land, and honestly, the bears are far too stingy with their forests. Then there are the packs to consider. I don’t even want to think of what would go on in the mountains.” Tor shuddered and Brent was right there with them.
“The dragons would hate to have to share space with things they’d thought of as food up until a century or two ago. And we’d probably get the rich, entitled brats moving up there.” Brent didn’t want to think about how his parents would react to normals invading their home. They liked their quiet life.
A thought suddenly occurred to him. “Hey, Tor. How’d your parents take it about Louisa?”
Tor shoved his hands in his pockets and grinned. “They practically screamed my ear off. They want to meet her—like now. We’re going up there for the autumn equinox to celebrate. Mom’s getting the whole freakin’ clan over there. I don’t know about Louisa, but I’m terrified they’ll try to kidnap her. My cousins are all going to fall in love with her.” He shook his head.
Brent chuckled. “My mom will probably try to kidnap Carissa. I just know it. She’s always wanted a daughter, and Carissa has access to aromatherapy. My mom will be in heaven. If that includes spa facilities and makeup, dear god, I’d never see her.”
Tor laughed. “Look at you, making plans already. You need to win her over first. Are you willing to work for her?”
Brent thought about the question. It didn’t take long for the answer to come to him. “Of course. She’s worth it, completely.”
Tor clapped him on the shoulder. “Good, ’cause I think you’ll have your work cut out for you.”
Brent frowned. “What do you mean?” They stopped in front of a sporting goods store.
“Because any mate worth having is a mate you have to fight for, whether they have personal demons or another lover in the picture. Just be prepared for difficulties.” Tor nodded toward the parking lot. “Come on, let’s go home. We have to prep for work. I have a feeling Louisa’s going to call us to come in early to help the newbies acclimate to the pub.”
Brent nodded. He needed some time away from Carissa. He needed to get centered before their dinner tonight.
Tor ended up being right about Louisa’s call. It came as soon as they walked through the door, and they were out again in half an hour, showered, dressed in their uniforms, and ready for an early shift.
When they got to the Dragon’s Lair, there was already a crowd. Brent looked around, confused. “What the hell? Why are people here already?”
“Because the boss put out word that we’d have The Snake here tonight doing an acoustic session,” Tor explained as they entered the building. Louisa met them, looking much calmer than she had been the previous night, but she had a creepy smile on her face that made Brent uneasy. Had Happy Hour come earlier than expected?
“Let’s go, guys,” she said. “I’m on allergy meds and the new help needs to be trained. Get to it while I grab an hour’s sleep okay? I’m already starting to see unicorns and giant, candy corn trees.”
Brent snickered. “Must be some strong stuff. We can handle things from here. Don’t worry about it.”
Louisa snorted. “Of course I don’t, because you know I’d have to kill you if you couldn’t handle things. Don’t eat all the brownies. I’d like to take some home with me.”
As Louisa walked away, Tor let out a groan and Brent had to snicker. “Looks like no sex for you tonight, buddy.”
Brent dragged Tor and Fletch off to handle the new servers. Everything went smoothly for the first hour or so. To test out the newbies, they let in a group of people and monitored their progress. But then Tiberio “The Snake” De Lorenzo strolled in through the employee entrance, set up his stool, microphone, and equipment and started to warm up. There was only him, no other band members, not even in the audience.
Brent paused to take in the snake shifter. Wavy, black
“The dragons would hate to have to share space with things they’d thought of as food up until a century or two ago. And we’d probably get the rich, entitled brats moving up there.” Brent didn’t want to think about how his parents would react to normals invading their home. They liked their quiet life.
A thought suddenly occurred to him. “Hey, Tor. How’d your parents take it about Louisa?”
Tor shoved his hands in his pockets and grinned. “They practically screamed my ear off. They want to meet her—like now. We’re going up there for the autumn equinox to celebrate. Mom’s getting the whole freakin’ clan over there. I don’t know about Louisa, but I’m terrified they’ll try to kidnap her. My cousins are all going to fall in love with her.” He shook his head.
Brent chuckled. “My mom will probably try to kidnap Carissa. I just know it. She’s always wanted a daughter, and Carissa has access to aromatherapy. My mom will be in heaven. If that includes spa facilities and makeup, dear god, I’d never see her.”
Tor laughed. “Look at you, making plans already. You need to win her over first. Are you willing to work for her?”
Brent thought about the question. It didn’t take long for the answer to come to him. “Of course. She’s worth it, completely.”
Tor clapped him on the shoulder. “Good, ’cause I think you’ll have your work cut out for you.”
Brent frowned. “What do you mean?” They stopped in front of a sporting goods store.
“Because any mate worth having is a mate you have to fight for, whether they have personal demons or another lover in the picture. Just be prepared for difficulties.” Tor nodded toward the parking lot. “Come on, let’s go home. We have to prep for work. I have a feeling Louisa’s going to call us to come in early to help the newbies acclimate to the pub.”
Brent nodded. He needed some time away from Carissa. He needed to get centered before their dinner tonight.
Tor ended up being right about Louisa’s call. It came as soon as they walked through the door, and they were out again in half an hour, showered, dressed in their uniforms, and ready for an early shift.
When they got to the Dragon’s Lair, there was already a crowd. Brent looked around, confused. “What the hell? Why are people here already?”
“Because the boss put out word that we’d have The Snake here tonight doing an acoustic session,” Tor explained as they entered the building. Louisa met them, looking much calmer than she had been the previous night, but she had a creepy smile on her face that made Brent uneasy. Had Happy Hour come earlier than expected?
“Let’s go, guys,” she said. “I’m on allergy meds and the new help needs to be trained. Get to it while I grab an hour’s sleep okay? I’m already starting to see unicorns and giant, candy corn trees.”
Brent snickered. “Must be some strong stuff. We can handle things from here. Don’t worry about it.”
Louisa snorted. “Of course I don’t, because you know I’d have to kill you if you couldn’t handle things. Don’t eat all the brownies. I’d like to take some home with me.”
As Louisa walked away, Tor let out a groan and Brent had to snicker. “Looks like no sex for you tonight, buddy.”
Brent dragged Tor and Fletch off to handle the new servers. Everything went smoothly for the first hour or so. To test out the newbies, they let in a group of people and monitored their progress. But then Tiberio “The Snake” De Lorenzo strolled in through the employee entrance, set up his stool, microphone, and equipment and started to warm up. There was only him, no other band members, not even in the audience.
Brent paused to take in the snake shifter. Wavy, black
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