Welcome to the Neighborhood

by Abshire, Mary

“She said she would find a hotel.”

  “Well, I guess your job is done, counselor.”

  “I’m waiting around for the team to show up, then I’ll be home. It shouldn’t be much longer.”

  “All right, see you soon.”

  “Bye.”

  Greg lowered the phone while he continued to stare at Alexi’s card. She’d cried, which seem to indicate she didn’t want to leave. Her voice had quivered right before she left. If her heart begged her to stay, why didn’t she?

  The issue plagued him and gave way to more questions. Who had hurt her? What had this person done to make her so bullheaded, so self-reliant, so…guarded. Yes, she had a shifty attitude around men. The entire time the officers were around, she’d watched them with suspicion. She’d treated him the same way when they’d first met. Come to think of it, Corey too. A deep feeling in Greg’s gut warned him a man had somehow wronged her in such a way she’d formed a predisposed opinion toward the opposite sex. Damn, he had a severe challenge to overcome. Given the recent turn of events, he wondered if he could.

  He looked at the tearstain and hoped found a way into his heart. Maybe he did have a chance at gaining her trust. Perhaps he could break through her barriers with a little extra effort on his part and more TLC. It was worth a try. She did seem to enjoy his tongue. Why not give her more?

  He slipped the card into his pocket along with the one from the moving company and the key. The woman he cared for had been hurt for far too long. His new goal was to get her to accept him. He wanted her to understand just how much he could love and please her. It wouldn’t be easy and he’d probably start growing gray hair, but he was ready for the challenge. Her brick wall would crumble and so would she, in his arms. He couldn’t wait to catch and hold her.

  12

  Alexi opened her eyes to the light spilling into the room around the window. The drawn curtains prevented the sun’s rays from reaching her, but granted a soft glow in the room. It couldn’t hurt her, but the illumination interrupted her sleep. She’d tossed and turned and dozed off multiple times since sunrise. In her dark, windowless basements she never had trouble napping. But she wasn’t at home.

  Trapped in a small, boxy hotel room eighteen miles from Westport she lay on her stomach with a large pillow between her arms and under her head. The scent of bleach from the sheets gave her a mild headache, but considering the pain she’d felt before she’d fed, she accepted the minor irritation. Outside, cars zoomed by from the interstate. The digital clock on the nightstand showed 6:10 in big red digits. In twenty-seven more hours, she would return to her house.

  She squished the pillow between her arms and her thoughts returned to Greg. Since she arrived at the hotel, she couldn’t get the werewolf out of her head. He’d looked so dejected and on the brink of tears when she walked out on him. He pleaded for her to stay. She’d never seen or heard a man act so overcome with emotion. It was as if he had deep feelings for her. But how could he when they’d only met recently? Every time she heard his words and pictured his sad face, her heart ached and her throat tightened. Damn it, what was wrong with her?

  She rolled over on her back and stared up at the ceiling. The werewolf was the sweetest, most helpful and compassionate man she’d ever met. No matter how many times she pushed him away, he persisted with his desire to help her. And if rejecting him wasn’t enough, she made a fool of herself plenty of times, enough to drive most men away. She’d thought he was gay. Shouldn’t that have offended him? He’d seen her vibrator. Didn’t he think she was some weirdo, horny vamp? No, he practically begged her to stay. His determination amazed her.

  Why was he keen on helping her?

  She racked her brain for hours, trying to figure out his reasons. Nothing made sense. She couldn’t understand why he was so sincere and kindhearted toward her.

  Did he really care about her? He couldn’t love her. It wasn’t possible. Over three centuries of experience proved men used women, fucked them and sucked them dry. Men didn’t care how women felt, didn’t care about feelings. They just wanted to get what they wanted, most of it through sex, then move to the next willing victim. She wanted to believe Greg was different, but how could she when she’d seen and struggled through years of abuse?

  He’d asked her to listen to her heart. Logic told her if she did, she would regret it. No man really cared about a woman. Most certainly, no werewolf would concern himself with a vampire. She decided to listen to reason, not an unbeating heart.

  She twisted to her side and kicked the sheet covering her legs. Irritation gnawed on her. She owed Greg for the little bit of assistance he’d given her. As soon as she could scratch the debt off her list, she could move on without him.

  The buzz from the nightstand behind her jarred her. She twisted and the sheet tightened around her. “Damn it!” She wiggled and pushed the covers away from her.

  Lifting the phone, she saw Cassandra’s number displayed on the screen.

  “Hello.”

  “You didn’t call me after your party,” Cass said with a slight touch of whininess in her tone.

  “I had a rough morning.” She rolled onto her back with the phone pressed to her ear.

  “Oh? What happened?”

  “Well, I almost got into a fight with a female demon.”

  “What?” Her voice was elevated. “Are you joking?”

  “I wish. I had a glass of wine and she hit the table. It spilled all over my white outfit.”

  “I hope you make the bitch pay for cleaning your clothes.”

  Alexi slid her leg from under the cover. The cool air soothed her. Her skin had warmed since she’d snuggled under the thick blankets for the nearly ten hours.

  “Well, I was more concerned about getting away from her instead of asking for her number. Ten seconds longer around the demon and she would’ve become wallpaper. And I really didn’t want to do that considering I just moved into the neighborhood.”

  Cass chuckled. “Yeah, your neighbors probably would look at you differently.”

  Probably? No, they most certainly would’ve regarded her in a different way. Hell, they might have asked her to move.

  “So, what happened?”

  “Greg went with me to the bathroom.”

  “The gay neighbor you told me about yesterday?”

  “Yeah, him.” Alexi bit on her lip, debating if she should tell her best friend about what happened with Greg. They were close friends and had shared plenty with each other. Yet, she a piece of her wanted to keep the pleasure filled moment private.

  “Did he clean you up?”

  Alexi bit her lip, stifling a chuckle. Cleaned her? In a way he had with his tongue. She cleared her throat. “I took my clothes off and he gave me his shirt.”

  “Oh…Your gay neighbor, who happens to be a werewolf, gave you his shirt?” She sounded impressed. “Did you get a good look at his chest?”

  “It was difficult not to see it.”

  “And?”

  “Well, it wasn’t bad.”

  “What?”

  “He had a nice chest. Lots of muscle and a thin trail of dark hair down the center. His nipples were eye catching too.”

  “Alexi, what’s wrong with you?” She sounded like a parent scolding her child.

  She sat up in the bed. “What do you mean?”

  “You’re talking about a gay man.”

  She rolled her eyes.

  “Alexi?”

  “What?”

  “He is gay, right?”

  She hesitated to respond. She couldn’t lie to her best friend.

  “He’s not, is he?”

  “No, he’s not. I made a mistake and a fool of myself.”

  “You made a mistake?” Excitement elevated her voice. “You’ve never made that kind of mistake.”

  “I know. I know. I honestly thought he and his roommates were lovers. I was getting mixed signals. Anyway, I was wrong.”

  “How did you find out? Did you ask?”

&n
bsp; “Uh, yeah.” She really didn’t want to mention the details of what he’d done to her in the bathroom. “Something like that.”

  “And how did he respond?”

  “He assured me he was heterosexual. I was so embarrassed.”

  “I can imagine.” She paused. “So, what happened?”

  “I couldn’t wear my clothes, so he gave me a ride back to my place.”

  “Wow. What an…interesting Welcoming party.”

  Alexi smiled. Interesting was a mild description.

  “So, he dropped you off at your place and you told him to get lost, right?”

  “No, he walked me inside and we discovered someone had broken into my home.”

  “What?” She sounded exasperated. “I thought you were moving to a safe area.”

  “It is safe.”

  “It doesn’t sound like it is. You haven’t lived there two days and someone broke into your house.”

  Alexi rubbed her brow. Westport had low crime and a high conviction rate, according to her research. With half the residents awake at night and half during the day, criminals wouldn’t be able to hide or escape. Who would want to steal from a supernatural creature anyway? Humans were the weaker species. The list narrowed down to nonhuman thieves. It seemed stupid for one to steal from another in such a small community, especially when each race had some kind of extra superhuman gift. Yet, every type of breed had a bad apple or two.

  “How did this thief get inside your home? I thought you had an alarm.”

  “I do, but I hadn’t figured out how to set it yet. I spent the day unpacking and when the evening came, I was too busy trying to figure out what to wear. All my clothes were wrinkled. I just forgot about the alarm.”

  “Did they break a window?”

  “No, they cut a hole in the patio door.”

  “Someone cut a hole in glass? It sounds like the thief is a professional and the burglar knew you would be away from the house.”

  “I think it was the movers. They could’ve easily heard me talking to Mr. Hadley about going to the party. Plus, Greg said he detected a light werewolf odor in the room. He thinks they used that special cologne to try and hide their scent.”

  “Those dirty little beasts. I hope you’re going after them to show them they can’t fuck with you.”

  “I filed a report with the police. Greg is acting as my attorney and he will make sure the cops work quickly to find my safe.”

  “What did you just say?” Cass asked, sounding as if she’d misheard Alexi.

  “Greg will make sure the police–”

  “You’re trusting a man to make sure the police get your safe. Your safe?”

  “He’s an attorney and I really need my safe back fast.”

  “Alexi, are you ill? I can’t believe you’re relying on a man for help.”

  “I’m letting him help because he is a lawyer.”

  Cass chuckled. “You must be sick.”

  “I’m fine. I know what I’m doing.”

  “Then why are letting this man help you? You could’ve tracked down those beasts yourself.”

  Alexi considered briefly going after the movers, but taking on multiple werewolves at once could’ve resulted in her getting hurt. Not to mention, she couldn’t transport the heavy safe in her car. If those two reasons weren’t enough, she had a reputation to uphold. She’d moved into a new community. How would it look if she attacked a bunch of werewolves, regardless of the reason? The law wouldn’t take kindly to her self-imposing means of justice and the neighbors probably wouldn’t favor it either.

  “As much as I’d like to go after the thieves, I think it’s best for Greg to deal with law enforcement. I’m going to let him handle the matter.” And she hoped her decision was the right one.

  “This man has done something to you. I can’t believe what I’m hearing.”

  “He’s just helping me to get my safe back. I trust him with this.” As strange as it sounded, she did trust him to get her safe returned. Instinct indicated his intentions were pure of heart. In all honesty, he hadn’t done anything to harm her.

  “You trust him? That’s it. I’m going to find a way to get there within a week. Something is wrong with you, or he’s done something. You saved me countless times from those animals. I’m not about to let one of them hurt you again.”

  “Cass, I assure you I have this under control.” As much as she could, anyway. If the movers hadn’t broke into her home, she wouldn’t have fallen and she most certainly wouldn’t have agreed to Greg’s help.

  “Really? Because in less than two days, a burglar broke into your home and you’re willing to consort with the enemy. Maybe you shouldn’t have relocated.”

  Cass’s words hit Alexi like a splash of cold water in her face. The idea of fitting in with other supernatural creatures and being part of a community seemed like a good one. Alexi wanted to stop moving and hiding from the world. That’s why she’d relocated. Yet, if she’d stayed in Chicago, her safe would be secure and life would be normal. Perhaps Cass was right.

  “Maybe I made a bad choice, but I’m here now and I’m dealing with it. You don’t need to rearrange your schedule for me.”

  “I’m concerned about this man helping you.”

  “Don’t think it’s not weighing heavily on my mind. Trust me, it is. I do not intend to lose everything I worked so hard to achieve.”

  Resolve filled Alexi. Greg seemed different, but she wouldn’t let her defenses down. She’d work with him to get her safe and reimburse him with answers to some of his questions, enough to satisfy his curiosity. Then, she’d distance herself from him. Emotions would no longer play a part in her decisions. Neighbors should be just that and nothing more.

  “Ah, there’s my best friend. I knew you had to be there somewhere.”

  “I’m under a lot of stress right now, but I’ll manage. You can count on it.”

  “I can come–”

  “Cass, stop. I will be fine. If something changes, I will let you know.”

  “If this werewolf–”

  “Don’t worry!” she snapped in an elevated voice.

  Cassandra chuckled. “All right. All right. I’m just making sure. Charles really fucked up things for you last time. I never want to see you go through such a nightmare again, ever. If I have to come there and rough some wolves up, I will.”

  “You’re such an angel. I’d kiss you if you were here.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Call me in a few days. All right?”

  “Count on it.”

  Alexi lowered the phone with thoughts running around her mind of those horrible years when she worked with Charles. She hated the vamp, but she learned more from Charles than she ever could’ve learned on her own about financial markets, finance, investing and economics. With his help, she had started a business. He was the sole owner, but mostly a name on a piece of paper. She worked hard to acquire clients, select good investments and build hefty savings accounts. Then one day he took control of the business, her accounts and all her assets, including the home she shared with Cass. Alexi lost everything. He even tarnished her name. She’d never forget the cruel vamp.

  Men were greedy leeches. Never again would Alexi allow herself to let a man use her. It took her decades to rebuild everything she’d lost, including her name. Thankfully, most of her clients were mortals so they didn’t have knowledge of her prior work history.

  Stretching her arms over her head, Alexi decided to shower. Later, after the sunset, she’d venture to downtown Indianapolis and check out the city. A little time away from her worries might lift her mood.

  She slid out of the bed, eager and ready to face the world. As she strolled into the bathroom, the cold tile under her bare feet sent a slight chill through her. Nothing a hot bath wouldn’t cure. She undressed, and then she stepped into the bathtub.

  Alexi stood under the spray of the hot water for several long minutes, letting it massage her back and shoulders. Steam filled the room. As she relaxed
thoughts of Greg surfaced. Him kissing her. Him stroking her with his tongue. The werewolf’s chest, rippled with muscles. Pleasant memories she’d hold onto. And if Vickie hadn’t walked in on Greg licking Alexi in the bathroom, Alexi would’ve had the greatest orgasm in years. Scratch that. It would’ve been the most pleasurable one in decades. If only they could’ve had a few more minutes together.

  Reality settled in and she stiffened. The brief moments of intimacy were wonderful, but there could be no more. If she wanted an orgasm, she’d find her vibrator.

  Once she cleansed her hair and body, Alexi stepped from the shower. Steam covered the mirror. She wiped hand across the surface and stared at her reflection through the streaks. Her skin tone looked normal, the dark splotches under her eyes had disappeared, and her flesh didn’t stick to her bones. The two humans she’d fed from after checking into the hotel had restored her strength and health, but she still hungered for more blood.

  Hearing a soft buzz from within the room, Alexi dashed out with the towel wrapped around her body. The source of the sound came from her cell phone as it vibrated on the bed. She crawled over the mattress and lifted it to her ear.

  * * * *

  “Alexi, it’s Greg.”

  He stood in her kitchen, leaning against the counter. His heart picked up a few extra beats upon hearing her soft voice. He’d thought about her all day long while he was at work, wondering if she’d fed, where she was staying, and if she was safe from the sun. At least five times he had withdrew her card and considered calling her, but stuffed it back into his wallet and decided to wait. Maybe she needed rest after such a stressful night. He certainly didn’t want to disturb her beauty sleep.

  “Mr. Holmes, what can I do for you?”

  Mr. Holmes? He straightened, not liking the way she said his name.

  “I called to see how you were feeling.”

  “I’m better, thank you.” She sounded cold and distant.

  “How is your head?”

  “Healed. The mark is gone.”

  Her answers were short and lacking any emotion. Was she angry with him? Maybe he should’ve called earlier.

  “I’m glad to hear you’re well. I couldn’t stop thinking about you after you left.”