Chapter 6
Kirei leaned against the balcony ledge, watching the full moon rise over the city's skyline. She felt like howling but didn't, knowing the neighbors would later complain. What the hell was going on? The day had started so nicely (she grinned, remembering how Roger had had her for "breakfast") then everything had fallen apart around her. She was so confused.
Roger was annoyed at her for not keeping a better eye on Dorothy. Dorothy was annoyed at her for...for what? She had no real idea, but it seemed to be something concerning the two gifts she had received. There was something that disturbed her terribly. Did Dorothy know that she had advised Roger to get her something? Did she think she was interfering in her relationship with Roger? Was that why the redhead seemed upset with him as well?
Then there was Dastun. Kirei hoped she had quashed that. She decided not to tell Roger. No reason to ruin that relationship over something already nipped in the bud. The two men had their differences, but they knew they could rely on each other.
Kirei sighed deeply, feeling very much alone. The two people she loved best, trusted most, were both ticked off at her. There was no one to talk to, to ask for advice...not even the moon.
The negotiator sat at his desk, reading over the message Dastun has sent him. It seemed the case Roger was helping him with had to be a touch more hands-on. Dastun needed a civilian to accompany him on some surveillance work, someone who would be believable as cover. He had asked if Roger would do so, making it look like a boy's night out on the town. Unfortunately, Roger had an important meeting of his own scheduled with a new client. There was no way he could break it. Perhaps one of the girls...Dorothy? No--she was too young. There would be jokes about cradle-robbing. He smirked--Dan would never forgive him. Besides, Dorothy's current moodiness might put her in danger, and he couldn't risk that.
Perhaps Snowy?--Yes! Snowy would be perfect--not too young, not too old--steady, reliable, observant (well, except for today...what HAD happened? It was so out of character.) He left his office to look for her. He wandered into the living room. Roger could see her through the great windows, gazing at the moon. Maybe I was a little hard on her earlier, he thought. Dorothy can be a real handful when she wants to be. Maybe Snowy could use a break from both of us.
The negotiator went out to join the slender shapeshifter. He took the end of her braid in his large hand, tugging it gently, then fluffing the tassel of brown hair.
"Hi," he said, looking at her profile.
"Hi," she replied, still looking at the moon.
"Snowy, do you have any plans for tomorrow night?"
Surprised, she turned towards him. "No. Why?"
He smiled, seeing the moonlight twinkle in her dark eyes...yeah, he thought, Snowy definitely needed a break from the mansion, this would be good for her.
The shapeshifter smiled back. Take THAT, Dastun! she thought. She hadn't had Roger all to herself for an evening out in a while...only to have her hopes promptly dashed with Roger's next sentence.
"Good! Then you can accompany the major to 'Lucky Chang's.' I'll tell him you'll be his date for the evening. You'll enjoy it, I'm sure."
He left her to phone Dastun.
Kirei stood there speechless, stunned by his words. Was it possible he WANTED her to be with Dastun? Could it be he didn't want her anymore, and was simply too nice to tell her outright? She slid to the floor, utterly empty.
That night, Roger found himself alone in the big bed. Puzzled, he decided to see what his girls were doing.
He entered Dorothy's bedroom first. She looked positively angelic as she slept, her bright hair framing her sweet face like a flaming halo. Her kitten Perot was cuddled in her arms; lucky guy, thought Roger.
Gently, so as not to wake her, he stroked the smooth side of her face with his knuckles, then kissed her forehead. "I DO love you, poppet, more than you could possibly know," he whispered. She smiled softly, as if she could hear him in her dreams.
He left her quietly and padded down the hallway to Snowy's room. Maybe she thought he wouldn't want to spend the night with her after their morning encounter. He smiled broadly, remembering how fierce she'd been beneath him. Perhaps she'd like something slow and gentle tonight. Something to show how much he appreciated and cared for her.
He found her shapeshifted and fast asleep in the middle of her bed, her silvery fur glowing in the moonlight streaming through the window. How odd, Roger thought. She rarely shifted for sleep unless something was bothering her. She felt safer that way. He wondered, not for the first time, if she'd been human or wolf originally.
The young man knelt on the floor beside the bed and stroked her white muzzle. He was rewarded with a sleepy lick on his hand. Roger buried his face in the thick soft fur of her neck, nuzzling her. "I'll always need both of my shewolves, sweet Snowy. I love you with all my heart, little one," he murmured in her pointed ear. It twitched, but she didn't rouse, her breathing deep and slow. He kissed one snowy paw, then stood up.
Sighing, the negotiator returned to his cold bed.
Kirei leaned against the balcony ledge, watching the full moon rise over the city's skyline. She felt like howling but didn't, knowing the neighbors would later complain. What the hell was going on? The day had started so nicely (she grinned, remembering how Roger had had her for "breakfast") then everything had fallen apart around her. She was so confused.
Roger was annoyed at her for not keeping a better eye on Dorothy. Dorothy was annoyed at her for...for what? She had no real idea, but it seemed to be something concerning the two gifts she had received. There was something that disturbed her terribly. Did Dorothy know that she had advised Roger to get her something? Did she think she was interfering in her relationship with Roger? Was that why the redhead seemed upset with him as well?
Then there was Dastun. Kirei hoped she had quashed that. She decided not to tell Roger. No reason to ruin that relationship over something already nipped in the bud. The two men had their differences, but they knew they could rely on each other.
Kirei sighed deeply, feeling very much alone. The two people she loved best, trusted most, were both ticked off at her. There was no one to talk to, to ask for advice...not even the moon.
The negotiator sat at his desk, reading over the message Dastun has sent him. It seemed the case Roger was helping him with had to be a touch more hands-on. Dastun needed a civilian to accompany him on some surveillance work, someone who would be believable as cover. He had asked if Roger would do so, making it look like a boy's night out on the town. Unfortunately, Roger had an important meeting of his own scheduled with a new client. There was no way he could break it. Perhaps one of the girls...Dorothy? No--she was too young. There would be jokes about cradle-robbing. He smirked--Dan would never forgive him. Besides, Dorothy's current moodiness might put her in danger, and he couldn't risk that.
Perhaps Snowy?--Yes! Snowy would be perfect--not too young, not too old--steady, reliable, observant (well, except for today...what HAD happened? It was so out of character.) He left his office to look for her. He wandered into the living room. Roger could see her through the great windows, gazing at the moon. Maybe I was a little hard on her earlier, he thought. Dorothy can be a real handful when she wants to be. Maybe Snowy could use a break from both of us.
The negotiator went out to join the slender shapeshifter. He took the end of her braid in his large hand, tugging it gently, then fluffing the tassel of brown hair.
"Hi," he said, looking at her profile.
"Hi," she replied, still looking at the moon.
"Snowy, do you have any plans for tomorrow night?"
Surprised, she turned towards him. "No. Why?"
He smiled, seeing the moonlight twinkle in her dark eyes...yeah, he thought, Snowy definitely needed a break from the mansion, this would be good for her.
The shapeshifter smiled back. Take THAT, Dastun! she thought. She hadn't had Roger all to herself for an evening out in a while...only to have her hopes promptly dashed with Roger's next sentence.
"Good! Then you can accompany the major to 'Lucky Chang's.' I'll tell him you'll be his date for the evening. You'll enjoy it, I'm sure."
He left her to phone Dastun.
Kirei stood there speechless, stunned by his words. Was it possible he WANTED her to be with Dastun? Could it be he didn't want her anymore, and was simply too nice to tell her outright? She slid to the floor, utterly empty.
That night, Roger found himself alone in the big bed. Puzzled, he decided to see what his girls were doing.
He entered Dorothy's bedroom first. She looked positively angelic as she slept, her bright hair framing her sweet face like a flaming halo. Her kitten Perot was cuddled in her arms; lucky guy, thought Roger.
Gently, so as not to wake her, he stroked the smooth side of her face with his knuckles, then kissed her forehead. "I DO love you, poppet, more than you could possibly know," he whispered. She smiled softly, as if she could hear him in her dreams.
He left her quietly and padded down the hallway to Snowy's room. Maybe she thought he wouldn't want to spend the night with her after their morning encounter. He smiled broadly, remembering how fierce she'd been beneath him. Perhaps she'd like something slow and gentle tonight. Something to show how much he appreciated and cared for her.
He found her shapeshifted and fast asleep in the middle of her bed, her silvery fur glowing in the moonlight streaming through the window. How odd, Roger thought. She rarely shifted for sleep unless something was bothering her. She felt safer that way. He wondered, not for the first time, if she'd been human or wolf originally.
The young man knelt on the floor beside the bed and stroked her white muzzle. He was rewarded with a sleepy lick on his hand. Roger buried his face in the thick soft fur of her neck, nuzzling her. "I'll always need both of my shewolves, sweet Snowy. I love you with all my heart, little one," he murmured in her pointed ear. It twitched, but she didn't rouse, her breathing deep and slow. He kissed one snowy paw, then stood up.
Sighing, the negotiator returned to his cold bed.