Homoween 2019: Hollywood Coven

Day 3: Bone Daddy

If you thought the supernatural was well, supernatural, you should try being underneath truck stop florescent lighting for any length of time. The buzzing and the weird blinding color always made Luke yearn for better places, better things. The one thing he could say about road trips in America was that Americans certainly knew how to stock their rest stop areas with all manner of things in one suffocatingly bland building.

Those memories of the French Riviera and Scotland and India were very nice right then to have. Especially when he hadn't had them alone.

Luke moved among the aisles slowly. The whole place reeked spiritually of faux masculinity. From the cassette tapes to the DVDs to the giant stack of Hostess Cupcakes, not only did you get an impression that the people here didn't know what it was to live but that to them- to live was to be sad. 

Derek had been emphatic about taking a break to stretch his legs and also about wanting a lot of jerky before they got to Vegas. So Luke had filled up the tank, walked into the store, and now he was looking at things like Bone Daddy Beef Jerky! For When You Want that Deep Bone flavor!

Luke wondered with gentle amusement how Derek would take a pig ear and a chew toy from the dog section of the store.

But, because he was a good vampire (insomuch as one could be a good vampire accustomed still to ones mortal moral internal compass), he tipped down the brim of his trucker hat that helped him blend in with the everyday shoppers and picked up the jerky, some pork rinds, a few manner of drinks that were hopefully not too sugar filled, and he thought Derek might like some donuts. 

He was in line to pay when he sniffed the holy water out. Holy water had a sort of Mediterranean scent and though most supernaturals had a bit of a sense of it hanging around- Luke noted it more because he was around the smells it brought up more. Certain types of limestone, certain types of church polish, marble- that sort of thing. And once again, the movies had made it seem like a great way to ward off evil bump in the night types but the reality was usually less so. 

It only sort of did that. It just really made the skin taste terrible and you could get a rash from it. It was more like Herpes that late stage 4 syphilis to a vampire.

He paid like nothing was wrong. Grinned at the stunned cashier who checked him out who had kind of figured out who he was but had been too bowled over by his celebrity to say anything, and walked out clutching his purchases as though everything was fine and ordinary.

"Sir- I was wondering if you have a -"

A vagabond not far from the door. Sad sight to see, especially considering how far in the desert they were. Luke could just see Derek not far off, doing tai chi and such near the car. Kicking up a little dust.

"You should help out. You could afford it." The voice with the scent of holy water was not unfamiliar. 

Luke turned, his face almost as serene and playful as he could make it before he faced JR. Which meant that Ian would be close by, probably watching Derek. And Derek of course was the kind of person that would probably tell Ian everything if Ian just asked the right way. Foolish to do with the Hunters but as far as Derek knew they weren't doing anything wrong. Which they probably weren't. Or they were walking into a trap, but Luke hadn't wanted to think that far ahead yet.

"Road trips cost a lot, love," Luke said with a tightness in his throat. "Not as liberal with my money as you might be."

"Road trip with a wolf. Going on vacation?"

"Nothing wrong with a little vacation now and then. That's what I'm known for," he said with just a small grin. A further touch of fang.

Not even a bit of a tic of movement from JR. No disgust or fear. Hunters were an exhausting breed. 

JR plucked the Bone Daddy jerky from out of the top of the bag. "Didn't know Bone Daddy was your brand."

"Oh, you know how I love meat David. Don't be unkind."

"Seems like you're running errands for your wolf friend."

"What seems and what is are occasionally two different things."

"You're out of your territory during pledge season, Evans."

Luke shrugged. "Mental health breaks wait for no man."

"You'd have to be a man first."

"You'd know, wouldn't you?"

"You headed to Vegas or up to Salt Lake?"

"Why would I volunteer that information?"

"Doesn't make a difference if you do or not."

"I have permission from the Vegas Coven to travel freely."

"Seems kind of weird you wouldn't check in with people that actually mattered," JR said with a little emotion playing across his face.

"I did-" Luke said defiantly.

"Now what's gonna happen if uhhh my partner talks to your wolf buddy."

"I'd imagine the conversation would be quite animated. Derek find sitting still difficult sometimes."

JR opened the package of jerky and took some, beginning to chew thoughtfully. "Don't cause trouble."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Luke said as JR replaced the now half empty bag of jerky and just stood there blinking in Luke's direction as Luke sauntered away.