~

 

Malachi had left Donna’s phone on the kitchen counter while he’d made himself busy doing some chores around the house. By the time that he’d got back, the lock screen was full of messages.

He knew that he shouldn’t read them. He knew that it was wrong, invading her privacy like that, and yet as he tried to keep himself busy making a fresh pot of coffee, frustration clawed within him.

Guilt, a small sense of shame, and a whole heap of curiosity mixed inside of him as he stalked back to the phone and brought it back to life. He read the first message and grunted. It didn’t make much sense, but what he saw he didn’t like.

He scrolled down the screen as far as the phone would let him and read what he could in order. He grumbled a low growl of annoyance deep within his chest, and strangely; he had the urge to plant his fist in the screen.

Whoever the arsehole was that was messaging her — he’d sure like to meet the guy face-to-face.

He’d been right, kind of, she was trouble — or in trouble. Either way, it shouldn’t have been his problem.

But it sure did feel like his problem.

 

~

~

~

 

Malachi had tried to resist the urge to get involved in some strange human’s life, but he just couldn’t shake the thoughts that he kept on having about her. Some were dirty, damn dirty, and he was trying to bury those thoughts with varying degrees of success, but it was the other thoughts, about her being in trouble that just couldn’t be quashed.

He’d pretty much made up his mind to go to her house — the only problem was that he didn’t have a damn clue where she was staying. Malachi liked to keep himself to himself, and he appreciated it when others did the same.

But there was one guy that had his nose in everyone’s business. One guy that seemed to know where all the bodies were buried, so to speak, and with little wonder, considering he was a damn vampire.

That meant Malachi needed to talk to the vampire. That also meant that he would need to do something that went against the grain — be sociable — because the one place that the vampire always hung out was the local bar.

Malachi pushed open the door and remembered not to breathe through his nose. Alcohol, sweat, humans — and vampire didn’t make for the sweetest smell in the world.

There he was — Mr tall, dark, dressed in black, and menacing — perched on a stool at the end of the bar with his eyes already locked and loaded on Malachi. Nothing got past that man.

“For only the second time since you moved to town — remind me how long ago that was? Here you are in my bar,” Brook said.

The only other person apart from Malachi to overhear him was the female bartender and owner of the place that was standing beside him. That didn’t mean that every head didn’t turn in Malachi’s direction. It was a small town.

“My bar — and don’t forget it,” Sissy said. She arched her eyebrows in a playful challenge towards the vampire, and he gave her a small nod of respect in return.

“Presumptuous of me, and wrong. Accept my apologies?” Brook offered her a winning smile, and she offered him a lopsided grin in return.

“Maybe later,” she said with a suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows.

They were something of an item. And on-off pairing that Malachi couldn’t quite understand.

“I may take you up on that,” Brook offered back.

“May?” She challenged him.

“Now who’s being presumptuous?” He teased back.

Malachi had ignored the looks that he was getting from the humans as he stalked towards the end of the bar. He’d lived with that kind of thing his whole life. Brook turned his attention towards the shifter when sissy walked away with the small chuckle.

“Speaking of presumptuous,” Brook made eye contact with Malachi and held it. “You want something from me.”

“Would I be here if I didn’t?” Malachi offered back.

“You’re no fun. We’re supposed to do the whole – no I don’t – yes you do – dance.” Brook intentionally looked bored.

“I don’t dance.”

“Exactly, which makes it more fun. But, I don’t need to read your mind when your actions are so much more telling.”

“I’m looking for someone,” Malachi said, he thought he’d just cut to the chase.

“People – people everywhere, like water, but only a few to drink,” Brook grinned.

“You know where everyone lives.” Malachi ignored the obvious attempt to rile him up.

“Occupational hazard,” the vampire shrugged.

“I’m looking for a woman…”

“Well, it’s about time, Mr. Lonesome Dove.” And that time when the vampire grinned; there was a whole new meaning behind it.

“It’s not like that,” Malachi gave a small shake of his head. At least, not entirely like that. Sure, he wanted to see her again, but that wasn’t that main reason.

“I’m sure.” The vampire offered back, and Malachi had the urge to plant his fist in the man’s face.

It wasn’t what the vampire said, but who the vampire had said it about. Malachi didn’t need the vampire’s crap — his bear was feeling protective after reading those text messages, and so was he.

“Are you going to help me or not?” Malachi demanded.

“What’s in it for me?”

“I won’t kill you.”

“Like you could,” Brook grinned again.

Malachi had fallen for the dance without even realizing it. The give-and-take. The challenge and rebuttal. It was another reason why Malachi didn’t tend to seek the vampire’s company.

“I can give it my best shot,” Malachi offered back.

“Comes in here throwing his weight around…” The deep, loud voice emanated from somewhere over Malachi’s left shoulder. He’d seen the men that were sitting at the table when he’d walked in — trouble — always trouble, but he needed to be there.

“I think you have a fan club,” Brook offered.

“I think I need to leave before I end up putting my fist through his head,” Malachi offered back.

The sound of the chair legs scraping against the floor told Malachi that there was going to be a bigger problem than just a drunk mouthing off.

“Too late,” Brook offered a playful grimace.

“And you wonder why I turn down your offers to be sociable,” Malachi grumbled.

“You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few heads.”

“Eggs.”

“Those too.” Brook shrugged his shoulders.

Malachi was listening to the sound of the man’s footsteps as they closed the distance behind him. He had to remind himself that the man was human — one real punch and he would put his fist straight through the man’s head, not really, but as good as.

That might have been satisfying — but it wouldn’t do anyone any good. Least of all the human.

“You know what he is, Dane.” Someone from the vicinity of the man’s table reminded him.

“I know that if he gets his bear on then, he’s going to be put in a cage for rest of his life where he belongs,” Dane said.

Brook watched the anger settle in on Malachi’s face. He couldn’t blame the man — but he couldn’t allow him to kill the drunken asshole either.

“Allow me,” Brook said as he stood up.

“I don’t think so,” Malachi growled back.

“Allow me,” Sissy said as she slammed down the baseball bat onto the top of the bar. The cracking thump of wood against wood hurt Malachi’s ears. “My bar – my rules.”