Pack of Freaks: Beasts Among Us - Book 2

by Jennifer Zamboni

  “Yup, that would be the other subject.”

  “What do you need advice on?”

  “Well, I’ve never been a romantic. I don’t know how to be . . . real about it.”

  “Oh honey, you just gotta go with the flow. You don’t need to try so hard. I bet Doug will love whatever you do or don’t do.”

  “But all I know how to do is act,” I muttered through my teeth. “I don’t want to be that with him.”

  “So don’t. Do whatever you wouldn’t have done then. Let yourself be nervous. Just go with it. Give him the scarf or something. Bottle of wine, chocolate, you know all that stuff you can’t have the rest of the month. Have a good time and let it evolve.”

  “But then I have to finish the scarf!” I wailed, drawing further attention from our male admirers.

  “Good! It’s an incentive then. So get knitting and enjoy that bland tea you’re always sipping on.”

  I dutifully sipped my substitute, anti-cranky-Gretchen tea, then picked up my scarf, and started knitting along the back of my project, which is what Natasha called the wrong side.

  This whole sexy time date thing was coming up quick, as in, three days till new moon.

  When I made it home, I headed straight for the library where Caleb was now housed. I had missed the day when Percy, Christina, and Sabrina had magicked and pleaded with the house to let the tank into the wall of the library, which now often shared a glass wall with the kitchen, but occasionally made its way into other rooms as well.

  “What’s up, kid?” I asked, plopping myself and my bag down onto my chair.

  Caleb swam up to the side of his tank and smiled toothily at me. A couple of fish had been added to his tank. Perhaps someone decided he needed some pets to keep him company? I wondered if he would eat them, or if he didn’t associate his brightly colored new friends with the bland colored pieces of flesh he was fond of.

  “I just had a knitting lesson with a woman who may or may not be fae. She doesn’t smell like either, you know?”

  Caleb probably didn’t have a clue what I was saying, but he was a terrific listener.

  “And in three days, I have a date with Doug. I’ve got to be romantic. I don’t know how to do that! Maybe I’ll just hide in here with you?”

  I paced back and forth in front of the tank, letting it all out, and not noticing the door opening.

  “Hiding? Did you have fun with the Russian lady?” Doug’s voice caught me by surprise.

  “She’s ‘Natasha the Russian.’ Don’t think she’s actually Russian,” I explained.

  “Huh, interesting. Would you like some tea?” he asked, placing his arm around my waist and kissing my temple.

  “I’m all tea-ed out, thanks. I might go for a run though, you know, before the moon does it’s disappearing act, care to join?”

  “Yeah, that sounds like fun. Meet you outside?”

  “I was going to change in my room.”

  “Oh,” said Doug, his shoulder slumping, and his arm falling back to his side.

  “You can come change with me, if you like.” I gave him a sly smile, snaking a finger into the waistband of his pants, tugging gently.

  He stepped closer to me. “Okay!”

  I removed my finger and took his hand, twining my fingers with his, walking backward and tugging him towards the door.

  Caleb made funny faces at us until we left, hopefully clueless as to what was actually going on.

  We took the servant’s stairs behind the kitchen. We opened the door that usually led to my room, but turned out to be Doug’s today, which worked just as well for our purposes.

  “Door open or shut? We have to get out after we’ve changed.” I paused us by said door.

  “Anyone else home?”

  “Yeah, the salon is open.”

  “Um, won’t we be a bit noisy?”

  “Probably. Give me a second.” I shut his bedroom door, then wandered to the door that had reappeared between our rooms and had a serious discussion with it.

  “If you could, for just this once, cooperate with me, that would be fantastic. Lead to the servant’s quarters, and open for us when we’re ready? Pretty please?” I held my hand to the ancient wood as I pleaded.

  “Will that work?” Doug asked.

  “We’ll find out. I hope so.” I sidled back up to him, placing my hands on his forearms. I leaned forward and kissed his collar bone, then worked my way up the side of his neck to his lips. We played around gently like that for a bit, but then hands began to wander, and suddenly I found myself without a shirt.

  “Well that’s not fair,” I purred, tugging on the hem of his T-shirt, lifting it off him.

  The rest of our clothing followed our shirts to the floor soon after, and by that point, we were so engrossed in each other the change was more pleasure than pain. When all of our itches had been scratched, and the realization of how much trouble we could be in brought us back down to earth,we approached the reappearing door.

  I whined and scratched at it with my right paw.

  It stood solid for a moment, then shuttered and moaned as it swung open on hinges in obvious need of oiling. We clattered down the stairs, then bounded into the kitchen with exuberance.

  There was no one in the kitchen, so I sat back on my haunches and barked. When that didn’t have the desired effect I sent up a howl, which Doug joined in a haunting duet.

  From out of nowhere, a skinny light gray wolf came tearing into the kitchen. Its tongue lolling out of its mouth. Evangeline apparently didn’t want to be left out of our run.

  She yelped loudly off key, bringing a broody looking Hades into the kitchen.

  “What is this, special pack time? The salon is open, they might notice a pack of wolves making a ruckus in the kitchen.”

  I trotted over to the door to outside, scratched and whined.

  “Fine. Don’t be gone too long though, or there won’t be anyone around to let you in. Percy and I are going out tonight.” Hades leaned over and pushed the door open while the three of us ran out.

  I darted off ahead, while Evangeline ran shoulder to shoulder with Doug. As soon as I picked up on the fact, my hormones running wild through my system, I spun, barked, and snapped my bared teeth in her face.

  Instead of backing off, as any good submissive wolf would do, she bared her own teeth right back at me and lunged.

  It was a stupid, stupid move, on her part. If we were approaching a full moon instead of a new moon, she would have been dead in seconds. As it was, I found myself standing my full weight on top of her, with my teeth fastened around her throat, before I had even realized what I was doing.

  Doug was right there with me, though without the violence. He licked my muzzle until I gained enough willpower to release my hold.

  Instead of slinking off, which would have been really helpful, to be honest, Evangeline jumped right back up, teeth bared, ready to attack again.

  This time, I stood my ground and let Doug handle it. He squeezed between us, at which point it became very obvious that it was only me the pup had issues with. She went from attack mode to breaking so hard she fell over.

  Doug gently wrapped his teeth around her muzzle, letting her know his displeasure. She rolled over onto her back, her tail tucked tight between her legs and licked him.

  He let go immediately and came to bump shoulders with me, a united front. Since her posture didn’t change, we turned and ran towards the woods, not checking to see if she followed.

  If this continued, there would be trouble. I wondered if she’d acted that way with the pack she was born into. If she had, I wondered how she’d gotten to be 15, or if she had a protector.

  When we got back to the house, Percy let us in, and Evangeline disappeared to go change on her own.

  Doug and I, however, made our way upstairs for some alone time, to burn off the stress that had just been created. We didn’t get very far when Percy’s voice reverberated around the house.

  “Gretchen, Doug,
get your furry buns down here!” The sound of her voice was so loud that it demanded we change back, no matter what our shared adrenaline beckoned from us.

  We both stood naked and shivering in the wake of it.

  “Well, I think we better hurry up and get dressed. I think the house amplified her. I darted around the room gathering up my under things and tossing them on haphazardly. The hooks of my bra where unevenly done, but I didn’t think I could take the time to care. I hopped into my pants and pulled on my shirt on my way down the hall.

  We met up with what looked like every fae and part fae person on the property, in the library. They were all huddled around the new TV Percy had been adamant about not having in the library.

  My blood pressure rose, fearing what I would see. The news was on a commercial break, but they’d obviously announced something important, I just hoped that it didn’t have anything to do with vampires.

  It didn’t. The news had something much much worse to reveal.

  “After the attack a couple of weeks ago, and several closed-door government meetings, a new law has been created. All non-human intelligences are being required to come forward and put their names on a national registry. Copies of this will be made available in local libraries and to be sold in stores. This will provide a way for the rest of us to safely know who is teaching our children, who our neighbors are, and provide a way for citizens to come to their own decisions about who, and what, we make our communities with. More details on that later, now, the weather.”

  We all stood and sat in stunned silence. Yes, we’d expected some repercussions after the vampire attack in Florida. But to be treated like sex offenders? As beasts? As non-humans? I had come to believe that a majority of mankind had gotten past that kind of bigotry, but apparently, I was wrong.

  I’d been treated like an animal for most of my life, and now I was back to square one. Way back.

  I stopped my pondering as the news turned back to the registry.

  “Non-humans can register at their local police department, where they will be profiled and fingerprinted. Next, they will be sent on to their local hospitals for physicals. After that, their registration is complete, and they can go on with their lives.

  “No word yet on how this will affect us on a national, or even personal level.”

  From there the topic turned to sports, leaving me with a cold feeling in the pit of my stomach, which spread to all my limbs. Looking around, I could see I wasn’t the only one in a state of shock.

  “So what does this mean? Will we be shut out of local businesses and farmer’s markets? Will we have to become hermits?” asked Christina, Percy’s handmaiden.

  “Nothing will happen. To any of us,” Percy reassured us. “There is absolutely no reason to put our names on that list. It’s an invasion of privacy, and it’s illegal. Besides, every one of us can pass for human, and those that can’t don’t go out in public without glamours.” Percy looked flustered, playing with a torn up tissue, but her tone was steady and very serious. “We’ll be just fine. Just be very careful who you let close from here on out.”

  She was right, of course. Except, the next time I wolfed out when someone pinched my ass in a club, they’d suspect what I was and go to the authorities, and not just dismiss it as a figment of their imagination. And with Evangeline to be kept on a short leash, it was a recipe for disaster. A big, ugly, goopy disaster.

  “But eventually, one of us will slip, or drop a glamour. Then what?” asked Sabrina. “Will they put us on trial and send us to jail for hiding what we are?”

  “I highly doubt you have much to worry about,” said Christina, blinking her dark eyes and tucking her hair behind slightly pointed ears.

  “Maybe not me, personally, but I have people to protect that do.” Sabrina’s body language was confrontational.

  Apparently, the tension between the freaks and Percy’s fae workers had been building up, but not hanging out with them much, I hadn’t picked up on it. They were all cooped up on the property, not being able to get out much and burn the stress off.

  “Everyone here is under my protection,” Percy proclaimed. “If anyone needs a glamour, they have only to ask. I’ve been doing it for my own people for years, as long as you are living on my property, I will extend the same courtesy to you and yours.”

  “All right. And I will help you however I can,” said Sabrina.

  “And that would be very much appreciated,” said Percy, coming over to put an arm around the younger woman’s shoulders. Having dropped her glamour, she towered over Sabrina, who was only middling in height.

  “What about all the people who have already seen us slip up?” I asked. “It’s not like my episodes have been few and far between. It’s only a matter of time before people start questioning me, and the people surrounding me.”

  “I wouldn’t worry about it for now. For the time being, they haven’t mentioned any repercussions for not putting yourself on the list. When they do that, then we’ll worry about it.”

  I rode back from my very human honeymoon wearing a huge silly grin on my face. My past was ancient history, the present was so much better, and more meaningful than I had expected. I glanced over at Doug, who was driving, and discovered a matching expression.

  I leaned over, my nose brushing his shoulder, and inhaled. Mine. The moon was beginning to wax, and I could feel my other self wake up a little at a time.

  “What?” Doug’s slight accent sent a shiver through me as it had never done before.

  “You’re mine,” I stated.

  “Yes. I am my beloved’s and she is mine.”

  If a smile could crack my face in half, it would have.

  “You’re enjoying this marriage thing way too much,” I said, though I suspected it might be the same for me.

  “Why shouldn’t I?” Doug took his right hand off the steering wheel and slung it over the back of my seat.

  I said nothing, just turned my head to watch the road again.

  I was a little sad to return home, but we couldn’t stay in Portland forever. I sighed and shifted in my seat.

  My nerves came awake as Doug brushed his fingers against the back of my neck. These were the last few moments of privacy we were bound to get until full moon, which, without memories to accompany that time, wasn’t much to look forward to.

  We were heading back to reality. My failing business. The adopted teen that hated my guts, and frankly I wasn’t all that wild about either. The caravan of circus freaks living in the field out back. At the very least, my wolf self was on an even keel now that Doug and I were officially, um, mated.

  The beast within rumbled in contentment. Apparently, my inner beast was channeling its inner dragon. Cranky wolf, hidden dragon. Catchy! Or kitschy? Whatever.

  “So, any big plans this week?” I asked, glancing his way once more.

  “Going to go looking for a job.”

  “Really?” I tried not to sound too excited at the prospect. Don’t get me wrong, I love having my husband—

  Mate.

  Yeah, yeah, down girl.

  —Around all the time, but a little space now and then would be nice.

  Was I a contradiction or what? Mourning our ending alone time, and wishing he’d give me some space.

  “Yes, I figured I should contribute a bit more. I’m sick of feeling like a mooch.”

  Hallelujah! Not that I couldn’t afford a mooching husband, mate, but I do think working would be good for him.

  All too soon, I spied the huge roadside sign for Olympian’s Salon and Day Spa. Home again, home again.

  Doug parked Percy’s car in its regular spot, then came around to open my door.

  Such a gentleman. He even insisted on carrying both our bags inside. Mine, bulging and large, slung over his shoulder and his tucked under his arm. It would have been a more impressive feat if he weren’t a werewolf.

  “Welcome back!” Percy excused herself briefly from one of her regulars, Cynthia, to give Doug
and me hugs.

  “We’ve only been gone three days,” I grumbled, but let the exuberant motherly goddess hug me anyhow.

  “Yes, but it was your honeymoon! I’m so happy for the two of you! Would you like me to make you some tea?”

  “Go back to work, Perc,” I commanded. I could handle making my own tea, it wasn’t like I had much else to do at the moment.

  Percy giggled and kissed my cheek, then Doug’s, before returning to her client with an unnecessary apology. I waved to Cynthia, then headed to the kitchen.

  “I’ll be down in a minute.” Doug hefted my bag and climbed the main staircase.

  In the kitchen, I started a full kettle boiling, then got the large tin of homemade tea down from the cabinet. I figured we’d relax for a bit, before going our separate ways, so I also got out my old brown ceramic teapot, instead of mugs.

  Did I say relax? As soon as the kettle whistled and I was pouring it into the pot, the back door opened and in slunk my numero uno problem, the petulant teenager.

  Evangeline threw herself into a chair, without looking my way, and picked at her claws.

  Just great. I tried not to let her attitude rub off on me, but I can’t say that I was successful.

  Doug joined us a moment later and the kid’s whole demeanor changed. She sat up straight, tucked her hair behind her ears, and gave Doug a thousand-watt smile.

  “Hey, kiddo, how have you been?” Doug gave her a quick hug and dropped a kiss on her hair.

  “Fine. Are you back for good now?” Evangeline asked.

  “Of course.” He hugged her again, then came to me and gave me a quick kiss before claiming a seat of his own. “Is the tea ready?”

  “Yeah, close enough.” I moved to grab three mugs. I was betting the kid needed that stuff more than I did.

  I set a mug full of the brew in front of Evangeline.

  She pushed it away. “Don’t want it.”

  Doug took his and scooted closer to her. “It’s not so bad, Evie, how about a touch of honey to sweeten you up?”

  “I guess.” She pushed her mug in my husband’s direction and crossed her arms.