The last thing the Peltiers needed was for someone to call animal control on them for the unlicensed zoo that made their house a home.
Of course the idea of a human coming in and finding a wolf, panthers, lions, tigers, and bears asleep in their various beds was rather amusing to Vane. Or better yet, the dragon who slept coiled up in the attic. Someone really should keep a camera handy. Just in case.
Vane inclined his head toward Jasyn, a tall, blond Were-Hawk who was one of the deadlier inhabitants of the house. The price on Jasyn's head made a mockery of Vane's death sentence. Mostly because, unlike Jasyn, Vane only killed when he had to. True to his animal predatorial heart, Jasyn was in it for the thrill of the kill.
Jasyn lived to stalk and to maim.
As Vane neared the swinging door that led out to the bar area, it was slung back. Kyle Peltier came running through it in human form like a bat out of hell.
Vane stepped back out of the way.
Remi Peltier, one of the identical quads with long curly blond hair, tackled Kyle to the floor just in front of Vane's feet and started slugging his younger brother. Kyle tried to fend him off, but it was impossible. Remi was a much older, stronger bear who loved to fight.
Vane grabbed Remi and pulled him away before he hurt the cub. "What are you doing?"
"I'm killing Gilligan," Remi snarled, trying to get past Vane to grab Kyle again.
"I happen to like the song," Kyle said defensively, wiping at the blood on his lips as he moved to stand behind an unamused Jasyn.
Wren handed the cub a towel to blot his face.
Remi curled his lips. "Yeah, but we don't just play that damned song for the hell of it, you idiot. Half the friggin' clientele ran for the door."
Mama Bear came in from the Peltier House side to see Kyle bleeding.
"What on earth?" she asked, taking him by the shoulders so that she could examine his split lip. "Mon ange, what happened?"
All maturity left Kyle as he faced his mother. He even let a portion of his short blond hair fall into his blue eyes. "Remi attacked me."
Remi twisted his arm out of Vane's grasp. "He played 'Sweet Home Alabama' on the jukebox, maman."
Nicolette rolled her eyes at her youngest cub. "Kyle, you know we only play that when the Dark-Hunter Acheron comes through our doors as a courtesy alert to our clientele. What were you thinking?"
Vane stifled a laugh. Acheron Parthenopaeus was the leader of the Dark-Hunters. He was a man of many dichotomies and unbelievable power, and most everyone Vane knew was scared shitless of him. Whenever he entered the bar, most Weres, and all Daimons headed for the door. Especially if they had something to hide.
Kyle gave her a sullen look. "That it's a good song, maman, and I wanted to hear it."
Remi rushed for Kyle's throat, but Vane pulled him back.
"He's too stupid to live," Remi snarled. "I think we should cut his throat and save ourselves the heartache."
Wren gave a rare laugh while Jasyn went stone-faced.
The human staff stayed wisely out of it, and went about their business as if nothing were happening. But then they were used to the brothers and their constant bickering among themselves.
Nicolette growled at her older son. "We were all stupid at his age, Remi.
Even you." She patted Kyle on the arm and urged him toward the door to Peltier House.
"You'd best stay away from the bar for the rest of the night, cher. Papa and your brothers will need time to cool their tempers."
Kyle nodded, then looked back at his brother and stuck his tongue out.
Remi made a bear sound that caused every human in the kitchen to stare.
The look on Mama's face said there would be hell to pay once she had her older cub out of the sight and earshot of the humans.
"I think you'd best head back to the bar, Remi," Vane said, letting him go. "Fine," Remi snarled. "Do us all a favor, maman. Eat your young."
This time it was Jasyn who laughed, then sobered the instant Nicolette gave him a gimlet glare.
Shaking her head, she told the kitchen staff to go back to work. Vane started for the bar.
"Vane, mon cher, wait."
He looked back at her.
She moved to stand by his side. "Thank you for saving Kyle. Remi has never learned to govern that temper of his. There are times I fear he never will."
"It's all right. He reminds me a lot of Fang. When he's not comatose anyway."
She looked down, then frowned. Lifting his hand, she stared at his marked palm.
"You're mated?"
He balled his hand into a fist. "It happened earlier tonight."
Her jaw went slack before she pulled him back into her house. She shut the door, then faced him. "Who?"
"A human."
She cursed in French. "Oh, cher," she breathed. "What are you going to do?"
Vane shrugged. "There's nothing to be done. I'll guard her for the duration, then leave her to her life."
She gave him a puzzled stare. "Why would you damn yourself to so many years with no woman or mate? If you let her go, you may well never mate again."
Vane started to leave, but she pulled him to a stop.
"What should I do, Nicolette?" he asked, using her real name instead of Mama, which most called her. "I'm a living example of why we need to breed within our own species. The last thing I want is to spread my disease to another generation."
She looked appalled by his words. "You are not diseased."
"No? Then what would you call it?"
"You are blessed, as Colt is."
He gaped incredulously at her words. That was one word he would never have applied to himself. "Blessed?"
"Oui," she said sincerely. "Unlike the rest of us, you know what it's like for the other side. You've been both animal and human. I'll never know what it's like to be human. But you do."