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The few humans who had been in the bar had vacated as soon as the fighting started, so the Sheriff was aware he was dealing exclusively with shifters and vampires. Dallas noticed that most of the cougars were gone except for Billy, out cold on the floor, and Andy.
“I must go. I must help Billy.” He said as if needing to explain himself to Dallas.
Dallas just stared at him for a few more seconds and then nodded, and Andy didn't leave until he received that nod, which Dallas found extraordinarily touching. Andy knew what it was, just as Dallas knew, but again, neither was ready to voice their findings.
Andy rushed over to his brother and helped him to his feet. Billy was still groggy from the punch but was coming around, and with Andy's assistance, he was able to get out of the bar before Sheriff Keller followed through on his threat. There wasn't anyone left in the bar when Dallas accompanied Archer and Kevin to their car parked out front. Dallas had parked in the back but wanted to speak with Archer before he left.
"Never a dull moment when the cougars are looking for trouble, which is most of the time," Archer commented as Kevin got into the car and closed his door, sensing that Dallas wanted to speak with Archer.
“They’re not all crazy wrecks.” Dallas shot back.
“No, the young one you were protecting didn’t seem to be a part of what his friends were planning. That was Andy Burns, if I’m not mistaken.” Archer’s look was speculative, and Dallas knew that he knew that something was going on between them, but Dallas wasn’t yet ready to share.
"That was Andy, and I believe he was keeping them somewhat under control until he left the table to get drinks." The guy had a calming effect, but maybe that was just with Dallas. It might not translate to his cougar friends. "He really doesn't belong with that wild bunch."
“But they’re his family.”
“He doesn’t owe them anything.”
"No, he doesn't, but did you notice that he was the only one to lend his brother a hand. The others all took off and left their fearless leader to the cops."
“Billy’s his brother.” That was all Dallas gave as an explanation.
“Billy’s his brother.” Archer understood.
Andy managed to get Billy into his car and wasted no time getting out of town. Sheriff Keller did not make empty threats. It wasn't unusual for Billy's men to look out for themselves and leave others to their own demise, but Andy thought that one of them might have helped with Billy. Billy was the pack leader, and yet they left him unconscious on the floor when Sheriff Keller entered.
He started coming around once they reached the entrance to the forest. The dirt road was rough and bounced them around enough that Billy woke up. He was still feeling the fight but was coherent. "Where are we?" He asked, his voice scratchy and forced. The vampires had made short work of the cougars. It really wasn't even a fight. It was just the cougars running their faces into fists over and over like madmen.
"The fight went south rather quickly, just like I told you it would. You were knocked out with one punch and lay there on the bar room floor until Sheriff Keller came in and broke things up." Andy told him as he carefully made his way down the deserted road in the dark.
“Where’s the rest of the guys?” Billy was sounding a lot less cocky than usual.
"They took off as soon as Sheriff Keller arrived and left you lying on the floor." Andy did not pull any punches. "The Sheriff gave us just a few minutes to get out of there, and anyone still lingering or unconscious was going to jail."
“Thanks for getting me out.”
"You're welcome." They drove on in silence after that, and Andy dropped Billy off at the main house. He was well enough to make his way on his own, so Andy did not get out of his car.
Andy stayed until Billy was inside, and the door was shut before he headed home. The darkness and the silence caused him to turn his thoughts back to the bar and to that handsome vampire who caught his eye. He was tall like all vampires from the Coven, and he looked powerful, again, like all vampires from the Coven. But this one was different. He saw Andy, but he didn't look through him like the others.
Vampires and cougars weren't exactly enemies, but they were far from friends. The man from the bar, Andy, heard his friend call him Dallas and looked at him like he desired him. When Andy had turned from the bar to go back to his table, their eyes locked, and neither wanted to look away until Billy destroyed the moment.
Dallas, his hair was as black as a forest night, and his eyes, although similarly dark, possessed a light that danced and spoke to Andy. He was afraid to say it, but Andy saw something in those eyes that he'd never seen before, and his heart opened when their connection seemed to click. Dallas, he didn't know his last name or anything about him, but he did know that he was a vampire and that Dallas was his mate.
He wondered if Dallas was aware and if he would admit it or if he would hope to ignore the feelings barraging him. Andy's heart was beating fast, and his thoughts were swamped with visions of that man. His cougar was excited and wanted to run to him to claim him as his own, but Andy knew that was not possible now and may never be possible.
If the vampire knew they were a Fated pair, he didn't say anything, so that led him to believe Dallas was not excited about the prospects of having a cougar shifter as his mate or rather beloved. The point being, that Dallas may never recognize him, and that thought was devastating. Andy pushed all of it from his mind and focused on the road ahead of him. He would take life one day, one hour, one incident at a time.
Elroy was on his porch when he got home and rushed out to meet him. It was late, and Andy was not in the mood to visit, but Elroy was bouncing from one foot to the other as he demanded to know what happened to Billy. "If you'd stayed, you'd know what happened." Andy chastised but not too harshly. Elroy wasn't a bad guy.
"Everyone took off when the Sheriff walked in, so I left, too. I thought everyone got out. I didn't realize you and Billy were still inside until after we were out by the car, and then I didn't know what to do." Elroy was scrambling to explain himself, but it wasn't necessary.
"It's okay; I took care of Billy. I just dropped him at home." Andy walked up to his porch and then turned back to Elroy. "Do you need a cup of coffee?" Seeing that the guy was still beating himself up over leaving Billy, he offered. It was late, but Elroy needed to talk and clear his conscience.
“If you don’t mind.” He said and followed Andy.
“I don’t mind.”
