A/N: Hey all, I just wanted to note that "non-cannon" means that it doesn't follow the books, and OCs mean "original characters". When reading the Dresden Files series, I found the world highly entertaining and I wondered about "outside Chicago" and "a ton of younger wizards". After reading "Working for Bigfoot", I also started wondering about younger white-court vampires. I combined all of that into this, which is meant as mostly fluff and...a handful of skittles or popcorn. Something that you enjoy, but you don't take it too seriously. Enjoy!

Chapter One
*Josh

I bowed very slightly to the young lady as I left her at the door to her house, watching as she smiled back at me and slid inside. She was in her early twenties, but she still lived with her family and I didn't feel like being part of a scene. Her brother did not like me. I turned and hurried down the sidewalk, ducking between two of the cars that were parked at the curb.

The house was one of about twenty on the street that were too similar to tell apart at a glance. There were cars along the one curb, and the road was fairly narrow. There was an overflow parking section a few houses up on the far side, and the entire development was a gated community.

I sauntered to the overflow area, pulling out my fob as I neared the Ferrari. I ended up lost, and wondered idly if a little golf cart would show up to putter me out, but I did eventually find an exit sign. I followed those through to...a new exit.

Well, I was in Henderson.

I moved out onto the road, heading in a direction I couldn't actually tell. I'd gotten turned around, part of getting lost, and the clouds were obscuring the sun. I'd pull over and check my phone to see where the hell I was, then go find something else to do.

My life had been hard, and even harder when I was constantly trying to balance feeding with relationships. I still had a gaping wound in my heart from L, but not factoring her into my life made it depressingly easier to deal with.

Maybe...I could actually talk to Brian.

I frowned at the thought, shoving it away. I hadn't missed the fear on his face at the ball, regardless of what he'd said later. He'd looked at me, and he'd been afraid. It wasn't fair of me to try to latch onto him when he'd only dealt with me because there hadn't been a way for him not to.

I wandered back across town, stopping for a drink in a drive through. It was September, and I was lonely. I'd been able to "make friends" with Brian's replacement at Secrets, but Will wasn't nearly as able as Brian had been. I mean, I'd successfully gotten Brian to stalk wizards after a couple minutes on the cell phone.

Ah well, spilled milk for cats.

I shook my head as I turned toward the house, taking the back roads. Andon had shown up again for the first time since I'd met Ryan. He'd been trying to talk to me whenever he saw me, and I didn't have the energy to deal with that. His car was still in the drive, something he'd regret the next time he tried to get into it, but it was the clue I needed for me to turn away from the manor.

I sighed, deciding to hit a shopping center for a bit. I was tired of driving, it'd taken an hour to get from Henderson back to the house, but I wanted to deal with my family even less.

I realized, as I pulled into the lot, that it was nearly ten at night. The only store that would be open was Target, but I had nothing better to do.

I sighed, smelling something familiar as I moved toward the building. I had no idea what it'd be, and there were so many layers of scent that it was dumb of me to even try—it was probably a perfume. What had Ryan called it? Eu de wizard?

I smiled sadly to myself, heading into the store. I'd taken Justine to try and talk to L after the Mayday ball, but L had been furious. I hadn't thought out bringing another woman with me to speak with her, and everything had really ended. None of that group had contacted me since, and I was...okay with that. Brian had always been scared of me, and I was kidding myself thinking anything else.

I wandered through the display near the door, then sighed and wandered toward the back of the store for the men's wear. They sold the bulk undershirts here, and I tended to live out of those, more colors would be good, or maybe I could buy all black and confuse the hell out of my family. I smiled slightly to myself, slowing as I considered the endcaps.

...and smelled it again.

Nothing became obvious when I looked around, and I tried to place the scent as I wandered through an aisle of boxers. It wasn't perfume; it was something else, something warmer.

...it was Brian.

I stopped to stare at him as I neared the end of the aisle, my hands in my pockets.

He shifted how he stood slightly, running a hand through his hair as he read a plastic wrapped shirt package...he hadn't noticed me yet.

Part of me thought it would be hilarious to stand there and call him to me, to let my darker nature paw at him...but the rest of me ignored that.

I cleared my throat.

Brian raised his head without looking around, most likely assuming someone wanted past him...then froze. He jerked his head to look up at me, and I saw his eyes light up briefly...before he looked away and shifted aside.

"Really?" I asked blankly, moving nearer to him.

"I don't want to have sex with you," he retorted, a lot more acid in his tone than I expected.

...oh...yeah. That pretty much summed up our last few conversations...all but the one at the stupid ball itself.

"Wanna see how long it'd take me to break that?" I retorted, leaning against the opposite side of the aisle.

"I'm leaving in a minute," he said in a tired tone. "I won't make you talk to me."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, rubbing at my face. The gesture made him twitch slightly, and I realized that he was tense.

"You don't have to talk to me," he pointed out, lifting his eyes to mine again.

I had seen that sparkle, though, I'd seen that he was happy to see me. It didn't tally with anything I'd expected. I'd seen his fear before, so what was with that? Why the attitude if he wasn't afraid?

...but then, I had walled him out of my life entirely. If I had misread him, and he'd actually been afraid of my cousin and not me, everything that had followed would have been...painful. I couldn't expect hurt feelings to vanish just because I was willing to talk again.

Damn.

I watched him as I tried to work something else out to say, then focused on the package he was holding. He was actually reading it. ...why was he reading it?

I swallowed slightly, looking back to the floor. "I'm sorry."

He shifted how he stood again, frowning up to me.

"I am sorry," I said again, meeting his eyes briefly. "I wasn't right to you."

He lowered the package slowly as he studied me.

"I...I just wanted to say that," I noted, moving around him to grab a package of black wife-beaters from the wall behind him. I turned to start away, again.

"You're a real piece of work Rossi," he noted darkly.

I slowed and turned my head without looking at him.

He shifted to stand in the aisle, looking me over with a shake of his head. "Don't just walk away."

"You don't want to talk to me," I pointed out, considering the carpet in front of me.

"If you took the time to stalk me," he noted dryly, "then far be it for me to..."

I smirked at that notion, shaking my head as I turned to face him again. "I did not stalk you."

He quirked an eyebrow at me.

"What do I hunt, buck?" I asked pointedly, meeting his eyes. "What would I stalk?"

I saw amusement and distaste cross his face quickly, and he fought a smile back as he shook his head.

I shifted slightly closer, hesitating.

"What are you doing here?" he asked tiredly.

"Andon is in town," I made a face as I moved to rejoin him. "I've been avoiding the house."

Fear.

I raised a hand before he could more than tense up. "Just Andon. Ethan hasn't tried coming back."

He crossed his arms over his chest. He was wearing one of Ryan's sweaters, and I wondered why. He'd been using it for security back when things were crazy, and if he'd decided to make a fashion statement he was doing it all wrong. They looked horrible on him, the sleeves rolled up and the neckline hanging low enough on his chest that he'd show cleavage if he had breasts...

Brian looked away from me again.

"That looks ridiculous," I pointed out. "Why are you still wearing it?"

"It'll burn you," his eyes actually lit up again as he looked back to me. "Come touch it."

"That's from Ryan?" I asked, trying not to think about implications.

He laughed as he considered me. "It's not like that."

"Uhhuh," I muttered, not sure if I actually cared enough to press the point or not. The mental images I was coming up were far too disturbing; better to let it go. "What are you doing here? We're not that far from my house, your place is across town."

"I moved," he corrected. "And Gable wants..." he hesitated and shook his head. "I noted that my shirts come from here, so he wants me to sell him on them."

"Sell him on them?" I repeated.

"He actually wants me to convince him that the cheap packs here are better than the nice ones he orders from the haberdashery."

"Are they?" I asked blankly.

"No," Brian laughed, rolling his eyes. "That's the problem. I'm trying to explain to him cost effectiveness, and he gave me a wad of cash."

I laughed at that, tilting my head at him. "To be fair, I'd probably do the same thing."

"So admit you're stalking me," he suggested, heading back for the end-cap.

"Didn't we just discuss how that's not what I'm doing?" I asked curiously, following. "Because I really did just stop in to get these," I showed him the package.

He looked at it, then up at me with a frown.

"Mine get ripped," I supplied.

He rolled his eyes so hard I was almost certain it had to hurt.

I started laughing, a real laugh, for the first time in ages. It felt good to do it. I looked around briefly as one of the workers came up to us, calming slightly.

"The store is closing in ten minutes," he noted happily. "Please make your final selections."

"Don't," Brian ordered me.

I snickered hard, stepping back from them both. I'd been about to make the fellow uncomfortable, and the fact that Brian was so casual with the order...

The employee looked between us.

"Okay fine," Brian sighed, using his phone to take a picture of the back of the package.

He'd been talking to the employee, conceding that it was time for us to leave, but I decided to misunderstand him. I made sure I was far enough away that the worst he'd feel was the cold, and turned on the charm.

It was great.

Not only had Brian immediately started chiding me, but the poor buck reacted in a way that made me realize he wasn't naturally averse to my attentions. He'd been muttering something to me about when he got off work, what time it was...while Brian railed against me. The employee had whispered something about sneaking away as Brian pushed and shoved me down the aisle.

It was good to laugh.

I followed the former bartender through the store as I continued doing so, and teased him about being jealous as he considered a display of leather jackets. He'd never really been that casual with me, so it was nice to goad him a little without that flicker of fear. I was probably overdoing it a little, but I felt almost desperate and had no idea what to do about it.

An older buck swept up behind us and informed us the store was closing, so Brian grabbed a jacket and we allowed ourselves to be ushered to the final cash register.

Brian set the jacket down with my shirts. I indicated the drink cooler to him, and he came back with a couple twenty ounces. It only took a moment to finish the transaction, and as I accepted the receipt, I realized that I'd just bought him a jacket.

Brian beamed at me.

We moved out into the night, stopping on the sidewalk as we looked the nearly empty lot over.

"So...what are you doing tonight?" I asked hesitantly.

"Getting picked up by a vampire, evidently," he gave me an arch look.

I laughed at that, moving to a more intimate distance as I studied his eyes...and the whole game stopped when I saw the flicker of fear.

He looked away.

"Sorry," I muttered, deflating as I passed him the jacket. "I'm...I didn't mean anything."

"What were you doing?" he asked as he hugged the thing to his chest.

"Teasing," I retorted. "I always...teased you," I shook my head, starting for the car. "Night."

"Josh," he muttered, stepping after me.

I turned back to him without looking at him.

"Let's go get something to eat," he said, pointing across the huge lot to one of those twenty-four-hour breakfast places.

I hesitated, then nodded my consent.


*Brian

It was strange to follow Josh into the restaurant. I wasn't entirely convinced that he hadn't been trying to track me down, though this was fairly close to his family manor. He seemed...different than before, too.

...I'd only actually started talking to him after he'd been with Ella.

I blinked as I realized that, following him and the flirty waitress toward a booth on one side.

I'd met him and started doing odd jobs for him while I was a bartender, but that entire time had been laced with his innuendos. For years, he'd built up this image of a dark and cruel god, and I'd heard more stories of him torturing males than I could count; he'd protected me from the others, though, and the key to surviving the shark tank was to keep from bleeding in it. At the club, he'd been a terrifying force who'd liked me, and as scary as that had been, I'd been able to make extra money for it.

That had been followed by Ryan showing up, which had changed him...and then Ethan. I'd realized the difference between his image and his personality, then, and we'd started to become friends.

The waitress left a small insulated coffee pot with us and promised to come back for our orders.

"Why...are we doing this?" he asked me as he watched her walk off.

"I don't really know," I sighed, spooning sugar into my cup without looking at him. "I mean...you blocked me out hard."

"So why are you willing to try?" he persisted.

"Because there was a time when I thought we were going to be friends," I met his eyes finally. "Truly friends."

He looked away, his expression going sad again.

He looked tired. I wasn't sure if it was his demon or his metabolism or what, but I doubted he was physically capable of having rings under his eyes...but they were still sort of there. He always looked good, it was stupid and I honestly hated his demon, but he'd seemed like he was alright when he'd first started talking to me...but he did look tired.

He ran a hand through his hair before meeting my eyes again, the spark of amusement back.

"I am not checking you out," I informed him, wanting to kick him under the table. He laughed, and I saw the life come back to his eyes.

...he was lonely, wasn't he? That realization was as profound as this conversation needed to get.

I tilted my head at him. "Can I ask you something?"

He shrugged his consent.

"Why the hell did you bring another woman to talk to L?"

He focused on me.

"She was furious," I smiled slightly at him.

"It was my cousin's lover," he shrugged, deflating slightly. "I wanted to see if she could help us work things out," he looked out the window.

"As in...threesome?" I asked, frowning a him.

He laughed again, a short bark of amusement. "That is not what I meant."

I snorted, stirring my cup some more as I considered what had happened. "Your cousin," I said quietly. "He...he came to Gable's after the gala. He...told me not to tell them what she'd said."

"I don't think they expected you to turn her down out of hand," he smiled a bit. "I think your outright refusal sort of sent them for a loop."

"He used his power on me," I stated, staring at my cup.

Josh froze for a moment, then made an unhappy noise and rubbed at his face. "I'm sorry."

"You didn't know?" I looked up at him briefly, studying his eyes.

He shook his head, and I could see a glint of anger there. He was mostly avoiding looking at me, but I saw a flash of silver cross those eyes as he tapped his nails on the tabletop.

"Josh?" I asked.

He looked back to me, all of that replaced with concern. "Are you okay?"

I indicated his eyes, then rolled the sleeves of my sweater down one. "I saw it," I explained, shifting how I sat. "The silver."

Something dark crossed his eyes as he looked away from me, then he rolled them and gave me a level look. "I don't feed on males, at some point you'll remember that."

"And at that point I'll have forgotten a couple years," I retorted.

A wicked amusement flashed across his face before he gave me a contrite look. "Sorry," he muttered, starting to sip at the cup.

I snorted at him, relaxing back and looking the place over. It was brightly lit, and there were a number of people around.

"Nothing worked out for me," he noted as he started messing with a spoon. "I don't know if you noticed or anything...but I had to actually fight my cousins, which is thug behavior. It's ridiculous and below me, but I did it with both of them. I...got to be with L...once. Our entire lives, and I was with her once."

I blinked, focusing on him.

"She ever tell you we've known each other since we were about twelve?" he glanced up to meet my eyes. "She was my mainstay for years, the only way I was able to cope with what had happened to me. She was the shoulder I cried on, the one person who could make everything actually okay again." He hesitated. "Has she told you anything?"

"She doesn't talk about you," I shrugged, studying his eyes. "She was pissed about you bringing some other woman to talk to her...she said I shouldn't bring up Ryan to you ever...and..."

His eyes flashed as he looked away.

"Sorry," I muttered.

"She never told you my secrets?" he asked, meeting my eyes.

"You have some?" I asked blankly, realizing that...there was something big. Something neither of them ever talked about.

"I have...a few," he noted, raising both eyebrows at me.

"I don't want to know," I said quickly, making a reassuring gesture at him. "I just..."

"She helped me keep it together," he muttered, looking back to the window. "She dealt with me through thick and thin...and even though all she had to do was get off with someone else..."

"Stop pretending you don't understand her take on it," I ordered him. "I can't even imagine what it must feel like, because you did love her...I don't have the right frame of reference for that at all. But...don't just put this all off on her when you know none of it was that simple."

He gave me a look, then shrugged and flopped back where he sat. "From my perspective, it is that simple. I survive...and I enjoy it."

I frowned at him, focusing on his eyes again. The emphasis had contained some of that vocal silk, that unnerving...whatever.

He studied me with glittering eyes a moment, then looked away. "She and Ryan together?"

"As much as you can call it that," I tilted my head at him. "I mean, they're still doing the long distance talking thing...he'll randomly show up at her apartment for a weekend and disappear again, and she's gone to visit him once."

His eyes were sad, but he was staring out the window at the traffic on the road.

"He asks me about you," I noted quietly. "For a while he wanted to fight you, but..."

"I've been doing better," he noted, meeting my eyes. "Just lonely."

"You've had my number," I pointed out.

"With how scared you are of me?" he demanded.

"I'm only scared of you when you're coming at me, asshole," I pointed out, glowering at him. "When I can feel it."

He considered that, focusing on my sweater as he tilted his head. "And that will burn me? Will you?"

I glared at him.

He smirked at me, his eyes dancing.

"Why don't you try it," I challenged, keeping my voice even.

He laughed, his eyes sparkling again.

"Do you know about that stuff?" I hazarded, deciding to move on. "At the gala I saw your cousin...he terrified me. Having to deal with him shook me up, and one of my coworkers texted L about it. Ryan gave me this," I plucked at the sweater. "It burned your cousin's hand."

He blinked at that, extending his own hand curiously.

I extended my wrist, not entirely sure I wanted to trust him...but it wasn't a fear reaction. It was the way he'd happily been an ass at me.

He hissed, yanking his hand away from the sleeve as he stared at his fingers and looked to me. He studied my eyes, then grabbed my hand...and stared at me.

I yanked away from him, making a face and wiping the hand on my slacks.

"Do you...need a minute?" the waitress asked, flashing me a slightly naughty grin as she stopped at the end of our table.

"No," I stated.

Josh's eyes sparkled as he considered me, then he turned to order.

It didn't take us too long to eat, and the waitress seemed to be trying to give us space. There certainly weren't more people seated around us as the night went on, and that was the point where I'd hurried up to eat.

Josh thought it was funny that the woman had come over to see him holding my hand. She'd definitely seen it, and she seemed to be trying to communicate something to me with body language that was just beyond my comprehension.

Josh followed me from the building, and was far too close. He caught me by the pocket of my jeans when we'd reached a spot where no one inside could see us, and even though I was trying to shove him off, wouldn't let go. He only did so when I turned to hug him with the damn love-sweater.

Evidently, that was the funniest thing I could ever have done, and I hurried away from him...and realized what that had to look like inside.

I glowered at him as we stopped in front of our cars.

"Can I...call you?" he asked, his voice pitched to carry across the lot while still seeming intimate.

"No," I retorted.

He laughed, then sobered and frowned at me. "Joking aside."

I sighed and nodded. "As long as you stop trying to convince everyone we're lovers."

"I can't help what people decide to believe," he informed me almost primly.

I glared at him.

He smiled at me, but the amusement faded away as he looked around. He drummed his hand against his thigh a bit, looking remarkably awkward.

I sighed, gesturing at his car. "I'm going home. Follow me or don't."

A female voice burst into hard giggles from around the building, and a door shut. Evidently our waitress had taken a break to eavesdrop, and we weren't all that far from the back entrance of the building.

Josh laughed wickedly, moving toward his car. "It's too easy."

"Don't follow me," I ordered him in exasperation, climbing into my car. I knew he was going to, and I almost wished that telling L wouldn't result in a scene. I could tell Ryan, but I'd have to call him...after Josh left. That or see if he was near Maddy.

I pulled my phone out and texted her as we moved across the lot. She returned a negative, and I promised to explain it later...and focused on driving.

...I was taking Joshua Rossi to my house. It was late on a Friday night, no one else knew I was with him, and there was a chance that he'd hunted me down...and I was taking him home with me.

I pulled up a text to Hoc as we hit a stoplight, typing the message out to him quickly. I explained that I wasn't a hundred percent on what the vampire was trying to accomplish, and he told me that the sex would be amazing.

He seemed to think he was funny.

I ignored that, tossing the phone into the passenger seat as we started driving again...and wondered if maybe I shouldn't be trusting Josh. Only time would tell, and Hoc would definitely tell at least Arkady, and everyone would probably decide my relationship with the stupid vampire had gone carnal.

I needed to get a damn girlfriend, that would stop their yammering...but unfortunately, I hadn't gotten around to going out like that yet. I needed to start, I had afternoons and weekends free. I could find someone...or get Josh to find me someone. He'd probably do it.

I just needed to figure out what he was actually doing following me home.


*Josh

I woke up and stared at the ceiling a long time before deciding that no, I did not recognize the room I was in. I maintained my even breathing as I tried to place the scent, then turned my head...to see Brian curled against the wall.

I sat up, staring at him in disbelief before the night's events came back to me.

His phone was buzzing.

"Bry," I muttered, shaking his arm. "Brian."

He jumped hard as well, staring at me in horror, then turned to dig his phone out of the blankets around him. He made the buzzing stop as he stared at me, then looked around the room as well.

"Oh shut up," I ordered, flopping back. "We didn't drink that much."

He snickered as his phone started buzzing again. He raised it to his ear, an annoyed look on his face. "Hello?"

I heard someone asking if he'd had a good night in a far too amused tone.

I leaned over so my mouth was near the microphone. "I'm gonna get dressed."

The voice fell silent as Brian lunged at me. I started laughing hard as I fell out of the bed, and I continued laughing as I lay there.

"No!" Brian complained. "We caught up and crashed...he's an idiot."

I laughed more, pushing up to watch the flickers of annoyance on his face. He argued with whoever it was for a while, then ended the call...and threw his phone at me.

I laughed even harder as I caught it and turned it to consider his call-log. Hoc. I had no idea who that was, which made the game less fun, but the log showed...Maddy?

I raised my eyes to look at him.

"Give me that," he complained, leaning over to yank the phone back from me as he started climbing out of the bed. He was grumbling to himself as he disappeared from the room into the bathroom, and I grinned as I moved to check out his kitchen.

I was going to have to make that up to him...or not. I'd bought him a coat.

I smirked as I considered the items in his fridge, and wondered if maybe I could stay here a few days. I'd have to mollify him, though, and not mislead his coworkers anymore...or waitresses.

I grinned as he moved from the bathroom.

"Why are you still here?" he asked dryly.

"Morning delight."

He huffed at me.

I laughed, then frowned at him and shrugged. "I didn't think you'd mind."

"I figured you'd take off before I got up," he noted dryly as he set the phone down on the counter and turned toward the front door. "I don't understand what you're doing here."

"You're going to make me admit that I missed you?" I demanded, stopping to stare at him. "You remember the whole bit where we're both guys, right?"

He snorted out a laugh at that as he carried a newspaper in from the porch and kicked the door shut. "I've been worried about you," he noted.

"And your response to that is to demand why I'm still here?" I asked blankly.

"I'm pretty sure I told you to crash on the couch," he noted, indicating the blankets he'd put out for me.

"You have a memory foam, and you didn't even wake up," I argued back. "We didn't cuddle or anything and you don't have to tell anyone."

"Except Hoc," he pointed out.

I smirked, realizing I had done that to him. I started laughing as I dug through his cupboards to find the pans. "I'll make you breakfast," I offered.

"If you spit in my eggs, I will get Ryan over here to beat you down," he stated.

"I wouldn't spit," I promised, grinning wickedly. "A little blood, maybe, but..."

He gave me a disgusted look.

I grinned at him, and turned to dig out the bacon.

"Let me get the news going and I'll start coffee," he added, moving over to flick the television on.

"Why?" I asked blankly.

He gave me a blank look as he started fussing with his coffee pot. "What do you mean, why?"

It took me a while to realize that he wasn't doing anything for the day, and after a while he frowned at me.

"Leave?" I asked with a slight sigh. I hadn't wanted to intrude on him, but I liked the idea of going home even less.

"What?" he asked blankly. "Are you going to? I guess that ends my dilemma."

I blinked at him. "What?"

"Oh my god, if you ask me 'what' one more time, I'm going to smite you."

I started laughing again, shifting how I sat. "Explain to me what you mean."

He rolled his eyes, though he looked amused. "I want to play a game, but I only have one controller. I never heard if you even know how to play, or if you want to...or how long you're staying. For all that we've talked for hours, we're failing at communication. It makes me wonder how much of what you've said I understand."

I laughed at that, then pursed my lips slightly as I realized something.

I could feed on him. We'd reestablished the bond while talking the night before.

"What?" he asked, considering me.

"I'm glad we're a few feet apart," I supplied, rising and stretching. "I want to feed."

The look on his face was hilarious.

I started laughing.

He was, however, checking for exits and probably weapons, just glancing around the apartment.

I moved away from him to soothe the alarm there, heading for the island and my car keys. "I can feed on you, remember? Can I come back tonight? Can I stay a few nights?"

"If you sleep on the couch like a guest should," he retorted. His tone was almost petulant, but I could see amusement in his eyes. "I don't work again until Monday unless something comes up...which includes you deciding to feed on me."

I nodded, looking the place over as I waved the warning away. "You need anything? I can do the money thing."

"Aside from a second controller and any other game you might want to play, I think we're set."

I grinned at that, nodding. "I'm gonna hit Secrets or something and feed."

"Already?" he asked blankly. "You said you fed on your date yesterday."

"I've been maintaining the tank," I noted dryly as I pulled the door open. "About once a day. If you're willing to let me feed, I can stay, but that's not a rabbit hole either of us are interested in."

He snorted at me.

I laughed, sliding out the door. "I'll text you when I'm on my way back...I mean, I might get sidetracked, too. I can sleep here? Even if we don't play today?"

He sighed at me.

I started laughing, moving out into the day's heat. I was glad we could banter, but if I did one wrong thing we'd be done. If he saw my eyes change, I said the wrong thing, or if I managed to move in a way that would scare him, he'd be done trying. I had to keep a balance here until things were less uncertain.

So, I wanted to hit the house for my good shower things, I needed to find a doe—so I may as well find Jessica or Amy—and clothes. I needed to do that first-off because I was fairly certain Andon was going to put a tail on me, and this time, I didn't have the wizard to keep my friend safe.


*Brian

The day was quiet, aside from idiot coworkers. I was being teased by Hoc, and decided that smacking Josh would probably be the best thing ever when I saw him again. Just wham, bruise on the arm. He wouldn't feel it for long.

"Hello?" I answered Arkady's call with resignation.

"Hello," he returned happily. "Hoc was just giggling at me that you found a boyfriend, insisting that you had a vampire night...so I wanted to call and make sure you were actually okay."

"Does he actually believe that?" I asked with a sigh.

"He's torn," Arkady supplied. "Are you okay? I know the vampires scare you."

"I'm fine," I reassured him. "It was just Josh; I ran into him last night at the store, so we ate and he came over to catch up. He was waking me up this morning because my phone was ringing, then leaned forward and told the phone he was getting dressed."

Arkady's genuine laugh was deep, and I realized that he understood the joke. "You still in for the training today or are you too sore to do it?"

"Arkady!" I protested, making him laugh more and realizing that them all knowing that sex hadn't happened meant that it was fair game for teasing. I huffed, realizing that there'd be no end to the jibes for most of the day...but my self-defense was important. "Alright," I said after a moment. "I'll change and come over."

"Alright," he said brightly. "Be sure to make-up any marks."

I made a disgusted noise as I ended the call and stood. I pulled up a message to the stupid vampire as I headed for the room, explaining to him that I was going to be out for a few hours. He didn't respond right away, but considering that he'd left to feed...

He could still feed off of me? That had only started because of Ethan...which was the reason I was learning self-defense. The notion that months had gone by without me seeing Josh and he could still feed on me...

The phone rang again.

"Hello?" I muttered as I climbed into the car and started the engine, blaring the air conditioning.

"What was that?" Josh's was breathing a little fast. "Sorry, it didn't make sense to read it."

I wondered why he hadn't put off responding until he was free and rolled my eyes. "I said I'm taking self-defense lessons and my teacher is free right now. We'll be an hour or two."

"Alright," he muttered distantly. "Two hours...message me when you're done."

"Yeah," I agreed dryly.

"Call me if you have any questions," he noted distantly...and hung up.

What?

I stared at the phone a long moment, then rolled my eyes. I had a feeling that no sense was going to be made by him until he was done doing whatever he was doing. I was going to ask him about that, though.


*Josh

I packed my things into a duffel bag quickly, listening intently. I'd jumped onto my balcony from the yard, avoiding the windows and things. The family security would come check on me, but it wasn't like they would rat me out. Brian had texted me mid-jump, and I'd taken a moment to be sure my room was mostly empty before entering it and calling him back. I didn't want to be too long here. Someone was laying on my bed, and I realized after a moment that it was Amy.

Good, make this faster.

"What are you doing?" Amy asked languidly as she rolled over to kick her feet in the air. "Are we playing a game? Should I scream and fight?"

"I'm avoiding the family," I supplied, smirking at her. "We can play a game later, for now I just want to shower and get out before they notice."

"You don't appreciate me," she pouted cutely.

"Of course I do," I protested by rote, leaning over to kiss her and mutter the reassurances she wanted to hear.

All the suites had soundproofing between them, so no one around us or in the hall would really hear unless she started to actually scream. She wanted to, but I didn't want to chance Andon coming to see me or anything. We showered together, and she was put-out with me since I really wasn't taking any time. I left her to dry herself off, moving to pack a bag and get ready. I blinked as there was a tap on the door.

Amy went to answer it, wrapped in a towel. "Yes?"

"Is the young master in?" the guard Nick asked.

"He's busy," she said happily.

The man moved around her, his eyes all over my room before he saw me changing my earring at the bathroom counter and stopped.

"I'm trying not to be noticed," I supplied.

"You should park in the employee area," he noted dryly, raising an eyebrow at me as Amy moved around to try and tempt me. She liked the idea of being watched, and honestly, Nick probably wouldn't mind watching.

"How many people did you tell I was here?" I demanded, ignoring her. "If I come over the fence, why would you think I wanted attention?" I took the toiletries bag out and tucked it in the duffel.

"I didn't say anything," he sighed at me as Amy started doing something at the counter. He was avoiding looking at her. "We just had to make sure it was really you. Next time wave at a camera or something."

I rolled my eyes at him, shouldering the bag...and focusing beyond him on Joey. Nick had left my door open, and that was Ethan's buck.

"Josh!" Joey said, stepping into the room and hesitating.

"Don't tell me Ethan showed up," I groaned.

"We've been here an hour," Joey agreed, moving a little closer to me as he studied my face. "He wants to talk with you."

"My calendar is full," I noted, turning toward the balcony. "I can get an appointment with him sometime next month."

Joey snorted, hesitating. "If I found a way to stay here, do you think you could find me something to do?"

That question made my heart want to stop, and I turned to consider him and what that most likely meant. He had a bruise or hickey on his throat, and it was large. There were dark rings under his eyes, and he looked thinner than before.

"Yeah," I agreed, realizing that I could call Ryan in. If Ethan were here, Ryan would definitely be interested in coming.

Joey smiled slightly at me, looking away.

"I'm busy for a few hours," I noted, moving across the room to close the bathroom door since Amy was definitely putting on a show for Nick.

Nick jerked back a step, looking at me then turned and slid out of the room.

Joey blinked after him.

"You okay?" I asked, frowning slightly.

He nodded, looking down. "It's...it hasn't been good since the last time we were here."

I nodded at him, rubbing at my mouth as I considered things. "Don't tell him you saw me," I ordered. "If you can arrange to be out front in about two hours, I'll swing up and get you. Bring your bags or whatever you want, but maybe leave your electronics."

"I can't do that," he said, crossing his arms over his chest. It shifted the collar of his shirt so more of the bruise, that was a bruise, on his throat became evident. "If I leave things behind he'll notice."

"I'll get you, then," I headed for the balcony again. "We can eat or something and you can tell me what's going on."

"He's..." he hesitated, looking away. "If I'm gone more than an hour or two he'll notice."

"We'll talk," I reassured him, gesturing him for the door. "Go."

He nodded, watching as I slid out of the house again. I assumed he'd leave after he realized what I was doing...but this added a complication. Brian wasn't going to want Joey around, because Brian was going to panic when he realized Ethan was in town.

Well, I needed to get to him first and see what he was willing to deal with. If Joey hadn't looked so defeated, I'd have assumed there was a lie—I'd have to be careful with him, because he could easily be doing something for Ethan, moving against me.

I considered what to do as I hopped back down to the ground and headed along the building. It only took me a minute to be at the fence again, and I hopped onto it, looking around to the nearest camera and raising my middle finger to it before dropping on the outside. I headed back to my car and reversed quickly. I hit the button to call Brian back, hoping he wouldn't be too upset.

"Ya done?" he asked dryly.

Done?

"Uh, complication," I supplied. "I think we need to be in person, can I meet you?"

"What sort of complication?" he asked blankly. "Uh, we're at Gable's."

"We?" I asked, frowning. "And I can come there? I mean, I don't want to greet him or anything."

"He's sleeping right now anyway," he reassured me. "I'll call security and tell them you're coming to see me—you don't have any weapons, do you?"

"Only my amazing sex," I noted dryly. "Mention that when they talk about patting me down."

He laughed wickedly. "You're such an asshole."

I laughed, actually buckling as I hit a stop sign. "So...I'm about twenty minutes out."

"Alright, I'll let them know."


*Ryan

I jumped hard when the phone rang, rolling onto my side to stare at it a moment before lifting it and making an unhappy noise. "What?"

"Ryan?" a slightly unfamiliar voice asked.

I blinked, thinking about it. "Who is this?"

"Josh."

I woke up entirely, forgetting the aches of my still-healing body. "Josh? What's going on? Are you okay? L?" I shoved myself up as my ribs throbbed.

"Uh...yes," he hesitated. "I don't talk to L anymore."

There was an awkward pause.

"Sorry," I said quietly. "Um...what is wrong?"

"I'm not sure anything is," he noted. "I...I'm meeting with Brian and...well, Ethan's back in town."

My knuckles throbbed as I shifted how I sat. "How did you get my number?"

"I'm an amazing hacker," he retorted. "I did this thing where I took Brian's phone and stole it all."

...I was pretty sure that wasn't considered hacking, but Josh was more up on that sort of phrasing than me, Kevin, and Collin combined.

He laughed quietly. "I looked you up. I have your address, and job address, and p.o. box, and everything. It's uber creepy and you can't do shit about it—let's rewind this conversation a bit. Ethan."

I started laughing in spite of myself. "Don't make me laugh, bastard," I muttered, rubbing at my side. "Gods, I hate you some days."

He laughed again, then made an uncertain noise. "I'm not sure exactly what's happening yet. Andon showed up a few days ago and I've been avoiding the house. I came across Brian last night at the store, and am planning to crash at his house for the weekend...maybe."

"Okay?" I asked quietly. "Was that uber creepy, too?"

"Which part?"

"Coming across Brian."

"Oh, no," he laughed. "I was avoiding the house and he was there for reasons I can't fathom that include a haberdashery, a-shirts, and a leather jacket."

...What?

I groaned, trying not to start laughing.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked blankly.

"I crossed a river spirit," I supplied.

He hesitated. "...what?"

I groaned in pain as I tried to laugh harder, flopping back onto my mattress. "I got called out to find this little wild girl near the Oregon border. All I had to go on were local stories, so I wandered around a frickin' rain forest...found one of the rivers up there and saw her playing. I went to get her...and realized she was a damn yokai."

"Isn't that a Japanese word?" he asked blankly.

"Yep," I agreed dryly. "Some little old woman got some little old mask with a seal on it, and some stupid kids stole it and were at the river when they broke the seal. It was a river creature. It's been living there since, but it shows up as a little seven or eight-year-old Asian girl. She looked a bit bedraggled, so I was just going to get her home...before she attacked me."

He made an amused noise.

"Oh no," I noted pointedly, almost hearing the thoughts about being beaten up by a child. "As soon as I got close, she shifted into something of a snake. She got me in the damn river, but it wasn't that deep. I sealed it back up in the mask; shipped it to a heritage museum. Little bitch can sit in a dark dry box before being hung up and gawked at."

"That's a bit more vindictive than I expected," he muttered. "But, uh...you remember Joey?"

"That kid you terrified because everyone thinks you're a monster?" I asked blankly.

"Oh, thank you for that," he noted a bit acidly. "I needed to hear that."

I laughed quietly, rubbing at my side. "Yeah, that sounded more dick than I meant...but I'm not taking it back."

He made a noise. "Yeah, well, maybe I'll just leave him with Ethan."

"What?" I asked, focusing.

"You heard me," he pointed out. "I mean, he came and asked if I can keep him here when Ethan leaves, I'll just tell him no; no reason to, huh? I'm just a monster."

I considered that a long moment, then sighed. "Right. Sorry. You asking for a retrieval?"

"I'm not sure yet," he sighed. "Hold on."

I tilted my head as he spoke to someone on his end.

"I'm at Bui's," he sighed. "I need to run this all by Brian. He's probably going to be upset that Ethan's back in town, and I'm pissed because you all are gonna think I did it on purpose."

"What?" I asked, following the line of logic and making a noise. He'd found Brian for the first time in about a year. Sure, he'd talked to us all at the Mayday ball, but he hadn't sought us. But he'd contacted Brian, and Ethan shows up with Joey asking for help. It could be a con...and him pointing it out didn't mean it wasn't one.

"Yeah, I can hear you thinking," he noted irritably, and I heard a seatbelt unclip. "If Brian says he won't deal with this then I'll just get Joey and go. I can poach him, at this point I'm going to have to pull off some shit to get mine back, anyway."

I sighed, rubbing at my face. "Right. I'll get Kev. Brian will call me, so we can figure it out from there."

He hesitated. "Your sweater," he noted quietly.

"It's great, right?" I retorted. "Did he hug you with it?"

He laughed wickedly. "No...though he might start wearing it to bed."

"See, that's not really funny," I pointed out. "Because his fear of you bastards is genuine."

He laughed again. "Amusingly, I didn't actually mean it in reference to myself. Ethan is here, Ryan. Ethan is here."

I rubbed a hand at my mouth as I considered that. I wasn't really up for a good old fashioned beat-down, but...

"Brian will call you," he noted, and ended the call.

I hung the phone up, then climbed tiredly from the bed and moved to pack up a bag of tricks. It was slow going, I couldn't move fast, and before I finished, Kevin appeared in the door with is arms crossed.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked curiously.

"Vegas."

"You can get laid in a week," he pointed out.

I laughed at that, then groaned again and leaned against the wall. "Not the point of the expedition."

"I really don't believe you," he noted happily.

"That call?"

He nodded.

"Josh."

His eyes narrowed.

"Yep," I agreed. "Whatever his game might be, it boils down to Ethan being there and that kid Joey asking if Josh will keep him."

"Wait," Kevin stepped at me. "You're not serious."

"That is the extent of my knowledge," I shrugged. "Brian will call back soon, I'm sure. Wanna come?"

I saw his eyes flash, and he turned back toward his room.

I went back to my...stupidly slow packing.