mops to clean up the aftermath.
Mouse was still absolutely flaming with embarrassment in her room. She was trying desperately to think of some way to escape the apartment without having to face either Analie or Christoph.
She didn’t even really hear what they were saying to each other as she paced back and forth in her bedroom until it escalated to angry shouting.
Not good.
Even worse, the shouting stopped.
Still battling her embarrassment, Mouse crept out of her room to see what the hell was going on.
* * *
Not too many of the humans were awake. Almost all of them worked for Royce in one of his businesses, so they kept a nocturnal schedule in keeping with their work and the needs of their hosts.
Jessica was one of the few who was up and about, working on an assignment for her classes at NYU. She was studying to be a doctor, though she’d recently switched her focus from general practitioner to hematology.
When the knock came on the apartment door, Jessica stuck her pen in the spine of the book on lymphatic disorders she’d been reading and went to see who it was. Clarisse was grinning like the proverbial cat that ate the canary.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“Oooh, lassie, ‘ave I got a bit of gossip for you…”
Jessica listened wide-eyed to Clarisse, forgetting her schoolwork. She hadn’t heard about the newcomers through the rumor mill since she’d been at class when they arrived, and she’d been too busy studying to socialize. By the end of the tale, including the sly mention of the betting pool on when Christoph would let Mouse bite him, Jessica had slumped in her chair.
“The other guy must be terrified. Where’s he staying?”
“Sebastian and Thad did some moving around last night. Probably with them.”
“Oh, hell. I’ll check on him.”
“Such a love,” Clarisse said, smiling brightly at her. “Let me know if he’s a looker, hmm? I might take a bit for myself.”
Jessica laughed. “You are something else. Let the poor guy settle in for a couple days at least.”
“If I don’t, ye know someone else will. John already did,” she pointed out.
“True,” Jessica said, heading to the door. She paused. “Oh, and put me down for $20 on three weeks.”
“Ye got it, lassie.”
* * *
Analie stood over Christoph, who was on his back. Her enormous muzzle was inches away from his face and her teeth were bared.
Gavin meant everything in the world to Analie. He taught her pack values, rules, ceremonies, and the secret Goliath tongue. He encouraged her to challenge authority in hopes that she would quickly shed her low-rank status once she came of age. He understood when she was so frustrated with pack politics, she acted like a little kid, running to her room and bawling. He never made his points with violence. He loved her.
“I admit that I have erred and so place my life in your hands,” Christoph stammered, praying to God she was in the mood for some ceremony.
Like Gavin, Analie was always in the mood for some ceremony. She closed her lips around her teeth and prodded him with her nose.
“Thank you for sparing my life. I will perform the task you give me and only when it is complete will I be considered forgiven.” Christoph looked like he was going to cry.
Analie growled deep in her chest.
“Your mercy is not lost on me and I will remember... I will... remember...” Christoph gritted his teeth. “Damn it! I never remember this line... your patience is not lost on me and I will remember your mercy always!”
Analie harrumphed at him.
Mouse, peering around the entryway to the hall, was gaping at the gigantic Were in her living room.
She was an elder vampire. Elder vampires are not easily ruffled, and do not scare easily—but she was frozen, watching wide-eyed and open-mouthed from the shadows in the hall. Seeing Analie shift in Royce’s rooms upstairs on request was a bit different from seeing the kid change in a fit of anger.
Analie sat back. Christoph stayed down. She gave him a look and prodded him with her paw. He sat up slowly, feeling like he’d dodged a bullet.
“Okay, so what do I have to do?” he asked, proud that his voice only cracked a little bit.
Analie shoved her head under his hand and looked up at him expectantly.
“You’re kidding me.”
She stared at him.
“Are you serious? Head scratches?”
She narrowed her eyes.
“Okay, I’m scratching, I’m scratching.” Christoph shook his head. “That was not cool. You don’t force a guy into the freaking