one with a high collar and long sleeves. Ken made a face at it, but she ignored him and held it out imperiously with one hand while waving impatiently at Ashi with the other to leave him alone.
Christoph took the shirt. At least it wasn’t purple. Or “lavender” as Jason had called it. “Fruity” as he himself would call it.
As Christoph went back to the dressing rooms, Ashi rolled his shoulders and shifted his weight, frowning. “I can’t move in this crap.”
“I don’t think those clothes were designed to withstand the might of your karate,” Christoph called back.
“It’s not karate, you dipstick, it’s—oh, get stuffed.” He stormed back to the dressing rooms. “I’m only trying on one more thing or I’m going to murder someone.”
Christoph ignored Ashi’s grumbling as he changed, put on the shirt, and came back out. He smiled at Mouse. “Look okay?”
Mouse grinned and gave Christoph a thumb’s up. Even Ken grudgingly admitted that it suited him.
She gestured at Jason who rushed back to the changing room and gathered the remaining clothes. Meanwhile, she linked her arm in Christoph’s and led him over to the cashier, ignoring Ken’s protest that they weren’t done yet. She stepped aside while Jason laid everything on the counter.
By the time they were done ringing up Christoph’s clothes, his eyes were bugging at the figure on the register. Mouse didn’t bat a lash as she produced a black American Express card and waited with a mildly bored expression for the clerk to finish the transaction.
Meanwhile, Ken was tsk-ing and impatiently waving away the blond saleslady while he picked through Ashi’s pile and selected a couple of pants and shirts, leading him to the counter where Mouse and Christoph were waiting. He didn’t seem too put out that Ashi wouldn’t link arms like Mouse and Christoph had, but he did pout a little.
Christoph hadn’t paid that much for clothes in his entire life. That was a down payment on something, not the cost of clothes you were going to wear to shop for clothes. Dread simmered in the pit of his stomach.
But, hey, there was a pretty lady on his arm, and so far she hadn’t torn his throat out and drained him of his blood. So it wasn’t all bad.
Ashi wanted to throw himself in front of a bus, but was still feeling strangely lethargic. He suspected he was feeling like a human, having lost the stamina and strength of a werewolf, but that didn’t give him much comfort. He wanted to finish the shopping trip from hell and go hide in his room.
Chapter 12
Shopping accomplished, Mouse helped Christoph carry all of his stuff inside, then proceeded to frown heavily as she looked around for a place to put his things.
He wouldn’t be able to sleep on her couch forever. Disappointing as it was, she would have to send him upstairs to share the room with Ashi. She stopped in her room to grab a pen and wrote a note to explain this, then led the way to Sebastian and Thad’s apartment.
Ken was helping Ashi put his things away, shooing him out of the closet so he could hang some of the clothes. Thad and Sebastian were watching from the doorway, but moved out of the way when Mouse arrived with Christoph. Sebastian muttered a half-hearted greeting, and Thad stuck out his hand once Christoph put some of the bags down.
“Hey, you’re sharin’ the digs, huh? I’m Thad, and that’s Sebastian.”
“Looks like it.” Christoph shook Thad’s hand firmly. “I’m Christoph. I like to think I’m not as much of an asshole as Ashi.”
“Please,” Ashi muttered.
Thad was relieved at the crack. Christoph had a sense of humor, then. Thank goodness.
Analie had followed Mouse and Christoph, but stood in the doorway to the hall, careful not to upset Thad. The cookies had helped—he gave her an easy smile.
She was quite obviously ready for bed, but Analie wanted to see what had been chosen for Christoph. Although these clothes were the finest he would ever own, he was unhappy with the reason he now owned them. At least he wouldn’t ruin them by shifting.
Mouse waved Analie over to help put everything away. Even if Christoph wasn’t happy with his new wardrobe, the vampiress was pleased as punch, particularly when she removed the silk casing protecting a navy blue business suit to hang it in the closet.
When Analie passed by him, Thad ruffled her hair. In her non-furry form, he clearly had no issues being friendly