Page 12 of Live Love Lasso

Half an hour later, I’m firmly Team Bluebell as I devour the best burger I’ve had in my entire life. Bluebell refuses to tell me the secret ingredient and only says if I stick around, she’ll eventually spill the beans. Over dinner, I learn she’s also my landlady, and she makes me promise to comm her if I need anything at the cottage.

All in all, I’m feeling pretty good after filling my belly. The only thing I’d really like that I haven’t found is a blood bank or maybe a willing partner who wants to get bitten by a sexy vampire.

The bar starts to fill, and after a few curious looks, I find myself longing for the peace and quiet of the cottage. I’m not sure I’m ready for the shenanigans of Whiskey Business at peak rush hour, so I head home.

Monsters walk along the street, heading to and from downtown. I get a few stares and waves, so I wave back. I guess it’s what they do here? At the cottage, I take a quick shower to wash off the bar smell. Then I dig into the molasses peach pound cake. Varek was right—it’s fucking delicious. I don’t love the idea of the nosy pixies digging into my personal business, but they can bake the hells out of a cake.

Eventually I head to bed and comm Shadow to check in. She doesn’t answer, so I leave a message as sadness drifts through me. She’s probably out on the town right now with Dain and the girls, drinking and having fun.

Grumbling at my current state of upheaval, I slip into a restless slumber.

Awoo! Awoo!

I shoot upright in bed at the howls. They sound like they’re right outside the damn window. Throwing my legs over the edge of the bed, I grab my silk robe and toss it over my shoulders.

At the window, I look out into the dark, and there, at the far back of the yard, three wolves snarl and snap at something. They seem to be focused on the ground, but I don’t see any sort of prey. I frown at being woken like this. Wolves in the back yard?! That’s irksome.

Half an hour later, there’s no sign of them stopping, so I give in and comm Bluebell. She picks up with the sounds of the bar raging in the background. “What’s up, girl?”

“Wolves in the back yard,” I mutter, rubbing my eyes. “Not shifter wolves, though. Just like…regular ones. Kinda smallish.”

She laughs. “So go outside and see what’s up.”

I jolt, scowling at the blue-banded watch that allows me to make calls within my current haven. “With the rabid wolves? Are you serious?”

She chuckles again. “They’re gonna run away the moment you step outside, Lemon. You’re a vampire. They’ll see you as a predator, and they’ll skedaddle. Probably take whatever they were hunting with them. Just go; I’ll stay on with you.”

I stare outside, fully concerned at the idea of stepping out into the darkness by myself. She’s not wrong that I’d probably appear to be the bigger predator to a wolf, but even so, I flare my shadow wings wide, holding them above my head to look bigger than I am. I’m a vampire. I’ve got huge wings. I can most definitely be terrifying. Rawr!

The moment I open the bedroom door onto the back porch, the wolves stop and look at me. When I take a step forward, they whine and dart off into the trees.

“Did they go?” Bluebell chuckles softly.

“Yeah.” I look around. “I don’t see anything dead, and they weren’t carrying anything in their mouths. What were they doing out here?”

“Go see.”

“This is how horror movies start, Bluebell,” I snap, but I walk across the yard all the same. If shit goes down, I’ll bullet up into the sky. It’s fine; it’s all fine. Just a city girl walking toward a creepy forest, no big deal.

As I cross the yard, a dark, yawning hole comes into view.

“Bluebell, there’s a godsdamn trench in the backyard,” I hiss.

She clears her throat. “It’s a water testing thing. I’ll explain it later. They’re all over the Gulch.”

But when I get to the edge of the hole, I gasp.

At the bottom lies a crumpled animal, its head at an odd angle. Its eyes are open and fully white, which doesn’t seem right. Its legs twitch as if it’s dreaming.

“Oh gods,” I whisper into the watch. “I think it’s a moose or a deer or… It looks wrong. It might be dying, Bluebell. It doesn’t look too good!”

“Fuck,” she hisses. “Is it moving?”

I shrug, then remember she can’t see. “A little? It’s huge, like it would tower over me if it wasn’t folded in half. Holy shit.”

“I’m coming,” she snaps. “Don’t touch anything, and whatever you do, don’t touch it.”

As if I’d go into a hole with a wild animal. Sighing, I watch for another minute. The moose’s hooves twitch pitifully, its breathing shallow. Knowing I can’t help, I head back into the house to change into something more presentable than a silk nightgown.