The Aftermath ✔

5 BAD ROMANCE

Slade refused to go anywhere near Eli. Instead, she watched him, blanket hiding her look of shock.

"Go through this one more time," Slade ordered.

Eli wanted to refuse. As was his habit whenever Slade demanded something from him, he gave in, eventually. "Two years ago, we were celebrating my engagement to Sarah."

"Yes. That I remember."

"After the drinking—" The way her eyes narrowed in confusion told Eli to clarify. "We drank. We went to the dock and I brought some of the werewolf themed beer Sarah's family makes."

Slade nodded. "The type you say tastes like piss?"

He ignored her comment and continued as if she hadn't interrupted.

"You started to bawl—"

"Impossible."

Eli admitted, "Yeah. Now looking back, I think it was Legion."

"Legion?" Slade held up a hand to him and waved him on. "We'll address that later." She leaned forward, reluctant to seek out an honest answer. "Are you saying you've known about the barn for two years? But the condition's only started this year."

That might be true but not for Eli. "Legion knew. She knew it was coming because she told me exactly when it would start. So I began preparing. But when I went to the barn to check, there really was nothing. I felt stupid. But a week later, when I went back, it was nearly packed. So I kept on."

Slade, face turned away from the direction of the glass, risked glancing there. The animal still watched her. Like a bolt, she sat up straight.

"And this was your plan?"

"This was your plan," Eli insisted. "I hadn't thought so at first, but now looking back, it was pretty manipulative. Talking about other factions in other countries breeding and keeping primates. And how you were sure some were still left in this country but only certain people could get in that sphere—someone like my father."

Slade watched her knees, awed. "And how'd you get an animal that big all the way out here? And how did you even build this place—let alone have enough confidence that no one's gonna find it."

Eli let out a sigh and said, "Trust-fund."

Pale blue eyes heavy with sympathy, Slade met his gaze. "You used your currency?"

"And I literally bought runes for each and every brick and used a basic transformation spell to will them here. Then I'd come whenever I could and build the structure. Masonry's all I know howta do."

Doubtful, Slade asked, "A spell. Since when did werewolves practice magic—and earth magic at that? Where'd you learn it?"

Face heated, Eli grumbled, "Internet."

Slade covered her head with the blanket and groaned. "Moron."

"Well, it worked."

She yanked the blanket down; her hair stuck out in all directions. "And the monkey? You telling me your little Renaissance fair spell got something that big all the way out here?"

Throat tightening, Eli shook his head. "No. That was...definitely more illegal." He hesitated but admitted, "Firstly, he hasn't been here all that long, and secondly, your eyes are playing tricks, he's not all that big."

"Not all that big?" Slade stared him down. "There is a gorilla here. What's supposed to happen? I bleed him dry and what? You eat his flesh--?"

"No." Eli struggled for an answer. "I just thought...."

Slade waited. "What?"

"I just thought...."