Page 21 of Shifter For Hire (For Hire 2)

“Okay, fine. Let’s go.” She slipped from his arms and waved at the others. “Sorry, fellas. Gotta go. Nice dancing with you. Maybe I’ll see you next time.”

The man who had tried to touch her called after them as they moved away. “When you dump that loser, give me a call. I’ll be waiting.”

Lachelle laughed. “Like I have his number.”

They left the club together, and Gerard followed her to the car she had driven there, a small white vehicle that didn’t look like he would fit well in it. She seemed to come to the same conclusion looking from the car to him. “Did you drive? You can follow me if you want. I asked for the cheapest car at the rental place.”

“I didn’t drive.” He had no idea how to drive and didn’t have a license since he flew everywhere he wanted to go.

“Oh my Lord, and you’re barefoot again. I can’t believe they didn’t throw your behind out of the club. What’s your deal with footwear? Are your feet too big? Can’t afford specially made shoes?”

He flushed and chided himself for not wearing shoes. He’d always put them on when among humans—except for tonight. Embarrassment raced down his neck, and he rubbed it, glad of the shadows all around. “They hurt.”

She nodded knowingly. “God, don’t I know about that. I have to spend a little more on my shoes too. Can’t get them from Wal-Mart unless I want one foot to hurt. Seriously though. That bar must be a cesspool of germs on the floor. Wear shoes or don’t go there.”

He nodded.

“Come on. Squeeze in.”

A short while later, they arrived at the pizza restaurant where he had arranged to meet her. The owner of the place, Barry, called out to him when they entered. “Yo, Gerard. Good to see you, man. A large?”

“Yes, thanks.”

They found a table, and Gerard waited for Lachelle to slide into the booth, and then he took the other side. She fiddled with the napkin wrapped around the silverware.

A waitress brought two colas for him and asked Lachelle what she would like. His companion crinkled her nose in amusement. “I’m assuming you come here all the time, and I shouldn’t be surprised they give you two glasses of soda after the way you ate and drank at my place the other night.”

“I have a big appetite.”

“Hmm.” Her lashes lowered over her eyes, stirring something within him. “I see.”

“I wanted to talk to you about the hunters,” he said, getting to the point.

“Don’t worry about that story Skip told you. He’s apparently whackadoodle, and I’m not sure what to do about him.”

“I didn’t hear about the

hunters from him.”

She looked up at him. “Wait, what do you mean? Someone else told you there are humans killing people?”

“Killing shifters.”

“Please don’t tell me you believe that stuff. I…” She fell silent, studying his face and then leaned forward to lower her voice. “I’m going to tell you the truth, Gerard. You do seem odd, and there’s stuff about you I can’t explain.”

“I don’t normally want anything to do with humans.”

“Come again?”

“Humans.”

“No, I heard you the first time, but why the heck would you say ‘humans?’” She held up a hand to stop him when he started to speak. The waitress brought her beer, and she took a few deep drags from it before wiping her mouth daintily with the napkin. “I’m not ready to deal with that mess. Let’s start slower and get to know each other better. What’s your name again? Gerard…?”

“Hughes.”

“Wow, what a coincidence. That’s my sister’s fiancé’s last name.” She smiled and tilted her head to the side as she looked into his face. “You don’t look like him, except maybe the eyes. You’re both handsome, I guess, and tall. So funny. It’s a world full of coincidences, huh?”

He rolled his shoulders and worked out the kinks in his neck. When he was more relaxed, he focused all his energy on her. “It’s not a coincidence. I came here specifically to see him after I heard he leads his people.”

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