Truce and Lies

Grant: many phone calls

Aidan shifted when we got back to their studio, pulling on his clothes in the bathroom. He reemerged human and sighed, leaning against the doorframe. I slipped past him to wash the makeup off my face, wishing not to smell like chemicals anymore.

"You all right?" I asked quietly, as I patted my face dry.

He shrugged. "The bodies were hard to see. Wolf me is better at keeping the emotional human stuff down."

I squeezed his arm. "You did fine."

"Do you think there's more pizza?"

"There's a whole other pie for you," Pat called. "I'll heat it up."

"I forget how good our hearing is," Aidan grumbled.

Pat turned on the oven and slid the pizza back in the oven. Mike tapped his foot while his phone rang. No one was answering.

"I'm feeling a little worried," Mike remarked. "I'm going to call Lin."

"I'm sure they're just stressed," Pat remarked. "I bet Stefa forgot to call and check in, and they're biting their nails and worrying over nothing."

"Hey Lin," Mike said, relief plan on his face.

He went out the door, perhaps so we wouldn't hear. Aidan eyed the oven and then frowned at Pat.

"Why do you have an oven?" he inquired.

"Well, you might not know this being a werewolf, but apartments usually have ovens," Pat laughed. "And we use it. I make potpourri."

I raised an eyebrow. "No you don't."

"Sure. I sell it online. Mike complains sometimes, but it pays the bills better than whatever he does in his spare time."

"I work in a recording studio," Mike said, coming through the door. "And I get paid just fine."

"Like normal people?" I asked.

"Like normal people," Pat replied. "But mostly because we're old. We don't have to feed as often. We can be around humans more easily. The younger ones have to stay with Stefa and the clan because they can't control themselves. We have a system."

She pulled out the pizza from the oven, setting down on the table for Aidan. He kissed me on the cheek and then sat down with the pizza.

"I think you're right," I remarked to Pat. "I've lost my boyfriend to Chicago pizza. I can't even be mad."

"Turtle, I love you more," Aidan promised. "But shifting makes me hungry. Who did you call, Mike?"

"Lin, Stefa's other lieutenant," he said. "Hannah took a group down to Arizona to hunt; people are feeling restless and stupid. No one's heard from Stefa: no surprises there. He's hoping she'll call in the morning and he can update her then; if not, we're supposed to take you two back to Montana."

Aidan paused in his consumption of the large pizza to frown at me. "We were hoping we'd see Conor," he mentioned. "I take it that's not possible? It's why we came down."

"We won't know anything until tomorrow," Pat shrugged. "No sense in speculating. Now, you may have noticed we don't have a bed; but I can probably find a blanket for you, Aidan. You should get some sleep; it'll be another long night tomorrow, especially if we have to trek up to Montana."

"You're renting the car this time," Mike told her. "I'm not dealing with rental companies for the rest of the decade."

"Do you think there's anyway for me to call my father?" I asked. "I know they'll trace the call, but I just... I am a little worried."