Three Ways To Live

CHAPTER 8. A Smelly Reunion

  It was the next morning, and if you thought the kitchen had become quieter, you were dead wrong. In fact, I'm pretty sure the volume had risen significantly.

"I said to put the damn oven at three sixty," Caledon snapped in irritation. I glared at the vampire.

"Well I heard three twenty-five," I snapped back. We glared at each other before he huffed and turned away to finish making the fruit salad.

My chest heaved as I took a deep breath and hugged Zane's jacket tighter around my shoulders. Some part of me had thought Caledon was going to be nicer after last night, but I had been mistaken.

It was almost lunch, and I had been here since six thirty. I was tired, and Caledon wasn't helping. "Uh, excuse me?" A guest peeked their head into the kitchen.

Caledon freaking glared so I sent him a withering look before smiling at the guest. "Can I help you ma'am?" I asked the middle aged woman sweetly.

She relaxed. "Do you have dairy free options?"

I nodded and tucked my chin length hair behind my ear. "Yes, it will be sent to your table at lunch," I informed her. She nodded her thanks before slipping away after a fearful glance at Caledon.

I spun around and stared at him. "Do you growl at all the guests?"

He clenched his jaw and gripped a spoon tightly. "I'm angry," Caledon told me.

I scoffed. "When are you not?" I gulped and stepped back a little when he narrowed his eyes at me. I felt my heart skip a beat in fear as he put the spoon down and advanced toward me.

A gasp grew lodged in my throat when my back hit a wall. His hand slammed next to my head while he bent down to look at me.

I had to tilt my head all the way up to see him, and I did so shaking a little.

"Little shit, you're getting on my last nerve," he warned me. I bit back my frustration.

"Why are you so mad all the time?" I asked and blinked at him. Caledon looked stunned at the question.

He pulled back and I exhaled in relief. "Because I am," he told me under his breath and walked back to his spoon; picking it up. "Also," his eyes ran up and down me.

I shivered, startled. "What?" I sounded breathless, which was odd.

"That jacket looks stupid on you," Caledon told me flatly.

I sent him a dry look while hugging the jacket. "No, I look amazing," I contradicted self consciously.

Caledon did his usual snort before we were both distracted by someone walking in. Malcus's presence made my breath catch in my lungs.

I looked away and placed my hand behind my back: embarrassed at my sudden childish crush on the man. It only took a week for me to blush at anything that involved him.

"Justice," he called my name, and I looked over without a thought.

"Yes?" I asked cheerfully, hoping he would need my help with something, so I could get out of the kitchen for some air.

"There's a young... " Malcus paused, face filled with disgust. "Man, at the front door, asking for you," Malcus licked his lips. "I was going to send him away, but David insisted I tell you." He informed me.

I blinked in confusion as Caledon slammed his spoon down again. "Good, you told her, now send him away," he growled.

Malcus raised an eyebrow at me, probably at the fact that Caledon knew my gender, but I shrugged, not wanting to talk about it.

"Wait, I want to see," I said and walked towards the kitchen door. I went stiff as a strong bruising grip encircled my worst. I turned my head looking at Caledon startled.

"You have work," he told me. Malcus watched our interaction with a sigh.

I tugged at my arm with annoyance, but couldn't manage to pull free. "Caledon, quit it, I want to go see, it could be important."

Malcus made a sound of disbelief, drawing my attention. "No way he could be important trust me." He told me.

I shrugged. "I won't know until I see- Caledon! Let me go!" I demanded, growing upset.

He obeyed, making me fall onto my butt. I winced and got to my feet quickly. Caledon stomped over to the counter, and I watched with a frown. He picked up the spoon- and cracked it in half.

I flinched, imagining the spoon as my wrist. I gulped. "I- I'm gonna go see," I ducked my head and rushed out the door. I sighed in relief to be free of Caledon and walked past playing kids to the front door.

I could smell the person before I saw them, and when I did see them, I wasn't happy. "Joe? What are you doing here!?" I asked my brother in shock.

The short and fat man scratched his beard, which looked disgustingly greasy. If I were Malcus, I would have wanted to send him away too. I thought and shook my head to clear it.

"I'm here because mom and dad want you back home; they miss you." He told me blankly.

I crossed my arms. "No, and how did you even find me anyway?"

Joe wrinkled his nose. "The robotic monkey said where you were going before you ran off."

I bit my lip. "Well I'm not coming home, so you can go back home Joe," I said quickly as a guest raised an eyebrow at my smelly brother before rushing past us and into the hotel.

Joe lifted his arm to itch his nose- or pick it, I wasn't sure which it was. Either way, nature was praying he never did it again; grass seemed to wilt from the smell of his armpits.

"Mom said to not come back without you, and dad misses your cooking." Joe told me and looked around. "Any hot babes around here?" He asked while he stared at an interns butt like the pervert he was.

I groaned. "Joe, no, please, go home," I pleaded.

"Is there a problem over here?" A deep voice asked calmly. My eyes lit up as Zane made his way over and smiled.

Joe scratched his butt as it peeked out from his size-too-small shorts. I covered my mouth in horror as he then smelled the hand he had just used to scratch himself.

"Oh god," I groaned in horror. Zane didn't seen affected outwardly, but instead kept smiling as Joe slowly answered.

"I'm here to take my sister home," Joe told him and looked at me.

Zane looked between us. "Surely you didn't come from the same parents?" He asked and then gave Joe a closed eye smile.

"We don't ask much here, but you've broken all of our health codes, I'm afraid you'll have to leave; I'm terribly sorry." Zane said kindly.

I giggled then looked bashfully at the ground when Zane turned his attention to me. "I'm sorry we have to make him leave, I hope you don't mind."

I looked at the grass. "I think I'll live," I responded and bit my lip to hold in a laugh.

Joe seemed confused. "I have to leave?"

Zane chuckled. "Yes, do come back another time," he told him. Joe looked at me, but I kept my eyes on the pretty grass.

  "Bye I guess," Joe muttered and I looked up to watch him stumble down the gravel road. I sighed in relief and looked over at Zane.

"Thank you, I didn't know how much more of that I could take." I admitted and blushed as I touched the bottom of his jacket, which seemed to swallow me.

Zane smiled and looked at the woods. "Would you take a walk with me, Justice?"

I felt my lips part. "I- Caledon, the kitchen-"

Zane laughed lightly. "Relax, it will be brief," when I hesitated, he grew more serious. "It's about how you're human," he informed me.

I turned green. "I didn't mean to lie! I swear, please just let me-"

A finger touched my cheek briefly. "You aren't in trouble, walk with me?" Zane asked again.

I nodded weakly. "O-okay,"