Chapter 19
A Visit to the Vet
TEDDY
When I enter the bakery promptly at seven, I’m surprised to see Sophie is already stripping wallpaper.
I move stiffly; every muscle aches, I’m covered with cuts and scrapes, and the side of my jaw where Jake punched me is swollen and discolored.
But I feel like a million bucks—I’m a member of the Bay Howlers pack!
Sophie turns toward me, drops her sponge, and shrieks. “Oh, great stars above—what happened to your face! And… and the rest of you! Did the whole pack beat on you last night?”
“Pretty much.” I try to smile but it ends in a grimace.
“That looks so painful.” Sophie tips her head at my jaw. Concern clouds her large, solemn eyes, the color of molten pewter; I could happily drown myself in those depths.
“I’m fine, really,” I mumble through the swelling; it’s impossible for me to speak clearly. “And, er… you’re looking at the newest member of Jake’s pack.”
“Really?” asks Sophie, and when I nod, she beams up at me. “I’m happy for you, Teddy, truly happy.”
My mouth starts to curve up at the corners again, but I wince at the spike of pain. I murmur through clenched teeth, “Thanks. I’m happy too.”
Sophie steps closer and tenderly probes my face.
Her fingers feel cool on my flushed skin; she smells like a spring rainstorm, and little flecks of wallpaper dot her glossy chestnut hair.
I briefly consider pulling her into my arms and declaring my intentions to woo her until she falls for me the way I’ve fallen for her, but I close my eyes, managing to tamp down the urge to make an utter fool of myself.
“Have you seen the doctor yet?” she asks.
“Not yet.”
Sophie draws her brows together. “I’ll bet you all went down to the pub for a drink after the pack meeting, didn’t you?”
She pauses long enough for me to nod and then sputters, “Did anyone bother to ask the pack’s doctor to examine you?”
When I shake my head, she throws her hands in the air. “Werewolves! Honestly, I don’t understand how your species has survived this long!”
Sophie pulls her phone out of her pocket and places a call.
“Elvira? Hey, it’s Sophie Spellman Brownlee.
” She nods, a fleeting sadness dimming her features.
“I was pretty upset, but I’m doing okay; thanks for asking.
Actually, I’m calling for my business partner, Teddy Barker.
He’s the newest member of Jake’s pack; they met last night and—” she nods her head and chuckles “—You guessed it; he’s a mess.
And I don’t like the swelling on his face.
Can you fit him into Doc’s schedule?” There’s a slight pause, and then Sophie gives me a thumbs up. “Perfect; see you in twenty minutes.”
Sophie grabs her purse. “Come on, wolf-boy. It’s time for you to meet Doc Demetrius.”
“Wolf-boy?” I grumble as I slide into the passenger seat of her ancient Subaru.
Sophie grins. “I think it suits you.”
“Humph,” I mutter, pretending to be offended, but secretly I’m pleased Sophie has given me a nickname, however ridiculous.
She heads south on Highway 42, passing stone cottages with kids playing out front, thick stands of evergreen trees, and occasional glimpses of the teal waters of Green Bay visible through the trees.
“How was your evening?” I ask, hoping she didn’t enjoy herself, which makes me feel like an ungrateful heel.
“It was fine. But I actually think you had more fun.” We both chuckle, and my heart lightens in my chest.
At the risk of annoying her, I push Sophie for more details because I have to know. “And your prospective boyfriend?”
Sophie snorts. “A real turkey.”
“I see,” I say casually, but enough fireworks to light up all of Door County are going off inside my head. “Are you… um, disappointed?”
Sophie shakes her head but keeps her focus on the two-lane highway as we round a couple of twisty curves. “Nope; just annoyed that I have to spend three more evenings with him.”
I know I took a few blows to the head last night, but this doesn’t make any sense. “Why do you have to see him again?”
Sighing, Sophie explains about her friend Pru’s upcoming wedding, and the fact she’s a bridesmaid and the non-boyfriend is a groomsman.
I get the sense she’s not disclosing everything, which makes me uneasy, but she’s obviously done talking about him.
“Tell me about last night,” she says, changing the subject.
I’m careful to avoid anything Jake would consider sensitive pack information as we chat. When she asks me how many werewolves I wound up besting, I shrug. “Enough.”
Sophie chortles and turns into the driveway of a rustic log cabin. A hand-painted sign in the yard says, “Doc Demetrius, Serving Your Pets Since 1898.”
“You’re taking me to see a veterinarian?” I stammer, feeling indignant on behalf of my species. “I’m entirely human at the moment; there’s not a snout or tail in sight.”
“Very funny,” says Sophie. “Doc serves as the staff doctor for Jake’s pack and for the Riddle Hill Fire Department, which consists of mostly werewolves. He’s board certified in both veterinary medicine and internal medicine, which makes sense since many of his patients are shifters.”
I pull open the door to the clinic and usher Sophie in ahead of me.
Stepping into the gloomy interior, she waves at a vampire with a Bride of Frankenstein beehive; the woman must have a pound of white-and-black hair piled on top of her head.
Sophie introduces me to Elvira, who collects some basic information from me and asks us to wait until the doctor is ready.
“The doctor’s a vampire?” I hiss, noting the dim lighting, the dark burgundy drapes and wallpaper, and the odd assortment of photos on the walls. Apparently Doc Demetrius treats everything from griffins to dragons.
“What were you expecting? The Faerie Queen herself?” Sophie shakes her head at me, but her eyes are sparkling with good humor at the unhappy expression on my battered face.
“I’ve never been examined by a vampire before,” I whisper. “Our two species were not quite so cozy back in Michigan.”
“Ooh. I’d love to hear all the details sometime,” Sophie teases; I roll my eyes, which appears to be the only part of my face I’m able to move without flinching.
“Just… never mind,” I stammer helplessly, unable to resist smiling at Sophie.
A deep voice booms, “Mr. Leslie Theodore Barker, I presume?”
We both rise, and a tall, slender, silver-haired man with spectacles offers me his hand. “Doc Demetrius.” After we shake, he adds, “Congratulations on joining the Bay Howlers; it’s a fine pack.”
“Thank you.”
He gives Sophie a sympathetic smile. “You know I never interfere in faerie matters, and I trust Catbeam’s judgement. Nonetheless, I was sorry to hear about the wing-clipping.”
Sophie sniffs. “I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later; I haven’t exactly been a model faerie—” she waves her hand at me “—but we’re here for Teddy; just look at him!”
I stare adoringly at Sophie, my heart thrumming in my chest. I think she’s actually concerned about me—at least a little—until she adds, “I’ll never get the bakery opened in time without Teddy’s help.”
My mouth twists, but I don’t want Sophie to see how much her words sting, so I glance away. What did I expect? Just because her date last night was disappointing, it doesn’t mean Sophie is suddenly going to see me as anything other than her business associate.
“Help yourself to some coffee,” says Doc kindly to her. “Teddy and I won’t be too long.”
The vampire doctor impresses me with his professionalism and quiet efficiency.
He checks me over, cleans and re-bandages the deeper cuts, and prescribes an anti-inflammatory to help reduce the swelling in my jaw and hands, which are bloodied and bruised.
“I recommend you avoid any more ‘sniff and tussles’ for the time being; your body needs time to heal.”
“Since I prefer conversation over fisticuffs, that won’t be an issue.”
“Good; that solves at least one of your problems.” Doc Demetrius claps a hand gently on my shoulder. “Does she know?”
I frown at the doctor. “Does she know what?”
“Come now, son. It doesn’t take a hundred-and-fifty-year-old vampire to recognize the signs. That spunky faerie sitting in the waiting room is your mate, isn’t she?”
My head drops to my chest. “Is it that obvious?
“To a physician accustomed to working with shifters, it is.” Doc removes his wire-rimmed spectacles. “Sophie deserves to know the truth.”
I shake my head. “It’s too early… and besides, she thinks of me as her employee, not as boyfriend material.”
“She’s going to be mighty suspicious when you vanish for thirty-six hours during the next full moon.”
“Thirty-six hours? I thought I needed to disappear for ten hours, tops.”
“Not a chance.” Doc sucks in a breath, his upper fangs glinting. “I’m going to recommend thirty-six hours at a minimum, and you must begin your confinement at least twenty-four hours before the moon waxes full.”
“But why do I need to be confined for that long?”
“A young werewolf spending his first full moon alone after meeting his mate needs time to master his powerful emotions,” says Doc. “Unless you and Sophie establish a firm mate bond before the next full moon, your mate blight will set in—and trust me on this—it won’t be pretty.”
“But you heard Sophie,” I remind him, “she needs my help getting her bakery sorted out!”
“You’ll be in no condition to sort out anything during the full moon. In fact, you could do more harm than good if you’re not careful.”
“Fine,” I mumble. “Message delivered.”
“Good.” The vampire hesitates. “And… er… may I offer a word of advice?”
“Of course.”
“Sophie wouldn’t have insisted on scheduling the appointment and driving you to the clinic if she didn’t have some feelings for you. I believe you can trust her with the truth.”
“With all due respect, I believe you’re very much mistaken.” I shake my head firmly. “We argue almost constantly—about everything—and Sophie shoved me away when I tried to comfort her after Catbeam Spellman clipped her wings. Sometimes I think Sophie barely tolerates my presence.”
Doc chuckles. “My wife and I have been married for a long time.” He adds with a wink, “Oh, how I miss those heady days of falling in love. So much misunderstanding and drama.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Sophie may be resisting your considerable charms for now, but with a little persistence on your part, I believe she will realize she likes you—quite a lot. Don’t be discouraged, Teddy… and don’t wait too long to reveal what’s truly in your heart.”