room if ye want.”
Said living room was full of ancient banners, old broadswords, and a fair number of posters of anatomically impossible women in indecent poses. The number of beer bottles scattered around was impressive, and, despite the quality of the furniture, the place looked like exactly what it was—a bachelor pad.
“Ye best have a good reason ter roust me this early,” Angus grumped as he stomped out of his bedroom.
Lord, he was huge. He hadn’t bothered with a shirt, only throwing on his plaid and styling it in a kilt around his waist, one end thrown over his shoulder. While most everyone else was quite handsome or beautiful, Angus was simply – chiseled. There was no better word for it.
He had greater mass than Christoph, and all of it was bulky muscle. His bright red hair frizzed around his head like a fiery halo, blending into his beard, which did a good job of hiding the lower half of his face. The thick, caterpillar-like brows gave him a permanently surly look, only a glint of blue eyes peeking out from beneath. A number of scars were visible beneath the mat of hair on his chest and arms, showing that he truly was a Highland warrior who led an exceptionally violent life when alive, however many centuries ago that was.
Analie almost flopped down in a “you win, you’re the big Were on the block” gesture right then and there. It was good she didn’t, given that the new vantage point would have scarred her eyes for life.
This guy was a warrior. If he hadn’t been a vampire, Analie would have invited him to see Gregory and join the pack.
Angus reminded her strongly of Gavin, only hairier, not blond, and wearing some sort of plaid blanket-looking thing. Analie wasn’t sure what it was. Damned if she was going to comment. This guy could go out in a ballroom gown and not a man would dare laugh.
Analie struggled to keep in a laugh at that mental image. She ducked her head and turned to the side in a Were gesture of respect.
Angus picked up a couple of the bottles on the living room table, found one that wasn’t empty, and took a swig, grimacing at the warm, flat beer.
“Angus, lad, ye dinnae need tae be such a piss-poor host. Analie came tae see ye,” Clarisse scolded.
The Highlander arched a bushy brow. “Eh? Whatcher need, lass?”
“Oh—right. Hi. I’m just going around the house, seeing people, because I couldn’t see them—you—before. I could sort of see your shadows, but I couldn’t actually see all the stuff in the middle, that being you. It’s kind of complicated.” She thought for a moment. “You were almost invisible to me before, that being a thing kids in my pack have trouble with. Now I can see you!”
She felt pretty proud of that explanation, considering she had to give it to one of the fiercest people she’d ever seen, who didn’t seem to be too happy to see her.
Angus’s eyebrows did a slow crawl around his forehead, trying to settle on an expression, and not doing a terribly good job of it.
“Ye could nae see me?”
Mouse scribbled something down and passed it to Analie, all innocence as Angus eyed her.
He’s not the brightest crayon first thing in the evening.
“That’s what she just told ye,” Clarisse said. “Ken already left for work, but why don’t ye help us find some of the others?”
He shrugged massive shoulders and nodded, curiosity piqued despite himself. “If ye want.”
Analie really liked Angus. She wished she could bring him cookies or something. Being reminded of Gavin swept her with loneliness. Maybe when the cub-hide was over, Gregory would re-negotiate things so she could go home.
Until then, there were vampires to meet.
Grumbling mightily under his breath, Angus stomped out of the apartment, sounding like a great, big, grumbly bear. It lowered into a rumbling mutter when Clarisse hooked her arm through his, throwing a grin at Mouse and Analie over her shoulder.
Considering what had happened to Thad, it wasn’t the best time to be bugging Sebastian, so they headed back downstairs. Reece and Ken’s place was the next logical stop. Ken was gone, but Reece was there. Though their visit was unexpected, he was friendly enough.
The smooth, dark chocolate hue of his skin came as a surprise to Analie. That, and that he was built like a tank, all muscles, paired with slight traces of Brooklynese.
“Hi guys, what’s up?”
It was like this house was full