Brothers 3

Chapter 9

James usually went out into the forest to have fun. It was the best place to run for miles and to find someone to hunt. Obviously, he couldn't go there with Ella in tow. Also, with the twins and Orlando gone it would have been lonely. So, he opted to take Ella to the human town. During the evening it was much livelier and less dangerous than it was at night. The amount of people about made it smell delicious and sound like a carnival.

Ella surveyed the stout buildings and the tarmac streets like all of it was made of dreams. James hadn't thought about it before but now that he did he assumed that Ella's dad had never allowed the wolves in the human town. There was too much of a risk that one of them might wander this way then when the full moon was out.

When they had first come out of the trees Ella had taken his hand. He looked down between them and made a show of trying to shake her off. He wasn't a hand holder, he never had been.

But she hadn't noticed or hadn't cared and given the fact that she was so scared to set foot outside of the house, he was willing to let it slide this once.

She didn't lift her feet as they neared the bar and her shoes scrapped over the gravel. James looked sideways at her. She smelt of sweat, even past that perfume she had covered her skin in before leaving the house. Her face was red, and she held onto his hand too tightly.

"Relax." He pointed at the door using his hand that was clasped in hers. "Its just a pub."

"A human pub." She chewed on her lip.

"If we have to go everywhere together then we should at least go to exciting places." James took a step, hauling her with him.

She yanked him back. "I know that but what if they find out what we are?"

"How would they?"

"They could see your fangs."

James massaged the bridge of his nose. "Ella I know how to hide my fangs and even if I didn't do you really think that a human is going to tell me that I have particularly sharp teeth?"

Ella squirmed and squeezed his hand. "Okay fine. You make a good point. Just don't leave me alone."

They went into the bar hand in hand. The place smelt like vodka and body odour. There was a long bar facing the door and some speakers set up to either side of it. The music was low. The floorboards moved whenever someone of a particular weight stood up from their stool and James's shoes squeaked.

"Can I get some Jack Daniels and..." He looked around at Ella who was surveying the place. When she didn't reply James said the first thing that came into his head. "A rum and coke."

He sat on the bar stool and let go of her hand. She clenched and unclenched her fingers then turned and sat with him.

The barman brought their drinks and James paid him. Taking a sip, James stared into the bottom of his glass. If she was this jumpy around the humans, he could kiss goodbye to ever hanging out with any other vampires for a while.

"Excuse me?" The voice was deep, and it sounded like it was on the side of James that Ella was on. He assumed whoever he was he was talking to her.

"Yes."

"Are you alright?"

James tensed up. That was an odd question to be asking a girl who was having a drink with her boyfriend. He sniffed and got a huge hit of werewolf. Shit.

He turned on his stool and came face to face with a towering man whose body was bigger than two of James. He looked him head to toe and back again. He would make a loud bang when he fell.