Wolves, Witches and Bears...Oh My!

by Nicky Charles

  Now he was waiting patiently at the door, as Lucy tucked away her tips. Several people noticed him standing there and eyed him curiously. He returned their looks with a steady gaze before placing a possessive hand in the small of Lucy’s back and leading her out of the diner.

  “Sorry to keep you waiting.”

  He shrugged. “I was early.”

  “What did you do with your day? Find a park with some trees and sit there pretending you weren’t surrounded by buildings?”

  He laughed. “I considered it. Instead, I contacted a friend.” It was the truth; Ashton was a friend of sorts.

  “That’s nice. It’s always good to keep track of family and friends.”

  “Mine are scattered across the country. It’s rare I get a chance to see them.” Taking her hand in his, he smiled down at her. “What would you like to do? It’s only mid-afternoon and too early to eat. Do you want to visit a museum or go shopping or…?”

  “I’m not dressed for anything fancy.” She gestured towards the uniform she was wearing. The shirt had the diner’s name embroidered on the sleeve but otherwise looked like a normal garment to him as did her dark blue pants.

  About to say she looked fine to him, a group of teens brushed passed them, heading into the bowling alley that was adjacent to the diner.

  Lucy eyed them for a minute and then grinned. “What about bowling?”

  “Bowling?”

  “Sure, why not?”

  “Bowling it is, then.”

  He stopped as they were about to enter and pointed towards a poster on the door. It was covered with grotesque images of people dripping blood and sporting fatal wounds. “What’s this?”

  “They’re having a zombie bowling night.” One of the other waitresses—Kathy according to her name tag—answered his question as she paused to adjust her purse over her shoulder. “You two going bowling?”

  Lucy nodded.

  “Have fun.” Kathy flashed a quick smile and continued on her way.

  “Zombie bowling? She was kidding, yes?” He must have made a face for Lucy laughed.

  “No zombies in Stump River yet? They’re all the rage here.”

  “No, no zombies.” He gave her a cautious look. “Do you like these things?”

  “Me?” She studied the picture and shivered. “Nope. I came too close to dying to want to dress up like I really did.”

  The image of her lying on the ground surrounded in blood caused his gut to clench and he could only imagine what the memories must be like for her. His gaze drifted to where she was adjusting a strand of hair over her scar. “Do you think about it often?”

  “No. Well…sometimes, especially at first. It’s getting better with time.” She shrugged. “And it did remind me life’s short. Before, I had plans but never acted on them. Not anymore.”

  Plans. Yes, he knew about events that could have you re-evaluating your life. Still, it hurt that her plans hadn’t included him. He made no comment though, instead opening the door and gesturing for her to enter.

  The sound of rolling balls and crashing pins mixed with music and conversation to create a wall of noise. His inner animal lowered its head and covered its ears with its paws while muttering about the peaceful quiet of a forest.

  After paying the fee and gathering footwear, they made their way to their assigned lane. He noticed Lucy sliding a look his way as he squeezed into the shoes; it was the largest size they had but still a tight fit. Apparently bear shifters didn’t frequent the establishment.

  “Um, I guess I should warn you…” She bit her lip, hesitating.

  “It doesn’t matter if you’re not a skilled bowler,” he assured her. “I haven’t played in ages so we’ll be well matched.”

  “Really? That’s what you thought I was going to say?”

  “It wasn’t?”

  She waited a beat then shrugged. “Sure, I was warning you about my bowling skills. Why don’t you go first so I can see how it’s done?”

  He complied and managed to knock down half the pins and then take out the rest with the next ball.

  “That’s not bad.” Lucy stood and picked up a ball.

  “Not bad?” He glanced from her to the now empty lane. “I cleared all the pins.”

  “And it took you two tries.”

  He opened his mouth to reply but she was already striding toward the launch. She stopped, stared at the target and then in a fluid motion that spoke of much practice took four quick steps and sent the ball spinning down the lane. All the pins fell with a resounding clatter and she gave a victorious jump and whoop before walking back to her seat.

  “Not a skilled bowler?” He raised one brow.

  “I didn’t say that. You assumed, and you know what I say about that.”

  He stood for his turn. “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “Assumptions can come back and bite you in the ass.” She laughed and lightly smacked his rear before taking her seat. “Now go knock down those pins, tiger.”

  “Bear.” Her touch had him befuddled and the word slipped out before he could stop it.

  “Pardon?”

  “I…um…I hope you can bear my poor skills.”

  She immediately bounced to her feet and hugged his arm, her face a study of regret. “I’m sorry, Armand. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad. I shouldn’t have teased you.”

  “Lucy, I’m fine. My ego isn’t so delicate that it can’t take a joke.”

  His assurances fell on deaf ears and she spent the rest of the game offering him pointers. By the time they were done, he’d managed a few strikes though she beat him soundly with a near perfect score.

  “You’re very good.”

  She shrugged. “We get free bowling passes; the owner slips them to us to help make up for all the noise.”

  He looked at her smiling face, the faint flush on her cheeks. It was good to see her like this; happy and teasing him with her smart comments. This was the Lucy he knew from back in Stump River. He missed her and the time they’d spent together; darts, shooting pool, watching a hockey game together on cold wintery days when few customers ventured out.

  “Are you hungry?” She interrupted his musings.

  His stomach answered with a rumble and she laughed.

  “What about pizza and a movie at my place?”

  “I would have thought, being in a big city, you’d want to do something more exciting.”

  “I used to.” She shrugged. “But after a while it gets to be old. A quiet night at home is nice, especially if you can share it with a friend.”

  “A friend? Your roommate won’t be home?”

  “Nope. Not until late tonight if she comes home at all, or so she told me this morning.” She took his hand and gave it a squeeze.

  His inner bear nodded in approval.

  It hadn’t been pleased with him for walking away last night only seeing reason when he mentioned Roxi’s presence would put a damper on certain activities. The girl had a twisted sense of humour and would quite likely find it amusing to interrupt them.

  They stopped and bought a pizza near Lucy’s apartment and then made their way to her place. The scent of the hot cheese caused his stomach to rumble once again and she was teasing him about it as they climbed the last flight of stairs.

  “I think you should have stayed at the diner this afternoon. I could have slipped you a—"

  He interrupted her, pressing a finger to her lips.

  One foot on the landing, she gave him a questioning look.

  He gestured with his chin towards her door. It was shut. Outwardly, nothing appeared out of the ordinary.

  “What’s wrong?” She mouthed the words.

  Leaning close, he whispered into her ear. “I hear someone inside.”

  She cocked her head. “I don’t hear anything.”

  “I do.” He moved so he was between her and the apartment. “Didn’t you say Roxi was at work?”

  She nodded and pulled out her phone, sending a text to
Roxi asking where she was. Mere seconds passed before there was an answer. Turning the phone, she showed him the reply. Yes, she was working.

  “Stay here.” He traded the pizza for her key and quietly walked the short distance to the door. With utmost care, he unlocked it and turned the handle, easing the door open.

  The apartment was dimly lit, late afternoon sunlight struggling to work its way between the tall buildings to the windows, one of which was wide open, the curtains stirring gently in the breeze.

  “They must have got in using the fire escape!” Lucy hissed the words as she peered over his shoulder.

  “Wait outside.”

  “It’s my apartment!”

  He scowled at her and she took a mere half step back. Holding back a sigh, he returned his attention to the noise coming from the rear of the apartment. The thief was likely looking for jewellery or small electronics to pawn.

  As quietly as possible, he began to make his way across the living room. He’d only taken a few steps when a figure appeared in the hallway. Dressed in dark clothing, a small bag in hand, all he could see was the silhouette of a short, lithe individual.

  Perhaps it was the light from the outer hall or maybe they’d made a noise for suddenly the thief gave a start and dove towards the fire escape.

  “Arrête! Stop!” With a shout, he gave chase, stretching out a hand to catch hold of the thief only to miss by a fraction of an inch. He started to follow but even as he was swinging his leg over the sill, the thief was scrambling down the last flight of stairs and jumping the remaining distance to the ground before landing on a discarded mattress and disappearing down the alley.

  With a frustrated growl, he hit the wall, his fist leaving a crack in the plaster. And then he gave a loud sneeze!

  Chapter 10

  Lou jumped at the sound of Armand’s fist hitting the wall. Light from the window had him silhouetted, bits of plaster dust floating in the air around him like a halo. The curses erupting from him, however, were decidedly un-angelic. Armand seldom lost his temper—in fact she’d only seen it happen a few times in all the years she’d known him—but when he did, it was best to give him some time to cool down.

  She closed the apartment door, set the pizza on the counter and her purse on a chair and pondered the fact that everything had happened so fast, she hadn’t had time to feel afraid.

  We’re acting like we used to at the Broken Antler, the voice in her head said. Wading into the fray, ready to act…

  The realization surprised her, and she gave a half-smile. It had felt good, freeing and sort of comfortable, like slipping on an old tatty sweatshirt.

  Perhaps we need to do this more often. Be less cautious.

  She considered the point until she realized Armand was done cursing. Taking that as a good sign, she went to peer through the broken window. “Did you get a look at the person?”

  “No, dammit!” He grumbled as he glared at the fire escape. “Was anything stolen?”

  She scanned the living room. The shelves that held their books and movies were still nicely organized, the TV and DVD player still sat on the stand. “Everything looks normal unless the thief was a neat freak and tidied up after ransacking. I’ll go check the bedrooms.”

  Roxi’s room was the usual disaster so there was no way of knowing if it had been disturbed or not. Her own room seemed unchanged. The dresser drawers were shut, her jewellery box was closed. Of course, it only contained cheap costume stuff, but the thief might not have known that.

  “I think we surprised him just as he broke in. Nothing’s been touched.” She called out the news to Armand.

  “The bathroom.” Armand’s voice echoed down the hall.

  “Sure, feel free to use it.”

  “No, I mean the thief was in there.”

  “Eww!” The idea of some scumbag using her toilet made her feel creepy and she envisioned having to douse everything in bleach.

  When she got there, Armand was studying the open medicine cabinet. Toothbrushes were scattered on the small vanity while mouthwash created a mint green river as it dripped down the white porcelain. Below, rolls of toilet paper and cleaning products spilled from the open cabinet beneath the sink and the towels had been tossed from the drawers.

  “This is the state you normally leave your washroom in?” Armand quirked a brow at her.

  “No, definitely not.” She planted her hands on her hips as she surveyed the disaster. “Why would someone trash the bathroom?”

  “Looking for prescription narcotics?”

  “If so, they’d be disappointed. All we had was some over-the-counter pain killers and cough syrup.”

  “Hmm...” He went to examine the fire escape once more. “Why this apartment? The lower ones would have been easier to reach and provide a faster escape.”

  “The other apartments had better windows?” She joined him noting how the thief had only had to pull on the rotted frame and the security grate had come out regardless of the lock on it. So much for her checking the locks each night!

  Armand crumbled a section of the wooden frame with his hands and made a sound of disgust. “Go pack a bag. It’s not safe for you to live here.”

  She blinked. “And go where?”

  “You can stay with me.”

  “What about Roxi?”

  He hesitated before replying. “She’ll have to come too, if she has nowhere else to go.”

  “For how long?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Armand, I appreciate your concern but you’re here for a visit. I can’t stay in your hotel room indefinitely.”

  “I—”

  She held up her hand, not letting him speak. “If I’ve learned anything, it’s that it’s important to face your fears as soon as possible. Running from a bad experience just allows it to build up in your head. Right now, I’m not scared. Shocked, surprised, pissed off about the mess in the bathroom, but not scared. And I’m telling myself that lightning doesn’t strike twice. I’ve joined the ranks of the break and enter victims and now my turn is over. The thief knows there’s nothing to steal here so he won’t be back.”

  “Lucy…”

  “Armand, you are not telling me what to do!”

  He clenched his jaw, his nostrils flaring as he glared at her. Clearly his temper hadn’t returned to its usual calm state.

  She fixed him with a hard stare of her own.

  Eventually, he sighed. “Fine. You can stay. However, I’ll remain here as well.” He folded his arms and got that implacable look she’d seen on him so many times before. “You don’t even have a window. It’s a sure invitation to anyone who happens to look up.”

  She opened her mouth to speak except he shook his head and continued.

  “I understand facing your fears, but you need to consider mine. I wouldn’t rest easy, leaving you alone tonight.”

  She imagined herself in his shoes and then conceded. “Okay. But just for tonight.”

  He cocked his head. “Will it be such a hardship, having me here?”

  Oh damn. She’d been trying to stand on her own two feet, but it would seem she’d taken it too far. She tried to backpedal. “No, of course not! I’m sorry. I—”

  “Never mind.” He shook his head and headed to the door.

  She followed him. Was he that offended that he was leaving? “Where are you going?”

  “To talk to the building manager. I want to make sure he orders a new window tonight so I can supervise it being installed tomorrow.” He picked up the pizza and handed it to her. “Can you reheat this while I am gone? Maybe we can still salvage something out of the evening.”

  Left on her own while Armand talked to Jimmy–she’d love to be a fly on the wall listening to that conversation—she popped the pizza in the oven and gathered plates, napkins and two cans of soda. As she worked, she considered their conversation.

  Had Armand been hurt by her words? Given his size, people sometimes assumed he had a protective wall around his
feelings that matched the muscles protecting his body. But feelings weren’t like that, she knew that all too well. When he returned, she’d make sure he was aware she really did appreciate his efforts.

  Since he still wasn’t back, she changed into a t-shirt and yoga pants, let her hair free from the ponytail she wore for work, and then began to look for a movie for them to watch. No sappy romances but maybe an adventure? Or a comedy? She loved to hear him laugh. The sound was big and genuine and full of life, just like he was.

  The smell of pizza was drifting through the apartment by the time Armand returned carrying a piece of wood, a hammer and some nails.

  “To cover the window until the new one arrives,” he explained and then quickly went about fastening it in place.

  “Jimmy’s ordered a new one already?” She questioned him as she took the pizza from the oven.

  “Yes, he was very accommodating.”

  She had little doubt about that. Armand could get this look in his eye that had you automatically doing as he asked without even realizing it.

  They settled down to eat their delayed meal and watch the movie she’d selected. It was nice, sitting beside Armand, discussing the pros and cons of the plot. When it was finished, the conversation shifted to her plans to become a counsellor and he told her about the changes he’d made to the Broken Antler.

  “After upgrading the kitchen, I renovated three of the extra rooms upstairs and installed bathrooms. There are only the Kennedys’ cabins for out of town guests to stay in so I decided there was a market.”

  “That was a good idea.” She curled her legs up onto the couch and turned to face him. His accented tones were soothing; she could listen to him talk for ages. “What else have you done?”

  “Well, I hired Daniel’s band to play a few nights a week.”

  “Daniel has a band? That’s nice.”

  “Yes, he and a few of the locals. They play…” He paused. “Folk rock? I think that’s what they call it.”

  She nodded. “I can see that suiting him.”

  “The customers enjoy it. And Bryan is watching the bar while I’m gone.”