Love's Baggage

by T. A. Chase

  He'd always known it would be this way. Love would hit him with a sledgehammer blow, not sneak up slow and steady. At least the lasting kind of love would be like quicksilver and passionate. It would knock him off his feet when he least expected it.

  Sighing, Allen climbed off him and offered a hand. "Let's clean up quick and go to bed. I get the feeling the others are going to want to leave early in the morning. We do need to get all this stuff taken care of and head back home to your house."

  "Do you have a feeling things are going to come to a head soon?" Bandit let Allen pull him off the bed.

  They wandered into the bathroom, where Allen turned on the shower, and Bandit rested his hip against the sink. He admired the tight, round curve of Allen's ass.

  "Yes, I do. It's like a heavy weight is on my chest, and I have this irrational urge to turn around and go back to your pack. Like whatever's coming is going to hit your family and the others first." Allen shot a frown over his shoulder at Bandit. "I hope Nick and Gryphon have some luck with the High Council."

  "So do I, but if they don't, we'll do what we need to do to fix this problem before Grime goes too far and destroys us all."

  He put his hand on the small of Allen's back and eased them both under the cascade of warm water. Now wasn't the time to discuss all the problems of their world. They needed to rest before they met Max again. Things were probably going to be getting worse before too long, and Bandit wanted to spend as much quiet time as he could with Allen. Good memories and all that.

  Chapter 5

  A knock on the door woke them up the next morning. Stretching, Bandit groaned as Allen rolled out of bed and grabbed his jeans from the floor. Bandit leered as his lover tugged his pants on before answering the door.

  "What the fuck do you want?"

  Raze's eyebrows shot up at Allen's greeting. He glanced over at the big demon standing next to him. "Well, he must not be a morning person. We'll have to remember that."

  Allen flipped him the finger and wandered over to the bathroom. Bandit waited until the door shut and water started running. He slipped from the bed and dug around his bag for clean underwear and jeans.

  "Umm... do you want us to turn around or leave the room while you get dressed?"

  He glanced up to meet Raze's rather surprised gaze. Bandit grinned and winked at the angel before shaking his head. Ba'el slung a heavy arm over Raze's shoulder, laughing as he smiled at Bandit.

  "I thought you knew lycans, Raze. They have no modesty and rather shamefully parade around nude a lot." Ba'el shook his head and tsked.

  "O-o-okay." Raze rolled his eyes before shrugging out from under Ba'el's arm and going to sit on the bed. "Gianni and Roman are up and moving as well. We'll be able to get out of here soon. We'll probably want to stop for breakfast along the way."

  Bandit eyed both of them. "Why are you so eager to be heading out? Have you heard something?"

  "If you want to take your time, that's fine. Ba'el and I need to be in the city by tonight at the very latest. It has to do with our other work." Raze held up his hand. "I can't tell you anything about it, not even with you helping Max out from time to time."

  After pulling on a T-shirt, Bandit ran his hands through his hair and tossed his dirty clothes in his bag. "You don't have to tell me anything about what you do for Max. It's best if I don't know. Plausible deniability is always good. As long as what you're doing doesn't effective our mission, I'm fine not knowing."

  Allen emerged from the bathroom and trudged over to find a shirt to wear. Bandit ducked around him into the other room, brushed his teeth and took a piss. Silence reigned in the main room while Allen repacked his bag. Bandit chuckled as he came out and wrapped an arm around Allen, nuzzling the sensitive spot behind Allen's ear. Allen shuddered, but didn't say anything.

  "You really aren't a morning person, are you?" Bandit asked as they went into the hallway, where Gianni and Roman were just stepping out of their room.

  "You didn't let him get enough sleep last night," Roman commented as they made their way down to the lobby and checked out.

  Allen blushed, and Bandit glared at Roman, who shrugged.

  "I'm just making an observation. He's only this grumpy when he didn't get much sleep." Roman grinned and bumped his brother's hip with his. "Got lucky last night, huh?"

  "Roman," Allen warned with a low growl.

  His brother shut up, but Bandit chuckled to himself. Allen reminded him of Lassie, who wasn't a morning person either. She'd snap and snarl at everyone until she had her first cup of coffee. Bandit rested his hand at the small of Allen's back and guided him to the truck.

  Raze gestured over to a black truck a few parking spots down. It had huge tires on it and it towered over Bandit's vehicle. "We'll follow you. There's an IHOP right before the highway. We'll stop there for breakfast and see about formulating a slightly better plan."

  "Why am I not surprised that truck's yours?" Bandit smirked at Ba'el.

  "Actually, it's mine. Ba'el stands out all on his own. He doesn't need a big truck to prove anything."

  Raze wiggled his eyebrows at Allen, who blushed, causing all of them to burst out laughing. Allen flipped them all off and climbed into the back seat of Bandit's truck. He curled up and went to sleep almost immediately.

  They tossed their bags in the vehicles and pulled out of the parking lot. Gianni sat up front with Bandit, giving him directions to the IHOP. Once they got there, Bandit sent the others in while he woke up Allen.

  He reached out and stroked his finger over the curve of Allen's cheek. "Honey, time to wake up. We're at IHOP and you should probably eat something for breakfast. At least get some coffee in you."

  Allen mumbled, but he opened his eyes to stare at Bandit. A gentle smile graced the younger lycan's lips, and Bandit couldn't help himself. He leaned forward and brushed a kiss over Allen's mouth.

  "Let's go, you two," Ba'el bellowed from the door of the restaurant. "I'm hungry like a wolf, so get a move on."

  "Maybe it wasn't a good idea to agree to let those guys hang with us," Bandit muttered.

  Allen chuckled. "It's okay. They don't mean anything by it. Just teasing. You should be used to that by now."

  Bandit and Allen strolled into the restaurant and sat with the others. After ordering, they relaxed. Each had the premonition this would be their last moment of peace for a while once they reach the city.

  "You're right. With as many brothers and sisters as I've got, I should be used to being teased all the time." Bandit fidgeted with his silverware. "Of course, I think I do most of the teasing in our pack. At least, I know I'm the one always getting yelled at for it."

  "I've always wondered what it's like being a part of a family or pack. Ba'el has tried to explain what it's like, but I don't think a horde is anywhere what a pack or family would be like." Raze whispered a touch over his demon's arm.

  Bandit looked at Ba'el and wondered what spell the demon had cast to change the shape of his teeth and the color of his eyes. There wasn't anything he could do about his sheer size, but most people wouldn't think anything about it for long after he left.

  "True. Hordes tend to be all about the individual's position in the hierarchy. Demons aren't known to help each other out much. While in packs, position is important, but really we help each other out for the good of the pack, instead of for what it can get us separately," Roman spoke up.

  Allen leaned against Bandit and drank his coffee. He didn't seem inclined to join in their discussion. Bandit didn't force him to talk. The whole mission was going to be harder on Allen than the rest of them. Allen was the one who would be challenging the alpha and something told Bandit the old alpha didn't fight fair.

  "Are non-preter families the same way as a pack or coven?" Gianni asked from where he sat next to Roman. "I've never spent much time around humans, so I don't know."

  For some reason, they looked at Bandit. He shrugged and took a sip of his coffee while trying to think of what to say.

/>   "I spent two years in a human city. There weren't many preters around, so I hung out with humans. To be honest, I think they're not as caught up in the idea of pack as the be all and end all of their existence. My pack might see me as a pain in the ass and, at times, would prefer to send me as far away as possible, but I know they have my back if I ever need them."

  He paused as the waitress came over and refilled all their cups. Bandit poured in some cream and sugar, stirring it for a minute.

  "Humans don't seem as concerned about blood being the defining element binding them together. For a lot of them, it's not necessarily who you're related to, but people you trust. A lot of human families are packs by choice, not because they share a bloodline."

  Raze hummed softly. "It's strange because you would think humans would be the least of us to form bonds outside their family units. They are inherently selfish and individualistic. Yet of all the humanoid creatures of this world, they are the ones who form the tightest bonds among the least likeliest of pairings."

  Ba'el grunted. "I have been intrigued by them for centuries, but I stay away from them. They don't like my kind any more than they like the rest of you. Raze is the only one they'd greet with open arms."

  "Not anymore." Raze grimaced and shoved his empty plate away from him. "Angels as a lot are snobbish and arrogant. We are God's warriors, right? So that makes us so much better than every other creature out there, even humans, whom God loves. Yet I had the nerve to look at Ba'el and see a being like me with feelings and thoughts. Now I'm hunted by my own kind for believing a non-angel could be as awesome as a heavenly creature."

  Bandit rested his elbows on the table and looked at the others. "What I'm afraid of is this war Grime has declared on all preternaturals will cause some of our brethren to attack any human, even those who don't know we exist and haven't done any harm to us."

  Allen laid a hand on Bandit's arm and squeezed. "That's one of my worries as well. A full-scale inter-species war could be around the corner if we don't stop Grime. While I have the sick feeling lycans might have started it by doing something to him, Bandit is right. He should've gone after the pack that hurt him, and not after every preternatural in the world. Grime shouldn't be looking for a way to destroy all of us."

  "Revenge can twist even the strongest soul. I've seen it happen." Ba'el frowned and sadness crept into the demon's eyes.

  What was he seeing in his memories? Did past events haunt him like things did Bandit when he let his walls down? Bandit wouldn't ask since it wasn't any of his business and he would have to share his own issues. Bandit didn't like talking about his past and what he'd done while living in the city. He'd survived and ultimately living was the important thing.

  "We should head out. We'll get to the city by sundown, if we grab fast food on the way for lunch." Gianni stood, signaling the end of the peaceful morning.

  Bandit tossed enough money on the table to cover his meal and a tip. A quick stop at the restroom and they were on their way. For some strange reason, seeing Raze's giant ass truck in his rearview mirror eased him in a way he hadn't thought possible.

  * * * *

  When they stopped for a quick lunch, Gianni took over driving, while Bandit dozed in the back seat with Allen. Six hours later, the lights of the city shone on the horizon and Bandit reached over to nudge Allen. Gianni slowed down, letting Raze take the lead. The angel knew a place for them all to crash for a few days while Bandit went out to do some information gathering, and Raze and Ba'el did whatever they needed to do for Max or whoever pulled their strings.

  They'd timed their arrival for after sunset. It would be easier to get from the vehicles to whatever building would be their home base for the rest of their time in Allen's pack's territory. Raze promised it was on the edge of the city, so it also would be easy to get away if they needed to run.

  Once they hit the outskirts of Denver, Raze kept making turns like he was trying to lose anyone who might have been tailing them. Bandit hadn't seen anyone, but Raze and Ba'el had been doing the secret shit for a long time, and Bandit figured it didn't hurt to be careful.

  Finally, full dark had fallen and they were in the worse part of Denver, where there were more abandoned buildings than occupied ones. Raze pulled to a stop in front of a large warehouse and honked his horn. A minute later, the garage door started going up, and Raze pulled in when it finished opening. Gianni drove Bandit's truck into the enormous empty space right behind Raze.

  Bandit wasn't sure what he expected, but seeing Max and a group of people waiting for them really wasn't it. Allen and Roman piled out of the truck and raced to Max, giving the older lycan hugs. Max patted them on their backs before quickly breaking away.

  "Grab your bags and come on up. We'll talk after you've settled." Max gestured to a pale girl, who smelled like blood, and a dark-skinned man. "Rhonda and Malik will show you to your rooms. Then one of them will escort you to the meeting room."

  Allen seemed shocked at the cool greeting from Max, and Bandit took his hand.

  Rhonda approached them. "Allen and Roman, it's good to see you again."

  "You, too, Rhonda. I'm glad to see you weren't hurt too badly." Roman bowed his head to the female vampire.

  "Nothing a little blood and some time in the dark couldn't fix. I'll take you and your friends to your rooms. Malik, escort the angel and demon to their room."

  "Yes, ma'am." The dark-skinned man gathered Raze and Ba'el with a glance and they headed off to the right.

  "We're going up these stairs and to the left." Rhonda led the way.

  "What is Malik?" Bandit whispered to Allen.

  "I don't know. I've never met him."

  "Malik is a lion shifter from Somalia. He's in the city trying to raise money to buy food for the people there," Rhonda informed them as they climbed the stairs. "This mission you're on must be pretty important for Max to send Raze and Ba'el out to find you."

  She turned left at the top of the stairs and continued down a long, narrow hallway.

  "We think it might have the potential to be," Bandit hedged.

  He didn't know Rhonda, so he didn't trust her. It didn't matter that she worked with Max. Bandit didn't give his trust easily. It wasn't like he completely accepted Raze, Ba'el, and Gianni as part of his inner circle, but his instincts told him they could be trusted with Allen's safety. Nothing screamed for Rhonda, and Bandit wasn't going to make the mistake of trusting her too soon.

  "Max must as well if he's sending out the heavy hitters with you. The angel and demon usually only work the super serious shit."

  She halted in front of a set of iron doors. Tugging a key from her pocket, she unlocked them before handing it to Allen.

  "There are only two keys to these doors. You have one, and Max has the other. To enter another's room without permission from the occupant or Max is against the rules."

  They nodded, and Rhonda led them into the suite. She flicked on a switch and light flooded the cavernous room.

  "This is your living room. There's a bedroom off each side, plus a bathroom through there." Rhonda pointed to a smaller black door. "Once you're settled and have changed, push this button and someone will come to escort you to the meeting room."

  "All right." Bandit watched as Rhonda closed the door behind her. He met the others' gazes and raised his hands in an I-don't-know kind of gesture.

  "I feel like I stepped into a Bond movie or something like that." He moved toward the left bedroom. "Allen and I will take this room. I want to wash up before we see what all the secrecy is about."

  "Sounds good to me," Roman agreed, and they went their separate ways.

  * * * *

  An hour later, the foursome reconvened in the living room, ready to find out what the hell was going on.

  "Push the button, Gianni," Bandit ordered.

  Almost immediately after Gianni did, a knock sounded on the door. Bandit opened it to see Malik standing in the hallway. The lion shifter didn't say anything, just turned a
nd started heading back toward the stairway. Allen locked their suite door, and they rushed to follow the man.

  No one spoke as Malik led them on a winding trail through the warehouse. While he didn't see anyone, Bandit could feel eyes studying them. Did they work for Max, but didn't want to be seen? Or had Max helped them and they were in hiding? Bandit didn't glance around, not wanting to scare anyone. He knew some of what Max's organization did, but there were certain aspects and branches he knew nothing about and didn't want to know. It was safer for him that way.

  "Here they are," Malik announced as he pushed open a door.

  Bandit made sure he was in front of Allen when they walked in the room, and he noticed Gianni did the same with Roman. They entered to find Max, Raze, and Ba'el sitting at a large conference table with Rhonda. Malik took his seat next to her.

  "Come in and sit down. We need to talk before you head out on your own little adventure."

  Max waved them to some empty seats on the other side of the table. Raze and Ba'el nodded to them, but didn't move from their places at one end. It was like negotiations between two competing companies. They sat down, and Max looked at Allen and Roman.

  "You boys look good. I knew the right thing to do was take you to the Canis pack. Savannah's a hard bitch, but she's good people." Max glanced over at Bandit. "Good to see you again, Bandit."

  "Max."

  "I'm sure you gentlemen would like something to eat, and as soon as we're finished talking here, I'll have Raze take you to the eating area."

  "How big is this place?" Gianni spoke up, his gaze burning into Max.

  Max shrugged. "I'm not entirely sure. We're always finding new rooms and digging out the basement even more. It's not important to what you're doing here."

  Gianni let the non-answer slide, and Bandit was glad for that. He didn't want to get confrontational right at the beginning. Max knew things and his knowledge might help them.