"Both shoes?" she asked.
"Freaky, huh?"
She gave him a strange look before she scanned the yard behind him.
"If you're looking for Vane, he's not here."
"You know him?"
"Uh, yeah."
She gave him a penetrating stare. "And you are?"
"Fury."
"Fury?"
"Yeah, I know. My mom was on crack when she named me."
By the look on her face he could tell he probably should keep his mouth shut.
"Uh-huh," Bride said, taking a step away from him.
Fury took a step forward. She was panicking now, he could smell it. "Really, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. Vane told me to keep an eye on you till he gets back."
"Where did he go?"
Fury panicked at the question. Damn humans for their inquisitive natures. Various lies went through his head, but all of them would probably get Vane into trouble so he settled on the one least likely to offend her. "He went to piss."
Yeah, that was stupid, he realized as soon as her face turned red.
"Where did you come from?"
Like he could answer that. If he told her he had teleported himself from Nebraska down to New Orleans an hour ago she'd run for the cops.
He pointed down the street. "That way."
She was even more nervous than before.
Fury offered her a grin he hoped wasn't too ominous. He wasn't used to trying to make people unafraid of him. Normally he reveled in making humans wet themselves in terror.
This was a weird change of pace for him.
"Really," he said, "I swear I'm safe."
"And I should believe you, why?"
He paused before he gave her an answer he hoped would soothe her. "I'm Vane's brother and he would kick my ass if I hurt you."
Bride stared at the strange, oddly handsome man in front of her. In spite of his words, there was an air of ominous danger about him. He looked like the kind of person who could cut someone's throat and then laugh about it. "You don't look like Vane."
"I know," he said. "I take after our mother and he takes after our dad."
"Uh-huh."
He sighed and set his boots down on the ground. "Look, I basically suck at social skills, okay? Just pretend I'm not here until Vane gets back. I'll watch you, you ignore me, and we'll get along fine. Sound good to you?"
She wasn't sure. Something about him made her want to run inside and lock the door. Could she trust him?