While he repeated his mental mantra in the glow of the bright parking lot lamp, he glimpsed a hint of a blush on her cheeks as she pulled into a parking space. "Something for food poisoning."
That cooled his jets a bit, but why was she blushing? Was she also planning to pick up condoms and that was why she didn't want his help? Wasn't that the guy's job? Why the urgency then? There had to be something else.
He could feel his temper dissipating little by little, but he still didn't like the idea of her having sex with someone else.
When she glanced at him and caught him with a skeptical look, she added, "It was his own fault. I warned him that I didn't think the meat was fully cooked."
Turning off the engine, she unbuckled her seatbelt and climbed out of the car without waiting for him.
In his flustered and aggravated state, he fumbled with his own belt and scrambled to get out of the tiny space as quick as he could. He felt like one of those circus clowns climbing out of the mini car. His thick, six foot five built was not meant to enter such a small vehicle.
His long legs carried him across the parking lot to the front doors of the store, where she was already several paces ahead.
"I don't even know what to get," she mumbled. "I've never dealt with food poisoning before. I was hoping someone could help me with that."
"I'm afraid I will be no help in that department," he grumbled, still trying to compose himself, but still came off sounding annoyed. "My family and I have never had food poisoning." We can't even get food poisoning, he mentally added.
Entering the large store, he wrinkled his nose at the synthetic pharmaceutical scents. He looked over at Aubree next to him, giving him a quizzical look.
"Sensitive nose," he told her.
Sensitive nose, excellent hearing, what more could he tell her without spelling it out to her? I'm not human.
"Well, we won't be here long. Let's grab what I need and get out of here."
He liked that plan. Nodding, he followed her to the back of the store, where there was a pharmacist working behind a glass window.
Aubree went up to the counter and waited for him to notice her and come around to help her.
He was an older man of medium height with graying hair and seemed pleasant, if not slightly tired. "Can I help you?"
While she spoke with him, Stone let his eyes wander around the store. Everything was pretty quiet. Too quiet. Would Carina be out and about today, or was she still in hiding somewhere? He mentally reached out to Gunner at the borders, who assured him that everything was fine.
Keeping a bit of distance between him and the humans, he followed Aubree and the pharmacist down an aisle, where the older man helped Aubree choose which medicine to buy.
Stone squeezed the bridge of his nose again, the smells becoming too strong for his tired mind to handle now.
Thankfully, they headed to the front cash register soon afterward and they were on their way back outside.
The fresh air hit him hard and he breathed in deeply, like a diver plunging deep into a pool of water and kicking hard to the surface.
"Blessed be the night," he whispered, his eyes closed as he inhaled again.
Aubree cleared her throat next to him, tapping her foot on the concrete. "Are you coming, or are you just going to stand there sniffing the air like a coked out drug addict?"
YOU ARE READING
Heart of Stone (Parts I & II)
Werewolf[COMPLETE] Some bonds can't be broken, even in death. -- He couldn't endure another heartbreak. "Accepting her would be a mistake," he said. "She's a human. I can't afford to have her blood on my hands." Gwen looked away, and he knew she saw the ima...
