Chapter 20
“Iwas afraid you'd hate the bedding,” Jared admitted.
Who could hate Snoopy? Especially a baby Snoopy with a little baby Woodstock?
“Because, umm, he's a dog...” Jared's voice trailed off uncertainly.
Ohhhh...
“But it's Snoopy. Can't be hating on Snoopy, right? Besides, My mom didn't say anything negative about it, did she?”
“No. She helped me find a diaper stacker that had the same color as the background to the print so it'd co-ordinate because there wasn't one in the range.”
“There's your answer then. No way would my mom let you do something insulting, now would she?”
With more confidence. “Alice definitely would not. I'm just over worrying again, aren't I?”
Steve wrapped him in his arms and gave his nose a gentle kiss. “Yes, you are. I also think you're actually worried about something else and not wanting to face it yet.”
Jared's eyes darted to one side, then he met Steve's gaze.
“I- I've been thinking. Maybe I should talk to those officers.
If there's a way to keep the pack from scrutiny,” he finished in a rush.
“I was embarrassed by what happened and didn't want anyone else to know about my...
about my humiliation. But if these are the same guys that are doing it to other guys, I gotta say something, don't I? I can't let myself hide.”
Steve squeezed Jared tighter. “if you want to talk to them, you can. As for the pack, I'll talk to Dad. He'll know who to talk to to get the pack left out of it.”
Steve's phone let out a ringtone he knew all too well.
“Damn it. What does Dale want now? Sorry, babe. I better check this to see if it's important.”
Jared nodded even as Steve dropped his arms and fished his phone from his pocket.
“What's up, Dale? Who? Oh...no, I haven't seen him about. Hang on, I'll ask him.” Steve held his phone away. “Babe, you remember Silas? The Fae maintenance worker who fixed your air conditioner problem?”
Jared wrinkled his brow. “Yeah? Why?”
“Dale says his supervisor can't find him and no one Has seen him for at least a couple of days.”
“I haven't seen him either. I hope he's okay!”
“Me too.” He placed his phone back to where he could be heard clearly.
“Dale? No, he's not seen him either. Has anyone spoke to the Fae on the other side and seen if he's gone back home?
I know The Hunt is on about now, isn't it?
Maybe he went back for that? Okay, keep me posted, and uh, you best let Dad know what's going on.” He disconnected the call.
“Do you think he's all right?”
“Huh? Yeah, he's probably gone back home and forgot to tell somebody.
His supervisor says he's a bit flighty, but didn't want to bug the Prince unless it turned out he was really missing.
Dale's gonna have one of the portal keepers check with his family across the Veil to see if he's hared off home.” Steve gave him a smile.
“It'd not be the first time. Seems he did it before when he broke up with some guy he was dating.”
“Oh, okay.”
“Now, shall we hang these curtains or what? And then, how do you feel about watching a Fantasy Island marathon?”
“Yes!”
“How about some dim sum then, while we watch?”
“I'll call it in!”
Jared awoke to an unusual sensation. There it is again.
Tiny, fluttering movements. In awe he sat himself partway up, pulled his shirt up, and touched the now gentle swell of his belly.
I thought I'd show more than this by the time I felt anything.
He glanced over the empty spot on the other side of his bed.
Wish he was here. Or that I was there. I guess it is kinda stupid for me to be here now, I'm always over at his either doing our date time or getting baby stuff ready, and the occasional wedding bit.
We'll be married in three weeks anyway. We're missing out on stuff like this because I keep insisting on coming home, only it doesn't feel like home without him with me.
It hasn't ever since we mated.Part of the mate bond?
He reached out with his mind, trying to feel that presence he felt when he and Steve 'talked'. Steve? You awake?
Silence.
He tried again.
Steve?
::chuff::
...Steve?
::whine::
Oh wow. He must be asleep and his wolf is semi-aware.Umm..Steve, I'm sorry if I'm waking you, but I think I felt the baby move.
::Yip:: What? Huh?
Crap, I woke you, didn't I?
What's wrong?
Nothing. I felt the baby move is all and was wishing you were here to feel it too.
Is it still moving?
No. At least, not that I can feel. It was almost like a butterfly inside brushing against me. Sorta. It's hard to describe.
Mind if I come down?
Sure. I'd love that. I was kinda thinking though...maybe we should talk about me moving in now? I'm there mostly now anyway...
::Howl::
::giggle:: Did you know when you're asleep, your wolf isn't? It was 'talking' to me before you woke up all the way.
Really?Huh.Makes sense though, I guess.
Yeah. I thought it was cool.
Did you? I can show you how cool my wolf nature can be ::leer::
::laugh:: I'm sure you can.
Be down in five.
You've gotten dressed already?
Sort of.
Sort of?
I'm 'decent', okay? Four minutes..
Jared laughed. His lover was cute when he was impatient. He hurried to wait by the front door. As promised, he didn't have long to wait.
“Shh, we don't want to wake Desmond. He worked a close tonight.”
“Okay,” Steve whispered.
Jared yawned, clapping a hand over his mouth in surprise as he did so. “Sorry.”
Steve kissed Jared's cheek. “Let's go to bed,” he whispered. In the silent darkness, Jared reflected on how much louder it seemed than expected.
“'Kay,” he whispered back softly. “Dunno why so tired suddenly.”
Steve pulled the bedroom door closed behind them softly as they entered the bedroom. “Don't worry about. I'm tired too.”
The last thing Jared remembered that night was the feeling of completion as he settled his head on his lover's chest, cradled by his arm. That and a soft ::chuff:: just as the light show behind his lids faded.
R.W. stood outside the tall apartment building fuming.
He was going to go in there and get some answers and he didn't care what the time was.First, to get past the doorman.
I should've trusted my gut. What kind of place has 24 hour service on the door?
Plus a manned desk? My gut had been telling me all along something hinky was goin' on here and this place is right in the middle of it.
Coulda knocked me sideways when it all went down though.I certainly never expected it to be like that.
R.W. squared his shoulders and made for the front entrance.
“May I help you, sir?” the doorman asked as he moved ever so slightly between him and the door.
“Yeah, I'm here to see Steve Chang. He said to ask for him at the front desk and wait for him in the lobby.” The lie rolled smoothly off his tongue. The doorman looked at him doubtfully, but allowed him to pass.
“Okay, just see Charlene there at the desk, she'll let him know you're here.”
R.W. strode purposefully into the lobby, made as if to approach the desk, instead suddenly veered off to face the elevator.
He stopped abruptly, his hand still partially lifted as if to press the elevator's call button.
Seriously? It requires a keycard?The sound of heels clicking across the floor from the direction of the desk told him Charlene approached.
“May I help you, sir?” Her words were polite, but her tone held a hard edge.
Time for Plan B.
R.W. turned and gave her a sheepish smile. “I, ah, hadn't wanted to bother you. I'm supposed to meet with Steve Chang.”
Charlene gave a sniff and eyed him appraisingly. She narrowed her eyes. “How about we return to my desk and I'll give him a call? What's this about?”
R.W. reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his identification. “I'm with the local FBI field office and we're investigating a matter that seems to involve one of your maintenance men.”
Charlene visibly startled at that piece of information.
Ah-hah! Gotcha!
Charlene leaned forward. “Do you mean Silas? Is he all right?”
“I'm sorry, I can't say. I really need to speak to Steve Chang.”
“It's just that i've been so terribly worried. Well, we all have been, just, well, I'm Silas' sister, and he's not been home for a couple of days and it's just not like him...” her voice broke off into a near sob.
R.W. straightened. “You're his sister?”
Charlene nodded. “Different mothers, but same father, yes.”
R.W. sighed, then leaned forward to whisper, “Can you do the thing too?”
“Do the thing?”
R.W. fluttered his hands up in the air. “Yeah, the thing. You know, the thing.”
Comprehension flooded her features. “Oh shit,” she whispered. “I better make the call.” She lifted the phone and made the call.
“Shit, okay, hang on a minute!” Steve rubbed a hand over his eyes as he tried to make sense of the banging and shouting he heard. Jared sat up, startled.
“What's going on?”
“Hold your damned horses!” Demond could be heard yelling, his voice sounding from the hall.
“I don't know, I'll be right back, okay?” Steve said.
Jared clutched the sheet tighter around himself, alarmed at what could have brought someone to their door without so much of a call first, so early in the morning. He nodded and settled back down onto the pillows, trying to calm himself.
Steve didn't bother pulling on his pants, opting instead to simply walk out and see what was going on.Already his hearing was picking up low urgent tones and he realized with a start that Dale and Jeff were both at the front door.
He hurried into the room to be confronted with three very grave faces.
Desmond spoke first. “I think I best let these guys tell you what's going on. I'll go tell Jared and then get dressed in case you need me.” He hastened from the room.
“Man, sorry, but this was too urgent to just ring about. We figured you'd be here since you weren't at yours,” Jeff said.
“We've got serious trouble,” Dale added.
Steve cocked his head to one side. “What is it?” he busily wracked his brain trying to think of what would leave these two so flustered that they'd charge straight to him, without so much as a call or text first. Had he missed a text from his father?
If not, what could be so important that his father didn't contact him first?
“Remember me asking you about Silas?”
Steve nodded.
“Well, it seems after your meeting at the coffee shop with those agents, he spoke to them.”
“He what?”
“Yeah, seems he was was there listening in. Should've noticed him, so if you want a new beta, I'll understand.”
Steve waved his hand impatiently. “Just tell me,” he said tersely. “What else?”
“Seems he told the detectives that two men tried to rape him outside a club, and then he, well, uh, according to the agent downstairs he-”
“He what?” Steve snapped impatiently. He had a very bad feeling about what was coming next.
Dale licked his lips and glanced away. “He grabbed them, opened a portal, and took them across, claiming the other agent was his mate, then after this other guy got mad about it, he pushed him back through again. And then that guy, that guy...”
“He knew no one would believe he'd seen a guy go 'Tinkerbell' as he put it and take them to 'fairyland', so he pulled up all the info he could on Silas and discovered he worked here. He just asked Charlene if she could grow wings too.”
“Oh fuck.” This is so not good. “Where's my father now?”
“Uh, the guy asked for you, but Charlene figured since you weren't Alpha yet, she'd best contact your dad, so he's talking to him upstairs.
He told us to get you so you could have a say and decide how to approach the Fae.
You know we can't simply have government employees just vanish and leave behind ties to us. Not to mention the risk to us all over what this guy knows, or thinks he knows.”
Steve nodded. He rubbed one hand over his face. “Right. Let me get dressed and I'll be right with you.I can't go like this. I also need to let Jared know what's going on.”
“I heard,” Jared's soft voice piped up. “I want to come with you.
If it's the same guys, I want to know. I also don't want to be left behind like some weak, incapable person left behind to wonder if the government is about to come take us all away.” He rested one hand lightly on his swollen abdomen.
Steve grimaced. “Sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel like that.” he strode across the room and gave Jared a gentle peck on the lips. “Just give me a minute.” He gave a sardonic grin. “I see you already threw some clothes on, and apparently heard it all, so...”
“Go,” Jared said simply.
Steve went.