Blood: The Third Course

Chapter Forty-Five

"The girl says Spencer will be fine,"

August didn't look up from the desk full of paperwork, even though he had felt William hovering in the doorway for the last five minutes. Why it had taken the man so long to speak up, he didn't know, but he didn't have the time for pandering, anyhow.

"Yes," he agreed, yanking open the bottom drawer and pulling out another handful of files. He flicked through them quickly, scanning for the one he wanted. "She was rather too joyous to inform me that Spencer is angry I had Thomas sedate him so heavily."

William stepped further into the room, running his hand along the back of the couch.

"Well, the boy did spend the last three months drugged up to the eyeballs," he said. "And was trying to clean up."

Lifting his head, August glared at William. He shook his head and went back to the files.

"Then he should have woken up and told me so, himself, shouldn't he?"

William chuckled and perched on the back of the couch. He leaned forwards, peering curiously as the files scattered across August's desk.

"What are you doing up here, anyway?"

Shoving the files away when he realised they were not the ones he needed, August huffed and got to his feet, pushing the chair aside and going to a low cabinet. He yanked it open with all the care of a stampeding bull.

"What do you think I'm doing, William?" he snapped. "Playing the accordion?"

William didn't seem the slightest bit perturbed by the sarcasm. He crossed his arms over his chest and tipped his head back to look at the ceiling.

"I'm just surprised you're up here, that's all, not sitting with Spencer, ensuring his every breath is okay... Stopping that girl from putting ideas in his head."

August kicked the drawer closed and moved on to the next.

"Both Thomas and Edeline assure me that he will be fine, and since Embrey was only given until sunset to get out of the city, I can only assume they will want us..." August paused, finally turning to look at William. "What ideas?"

Grinning back at him, William got to his feet and ambled towards the desk.

"Destinations," he said, picking up one of the files. "She was on Hawaii when I left. I told her that was a stupid idea. Islands are no place for wolves, and Hawaii is too close to the equator, practically no night time."

August merely stared.

"So what do I care where that girl wants her wolf to take her?" he asked, waving a hand dismissively. "Look, since you're here, search that lot again for the house deeds, will you? We'll need to get them signed over to you quickly."

"To me?"

"Yes. No point in them being in my name anymore. And there should also be a list of contacts for identity information. You should all be safe for a dozen years or so, but then it'll have to change."

August went back to searching through the top cabinet. If he could get this done, know that he didn't have to worry about it, he could get on with packing enough things for him and Spencer. Just enough for while they travelled. And he needed to call the bank and get his credit card unlocked for international travel to last until he could set up new accounts.

Moving was a bitch.

"Oh, and never be afraid to aim low," he added. "But not too low. No one really wants to be eighteen again. Twenty-one is usually a good—"

"What are you even talking about right now?" William interrupted.

He was still standing by the desk, but had not touched the files August had asked him look through. Huffing, August turned to him.

"Being in control of this house takes work, William. I don't think anyone realised how much paperwork there was involved in keeping us below the radar."

William shook his head.

"No, I know that," he said. "But why are you telling me? I'm coming with you."

Blinking, August repeated the words in his head three times.

"I'm sorry, you're what?"

"Coming with you. You think I'd let you leave me here with a pack of rabid wolves on the doorstep? Not likely."

August nodded, he did have a point there.

"You want to spend eternity with me and Spencer? I believe they call that a third wheel."

"That won't be a problem. After all, this is more like a... what's something with a lot of wheels?"

"Excuse me?"

Laughing, William shook his head and let out a sigh.

"I'm not the only one coming," he said. "Everyone's agreed."

"Everyone?"

"Okay, well, not everyone. But everyone important. The others are scattering, said they were only staying out of familiarity."

August dumped the last of the files on the desk and ran his fingers through his hair. He groaned under his breath.

"Who is everyone important?"

"You, me, Spencer, Thomas," he said. "From the way that girl is talking downstairs, I think she's wanting to stay close, which of course means—"

"Wolves," August finished. "Hence no islands."

"Exactly. Well, as I said, not sure on that one. But Thomas is already packing."

Shaking his head, August stared at the piles of paperwork he'd been all prepared to hand over to William.

"Do you even want this?" he asked. "I thought you were ready to string me up by my entrails after what happened to Cleo."

"Can't do that if I don't know where you are," William said easily. "But hey, you're my sire brother. Figure we should stick together."

August sighed. He knew he should be coming up with more arguments. He'd told Spencer that it would just be the two of them, that they would leave and never look back. Now, some dysfunctional band of misfit supernatural beings were apparently travelling the world together. The wolves would be a definite problem, though as William said, he wasn't sure about them. Maybe he could put them off, especially if he was wrong about Edeline. Why would she want to be near Spencer, anyway? No, that was a problem for later in the day.

"Fine," he said, nodding. "Well, if you're leaving with us, and the rest are jumping ship, we need to gut this house, top to bottom."

William grinned.

"Can't we just burn it down?"

Rolling his eyes, August jabbed his finger towards the door, indicating that William should get to work.

"Why don't you go start packing, William, we only have a few hours. And get someone to bleach the inside of that van. We'll call arson plan B."

AUTHOR'S NOTE

I just spent two days in front of a sewing machine and I am ready to crash. I was going to post chapters on different days, but since I barely touched a computer yesterday, you're getting two today.

So... moving right along. 
Don't forget to vote and comment.

Chele