Damian's Wolf - 20. Robbery

Lysander drove them to work, smiling at the relaxed look on Jordan’s face. The human was feeling good. Maybe there was something to this whole werewolf sex thing.

“So a little birdie told me you were planning a bake sale Damian,” Lysander said. “And no offense to Jordan’s lovely bike, but you won’t be carrying a bunch of biscuits on a motorcycle.”

“We know,” Damian said. “We were actually thinking maybe you could help us with your truck?”

“Hmm, I’ll have to see if my boyfriends will let me out of the apartment on my day off,” Lysander grinned.

“Oh, just give them some of Damian’s nectar and I’m sure they’ll follow you anywhere,” Jordan said.

“Gasp. Did our Jordan just make a joke about sex?”

“I think you bring it out in me,” Jordan replied.

“No, I think you two are trying to bring it out of me. Just give me a bit to recharge,” Damian smirked.

“Who are you people and what did you do with my mates?” Lysander demanded.

“I dunno. But I just feel so… So relaxed,” Jordan smiled, his eyes closing briefly.

“Damian, did you get Jordan drunk?”

“I… I don’t know. I’ve never really studied the effect of neko… neko juice in humans. Or werewolves,” Damian frowned, studying Jordan.

“Guys, I’m fine, really.”

Lysander pulled over, turning toward Jordan.

“Look at me,” he said, staring at the werewolf.

Jordan gazed into the elf’s eyes, losing himself in the blue, like the sky, floating through the sky…

“Yeah, something happened,” Lysander said.

“He didn’t do this the last time…” Damian fell quiet, ducking his head in embarrassment.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure he’ll be okay.”

“I got catnipped,” Jordan laughed.

“But next time, we do this when you two don’t have work, okay?” Lysander added.

They began moving again, Jordan leaning against Damian’s shoulder. This was a fun ride.

He felt more normal by the time they neared the bookstore. Damian and Lysander still kept an eye on him as they pulled into the car park in front of the store.

“Um, that does not look good,” Lysander said, pulling to a stop.

“What the fuck?!”

Jordan climbed over Damian, dropping out of the truck. The front window of the store had shattered, a large rock sitting inside. Sprayed in red paint above the window were the words Werewolf Lovers.

“Fuck!” the man snapped.

“Jordan, calm down. This is easily cleaned up,” Lysander said gently. “Let me call a friend and we’ll take care of it.”

Damian took Jordan’s hand gently as the elf stepped away.

“They’re seriously going to attack Ms Reyla because of me? This is fucked up.”

“It is, but that’s on them, not you,” Damian said quietly.

Minutes later a van pulled into the car park, a uniformed elf opening the side door. A wolf jumped out, trotting over to the trio.

“Morning Jacob,” Lysander nodded.

The wolf huffed, stepping carefully into the store. He began sniffing around as his partner set up yellow tape around the store.

“I didn’t know Jacob was a city guard,” Damian said.

“Yeah, his nose is pretty good,” Lysander replied, watching the wolf. “He should be able to tell us where the person who did this is.”

“Why didn’t the Guard use a wolf at the apartment?”

“I doubt there was much to smell other than ash,” Jordan muttered as another car arrived.

Blanche stepped out of the car, frowning at the tape.

“What happened?”

“Looks like vandalism,” the elf officer said, taking pictures of the storefront. “Likely a hate crime.”

“I promise I’ll pay for a new window,” Jordan said.

“Don’t worry Aerael, I already took care of that,” Lysander interrupted. “Sara works at a glass store and she knows some friends who can have the window back up in less than a day.”

Jordan frowned.

“I can’t ask your friends to-”

“Well it’s a good thing you didn’t ask,” Lysander said.

“Thank you for your help Mister…”

“Lysander,” the elf smiled, shaking Blanche’s hand.

There was a loud bark from the store, and the officer hurried inside. He returned a moment later with Jacob sniffing around the store.

“Someone broke into the office,” the elf said.

“There should be a bag in there. I’m assuming that was taken?” Jordan asked.

“I didn’t see it in there. We’ll try to find it,” the officer promised.

Jacob woofed quietly, pointing down the road. The wolf detective had the trail.

The officer left with Jacob, following the trail the wolf had found. It wasn’t long before a truck showed up with a couple of men in the back. They got to work quickly, assuring Jordan and Blanche that the window would be fixed by that evening.

“Well, we’re not opening today,” Blanche sighed. “And we lost two days’ worth of earnings…”

“Why don’t you head home? I can handle things here,” Jordan said.

“That’s actually a good idea. Too many bodies will only get in the way,” Lysander pointed out. “Come on Damian, I’ll take you home. Maybe we can find something to do.”

“You have a book on the Red Ghost-”

Lysander chuckled lightly.

“You are welcome to read it,” he said. “Call me when you need a ride Jordan.”

“Don’t worry, I will. I don’t really feel like walking ten miles to get home,” Jordan replied.

He watched as everyone drove away before entering the store. Grabbing a broom, the werewolf began cleaning the shattered glass. It was the only thing he felt he could do.

Jordan had to turn away several people over the next hour. Every single one of them made his head hurt more. They were finally getting more business and this had to happen.

One of the glass repairers knocked on the office door as Jordan set the last of the records in place. He was grateful none had been ruined. Small blessings.

“We’ve done all we can today. I will be back early tomorrow to finish the installation,” the man said.

“I can be here as early as I need to be,” Jordan replied.

“Six will allow you to be open by ten.”

“That works great,” Jordan smiled. “Thank you for your help.”

“Eh, us wolves have to look out for each other,” the man brushed off. “You do the community a great service to be honest. Lot of us have been looking for a book store that has wolf related books.”

“Really? I honestly didn’t realise that,” Jordan frowned.

Now that he thought about it, there were a lot of werewolf books, enough to have them sorted by race. He wondered if Ms Reyla had anything to do with their supply of werewolf books.

“Well, I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

“I’ll be here waiting,” Jordan replied, following the man out of the office.

He found a guard waiting with a small sack in his hands and a grim look on his face.

“We found the elf who did this,” the guard said, handing Jordan the sack.

“Elf?”

“Yeah. Named Halor.”

Jordan scowled. He had suspected the elf, but he was still surprised the bastard had it in him to pull a stunt like this.

“He worked here until a few days ago. Where is he?”

“Dead,” the guard said flatly. “He shot at a guard.”

“Fuck… Are they okay?”

“They’re in the hospital. Other than that, I don’t know. If you’ll excuse me, I have things I need to do.”

The guard left the store quickly, Jordan gaping at his retreating back. Halor was dead? And he had actually shot someone…

Before he could get over his shock, Arisa barged into the store.

“I got here as soon as I could. Are you okay?” she demanded, looking the werewolf over.

“How- what- how did you-?”

“Damian called me,” Arisa said, rolling her eyes.

“Uh, yeah, we weren’t open when it happened,” Jordan replied.

“You aren’t open, are you?”

“Of course not-”

“Good. Let’s go, I’m taking you home.”

Arisa grabbed his wrist, nearly dragging the werewolf out of the store.

“But… hold on, at least let me lock up the store,” Jordan protested.

He hurried around the store, still in a bit of a daze from the news. Halor… He couldn’t believe it.

Glancing at the sack of coins he still held in his hand, the werewolf huffed quietly. There was no way he was leaving it in the store again. He’d have to ask Ms Reyla where they were supposed to go.

As he got into Arisa’s car, Jordan pulled out his phone, dialing.

“Hello?”

“Ms Reyla, they found the money,” Jordan said quickly.

“Oh, good. Do they know who took it?”

“Halor. He’s dead.”

There was a long silence.

“I see. Well, I can honestly say I never wanted this end for him.”

“Me neither. What would you like me to do with the money?”

“Keep it on you. I’ll show you where to put it tomorrow. And Jordan? Thank you. You are a good person.”

“Thank you,” Jordan said quietly.