Having seen the last client of the evening to the lobby, Beth dropped into a chair behind the reception desk. Layla was organizing the day's files with impressive efficiency.
"You look like you've been doing that all your life," she told her friend.
Layla beamed at her. "I know, I was surprised at how easy I found it. So maybe it's a little boring."
They both chuckled, then looked around as Troy emerged from his office, shrugging into his worn leather jacket. His keys jingled as he patted his pockets, doing the familiar end-of-shift check - wallet, phone, keys.
"Everything's squared away for tomorrow morning's surgeries," he said, pausing at the front desk. "Tobi's waiting for me out back. You two okay to close up?"
"We've got it covered," Beth assured him, tucking a loose strand of pale hair behind her ear. "And our security's here, too," she reminded him.
"Perfect." He smiled warmly at them both. "You're both doing great work here. Have a good night, ladies."
"Good night, Dr. Shelton," they called in unison as he headed for the back door.
The clinic's waiting room sat empty, the last patient having left thirty minutes ago. Outside, the security lights cast pools of yellow illumination over the customer parking lot, while darkness engulfed the thickly clustered trees beyond.
Beth pushed away from the counter. "Want some tea? I think we still have that mint blend you like."
"No, I'm good." Layla closed the last file drawer with a satisfying click. "I've only got fifteen minutes before I head home. Are you working all night again?"
"Yeah, until five." Beth propped her feet on a stool, shaking her head as she watched Layla fuss with things.
Layla frowned at her. "I don't know how you can work twelve-hour shifts. Just a regular shift feels long enough."
A grin spread across Beth's face. "Ah, but it means I get three-and-a-half day weekends. Four nights on, then almost four days off to do whatever I want."
Layla just shook her head, clearly unconvinced by Beth's enthusiasm for the night shift schedule.
"I've always been a night owl," Beth explained. "Okay, let's lock up and get one of the guys to escort you out."
The words were hardly out of her mouth when headlights swept across the waiting room windows.
"Oops, spoke too soon. Although, Dr. Shelton's gone."
Layla shrugged. "We can send them to the emergency vet in town."
"True."
A moment later the clinic's front door burst open, and a woman stormed in, dragging a young boy by the arm. His thin face was pinched with discomfort as she yanked him forward. The woman's features twisted into an ugly sneer as she approached the counter.
"So this is where they let animals pretend to be people." Her voice dripped with venom. "Playing doctor while decent humans trust them with their pets."
Inside Beth, Whisper bristled and snarled, the leopard's fury pulsing hot and demanding in response to the pure hatred radiating from the woman. Her hands clenched beneath the counter, nails digging into her palms as she fought to keep her voice steady. "Ma'am, can I help you with something?"
"Help me?" The woman barked out a harsh laugh. "I don't want anything from creatures like you. Hiding among decent people, deceiving everyone. You're all abominations."
The boy beside her stared at the floor, his shoulders hunched. He couldn't have been more than eleven or twelve, and Beth's heart ached at his obvious distress.
"I saw the news." Her lip curled with disgust. "All this time, monsters walking among us. Wearing our faces, living in our neighborhoods. It's disgusting."
Beth felt Layla freeze completely beside her. Her friend's hands trembled so badly she nearly dropped the file, and when Beth glanced over, Layla's face had drained of all color. With a visible effort, Layla reached for the button beneath the counter that would summon security.
Beth straightened her spine. "If you don't have any medical needs, I'll have to ask you to leave. We're preparing to close for the evening."
"Leave? Oh no, I came to make sure everyone knows what this place really is." The woman's voice rose shrilly. "A den of freaks and animals pretending to be normal. You don't deserve to walk among humans. You should all be locked up in cages where you belong."
The clinic's door swung open, a blast of cold air preceding Tyr and Tobi as they strode in. The vampire twins' faces hardened as they took in the scene.
