she turned thoughtful. Grabbing the nearest pad and pen, she scrawled something down, holding it out to Sebastian, who read it aloud.
“Ashi didn’t get hurt, did he?’”
Analie shook her head. “No. Freddy backed away. He’s afraid of Ashi. I don’t blame him.”
Freddy pulled back and hid his head behind Analie, the massive muscles under his fur rippling.
“And he’s really afraid of you right now. Can I take him to my room and I’ll explain everything right after?”
Mouse gave a short nod, the hellish light finally dying out of her eyes as she mastered her temper and reined in her instincts.
“Thank you,” Analie gushed, then grabbed Freddy by the scruff and hauled him into her room, slamming the door behind them.
Freddy turned to face her, looking as worried as a seven hundred pound tiger can.
“I’ll get you some clothes and get the box,” Analie assured him.
“Aaouraaarrrrourgh,” said Freddy.
“Yeah, I have no idea what you just said, but you’ll be safe in here.”
Analie left her room, sprinted to the hallway, grabbed the remnants of Freddy’s clothes and his box, and hurried back to her room. Freddy was hiding in her den-bed, as evidenced by his tail and hindquarters sticking out into the room.
“Let me explain everything to Mouse and then I’ll get you clothes,” Analie said, reaching under the covers to pat his muzzle.
* * *
Ashi ran down the hallway to the apartment. He threw open the door, made a beeline for the bedroom, grabbed the doorknob, yanked and—
—nearly dislocated his shoulder when the door didn’t open.
He pounded the door with his fist. “Christoph!”
“What?” came Christoph’s muffled voice.
“Open the door!”
“No.”
Ashi pounded the door again, frantic.
“Christoph, let me in!”
“I don’t want to let you in when you’re angry. You’ll throw off my chi.”
“You don’t have any fucking chi! Let me in!”
“Hey, Ashi?”
“What?!”
“Go chase your tail.”
Ashi took a step back and kicked the door. It shuddered mightily, but it didn’t give, and hurt his foot a little.
“Jeez! Don’t break the door!”
Ashi cast about for something in the living room he could use as a weapon. Finding nothing, he pounded on the door again.
“Let me in!”
“No!”
John took his time walking down the hall, relishing the fear in Ashi’s voice. It was rare these days for him to be allowed to take advantage of the fear of his prey, so he wanted to savor and make the most of it. No doubt one of the bleeding hearts in the building would try to make him stop at some point, but until Royce said so, he would gladly continue terrorizing the pair of Weres. It helped that they were enemies, though he would’ve done the same to a human if he was given the option.
Something about fear made the blood taste sweeter to him.
As he reached the apartment, he nudged the door open, the low creaking sound of the hinge announcing his arrival as dramatically as that of any horror movie monster. Just the way he wanted it.
At the sound of the door creaking open, Ashi spun around, his back thudding against the wall. His expression was one of abject terror as he watched the door swing wide, revealing John in all his horrifying glory.
“Seriously, I’m not letting you in while you’re mad,” Christoph said from inside the bedroom.
Ashi pushed away from the door and staggered backward across the living room, not willing to turn his back on John. His breath was coming in harsh gasps and it felt like his heart was making a break for it through his ribcage. He’d never felt fear like this before. He did not want to get bitten again.
“No place left to hide,” John said, moving inside.
His appearance did not really lend itself to intimidation. He was shorter than average, with sandy brown hair and a boyish face that made him look like an underdeveloped twenty-something. His brown eyes did not often reflect particularly deep, meaningful thoughts, and no matter how he dressed, he always seemed like a kid trying too hard to fit into grownup clothes. The only thing he had going for him were the fangs and the fiendish glow to his eyes, and that Ashi knew just how fast and strong he could be if he chose to exert himself.
He stopped a few feet in, glancing to the bedroom Ashi shared with Christoph. A sly smile curved his lips, too overdone to be properly fiendish.
“Even your packmate won’t help you. What ever shall you do?”
* * *
Mouse was pacing. She felt jittery, like there was still something