sense.
“Mmm. Damn it.” He put an arm around Yves and steered him toward the door, baring his teeth at his packmate.
Deke chuckled, the sound grating on his ears. Asshole. He wanted to drag Yves back to his cave and cover him and keep everyone else away. Whoa. Weird.
That was... hugely unexpected.
“Stop,” Deke said. “It will pass. You just have to breathe.”
He looked to Deke, confused as hell, but grateful too, because goddamn.
Deke winked and mouthed, “I’ll explain.” Then he led the way back to Jonny’s fancy-assed lounge.
Luc was there, wrapped in a huge fluffy robe, and Kasey paced the floor, making fairly effective wolf growls. “Took you long enough,” he snarled.
Reuben just grinned. “Looks like it didn’t take you long at all, toothy.”
Kasey stuck his tongue out, a surprisingly comical maneuver. “Two minutes flat. You inspired us.”
Yves gave him a raised eyebrow and Reuben winked, went for the feint. “I found part of that scroll deal you were looking for.”
“Where? I need it.”
“It’s here. Kasey got your shit from the bus station.”
“I need to see what you’re doing, Yves.”
“I’m translating.” Reuben could see Yves vibrating.
“Translating what?” Kasey asked.
“A series of spells, I hope. I’m almost done.”
“Spells.” Jonny frowned. “Black magic never works as you would wish.”
“Don’t worry.” Yves growled.
“Don’t worry. You want to make a zombie, honey.” Reuben was worried.
“A zombie?” That was Kasey, but it was Luc who rowled.
“You can’t bring him back! He’s gone!”
“And it’s my fault! I have to try!” No one understood. Not even Luc.
“You can’t bring people back, Yves.” Jonny shook his head, frowning mightily, which made Reuben growl.
“Everyone chill the fuck out,” Deke said. “Reuben, stop rumbling at everyone. Jonny, sit. We need to know all the deets.”
Kasey scowled at Deke. “You just used the word deets.”
“I did! I’ve been following along with the newbies.” Deke looked so proud.
“Give me the rest of the parchment, pup? Please?” Yves was laser focused, eyes burning some.
“Soon, baby.” He hated the parchment all of a sudden, even though it had brought them together. Nothing should -- infect his kitty like this.
“Sit. Everyone.” Jonny’s voice was calm, but shot through with a steel thread that none of them -- not one -- could ignore. They all sat as a unit. “Much better.”
Even Yves didn’t fidget. They all simply waited for Jonny to take the lead.
“Now. I think we should start at the beginning, yes?” Jonny steepled his fingers and skewered first Luc, then Yves with his gaze. Luc had to feel that, even if he couldn’t see it. “Luc. Begin with the emeralds, if you please.”
“Uh. I stole them. A pair of perfect ones. I had a buyer. I delivered them on time.”
“And who was the buyer?” Jonny asked, the very picture of patience.
Luc’s eyes rolled and the twins were trying hard not to look at each other. “I was just supposed to leave them. The buyer was going to retrieve them at a later date.”
Did they think they were fooling anyone?
“So, one assumes Silvia was hiring you to steal something from me to kill two birds with one stone. He could sell the information he acquired, and have access to you, and thus the emeralds.” Jonny turned that shrewd, cold look on Yves. “Now, explain how the emeralds affect your activities.”
“There are four gemstones, all identical. They are a vital part of the ritual, apparently, something to do with payment.”
“Payment to a demon. You fail to see why I find this alarming, but I do.”
Dude, if it worried Jonny, then... Dude.
“It’s my brother. Our brother.”
“He’s dead!” Luc snapped. “Gone. There’s not even a body left.”
Kasey spoke up next. “So really? This is all to bring back a dead brother?” It sounded so... sordid in that clipped British accent.
Yves’ normally
“Mmm. Damn it.” He put an arm around Yves and steered him toward the door, baring his teeth at his packmate.
Deke chuckled, the sound grating on his ears. Asshole. He wanted to drag Yves back to his cave and cover him and keep everyone else away. Whoa. Weird.
That was... hugely unexpected.
“Stop,” Deke said. “It will pass. You just have to breathe.”
He looked to Deke, confused as hell, but grateful too, because goddamn.
Deke winked and mouthed, “I’ll explain.” Then he led the way back to Jonny’s fancy-assed lounge.
Luc was there, wrapped in a huge fluffy robe, and Kasey paced the floor, making fairly effective wolf growls. “Took you long enough,” he snarled.
Reuben just grinned. “Looks like it didn’t take you long at all, toothy.”
Kasey stuck his tongue out, a surprisingly comical maneuver. “Two minutes flat. You inspired us.”
Yves gave him a raised eyebrow and Reuben winked, went for the feint. “I found part of that scroll deal you were looking for.”
“Where? I need it.”
“It’s here. Kasey got your shit from the bus station.”
“I need to see what you’re doing, Yves.”
“I’m translating.” Reuben could see Yves vibrating.
“Translating what?” Kasey asked.
“A series of spells, I hope. I’m almost done.”
“Spells.” Jonny frowned. “Black magic never works as you would wish.”
“Don’t worry.” Yves growled.
“Don’t worry. You want to make a zombie, honey.” Reuben was worried.
“A zombie?” That was Kasey, but it was Luc who rowled.
“You can’t bring him back! He’s gone!”
“And it’s my fault! I have to try!” No one understood. Not even Luc.
“You can’t bring people back, Yves.” Jonny shook his head, frowning mightily, which made Reuben growl.
“Everyone chill the fuck out,” Deke said. “Reuben, stop rumbling at everyone. Jonny, sit. We need to know all the deets.”
Kasey scowled at Deke. “You just used the word deets.”
“I did! I’ve been following along with the newbies.” Deke looked so proud.
“Give me the rest of the parchment, pup? Please?” Yves was laser focused, eyes burning some.
“Soon, baby.” He hated the parchment all of a sudden, even though it had brought them together. Nothing should -- infect his kitty like this.
“Sit. Everyone.” Jonny’s voice was calm, but shot through with a steel thread that none of them -- not one -- could ignore. They all sat as a unit. “Much better.”
Even Yves didn’t fidget. They all simply waited for Jonny to take the lead.
“Now. I think we should start at the beginning, yes?” Jonny steepled his fingers and skewered first Luc, then Yves with his gaze. Luc had to feel that, even if he couldn’t see it. “Luc. Begin with the emeralds, if you please.”
“Uh. I stole them. A pair of perfect ones. I had a buyer. I delivered them on time.”
“And who was the buyer?” Jonny asked, the very picture of patience.
Luc’s eyes rolled and the twins were trying hard not to look at each other. “I was just supposed to leave them. The buyer was going to retrieve them at a later date.”
Did they think they were fooling anyone?
“So, one assumes Silvia was hiring you to steal something from me to kill two birds with one stone. He could sell the information he acquired, and have access to you, and thus the emeralds.” Jonny turned that shrewd, cold look on Yves. “Now, explain how the emeralds affect your activities.”
“There are four gemstones, all identical. They are a vital part of the ritual, apparently, something to do with payment.”
“Payment to a demon. You fail to see why I find this alarming, but I do.”
Dude, if it worried Jonny, then... Dude.
“It’s my brother. Our brother.”
“He’s dead!” Luc snapped. “Gone. There’s not even a body left.”
Kasey spoke up next. “So really? This is all to bring back a dead brother?” It sounded so... sordid in that clipped British accent.
Yves’ normally
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