The Siege of Kadenburg by T. E. Ridener Page A

living room closet. I thought they might come in handy; just in case.”
    Dimitri nodded, “Good thinking.”
    “Well, I’m not stupid,” Rutley chortled with another smile. “And since I know diddly-squat about kerosene heaters, I figured we ought to call Mr. Bamey and see if he’s got a generator we can borrow.”
    Freaking kerosene heaters…..
    “That’s probably not a bad idea.” Dimitri agreed as he stepped towards the doorway.
    “Hey.” Rutley said quickly.
    Dimitri stopped, turning to gaze at him again.
    “Are you still mad at me?” Rutley asked. And he didn’t just ask with his voice. He was asking with those damn puppy dog eyes and a small frown that twisted Dimitri’s innards into smithereens. What the hell?
    “No,” Dimitri sighed. “I wasn’t mad at you earlier either. I just want you to be careful.”
    “Why is everyone always saying that to me?” Rutley scowled. “I can hardly go anywhere without you all being paranoid my dad will see me and kill me. I’m tired of being careful. I just want to do what I want to do.”
    “I know,” Dimitri’s nostrils flared as his brows lowered on his forehead. “But I’m not going to risk your father pumping you full of silver like he did me; like he did Greg.”
    “You have no actual proof he shot Greg,” Rutley frowned. “That could’ve been anybody.”
    “And how many werewolf hunters do you know in this town?” Dimitri’s arms crossed over his chest as he waited for a reply. There were only two werewolf hunters in Kadenburg, and one of them didn’t have a reason to hunt anymore.
    “I’m just saying…if my dad was responsible for Greg, then Greg would be dead.”
    “That’s not true,” Dimitri argued as he made his way down the hallway and entered the kitchen. “Greg is different. The silver wouldn’t affect him like it would you or me. He’s part ursithrope too. Unless your dad used a pepper laced silver bullet that kid is basically invincible.”
    He was surprised by the profound silence lingering in the air as Rutley didn’t seem to know what to say. That was definitely a first. Rutley always had a comeback for everything. He was a motor mouth, or as Liam had once called him, ‘The Mouth of the South’. Dimitri totally understood.
    Picking up his cellphone from the countertop, Dimitri slid his thumb over the screen until he found Mr. Bamey’s home telephone number. He pressed the call button and lifted the phone to his ear, listening.
    After five rings, he decided that it must’ve been too late to call. Glancing at the clock on the wall, Dimitri instantly wanted to kick himself. Of course it was too damn late to call. It was nearing two in the morning. Where had the time gone?
    “Jesus, it’s coming a big one out there,” Rutley stated in awe as he pressed his nose against the small window at the top of their back door. “Nobody’s going to be going anywhere in this mess.”
    “Well then I suppose it’s a good thing neither of us are working then, huh?” Dimitri asked.
    “Hey, I could work,” Rutley frowned, pulling away from the glass and turning his head to shoot a glare in Dimitri’s direction. “But noooo. I have to be ‘careful’, remember?” He actually used finger quotes to emphasize on the careful bit. Real mature.
    Dimitri rolled his eyes, “I’m not keeping you here against your will,” He offered in a calm voice. “If you want to go out there and get shot, go for it. But don’t you dare come crying to me if Breslin shows up and I’m not there to save you.”
    “You think I need saving?” Rutley asked, seemingly offended. “Do I look like I’m helpless?”
    Dimitri’s eyes slowly swept over the other male’s frame before quickly averting his gaze elsewhere. He had no business to be observing the chiseled frame he knew Rutley had beneath that K.H.S. baseball t-shirt.
    “I’m going to bed.” Dimitri mumbled, taking a step forward.
    Rutley was in front of him in an instant. Damn him for