Chapter 8

"Thank you, thank you, thank you. I'll need my drinking buddy so I won't kill them both if and when they piss me off."

Mason snorted and popped a cracker in his mouth ignoring the fish paste with a "wolves no like fishes" look.

"I'm the fun aunt. I don't do discipline."
"Well I'm not doing it either, so get ready for it."

Bella semi-joked and looked for something more substantial to eat.

"Jen, I don't want to rush you but there aren't enough rooms here either, unless you want to take your sister's room or for us to keep sharing one."

Jenna shrugged and pointed at the junk food cupboard.

"There are always chips there. And no worries, you can take the apartment over Gray's practice."

Bella picked a lays bag with a generic oregano flavor to empty in a bowl and grabbed a couple

"Thanks, you just said John wants it?"
"Fuck him."

- - - Memories of a Past and a Future - - -

Meanwhile back in the living room, the entire town council was staring at the kitchen door which was once again blocked by Mason who was shamelessly listening in their conversation thanks to his enhanced werewolf senses.

"She blatantly said she knows vampires?"

Mayor Richard Lockwood said locking glances with his younger, carefree brother, who was now glaring at him.

"She saw the shadows of the slashes on the bodies. I covered it up with the usual animal attacks excuse. She said her father used the same excuse to cover vampire attacks and made a quip about things being the same here. She never gave me her name and I can't find any recent animal attacks on the online police files."

Sheriff Liz Forbes said and drank from her glass.

"She certainly sneered like those TV vamps at me just now"

John Gilbert complained.

"With what you told her and how you told her, you're lucky she didn't pop you in the mouth, son."

Zach Salvatore said with a knowing grin. He was the same age as the rest but had inherited the constant use of "son" and "girl" uttered by his late father to annoy people that annoyed him. Liz snorted under her breath. John Gilbert was a bully and, in their school years, had vowed to make her life hell for not being one of the founding families. It wasn't until Bill, her ex-husband, stepped in and began dating her that John stopped and that was because when the sheriff's kid wanted something, the doctor's kid stopped pursuing it.

"She's a visitor; she'd bound to leave soon. If she doesn't, just keep an eye on her Liz."

Carol Lockwood said simply. The mayor's wife held no formal authority on the town but she liked to think she did. Behind her, the local newscaster and last founding member Logan Fell rolled his eyes promptly.

"Want me to dig in her Liz? A newcomer who knows about vamps and she's firmly set in the family of one of our own? It's worth looking into."

"Keep it in your pants lover boy. She's definitely a dyke for not wanting me."

John said with an air of disdain. Both Carol and Liz pursed their lips and both considered hitting him but it was Zach's voice, low, dangerous and full of authority that spoke

"Be quiet now, son."

John looked at the others for support but no one would look at him and from his spot at the kitchen door Mason gave a low growl. John shut up.

At the growl both Bella and Jenna looked at Mason.

"Everything okay?"
"John is being his usual charming self."

Mason said, his lips pulled back over his teeth. Jenna jumped from her chair to grab his hand and pull him away from the door, unknowingly leaving Bella to be seen. Zach Salvatore kept her in his sights, remembering what his 'nephew' had told him about her.

"Ignore him. He'll sober up and most probably leave tomorrow. Come on, have a drink."
"Do you need to run it off? If so, I have a small and cuddly companion for you."

Bella asked with a smile. Mason looked from one grinning redhead to the other.

"I'm not taking that snot out and you can't make me."
"Are you sure? Chicks dig guys with dogs."

Jenna said with a smile. Bella copied the smile as she nodded.

"You don't even like dogs!"
"My mother is out of town and I'm stuck with it, till they return."
"Sucks for you two. I'm still not doing it."
"Will you do it for a Scooby snack?"

Jenna asked trying not to laugh. Bella grabbed the treat bag from a cupboard and took out a biscuit.

"I'm not Shaggy!"

Mason exclaimed

"I'd do it but the busybodies out there would start talking the moment I left."
"I'd do it but my feet are killing me. Damn heels."

Mason sighed. He was going to walk the damn dog.

"Fine... But if he starts barking like crazy again for no reason, I'm blaming you two."

Jenna smiled brilliantly and kissed him on the cheek before standing, squaring her shoulders and going out to face the townies.

"How much of this do you think she'll remember tomorrow?"

Mason asked quietly. Bella shrugged

"With the amount of time she's spent drinking these past couple days? Not much or I'll have to find the local AA meetings to sign her up. Hold on, I'll find Barkley for you. Last I saw him he was sleeping on the bed in the spare room."

Bella plastered a smile on her lips as she too stepped in the living room and headed upstairs. Mason did the same and went to bid goodnight to his brother.

"Leaving so soon little brother?"
"I got roped into walking the dog."
"The Gilberts don't have a dog."

Liz frowned.

"It's visiting, Liz."

Mason said with a smile that did more to unnerve than it did to calm. Liz remembered the furball in Jenna's arms when the two women showed up.

"Oh that thing!"
"That's the one.""There is a woman to rope you into anything? I'll definitely want to meet her. Bring her over for dinner tomorrow."

Carol said with her shark smile and Mason cringed inwardly. Like hell he'd ever force anyone to spend time with his sister in law. Though bringing Jenna over for a reminder how the two couples had clashed back in their school years might be fun.

"Actually I'll be on my way tomorrow Carol. Maybe another time."

Just then Bella appeared with the fawn and white doggie in her arms, baby blue harness on and the matching leash hanging off her hand.

"Have fun you two, and don't let him get too acquainted with the local wild life. Oh, and pick up after him."
"I know how to walk a dog."

Mason complained much to the amusement of everyone else. Bella's eyes were twinkling as she responded

"I was talking to the dog, Mason."

Mason glowered at her but she only fluttered her lids in response. Liz hid her smile behind her wine glass while Logan muttered under his breath.

"Whipped."
"She's a cutie! What is she?"

Carol forgot about her 'first wife' attitude and cooed at the dog

"She's a 'he' and I have no idea. My mother found him in a pet adoption event. I think the vet something about Corgi with a variety of other breeds."
"What's he called?"

Liz asked gently running her fingers across the smooth fur while Carol petted the soft head of the dog.

"Barkley. Sir Barks-a-Lot for friends. He barks. A lot."

Barkley demonstrated his healthy lungs by choosing to bark and raise a paw to be shaken, or kissed, Mason thought, as he took hold of Barkley and made his escape in the quiet night. Mason looked down at the happy furball tugging at the leash.

"Bella was right, chicks do dig dogs. Just not my kind of chicks and not my kind of dogs."
"woof!"