Page 32 of Pointy Ears and Purple Glitter
“They’re not subtle. Anyone who doesn’t match their image of the perfect citizen is a ‘freak’ in their books.”
Sparky chose that moment to swoop down, landing on Tynan’s shoulder. Grok’s eyes widened slightly at the raven.
“That’s a trained bird?”
“Yes,” Tynan said quickly. “He’s very well trained.”
Malik steered the conversation back. “I need names, Grok. Who’s behind this?”
Grok checked his watch and glanced down the street. “Guy calls himself Garrison. That’s all I know for sure. Been operating out of the old warehouse district.” He stepped back toward his car. “I’ll put out some feelers, let you know what I find. In the meantime, you might want to beef up your security.”
After Grok left, Malik turned to Tynan. “What do you think?”
“I think he’s telling the truth about it not being his crew,” Tynan said, stroking Sparky absently. “But I’m not sure he’s giving us the full story about this Garrison person.”
“Agreed.” Malik looked back at the graffiti. “The rhino thing bothers me. Seems too specific.”
“Are you absolutely certain no one has seen you shift?” Tynan asked quietly.
Malik shook his head. “I only shift at the cabin. It’s completely isolated.”
“What about before you met me?”
“I’ve always been careful.”
Tynan’s expression remained troubled. “If they’re targeting ‘freaks,’ and they somehow know about you…”
“Then we both need to be extra cautious,” Malik finished. He pulled Tynan close, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “Let’s get this cleaned up and check the security system. I want to make sure nothing was compromised.”
As they gathered cleaning supplies from inside, Malik couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of their trouble. The rhino symbol was too much of a coincidence. Someone knew - or at least suspected - what he was.
And that made them dangerous.
Chapter Sixteen
Malik prowled the perimeter of his workshop for the third time since he’d gotten up Monday morning. The graffiti had been scrubbed away, but the memory of it lingered like a bad smell. He’d spent Sunday installing additional security cameras, reinforcing door locks, and generally making his territory as secure as possible.
Territory. The word stuck in his mind. For all Grok’s posturing, the rhino part of him had always considered the neighborhood his, which made the threat feel personal. He checked his watch. Ian would arrive any minute, and Tynan was inside making coffee after insisting Malik stop “doing his rhino-guard routine” so he could eat something.
A flash of movement down the street caught his eye. Ian’s lanky form appeared, cap pulled low against the morning chill. Malik’s shoulders relaxed marginally. At least the kid was safe.
“Morning, Boss.” Ian called as he approached. His usual cheerful smile faltered as he took in Malik’s tense posture. “Everything alright?”
“We had some trouble over the weekend,” Malik said, guiding Ian inside. “Nothing we can’t handle.”
Ian’s eyes widened as they entered. “Is that why you’ve got new cameras up? And” - he pointed to the reinforced back door - “what happened there?”
“Someone tried to break in,” Tynan explained, appearing from the office area with three mugs of coffee. “And left some unpleasant artwork on the roller door.”
“Aw, heck. That’s a bit of a bombshell for a Monday morning.” Ian accepted the coffee, looking between them. “Was anything taken?”
“No, they didn’t get in.” Malik took his own mug, standing close to Tynan. The proximity of his mate helped calm the constant thrumming of protective energy that had been coursing through him since yesterday.
Ian noticed the movement, his keen eyes missing nothing. “You two are acting weird. More than usual, I mean.”
Tynan and Malik exchanged glances.
“It’s not just random vandalism,” Malik finally said. “There’s a new gang trying to move in. Guy named Garrison.”
