Wonder what sort of side effects the crazy asshole was dealing with on top of lack of sleep…
“Right…I’ll let you two go…get stitched up.” Santiago hesitated. “Ah…what about…the bodies? Can I… Can we have them to bury?”
Foxx winced.
“This happened too publicly. They will be burned,” Harlow responded when he didn’t.
Santiago took a deep breath. “Did they…kill anyone?”
“Yes,” Foxx rasped. “Sorry, Santiago. Umm…we…could ask if the clean-up crew would collect the ashes for you.”
“W-would…” He heard the man swallow hard. “Would you do that?”
Harlow looked to be about to nix that idea, so Foxx blurted out, “Of course!” Cutting off whatever the fuck Harlow had been about to say.
Foxx just smiled as the dhampir started glaring at him.
“Thank you. I’ll be here… If you could…inform my second, my Beta, Cardel, about what is going on and the plan. I worry some may get too anxious and head back in my absence.”
“Of course!” Foxx said, again before Harlow could respond.
“Thank you, his number is—” The werewolf rattled off a number before saying goodbye and hanging up.
“Foxx…” Harlow ground out. The dhampir went to cross his arms but flinched mid action, groaning loudly as he dropped them back by his side.
“Yeah, I imagine that hurts. Also, we can and will do both of those things. Even if we have to collect the damn ashes ourselves!”
Harlow sighed, but didn’t argue.
Smiling, Foxx dialed the number Santiago gave him.
“Hello?” the man asked suspiciously.
“Hi! You don’t know me, but I know you, sort of. Anyway, I’m Foxx Honeywell?—”
“That grumpy bear?” the man blurted.
Foxx sputtered, while Harlow started to laugh. He couldn’t help but take immense pleasure from the laughter dying as quickly as it came under the man’s winces of pain. Served the bastard right.
“Which one are you? The redhead with a death wish or the quiet, broody one?” Foxx asked sweetly.
“Broody one,” the wolf said, sounding amused.
Foxx was about to make a crack when he remembered why he’d called. “Ah…so this is not really a fun phone call.”
Cardel inhaled sharply. “What’s happened?! Is it Santiago?!”
“No! No, not him.” Foxx quickly assured him, before slowly saying, “It’s the wolves…that stayed behind…they…”
“What…? No…they…” The man’s grief was instant and audible in the shake of his voice.
His spine stiffened at the first bone chilling wail of devastation and pain. The sounds that followed sent aches through his chest, and made him fully aware that Cardel had put the call on speaker when he’d answered.
His hand clenching around the phone, Foxx listened, saying nothing. As what could he even say? That he was sorry he had to kill their loved ones. That he was sorry he hadn’t spoken with more tact. That he hadn’t made sure the wolf was alone before he said anything. That…these people couldn’t have heard it from a loved one instead of him, a stranger.
Foxx blinked rapidly as tears filled his eyes.
Ignoring the burning pain, Harlow pulled Foxx into his arms. The vampire sniffled and buried his face against his chest, the man clutching the phone tightly in his hand.
