Page 5 of Blind Date with a Werewolf
Why would people want to be vampires, Papa? A ball? In Missoula, Montana? How many people pretending to be vampires live in Missoula?
Asil replied:
I have no idea. Why do people do anything? But the Christmas Masquerade Ball apparently is a regional event with groups coming from Seattle, Portland, and even Denver. I am told they are expecting three hundred people. Presumably that means some of them live in Missoula. Your guess as to how many is as good as mine.
He waited. Finally Hussan wrote:
Three hundred people who want to be vampires. I have no words.
Asil smiled. It had taken him aback, too. But he had learned some things from Kelly tonight, more than what the boy said.
They have never met a vampire and would not recognize one if they did. These are children playing a game without winners or losers, telling stories to each other. It is for fun. It is also, I think, a way to empower themselves in a world that leaves them feeling alienated and helpless. Overall, a healthy response.
Hussan’s reply came as a hesitant knock sounded on his door.
If you say so, Papa, it must be so. Still, be careful.
Kelly’s eyes widened when he saw Asil, though he looked quite fine himself. His clothing, in browns and blues, had indeed been tailored to him—Asil knew the difference between off-the-rack and bespoke. The style was flattering to Kelly’s lanky build, drawing attention to the grace of his movement while adding a touch of width to his shoulders.
“Very nice,” Asil said—and Kelly blushed.
“I told you my friend Meg is a genius,” he said, flashing acrylic fangs.
“She did a good job.” Asil was pleased. Though he liked to be the best-dressed person in the room, it was well not to make your date look inferior.
When they got to Asil’s car, Kelly handed over the keys with a sigh of relief. “Here.”
Asil noted that Kelly had apparently decided to forgo his safety rules in order not to have to drive Asil’s car. He might have commented on it, but the boy said, “You drive and I’ll direct.”
Unfortunately, Kelly put a little too much authority into his voice.
Were he a wolf, Kelly might end up an Alpha eventually. Which explained why Asil’s wolf was so abrupt in his reactions. Both he and Asil had a softness for the young. But there was only one being Asil’s beast was willing to surrender power to, and it wasn’t this boy.
Currently Asil’s wolf was displeased at being given orders by a young pup and willing to make an issue of it. Asil got intothe car and concentrated on controlling his wolf while not hitting anyone who shared the road with him.
“Are you all right?” Kelly asked. “You seem…angry.”
“I’m having an argument with myself,” Asil told him truthfully, and felt the wolf settle at the wariness in the boy’s tone. Fear showed that their date understood that the wolf was dangerous. “Happily, my good side is winning.”
“And if your bad side were winning?”
Asil shook his head. “Blood and gore.”
“Well,” said Kelly, evidently believing Asil’s teasingly solemn tone rather than his words, “we are going to a vampire ball, after all.” He contemplated traffic for a moment. “I think this will be my last one. Grad school means I don’t have much time to play anymore anyway, and…the group has changed from when I joined it. I guess growing up means you have to quit playing games, making stuff up, and dressing in costume.”
“Nonsense,” said Asil, relaxing a little as his beast stood down. “I love to dress in costume.”
Kelly laughed. “But you’re not much older than I am.”
“I am older than I look.” Asil changed the subject before Kelly chose to pursue that one. “Since this is a ball, there will be dancing?”
“Yes. Starts with a tango, ends with a waltz, and everything else is in between.” Kelly said it like a tagline.
“And do you tango?” It was his favorite dance. Asil had never tangoed with another man before, but at his age, new experiences were to be savored.
“Fourteen years of ballet with classes in ballroom dancing, historical dancing, tap, and jazz along the way.” Kelly grinned at him. “I told my parents that I was gay when I was sixteen.I’m pretty sure,now, that they already knew. Back then I was scared of what they would do. My dad said, ‘So that’s why you took all those dance classes.’ My mom pretended to hit him. It wasn’t quite the response I’d been expecting—I was hoping for more drama. Looking back on it, I am grateful.”
“Can you follow?” Asil would not follow another in a dance or anything else. If Kelly were not willing to cede the role to him, they would not dance—which would be too bad because Asil was a very good dancer.
