Liam nodded in agreement. “According to what Maroulla tells me, the Grand Council… That’s our international Council, if you’ll remember,” he said in aside to Naomi, then continued smoothly, “…and, indeed, the High Council of Others, are discussing that very option.”
Frowning, Naomi turned that over in her mind. This was all new-ish territory for her, although the other shifters were clearly accustomed to discussing these things.
“Why the High Council?” she inquired. “I mean… they’re not coming out, too, are they? The Djinn and mythicals, and … and so forth?”
“No, but there will be a backlash,” Joe explained, tearing apart a hot roll and slathering it with butter. “There’s going to be a scrutiny of the most innocent of interactions, as people will be looking for anything or anyone who appears the least bit different.”
Again, Naomi shivered. “It makes me think of the Salem Witch Trials.”
“You’re not entirely wrong. Just remember, Naomi, no human can tell you are a shifter,” Jake reminded her, pinning her with an earnest look. “Not even other shifters, if they are in human form. It’s only in our Changed form that we can identify a shifter in their human form.”
She brightened. “Oh, that’s true! I’d forgotten about that.”
A brief silence fell as their waiter approached, setting their dinners before them, and the next few minutes were taken up with digging into the food.
“I love a good, well-marbled ribeye,” Naomi sighed with appreciation as she savored the first bite. She frowned at the bloody steak on Joe’s plate. “Yours is still practically mooing.”
Liam snickered. “Because, wolf.”
Unapologetically, Joe cut off a generous bite and put it in his mouth.
Jake looked offended. “Hey, some of us can be civilized.” He pointed to his own steak, a thick T-bone that was just a little pink on the inside.
“Yeah, yeah,” Liam responded good-naturedly. “Carnivores.”
Naomi grinned, and reached for the salt, sprinkling it lightly over her baked potato, split and steaming, and running with lovely butter.
“Pup,” she accused Liam.
“Pussy.”
They all laughed, and Naomi relaxed, enjoying the company of these shifters, basking in her newfound life. Surrounded by new friends, being accepted, being part of a community. Somehow, she’d found her way into a little slice of heaven that she’d never expected. Her heart felt like it was expanding, overflowing with warmth and wonder.
Beside her, Liam glanced over, his hand coming over to cover her hand.
“You okay?”
Her smile came easily. “I’m just fine.”
Their meals finished, it was unanimously voted to have coffee and dessert. While a busboy cleared off the remains of their meals littering the table, Naomi settled back against the cushions of the booth. Beside her, Liam’s arm had crept around her shoulders, and while she was able to not give in to the yearning to lean into him, still, she enjoyed the heavy weight of his arm, the warmth of his body close to hers. He played with her hair absently as they all talked, combing his fingers through the long strands, wrapping them around his fingers, then smoothing them out. Such a little thing to do, to cause the color to fluctuate in her cheeks, and make her feel this yearning for him. It seemed so natural to be with him like this, like they somehow fit together.
It was well after nine when they arrived back at the inn. Joe dropped the three of them off, and once they were inside, Jake went on upstairs. Naomi and Liam headed into the lounge.
“I need some cookies for bedtime,” she announced, peering at Renee’s selection on the buffet. “There’s a new release out by one of my favorite authors, so I’m going to stay up and read all night. I’ve had my Kindle on the charger while we were gone, so it’s ready to go, but I’ll need munchies.”
“Good thing these are out all night, then,” Liam said, grabbing a couple of chocolate chocolate chip cookies, wrapping them in a napkin.
She grinned, bypassing the napkin for a paper plate, which she loaded up. “Once I’m working, I can’t be pulling all-nighters with new books, so I’m going to enjoy it while I can.”
She went to grab a mug-sized thermal tumbler, filling it with hot water from the electric kettle, then stirring in a packet of instant hot cocoa. She glanced at Liam over her shoulder.
“So, um, Thursday is Thanksgiving.”
“Yeah, it is. I remember you’d mentioned you were thinking of going to Brooklyn, to the taxi guy’s house?”
“Mmhmm. I texted him a thank you after I got back here from getting my car, and we’ve been texting back and forth ever since, him and his wife, who’s really nice. They really seem to want me to come, so, well, I said yes!”
He smiled. “That’s great, Naomi. Good for you.”
