Chapter 18
Darien stomped on the box and flattened it. He’d rearranged and cleaned both supply rooms, did the inventory, helped with two rushes, and Kyran still hadn’t come back. Tossing the cardboard into the pile, he paused and pulled his phone out. No messages.
How hard can it be to track down one very overweight, sweaty man?
Running a hand through his hair, he looked around the room. He hated that it was the full moon tonight. Absolutely, all the way down to his soul loathed it. Tonight, even more than normal. He wasn’t comfortable leaving Remi and everyone else. On any full moon, he worried, afraid that some para would bite a normal, or worse, Remi would hook up with someone. The stakes were higher tonight.
Someone had it in for Serenity. At least, that was the conclusion he’d come up with. At first, he thought they had just had it in for Remi, but with the other bodies and then the attack on Emery, they had a gripe with all things Serenity.
He didn’t get it. Everything this place stood for, all the people that worked here…what grudge could anyone have? Paras and normals were both equally welcome. It was a bridge that joined the two worlds. Many of the regulars were in mixed marriages, and this was a place where they could be themselves. Well, within reason. Over the years, anything from the weird to bizarre had happened, even that was accepted for the most part.
“Darien, we’re going to open up.”
Jolting, he turned to look at Emery.
The young vampire grinned at him. “Did I just get the drop on the wolfman?” He stood straighter. “It’s a proud moment for me.”
Darien gave him a void look. “You’re lucky I have good control. Sneaking up on a werewolf on the night of the full moon could turn out badly.”
His smile faded. “I didn’t think of that.” Crossing his arms over his chest, he leaned against the door jam. “Are you staying for a bit?”
Darien shook his head. “Not tonight.” He rolled his shoulders. “I’m a little strung out, and my wolf is unpredictable when I’m like this.”
Nodding, Emery dropped his hands. “I hear that.”
“Corey coming tonight?”
His face lit up. “Yeah.”
“Make sure you focus on work.” Darien felt like a heel for pushing off his own bad mood to squash Emery’s. “And maybe she should stay here tonight.”
Emery smiled, a surprised look on his face.
“As many as we can fit should stay.”
“Got it.” Emery started to turn and then paused. “Are you coming?”
Rubbing a hand over his chest, Darien looked around. “Yeah, I’m just going to put the cardboard out.”
He watched him leave before turning around and kicking the pile of cardboard. He could feel his wolf just under the surface, prowling, waiting. Taking a deep breath, he pushed back at it. Nadine’s potion wasn’t helping at all tonight. Up until last year, he could stay upstairs and function with a degree of normalcy. Now, he had to be locked up before by seven, like some toddler. It pissed him off and left the taste of self-disappointment in his mouth. He wasn’t some young pup. He should be able to control this better.
With a growl, he leaned down and scooped up an armful of the cardboard. Shoving the door open, he went out to the bins. Nadine and her witch crew could spell the boundary around Serenity so no one could intentionally hurt another within, but they couldn’t spell his were ass to have more control. It just didn’t seem right.
Emptying his arms, he turned back to get the rest. He could feel the magic crawl over his skin when he was outside. Whether it was because the spell was stronger or his wolf was too aware, it had him rushing to finish and get back inside. Hopefully, if it did that to him, it would do the same to anyone that tried to come in tonight with ill intentions.
When he finished, he glanced up at the sky, his lip peeling back as he looked where the moon would soon sit. Shaking his head, he stepped back inside and closed the door. If he believed in any kind of deity, he’d be praying right now and asking that they not allow anything to happen to anyone he cared about.
On his way through the back, he checked his phone once more. Where the hell was Kyran? He wanted him present tonight as well. The more to watch over Remi and Serenity, the better.