Moonlight: The Big Bad Wolf(11)

"I did. I want to run something past you and I suppose the easiest way is straight ahead."

"Always a good policy."

"Actually there are two things I'd like to scoot past."

"Okay. Shoot."

"Well, first, I do have some news." His face smoothed out into a goofy little smile that was so out of character all Storm could do was stare. Sol might have even looked a little embarrassed. "I'm getting married."

Storm was so grateful that the coffee hadn't arrived because, had he been in mid swallow he would have spewed right before half-choking to death. If he'd ever heard anything more shocking, he'd be hard pressed to remember what it was. After his brain freeze began to abate, when he was once again able to form a coherent and appropriate thought, he said, "Congratulations. Who's the lucky, um, woman?"

"Farnsworth." Sol smiled. "From Operations."

Storm smiled, but with a little squinting of his eyes. "You call your fiancée by her last name?"

Sol shrugged. "It seems to fit. And it's not like she minds."

Storm laughed out loud. "You don't know anything about women, do you?"

Sol frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Never mind. You'll find out soon enough."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

Storm just continued to smile and shook his head. "So you want to retire. Good for you. You deserve it."

"I want you to take my place."

Storm's smile vanished as the color quickly drained from his face. Sol didn't have time to notice the reaction because he had turned away and risen to respond to a polite and well-timed knock on the door. He showed the trainee where he wanted the coffee service set up. Storm silently gave the rookie points for how hard he tried to pretend that he didn't notice the wet stain on Sol's pants. When they were alone again, Sol fixed his coffee and noticed Storm hadn't moved.

"What do you like in yours?"

"Oh." Storm's eyes seem to clear as he refocused on Sol and the coffee tray. "Black. One sugar. Thank you."

Sol stirred Storm's coffee, set it on the table next to him, and sat looking at the younger man expectantly.

"I told her I would give it up in two years which would give me time to tie up loose ends and groom somebody for the position." He wagged his head back and forth slightly. "She wants enough time to have some fun while we're still young."

Among other things Storm was trying to imagine referring to himself as "young" when he reached Sol's age.

Since Storm wasn't responding, Sol decided to continue.

"Let's face it, kiddo. I'm just an old vampire hunter witnessing the end of an era and the turning of the page. It's an historic moment for The Order. The Hunters Division is going to need to be reconceived and refitted. The old challenges are on the way out. The new challenges..." He blew out a long exhale. "I don't know. Defense against interdimensional breach?" He looked at Storm. "I'm thinking exit stage left."

Storm was toying with the possibility that Litha had dropped him in the wrong dimension. A Sol who was getting married and using theatrical references? Couldn't possibly be his Sol.

The imposter grinned at him and said, "There is one incomparable perk. You can behave like you invented ass**le and the worst that your superiors will do is say, 'Good job'." He laughed. Storm stared, remembering some of the times Sol's ass**le impersonation had been aimed at him. Personally.

Replace Sol Nemamiah as Sovereign of Jefferson Unit? There was no f**king chance in the whole of the f**king universe that Storm would consider that f**king job. But he liked and respected Sol too much to not at least give the impression of considering the offer. It was, after all, intended as an honor. A great honor.

"It'll be a loss to The Order, but you deserve to have some fun with your girl."

"My girl." Sol repeated that with a little smile, like he was trying it on for size. "Yeah."

"I need to give this some serious thought and talk it over with Litha." The truth of the matter was that Storm needed some time to figure out how to let Sol down easy.

"Oh. That reminds me! About the second thing I wanted to ask you." Sol set his cup in its saucer and put it down on the table between them. "I need to prevail upon Litha to get her father to come to dinner."