room. This was the second group meeting he’d intruded on. Loners didn’t get to vote, they didn’t get to hold a position, and they didn’t count for much of anything in Red’s book, and Demon even less than that. But he let him stay, seeing as he had intel on the group that might come in handy.
“So, we’ve got to make some decisions,” he began without preamble, he didn’t want to drag this out any longer than necessary. “It’s obvious these guys, these supposed ‘super humans’, mean what they say. If we don’t agree to join with them then they’re going to come here and fuck some shit up.”
“But what does that mean? Join with them?” Moose asked, “I know what Big Dog told us, I was there,” his eyes slid over Red and he could feel the venom in them, “but what I don’t understand is why would he even need to use us when they’re obviously strong enough to kick our asses.”
Red started to speak but Demon cut him off.
“From what I understand, they don’t want to get their hands dirty. They want to use shifters, since our, your , laws make it clear you don’t play well with others,” Demon’s eyes flickered to Red, “and they thought you’d be open to killing off entire species without many qualms.”
“The Laws and The Book are old,” Donny-O said, “And I want to make it clear here and now, before we go any further, that no matter who or what your mama was you’re still part of us. So don’t be going around using pronouns like a weapon. You’re still in the Dogs man.” Words and sounds of agreement came from around the table and angry gazes flashed towards Red. He could see he’d lost the respect and loyalty of all of them, but from Donny-O it hurt the worst.
“Yeah man, without you, I wouldn’t have gotten my Maria outta that metal cage the Hellhounds locked her in,” Moose said.
“And we would never have been able to find that place they were holding Red, he wouldn’t be sitting there today,” Donny-O added.
Red could see what the others couldn’t, the way the words were affecting Demon, and he tried to stifle the hatred for his half-brother before it could surface. He needed to be calm and rational, he had to be.
“Demon has proven his worth to this group, I agree. I was out of control last night, I think you’ll all agree. And I was out of line, I said things I probably shouldn’t have,” he nodded towards Demon, “Demon is and always will be one of us. But that’s because he’s proven himself not because The Book is wrong. It’s old, yes, but there was a reason it was written. To keep us safe. Do I want to kill every other non-human creature in the world? No. Do I want to keep the shifters of Three Rivers safe? Yes. So we have to figure out how to do one without doing the other. But if it comes down to it, I’ll protect us at the expense of them any day of the week.”
Some of the guys were nodding, some shaking their heads.
“Nah, man. The people who have settled here, they’re family too. They’re part of Three Rivers just like everybody else, shifter, human, whatever. What they are don’t mean jack to me, fuck The Book.” Rollin’ set back in his chair arms crossed.
“You think they’d feel the same about us? The fucking witches, the faeries, the goddamned Old Folk who keep to them selves and don’t even come to the town festivals because they’re too good to have a fucking beer with us? You think they’d feel the same if they were given a choice like this?”
There were murmers around the table, he could see he was swaying some of them.
“What about Sidney man, word is she’s a witch, and you’ve claimed her, made her one of us,” Donny-O asked.
“Yeah and she’s not the only non-shifter someone has claimed. Renna adopted that little changeling boy remember?” Price asked.
Red nodded, “Those few we’ve claimed would have to be protected, hidden or something. The Book is clear, we can’t take it back after someone has
“So, we’ve got to make some decisions,” he began without preamble, he didn’t want to drag this out any longer than necessary. “It’s obvious these guys, these supposed ‘super humans’, mean what they say. If we don’t agree to join with them then they’re going to come here and fuck some shit up.”
“But what does that mean? Join with them?” Moose asked, “I know what Big Dog told us, I was there,” his eyes slid over Red and he could feel the venom in them, “but what I don’t understand is why would he even need to use us when they’re obviously strong enough to kick our asses.”
Red started to speak but Demon cut him off.
“From what I understand, they don’t want to get their hands dirty. They want to use shifters, since our, your , laws make it clear you don’t play well with others,” Demon’s eyes flickered to Red, “and they thought you’d be open to killing off entire species without many qualms.”
“The Laws and The Book are old,” Donny-O said, “And I want to make it clear here and now, before we go any further, that no matter who or what your mama was you’re still part of us. So don’t be going around using pronouns like a weapon. You’re still in the Dogs man.” Words and sounds of agreement came from around the table and angry gazes flashed towards Red. He could see he’d lost the respect and loyalty of all of them, but from Donny-O it hurt the worst.
“Yeah man, without you, I wouldn’t have gotten my Maria outta that metal cage the Hellhounds locked her in,” Moose said.
“And we would never have been able to find that place they were holding Red, he wouldn’t be sitting there today,” Donny-O added.
Red could see what the others couldn’t, the way the words were affecting Demon, and he tried to stifle the hatred for his half-brother before it could surface. He needed to be calm and rational, he had to be.
“Demon has proven his worth to this group, I agree. I was out of control last night, I think you’ll all agree. And I was out of line, I said things I probably shouldn’t have,” he nodded towards Demon, “Demon is and always will be one of us. But that’s because he’s proven himself not because The Book is wrong. It’s old, yes, but there was a reason it was written. To keep us safe. Do I want to kill every other non-human creature in the world? No. Do I want to keep the shifters of Three Rivers safe? Yes. So we have to figure out how to do one without doing the other. But if it comes down to it, I’ll protect us at the expense of them any day of the week.”
Some of the guys were nodding, some shaking their heads.
“Nah, man. The people who have settled here, they’re family too. They’re part of Three Rivers just like everybody else, shifter, human, whatever. What they are don’t mean jack to me, fuck The Book.” Rollin’ set back in his chair arms crossed.
“You think they’d feel the same about us? The fucking witches, the faeries, the goddamned Old Folk who keep to them selves and don’t even come to the town festivals because they’re too good to have a fucking beer with us? You think they’d feel the same if they were given a choice like this?”
There were murmers around the table, he could see he was swaying some of them.
“What about Sidney man, word is she’s a witch, and you’ve claimed her, made her one of us,” Donny-O asked.
“Yeah and she’s not the only non-shifter someone has claimed. Renna adopted that little changeling boy remember?” Price asked.
Red nodded, “Those few we’ve claimed would have to be protected, hidden or something. The Book is clear, we can’t take it back after someone has
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