Death in the Shadows - 28. Chapter 28: Remarkable Reception

With Vincent off on another adventure, Mason struggled to keep himself entertained. There was plenty of work to be done at the farm office in terms of paperwork now that it was a new year. He set another stack in the outbox slot on his desk. This fuckin' sucks! It just doesn't stop.

His mind relapsed to their wedding reception. The party was unforgettable. Escorting his husband by the hand, Mason saw everyone in attendance as they all loudly welcomed them. Holy shit…

Outside the community rental space, he saw Lei and the uncles gathered around the six oil-drum grills, flipping the aluminum-covered racks. The creek fries! Hell yeah! His attention was stolen as Vincent was mauled by a blonde blur. Seeing his mate on the ground with Stacy on top was a hilarious sight. Another, smaller blur was on his way as well. Mason bit his cheek, eagerly waiting for the landing. Three… two… one—

"Vinsy!" yelled Lowe. The little man hopped unceremoniously onto the proverbial and literal dog pile, causing Vincent and Stacy to groan and laugh.

A sense of danger attacked Mason's instincts, but the warning was too late. He was lifted from behind on both his sides. Yelping, he saw his beta, along with strands of long, blond hair. "Guys! Put me down."

"Not a chance," grunted Caleb. "Jeez, you're heavy. Ever thought about a diet?"

Dave snorted, "Maybe you need to work out."

His council managed to carry him inside the building. Looking back, he pointed and cackled when his husband was hoisted as well; Stacy on the left, and Tasha and Lowe on the right.

Both were planted in front of a small table, and those they did not get to speak with last night were quick to offer their congratulations. Seeing so many of his friends and pack members come to celebrate his and Vincent’s marriage. Cyrus and Kap look less stressed. That Wagner guy gets another brownie point for tellin' them they need a mini-vacation. After that mess with the businessman, they've strengthened ties with the VPN chapter in New York.

Then there's Remis and them. Their situation's getting better, but it's a long way to go. Varis is keeping the blood flowing, and from what Trent said, the starved vampires are starting to recover. Maybe we can help out by asking the pack for blood donations to shorten delivery times.

Seeing his friends and family mingle with each other was interesting. Cyrus seemed to be having an enamoring conversation with Alaric. Ashford and Bartlett were chatting with Kaplan, and the enforcer fist-bumped the mated alpha. Looks like those two talked about their fight at the summit. Glad they don’t have any hard feelings about it. From the open serving window, Bart, Robard, Dirk, and Ingle hovered over the fries in the kitchen. Watching the ursus nab a sliced potato, eat it, then look incredulously at the rest was priceless. When Ingle crossed his arms, Dirk took another slice and shoved it in the lycan’s mouth. A smile slowly curled on Ingle’s face, clearly smitten by the slightly creamy spud. Those two are adorable. They almost deserve their own sitcom or some shit.

The highlight of the reception was before the meal. Vincent, in the hot seat, was presented with two different platters of his macaroni recipe. Tasha and Elaine presented their dishes and demanded to know which one was superior. Poor, Vinnie. I hope he makes it out alive.

The judge played along, examined the mac, and tasted each one. Vincent took Tasha’s first. “I really like the pulled pork inside, and the drizzled barbecue sauce on top adds a nice sweetness.” Focusing on Elaine’s, the alpha was more excited. “I love the broccoli and cauliflower. Personally, I like this one the best, but I’d make it for myself. The other meat-eaters here might pass on it. However…”

He pierced shreds of Tasha’s pork, then Elaine’s broccoli. Humming, Vincent ate again. “Oh, yeah! Mix them up a bit.”

The ladies were satisfied with the answer, and as everyone made their plates, they heeded the alpha’s advice. Dinner was perfect. There was a ridiculous amount of food, and it was all being wiped out at a rapid pace. Dad really went overkill on the grill. Bone-in chops, burgers, and brats. Then all of a sudden, Uncle Robie comes in with… I don’t know how much pulled pork. But none of it could compare to the true star. Uncle Bart and— Mason shivered as he remembered— Those chicken breasts. Those beautiful, maple-bacon chicken breasts. Just the right amount of sauce was brushed on. Every sweet bite made me want more and more.

Once the food was demolished, the self-proclaimed DJ Master Remis “Mickey” McCabe took the microphone and claimed it was time for the first dance. With Vincent’s hand in his, Mason led the way onto the dance floor. The lights were turned down low, and a single, white spotlight shone on them.

Holding his husband by the hip, their picked song, “Ordinary World” by Green Day played. Mason’s eyes never strayed from his destined as they swayed to the accoustic guitar. When Vincent first suggested the choice in music, Mason was skeptical because the band was known for their punk-rock. But as Billie Joe Armstrong sang, the alpha was sold on the meaning. Vinnie doesn’t want much, but what we have is more than enough. It’s all we want. Just our little world, together.

They ended it with a kiss and immediately segued into the mother-son dance. The idea was debated when they planned the reception, but Vincent pushed for it heavily. Elaine took Mason while Lei held Vincent tight. The shadow mage caused the guests to roar with laughter when Vincent used his magic to increase his height. Standing on pitch-black stilts, he was now as tall as the father. Halfway through “Yellow” by Coldplay, the parents swapped partners. I thought dancing with Dad was going to be awkward, but it was really nice. He even warned me not to fuck things up. Thought that was supposed to be his fatherly message to Vinnie. Thanks, Dad…

Staying in the dancing mood, they began the traditional dollar dance. In the spirit of competition, the man who raised the lowest amount of money would have the privilege of having cake stuffed in their face. Despite Mason’s determination to win, the contest was a close one. It was neck and neck; each of them swaying with several pack members. Cyrus mosied up to the shadow mage, spun him away from Mason, then flashed three one-hundred dollar notes at the pack alpha and stuffed them in Vincent’s shirt. To even the playing field, Tierney sauntered over, showed three of his own bills, and folded them in Mason’s back pocket as they shuffled for a few seconds. In an unexpected turn of events, Kaplan earned the panda’s emerald gaze as the beta sided with Mason, earning him a twenty to win the dance.

Winning the contest, he picked up Vincent and carried him to their three-tiered, nearly naked, marble cake. Slicing the first piece, Mason wasted no time smearing icing on his mate’s face. He made sure to avoid sticking any up the lycan’s nose. Don’t need him smelling that for a week. Together, they fed the other a bite, then moved aside as Elaine cut the rest.

The rest of the reception was a blur. The hours passed as he danced, rejoiced, and celebrated. When people slowly trickled out, he and Vincent were instructed to start their honeymoon.

Stopping at home to grab their bags, Vincent scooped Mason up and ran through the blinding gray. It’s so fast! His stamina’s getting better. Before he started all this running around, we had to stop several times just to get to New York or Pittsburgh. They made travel plans according to the timezones they would cross into. Leaving Kentucky at ten in the evening, they headed straight for Germany.

With aid from Vincent's bracelet, they arrived in Stuttgart. I don't see how Vinnie does this. It's five in the morning, and now I'll be wanting to go to bed in a few hours. Weird. Finding a diner for a light breakfast was simple enough, as was using their phones to translate for both the menu and waitress. Taking their time, they enjoyed their potato omelets and apple-stuffed pancakes.

Later in the day, they met with Alpha Meyer and his beta, Theo. For the duration of their time in the country, Theo would be their guide. Driving out of town, the German pointed at an intense wooded area. “Da ist es. The Black Forest.”

The itch to run was bothersome. I sure hope Vinnie’s paying attention how to get to town, ‘cause I’m sure as hell not. The two-story cabin came into view, and Mason was smitten. The front deck looked like cherry oak, and it wrapped into a staircase along the side, leading to the second level. He immediately saw the large hot tub up there, and Mason followed the view. Straight towards town. We’ll see the city lights at night. That’s going to be kick-ass!

As grateful as they were to have Theo at a moment’s notice, Vincent and Mason did their best to keep to themselves. Every other hour, they were in the woods. By their third run, it was discussed to consider Stuttgart as their relocation home in sixty or seventy years. That means I might need to learn German, but that’s okay. Gives me a new hobby, and I can learn with Vinnie.

Every meal was something different, even if the timezones didn’t correlate. Lunchtime was perfect for dinner in Tokyo while having lunch in Kuala Lumpur was typically late by the time they woke up in the morning. Regardless, the men kept themselves fed during their stay.

If the alphas weren’t in the forest, they were either cuddling in bed or soaking in the hot tub. Before, Mason thought having Vincent in his arms was the greatest feeling in the world. Now it’s perfect. He’s mine in every way possible. Nothing can take him away.

Back in the farm office, he sighed. We should’ve stayed another week. I mean, we can go back any time we want. Maybe we can invest in our own cabin there. That auditor money Vinnie’s bringing in’s pretty nice, so it can be a goal.

Taking a break, he stepped outside and was attacked by the brisk, chilly wind. The tractor shed door was cracked open, so he decided to take a look. The lycan saw Neil walking with a can of sealant. "Neil! What's going on?"

The human barely smiled. "Not the paperwork, apparently. Just fixed a fuse, and now I'm patching this hole again. You might need to set some money aside and get Paulie a new tire."

Staring at the older machine, Mason grumbled. "Yeah. Honestly, I've been saving up to get a brand new one instead. We practically put it back together every year, so I think we got one more season with her."

Neil hummed, then palmed the giant wheel. "You might be right, but if I'm being honest, she's fit for a dirt nap. I wouldn't even sell her to an old grandpa just to give his grandson a ride around. Hell, look at her, Mace. We got half a school bus seat up there."

Mason cringed. Yeah, the bucket seat busted three years ago, and Dad took an old bus seat, sawed it in half, then duck-taped it to all high hell. Maybe it's time. "I'll get on the phone with the farm credit office and see what our price range is. Any suggestions?"

The farm's right-hand man grinned. "A Massey Ferguson 8S-265?"

Shaking his head, he walked away and yelled, "Right, I'll start looking at yard sales!"

Heading towards the fields, he spotted a group of cattle lingering near the fence. Walking up, he recognized one of his newer ones that arrived a few months back. It walked away when the rest remained. Mason ducked under the electric tape and petted them. "Y'all need to start talking to him. He's a new guy, so he's not going to get used to working with wolves if you leave him be. Now git. Be more social."

He smacked an ass and sent them off. Returning to the office, Mason sat. Folding his hands, he wondered about his mate. Hope he's having fun out there.

Finishing up, he drove home, checked his email, then fired up the Xbox. Feels like a ‘Risk of Rain 2’ kind of day… Selecting the Commando, Mason danced across the battlefield, collecting coins and items along the way. His eyes were always on the move as enemies continually spawned all around him. As usual, he lost track of time and spent two hours playing before getting wiped out by the final boss, Mithrix. Man, fuck that guy! I shouldn’t have spent so long farming for items.

Hungry, he walked into the kitchen and grabbed everything needed to make an alfredo. When nabbing sausage, he saw a package of sliced mushrooms and a small bundle of spinach leaves. Smirking, he took everything, set it on the counter, and found a deep skillet. If Vinnie could see me now; cooking my own meals with veggies. He’d be so proud.

***

Arriving back at the hotel room, Vincent plopped his satchel on the bed, then fell beside it and groaned.

"Had enough already?" asked the polar bear.

"No, but I can't imagine the size of those guys' butt plugs." Vincent rose, made a circle with his thumb and index finger, and put it over his eye. In a scratchy voice, he bobbed his head to the side and mocked, "Oh, ho! Sending a new auditor our way, hmm? The EC must not think highly of us if they throw recruits our way, oh-hummm!"

RJ squatted as he bellowed. "That's rich! Makes me wonder if you make fun of me when I'm not around."

"Nah, you probably have sources and would find out."

"Smart man. So what makes you think the coyotes haven't bugged this room? They could've seen or heard your mocking?"

They wouldn't… Checking his naiveté, he stopped himself. "I didn't think about that."

"We were gone for about an hour. Long enough for someone to bug a room."

"Would they do that?"

RJ sighed and grabbed the upholstered ottoman. "Always check, especially when you work with a partner that you can talk to. We can chat about topics their pack needs to focus on, then go and fix it behind our backs."

As the ursus stepped up and pulled a tiny screwdriver from his keychain, he unscrewed the air vent. "Nothing here. Check the curtains, window sill, and behind the bed baseboards."

Following the order, the mage examined every square inch. He even dipped into the darkness and went under the beds. Searching using his magic, he scoured everything that could cast a shadow, including inside of the electrical outlets. "Nothing here."

"Good."

"Is it a common occurrence to have your room bugged?"

RJ shrugged. "Happened to me recently last year. You should've seen me; I was pissed! Had a cute and burly cub named Jake that evening."

Hearing that piece of juicy gossip, Vincent cooed excitedly, "RJ!"

The bear had a smug grin as he laid down. "Reminds me, I should head back to Ontario at some point to see him. He's probably the closest to a mate I've found so far. We stayed up for hours talking, among other things.”

“Sounds like a winner."

"Yeah, but I'm not sure I'm cut out for that life."

Vincent sat on the bed with a folder. "What do you mean?"

With a dejected look on his face, RJ grumbled to himself. "It wouldn't work with this job. I'm constantly on the move, and Jake doesn't seem like the person who wants that. He said he dreams of a white-picket fence kind of life, and I see how hard it is for you to sleep away from your mate."

Dissatisfied with the reason, the mage scowled. "If I'm being honest, that's a cop-out. This Jake guy might not be your destined like how Mace is mine, but you owe it to yourself to find happiness."

"But I am happy."

"I thought I was too," retorted Vincent. "I can travel as the speed of light; be anywhere I want in the matter of seconds or minutes. Eat whatever I want, see any of this world's sights, but nothing beats being with the one I love."

RJ sighed. "But I can't have that. I'm in a different city every week."

"So? You're making it seem this job dictates your life. Do me a favor and think about your time with Jake. How happy did he make you?"

Silent for nearly a minute, a smile grew over time. "If we wouldn’t starve, I would’ve stayed in that bed with him.”

“There you go,” stated Vincent. “Besides, what if you offered to take him along on some of your trips? Just keep the folders and files away from him, but you’d have Jake every night.”

Flustered and blushing, RJ got up and took off his shirt. “I… I need to take a shower.”

Just as the bear turned away, Vincent saw the pitched tent. He laughed. “Two more days, then we’ll be off for a week. Take the trip, Grumps.”

The bear growled as the water flowed in the bathroom. “And if he’s not there, or isn’t single?”

“C’mon, show a little faith. Worst case scenario, you’re in Ontario. I’m sure there’s things to do there, right?”

After RJ’s suspiciously long shower, the two returned to the task at hand. “So, thoughts on the coyotes. And no impersonations.”

Vincent got serious and recalled their meeting with the local council. “They’re pompous, but I don’t think they’re doing anything illegal.”

“Why’s that?”

“I watched them as they talked to you. The second they knew I was in training, they dismissed me and didn’t bother pay any attention. They’re super fake, but they aren’t conniving. From the paperwork, their dues are fair, and the previous evaluations are overall positive.”

RJ rolled onto the bed. “Why are you looking at previous evaluations?”

“Because it’s available information,” he replied. “They set an example of what their pack excels at, and what they needed improvement on. Are they worthy of a better score than their previous audit or not? Where were their faults last time, and how did they improve now? It’s also important to review where the former auditor’s head was at.”

“Interesting. You seem pretty stuck on Powell’s actions.”

“That’s because it shouldn’t happen again. We’re not only reviewing the packs; we need to hold ourselves accountable. Powell went for over a decade without revealing his cards. If a pattern can be found between prior evals, then it’s noteworthy.”

“And do you see anything?” asked the ursus.

“These guys are clean, and I don't see anything out of the ordinary on the evals.”

“Good, but I think you can do better. You like turning over every stone, don’t you?”

Not seeing the issue, Vincent nodded.

“If you’re going to continue doing that, then you shouldn’t voice it. The second you’re made out as a nit-picky auditor, these councils will have your number and you won’t find shit.”

What? His wolf argued, What do mean?

It clicked for Vincent’s human mind. I got it. “They’ll know what to look at, then put make-up on.”

RJ grinned. “And how did you come to this conclusion?”

“Retail stores do it all the time. The second the store manager gets wind of a visit from someone in the corporate office, everyone’s put on cleaning duty. They doll the store up and ensures that day and time has plenty of staff. It’s all appearances, and the pack I’m auditing will do the same damned thing.

“So I should… what? Chill out?”

“I didn’t say that,” RJ answered. “By all means, dig up every detail and stick it in the notes. But when it comes to revealing what you find, you can definitely chill out there. Shake enough trees, and you’ll have a harder time finding the misbehaved. Remember what I said about your naivete?”

Understanding, Vincent sat up with a bounce. “It’s like you and Cyrus. You’re chill, he’s giggly, so that would make me naive, right? Use it as a cover?”

The polar bear huffed. “Smart kid. We’ll make an auditor out of you in no time.”