They remain a thick book of mysterious hieroglyphics and a few strange spells sewn into the portal cape’s lining.
Someday, maybe there will be an answer to it all.
But until that day, wixens and their packs and wolf sages and theirs, continue to fall out over it. You really can’t have a wixen and a wolf in the same room without them tearing into each other (metaphorically speaking, for the most part, though fur has been known to fly at times).
If there is a blossoming romance between Jax and Tippy, her discovering that he’s a werewolf will likely nip it in the bud.
Which is kind of sad.
Love is such a special thing. Now that I’m lucky enough to have found it with Clem, I want everyone to experience it.
Even fucking Jax.
Tippy is way too good for him of course, but there you are. Clem is too good for me, and I still can’t quite believe she feels the same way. I am truly blessed.
As it is, I’m here taking Jax’s place at Friday night poker. I hate card games. I only know the rudimentary rules and am likely to get my ass well and truly kicked by Brody, Kazmo and Silas, but I offered to take part since they prefer to play with four… so here I am.
Meanwhile, having delivered our drinks, Tippy sashays back to the front of house, where she’s been chatting to Clem between customers. It’s nice to see these two forming a friendship, particularly with Sammy away at present.
Honestly, I’d rather be dining a deux in a candlelit corner with my girl, and soon, hopefully we will be. Once this mission is out of the way, we’ll confess our love to everyone, but right now we need no distractions, and another mate bond forming between a human and a monster would be a major distraction.
So for now, we’ll keep our love between us. Even though rumors are beginning to gather.
“Your turn,” Silas prods.
“Shit!” I stare at the cards in my hand like they’re an equation I need to solve.
Suddenly Kazmo asks, “How’s Clem going?”
“Good. Great.” I stare harder at the cards.
“Someone said they saw you two at the orchards. In the lover’s garden, sitting very close to one another,” Brody adds.
“Really? Yeah, I was just showing her around. Probably we just sat down for a rest.”
They all glance at me over their cards, as if they don’t believe a word of it.
“There’s talk around the place of you looking… very friendly.” Kazmo smirks.
“Another human-monster mate bond would be interesting. Like fate is bringing it to pass,” Silas muses.
I shrug. “If it was happening, yeah, I guess.”
I show my cards. Four of a Kind.
With a smirk, Brody tops it with a Straight Flush.
“Damn,” I growl.
Finally Silas shows his cards. He’s landed a Royal Flush, the sly raven.
Kazmo throws down his hand. “You fucker, Silas.”
Silas smiles as he sweeps the stakes toward him with a claw that turns briefly into a wing; None of us have yet seen him in full raven. Some say it’s not even possible—that raven shifters have lost their powers to shift past a show of claws and wing. But no-one asks Silas directly; he’s a very private person.
“Another round?” Kazmo suggests.
“Think I’ll go check on Clem.” I get up, pushing back my chair.
