Night Angels (Beast & Beauty) (12 page)

“If it makes you feel any better, I agree with you. On the other hand, I'm not taking the rap for centuries worth of inheritance and title. Find someone else to pin it on.”

Tank sighed. “Just love gettin' the last word, dont 'ya?”

“Blame that on my parents as well. They brought me up to be assertive and to stand up to bullies.”

“
You little fucker.
” Tank stood up and took a step towards him.

“Oh dear, lost for words are you? Meaningful words, that is...” he smirked, standing his ground and raising his chin in defiance. He wasn't that much smaller than Tank. He wondered who would win in a hand to hand fight. Not that he wanted it to go that far.

“Jesus... shut up you two! Anyone would think you were mortal enemies,” Kat said, coming to stand in between them. “Tank... Please? Why don't you tell everyone what this meet's about.”

Tank made a clicking noise with his tongue, obviously holding himself in check after being reprimanded by his mate and belittled verbally by the lowliest and newest member of his pack.

“We've got a problem,” he began slowly, “up Lincoln way. There's a gang of vicious assholes causing a helluva ruckus... Drinking and rampaging through the city, murdering and ripping large... creating crap for the other low key guys. I've been talking to Snipe, who you know happens to be the first of the 81 Claws. They come from around those parts. He's suggested we get together and give 'em a big push. One they won't forget. So... I wanna go there tomorrow evening, tenish, once we've got things together. Everyone's on active duty, except Saff of course. Mutt, you're excused, if you don't wanna come. I know too much excitement gets you going... crazy I mean...”

“Yer kiddin' ain't ya'? Wouldn't miss this fer me life! Being crazy might 'elp...”

“Max, you can back up with the gals.”

Max nodded at him in understanding, obviously fathers-to-be were not quite so front line.

“And Ryder, you'll have my back, like usual. Okay mate?”

“Sure, you can rely on me pal,” Ryder agreed.

“And as for you, smart-mouth, you can do the hell you like, because you ain't gonna listen to me, are 'ya?” he growled at Kyle. “Having a big fuckin' problem with low life authority, as you do.”

“
People have to earn my respect before I follow them blindly, that's the way I am. Or maybe I'm just not cut out to be a beta male. In any case, I'll hang with Mutt, if you don't mind. He'll look after me, won't ya' Matthew old boy?” He gave him a small smile which Mutt returned with his gappy one, obviously very pleased to be considered worthy of following, even if it was by the new guy. In fact the excitement must have been overwhelming, because Mutt took off in a series of forward rolls around the floor, then crawled and sniffed in and out of their legs. Then he scampered up the corridor and back again, making monkey noises and beating his chest really hard, gorilla style.

Roxy caught his arm as he passed, and pulled him up to her, giving him a hug and stroking his head. “Hey, sshhhh, no more King Kong stuff... babe.”

Kyle wondered what the hell was going on in his head when he behaved like this. He also wondered if hanging with Mutt was a good idea after all, and ‘who would be looking after who’ in the thick of it. Still, he was a pal. Pals deserved looking after. Especially crazy ones.

They returned from night three of the full moon, after a session at a nearby pig farm, and entered the house. He was starting to understand how the pack worked. They moved around and kept a low profile everywhere they went. Never hitting on any farm more than once in a year, apparently. Ryder was sporting a large gash on the back of his lower leg. Of course he would have had no idea where he got it, but it looked like a ragged barbed wire tear to Kyle. Pigs were unlikely to have caused such an injury as that. He stood wincing while Angel sat on the floor and dabbed at it with antiseptic lotion.

“That's a nasty cut,” he remarked, attempting to start a conversation. He wanted to make some headway with the other men, as he wasn't doing too well with Tank.

“It happens. I've got a great one on my back. Take a gander.” He dropped his vest on the floor, and lifting his black Iron Maiden tee, flashed him his broad back.  The scar was white and wide, and at least six inches long.

“How the hell did you get that?”

“I think I sliced myself on the metal gates at a turkey farm in Norfolk.”

“I had to sew you up, didn't I love?” Angel reminded him with an evil little grin. 

“Don't remind me honey. It wasn't a high point in my life.”

“Avoid hospitals and doctors, do you?” Kyle asked with interest. He kind of guessed they might.

“We try and steer clear, for obvious reasons. I'm having a home birth, you know, just to be on the safe side. I don't know what kind of faces I'll pull in the throes of a painful labour, do I...?” Saffy explained from her seat on the sofa, with a trace of nervous tension in her voice..

“That's really brave of you, and sensible,” Kyle replied. He could imagine, from her point of view this could be quite a worry. He was damn glad he wasn't a woman, in all honesty.

“I'm not that brave... I've already got some pethidine and a gas and air canister ready. You wouldn't have any midwife experience, would 'ya Kyle?” she added. Obviously she was getting desperately worried, to consider asking him for help...

“'Fraid not. But I can boil water, supply towels, and mop your fevered brow. Maybe you can swear at me and thump me to give Max a rest here and there...”

“Yeah, I might be grateful for that mate...” Max replied with a warm smile and a thankful look.

“I helped my dog with her litter, a few years back. It must be something similar to that in some ways, eh?” They all had a good laugh after that, even though they were all pretty sure a dog and werewolf labour were definitely not the same experience.

He noticed Tank giving him evil glares from across the room. He didn't like him mingling in this overly friendly fashion at all. That was clear.

Not with
his
pack.

But fuck Tank.

And he'd made a little headway with the guys and gals, he hoped.

“See if you can change of your own free will,” She said as they lay snuggled up together on their bed.

“I'm kinda nervous about doing the whole thing.”

“Why?”

“Don't know really.”

“Oh come on. Let's both do it. We can admire each other, have a wolf moment and change back, okay?”

“I'll try. Here goes then...” He got off the bed and onto the floor and started to concentrate on racing fast through the woods, watching for a sign... a few hairs began sprouting on the back of his hand and that spurred him on. His face started tingling and he concentrated hard on bringing his wolf out. It was an exhilarating experience. A stinging, aching, stretching, and all over slightly painful sensation that swamped him. He watched Roxy changing so effortlessly. Her ugly snout emerging quickly. He was strangely finding her very appealing, even half changed. He knew her animal side would appeal to his, it was natural after all. He pushed himself, forcing his facial characteristics out as his shoulders and back reformed with a creaking of bones.

He growled with the effort... a rumbling, snarl of a sound, which satisfied him deeply. He was so enjoying this animal state. More than he ever realised he would.

She stood before him, fully changed, sleek and long nosed and dark grey. He whimpered at her and she nudged him with her nose, sniffing at him, scenting him. His transformation was finally complete, and they moved together, intimately rubbing faces and licking each other’s nose and ears. He ran his nostrils all around her body, breathing in the smoky scent and the underlying smell he knew so well. Her human perfume.

And the she spoke to him, in a strange way. In his mind. He knew what she was saying. He tried to say it back, but he couldn't. Just one word. “Beautiful...”

He stood and stared into her amber eyes as she stared back, unblinking. Then she broke the spell and began to transform, back to her human self. He began his visualisation and it all slowly shrunk back. Returning to human form seemed to be less traumatic than the wolf transformation. It was faster and less uncomfortable.

“You spoke to me, called me beautiful.”

“I did, because you are. I have the gift of communication, with all the pack.”

“Can they all do it?”

“No, only me.”

“How come?”

“Some of us have special abilities as a wolf. It took a year to come out in me... You might find something in time. Angel can feel your moods and pain, if she touches you. She's receptively telepathic, I'm dynamically telepathic.”

“This is amazing Roxy.”

“I know,” she smiled, with obvious pleasure.

Was there any end to her wonderful talents?

Red hot lover. Very able guitar player. A good singer. Skilled biker. Telepathic. Caring, sweet, and kind. The most gorgeous sexiest thing on two legs, or four for that matter.

He might just be in love with her.

A little...

Or maybe a lot?

No, no, no....  way too soon.

He put that thought out of his head.

“Roxy, got any jeans?” he asked hopefully. He didn't think teeny leather shorts and a denim Hells Angels vest were quite his mother's idea of good dress sense.

“Yeah, why?”

“Want to meet my folks?”

“I'd really love to!” Her face lit up in a big beaming smile.

“You might want to cover up in that case, all over preferably. My mum's lovely, but she's a touch old fashioned and a real clothes snob.”

“I can do posh and demure. I've got the perfect gear.”

“This I've gotta see...”

She picked out a lacy sleeved, white, high necked blouse and a pair of black cord pants and held them up for his inspection.

“Oh, and these...” She opened the lower drawer and retrieved a pair of cute high heeled black pumps with white bows on the toes.

“These can't be yours surely?” he asked her with a cheeky little flash of his eyes.

“I have another side to my character. I'm not just Little Miss Naughty. I'm Little Miss Nice too...” she sniggered.

They arrived at Brandon Manor, both of them on his bike, just before five. Roxy was looking very parent friendly and doused in her delicious perfume. He was really looking forward to showing her off.

He unlocked the front door and followed her inside.

Martha came out of the living room to see who was home, shaking herself awake from a snooze by the look of her. She took one quick look at the pair of them and scurried back again with a whimper. Kyle was quite upset she was so scared of him now. She must know he wouldn't hurt her, surely? No matter what he was.

He popped his head inside the study. He noticed the door had been repainted. His mother was very organised with things like that. No sign of his mum, but his dad was there, on the phone. He stuck his finger up at him in a 'wait a minute' sign, and Kyle went outside to wait for him to finish. A moment later he concluded his conversation and arrived through the door.

“Aha, so the prodigal returns....” Then he caught sight of Roxy standing self consciously next to him. “And not alone, it would seem... Who is this beautiful young thing, Kyle?”

“Dad, meet Roxanne Watson. She's a friend of mine.”

“Delighted my dear. What beautiful hair, and so much of it!” he said as he took her hand and shook it gently, cupping it with his two palms. Obviously smitten already.

“Oh thank you, and pleased to meet you too, Lord Brandon,” she said sweetly, with a tiny flutter of her eyelashes and a special girly, come hither smile.

What a flirt...

He could see his dad melting before his eyes. He had a glazed look on his face.

“Where's mum?”

“In the kitchen with Edna, I believe,” his dad replied, finally pulling himself together and trying not to stare too hard at his girlfriend.

“Speak later okay? I've got something I want to tell you both.”

“Nothing I need to prepare myself mentally for, is it?” his dad asked, with a look of concern, as his eyes swung between Roxy and himself.

“Maybe a little,” he replied in warning.

He found his mum in the kitchen having her usual chat with Mrs Higgins.

“Hi Mum, Higgy...” Kyle said cheerfully.

“Kyle my pet, missed 'avin yer 'bout,” Mrs Higgins said with a warm tone. “The 'ouse 'as never feeled so empty, love...”

“And I love you too, Higgy,” Kyle replied with a satisfied grin. He was pretty sure Chris didn't get the kind of verbal attention that Higgy lavished on him.

“Sweetie, I've been getting more than a little concerned. Disappearing so suddenly like that! We're off to Mauritius from the day after tomorrow. I'm so glad you're back,” his mother gushed while staring at Roxanne openly.

“Well, I am, but not for long,” he replied, standing to one side to introduce her properly. “Mum, this is Roxanne, a very good friend of mine. Can you spare us both a moment?”