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“Does he—does he have a tail?” I sound incredulous. Honestly a tail should be the last thing that makes me go what the fuck? But it’s just so jarring after a mostly normal night with Sylus. Maybe that’s what has me so off kilter. We went on a date. No subterfuge, or bombings. Just a normal date at a fair in Linkon, enjoying the rides and the overpriced foods. And now we were watching a man with a giant gun? Sword? And a tail absolutely wailing on some of Ever’s goons. They had improved on their weapons since the last time they came into the N109 zone, but the stranger was holding his own rather remarkably.
“We should probably help him.”
“Does the kitten have a soft spot for stray dogs?” I rolled my eyes at his dead-pan delivery. I had learned that the more amused his tone, the more jealous Sylus was, currently he was at a three, maybe level four on the jealousy scale.
“Sylus, I know there is a stash of weapons in the alley behind us.” He actually looked a little surprised and I just waved my phone at him.
“The twins and I talk, I know we didn’t come this way by accident. You wanted to see what the ruckus was.”
“Clever kitten, you’re right.”
“Wonderful. Now, let’s help him before a potential ally is butchered in front of us.”
Sylus opened the box with his Evol, letting me sort through the weapons and arm myself first. He didn’t really need them, but we both knew it was better to be armed for bear than to go in half-cocked. Just as we stepped out of the ally and into the fray, a goon slammed into the wall beside it, the stranger riding him to the ground, his claws at his throat.
Okay, so claws and a tail does that mean—I looked up and yep, ears too.
“Sy?”
“I see it, ask later.” And just like that Sylus was off into the fray, but the stranger was still watching me, a fact the goon tried to take advantage of. The stranger snapped his neck and moved back; eyes warry.
“We’re on your side.” I couldn’t see the lower half of his face, but his eyes were an amber color so bright I could almost swear they were glowing. Which made me think of Sylus and his glowing red eyes. I wondered if he also had a piece of protocore in his eyes, or if they really were just that bright in the darkness. He took me at my word and we returned to the fight, which with the three of us wasn’t much of one. Sylus and I had trained together for long enough that we could read each other with no effort, and the wolf-boy was adaptable. After all the goons were dead, or fully incapacitated, as Sylus wanted a few to question, we both turned to the man.
“Thanks for the assist.” He said, his voice low and muffled by the mask, a slight rasp to it.
“Glad to help. I’m—”
“Sy, and this is Ms. Hunter.” Sylus interrupted smoothly, his hand going around my waist, and pulling me in close. The stranger didn’t miss the motion and I saw something flick through his eyes but it was gone too fast for me to understand it.
“Val.”
“A pleasure, Val, now, what are you doing in the N109?”
“Out for a walk.” I could tell he was smirking, or at least I assumed he was by the way he tilted his head, eyes crinkling slightly. I looked between him and Sylus and mentally groaned. Sylus could handle a bit of teasing from Luke and Kieran, even from Mephisto, but this was a stranger, and he had little to no patience for strangers being flippant, especially when they were obviously skilled.
“Really, maybe you should head on home. It’s a dangerous night.” And there was the warning, this was either going to be another fight, or a really irritating pissing match. Neither did I want to be involved in.
“Sy, he was fighting against Ever, I think he is a friendly.” He looked down at me, his eyes softening slightly and he nodded. We could talk about whatever was on his mind when we were alone, but for now I wanted these guys collected and stowed before something else popped up, like wanderers.
“Sorry about—” I turned to face where the man had been and he was gone. I looked around and there was nothing, he had just disappeared in the few moments when we were distracted.
“Glorious, another one.” I shook my head; Xavier had pulled a similar trick when I first met him. “Are Luke and Kieran on the way?”
“Yes, they’ll bring a crew to handle this. Time for us to go home.”
“Alright. A hot bath and a cuddle sound like the perfect end to the night.” Sylus never took his hand from my waist as we walked home. Mephisto cawed once and flew around our heads, our little guard bird.