Page 3 of Changeling
Sasha smiled. “Almost there. Ten more minutes and we’ll be pulling into the Gatehouse.”
Nathan nodded and turned a quick glance on Walter beside him. His Spirit Guide was still frowning, but Nathan didn’t honor the expression with a comment. Instead, he locked gazes with Sasha in the rearview mirror. “Can’t wait.”
Chapter 2
Nathanstaredatthejukebox in the corner of the Gatehouse bar distrustfully. He hadn't really given it much thought when they were there before, because they hadn't spent much time downstairs. But, with the Gatehouse empty while Alex worked on some much needed repairs to the old building, they were free to roam about the place without worry of running into seals.
The jukebox was…digital.
“It doesn't bite,” Alex said, smiling as she walked up to the jukebox and started fiddling with the touch screen. “It works more like a playlist on a laptop or phone. You program in the songs, and people can just come over and look up the artists or titles they want by typing them in. Much more for variety.”
Nathan huffed as some familiar Guns N' Roses began to play. Other than the touch screen, the jukebox looked like any old model, but Nathan still eyed it with natural contempt. He hadnever been one for technology, probably because they were on the road most of the time and were usually broke.
"It's nice to have the place to ourselves," Jim said, perched beside Sasha on a stool at the bar. "Since we mostly came for Nathan to recover, we’re happy to help if you need anything done around the place."
Nathan turned away from the nefarious machine and smirked at Jim’s casual attempt at conversation. Jim wastrying. And withAlex, which gave Nathan hope, regardless of whatever might be stirring up within Jim to bring out those amber slit eyes.
“I appreciate it. There’s just some painting and a little hauling down here, and minor construction on a couple of the rooms upstairs that I could use some help with,” Alex explained, situating herself back behind the bar. “Nothing you boys won’t be able to handle. You’re welcome to stay as long as you need. I have the place locked up for a good week before any new lodgers are scheduled to come through. Word spreads pretty fast when I'm not open for business.”
Nathan snorted. “I'll bet. As for me—”
“And the recently shot and injured will be on hunting duty,” she cut in.
“Uhh...what?" Nathan blinked at her as he approached the bar. "Hunting duty? Wanna clarify that?”
“It’s a raccoon,” Alex said, half smirking. “At least I think so. Something keeps swiping bits of food, stealing small things, moving things about. I wouldn’t pay it much mind if it wasn’t so constant, and if it wasn’t for a few of the more trigger happy and twitchy older seals. Sounds too much like brownies when you give details like that. But I saw it. No bigger than a cat, definitely had fur, and more afraid of me than the other way around, believe me. It’s a raccoon.”
For some reason, the more Alex said it was a raccoon, the less Nathan believed that was true. “So I’m playing Animal Control. Great,” he said, quickly smiling when Alex tossed a raised eyebrow his direction. “Couldn’t be happier to help,” he added, even though he had been hoping to spend most of his time on a couch or bed somewhere watching TV, while his tender chest wounds healed.
“So, rooms?" Alex asked. Their things were still piled by the door. "Being you're the only ones here, you're welcome to each take your own. Three?” she asked, already digging around for keys behind the bar counter.
“Nah, two’s fine,” Nathan said without thinking. His heart stopped in his chest at the same second he spoke, realization hitting him as Alex's eyes narrowed.
“Two?” she questioned. “Don’t you and Jim get sick of each other? Or do I not want an answer to that question.”
“That’s not what he means,” Sasha broke in, the smile clear in his voice as he slid off his stool to stand next to Nathan.
Nathan hoped Sasha was coming to the rescue, to help dismiss the whole ‘two rooms’ idea so they wouldn’t have to explain the finer details of their relationship to Alex.
“He means one for Jim…and one for us.”
So much for that idea.
Nathan swallowed, smiling sheepishly at Alex as she blinked back at them. Enough people knew about him and Sasha now that it shouldn’t really matter, and Nathan did want to share a room—and a bed—with Sasha again, but he was still getting used to the idea in public.
"Come again?" Alex asked, her face entirely stoic and unreadable.
Nathan glanced at Sasha’s face just above his shoulder, and the incubus looked down at him, those intense blue eyes questioning in a way that made Nathan feel like a jackass forhaving hoped Sasha would lie. “Yeah,” Nathan said, still looking at Sasha, “just…two rooms.”
“Two it is,” Alex acknowledged, setting two keys on top of the bar’s counter with a clink. If she was still skeptical or at all freaked out by this development, she didn’t let on—at least not yet.
The incubus smiled sweetly at Nathan and grabbed the keys from the countertop. He tossed one back to Jim, who was very unsuccessfully trying to hide a smirk. They started for the door to pick up their things and haul everything upstairs.
Nathan felt a little trapped being left alone in the bar with Alex, who he could feel staring at the side of his face as he stared after Sasha and Jim's retreating forms.
“Sasha?” Alex started in as soon as the others were out of earshot. “You and Sasha? You and the male seal andincubus, Sasha Kelly? I’m just clarifying here in case I’ve, I don’t know, lost my mind. If I didn't think him being a guy and a seal wasn't enough, anincubus—”
“Okay, you can shut up now,” Nathan cut in, shifting uncomfortably as he plopped himself down on a stool. “It’s hard to explain, okay? And…we kind of were already at the making out stage the last time we were here.”
