Chapter 81

That night Monroe had called to chat before he went to his meeting at Helvetia. I told him about our day trip.

"So, what are you gonna do tonight?" Monroe asked.

"No real plans yet," I replied. "But I'm sure we'll figure out something."

"Well, text me if you go out, so I know you're safe. Okay?"

"Yeah, no problem. Have a good meeting."

As I hung up the phone, Chloe came downstairs, wearing a low-cut, skimpy, black dress that clung to her petite frame. Was it even considered a dress? There was more skin than material showing.

"So, how much do you charge an hour?" I asked while grinning.

"Oh, whatever. You've worn less than this," she replied with a smirk. "It's Friday night. There's gotta be something interesting in this stupid town." She adjusted her cleavage in the living room mirror. "Let's hail a cab to a bar and have a little fun." She turned back toward me. "What do you say?"

"I can't get too crazy, but sure." I nodded with a smile. "It's been too long since you and I have gone bar hopping." With Monroe and Nick both gone, I was grateful to have my BFF with me.

"Too bad you never learned to hop the way I do it." Chloe grabbed my arm and headed toward my bedroom. "We've gotta find you something sexy to wear."

I laughed as I sat on my bed. "I don't need to look sexy."

"Just because you dress sexy, doesn't mean the guys are going to get any of it," she grinned while rummaging through my closet. "Besides, I can't look like this and you go dressed in a frock."

"But I have a great frock I've been dying to wear," I teased.

"From some of these outfits I'd believe it." She shook her head as she moved hangers from one side to the other. "You used to have better taste in clothes. What has Portland done to you?"

"Some of those are from home," I replied, crossing my arms.

Chloe yanked out a navy suit. "Really? I've never seen this one. Is this what corporate life has done to you?"

"Well, I try to dress nice at work," I reasoned.

"If I'd known this was what I was working with, I'd have made you buy something while we were out today."

I took another look at her dress. "Would you have found me something that was half off like yours?"

She pulled out one of my pants suits and held it out. "You need some half off in your life." Shaking her head, she went back to the closet. "Damn, you have enough ball gowns in here. If we were going over to Prince Harry's to party, you'd be fine," she laughed as she dug in further. "Why is all this red in the back of the…?" She openly shook her head. "Never mind. I forgot." She quickly turned around. "Keep those back there."

"That's why they're back there to begin with."

"Maybe I should take some of these home with me, since you won't be wearing them anymore."

"You never know."

She knotted her eyebrows as her head jerked back. "No red. Ever."

Especially not rope. I bit back my reply.

Chloe picked out a few dresses and laid them on the bed beside me. "Okay. Those are as close to sexy as I can find in here." Scrutinizing each one, she finally held up a peach halter dress that I hadn't wore since Jack and I first started dating.

"I think that one will do nicely. Go put it on and I'll do your hair."

"Fine," I tried to scowl, but I couldn't help but smile instead. God, I'd missed her. "There should be matching heels in the bottom of the closet somewhere."

Chloe smiled brightly. "That's the spirit."

While zipping up, my cleavage spilled over in a grand display of my assets. I tugged at the corners of my dress, shaking my head. This was even shorter than my black skirt. No wonder I'd worn this one on my early dates with Jack. I examined my backside in the mirror. Yeah, that was why, too. Even though it was a few years old, the dress still looked like new. Probably because it never stayed on long enough to ever wear out.

"That's perfect!" said Chloe as I came out of the bathroom. "Here's the shoes." She held up a pair of peach strappy heels.

After twenty minutes with a curling iron and a quite a bit of make-up, we were both ready to stand on a street corner.

"I'm gonna call us a cab," I said as I swapped out my shoulder bag for a smaller purse. "We'll go find someplace in the Pearl to get a few cocktails."

"Cocktails?" Chloe laughed. "What are we, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills?"

I looked down at my outfit. "Well, we aren't dressed for beer and mechanical bull riding."

"Just 'cause we look good, doesn't mean we're not going to have a good time. No Cosmos and holding my pinky out as I sip my drink."

"No, I remember you prefer a straw."

"You know it." Chloe's eyes brightened as she turned toward me. "Ooh, let's go to that bar with the singing bartender!" she practically squealed. "I've heard enough about Slick that I wanna meet him."

I laughed. "Blue Moon Bar it is."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

The taxi driver let us off in front of the bar on Southeast Morrison Street. Ah, Blue Moon Bar. It had been a while since I'd been here. Oh, the luck this place had brought me back in November. That seemed like forever ago.

"Keep an eye out for Ziegevolk," I warned Chloe. "I saw one in here once."

She smirked as she reached for the door. "Okay, Dancing Queen. I'll keep my eyes peeled."

As we walked in, the din of the patrons made it impossible to hear each other. I caught sight of two open seats at an empty corner of the bar and signaled to Chloe. We grabbed them quickly.

"Wow, this place is packed tonight," I remarked as I shifted in my chair to lean in close to Chloe's ear.

"Yeah," Chloe yelled back. "So, is Slick working?"

I gave the back of the bar a once over. Frosted tipped hair peeked out from behind a few patrons.

"Looks like it."

Chloe jerked her head while trying to catch a glimpse. "I can't see. We need to get him over here."

A tall and lanky brunette came by. "What can I get you?" she asked.

"Tequila Sunrise," I yelled back.

"Sex on the Beach," called out Chloe. "And see if the blonde bartender can come by." She gave her a grin.

The bartender rolled her eyes slightly. "I'll see what I can do."

"Oh, and use Absolut vodka. I don't drink that bottom shelf shit," Chloe yelled as the bartender walked off.

"I thought you said no cocktails?" I gave her a knowing grin.

She turned back toward me. "Okay, one fruity drink to start off is fine. Doesn't mean I'm drinking them all night. So, this is where you met Monroe, huh?"

"Yeah. This is the place." Oh, Monroe. I sent him a text since I promised I'd let him know if we went out.

Blue Moon Bar tonight w/ Chloe.

I received a reply.

Don't do tequila shots. I don't want you going home with anyone. ;-P

I chuckled and replied.

I'll be sure to get a copy of their ID if I do. ;-)

Monroe texted back.

Be safe.

Chloe glanced around the bar as I put my phone away. "Is it always this crowded and full of sweaters?"

"I've only been here twice and it wasn't packed either time. The sweaters… Well, that's normal around here."

"Tequila Sunrise!" a male voice said and I turned to Slick, who was holding up two drinks. "And you brought a friend." He beamed his bright-white smile Chloe's way. "You must be the one who ordered the Sex… on the Beach." His pause was just awful, even for him.

"That's not such a tall order," Chloe replied reaching for her drink.

"What, you want a bigger glass?" Slick asked. His smile was the only thing that was bright.

Chloe grinned at him. "Not what I was referring to, but if you have one, sure."

"I'll take care of it," said Slick as he winked at her. "Be right back."

I reached for her arm once he ran off to grab a glass. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, I'm just having fun," she chuckled. "Besides he didn't get it anyway."

I shook my head at her as I removed the little blue umbrella from my glass. "What about Harvey?"

"I told you, that's over," she replied quickly. "Come on, Renée. Don't give me that look. It's harmless flirting. I'm not serious or anything." She took a drink from her glass and then looked it over. "Is there even alcohol in this thing?"

"Yeah, they don't make them like Pete does," I sighed.

"Well, I'm not going to have much fun this way," she pouted slightly.

Slick returned with a much larger glass and set it in front of Chloe. "For you, Sexy. On the house," he replied with a grin.

"That's definitely bigger," she commented as she moved it beside her first one. It was nearly twice as large. "Bigger is always better."

"I wanna have sex on the beach.
Come on, move your body.
Sex on the beach…"

Slick sang as he added a red umbrella.

Chloe grinned at his crooning. "So, do you sing to all the girls?"

"Just for you tonight, Sexy." He winked at her. "So why haven't I seen your beautiful face in here before? Is Tequila Sunrise hiding you from me?" He was pulling out all the stops tonight.

Chloe grinned as she sipped her drink. "I'm from Kentucky."

"Ah, so you're an out-of-towner." He turned on his charming smile. "Are you moving here, too? We could use more beautiful ladies in Portland."

"She's just visiting," I said for her.

"Too bad," Slick replied. "I get a break here in about an hour. Maybe we could shoot a game of pool? Get to know each other better?"

"Sure," Chloe blurted out before I could decline. "I'm pretty good with a stick."

Slick's blue eyes lit up. "Oh, really? Then I'll see you lovely ladies soon." He walked off to help another customer.

"Pretty good with a stick?" I rolled my eyes at her.

"Hey, I had to say something he might actually understand," she chuckled.

I downed my drink. I was going to need more than this to survive tonight.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

Halfway through my fourth Sunrise I was beginning to enjoy myself. Slick's break turned out to be his lunch break, so we had his 'company' for a whole hour.

"Three in the corner pocket," said Chloe as she angled her shot.

Slick was watching intently as she leaned against the pool table. She slid the pool stick between her fingers slowly a few times for Slick's benefit, and then with precision, the cue ball hit the three and it effortlessly fell into the pocket. Chloe was great at pool. Between the free drinks and the bets she'd make on games, we always came out ahead at the bar.

"You gonna let the rest of us play?" Slick teased as she set up her next shot.

"Oh, you'll get your turn." She flicked back her long, blonde hair and leaned down again. "Four in the side pocket." The cue ball made contact, but the four hit the edge instead. It didn't help she was watching Slick more than her shot.

"Guess it's my turn," said Slick with a grin.

Chloe took a long sip of her second JD and Coke. She needed to drink more than that, so I didn't feel like such a lush.

Slick made a point to bend down in front of Chloe. It didn't seem to matter that he wasn't even aiming for the correct ball. Chloe didn't seem to care about his pool skills as much as his other assets. Slick hit the cue ball, scratching as it flew into the far pocket.

"Damn. Guess my turn is over."

"Good try," Chloe said with a grin. Yeah, if the object of the game was to sink the cue ball, he was doing great.

I bent down to retrieve the ball. I could've put it anywhere on the table and neither one of them would've noticed. They were talking as the four ball bounced around the table and nowhere near a pocket.

I cleared my throat. "Your turn, Chloe."

She looked up. "What? Already?"

I nodded. "We're still on four."

Chloe managed to hit four, five, and six in before she scratched. She was finishing her third drink and her pool skills were wavering. It was Slick's turn again, or was it my turn? I was too drunk to care.

'Ladies Night' was playing on the jukebox. Chloe mouthed the words at me.

"This is your night tonight,
Everything's gonna be all right…"

She gave me a goofy grin. I grinned back. Even with her excessive flirting, I'd missed going out and having some fun with her.

"Anyone wanna play doubles?" asked the third guy tonight. This one was forceful enough to put his hand on my back.

"Our game of three is going just fine," I slurred out a curt reply.

Fingers brushed the nape of my neck then trailed further down my back. "You and I can play." I moved away before his fingers reached any further down.

"She said we're fine," said Chloe with a glare as she finished off her drink, slamming the glass down on the table. "Now take the hint and move on."

"Oh, come on," continued Mr. Handsy with an alluring tone. "Just one game." He picked up my glass. "What are you drinking?"

"She's drinking a get the fuck lost," Chloe snapped back with a smirk.

"I wasn't asking you," he replied coolly. "I was asking this beautiful thing."

"I'm not a thing," I replied, finally looking up into large, obsidian eyes that matched his hair, shirt, and jeans. Hell, he was even wearing black boots. Mr. Handsy was a regular Johnny Cash. The resemblance differed as a red glow passed over his eyes. My breath caught in my throat as I kept my face smooth. Oh, great… a Blutbad.

"Are you as good with a pool stick as you are with an umbrella?" he whispered by my ear. "I'd know that scent of yours anywhere." He leered as a sinister grin formed on his lips.

I braced myself against the pool table, sobering quickly as I held my gaze on his. Holy crap. He was that Blutbad… from the night out with the telescope. No, no, no…

I reached for my purse. "Well, would you look at the time? Chloe we need to go." I flashed my panicked eyes her way, but the direct link to her brain said she already knew. From her panicked expression she'd seen his eyes, too.

"Oh, don't leave yet," Slick chimed in, as he was finishing his shot. "We're just getting to know each other." He looked up at the Blutbad. "Bro, move along and leave these lovely ladies alone, will ya?"

I moved quickly to the other side of the pool table, reaching for Chloe as the Blutbad followed close.

I turned to face him again while Chloe stood behind me, gripping my arm. I held my pool stick guardedly in front of me, like that was gonna help. Surely this guy wasn't going to make a scene in front of all these people.

He glanced past me to Chloe. "Fascinating choice of friends," he said with a chuckle that matched his grin. He pushed up his sleeves, revealing a cluster of tattoos on both arms. A tribal wolf blatantly stood out on his left forearm. It was his warning sign. Too bad his sleeves hadn't been up earlier.

"We really don't need to do this here." I glanced back up him, trying to look menacing as I squared my shoulders. "And she has nothing to do with it."

Surprisingly he nodded. "I'm just interested in you." He slicked back his hair with one hand.

"Well, I'm not interested, so maybe it's best if you leave before someone gets hurt."

"Why, is the boyfriend around?" He sniffed the air and smirked. "Nope, doesn't seem like it."

Slick stepped forward. "These ladies said they aren't interested. They're with me tonight. Move along, man."

I nodded. Not that Slick would be able to save us, but I was happy to agree in this situation.

It didn't deter the Blutbad. "Why don't you come with me and your friends can stay here and play pool?" What he was really saying was, 'If you just let me kill you, I'll leave your friends alone.'

"You can't go anywhere with him," Chloe's teeth clicked in my ear.

"Well, I'm not going to let him near you," I replied quickly. I focused back on the Blutbad. "Where do you want to go?"

"Outside."

I shook my head. "I'm not going alone with you."

"Pity," he replied, reaching for my stick. "Then this game of pool is over."

"No, I'll go," I replied quickly as Chloe's nails dug into my arm.

The Blutbad let go, holding a conceited smile on his lips. He had won. I gulped back my fear, meeting the gaze of his dark eyes which were as black as his soul. If only I could call Monroe or Nick. Maybe reach in my purse discreetly…

Slick turned toward me. "You don't have to go off with this putz."

"It's fine. I know him," I replied calmly. "I'll be back soon."

Chloe held me firm. "Renée don't you dare!"

I pried Chloe's hand away and handed her my purse. "I'll be fine. Just stay in here."

The Blutbad took my arm, claws pinching my skin as he pushed through the throngs of people, dragging me along toward the door. "You made the right choice."

My tequila-laden mind was singing out my reckless mantra song as we went.

"I'm reckless,
So reckless,
God save me from this madness…"

Saving didn't look promising, but it was worth asking. Maybe he'd kill me quickly and keep his word about Chloe and Slick.

Once we were out the door he guided me to the right of the building. Fortunately there were people standing outside, smoking and chatting. Not that it would matter with how this guy was, but it was somewhat comforting that he might not rip my throat out right in front of a group of humans.

With another sharp tug, he pulled me to off to a secluded area away from the entrance and amongst the shadows. The few people out front were leaving. Oh, God. The Blutbad noticed, too, as his sinister grin returned. He staggered forward, looming over me at a height that made Monroe look short. I backed up until my shoulders met with the rough brick wall. Trapped, so trapped. My heart wouldn't stop beating out of my chest. Couldn't breathe, couldn't move…

The Blutbad inhaled deeply, looking more maniacal by the minute. "Not as brave without an umbrella, are you?"

"I'm here and I'm outside, aren't I?" I forced the words out as my reckless woge took hold. "Now what do you want?"

He didn't need to know how scared I was, although he could probably smell it all over me. Fear was pushing through as I tried to sober myself. God, if only I were clear-headed.

The Blutbad inched closer, cornering me with his tree-trunked size arms placed on either side of my head. A pungent, earthy smell mixed with pine and moss reached my nose. He must have been out in the woods recently, eating something or someone. I didn't want to think about it.

"You know what I am." His voice reverberated as he spoke.

"Besides being an asshole? Of course I know," I replied boldly. "My boyfriend is also a Blutbad, but you're already aware of that."

"I'm aware," he snorted deeply. "You two really pulled a number on me that night. But it's no wonder he fought to protect you." He ran his gaze over my body, fingering the strap of my halter dress. "You're just appetizing to look at." I held back my shudder. He hooked a finger under my chin, lifting it up to meet his eyes, but I pushed his hand away. "Feisty," he smirked.

"So you want revenge?" My eyes grew wide. "Is that it?"

"If I wanted revenge, you'd already be dead," he replied as he had a woge. His wolf features were even more sinister and his demon eyes bore into me.

I swallowed hard, but I kept my composure. "Then what do you want?" I repeated. "I have a game of pool to finish."

"I want to know what you are," he growled out in his morphed state. "You're definitely not a Blutbad." He breathed in deeply again. "You smell human… and deliciously good."

"Right now what I am is pissed off, and I don't need an umbrella to kick your ass," my woge said brazenly, fighting off my urge to scream.

The Blutbad gave a throaty laugh. "You're threatening me?"

"Sorry, did I stutter?" my woge replied. "Now let me go."

"If you won't tell me what you are, I'll find out for myself." He dug his claw down my shoulder, and I winced as it made a long cut through the skin. He retracted as he held his finger to his mouth, slowly licking the blood off like he'd just finished off a piece of Kentucky Fried Chicken. "Mmm… that's different." He stopped to look at me. "Whatever you are, you sure do taste good."

"I'm human." I held back my groan as my shoulder stung sharply. "Now are you satisfied?"

"No, you aren't." He shook his head. "You don't taste human." His fingers brushed against my neck. "And since your boyfriend left you all alone, and you don't belong to him, it makes you fair game." His sinister grin returned. "We're gonna have some fun tonight."

Perhaps my little healing trick wasn't such a good thing after all. Was he gonna fuck me or kill me? With my luck, probably both.

"You'll just have to have fun by yourself," my woge replied curtly. "You really aren't my type."

"Oh, I'm everybody's type." He leaned in closer, if that were possible. "Once you get a real animal between your legs, you'll change your mind." All at once he was on top of me, his mouth hot near my throat. He flicked his tongue along my neck, drawing toward my lips while his hands inched their way up the edge of my dress. "I'll warm you up good here, and we'll finish in my truck," he hissed, rubbing the bulge in his pants up against me.

"Get off me!" I spat out and reached for his hands, jerking them away. His mouth captured mine, thrusting my head against the bricks. I pushed hard against his chest enough to break away from his mouth.

The Blutbad reeled back a few steps seeming surprised as his woge came out again. "You're strong, too," he growled, baring his fangs, which looked twice as sharp as Monroe's. "What are you?"

"I am his, so don't you dare touch me again." Whether that was entirely true according to the bylaws of whatever Blutbad rule book was out there, was up for debate, but right now I'd say anything to keep myself safe.

"Not by our standards." The Blutbad sneered as he leaned forward, resuming the barricade with his monstrous arms, claws scraping into the bricks by my head. Crap, he wasn't retracting.

"I don't have time for this." I shoved the hulking Blutbad out of the way. "I'm going back inside."

"Not so fast." I only got a few steps before he grabbed my arms and spun me back against the wall, forcing the air right out me. "You aren't fucking leaving." His growl amplified. "Now answer me. What are you?" he menacingly repeated, finally retracting.

I glared at him, finding my breath. "What do you think I am, Blutbad?"

Squinting as his blood red eyes illuminated through the darkness, he probed deeper. "With what you did to me, I'd say you're a Grimm, if they existed." His hands gripped my arms as he held me firmly against the wall. "But one of us wouldn't date something as vile as a Grimm… unless he was stupid." He gripped me tighter as a snarl came out. "So tell me, is your boyfriend stupid?"

"Not stupid, dude," growled a familiar voice to our left.

We both turned toward a very pissed off Monroe. Oh, thank God! Monroe's eyes flashed a bright crimson as his woge came out. He grabbed the Blutbad's shoulders, yanking him off of me. I stumbled away from the wall moments before Monroe slammed the Blutbad up against it.

"Should've known you wouldn't leave this little treat all by herself." The Blutbad righted himself and growled back, undeterred as his wolf came out.

"Go inside, Renée," Monroe commanded.

I froze, clutching my chest to keep my heart from ripping through it. The other Blutbad reached for Monroe's wrists, wrenching him forward as he collided into him. Monroe seized hold of the Blutbad's shirt, knocking him to the ground, but the Blutbad held on, taking Monroe down with him. As they crashed on the ground, they rolled several times before hitting the side of the brick wall.

I edged forward, looking for something… anything to hit him with.

"Go," Monroe yelled again as he maneuvered on top of the Blutbad, striking him hard with his fist.

My woge pushed at me to stay, but I forced myself to do what he said. Too drunk to argue, I darted away and went back inside. My heart wouldn't stop pounding as I found Chloe and Slick by the entrance.

"Fuck, Renée!" Chloe ran to me. "Are you okay?"

I nodded while trying not to cry. "He's out there with Monroe and…"

"Monroe's here?" She breathed out in relief as she held me. "Good, then he'll take care of him."

"No, that's not good. That's the same guy from that one night I told you about." I let my eyes say the rest, but she was too inebriated for silent conversations.

"Do I need to call the cops or something?" Slick asked.

What a time for Nick to be out of town. "Yeah, couldn't hurt," I told Slick. Maybe I should call Nick anyway. Not that he would get here in time, but maybe... I shook the thoughts out.

Slick walked off, and I stood by the door, closing my eyes as the sounds of growling continued outside.

"They won't do too much." Chloe was still holding on to me as I tried to breathe. "Humans are out there. It'll be okay." She glanced down at my shoulder. "Did he do this to you?"

I nodded slowly. "It'll heal."

"Son of a bitch." She clicked her teeth as she placed her napkin from around her glass on my wound, which probably wasn't sanitary, but she was drunk and trying to be motherly at the same time. "If Monroe doesn't kill him, I will."

"You're not taking on a Blutbad, so just stop it." I looked over at her while removing the napkin. "Besides, you're too drunk to do anything. Hell, I'm too drunk to be doing anything."

"Why did you even go out there then? What is wrong with you, Renée? Really?"

"He was going to hurt all of us," I explained. "I couldn't risk it."

"So, you just run off with the Big Bad Wolf?" she slurred.

"Yes," I replied matter-of-factly.

"Haven't you learned anything?" She pointed a wobbly finger my way. "If you don't start using your head, I don't know what I'm gonna do." She looked at her glass. "I need another drink."

"Oh, God. If that monster hurts Monroe…"

"Cops are on their way," said Slick before I could finish. "Did you say you knew that guy?"

"I met him once. My boyfriend got into a fight with him, and I intervened, so he's not too fond of me." But after that demonstration, it seemed he was awfully fond of me. Dressing sexy tonight was not a smart idea.

"They said there's a cop in the area, so it shouldn't be long."

I kept my eyes closed, listening to the growls. As long as there were two, then Monroe was still alive, at least. Humans watching or not, whatever they were doing it didn't sound good. My head spun a bit as I continued to stand. I wasn't as drunk as I had been, what with all the adrenaline pumping through me, but I was still off center. Everything was hazy, like my head was in a fog. I wanted to be out there with Monroe. I wanted to take a pool stick and jab it into that Blutbad's lower back until he howled. I wanted to be Michelle Pfeiffer with a gun…

The sound of a patrol car distracted me, and I opened my eyes, moving forward.

"Stay in here," Chloe gasped out, but I was already halfway through the entrance door.

Two cops got out of their vehicle, headed toward the Blutbad and Monroe, who were still duking it out on the ground. Monroe was wrestling to get on top, but it was a struggle. I held my hand to my mouth. If only I could do something. Oh, Monroe.

"Break it up, you two," one cop yelled as both Blutbaden seemed to halt, quickly getting up on their feet.

Monroe's tan dress shirt was ripped in places, and his sleeve was shredded, which meant the claws had come out. It was nothing like what had happened before, thank goodness, but he'd still been through a hard fight. The Blutbad tried to run as the cops got closer, but Monroe pulled him back before he could get away.

"Any reason you're trying to run off?" the other cop asked as he took hold of him.

"Man, just let me go," he replied, trying to catch his breath. "We've stopped fighting."

"No, I think you need to step over to the car for a moment." The cop was a big guy, but I was still afraid for his life as he dragged the Blutbad over to the patrol car. The other cop was questioning Monroe as I stepped forward.

The cop turned to look at me. "Do you know this guy?"

"Yes, he's my boyfriend, and he was defending me. That guy over there wouldn't take no for an answer, so he tried to stop him." I turned to Monroe. "Are you okay?"

Monroe nodded, taking in a breath. "Yeah, man. I'm all right."

I glanced back at the cop. "Please make sure that guy stays away from me."

We looked back toward the Blutbad, who was getting cuffed. "I don't think he'll be bothering you again," the cop replied. He walked over to the other cop, who mentioned something about priors and a bench warrant. Must have been why he'd tried to run.

The Blutbad looked at me as he was shoved into the back of the patrol car. "I'm not done with you," he called out with his red eyes blazing.

I refrained from replying and clung to Monroe's arm. Not done with me? Oh, I didn't want to think about it. The car door closed, and the officers got back in their vehicle. They drove off, taking the Blutbad with them.

I glanced up at Monroe. "Are you sure you're okay? Did he… did he bite you again?" I whispered as I ran my hands over the rips in his shirt.

Monroe shook his head. "It didn't get that out of hand, it was just a fist fight." I looked down at his arm. Unbuttoning his cuff, I slid his sleeve up, revealing the claw marks. "Okay, so a little more than a fist fight, but we kept it mostly civilized considering people could see us."

"Monroe, I'm so sorry." I held him tightly.

He reached for my shoulder. "Did he do this?"

I nodded into his chest. "It'll heal."

His low growl rumbled against my ear. "Maybe I shouldn't have been as civilized."

Monroe must have missed the part where the Blutbad was grinding on me. I wiped my mouth at the thought. My lips were becoming a target for undue advances. I was up to three this week.

"The cops have him. It's fine." I grabbed Monroe's hand. "Come inside. Let's get Chloe and get out of here."

Monroe and I walked into the bar as I searched for my BFF. She was in the corner with Slick, making out. There was another empty glass beside her. I shook my head as I approached.

Chloe broke from her kiss and turned quickly. "Oh, you're okay!" she exclaimed as her face flushed. "So, the cops took Mr. Big Bad away?"

I nodded slowly. "Yeah, they took him."

Slick grinned at Monroe. "Hey, it's Double Dead Guy. I remember you." He looked at me. "So he's your boyfriend now?"

I nodded. "Yeah, and just a chivalrous as ever."

"Guess you didn't need my help finding him after all." Slick laughed at me and then turned toward Monroe, looking him up and down. "Man, are you okay?"

Monroe bobbed his head, pulling his sleeve down. "Just a rough night." He glanced down at me, raising a quizzical eyebrow. "Umm, how would the bartender have found me?"

I held my breath. "I don't know." I turned my head quickly toward Slick to try to keep him from talking, but it was too late.

"She came in a few months ago," he began as I held my face in my hands. Oh, Slick, don't… "Wanted to see if I'd kept that copy of your license, bro." He grinned again. "But it seems she found you without it."

"Oh, really?" Monroe replied with a smug grin. My head dipped down as he slung his arm over my good shoulder. "Lucky she found me."

I strangled Slick hard in my mind. "Let's go, Chloe." I focused on my BFF, whose glassy eyes tried to focus on mine. "I'm about partied out tonight."

"You two go on." Chloe lolled her head up toward Slick. "I'm gonna… hang out here… a little longer." Her head dropped back down as she grinned. If she had any more to drink she'd be passing out instead of hanging out.

I glared at Chloe. "Let's go."

"Hey, it's fine," Slick said with his bright-white smile. "That guy isn't coming back, and I'll keep an eye on her." He gave me a wink.

That's what I was afraid of. I gave Chloe a look that said, 'Don't go having a one-nighter with this one.' She replied with a look that said, 'I can't hear you, I'm drunk.'

"Well, we're going." I went to hug Chloe. "Be safe," I murmured into her ear.

She handed me my purse as she staggered forward. "You, too." She was too drunk to stay here, but she was ten times more stubborn than I was, so it was useless arguing with her.

Monroe held me tight as we walked outside and toward his VW, parked by the large tree across the street.

"So, you came back for the copy of the license, huh?" Monroe laughed as we got in the car. "Stalker much?"

"It wasn't like that," I replied quickly. "I was just going to send you a thank you card."

"Yeah, right," he said while he laughed. "You didn't jam the cam wheel on your Wehrle clock to meet me, too, did ya?"

"No. I wouldn't know how to jam a wheel if I tried," I retorted as I buckled up. "The clock was just fate. I wouldn't purposely ever hurt my…" I trailed off as my mind went back to my broken cuckoo. Damn, Jack…

"Hey, Hun. I'm sorry. I'm still working on the clock. I didn't mean to bring that up."

"No, you're fine," I replied, rubbing my shoulder.

He looked down and sighed. "Is it okay? How deep is that wound?"

"It's not very deep," I lied, "but I'm more worried about you. Did he get you anywhere else besides your arm?"

"Not really. Just some bumps and bruises. Nothing that won't heal."

I lifted his sleeve again, tracing my fingers along his scratches. "I just fixed you, now you're gonna have scars again."

"Nah, I've got some tea tree oil and a little calendula, so there won't be a scar."

"Does he know what I am, Monroe?" I didn't want to add anyone else to that list I was accumulating.

"Well, he thinks he knows, but he doesn't want to believe it. So, it's hard to say. He kept asking me while we were fighting, but I didn't answer him, so maybe that wasn't such a good thing, either."

"Monroe, I'm so sorry. What were the odds that he would be at the same bar as we were?"

"Well, that bar usually has Blutbaden frequenting there from time to time. Yours truly, for example." He tapped his chest.

"I didn't know."

"You know the bar name kinda gives you a hint."

I shook my head. "Blue Moon Bar. Really?" This wasn't a cheesy movie or TV show. I thought about the Werewolf biker bar in True Blood called Lou Pine's Bar. Lupines… Now that was a Wolf bar, for sure. But this was the real world. We weren't supposed to get silly puns like that in the real world. "Well, either way I'm glad you arrived when you did. Why were you there anyway?"

"I was going to surprise you, have a beer, and hang out, you know, since you seemed disappointed we weren't going to do anything tonight. I mean, I didn't expect we'd be doing that tonight, but since when do our plans ever work out the way we expect, huh?" He chuckled lightly.

I leaned against him. "Thank you for saving me. If you hadn't been there… I don't know what he might have done."

"Well, you got his attention, if you know what I mean." Monroe huffed. "Unfortunately, I smelled it all over him, and he rubbed it on you just to piss me off." He looked me up at down. "But with that dress, man, it's no wonder." Resting his eyes on my cleavage, he let out a low growl. They were hard to miss.

I straightened myself in the car seat. "So I smell like… his lust?" I swiped my hands down my dress. Yuck.

"Dude, it's like he was a pheromone train and you were Union Station."

This time I couldn't suppress a shudder of disgust. "It'll wash off, right?"

"Yeah, it'll be fine once you shower." His hands gripped the steering wheel. "Like I said, it was just to piss me off since you're not…" He shook his head.

"Since I'm not marked?"

Monroe sighed. "Yeah." He turned to look at me. "I'm glad you listened to me this time and didn't get involved."

I nodded. He didn't need to know that the reason I was trapped to begin with was because I was involved already. "Did your Alpha trump his Alpha?"

"Well, since the cops broke it up, we'll just say it was a draw. Besides, we couldn't exactly, you know, go all out like we normally would've, you know, considering we were exposed. If that had been the case, I would've had him down, no contest, man." He gestured his hand above the steering wheel.

I held my head in my hands along the drive over the Morrison Bridge. "I hope Chloe's okay."

"She's a tough girl. She'll be all right. That bartender said he'll keep an eye out, you know?"

"It's what he might do with the rest of his body that I'm worried about." I wrung my hands. "She should've just come with us."

Monroe chuckled. "Your friend is fine. I'm sure this isn't her first time in a bar."

"No, but she makes bad decisions when she's drunk."

"Let me take you home. You can pick up your overnight bag and some clothes for Bikram tomorrow and then stay at my place tonight."

"Bikram?"

"Yeah. Remember you promised you'd go with me this week?" He glanced my way. "Man, don't tell me you forgot."

This week had been so crazy, I was lucky I remembered my own name.

He sighed. "You forgot…"

"It's been a long week. I'm sorry. Couldn't we go next week?"

"It'll be good for you to go with me. I don't wanna skip it. You said yourself that I need to work on my routine. You know, this is part of it."

I nodded slowly. He had a point. "Okay. We'll go."

"Good," he replied with a slight smile.

I pulled out my phone. "You think we should call Nick about this?" My finger hovered over his name on my call list. He was probably sipping champagne and enjoying being engaged. My stomach was doing that pit thing again.

"Nah." He shook his head. "We'll tell him when he gets back or something."

"But that guy was taken in. Maybe we oughta just…"

"Renée. It'll be fine." He put his hand over my phone. "Let him have his vacation. We can all use a break now and then."

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

I stood in the shower, scrubbing the Blutbad's lust off me. I'd brought a sealable bag to put my dress in, so the scent would be contained until I could take it to the drycleaners. My mind trailed back to tonight, then to Nick. He'd be back soon. I missed him being available. But talking to him would've been good tonight. But why? No, Monroe was right. He needed a break, and he needed to get engaged and be happy. He deserved to be happy.

Monroe was waiting for me, already clean and under the covers when I emerged from the bathroom. He took in a breath through his nose. "So much better," he said, smiling.

I crossed the room. "Glad to know that it's gone." Pulling back the covers, I climbed into bed with him.

"Your shoulder okay?" A small whine came out as he asked again.

I nodded. "It's fine, Monroe. Honestly, it was just a small scratch. It'll probably be gone by this time tomorrow."

"That quick, huh?"

I leaned against the headboard. "Yeah, scratches and small bruises are usually gone in twenty-four hours. Bigger things are three to four days. But if it's really severe, it'll leave a scar."

"And you never thought that was… unique?"

"It was my normal." I shrugged. "One doctor said he'd read about a rare genetic anomaly of rapid healing in a medical journal once. He said it could be something like that."

"Maybe someone did a study on a Waldgeist," Monroe suggested.

"It could be."

As I lay down, I snuggled up next to Monroe while he nuzzled my neck. He pulled back the strap on my chemise and lightly kissed my shoulder. I would've let him do more if he had wanted to, but I fell fast asleep almost instantly.

A/N: A little craziness at the Blue Moon Bar, but Monroe saved the day. Yay! (; Chloe seems to really like Slick, huh? LOL!

I'll see if I can do another today, but don't hold me to it. Stay Tuned!