Our lips unlocked passionately, saliva coalescing from lip to lip just as my hands began to wander, cursing the darkness for the first time in my newfound life.

  Suddenly, his hands wrapped around my wrists, halting me. “Annabelle...” Isaac started up. He motioned his head to that poor sap Tyler, knocked out on the floor, who was starting to grumble and reawaken. “Perhaps now,” Isaac said, “is not the time.”

  I exhaled in frustration, almost wishing that I’d just killed Tyler when I had the chance now. “What do we do with him?” I leaned back, trying to keep my eyes above waist level for moments and suffering dearly. Things loomed large in the darkness.

  Swiftly, Isaac transformed back into the wolf and leaped forward, scooping up Tyler in one appendage with the aid of his formidable jaw. “We need somewhere low profile.”

  I thought for the slightest of moments. “We can both think of the exact place,” I said.

  ***********************************

  BANG. BANG. BANG.

  I pounded hard on the metal back doors. The sound echoing rapturously in the back alley.

  Suddenly, footsteps clopped along behind the door, before it wrenched open suddenly.

  The smiling face of Taniya appeared. “Well,” she said, looking at three perfectly normal humans, one partially clothed Isaac with scraps scooped from a nearby trash can, and a seemingly passed out drunkard in tow. “The party’s done here, seems like you rocked out doing your own thing though!”

  “Don’t ask,” I groaned, sauntering in, my head feeling very heavy from the night I'd had.

  Isaac lugged Tyler in over his shoulder and closed the door behind us.

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  “Well, well, well,” the violet silk pajama wearing Denaux appeared, still sporting large black framed glasses in the dimly lit, but empty establishment. “I wondered when you’d come back home. You broke curfew young lady,” he crossed his arms in mock gesture. He tilted his glasses down and looked at the bare chest of Isaac. “And with a boy no less!”

  “Two,” I chided.

  “Oh my word,” Denaux joked, “who led you down this...terrible...” he smirked and winked, “path.”

  “This is the man who had me murdered,” I started up, as Isaac dropped him to the floor.

  “I didn't expect Perrault to be so handsome,” Denaux chuckled.

  I glared.

  “Come now, chère,” Denaux looked up with a raised brow as he stooped down beside Tyler, before looking at the passed out face of the man, “Gimme some credit for that one.”

  I stuck my nose up, not allowing him the satisfaction of his joke.

  “We interrupted quite the sacrificial party, so to speak,” Isaac spoke up. “Some fortuitous civilians were freed inside, before someone,” Isaac turned to me with a scowl, “went rogue.”

  “I went rogue well before that,” I snarled, still angry over the everything that had happened, including Issac pulling away when things were getting...murky, but trying to maintain my composure. I think I was doing well.

  “Are we going to discuss what happened back there?” Isaac demanded, folding his arms and looking delectable.

  “The kiss?” I fired back with an edge, taking him by surprise, his jaw falling open.

  His jaw wasn't the only one. “The WHAT?!” Denaux stood up, flustered, his glasses almost slipping off his face with how wide eyed he was, as he reached to retrieve them before they fell, and held them in his hand.

  “Denaux,” I yelled, “please!”

  Denaux held his hands up as if accused of something he didn't do, and departed.“Taniya,” Denaux whispered loudly, “did you hear that!?” He followed her as she went back to wipe down the bar with a wash cloth.

  Taniya grinned. “About time,” she said, “you could tell night one.”

  “No,” Isaac said, stepping over Tyler and marching toward me. “Your lack of control.”

  “I don't think I was the one out of control there. You kissed me.”

  “We're not talking about that! You could've hurt innocent people...you could've hurt yourself.”

  “Why aren't we talking about it? Plus, you're the one who wanted me combat trained.” I straightened up and turned back to him. “What happened? Sudden change of heart?”

  Isaac pawed a hand over his face and wiped sweat from his brow. “You're making this complicated.”

  I remained silent for a moment.

  “What are we gonna do with him?” I followed up, changing the subject, as I looked upon Tyler.

  Isaac stood quiet himself.

  “Hate to interrupt again,” Denaux said,” waltzing back over and chiming in with a smile. “But you brought him to me...and I got something oh so sweet in mind...”