The Hollow Moon (Downworlder Series, #2)

Chapter Fifteen: Part Two: Bits and Pieces

The walk back to the apartment was a short one. Once I had been in familiar territory I had told the squatter that I could make it back on my own but he simply smiled at me and shook his head before patting my hand. Despite the fact he was quiet company I did enjoy his presence. We couldn't communicate verbally but I had fun trying to decipher his movements and sounds into understandable communication. Something he found to be highly amusing and we had spent more time laughing than actually attempting to communicate.

Once I had pointed out my apartment building, he had walked me all the way to the door before bowing low over my hand with his toothy grin. I responded with a low curtsy that had him laughing all over again as he patted my hand and had let me go. My own smile almost hurt my cheeks as I waved at him as he walked away. No one could ever tell me that the squatters and ferals had no place in the city, that they were mangy beasts unable to be trusted. I knew the truth of the matter. They were simply creatures incapable of deception and for most of the people living in the city, it was a frightening thought.

I moved up the stairs slowly, my stomach ached slightly but I knew that was because I had overtaxed it a bit too much with my laughing. I rubbed at it while continuing my trip up the stairs. I could faintly smell dark cherry whiskey and groaned at the thought that Stinky had arrived at the apartment to see me gone. He would natter at me angrily and without stopping about the dangers that lingered out on the streets and how I needed to use my head and think and numerous other insulting and nitpicky things that made me roll my eyes.

For a male who was adamant that he was never ever worried about me, he certainly acted like a worried mother hen. I huffed out my amusement as I made it to the fourth floor. I pulled my keys from my apartment and when I made it to the door I dutifully unlocked each lock before shoving the door open. His scent washed over me in a rather heated note that spoke of his anger. I bit back a groan as I slipped inside and closed the door.

"Where the fuck have you been?" His words were a low hiss and I locked all of the deadbolts before locking the door itself. "I will not play the silent game with you! Where the fuck were you?" I turned around and his entire form was tense as he stood in the middle of the kitchen. He was breathing heavy and I had to fight back a smirk at his anger.

"I had to make a delivery." I waved my hand at my empty workbench that was now devoid of the brass dragon.

"Do you have any idea how-"

"Many people out there want to kill me?" I rolled my eyes as I kicked off my shoes and stretched. "Yah I do. And yet you insist upon reiterating it. Just blah blah blah." I made a talking motion with my hand that had a heavy snarl escaping him.

"Don't you dare start with that!" He pointed at me, his icy blue eyes were heated with anger and I waved my hand flippantly.

"Start with what? The truth? I have lived in this city for years. I am more than aware of everyone that is here that wants to kill me." I slipped off my jacket and hung it on its peg before digging my switchblade out of my back pocket. "The fact you keep telling me about them is redundant. I was aware of them before you barged into my apartment and I am aware of them now." Even more aware because for some god awful reason, ever since he had entered my shut in life, their activity had grown worse.

"You have no idea what is out there." His eyes were trained on me as I moved closer and tossed my switchblade onto the table. His words were hot with the anger that vibrated his form and I didn't understand why the hell he cared. He had made it perfectly clear that he had no thoughts or feelings towards me besides an overwhelming amount of lust.

"Please! Could you stop with the cryptic, 'you have no idea about the monsters that linger in the shadows' bit? Its getting really old." I had seen more than my fair share of monsters. I had been drug into the shadows years ago and I still lingered on the edges of them, unable to fully leave because I knew they still had their hold on me.