whole different race , and apparently all the things that went bump in the night got together and voted him out of the clubhouse.
Jed sagged back in his chair. Edwin looked abashed, murmuring, “I’m sorry,” but Jed waved it off.
“Hey, don’t worry about it. I scratched your ears and saw your ass. In some cultures, we’d be married.”
Anthony just shook his head. “In any case, Edwin’s suggestion was a good one. If anybody’s going to know where the Gray Lady’s pack is, we might find them in there. Although I think he and I should have a discussion about the people he hangs out with.”
“I’ll go,” Redford said. “You said that she’s looking for the remains of Filtiarn’s pack. If anybody has information, they’ll know she’s looking for people like me.” He hesitated, eyes darting over at Jed. “But, um. I guess Jed can’t go?”
“Fuck that nun, I’m going,” Jed said, arms folded, jaw jutted out stubbornly. “You go, I go, babe. That’s how this works. We’re partners, remember?” And like hell was Jed letting Redford walk in anywhere he hadn’t vetted first. God only knew what kind of shit might go down, and Jed wasn’t going to leave him without someone to watch his back. And his front. And all side portions of him.
“I want you to be there, but if this is a bar where wolves and vampires and everybody else hang out, it might not be… well, Edwin says they sniff out humans.” Redford looked apologetic. “You might not even get past the front door.”
“He could go if he’s escorted,” Edwin said, sighing heavily at the looks his brothers gave him. “I didn’t say I agreed with that option. I’m just saying, sometimes naturals bring their preter in. They have to be under control and stuff. I even think they use leashes sometimes. The vampires at least.” A pause, and then, very unconvincingly, “So I’ve heard from people who I have no real association with.”
“Edwin, how do you know this?” Anthony looked appalled. “Please don’t tell me you’ve ever done that.”
“Ew, no.” Edwin wrinkled his nose. “Collars are gross. I just… have friends who told me.” His voice went up at the end, an overly innocent look affected, as if that was going to make Anthony stop pinning him to the chair with an expression that brought to mind a patient bulldog.
“Which friends?” Randall said dryly. “I wasn’t aware that your reflection counted.”
“Shut up. I have friends.” Edwin rolled his eyes at Randall. But, fidgeting guiltily under Anthony’s glower, Edwin finally sighed and admitted, “I went last week to hear someone speak at Murry’s. It was a lecture. Educational, even!”
“Who would you hear speak at that place?” Anthony folded his arms. “It’s a bar , Ed.”
“A guy called Phoenix.” Once again Edwin tried for the guileless uptick of his tone at the end before apparently giving in and simply shrugging. “He’s doing all these rallies around lately. I saw a poster for it and went to check it out. He talks a lot about preters… um, humans and their relationships to naturals. Um. Us.”
“You and I are going to have a very long talk later,” Anthony threatened. He looked apologetic as he turned back to Jed and Redford. “Would you be okay going there? It sounds like there might be information to be found.”
Jed smirked. “Nah, that sounds like just my kind of scene. Count me in. I’ll provide my own leather pants.”
“What? No, we’re not doing that,” Redford yelped, horrified. “I am not putting you on a leash or anything. That’s degrading.”
Reaching out, Jed took his hand, holding it between both of his. “It’s a cover, Fido,” he reminded Redford. “I’m just there to back you up. A collar’s an accessory, is all.” He grinned, a flash of amusement crossing his face. “Not the first time I’ve worn one.” Though probably in this instance he wouldn’t be calling anyone Daddy .
Redford was still
Jed sagged back in his chair. Edwin looked abashed, murmuring, “I’m sorry,” but Jed waved it off.
“Hey, don’t worry about it. I scratched your ears and saw your ass. In some cultures, we’d be married.”
Anthony just shook his head. “In any case, Edwin’s suggestion was a good one. If anybody’s going to know where the Gray Lady’s pack is, we might find them in there. Although I think he and I should have a discussion about the people he hangs out with.”
“I’ll go,” Redford said. “You said that she’s looking for the remains of Filtiarn’s pack. If anybody has information, they’ll know she’s looking for people like me.” He hesitated, eyes darting over at Jed. “But, um. I guess Jed can’t go?”
“Fuck that nun, I’m going,” Jed said, arms folded, jaw jutted out stubbornly. “You go, I go, babe. That’s how this works. We’re partners, remember?” And like hell was Jed letting Redford walk in anywhere he hadn’t vetted first. God only knew what kind of shit might go down, and Jed wasn’t going to leave him without someone to watch his back. And his front. And all side portions of him.
“I want you to be there, but if this is a bar where wolves and vampires and everybody else hang out, it might not be… well, Edwin says they sniff out humans.” Redford looked apologetic. “You might not even get past the front door.”
“He could go if he’s escorted,” Edwin said, sighing heavily at the looks his brothers gave him. “I didn’t say I agreed with that option. I’m just saying, sometimes naturals bring their preter in. They have to be under control and stuff. I even think they use leashes sometimes. The vampires at least.” A pause, and then, very unconvincingly, “So I’ve heard from people who I have no real association with.”
“Edwin, how do you know this?” Anthony looked appalled. “Please don’t tell me you’ve ever done that.”
“Ew, no.” Edwin wrinkled his nose. “Collars are gross. I just… have friends who told me.” His voice went up at the end, an overly innocent look affected, as if that was going to make Anthony stop pinning him to the chair with an expression that brought to mind a patient bulldog.
“Which friends?” Randall said dryly. “I wasn’t aware that your reflection counted.”
“Shut up. I have friends.” Edwin rolled his eyes at Randall. But, fidgeting guiltily under Anthony’s glower, Edwin finally sighed and admitted, “I went last week to hear someone speak at Murry’s. It was a lecture. Educational, even!”
“Who would you hear speak at that place?” Anthony folded his arms. “It’s a bar , Ed.”
“A guy called Phoenix.” Once again Edwin tried for the guileless uptick of his tone at the end before apparently giving in and simply shrugging. “He’s doing all these rallies around lately. I saw a poster for it and went to check it out. He talks a lot about preters… um, humans and their relationships to naturals. Um. Us.”
“You and I are going to have a very long talk later,” Anthony threatened. He looked apologetic as he turned back to Jed and Redford. “Would you be okay going there? It sounds like there might be information to be found.”
Jed smirked. “Nah, that sounds like just my kind of scene. Count me in. I’ll provide my own leather pants.”
“What? No, we’re not doing that,” Redford yelped, horrified. “I am not putting you on a leash or anything. That’s degrading.”
Reaching out, Jed took his hand, holding it between both of his. “It’s a cover, Fido,” he reminded Redford. “I’m just there to back you up. A collar’s an accessory, is all.” He grinned, a flash of amusement crossing his face. “Not the first time I’ve worn one.” Though probably in this instance he wouldn’t be calling anyone Daddy .
Redford was still
Similar Books
