wolf said.” Arvyn wasn’t going to let on how close to death he came. His ribs hurt with every inhale and just standing upright was a mission. A quick shift would heal him but doing that even on the edge of town was asking for trouble, even if there was no one around. “I need to get into that coven basement and see if the other part of that drunken confession is true. So, thanks for your help, but… you know, possible mate to save.” Arvyn started backing away, but Cass shook his head.
“How are you going to get into the coven, bright spark? Just go up to the front door and knock? Pizza delivery perhaps? Do you even know where the coven is? Let go of your pride for a minute, alpha, and accept you need some help here. We do have contacts. With a bit of higher power intervention, there might be a way…”
“You mean someone like your mysterious ‘Lord’?” Arvyn pointed to the shadows that were now empty. “He’s left you in the shit, whoever he is. And I can’t ask you for help. I don’t know you. For all I know you want to kill me too, although I admit you haven’t done it so far.”
“Why do people always look at me and immediately think they’re going to die?” Cass rubbed his chin. “We were sent to help you. You came to the notice of someone far bigger and more powerful than you or me, blah blah… Oh, shit, look. Wes is the one who usually gives this spiel. I’m more useful for getting people to shit their pants and I can throw a mean punch. Can you wait five minutes until my mate gets off the phone? We do have friends. Powerful friends who could make all this a lot easier if you just give us five minutes.”
Considering Arvyn was having trouble staying upright it wasn’t an unreasonable request. “Wolf and a demon, true mate, huh? How did that happen?” He shuffled closer to the concrete wall, leaning his shoulder on it, hoping his casual pose covered his injuries.
“A totally romantic, but very long story.” Cass mimicked his pose. Wes was still on the phone and the three frozen men hadn’t even blinked. “Short answer is I saved Wesley from the Underworld and now we roam the country, or the world really, helping out shifters in trouble. Like you. Do you want to tell me now, how you ended up in this place and felt like you couldn’t leave?”
“What I told you the other day was true – I have no clue. I’m a drifter.” Arvyn shrugged. “Typical story. Too many alphas in my home pack. Situation got uncomfortable. I left. I get by, playing gigs where I can, picking up work all over. I breezed by here about a week or so ago, but for some reason, every time I felt like moving on, I got like a huge lump in my chest. Those drunk wolves have given me the first clue I’ve had in a week of why this is happening to me. Although how this vamp person knows I’m his beloved, when I haven’t picked up a hint of a mate scent since I got here, is a mystery.”
At least Cass wasn’t laughing at him. Arvyn wasn’t keen on feeling so confused, and even to his ears, his story sounded weird. Instead the demon seemed intrigued. “Have you been cut? Lose any of your blood lately? Vamps get a tug towards a specific person, but they are only sure a person is their beloved through blood. They have super keen noses for the red stuff, so you’d only have to have lost a drop.”
Arvyn had to think about that one. It seemed Wes was having a hushed argument with someone on the phone, but he couldn’t hear what was being said.
“There was something… a stupid accident, or so I thought. I stepped off the pavement, wasn’t really paying attention to where I was going. Some idiot in a flash car came speeding around the corner and clipped my leg. I fell towards the pavement, thank goodness, but managed to get up fairly quick. Once the driver saw me standing, he zoomed past and flicked me the fingers like it was my fault.”
“I know a lot of drivers like that,” Cass said with a grimace. “Damn nuisance of it is, Wes usually doesn’t like me giving chase and frightening the shit out of