“Oh, Kitty, we’re so proud of you!” Mom and Dad joined me next, leaving their front-row seats. Big hugs all around.
“Did you like it? Did you have fun?”
They said yes, and I had to admit that no matter how old I got, I would still be happy at my parents’ approval. So much for being a rebel.
Dad nodded at the door Dom had just left through. “Who was that guy?”
“That was a real live vampire. A real undead vampire, I mean. Friend of a friend.”
He donned a thoughtful “well, isn’t that something” expression. “Hmm. How about that?”
Sometimes I thought my parents really hadn’t registered the fact that their daughter was a werewolf and made a living delving into the realm of supernatural horror movies made real. They seemed to regard it all as a rather strange hobby that I’d taken up—they didn’t understand it, but they’d be supportive. That was okay, because I didn’t want them to have to understand it any more than necessary. I wanted them to stay safe. As safe as possible. The world didn’t need supernatural badness to be a scary place. It already had things like cancer.
Ben joined me, sitting next to me on the edge of the stage.
“Hello, Ben, how are you?” Mom said, beaming at her soon-to-be son-in-law.
“Fine, thanks.”
“You two all ready for tomorrow?”
The getting-married thing. I kept forgetting. Not really forgetting, but I’d been so focused on the show, it had faded to the background. No, I’m not, I wanted to say. That was post-show nerves talking. “I guess I ought to get some sleep or something. I think I need a drink.”
Mom took Dad’s hand. “It’s past our bedtime, so we’ll leave you two to it.”
I said, “This is Las Vegas. You can’t have a bedtime in Vegas.”
Mom just gave me a look. “Good night, dear.”
Oh. Right. Bedtime. I didn’t want to know.
I hugged them each one more time. Then it was just me
and Ben.
We sat for a long time. I took a deep breath through my nose. The familiar scent of him steadied me. He smelled like pack, like home. Safety. I shifted closer, took his arm, and leaned my head on his shoulder.
“What was that all about?” he said.
“I think my mom and dad are having too much fun.”
“Not that. That guy. The were-whatever. And I can only assume that the leopard is from the Balthasar, King of Beasts Show.”
Ah, yes. I’d have to look at the recording of the show to even guess what that must have looked like from Ben’s point of view.
“I think he might be a tiger.”
“So is he cute? Good-looking, I mean? Because I can’t really tell with guys, and it looked like you two might have hit it off.”
I grinned at him. “Jealous?”
He grinned right back. “That’s a trick question. If I say yes you’ll accuse me of being paranoid and unreasonable, and if I say no you’ll make some defensive crack about how I don’t think you’re worth getting jealous over.”
This was what I got for hooking up with a lawyer.
“They were here to get my attention,” I said. “They want me to go check out their show and ask questions.”
“Maybe they want to go public.”