Page 79 of Aleko
“You get told that often enough, that’s what you think,” said Pellos. Then he eyeballed the naked selkies with a frown. “Can you two at least put on clothes?”
“I’m dry,” said Trevor.
“It’s still your ass,” said Pellos.
Trevor pointedly rubbed his butt a little harder into the cushions.
“There are sarongs on the hooks by the door.” Pellos waved toward the door, where the kept the odd collection of sarongs, ponchos and swim trunks for shifting.
Colin dropped the next six pack of beer onto the couch and went to the door, sorting through the hooks until he found a poncho. He took a sarong back to his brother and tossed it over Trevor’s head before sitting down.
“Why do you smell funny?” asked Trevor wrapping the sarong around himself and sniffing in Pellos’s direction. “I mean, super glad you ain’t dead, but now you smell funny. Not bad funny.”
“More sort of wolf funny,” said Colin. “You smell like the rest of these ‘uns. It’s weird.”
“We did a thing,” said Sebastian. “Killian brought home a spell for making werewolves, so we did the spell. Which, OK, since it worked out, I can say this—I have never been so scared of fucking up some words in my life. I mean, what if I’d gotten the Latin wrong? You could have come out as a selkie.”
Pellos snorted in laughter and Killian wanted to cry. The fact that Pellos was there to laugh at Sebastian’s stupid jokes felt like a miracle.
“He should be so lucky. But hang on a minute,” said Trevor. “You’re a wolf now?”
“I think so,” said Pellos.
“Can you do all the things?” asked Trevor.
“I’ve only figured out the teeth and claws so far. Although, when I figured out the fingers, I accidentally did my toes and shredded my boots. Don’t tell Alekos.”
“Been there,” said Sebastian, with a sympathetic nod.
Killian gave a half-laugh, although his eyes were closed. “Ithink we’ve all been there.”
“Kills, you haven’t said what happened at the Library,” said Pellos.
Killian tried to figure out how to answer and then realized he couldn’t. “Later. I’m going to bed.”
He levered himself to his feet and climbed the stairs toward his room. He was half way down the hall when he realized that something was wrong. He was supposed to be going out the front door because… Alex’s door sprang open.
“Just take a moment,” said Alex, pulling on his shirt. “Stay calm.”
“What?” Killian shook his head. “I need to go…”
“Hudson,” barked Alex and Hudson came out of the bathroom at the end of the hall, toothbrush in his mouth. “Sit on Killian for a minute. I need to go meet Moira.”
“Who’s Moira?” asked Hudson around his toothbrush.
“She’s the other dot in my head and now she’s heading this way.”
Killian swung around, feeling like a compass pointing toward true North.
“And she’s mad,” added Alex, heading for the stairs.
“No, I need to…” Killian took a step toward the stairs, but Hudson was blocking his way. Then they all heard the polite but firm knock on the front door.
“Just wait,” said Alex, jogging down the stairs. Killian tried to go around Hudson, but Hudson blocked him again. Killian snarled in irritation dodged again, but Hudson grabbed him.
“Just sit on him!” bellowed Alekos.
Moira was outside. Killian could tell. She was so close. He grabbed Hudson around the waist and flipped him.
