from the force of the blow. “Steve, no, baby...”
“You want Steve? I'll get you Steve,” the reply came.
Yes, he wanted Steve. He wanted Steve to be alive, and to be his.
“Shhh...” the voice continued.
Jared blinked his eyes. Wait, that voice. It was-
“Des?” his friend was sat on the side of his bed, looking anxious.
“Yeah. Sorry, just, you were shouting and crying. Umm, I'll call Steve for you, okay?”
“No, I'm all right. Just... just a dream. About those guys, the ones from the club.”
Desmond frowned. “Maybe you should go speak to someone about that. Like a counsellor or something.”
Jared shook his head emphatically. “No. No way. I...I just need to put it behind me. I'll be okay once I calm down.” he smiled weakly at his friend.
Desmond looked dubious. “tell you what, if you won't let me call Steve, how about I go make us some hot chocolate? I'll brave the funky smelling air in there for you out of the goodness of my heart.”
Jared laughed weakly. “I noticed that. What is that?”
Desmond shrugged. “I dunno. I checked around. No old food lying around anywheres and we only moved in yesterday so no kitchen trash to make that stink. I'm wondering if the carpets need doing.”
“Could be.”
“I'll- I'll just go make that chocolate now. You sit there, all right? Maybe watch some Netflix.”
Jared fidgeting. Should he get up? He didn't particularly feel like watching a movie. Alone in his room, the stillness and solitariness ate away at his nerves. He shivered, drawing his sheet up up closer in a vain attempt to stave off the chill that crept along his bones and uncurled in his gut.
He was dead. Why would I dream that? Jared squeezed his eyes shut.
A small tear escaped from the corner of his left eye, unbidden.
It wasn't all that long ago, but it seems like a million years.he's become such a part of my life.
His smile, the way his eyes are so warm when he looks at me.
The thoughtful things he does. His patience with all my blunders and assumptions about his world.
If I never again got to sit beside him and laugh at the way he stops the DVD to make us a cocktail for us to sip along just because Isaac made one, I don't know what i'd do.
And his laugh. I felt like I was really home when he gave that laugh over the Professor and his coconut radio fiasco.We're not probably the hippest couple, but we are perfectly matched.
A mated pair. That's what we are supposed to be yet I'm sat here being a dork about everything.
“Here you go, hun.” Desmond reappeared in his doorway, holding two mugs. “Oh, honey, are you crying?” He hurried over and placed the mugs on the bedside table. “It's gonna be all right.”
“I've been so stupid, Des.”
Desmond quirked a half smile at the shortening of his name.
He decided it was okay coming from Jared.
“It's not stupid to cry, And hey, after what you've been through, then those suit types coming after us, I'm not surprised you're feeling a bit of a mess.
If anything, I think it's amazing that you didn't fall apart before now.” He perched himself on the edge of Jared's bed. “Just let it all out.”
Jared shook his head. “I- I just need a minute. Please.”
Desmond stood back up. “No worries. I'll just see if there are any cookies left, hmm? Make sure the moving help didn't help them disappear.” he sailed back out.
Jared blinked rapidly. Not going to cry. Oh, balls...
Standing on the other side of the closed door, Desmond was able to hear the sobs.
Nodding to himself, he came to a decision.
Returning to his room, he picked up his cell phone and dialed.
“hey, sorry. I know it's the middle of the night.
But Jared's having a bad night and is crying.” He pulled the phone away from his face and looked at the screen.
“Okay then, I'll hang up too. I guess I best wait for you to show up at the door in no time flat, huh?”
Returning the kitchen as promised, he found the cookies he was looking for. “Ugh, note to self, see if Steve can help locate that smell and get whatever is causing it cleaned. After he gets Jared calmed down.”
As if on cue, he heard a sharp knock on the front door. He hastened to answer it. Steve muttered his thanks as he pushed his way past, hurrying towards the hall. He paused, giving the air a sniff. He looked startled.
“Tell me about it,” Desmond said sourly. “Talk to you later about that.”
Steve gave a short nod and hesitated before the door on the left.
He squared his shoulders and pushed the door open.
Desmond watched him kneel on the floor next to the bed, pulling Jared over to himself.
Desmond sighed and shut the bedroom door.
“And my hot chocolate was in there too. Guess I best go make myself a new one. Not like I can sleep now.” Even sakura was asleep, curled up in a seemingly boneless contortion, one paw over her eyes.
Somehow, it made Desmond feel even more alone.
That calls for a chocolate chip cookie. At least three of them.
He grabbed one out of the packet as he plugged the kettle back in and set it to boil.
I hope the kid is all right.If anyone can make him feel safe, it'll be Steve. He munched his cookie absently.
Steve opened the door to the bedroom, taking in the look of surprise and relief mingled together on his mate's face.
He could scent the anxiety rolling off of him, so palpable that it was all but visible to the naked eye.
He crossed the room in long strides, quickly kneeling beside the bed and enfolding Jared within a reassuring embrace.
He heard Desmond sigh softly as he closed the door, giving them much needed privacy.
Steve said nothing, his firm embrace and a gentle kiss to Jared's temple communicating all that needed to be said as Jared's tears flowed in earnest now, soaking his shoulder.
“You...you were dead,” Jared wailed. “My fault, all my fault.”
“Shhh. I'm not dead. I'm right here. Feel me? This is me, holding you tight because I am not dead and I know you'd never do anything to cause me harm,” Steve reassured him.
“They had a gun. They had a gun and when you tried to save me, they killed you,” Jared insisted. “They knew you were a wolf and had silver bullets.”
Steve gave a low laugh. “Silver bullets, huh? Well, a well aimed bullet could possibly hurt me, put me out of commission for a few days. As for silver, well... It'd have to be silver mined and refined within the Veil to do any real damage.”
“Really?” Jared straightened up. “The Veil?”
“Yes, it's like a border between this world and the one where us folk originated.
It's thin in places and before great mages shored up the borders and stabilized portals in set places, humans and Folk alike would often accidentally get lost in the shadows there and come out the other side. Hence the stories of “Under Hill” and the like. Only silver mined and refined and worked by the few Folk and humans who co-exist in the Shadowland there has any effect on us. Interestingly, if it is refined there but then worked on either side, it becomes just ordinary silver.”
“People live in this, this sort of between place?”
“Yes, but they are not like the the humans and Folk that live either side.
Their ancestors became stuck there, somehow, and the Shadows there worked changes upon them both.
They are something Other, really. They don't like being disturbed by strangers wandering, hence why they worked with mages on both sides to seal the borders. “
“But there are portals?”
“Yes, Think of them as tunnels with locked gates either side. One can only traverse the tunnel to get from one end to the other, and to get into or out of the tunnel, the gates on each end must be opened. It's very well regulated.”
“To not let too many cross, huh?”
“Well, that, and to protect the lands each one opens up to. Ours for example, opens up onto our Packlands and the nearby Dark Principality.”
Intrigued now, Jared pulled back slightly from Steve and swiped his eyes. “Principality of Darkness?”
“Dark Principality,” Steve corrected. It's like packlands, only for vampires.”
“Oh. The other did sound rather like a bad band name.” Jared gave a weak giggle. “Oh!” he said, a though occurring to him. “The vampires from the bakery...”
Steve nodded. “Yes, we're neighbors on both sides of the Veil. Now, about this dream...”
Jared caught his lower lips between his teeth and glanced away. “I was in that alley again and they were... they were...” his voice trailed off and he shifted his body in distress.
“They were hurting you again? Like they did then?” Steve prodded gently.
“Ye-yes. Only this time, I already knew you, and you were there and they knew your name too and had come prepared, shooting you with those silver bullets.
Like they'd used me to lure you out and I'd been stupid enough to go alone to the club and fall for their shit.” Jared stared at a point above Steve's shoulder.
“Well, it didn't happen, okay?” Steve yawned.
“Oh God, were you up?”
“No, but it's okay. You needed me so I needed to be here.”
“I-I think I can sleep now.”
“Want me to stay?”
“Yeah.” Jared disentangled himself further and scooted over. “Hold me?”
Steve smiled. “Of course.” He toed off his shoes and climbed in next to Jared. Spooned together, Jared closed his eyes. Steve listened to his breathing even out, following him soon into sleep.