"What do you mean I can't go home?" Pearl asked, her face contorted into an expression of deep confusion and annoyance.

Hal had managed to convince her to accompany him back to Leo's flat, but now that the adrenaline had worn off, Pearl was starting to ask questions again.

"I told you already" he said, "there are some very bad men loose in that neighborhood. It wouldn't be safe for you to go back home tonight."

"Who are those blokes anyway? You keep saying that you and Leo are somehow connected to them."

"We used to work together and long time ago" Hal said, then paused. "But we don't anymore."

Pearl's eyes went wide. "You weren't drug dealers, were you?"

"What? No!"

"Then you must've done something bad because you were all too twitchy back there. I saw ya, looking around like you were scared someone would just leap at ya at any second. So if you weren't a drug dealer then what were you?"

"We used to..." Hal tried to think quickly. "... smuggle. We smuggled things."

"Like what?"

"Spices" Hal said quickly. He immediately regretted it the moment the word left his mouth.

"Spices?" Pearl asked, frowning.

Hal struggled not to cringe. "Yes, various condiments."

"You know, now I understand why Leo and you are mates. It's because someone has to take care of lunatics like you. And where is Leo anyway? It's almost midnight."

"Like I said, he's off with some family emergency, but he should be back after sun-up."

Pearl moved around in her seat, suddenly sheepish. "And he wouldn't mind me spending the night in here?"

"I'm sure he wouldn't. He speaks very highly of you."

"Alright, then. I'll stay here. But if you try anything-"

"Trust me" Hal said, holding up his hands, "I won't even leave my room."

"Good" Pearl said, and she settled herself on the sofa. "But it's going to be weird trying to explain all this to Leo tomorrow." Pearl paused for a moment. "You know, back when I was waiting outside that house I could almost swear I heard a wolf cry. Funny thing, that. A wolf in the city..." She waved it off. "Me and my imagination."

"It certainly can be very active" Hal said, trying to hide his nervousness.

"Speaking of weird stuff, how come all the windows in here are boarded up?"

Hal froze. He had been so used to the wood panels covering the windows that he had forgotten about them altogether.

"It's a very old building" he said, "and even a small tremor or earthquake could cause it to crumble to the ground. The windows are the biggest structural weakness."

Pearl looked unconvinced but, for once, she kept quiet.

The two wished each other a good night, and then Hal retreated to his room. He cautiously locked the door, just in case something within him would snap during the night.

He then sat down on the bed. And he pulled out the bottle he had taken from the house. Hal stared at it. The blood had probably already gone bad, and yet he couldn't look away from it. A particularly nagging voice in his head repeated that taking just one sip wouldn't harm much. Because much sooner than later he'd start feeling the hunger pains again, and this time he had a living person right outside his door. And not just anybody, it was the woman who Leo seemed to be very protective of. Hal suddenly realized how stupid he had been in asking her to spend the night here. So much for trying to do the right thing.

Hal stared at the bottle as he twisted the cap off. He rationalized it that it was either this or the girl. And he knew how much Leo had come to care for Pearl. So he was doing this for Leo. Hal just wished he would eventually come to believe this himself.

As he suspected it, the blood didn't have the same consistency as when it was fresh. But that didn't matter. Because after one single sip, Hal felt like everything around him had color again. His senses heightened, and the feeling of anxiety was slowly melting away. He was tempted to take another drink, but he placed the cap back on and took a deep breath. He could do this. Just take one sip every other time he felt like the world was crumbling around him. And Leo wouldn't have to know because this wasn't a big deal. Hal wouldn't let himself lose focus. He was just feeding the monster a bit at a time, and that sounded like the perfect strategy.

He was feeling confident for the first time since he had left with Leo. Hal sat back in his bed and let himself relax. It was almost like life was good again.

Hal had finally managed to sleep without constantly waking up in a cold sweat every few hours. Being on a blood high meant that he could feel normal again. He just hoped Leo wouldn't notice his sudden boost of confidence.

The werewolf returned a little after sun-up. Hal heart a soft knock at his door. Leo walked in without making any noise and shut the door behind him.

"Why is Pearl sleeping on the sofa?"

"Relax" Hal said, yawning, "nothing happened."

"That's not what worries me. I thought you said that introducing her to our world was a bad idea. And I agree."

"No one did any introducing of any sort. She just happened to live in the neighborhood where two werewolves were prowling. I kept her safe."

"Two werewolves?"

"Yes, they attacked a house last night."

"And you were there?"

"I was just taking a walk around the city when I heard the commotion."

Leo stared at the wall in front of him, seemingly lost in thought.

"Leo?"

"I was thinking about what that man at the café said. Crawford. He told me that the wolves in Southend are part of some sort of group."

"And you think they're trying to wreck havoc on the city?"

Leo wasn't sure what to think. He had been so used to considering vampires the villains that it hadn't even crossed his mind that werewolves could cause mayhem.

"Maybe you're right" Leo said.

Hal was stunned. He had been right? Maybe things really were starting to turn around for him. "What do you mean?"

"What you said the other day about pretending to be in this man's good graces. It's the only way to find out what the werewolves in this city are doing."

Hal just looked at him, trying to see if he was sure.

"I mean Pearl could have been seriously injured last night if it hadn't been for you. We might be part timers, as you say, but we're still dangerous to the world. An entire group of werewolves only needs one night to destroy Southend."

Hal nodded. "Then it's settled. If Crawford comes to the café today then you talk to him. Earn his trust. I'll stay behind and follow your every move if he decides to take you somewhere."

"It's better you stay away, Hal. If Crawford will ever agree to show me the place the other werewolves meet, then he'll probably have me followed to make sure I'm trustworthy. He can't know that we're still friends."

Hal shook his head. "But it's not safe. Besides, if he sees me there, he'll just be more interested in you. You're probably the only wolf who is friends with a vampire. You're unique."

Leo had to agree that he had a point. "Alright. We'll meet at the café in the afternoon."

Hal frowned. "But that's five hours away."

"I still have to work today, Hal. But I better take Pearl home first."

Leo turned to open the door.

"Oh, by the way" Hal said, "if she asks, we used to be smugglers."

Leo stopped. "I beg your pardon?"

"Well it was either that or tell her the truth about who we really are."

Leo walked out of the room, confusion still swirling in his mind.

Hal tried to keep his impatience at bay as he waited for Leo to finish up at the barber shop and join him at the café. Surprisingly, Pearl was kept busy by a table of unhappy customers who insisted that the temperature of their tea wasn't adequate. Which meant that Hal had been sitting by himself at the table for what felt like hours.

Crawford had walked in a few minutes after him, and was now enjoying his lunch and reading the paper. Hal stared down at his cold cup of coffee and crinkled his nose at it. Pearl might have been a nice young lady, but she couldn't make a proper cup of coffee if you gave her directions. After making sure no one was watching him, Hal took out the bottle of blood from his jacket and let a drop fall into his cup. He then took a sip, and decided that the taste was interesting enough. It still failed to make the coffee any better.

A few minutes later, and Leo showed up. Hal could tell that he was struggling not to look nervous. He walked over to Crawford's table and looked at him. Hal used his enhanced sense of hearing to eavesdrop.

"Ah, Leo" Crawford said, "I take it you've given my offer some thought?"

Leo nodded, half wondering how he knew his name. "Yes, I have."

"A wise decision. But before we begin, I'd like to show you something that will strengthen the bond we share." Crawford carefully folded the newspaper on the table and stood off his seat. "Come, now. It's not far from here."

Leo gave Hal a quick look before turning around and following the other werewolf outside. Hal waited a few seconds before following them, unaware that William was just a few feet away, watching him.