Chapter Seven - word count 2165 - Download PDF file
7.
      “We’re on our way now, I promise.” Selphie held her cell phone to her ear cringing.  
      “As Ross would say  - Chill” she pulled the phone away from her ear and winced as the person on the other end of the phone blasted her.  
      She rolled her eyes and grinned at Drew, who was sitting opposite her at a small table in a cute little coffee shop.  
      They had spent most of the afternoon shopping.  Drew had to give Selphie points, she was good at it. There wasn’t a shop in the mall they hadn’t been in and investigated thoroughly, apparently Ross had give Selph his credit card and instructions to go have fun.  Selph had taken him at his word.  
      When Selphie wanted to buy Drew clothes, Drew tried to stop her.  
      “I can’t let Ross buy me clothes, I’ve got my own money.”
      “Oh bull,” Selphie had tossed her hair.  “Let me explain something to you.  So you don’t fret.  We’ve all led long lives and accumulate wealth beyond our wildest dreams.  I don’t have to use Ross’s money, he knows I’ve got plenty of my own.” She smiled “But Ross likes to be a big brother to me.  He knows I like the idea of being spoiled and he loves to please me.  Besides, the rest of us are stinking rich, but there isn’t a name for how much money Ross has.”
      That had puzzled Drew, so she asked.
      “Why has Ross got so much more money than the rest of you?”
      Selphie had grinned and put her finger over her mouth in a keep quiet gesture.  
      “That’s not my secret to tell.”  
      “Now will you let me buy you stuff.  Ross would be insulted if his money wasn’t good enough.  Why waste your hard earned money anyway.  Its not your fault you are stuck with us and have nothing with you.”  
      Drew hadn’t had any more say after that. Selphie had bought everything and anything she liked for Drew.  Including a few pieces of lingerie that had Drew blushing, when she’d tried to protest Selphie had just ignored her and said Drew would need them.  
      Selphie flipped her phone closed and frowned at it.  
      “Looks like I’m going to have to give that man a lecture and remind him that he actually has manners.”  
      “Is there a problem?” Drew asked.
      “Nope,” Selphie smiled “but we should get back before that leopard decided he wants to bite me – if he hasn’t already.”  
      She looked over at their shadow.  
      “Griz, we get back to the compound now.  Will you go fetch the car?”  
      “Only if you stay right here and don’t move an inch.”  The deep base of his voice still made Drew a bit nervous.  But then looking at the man anybody would be nervous.  He was seven feet of pure terminator mussel.  Drew was sure she could fit two of her in his shoulder width alone.   He’s head was shaved smooth, his skin a deep rich chocolate.  He’d been their constant shadow this whole afternoon.  Always standing a few feet away from them to give them privacy, but never so far that he couldn’t be there in an instant if he was needed.  He looked like a bodyguard, standing with his hands crossed at the wrists in front of him and sunglasses perched menacingly on his broad face.  By the time they gotten to the coffee shop he resembled a pack mule with all the packages Selphie kept handing him.  
      “We wont move a mussel Griz.  Give me a call when you are ready and we’ll come to the car.”
      “No you wont, I’ll double park and come fetch you.”  
      It was an order so Selphie just nodded her head and made a shoeing gesture with her hand.
      
      Power rolled through the gym in a choking wave.  Ross stopped his punch an inch from Jesse’s face and lifted a brow.  
      “Beats me” Jesse shrugged his shoulders
      Ross and Jesse were sparing, striped down to just sweat pants they’d been working on bare handed combat skills when the feeling of power had blasted through the room.  
      They both turned to look at the door as it slammed open.  
      Seth stalked in a cell phone clutched in his fist.  The power was flowing off him in waves he looked like he was contemplating murder.   
      “You sent her out with only Selphie for protection?”  
      Ross rolled his eyes and turned to face Seth.
      “Yeah, I sent a brand new lycos out with just Selphie,” sarcasm twisted his lips.
      “I’m not an idiot, Bear is with them.”
      Seth took a deep breath and got into Ross’s face.
      “What!” he roared.  “Bear?  Fuck it Ross, have you lost your damn mind.”
      Seth’s blood boiled he’d never wanted to leave Ross toothless before, but he was going to beat the shit out of the lycos today.  
      Ross’ voice was cold when he answered, “I don’t see the problem.”  He refused to step back.  
      “There is a reason they call him Psycho Bear behind his back Ross.”  
      Jesse touched Seth on the shoulder.
      “Calm down Seth. You know that Bear would never harm a hair on Selphie’s head, he’d merrily die for her.  And Ross asked him protect Drew so you know he’d guard her with his life.”  
      Seth took a deep breath and tried to calm himself.  What Jesse said was true.  Bear could be controlled by only a few people in the compound, Gabriel had some sway over Bear, but the only two people who he would take orders from were Selphie and Ross.  And both of them had requested he look after Drew.  Nothing short of nuclear destruction would make Bear deviate from those orders.  
      He took a step back and ran his hand through his hair.  
      “I’m sorry Ross, I didn’t think.”  
      Ross arched an eyebrow, that was a little too little, too late.  
      “You know Seth, if she’s making you itch this bad, maybe you should just screw her and get it out of your system.”
      Seth’s punch hit Ross square in the jaw and sent him flying, he landed on his back.  Leaning up on an elbow he wiped the blood off his split lip with the back of his hand.  
      “I see I touched a nerve?”  
      Jesse put an arm out in front of Seth stopping him from attacking Ross again.  
      “Bullshit.”  Seth hissed
      “Oh really,” Ross cocked his head to the side. “half angel here, remember?
      You’ve been broadcasting some strange shit from the first second you saw her.”  
      “Not true.”  
      Seth looked at Jesse
      “I’m sorry Seth, I have to agree with Ross.  I’ve been picking up strong emotion from you the whole day, even when you are no where near me.”  
      Ross stood in one fluid motion.  “You need to get over yourself.  He touched his lip where it was split. “You get this one for free, the next one you pay for - with blood, best friend or not.” He walked out the gym.
      “You were a bit unfair there Seth.”
      Jesse held up a hand when Seth curled his hand into a fist.
      “Don’t hit me too.  I’m just being honest with you.”
      He bent and picked up the water bottle close to him and took a swig.
      “Ross was doing you a favor whether you realize it or not.  Selph ran into him and was telling him that none of her stuff fitted Drew properly, so he suggested she take Drew shopping.  He knew you wouldn’t want Drew out without protection so he found Bear and asked him to play bodyguard. You have to admit, they don’t come more menacing than Bear.” Jesse took another drink then put the bottle back on the floor.
      “Hell, he even handed Selph his credit card and you know how crazy she goes when she’s got his credit card.”    
      Seth felt like a royal asshole.  Ross had been looking out for him.  It was his job to see that Drew had what she needed.  Ross had helped out and got a helping of mean for his efforts.  
      “Shit, I owe him a major apology don’t I.”  
      “Yeah, I’d say you do.  Grab a piece of floor,” Jesse sat down on the hardwood of the gym floor. “tell me what’s up with you.  You’ve been spectacularly weird since you got back.  Are you feeling guilty for turning the girl?”  
      Seth sat down opposite Jesse pulling one knee up.  “No… yeah, shit!” he said flustered.  “I don’t know Jess. I’m having all these crazy reactions to stuff.”  
      “Ya think? You just slugged your best friend.”  
      Seth groaned. “Don’t remind me.”  He scrubbed his face with his hands.
      “It’s like I can feel her on my nerve endings.  A slow burn that irritates and sooths all at once.”
      He tilted his head back drawing in a deep breath.
      “I’m not explaining this right.”  
      “I think I get what you’re trying to say.  I wonder if it could be partly because you turned her.  Its obvious you are attracted to her.  She’s gorgeous, who wouldn’t be.”
      Seth scowled at Jesse
      Jesse burst out laughing, “I need a camera, you need to see your face right now.”  
      He laughed harder when Seth just growled.
      “Jealousy?  Seth, what walked over your life?”  
      “That’s what I want you to figure out.”
      Jesse nodded,  “I see what you are saying.  This isn’t a normal reaction, you barely know her and ever since Veron…”  Jesse didn’t finish.  Seth’s face had close up his eyes almost black.  
      “Let me talk to Gabe, he’s the historian of the family.  He should know if this is normal for a turning.”  
      “They’re back.”
      “What?”
      Seth stood up.  “They are back.”
      “How the hell can you know that?  I’m not picking up Selphie’s presence.”
      “I just do.”  
      “Where are you going?”  Jesse called after Seth
      “To check that she’s okay.” He tossed over his shoulder as he went through the door.  
      
      Seth walked into Drew’s room without knocking.  He found both women sitting on the bed the contents of at least half the stores in the mall scattered around them. Drew’s back was to him as they sat folding clothes.   
      Selphie pursed her lips when she saw him.  
      “I’m not happy with you Seth Reed.”  
      “I know, I’m sorry Selly.” He used her favorite nickname to sooth her.  
      “You didn’t deserve me yelling at you like that.”  
      “That was you?”  Drew had turned to look at him.  It amazed her that every time she saw him she felt breathless.  
      Seth looked at Selphie questioningly.  
      “I didn’t want her to think you were a grump.  So I didn’t say it was you.” She admitted.
      He sighed, “It seems I’ve been a real ass all around today.  I’m seriously sorry Selph.”  
      He walked over to the bed to get a closer look at the stuff they’d bought.  
      He eyes were drawn to a tiny black thong.  He moved the thong aside to look at the matching black bra.
      “What else have you done to garner the title ‘real ass’?” Selphie looked at him suspiciously.  
      Seth squeezed one eye closed in dread as he admitted, “I punched Ross.”
      Selphie’s eyes widen, she flew up and around the bed to stand in front of him.
      “You punched Ross?”  
      “In my defense, he deliberately goaded me.”  
      Drew watch Selphie get angry and was glad she hadn’t been the one to punch Ross.
      “That’s bull, Ross goads as well as he breaths, he can’t help it, and you can usually tell when he’s looking for a reaction.  I’m assuming you have apologized.”  Her voice was like a polar winter.  
      Seth looked down at the lace bra again.  Trying to distract himself he reached down to pick it up.  Selphie slapped his hand away.  
      “You haven’t answered my question yet Seth.”
      “I’m on my way now.”  
      “Well…” she asked when he hadn’t moved.  
      “Okay, I’ll just…” he pointed at the door.  “I’ll be back later.”
      He made his escape and breathed a sigh of relief on the other side of the door.  Selphie was the sweetest soul in the world but if you made her mad you better run.  
      
      Seth knocked on Ross’s door.  
      “It’s open.”  
      He opened the door and stepped into the room.  Ross sat in front of his pc.  
      “How’s the lip?”
      Ross looked over at him.  
      “Healed”
      Seth nodded and grabbed the extra chair.  He pulled it closer and sat down.
      “Listen I owe you an apology.”
      “Forget it.”
      “No, I can’t.  I was way out of line and I’m sorry.”  
      Ross looked over at Seth.  “You gonna get this stuff sorted out?”
      “Yeah, Jess is going to get Gabe’s input.”  
      Ross turned “Don’t hit me again, but are you sure it’s not just a bad case of horny?”
      Seth chuckled, “Yeah, that too, but no, I’m pretty sure its not just that. This is weirder.”  
      “I’ll get it sorted.” He left it at that.
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