Flirting Under a Full Moon (12 page)

Shit.
He couldn’t slow the footage enough to see a body or face. Stopping it on a blur only showed a dull wash of gray. Nick’s mind wandered to Brandee. How she’d worn gray that first night she followed him. Most of her red hair had been covered by a hoodie. The memory had nothing to do with the case, but
everything
reminded him of Brandee.

He glanced at his watch. He had just enough time to hop the train to Newton and meet up with the pack before the full moon. He usually arrived early to visit with his brother and sister-in-law before heading to the wooded area behind the school where the pack shifted. But tonight he’d have to go straight there.

After closing and putting away his computer, Nick’s mind drifted back to Brandee. Again. It was probably a good thing he had no time to chat with his brother before the shift. Now he wouldn’t have to tell him about finding his true mate, only to screw up royally. He’d wait until he’d repaired things with Brandee. A little voice in the back of his mind said,
If
you can
patch
things
up.

He squashed that thought. He
had
to
fix this. Roses, candy, holding a boom box playing a romantic song under her window…he’d do whatever. Hell, if he had to confess all his secrets—including his paranormal identity—to earn back her trust, he’d do it. Mother Nature and the Council be damned. But did he dare take the chance of scaring Brandee to death? He was almost positive she was his one true mate. No one had ever affected him the way she did…and he doubted anyone ever would.

***

Brandee had managed to talk Sadie into letting her stay in the bar after-hours to watch her communicate with the ghost. Sure, the psychic
seemed
trustworthy, but Brandee wanted to hear the interaction for herself. Sadie could make up anything the next day.

Sadie had insisted that Brandee stay behind the bar. She said, with Anthony in his office and another person around, she wasn’t sure the spirit would approach her. With that in mind, Brandee brought a book with her and squatted on a footstool behind the bar, out of sight of any ghost that might appear. It was the best she could do to be invisible.

The bar had closed at eleven as usual. The staff had done their rudimentary cleanup. Placing chairs on top of wiped tables, sweeping the floor, taking out the trash, and then everyone departed. It wasn’t unusual for Anthony to stay in his office a little longer, but he always left by eleven thirty or eleven forty-five at the latest.

Brandee didn’t know why he refused to stay open past midnight like other bars in the city, but she wasn’t about to question her easy hours.

She was beginning to think nothing was going to happen. It was nearly midnight and Sadie had tried a couple times to make contact without success.

Then at the stroke of midnight someone spoke. It was a voice Brandee had never heard before—definitely not Sadie or Anthony. The strange voice sounded kind of like someone who had just inhaled a lungful of helium.

Sadie responded cordially. She didn’t sound surprised or upset, so chances were it wasn’t a burglar.

“You’ll have to leave—we won’t work around you,” the odd voice said.

“I’m honored that you showed up despite my presence and that you’re allowing me to talk to you,” Sadie said.

“Yeah, well, don’t get used to it,” another voice said. He also sounded like he’d had a shot of helium—or maybe like a Munchkin—but the voice was definitely male.

“We wouldn’t have shown ourselves, but this place is a mess. If we don’t start soon, it’ll take all night to clean it.” There was a tsk-tsk noise.

Brandee had an overwhelming desire to peek over the bar. What would she see? Would she see anything at all? Spirits didn’t have bodies, did they? Yet one of them had said they “showed themselves.” And they mentioned cleaning… What did that mean?

Her curiosity won out. She lifted her head slowly and gazed at Sadie. At first she saw nothing, then she noticed Sadie looking down. Brandee lifted her head a little higher. A sight she never expected to see in a million years met her eyes.

Two little men—the smallest people she could ever imagine—only about a foot high but perfectly proportioned from the back. How did they get in? Did they hide in small spaces like the air ducts during the day and only come out at night when they wouldn’t be stared at? Did Anthony hire a tiny cleaning crew to get into the tight spots the staff missed?

They wore green and blue suits and felt hats. The hats nearly covered their hair, but the strands peeking out beneath their brims appeared white.

Suddenly Sadie looked up and spotted her. She shot her a disapproving frown and Brandee ducked down.

“Who else is here?” demanded one of them.

Sadie didn’t answer. Brandee heard tiny footsteps running toward her.
Oh, crap.
One of them jumped up on the bar and peeked over. The other appeared in the space beneath the bar where it lifted for the staff to come in and out.

Brandee glanced from one face to the other.

These were no midgets. They had completely black eyes and only holes for noses over fluffy white beards. Suddenly she couldn’t breathe. Were they a product of genetic experimentation gone wrong? Some kind of aliens?

Her vision clouded and her head swam. She knew what was happening but had no desire to stop the sweet oblivion of a good faint. The last thing she remembered was the sensation of her body slumping against the bar.

“I can’t do that to her much more.”

Brandee’s sense of hearing returned first. Anthony and Sadie seemed to be having a heated discussion.

“Why not, Anthony?”

“Because she’ll wind up with Alzheimer’s.”

Brandee’s eyes popped open. She was in Anthony’s office, lying down on his couch. “Who’s going to give me Alzheimer’s?” she demanded.

Anthony and Sadie whirled toward her and stared. Brandee struggled to sit up, and Anthony was beside her in an instant.

“How much did you hear?”

“You said you couldn’t do something to me anymore or I’d get Alzheimer’s. What the fudge is up with that? You can’t
give
someone Alzheimer’s. And where are those weird little guys?”

Anthony patted her hand. “I’m sorry you heard that, Brandee. I wasn’t serious about giving you Alzheimer’s. I can’t really do that. I’m a hypnotist and thought it might be easier for you if I erased your memory of the brownies.”

“The Brownies? Why? It wasn’t that bad. I even stuck with it and became a Girl Scout.”

Sadie tittered. “The ‘weird little guys’ you saw are called brownies, dear. We didn’t realize they were here in the building until tonight.”

They were real and inhabited her workplace? What about her home? She tried not to overreact. Instead she cleared her throat and casually asked, “So, it’s still tonight, and I didn’t go all Rip Van Winkle or anything?”

Anthony stood. “You were only out for a few minutes.”

Brandee began to rise, but Anthony stopped her with a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Sit for a minute. I want to be sure you’re all right.”

“Why wouldn’t I be? Did I bump my head?”

Sadie strolled over and sat in the spot Anthony had just vacated. “I don’t think so. I found you sort of crumpled in a heap, but your head wasn’t on the floor.”

“Then I should be good to go.” Brandee’s voice wavered a bit, but she wanted to get out of there before anyone did anything
to
her.

“Not yet,” Anthony said. “I imagine you have questions. I’d rather you ask us than anyone else.”

“Who would I ask? Everyone would think I was crazy.”

“Exactly.” Anthony crossed to his office chair, rotated it to face her, then sat.

“So what the hell are they—brownies? Where did they come from? Are they some kind of alien?”

Sadie gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “As a matter of fact, they’re very much from earth. They’re earth spirits.”

Anthony leaned forward and clasped his hands. “They inhabit certain homes. They like to clean places, and as long as a snack is left for them, they’re happy to help. But they don’t like to be seen. You were very fortunate to get a glimpse of them.”

“Ha. If I’m so lucky, why were you trying to make me forget? And what did you mean when you said you couldn’t do it to me much
more
? What have you done to me?”

Anthony bit his lip, then swore and grabbed a tissue. A drop of blood was visible. He pressed the paper over the cut until it stopped bleeding, which seemed to take no time at all.

Sadie fiddled with her rings. “Do you remember wanting to stay behind the bar and see if I could make contact with the spirit I detected?”

“Yes. I remember everything before that and up until the little noseless, bearded men found me. Do they come into our apartment?”

“No, and Anthony didn’t do any hypnosis with you tonight.”

He leaned back. “I’d like to take the memory of the brownies from you for your own good. You absolutely can’t tell
anyone
about what you saw. If you don’t know about them, you won’t let it slip out. I need your permission, however.” He glanced at Sadie and she gave a slight nod.

“What would happen if I did let it slip? I’m not saying I would. Anyone I told would think I’m a few bottles short of a six-pack.”

“I imagine the brownies would move out—or worse. If curious gawkers came looking for them, they’d be very upset. They’re sensitive creatures.”

“Worse? Something worse than not getting your bar cleaned for free?”

“If angered, they play pranks on the offender.”

“But we’ll tell Angie, right? I mean, she’ll want to know since she lives here too.”

“I wouldn’t,” Sadie said quickly. “The fewer people who know, the better. We really can’t take a chance on word getting out.”

“I used to wonder why the place sparkled the next day after a busy night. I just figured you had a kick-ass cleaning crew come in.”

Anthony smiled. “And I thought you guys always did a great job of cleaning up after I left.”

“You really didn’t know about the brownies?”

“I really didn’t. The bar opens several hours before I get in.”

She faced Sadie. “But you said snacks had to be
left
out
for them. We don’t leave out any food at the end of the night.”

“Apparently they were helping themselves to the peanuts and pretzels. But they did such an excellent job of cleaning up after themselves that we had no idea.”

Brandee shook her head. “Crazy.” After a brief pause, she asked, “So, is it okay if I go upstairs now? I promise not to breathe a word of this, and I’m really exhausted.”

Anthony and Sadie looked at each other, then at her.

Anthony spoke first. “You don’t have any more questions?”

“I’m still hoping I’ll wake up in my bed and realize the whole thing was a dream.”

“I can arrange that,” Anthony offered, sounding hopeful.

“No. Part of me thinks this is unbelievably cool and wants to believe in fairy tales.”

“What’s the other part doing?” Sadie asked.

“Freaking out.”

***

Nick stabbed a sausage and took a large bite. He and his brother were having a big breakfast after their midnight run with the pack. After swallowing, Nick said, “I tell you, Konrad. I really screwed up. I don’t know if Brandee will ever forgive me.”

Roz entered the room, carrying half of a bagel, and offered him a sympathetic look.

Konrad smiled up at his wife. “Remember when I upset you so badly I thought you’d never speak to me again, honey?”

Roz smirked and sat between the twin brothers at the round table. “What makes you think I’ve forgiven you yet?”

Konrad leaned back in his chair. “Hmmm…I just assumed you did because you married me, took my name, and moved to the suburbs to live and work at my school.”

“Okay, I guess I got over it. But as I remember, you did a pretty good job of groveling.”

Nick groaned. “Is that what I have to do? Grovel?”

“Not necessarily,” Konrad said. “I left Roz a single red rose and a note. And don’t forget, we had telepathic communication. When she refused to answer her door, I simply spoke directly into her mind. She had no choice but to listen to what I had to say.”

“How did you two establish that? I wish I could talk to Brandee that way.”

Roz chuckled. “Be careful what you wish for. It’s not easy to filter your thoughts in the beginning.” Then she took a dainty bite of her bagel.

Konrad answered his original question. “My fang accidentally punctured her tongue when I was kissing her. I lapped the spot, so the bleeding stopped and the hole closed. It only took a second. After that, we were telepathic.”

“Seriously? I’ve been so careful not to let my fangs emerge while kissing Brandee.”
I
shouldn’t have tried so hard. Telepathic communication would be proof that she’s my mate.

“Maybe you should continue that way until you’re sure she’s the one. First you have to fix your screwup.”

Roz set down her bagel. “What was the situation, if you don’t mind my asking.”

“She described some strange noises coming from her neighbor’s apartment upstairs. I just wanted to be sure she was safe, so I borrowed her keys for another purpose and then asked a psychic to come into Brandee’s apartment with me. I didn’t want to worry the girls who lived there, so I didn’t tell them about it. We’d just gotten started when Brandee walked in and went nuts—”

“Nick?” Roz interrupted.

“What?”

“You’re a numbskull. Why didn’t you just tell her what you wanted to do and get her permission?”

“I didn’t want to scare her—especially when I didn’t know what we were dealing with.”

“So instead you terrified her. And let me guess, you were also afraid she’d say no if you asked her permission.”

He scratched his head. “Uh, yeah. How did you know?”

Roz gazed at the ceiling. “Men.”

“So what should I do?”

“Does she love you?” Konrad asked.

“I think so. She hasn’t said it yet, but we were headed in that direction.”

“Have you told her you love her?”

“Yes. Although I may not have used those exact words.”

Konrad’s brows rose. “Wow. I never thought I’d see the day.”

Nick groaned inwardly.
If
I
have
to
listen
to
one
more
asshole
disbelieving
my
ability
to
commit
now
that
I’ve found the love of my life
…“Yeah, yeah. Enough about my past, okay?”

“How did she react?” Roz asked.

Nick thought back to the moment he confessed he had been falling for her. “She didn’t hate it.”

Konrad closed his eyes and muttered something like, “Better than nothing.”

Roz steepled her fingers as she thought out loud. “Damn, I remember when I was in her shoes. Let’s see…you don’t want to wait too long, but you need to give her some time to cool down. How long ago did this happen?”

“The night before last.”

Roz nodded. “Okay. Don’t wait too much longer. Is there something you know she’d like that you can give her?”

Nick scratched his head. “She needs a new car.”

Roz made a soft noise. Something between a gasp and a chuckle. “Uh, no. That’s too much, and not quite what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?”

“Does she love something you hate, like ballet or the opera, that you’d be willing to take her to, just to make her happy?”

“Oh, I get it. She loves art museums and galleries. I’m not a fan of that stuff. She likes the beach too, but so do I. I guess what you’re saying is, I should take her to a museum? What if she doesn’t want to go with me?”

“Try this—get her a membership to the Museum of Fine Arts. It’s not cheap, but it doesn’t cost nearly as much as a car. In a note, let her know you’re willing to go with her because experiences shared are so much better.”

“But what if she’s still angry and doesn’t want my company?”

“Even if she doesn’t ask you to come with her right away, she’ll think about you every time she uses her membership.”

“And eventually she’ll realize how much her happiness means to me.”

“Exactly.”

Nick finished his breakfast and couldn’t wait to get back to the city. He was a man on a mission. Operation Scrape the Egg Off His Face.

***

Brandee had promised Anthony she’d say nothing about the brownies to Angie or anyone, and she
had
intended to honor that promise. Even though she always kept her word, now in the next morning’s light she wondered if she’d be able to keep her mouth shut. Her roommate was sipping coffee right across from her at their dinette table.

Brownies? Seriously?
The one thing she had to do first was double-check that the incident had really happened. She still wasn’t one hundred percent sure she hadn’t dreamed the whole thing. That meant talking to either Anthony or Sadie. Keeping in mind Ruxandra’s reaction to her, she figured Sadie would be safer.

“You’re quiet this morning,” Angie remarked over her coffee mug.

“Huh? Oh, I’m just tired.”

“You got in late.”

Brandee put down her coffee mug. “You heard me come in? Are you still losing sleep over the whole ghost thing?”

“Yeah. I wasn’t completely comfortable being here all alone. After you got home, I was fine and went right to sleep. Stupid, I know.”

“No, it’s not stupid. It’s perfectly understandable.”

“So what kept you downstairs so long?”

“Uh…”
Crap, now what do I say? I was meeting the things that go bump in the night?

Angie held up one hand. “Never mind. If it’s personal, I understand. I thought I saw Nick heading toward the bar just before I went upstairs.”

Whew. I can blame it on Nick even though he never showed up.
She wondered why he hadn’t. Was he watching to be sure she got home all right? That seemed like something he would do, and she
still
wasn’t sure how she felt about that. Having a big, strong ex-cop looking out for her was a bit of a turn-on, to be honest, but she didn’t like anyone spying on her. The Balogs were creepy enough. She didn’t need her boyfriend…
was
he still her boyfriend?

Angie waved a hand in front of her face. “Earth to Brandee.”

Brandee snapped to attention. “What? Did you say something?”

“No. Your eyes were just doing that glaze-over thing again.”

A knock at the door was a welcome interruption. Brandee jumped up. “I’ll get it.”

She tied her robe a little tighter before checking the peephole. Brandee didn’t recognize the guy on the other side, so she left the chain in place and opened the door a crack. “Can I help you?”

“Courier. I have a special delivery for Brandee Hanson.” The guy waved a manila envelope.

“Do I have to sign for it?”

“No. I’m just paid to hand-deliver it.”

“Okay. Job done.” She reached for the envelope, and the guy handed it to her through the gap. “Thanks.”

“What is it?” Angie asked.

“I don’t know.” Brandee tore open the outer envelope from the courier service to reveal another envelope inside. A white one with just her name on it. “I don’t recognize the handwriting.”

“Well, open the flippin’ thing. Who knows, maybe it’s a big fat check from Publishers Clearing House.”

“Funny.” Brandee picked up her butter knife and used it to tear open the flap. Inside was a brochure from the Museum of Fine Arts and a letter. “Huh?”