How to Catch a Fish (ManxMan)

Original Chapter Thirty-Two: Let's Talk

~Chapter Thirty-Two: Let's Talk~

"Awesome costume, dude," some random stranger says, patting the wendigo's shoulder as he walks past us, as if the wendigo is not some flesh-eating beast.

If it had been only that one person thinking it was a costume, I would have been concerned about their instincts for sensing danger. However, the wendigo must have some sort of glamour, as that man was only one of many who have complimented its appearance in the twenty minutes it took to leave the hotel and find a nice, empty spot on the beach to converse with Heather's brother and his mate, whose name is Ryland Voclain. For whatever reason, the wendigo decided to follow us – uninvited, I might add – and we have received a great deal of attention because of it. One human even asked for a picture with it, as if the wendigo was some sort of celebrity. What's more, the wendigo seems to be enjoying it.

Noticing my confusion – as well as Nero's and Ryland's – about the wendigo's fame, Cade explains, "There are these conventions where you dress up in costume to imitate your favorite characters in movies, shows, and comic books. Heather used to attend those events and got the same reactions whenever she dressed up."

"No wonder anything supernatural haven't been discovered yet," I mutter under my breath, not sure if I should be in awe at the ease with which creatures can operate despite the threat of pictures being taken, or the obliviousness of the majority of humans.

"You said you wanted to talk?" Nero asks, sitting down on the sandy ground and digging his toes – we all ditched our shoes before we left the concrete walkway along the beach – into the warm sand. Cade immediately follows Nero's example, but Ryland cautiously glance at the wendigo, clearly not very trusting of it.

However, when I sit down next to Nero, the wendigo drops onto its back in the sand – which had to have hurt, since the sand is not nearly as soft as it looks – right behind me. Ryland seems to relax a little because of this and sits next to his mate, his natural feline grace making him look more refined than any normal person should be. While both Cade and Ryland move gracefully, it shows more in the taller Were. Ryland is also the more possessive one, as the second he realizes that I am watching them, he puts an arm unnecessarily around Cade, who sighs in exasperation.

"They're a couple, you idiot," Cade grumbles, poking his mate in the side rather harshly. However, Ryland only pulls Cade almost completely into his lap. I do not bother trying to hide my snickering, but when I catch Nero staring at me out of the corner of my eye, I immediately sober up, not sure I trust the look on his face. I would not put it past him to do the same as Ryland.

"Lo so," Ryland replies with a smirk, and I fail to catch the meaning by using magic because of how quickly he switched to another language. However, whatever he said makes Cade glare at him again, so it was likely not something good.

Before I can ask, though, Nero's hand snakes around my waist and pulls me closer, making the sand pile up between us. Behind me, the wendigo mutters something, and when I look back, there is a large grin on its face. Though, I am not sure if the wengido is amused by Nero pulling me close or that it now has my attention. Either way, I glare at it, wanting it to stop showing off its very sharp teeth.

"Anyway," Cade says, drawing my attention back to the two Were, "my sister threatened to show Ryland my baby pictures-"

"Which I still want to see," Ryland interjects.

"-if I didn't ask you a couple of questions should I see you at today's meeting. Whether or not you answer doesn't actually matter, but I have to be able to honestly say I asked, or she'll know that I'm lying," he explains, only acknowledging his mate's interruption with a sharp glare.