Colt was starting to pull out the equipment for the house band to start performing in a couple hours. As he did so, he watched the new man hug the bearswan close. What was the Dark-Hunter doing with her? Colt didn't understand why, but there was a twinge of jealousy. It was like the animal in him was becoming possessive of the girl. Ridiculous. He didn't want any woman seriously enough to be jealous. And he certainly did not want her. She was insulting, rude, and very obviously wanted nothing to do with Sanctuary or anyone in it.

Her hostility was so thick that even Kyle and Cody kept their distance. No one tried to talk to her, let alone flirt and that was a miracle in this place. Especially for a beautiful woman. That pretty much said it all for her attitude issues.

But there she was, in the arms of a Dark-Hunter as he ran his hand over her back. For a moment, Colt wondered what it would feel like to caress her like that. To sooth her.

But, then two customers started yelling at each other. Colt set down the equipment he was carrying to go deal with the male egos. Colt stepped between the two men and stared them both down.

"This isn't your problem man. Get out of the way so I can kill the asshole that copped a feel on my girl." One man said.

The other man just laughed. "I wasn't the only one copping a feel. She was getting quite a handful in herself."

Colt sighed. "I don't give a shit who grabbed who. You behave in the bar or you get out. Those are the only two options you have. Everything else is my choice and trust me, neither of you will like it."

The man that was being accused of trying to snake off with the woman put his hands up in surrender and started to leave. But, the one who took offense was not letting it go. He started to move forward and Colt stepped in his way. Then, when the guy tried to punch him, Colt shifted out of the range of his fist, grabbed the man's wrist and spun him around with his arm pinned behind his back. Then out the door he went as Colt all but physically threw him out.

Dev laughed as he watched Colt's less than gentle removal of the man. And when he tried to turn around and come in again, Dev stopped him outside.

Colt rolled his eyes at the whole situation. He couldn't imagine getting that worked up over a woman that obviously didn't have any interest in him. But, then he caught a glimpse of the bearswan. His chest tightened. Talk about a woman that didn't have any interest. Damn.

Kell drove Roxie back to Kyrian's house where they were staying for the time while they were in New Orleans. Kyrian was a former Dark-Hunter himself who had gotten his soul back, thanks to his wife, Amanda. So, not only was his house prepared with rooms for other Dark-Hunters, but he did not drain Kell's powers like another Dark-Hunter would. There were lots of unique challenges to being a Dark-Hunter. The forced isolation was one of the hardest to deal with since they could not congregate with others like themselves, along with the fact that they can never go out in sunlight or they would burn to toast.

Roxie wouldn't look at Kell, she was so angry and hurt.

"Please Roxie, will you talk to me?" He asked.

She just shook her head. She was so confused. Why would he make her stay there? And why in the hell couldn't she get the one bartender out of her head? The way her body reacted to him. The way he smelled. The way his growl skittered across her skin. Oh, and she damn near had an orgasm watching him break up the fight earlier. It was so primal watching him establish dominance over the other two men. Dear gods, it was so unsettling. Was it like that around all bears? She didn't know which people she met in the bar were bears and which weren't, so how would she know?

And damn it, she was being forced to go back there again tomorrow. She was so confused between the insane amount of lust that was racing through her body, but didn't want, and the blood boiling hatred that she had fed for years.

"Monster, come on. I just wanted you to have some time to see that they are not all like the ones that killed your parents."

"Don't." She cut him off. "Don't you dare try to push that on me."

Kell stopped the car and got out. He opened the passenger door and pulled her out until he could force her to look at him. Cupping her face so that he looked in her eyes, he growled at her. "I lost them too. They were my family as well. I still grieve. And I want to protect you. But, the reality is that your mother was an Arcadian bear who mated to my squire after a drunken night out. Fortunately, they fell in love. And they had you."

He took a breath and softened a little. "You are half human and half Arcadian bear. And I tried to let you climb out of your grief on your own and come to accept your mother's side. But, you are too damn stubborn. And, even though you aged more like a human, in the beginning, and that allowed you to not draw too much attention, the fact is that biologically, you are still more bear. There is a reason that you look 21 when you are really 26. And that difference is going to become much more noticeable from this point on in your life. Soon, you will be coming into your first cycle. Kind of like hitting bear puberty, I guess. I don't really understand it. And because I don't understand it, I don't know how to prepare you for that. I don't know how to protect you from the unseen changes and risks."

Tears started to gather in the man's eyes. "Roxie, I can't be your parent for this part. You need a bear or a family of bears that can help you. I should have made you meet them before now, but your anger and hatred always held me back. I can't hold back any more. I am scared that I am already too late to help you."

She was trembling as she fought her own tears. "But, I don't want to be a bear."

He pulled her close. "I know little monster. But, you don't have a choice. And I can't let you be inducted to the Blood Rites until you face this. Because they will learn the truth if they don't already know it. And if you try to keep hiding it, you will end up being the one they hunt down. You have to be honest before you take the oath." He kissed her forehead. "I have always loved you Roxanne, as if you were my own daughter. And I will always love you. But, you need to find a way to love yourself too. All of yourself."

Roxie sniffed back her tears. "So, you lied to me about Ash needing you in New Orleans?"

"Yeah, I lied. The help was appreciated, but I asked to come rather than Ash requesting me."

She hit him. "You suck."

He chuckled. "Yeah, sometimes. But, I also love you."

The next day, Roxie walked up to the bar with a backpack full of books and things to do while she stayed there for hours on end. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail while she fought against the breeze that had picked up. A winter storm was blowing in and the temperatures had dropped.

As she approached the bouncer, he eyed her wearily.

She took a deep breath. "I have been told that I am required to ask your name today."

He arched an eyebrow. "My name is Dev and no, you are not losing your mind when you think you see me everywhere. I am one of a set of identical quadruplets It might be nice to ask their names too if you meet them. Though, the the really surly one is Remi, no one will mind if you don't try to talk to him. Now, don't start any shit, got it?"

She nodded. Then he let her in. She went back to the corner table where she sat the day before.

Today, she ordered an actual meal and a beer while she read. Another one of Kell's new additions to her orders. Once she had something to do, it was easier to relax to some extent. At least enough to try to pretend that she was not surrounded by bears.

Kell may have wanted her to get to know people, but she was not ready yet. Especially when she kept catching that bartender staring at her. It set her body off every time she saw him. There was something about him that felt like raw animal magnetism. He was around 6'5" and his eyes were brown, almost as dark as hers. His dark hair looked soft, like fur and she wanted to run her fingers through it. And his muscles! Dear gods. He wore a black, long-sleeved t-shirt, but she could still tell that he was absolutely ripped. He was intense.

She opened up a book to read. But, damn, it was a romance book. She was already off the charts hot and bothered by the bear. So, by the time she got to the next steamy scene in the book, she found herself fantasizing that it was her and the bear living out that piece of fiction. But, as she looked up and saw him watching her again, she blushed furiously.

He is a bear! She reminded herself. Stop thinking of him!

She ground her teeth and put that particular book away quickly before she made an absolute fool of herself. So, instead she pulled out the historical study on the life of gladiators. Kell had been a Dacian farmer who was taken by the Roman's and sold into service in the gladiator circuit, after they killed his wife and three children. Kell would not tell her much of his life, just the basics. So, she was trying to learn more. And at least this book did not add to her raging hormones. Sure, they were scantily clad men. But, their lives were brutal.

Between pages, Roxie would look up and watch people from time to time. There were so many people who drifted in and around the place. She didn't know who they all were or even what they all were. Yet, the way that they all interacted, it felt like one giant family. The waitresses were friendly toward their other guests, especially the regulars. The men were gruff, but so was most of the clientele, so they did not really throw anyone off. But, the way they joked and talked with each other. It was almost sweet. She really did not want to admit that. But, she did notice.

She clenched her jaw, trying to maintain her anger. Don't be fooled. They are still animals.

Everyone was getting ready for Mardi Gras, which was supposed to be in a week and a half. Kell had lied to Roxie and told her that his boss, Acheron had wanted him to help patrol during Mardi Gras, and that was the reason that they were in New Orleans. Mardi Gras was a crazy time of year for the city. They had more tourists than they could hold. But, that also made it an all-you-can-eat buffett for the Apollites who turn daimon, choosing to feed on human souls in order to elongate their cursed lives.

Still, even though Roxie and Kell came to New Orleans early, they could not have come at all if Acheron didn't give him the all clear. That meant that Acheron was on board with her emotional torture. Damn them both. And since that is the case, Kell still needed to patrol and do his job. Well, the killing daimons part of his job at least.

Back home, Kell has his house built into the side of a hill. So, the entire first floor functions like a basement, opening up to the backyard. The second floor is actually ground level to the front of the house. Kell keeps the basement sealed with no windows so that he can move about during the daylight hours and not be worried about the sun.

Since Dark-Hunters hunt the things that only live in the dark, gee, brilliant name here… they also have a small issue with burning to death in sunlight, like their prey. Nothing of the first floor opens up to the sun, to keep from risking that. Except for the first floor garage door that leads to his workshop. Kell hand makes weapons. Big, deadly, weapons for his Dark-Hunter brethren. And well, a forge gets pretty damn hot. So, he needs the one door open at night when he is working, to vent the fumes and the heat.

As a child, Roxie was never allowed into his workshop. Now, she enjoys helping him in there. She even became his apprentice when she was 16. She not only helps him, but he lets her go in there to work on some of her own things. She had recently started to explore her artistic side in metal and had created several statues.

Roxie's musing and reading were broken when she heard a woman squeal out her name. "Roxie!"

Samia came running over to hug her.

"Samia? Oh my gods, is it really you? Oh Aunt Sam, I have missed you!" Roxie hugged the woman back, careful not to touch her skin. Samia had empathic abilities where she would feel emotions and see memories through touching skin. So, she always wore gloves and Roxie tried not to add to the struggle of her gift.

"What are you doing here Rock Salt?" Roxie cringed at the nickname Samia had given her after Roxie lost her two front teeth and couldn't say her own name right.

"Kell and Otto are making me hang out here." She groaned. "But, what are you doing here?"

Samia grinned. "I live here. That is why I came down as soon as the sun set. Dev told me you were here last night and I missed you. So, I told him to let me know when you came back." She moved to hug Roxie again.

Roxie stepped back. "I, I- I don't understand. Why would you live here?"

Samia had a look of sympathy on her face. "Roxie, I understand your anger. But, not everyone is like that. These are good people. Amazing enough that I am married now, to Dev. The bear you met at the front door."

Roxie didn't know what to say. Samia was a good friend of Kell's. Another Dark-Hunter, she stopped by once or twice a year to pick up some new weapons. They talked on the phone. Roxie had completely taken over and talked to Samia a lot when she was facing her teenage years. There were certain things that she just did not want to talk to Kell about. Especially boys. Kell had broken more than one thing anytime she mentioned a boy around him.

Samia had been like a real aunt. The fun one that she could share anything with. As she got older, they drifted apart. But, now she is living in Sanctuary? Married to a bear?

Roxie pushed past Sam and headed to the restroom, but then she saw the side door. She really hoped that going out the side just for a few minutes would not break the rules.

She flew out the door as her emotions ripped through her. She felt betrayed. Everyone was siding with the bears.