Werewolf Upstairs (20 page)

Where could he have gone?
He must be hiding in a closet. Now she was pissed. She opened each closet and pantry door and found no one.

“What the fuck?” It was as if he’d disappeared into thin air. She jammed her hands on her hips. “Well, that does it.”

She found a sticky-note pad and a pen and scribbled, “Your disappearing act and deceit have me at a loss. There’s more you’re not telling me, and I won’t stand for lies. I’m afraid we’re through.” As she reread it, tears formed in her eyes. Was she being rash?

The more she thought about it, the more she realized the words were right. She’d been patient,
more
than patient, yet her belief in him had only led to more lies and disappointment.

She slammed the door on her way out and returned to her apartment for a good cry.

***

“Roz, open the door.” Konrad pounded so hard he was afraid he’d splinter the solid oak if he didn’t calm down. He took a couple of steps back and raked his fingers through his hair. Dottie would be down in seconds, if he kept that up. Tough.
Nothing can drag me away; certainly not some ninety-eight-pound busybody
. He could hear someone inside Roz’s apartment, and he would not leave until she opened the door.

Wait a minute…
He didn’t have to wait for her to open the door. All he had to do was open his mind to her.

Roz, please give me a chance. I’ll tell you everything.

“
You’ll tell me more lies. Go away.
”

I won’t. I swear! I’ll tell you the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth…so help me, God.

“
God is probably the only one who can help you, because if you lie to me again, you’re beyond redemption.
”

I’m not evil, Roz.

“
Says you.
”

Open the door. Please, please, please open the door!

She didn’t answer him, and the door didn’t open. His nerves were getting the best of him, and he tried pacing off the pent-up energy.

Okay, I’m going to have to tell you everything like this. I had hoped to be with you to reassure you, hold you, and show you how gentle I can be. But if this is how you want it, so be it. I’m not going to lie to you anymore.

He heard a long, resigned sigh on the other side.

This is going to sound preposterous, but I swear it’s true, and I can prove it.

My brother and I were about ten when we decided to run away from home. We were making our way through the woods by the light of the full moon, when we came upon a sight so bizarre, we couldn’t believe our eyes. A group of human beings changed into a pack of wolves.

He waited for some reaction. There was a barely audible thump, as if she’d plopped into a chair or dropped something on the floor.

Are you all right?

“
That’s a trick question, right? Continue.
”

At least she hadn’t fainted.

Okay. We tried to run but were overtaken by the wolves and pinned down. I thought we were done for. Apparently they were waiting for their leader, the alpha wolf, to decide our fate.

For some reason I couldn’t scream or cry. I simply waited for the inevitable. Nicholas whimpered, and it spurred me into action. It was bad enough that I was about to be eaten; if I could spare my brother…Well, I punched and kicked and fought as hard as I could to get to him. Yes, I was bitten, but I didn’t know at the time that Nick would take his cue from me and try to fight too.

We were both bitten and clawed and thus infected with the same Lupine toxin that had infected the rest of the pack.

He paused, half expecting her to laugh. When all he heard was her rapid breathing, he continued.

We were bitten by werewolves. Before you dismiss this as insane, think about some of the things you’ve seen with your own eyes. I healed in hours from a fall that might have killed anyone else. I have superhuman strength. Last night, you saw my wolf form moments after you saw me disappear into my apartment, naked.

He heard something and waited. He hoped she was getting up to open the door. He heard her footsteps, but instead of coming closer, they sounded like they were going farther way and picking up speed. At last he heard a thud and creak as if she’d thrown herself on her bed, followed by the unmistakable sound of weeping.

***

“Merry?” Roz knew her voice was shaking and hoped she didn’t sound like a scared little girl, despite feeling like one. At least over the telephone, her best friend couldn’t see her face, red and blotchy from crying.

“Roz! I’m so excited to hear from you. How’s everything going?”

Roz sat on her bed and examined her Egyptian cotton sheets. Mascara stained her pillowcase. “Not good.”

“Oh, my God. What happened?”

“I’m sorry. Before we get into my troubles, how’s married life?”

Merry chuckled. “It’s awesome. Really great. But it sounds like you need to talk more than I do.”

“Yeah, big time.” Roz sighed. “Are you busy right now?”

“Nope. I was about to make dinner, but I can ask Jason to go grab takeout, then we’ll have complete privacy.”

“You don’t have to do that. In fact, you might like to have Jason nearby when I tell you this.”

“Oh, no. What happened? It sounds horrible.”

“No.” Roz shook her head. “I didn’t mean to alarm you. It’s not a disaster…at least not to anyone but me…and maybe Konrad.”

“Konrad? The Konrad who lives in my building?”

“
Our
building. I moved into your old apartment.”

She heard Merry gasp, then squeal.

“That’s fantastic! I can’t wait to get home and welcome you with a big hug.”

“Yeah, I was going to save it for a surprise, but now I—” Her voice broke, and she couldn’t continue. Sobs rose to the back of her throat and threatened to burst out.

“Roz, what is it?”

She coughed. “We fell in love. I was so happy. Then—” Her throat clogged again.
How the hell do I tell her the love of my life is a werewolf?

Merry made a soft, sympathetic sound. “Oh, honey. Whatever happened, I’m on your side. You know that, right?”

“There are no sides. It’s not like that. I—” She sniffed. Somehow she had to find the courage to tell her. The only person who
might
understand this was Merry. “Do you remember when you told me about Jason’s secret?”

“God, yes. I’ll never forget it. You were so brave and understanding. I thought you’d call the men in white coats on me, but instead you just listened. I can’t tell you how much that meant.”

“Well, maybe now you can return the favor. Konrad was holding something back, and I knew it. I didn’t want to push him because he’s—” She was going to say,
the best thing that’s ever happened to me,
but knew she’d choke up if she said the words.
“I’m sorry. This is hard.”

“I know,” Merry said softly.

A quiet moment of understanding passed between them, and Roz steeled herself, calling on courage she didn’t feel at the moment.

“Merry, apparently Jason isn’t the only shapeshifter in the building.”

“I know. There’s his uncle Ralph and Nathan too.”

Roz sat up straight. “Nathan?”

“Yeah, he’s able to shift into a raven. He even battled off Morgaine’s pet owl that Jason was up against in falcon form. He would have been toast if Nathan hadn’t intervened. I didn’t tell you about them, because I didn’t think it mattered. It was enough to accept that my husband was a shapeshifter, and I didn’t know you were going to move into the building. I’m not sure I’d have let you, if I’d known.”

Roz chuckled. “That’s why I didn’t tell you.”

Merry joined in the brief moment of humor and said, “What does Konrad have to do with this?”

“Konrad’s a shifter too.”

“Really?” Merry sounded not only surprised, but pleased.

“Yeah. Don’t get excited, though. He’s not a pretty bird like your husband or Nathan. He’s a werewolf.”

“A…a what?”

“You heard me right. A
werewolf.
A big, furry doggie with huge teeth and supernatural strength. Not the kind you’d want to sit on your lap.”

Merry’s side of the line went eerily quiet. At last she said, “That explains how he and Sly managed to save my life the night I was attacked.”

“He what? Saved your life? What attack?”

“I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want it getting back to my father, and the fewer people who knew, the better. It happened the day after I moved in. I had just returned home from work, exhausted, and wasn’t paying much attention when I walked from my car to the back door of the building. Somebody jumped me, and Konrad and Sly rescued me from a would-be rapist. He had a knife to my throat. They tossed him off me like he was a sock puppet.”

“Dear God! Why didn’t you tell me?”

“As I said, I couldn’t risk my father finding out about it. He’d have dragged my ass back to Rhode Island faster than Jason can throw a baseball.”

“How did they save you?”

“I thought it was Sly who did it, but now that I know about Konrad…well, it could have been either of them. One of them picked up the guy by the belt and flung him several feet away, like he was a big blow-up doll. Well, maybe that’s not the best description, but you get what I mean, right?”

“Yeah. I do. Konrad’s lifted and carried me like
I
was a blow-up doll. And come to think of it, that’s a very apt description.” At last she was able to chuckle, remembering how his strong arms cradled her or tossed her over his shoulder, and the phenomenal sex they’d had. The sadness descended again. “I…I don’t know how I’ll ever replace him, Merry. He was so kind and gentle. And he made me feel almost petite. It’s the first time a guy has ever made me feel so…so feminine. Oh, damn.” The tears broke through, and she let them flow. Eventually she sobbed from deep in her gut.

“Roz, it’s okay. Let it out. I’m here.”

Merry’s quiet voice crooned words that were meant to be accepting and comforting through the sobs, but Roz felt no better. She wanted nothing more than to run up the stairs and throw herself into her lover’s arms, wolf or no wolf, yet the rational part of her wouldn’t allow it. She knew nothing about what he was. And if everything he said was true, what about that—what had he called it? Toxin? Had he exposed her to something? Was it sexually transmitted?

“I have so many questions, Merry. But I don’t dare ask him about any of it. I don’t know if I’m safe with him.”

“I’ve always felt safe with him. Has he done anything to make you feel unsafe?”

“No. In fact he made me feel very safe. Completely protected, loved…even treasured.”

“Well, there you go. You probably are all those things. How would you feel about leaving a child in his care?”

“Before I knew? I’d absolutely, totally trust him with a child. I even saw him run into traffic, risking his own life to save a toddler.”

“That’s the Konrad I knew. What’s changed? Other than your knowing his secret. Anything?”

“I know he lied to me. I don’t know if I can believe anything he tells me now.”

“How did he lie?”

“The first time he was arrested for attempted theft, I represented him. He allegedly lifted a one-ton freezer full of frozen meat, carried it out of a restaurant, and dropped it onto the sidewalk. We got the case dismissed by saying it wasn’t humanly possible to do what he was accused of doing.”

“That’s probably true, Roz. But if he’s a werewolf—”

“Then either he lied or he’s not human. I don’t like either of those explanations.”

Merry took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Roz, there are all kinds of things in this world I never knew existed until I moved to Boston, specifically to our building. Welcome to wacko central. Now that you live there too, you should probably know all of it.”

Roz gulped. “There’s more?”

“I’m afraid so. You’re sitting down, I hope.”

“Yes.”

“Where are you, exactly?”

“In my bedroom, on my bed.”

“Good. You might want to lie down in case you faint.”

“Merry! What the hell?”

Merry chuckled, but it sounded like a nervous laugh. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make it worse than it is. Just take a few deep breaths and try to relax.”

Roz did, and it helped. “Okay, I’m ready. Lay it on me.”

“Okay, here’s the thing. Even though we live in a building full of paranormals, I feel safe, maybe even safer, than I would in a building full of human strangers. How well does anyone know their neighbors, anyway?”

“Apparently not that well.”

“Right. But I’ve gotten to know everyone in our building
very
well. You, Dottie, Joe Murphy, and I are the only so-called normal people there.”

Roz took in the information and ticked off the names of the other residents out loud. Okay, I know about Jason, Nathan, and Konrad, so Ralph?”

“Another falcon.”

“Gwyneth and Morgaine?”

“Witches.”

“What do you mean? They’re not supernatural, just regular women who practice Wicca, right?”

“I guess so, although I’m not totally sure. Sly asked Morgaine to put a spell on the newspaper ad I answered, advertising the apartment. He said the spell made the ad visible to me and my family, but no one else could see it. That ensured I’d be the only one to answer the ad.”

“By Sly you mean the guy who turned out to be your biological father, right?”