Shelly Laurenston - Bite Me

“Why not? We make a good team.”

“Do I actually have to state that I work alone? Because I work alone.”

“You work with me all the time. You worked with me just yesterday. You’re working with me now .”

“See? The fact that you argue everything with me makes it impossible for us to be partners.”

They reached the entrance to the plane, but before Vic could bend down to get through the opening, Shen gave him a quick shove from behind. Vic stumbled forward, his head banging into the body of the plane.

“Ow!” Vic barked. “What the holy hell—”

“Are you okay?” Shen asked, his arm around Vic’s shoulders. “You poor guy.”

Shen pressed his hand to the back of Vic’s head, lowering it enough so he could get into the cabin.

The two flight attendants helping passengers rushed forward.

“Sir, are you all right?”

“He’s fine,” Shen said. “But a little ice pack for his head would be great.”

“Of course,” one attendant agreed as she rushed off.

“Come on, buddy,” Shen said, patting Vic’s shoulder. “Let’s go force those long legs of yours into that economy middle seat.”

“Oh.” The remaining attendant leaned in. “You know, we have some seats available in first class.”

“That would be really nice. He gets so uncomfortable in those small seats.”

Smiling at Shen, the attendant led the pair to seats in first class. Once they were settled, the attendant went back to her work.

“See?” Shen asked Vic.

“See what?”

“See how helpful I was. I got us in first class.”

“Unless the plane is booked completely, I always get first class. All they have to do is look at me. But I’ve never had to ram my head into a plane to get first-class seats.”

“You know, you’re very unappreciative of what I bring to the table.”

Vic leaned over, searching the aisle for a flight attendant. “I wonder if I have to wait for takeoff before I can get a vodka . . .”

Sitting at the kitchen table in the apartment Toni shared with her mate, Livy rested her head on her crossed arms. “Maybe I should go to Europe.”

“Are you allowed in Europe?” Toni asked as she put away dishes in the overhead cabinets.

“Parts. They seem to like me in Germany.”

“You could also throw your cousin out of your apartment so you don’t have to leave the country.”

“That sounds disturbingly like work.”

“Olivia—”

“Uh-oh,” Livy sighed, knowing she was about to get a Toni Lecture.

“—I know you’re going through a rough time. This isn’t what you wanted for your life. But every artist goes through struggles.” Toni placed her hand on Livy’s shoulder. “But every struggle you endure will only make you better at what you do.”

“You gave that speech to Kyle when he refused to wear his diapers anymore.”

Toni glanced off. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. I clearly remember because he’d torn off the diaper you’d made him put on and threw it at your head. But before throwing it, he’d filled it.”

“Little bastard.” Toni shuddered. “Look, the point I’m making is . . . suck it up! You’re a great artist. I know it. You know it. You’re just having a bad time of it. Add in the death of your father and I’m not exactly surprised you’re a little depressed.”

Toni’s phone went off and she glanced at the caller ID. “It’s Russia.”

“Now the entire country is contacting you?”

“It’s the Russian hockey team. The game went so well last year they want to have one here. I’m in charge of making the arrangements.” She smiled with pride at doing the job she loved so much, which made Livy snarl a little. “Well, if you’re going to get such an attitude, I guess I’ll answer the phone.”

She did, walking out of the room for her conversation.

Livy thought about getting something to eat, but before she could move, she suddenly realized she was surrounded. By wolves.

Lifting her head off her arms, Livy looked around at the Smith Pack females now sitting at the kitchen table with her or standing behind her.

“What?” she asked the females.

“You all right, darlin’?” one of them asked. “You look mighty sad.”

Ronnie Lee Reed, second-in-command of the Smith females, held her baby out. “Wanna hold him?”

Livy glared at the lion-wolf hybrid—and he glared right back, all that hair nearly covering bright blue distrustful eyes.

“You’re kidding, right?” Livy asked.

“What in the world does that mean?”

“Your baby’s evil.” When she saw the mother’s distressed expression, Livy quickly added, “Not like unholy evil, if you believe in a standard god.”

“A standard god?” Sissy Mae Smith, Alpha Female of the New York Smith Pack, asked as she sat down catty-corner from Livy.

“Personally, I’m a fan of the Nordic and East Asian gods. They have quite an edge to them.”

Sissy Mae laughed. “An edge? Darlin’, have you actually read the Bible?”

“Yes,” Livy replied, ending the laughter instantly.

Sissy Mae stared at her. “You read the Bible? The entire Bible?”

“Yes. I’ve also read the Torah, the Koran, the Vedas, Norse mythology, Roman and Greek mythology, and The Tao of Pooh. ” When the She-wolves continued to gaze silently at her, Livy added, “As an artist, I have to be open to everything.”

“Artist?” one of the She-wolves asked.

“Our Livy here,” Sissy Mae said, “is a photographer.” She pointed at Livy. “That’s right. You’re doing Blayne’s wedding.”

With rage and panic welling up inside her, Livy asked, “I am?”

“Aren’t you?”

“I never agreed—” Livy’s phone vibrated and she pulled it out of her back pocket and quickly glanced at the screen. “Excuse me,” she said, pushing away from the table. She walked across the kitchen and answered her phone.

“Hello?”

“Hey, cousin.”

“Hey, Jocelyn. How’s it going?”

“Not bad. Sorry I couldn’t make the funeral.”

“No problem.” Jocelyn was Livy’s first cousin on her father’s side and she’d been knee-deep in the middle of a job when news came in about Livy’s father. Kowalskis had been known to walk out in the middle of jobs when family issues came up, but from what Livy could tell from Jake, Jocelyn had been driving a getaway car through Rome at the time of the funeral and then immediately lying low for a bit until the dust settled. Something Livy didn’t expect her cousin to walk away from until it was safe. Even for a funeral.

Three wolves walked into the kitchen while Livy was on the phone with her cousin. The Reed Boys, they were called. Laid-back Ricky Lee was mated to Toni. Rory Lee was the oldest and the crankiest of the three brothers. He rarely spoke to Livy unless he felt he had to out of politeness. And then there was Reece Lee, one of the Carnivore hockey players. Livy found Reece the most entertaining and had used him more than once as a model for her portrait work.

When he walked in, he spotted Livy right away and waved at her. She nodded back as her cousin asked, “So how did it go?”

“Fistfight on the casket. Poisonous snakes in the backyard. My father’s ex-girlfriend head-butted by my mother.” Livy shrugged. “The usual, really.”

“Sounds it.”

Ronnie Lee, seeing her brothers, stood with her son in her arms. “Take Reggie, I need to go to the bathroom.”

At their sister’s request, Ricky Lee immediately changed direction and walked over to Livy by the sink, Reece dropped to one knee so he could tie a boot that didn’t need it, which left poor Rory unprepared. His sister shoved the baby in Rory’s arms and the stoic wolf suddenly appeared terrified. If the females of the Pack noticed, none of them said anything. Instead, they kept chatting among themselves.