Yuna looked through the window, quiet, while Akiva studied the menu on the window. “I’m fine with this,” the lich said.
Cian was standing back while the others milled around, as if shepherding a herd of children. The night had turned cool and tourists on the street veered sharply to give us a wide berth without incident. Why? Was it because something about our little group screamed danger?
I stood back as well; I’d been separated slightly from the others since we’d left the movie, unable to completely let go of my fretting.
Now I tugged at my shirt, worrying the fabric between my fingers as I watched Akiva and Merric argue over dinner. Should I step in? Would Merric get angry and do something to Akiva if this went on?
Cian stepped closer without me noticing, and put an arm over my shoulders to pull me against him.
“Stop worrying so much,” he murmured.
I looked at him, brows furrowed, and opened my mouth to lie.
He spoke before I could. “He won’t do anything.”
“Akiva?” I whispered, unsure. “That’s not–“
“Merric.” His smile was warm and reached his eyes easily. “So stop looking at him like he’s a bomb ready to go off, all right?”
“You don’t understand-“
“I do.” His smile turned gentle. “I’ll address it, all right?”
How did he know about Merric? My heart jumped in my throat, my pulse rocketing, and Cian pulled me tighter. “No, don’t say anything. I’m not supposed to tell–“
“You didn’t,” Cian assured me. “I promise.”
“Cian…“
“Watch.” He looked up, still smiling, and looked to where Indra and Merric were discussing the menu. “Isn’t that tiring, Merric?”
The fox’s ears pricked and my stomach clenched painfully. He turned, smile tinged with confusion “What?” he asked, head tipped to the side.
Cian smiled, but didn’t answer.
Merric’s eyes slid to mine and his smile widened. “I really bother you, don’t I?” he asked, seeming to marvel at my fear.
Indra looked between Merric and me, and took a step back from the kitsune. “Cian?” he looked to the vampire for answers. Even Akiva looked confused.
Yuna’s eyes narrowed and she moved to stand at my other side protectively.
It made me feel a little better.
“I think this has gone on long enough. Did you tell her to keep it a secret?” Cian’s expression was patronizing. “From me?”
Merric’s eyes didn’t leave mine; it was as if he had very little interest in Cian. “I asked her earlier who’d been in her yard,” the kitsune said, voice cold and much more reminiscent of his true self. “The rain washed away your scent, but I should’ve known.” Finally he turned to grin at Cian.
“What’s going on?” Akiva asked quietly. “And does it warrant making a scene?” he gestured towards the humans on the street, who still weren’t paying us much attention.
“No, no scene. I’m just wondering why Merric still insists on hiding his tails. It’s been how long now since we last met? Two hundred years?”
Merric considered it. “Almost three,” he amended.
“And you still play the most pathetic games.”
“Cian…“ I was pretty sure he shouldn’t be insulting Merric, but the vampire only smiled, eyes still on the kitsune.
“I think George has been through enough the last couple of days. She deserves to enjoy dinner.”
Merric’s brow rose. Only his attitude had changed; his physical appearance remained the same. “Are you telling me to leave?”
Cian shook his head. “Quite the opposite. I’d love to hear all about what you’ve been doing for the last couple of centuries. But you will stop intimidating her.”
“That’s why the vampires last night didn’t come after us,” Yuna said suddenly. “I wondered; they should’ve caught us easily. It was you.” She looked to me, eyes narrowed. “The wendigo, too. George didn’t kill it.”
Her faith in me was inspiring.
Merric rolled his eyes, barely sparing Yuna a glance. “Fine,” he said. “You can stop shaking like a field mouse, George. I don’t care if your friends or your cousin know what I am. But.“ The word was sharp and he looked back to Cian. “You don’t get to sit beside me at the table.” Then, just like that, he was back to his façade.
He pulled the door open, smiling, and gestured us in with a flourish. Akiva and Indra passed him first, the hellhound giving the kitsune a searching look. Yuna followed brusquely.
Cian went next, leaving me as the last one through the door. As I passed, a long white tail wrapped around my waist, pulling a gasp from my throat.
Cian didn’t even turn when he spoke, “Enough, Merric.”
The fox laughed, but his tail vanished. “I’m only teasing. It’s in my nature.” He walked beside me, then caught up to the vampire to walk with him like they were old friends.
Were they?
We followed a hostess to the covered patio, which was mostly empty, and Indra helped her push three tables together for us.
When Merric tried to sit down in between Akiva and Yuna, the cecaelia snarled at him, causing the kitsune to laugh and jump to another seat.
When I approached, however, Yuna tugged me over, kicking the chair out for me.
There was very little room between the two, and I ended up with our elbows almost touching.
Akiva grinned and hooked a leg around mine. Yuna rested her forearm against my own.
Maybe this was a date.
Cian sat across from me, and Merric balked cheerfully about having to sit next to the vampire, while Indra sat across from Akiva on his other side.
“Relax,” Cian’s foot found my unclaimed one and he pressed his ankle to mine. “He’s just a big, fluffy, chaos fox.”
“Void kitsune,” Merric corrected, looking at his menu.
Yuna leaned towards him, head cradled in her palm. “And I thought George’s taste in friends was bad before,” she commented, earning the kitsune’s hapless smile.
“Hmm?” Merric put a hand to his chest, looking wounded. “You don’t mean to say I’m the more questionable choice between us, do you cecaelia?”
“What’s the big deal about her being a cecaelia?” I asked, finally unable to help myself.
Indra’s eyebrows shot up. “You know what
