H Is For Human (Garlic Is For Vampires, Book 3)

Chapter 6: Voicemail

Matt strolled over to me as I was picking the gravel out of my cheek and looking at myself in a compact mirror. I raised my head and looked at him. He crouched down in front of me and took my chin between his thumb and his four other fingers. I stole my chin back.

"It's a bump in the head. I don't need a chin implant."

"You cause so much ruckus it's almost impossible to protect you from vampires and the police. Just how do you do it, Bree?"

"She doesn't," Brendon's voice said. "I do." I didn't look up at the ex I no longer talk to as he stood beside me on the curve. "I cleared the situation with the police. You have no idea who that man was, but a wild guess can tell that he might be associated with Dylan. There. You're free to go since they can't even catch the man."

"Whose a vampire," I added under my breath. Brendon had already left and took his wolf butt back to the boss who was waiting for him. I tossed the tissue I had in the bin across from us with a perfect single shot. Matt pretended to shiver and rub his arms.

"Brrr. The ice between you two is so thick the whole world is freezing."

I made a face at him and stood up. A police officer came over to confirm that I was Bree Hawk and that I had already given my story of what happened. Then I was free to go and Matt started to pull me along.

"I'm taking you home. We need to talk, anyway."

"About?" Then I remembered-Mason. "Right. Well I suggest we hurry, but I want to walk. I'm taking a break from taxis for a while. Let's go."

We started off with a brisk walk and I looked over my shoulder only once to see if Brendon was looking at us leave. But he was no longer there. I turned to the front again and then asked Matt about Mason.

"You said he called?"

"Yeah. But I was in the shower, so he left a voice mail. It was strange, actually. I could tell he was fighting someone but he sounded so calm. Confident, almost. But then I heard this explosion and he just said he needed you. You'll see, once I play the recording."

"He hasn't called you since?" If Mason was in trouble-without a doubt, he was-I had to help him. He'd done so much for me, and he was my father. Despite giving me up for adoption, he was my actual father. Not my adoptive one-I hadn't spoken to that one in years. My own adoptive parents didn't even act like the parents they had wanted to be when they first got me. I was going to help the man who helped me.

"Has Skylark found out what you're hiding from him?" I asked.

"You have so much faith in my ability to keep secrets," Matt said, rolling his eyes. "No. He's been busy with Brendon. Apparently there's a new full moon on its way and he doesn't want the werewolf to come out. I also overheard Brendon say he was staying with Skylark the week before the full moon. He didn't want to explain your dead body in his apartment to the police."

I slowed down and stared at the ground. My body? Was Brendon scared he was going to kill me during the full moon? Why? I snorted to myself and then kept walking. Shouldn't I be worried if Brendon was going to kill me during the full moon? I didn't blame Brendon if he wanted to kill me-for what I did to him, I didn't have a good enough reason to argue. So whatever happened...happened.

We arrived at my apartment and I locked the door behind me. "If it comes down to him leaving, fine. Let him leave. But you're free to stay if being a werewolf hunter and living with a werewolf becomes difficult."

Matt looked at me. "You'd actually let me stay with you?"

"Why not? We're both friends, and we both kill. Nothing to worry about. Unless you hate me, too."