Oh, Bite Me (Guardians of the Deep 1)

“I asked if you trust her,” Kino repeated.

“I trust her,” Thane said. “Gerri is an old friend.”

“How did you meet this matchmaking wolf woman?” Kino asked.

“Through an old acquaintance I met in America. A wolf named Theron.”

“Theron and Thane,” Kino said followed by a chuckle. “You two should get together and start one of those umm…one of those boy bands. Oh, you guys could be like that old duo…umm…Milli Vanilli.”

With that, Kino broke out into song, singing the 90s hit song Blame it on the Rain.

“It worries me that you know the lyrics to that song,” Thane said.

“You know them too, don’t you?” Kino said, slapping an open palm against Thane’s bare chest. “Don’t pretend you don’t, my friend.”

Thane laughed and sang along with him.

The singing and laughing helped shake off some of the nerves. Something about dating a pure human worried Thane. He’d slept with plenty of them in the past, but he’d never had a full-blown relationship with one. He didn’t need to. He wasn’t even sure what he would do with a mate once he found her. Would he bring her back to his island and turn her into one of his kind or would he keep her as a pure human? Being a human was much safer. Sure, they were fragile beings, but remaining on dry land meant there would be nobody hunting her.

Nobody except Evelyn.

God, why doesn’t Evelyn do the opposite of Kino and take her ass over to Hawaii with her minions?

“Well, let’s hope this Gerri lady can find you a good woman,” Kino said. “Better yet, let’s hope she finds you one who can be a good friend to my Ruby, so they can have ladies’ nights and stuff. I’m in desperate need of a guy’s night out.”

“You’re quite the apex predator,” Thane said. “When your wife gives you permission to be.”

This time Thane slapped Kino’s chest.

“What time are you supposed to be meeting this girl again?” Kino asked.

Thane pulled his cell phone out of his shorts pocket and checked it once more as if he hadn’t already memorized the entire message.

“Noon-ish,” he said. “On one of those drunken lunch boat parties.”

“The one where the girls always show their tits?” Kino asked, a big goofy grin growing on his face.

“I don’t think that really happens,” Thane argued.

“Sure it does,” Kino insisted. “I saw it on TV.”

“You don’t even own a TV.”

“But I’ve fucking watched one, my friend. I have.”

“Well, not one of those kinds of boats.”

“That’s too bad.”

“Not like Ruby would let you come with me anyway,” Thane teased.

Kino looked down into his lap and chuckled.

“I should probably go see what she’s up to,” he said.

“If you know what’s best for you,” Thane replied.

Kino stood and jogged toward his cabin, calling after the kids to join him. Thane looked once more at Bobber’s and thought of Evelyn’s last attack. She wouldn’t stop. She would never quit.