Page 40 of Blood and Bone
“You told him the whole thing?” Ari asked.
“I gave him the highlights. We have a meeting with the whole council this afternoon at four.”
Ari watched Eoghan take a relieved breath. “Thank you, Joe. I don’t know how to convey the importance of what you just did for all clans.”
“It’s fine. I can’t wait to see Blackwood ask you questions and see you shove a few truths down his throat. He’s kind of a dick.”
“He sounds like one,” Eoghan said.
“Just promise me one thing,” Two Trees said.
“What?”
“Don’t go easy on him.”
They all laughed.
“Come on,” Uwaite said, standing up. “It’s early but the barbeque joint we told you about opens at eleven and we don’t have an appointment with them until four.”
“That’s just fine then,” Eoghan said with a smile. “Let’s go.”
Chapter Eleven
They stayed at Ruby’s Barbeque for almost three hours since they had time to kill. Two Trees and Uwaite turned out to be a hell of a lot friendlier and outgoing once they had some lunch in them. And since Ari and Eoghan had eaten a bran muffin with that morning’s coffee, they paced themselves. It took a while but they each managed to polish off a plate of ribs while they all joked and laughed.
Eoghan shared about a few past cases, even talking about the honeybee shifter without giving anything away about the WITSEC protectee and his boyfriend who were now living in an undisclosed location. Both Two Trees and Uwaite were surprised by his existence. Even though shifters themselves, they’d never met an insect shifter of any kind and they seemed fascinated with that fact. As they sat back finishing off fresh squeezed lemonade, the conversation drifted into Ari’s background.
“Your partner told us some stories about his experiences on the job, but you haven’t told us any of yours,” Uwaite said.
“Are you asking me, Uwaite?”
“First of all, call me Alo. I do have a first name.” He looked across the table at the chief. “He does too. It’s Joe.”
Ari ducked his head, smiling. “I’m sorry. It’s ingrained. Army Rangers, U.S. Marshals Service, and now the I.S.R. I’m used to calling people by their last name. No offense meant.”
“It’s cool. I was just busting your chops.”
Ari smiled. “Well, I’ve only been with the I.S.R. for two months. Before that, like I said, I was a plain old civilian marshal.” He spread his hands. “I didn’t even know theparanormal world existed until I met Derwin, the honeybee shifter. As for extraterrestrials. Just no! Then I met an alien bat and a space faerie. Then King John Townsend, the vampire king we talked about. I could go on?” He grinned, taking a sip of his tangy and sweet lemonade.
When the two shifters’ jaws dropped, Ari chuckled. “And the expressions on your faces right now, are probably what mine looked like during my first few days on the job.”
“What is a…space faerie?” Alo asked.
Eoghan and Ari both laughed. “Something you never ever want to meet, trust me,” Eoghan replied.
“Extraterrestrial bullshit,” Ari said.
“Sounds nasty,” Joe said.
“Nasty as hell,” Ari replied. “But Derwin is the nicest bee you’d ever want to meet and so is Ralphie.”
“Is that this Derwin guy’s boyfriend?” Alo asked.
“No, that’s the alien bat.”
“Shit,” Joe said. He exchanged a glance with Alo. “Do you believe in aliens?”
“I mean…I didn’t until we met these two but…I guess I do now.”