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“The other times we went up against monsters,” Cody said. “This time we’re dealing with humans.”
“I know. And humans can be worse.” Demetrius pulled him down for a slow, deep kiss. “But we’ve got each other, and that cancels out human assholes.”
“But there’s just two of us and so many of them.”
“Yeah, but you’re really tall, so you count double.” Demetrius cupped Cody’s crotch. “And you’ve got a big dick, so you count even more.”
Cody smirked, and it had a little more of his old spark in it. “You say the sweetest things.”
“Just telling it like it is. Okay, let’s head out and evict some raccoons.”
* * *
It took them until midafternoon to catch the four raccoons. Their client, a woman by the name of Anita Ekendorf, which Cody whispered to Demetrius sounded like a drag name, and also which was a sign, in Demetrius’s mind, that Cody was feeling better. With blond hair worn in a shoulder-length cut, smooth skin, and pale blue eyes, Anita could have been anywhere between thirty and sixty. Her hands were red from constant wringing, and she paced the length of her living room muttering to herself as Cody and Demetrius did their work.
When they finally had all four raccoons caged and in the back of the truck, Anita took one look at the shambles that had once been a guest room and broke down into heavy sobs, complete with high-pitched keening sounds of distress. Demetrius exchanged an uneasy look with Cody before he set to work helping Anita sort ruined items from those that could be salvaged. They hadn’t found an entry point for the raccoons, and Anita thought she hadn’t left the windows without screens open for very long, but might have forgotten to close them overnight.
Once they’d been paid and were back in the truck, Cody put his forehead on the steering wheel and blew out a breath. “God, I’m hungry.”
“Oh my God, me too. But let’s release the raccoons before we get lunch.”
Cody started the truck. “I’d like to suggest we choose a different release spot from our usual, and not just because of the other stowaway raccoon that lurks in that area. I just don’t think either of us wants to be near the pond right now.”
“I don’t know, what if these raccoons bring him into their little family and he becomes happier and content out in the wild?”
Cody gave him a dead-eyed stare until Demetrius finally said with a smirk, “All right. A new spot it is.”
“Thank you.”
At a point along Route 118, halfway between town and Parson’s Pond, Cody pulled off on the gravel shoulder and switched on his flashers. They took the cages one at a time out into the woods about fifty yards from the road. With all four cages lined up, they each stood behind and opened two of them. The four raccoons raced out of the cages and disappeared into the trees.
“See, that’s what a raccoon is supposed to do when released into the wild: run away from the cage.”
“Maybe the stowaway raccoon just likes the way you smell.”
Cody made a “hmph” sound, and they packed up the cages and returned to the truck.
Margie’s Diner was the unspoken agreed upon place for lunch, and Cody lucked into a spot on the street just outside the door. It was well-past the lunch rush, so they had their pick of booths along the far wall. As they settled into a booth Demetrius liked to think of as their usual, Margie pushed through the swinging door into the kitchen, her face lighting up at the sight of them.
“How are you boys?” Margie asked as she straightened her hairnet. She looked around and lowered her voice. “Anything weird going on in town I should know about?”
“Nothing more than usual,” Cody said.
Margie lowered her voice even further. “Not werewolves again, I hope?”
“No, nothing like that.” Demetrius reached out to squeeze her hand, thinking briefly of how Nicolae had held him and Margie along with a few others hostage in a hunting cabin outside town. She looked relieved as she squeezed his hand in response.
“Nothing monstrous,” Cody said, then looked at Demetrius and shrugged. “At least, not that we know of. But I did get served papers today.”
“What?” Margie sat next to Demetrius, forcing him to slide over a bit. She folded her hands on the tabletop and leaned in as she locked her gaze on Cody. “What kind of papers?” Her eyes widened, and she looked between them. “It’s from that family, isn’t it? The ones who’ve been talking crap about your business.”
“So, you’ve heard it, too?” Cody said. “Wonderful. No wonder our business has dropped off.”
“Oh, I haven’t heard it around town. They’ve been in here down-talking you boys, saying you killed their sweet Phil.” Margie snorted. “Sweet Phil. What a crock. That boy would snatch tips off tables as he left the diner. I caught him doing it more than once. I gave him a good talking to, and he didn’t come around after that.” She shook her head. “Taking money from my staff, who work their butts off to serve the people of this town every day. Anyway, his parents and brother were in here trash talking you two, saying how you took their sweet Phil away, how you’ve done nothing but bring this town down. Hell, they even started suggesting you brought the monsters here!”
Demetrius exchanged a quick look with Cody as a familiar gurgle of guilt bubbled up inside him. In a manner of speaking, they had been responsible for Nicolae’s attacks because he had come to town seeking revenge over their killing of one of his werewolf “children.”
Margie missed the look they shared, and went on with her story. “I didn’t hear all of it, but once I caught wind of what they were saying and who it was about, I went right up to them and the people they’d conned into listening and told them all to get out. I told them straight up that you boys have saved the people of this town more than once, and at great personal sacrifice. They tried to argue with me, but Lucia was in here at the time and she helped me get them out without much incident, just a lot of yelling and threats to sue me as well. Fucking imbeciles.” She looked between them. “Pardon my French.”
