Page 21

Story: Cullen

“You look great,” Orion said, earning himself a scowl. He supposed he hadn’t really answered the question, but since he knew what they actually looked like, he happened to see the glamour laid over them, not truly disguising them. “We’ll have to ask Yarrow.”

“The beaver,” Cullen said. “How would he know?”

“Because he’s a shifter who is born from and tied to the human world. He’s far more human than we could ever be.”

Corbin tilted his head. “Fair enough. I’ll ask him then. Come on, you two. We’re burning daylight.”

“Ooooh, how western movie of you,” Cullen teased, and Orion chuckled. He’d watched his share of old westerns. At the theater. With his popcorn. All for a quarter.

“Come on.” He led them out, and he opened the door of his truck for Cullen. He’d retrieved the vehicle from its hiding spot yesterday, and had parked it where no incidental passerby would see it.

“Nice truck,” Corbin said, admiring the seats.

“Thanks. I got it for a steal.”

Oh, that was bad, Cullen told him.You literally stole it?

No, I stole the cash I bought it with from a hive of vampires.

Ah. Nice move.

I like to think so.

They got moving, and Orion was actually excited to introduce them to Yarrow. His buddy would be fascinated.

Somehow, the trip into town seemed to take way less time than it did getting up to the house. The ride was smooth and easy, the music on the radio easy to sing along with, the company stellar—both Cullen and Corbin excited about getting out and meeting Yarrow.

In what seemed like a few heartbeats, they were parking near the cafe where he was meeting his friend.

“Okay, everyone check themselves. Everyone looks like a person, no one’s a weird color?” Orion looked them over.

“We’re all good.” Cullen checked him and Corbin out carefully. As they had driven, Cullen had switched from being a Tom Hiddleston lookalike to a pregnant woman to a clown. Then to what looked to be a very large humanoid duck, and finally what he was now—a wizened, ancient old man—that seemed to be one of Cullen’s favorite ones.

“Why an old dude?” Orion asked.

“The only thing more invisible than an old man is a middle-aged woman.”

That was fair enough.

They headed into the diner together, the bell above the door jingling merrily, the smell of coffee and maple syrup strong and delicious.

Yarrow was already waiting, dark eyes focused on them, and Orion could see his whiskers twitching as they walked up. “You brought friends.”

“I brought some of the people who live in the house for you to meet. It seemed like the most logical thing to do.”

“Since when have you ever done anything logical?” Yarrow frowned and scooted over so that Orion could slide in next to him, the brothers taking the other side.

“Don’t be mean. This is Corbin and Cullen.”

“You’re not dragons.”

“Nope.” Not completely, not exactly. Cullen winked at him. “We’re harmless, though. Just like hippies.”

“Hmmm.” Yarrow chattered his large front teeth. “What happened to the others?”

Sorrow filled Cullen’s expression. “Some of them are okay. The kids are all okay. But some of them didn’t make it through their fangy visitors.”

“Oh, damn.” Yarrow sighed. “I was afraid of that.”