"You're really okay with a werewolf in your lap?" Allan crossed his arms and grinned.
My eyes went wide, and I choked on a giggle. "I know what you meant," I said quickly when he shot me a look. "It just sounded kind of awkward."
Allan considered for a minute before he laughed. "How about two werewolves?"
That set my pulse racing, and I knew all three of them could tell.
"Sure, why not?" I stammered.
He smiled and left the room.
"If you break the couch, you're making a new one!" Doc called after Allan.
"Can we fit him?"
"He'll figure out a way. His sense of personal space is only marginally better than Ed's."
"Are you going to be able to breathe?"
"I'll be fine," Doc answered. He played with my hair, and his breath tickled my neck. "Of course, they're both avoiding the conversations we need to have," he said as a slightly darker blond wolf walked into the room.
"Well, they can listen to us have it." I felt Doc nod.
"I'd rather avoid it too. I guess we don't have much of a choice." Doc sounded worried.
Allan launched himself on the couch and landed on top of Ed.
I gasped as a few hundred pounds of werewolf pressed against my chest. "I do need to breathe, unlike Doc, apparently."
Allan grinned at me wolfishly and flopped down. One of my hands was basically trapped between him and Ed. I freed the other and scratched him behind the ears. He leaned into my touch, so I didn't think he objected.
"I do need to breathe," Doc said tightly, "Just not as much as you do, and they're heavy."
They had shoved me until I was pressed into Doc, almost lying across his lap, though he kept his arm around me, so I wasn't straining my back to keep from completely lying down on him. He held me against his chest, and I breathed in his freshly cleaned leather scent.
"When's the last time you rode a horse?"
Doc glanced at me.
"You smell like leather and a bit like horse, but, you know, not in a bad way," I added the last hastily.
"It's been a couple of years."
"I like it." I felt Doc hold his breath for a moment before slowly letting it out.
He glanced out the window. It had darkened outside, though it would be a while before it was really dark.
"Why don't you two go run. Stay on the property until it gets truly dark and be careful. We're not safe anymore."
Allan raised his head scooted forward until his muzzle was inches from my face.
I supposed it could be intimidating, having a wolf that close to my face. I could see his intelligence behind those steel gray eyes, and knew he would never hurt me. I smiled.
Allan wolf-grinned and touched his nose to my cheek as if he were kissing me before jumping off the couch.
I swear I heard the frame creak.
Ed looked at Allan for a moment before looking at me. He still had us pinned, and he leaned so his face was also level with mine.
I dug my fingers into his fur. He also wolf-grinned at me before touching me on the cheek with his nose and leaving the couch.
It became completely clear why all the doorknobs were levers when Allan used his nose to work the lever and open the front door. He trotted outside, Ed right behind him. One of them pulled the door shut, and then I was alone with Doc.
"That really didn't bother you, did it? Except when Ed startled you."
"No. Why would it? I knew they were werewolves. It rather follows that they can actually turn into wolves. I know the ability isn't tied to the moon like the legends say, and I did see the dog, um, wolf hair all over your bedspread. Do they usually sleep in there?"
Doc stared out the window, not looking at me. "Yeah, we usually share the bed. It's a werewolf thing. I got used to it."
"So, can you turn into a wolf, too?"
He tensed and glanced down at me. "What?"
"Or is there another wolf I need to know about? Or do you have a dog? There are black hairs on the bed, too."
Doc studied me for a minute, and the silence stretched long enough that I wasn't sure he was going to answer before he nodded. "I'm going to have to wash that before Victoria comes back over. It's kind of a secret."
"I won't tell anyone."
"I know."
"So, are you going to tell me what you are? You seem nervous about it." I twisted around so that I faced Doc, leaning my hand on the arm of the couch so I could sit backward without straining my back. I was still effectively in his lap, just turned toward him now.
He searched my face for a moment before he sighed, leaning back a little. "I'm a vampire."
I tensed before shaking my head. "I've seen you in the sunlight way more than I've seen you at night."
Doc grimaced. "More accurately, I'm a half-vampire. I may be the only one currently alive."
"Huh."
He held his breath, as if waiting for more of a reaction, but I wasn't sure what to say. I completely understood why he didn't want to say anything before, and why he was still nervous now, but it was Doc. Just like the wolves, I knew deep down, he would never hurt me.
Vampires and werewolves had received the most attention in various legends and movies over the years. I didn't know a lot about vampires, other than what was common knowledge. Unlike werewolves, vampires were rare. They were extremely dangerous, and they tended to keep to themselves. Despite what most of the more popular urban fantasy novels portrayed, they typically weren't interested in humans as anything other than food. Not a lot was really known about them, and they liked to keep it that way. It was better to stay away,
