Wayne regarded my furry hands and my claws, which would make short work of my steering wheel and shifter if I wasn’t careful. “Single, female, and hybrid. And you managed to hide that right under my nose for how long?”
“At least a few years,” I replied, allowing myself a canine grin and showing off my lethal fangs. “I really like the CDC’s perfume. It has treated me well.”
“A little too well,” Wayne muttered, buckling his seatbelt before tapping at the screen of his phone and holding it to his ear. “Wayne Barnes speaking. I need to report an intentional car accident involving a pair of lycanthropes attempting to coerce a lycanthrope female during what was a probable kidnapping attempt. They tailed her from Manhattan and rear-ended her to get her to pull her vehicle over. I happened to be accompanying her, and she opted to decline the invitation through the use of violence. We have left the scene of the crime, as her virus is rather riled up and she would have killed them had they provoked her any further.” After a few moments, he reported the exit and mile marker numbers, described the pair of idiots, and spent a disturbingly long time answering a chain of yes and no questions.
Maybe Wayne’s help would keep me out of jail for a while. If it didn’t, oh well.
They tossed hybrid lycanthropes like me in solitary maximum security to mitigate the infection risk, and nothing sounded safer or better than some peace, quiet, and no bills to pay for however long they kept me behind bars. In the meantime, I’d work hard for the money, keep a close eye on Wayne, and make the most of the days before somebody caught up and arrested me for breaking the rules.
Instead of slippingWayne more influencer or pixie dust, I decided to play the game safe—for him. I’d regret my choice later, especially when both substances wore off, but I couldn’t afford the risk.
With two pissy lycanthropes out for my blood, he needed to be sharp. For a brief moment, I considered dosing myself with his dust, but my reaction to even the crap grades would turn me into a cuddling monster. The cuddles would lead to sex, the sex would lead to a permanent pairing, and I couldn’t afford a man like Wayne permanently in my life.
Fancy men in suits cost a lot to maintain, and they expected their trophy wives to wear makeup, slinky dresses, and whatever the hell else model-pretty women put on to impress rich men.
My virus didn’t approve of my thoughts, but after our brief brawl with two idiots, she settled and almost minded her own business for change.
I drove halfway across Pennsylvania before stopping at a cheap motel in dire need of renovations, which fit my general budget and lifestyle.
“We’ll get fleas if we stay here,” Wayne muttered, crossing his arms over his chest and refusing to unbuckle his seatbelt. “I don’t like fleas. I refuse. Worse, there might be bedbugs.”
“Bedbugs and fleas can be addressed. All you have to do is pay a fee to a practitioner. Boom. No more pesky bugs. You won’t die if you stay at a motel.”
“This is not a motel. This is a dive.”
“This is a dive I won’t feel shitty about trashing if those two jackasses pay another visit. I can afford the repairs here—maybe. If I’m lucky. Well, if I’m lucky and verify I used self-defense, which goes a long way with making the bill their problem rather than mine.”
Wayne scowled. “I’m going to need more pixie dust if you’re going to make me stay in a dive motel, Joyce.”
“The kind of pixie dust I have with your name on it also happens to be the kind that makes you do what I want,” I muttered.
“I have no idea where you got that, but I have to say, I’ve always wondered what it would be like to be under the influence.”
He already knew, but rather than confess that truth, I shrugged. Then again, I’d given him the minimum dose, and combined with the influencer, I doubted he would’ve noticed the potency of his high. “Will it make you happy?”
“If it doesn’t, I’m going to be very disappointed.”
Despite everything, I laughed. “All right. I’ll give it to you on one condition.”
“I’m listening.”
“If I happen to get cuddly due to exposure to pixie dust, you will not take it any further than cuddling.”
“Deal. I’m not responsible should you forcibly remove me from my pants and do whatever you wish with me, though.”
“Fair,” I acknowledged. “Also, you’ll get to go clothing shopping for me at the first store I find tomorrow. I only brought one change of clothes with me.”
“As I have not brought any changes of clothes with me, I find this to be a reasonable request. Is there a reason you’re hesitant to handle this yourself?”
I showed him my claws. “This is how you destroy clothes.”
“As I have my own set of those, I’m aware of how destructive they can be. Did nobody teach you how to retract them?”
“They retract?” I shrieked.
“With enough practice, yes. Mine can. It’s a little painful, but I can shorten them enough to be able to use my hands better while in the hybrid form. It’ll take time and effort on your part, but I can teach you.”
“For now, you get to open doors for me and operate the faucets. I deserve a shower.”
