Beast Behaving Badly
Page 101
You, Marci coughed back a laugh, poor dear. Let me clean you off.
Its always nice to know that morbid embarrassment follows me wherever I go.
During a timeout, Bo skated over to the sideline where Blayne was waiting.
Where did all that blood come from? he asked.
She glared at him, but didnt answer. Since she seemed relatively unharmed, he didnt worry about it.
Games going pretty well, huh?
Sure.
She didnt sound sure. What? Say it.
Its just a suggestion, but maybe you could . . .
Could what?
Let someone else get a goal.
Why would I do that?
She rubbed her forehead with both hands. Because itll be very cool to do and you have absolutely nothing to lose?
Except my puck.
Her hands turned into fists, and he thought she might try pummeling him, but she looked off, took a breath, and tried again. Only a truly confident man
Is willing to be a loser?
That time she did swing, hitting his arm and chest with those tiny wolfdog fists. And his laughingnot helping.
The truth was Bo had never willingly allowed anyone to get his puck, but Blayne did have a point. He had nothing to lose. But there was a bigger issue here.
Will it make you happy if I do this? he asked.
Yes, she hissed, frustrated. It would make me happy.
Then Ill do it.
Blayne blinked, her fists unfisting. Just like that?
Yep. I like making you happy.
Her grinworth any going-against-his-personal-beliefs moment this would cause.
But dont try this during an actual game where Im getting paid millions of dollars to win, he added, so boundaries were clear.
She laughed, heading back to her seat. Like I care what you do at that dog and pony show at the stadium.
Nope. He didnt get her at all, but man did he like her.
Blayne returned to her seat, Marci watching her close.
What was that about? she asked.
Just a little conversation. Nothing to worry yourself about.
Seems to me like you two are getting serious.
Getting serious about what?
The sow dismissed her with a hand wave. Forget I asked.
I will. Kerry-Ann, whod shown up once the game had started, held out a bag of popcorn for Blayne.
This is going so well, isnt it?
You were supposed to give me more time, Blayne reminded her around a mouthful of popcorn.
I had complete faith in your skills, Blayne Thorpe.
Uh-huh. Just for that Blayne took another handful of popcorn. I have a question.
And whats that, dear?
All the stray dogs I keep finding. Where are they coming from?
Both Kerry-Ann and Marci shrugged.
Dont know, Kerry-Ann admitted. We find em all the time. Figure theyve been coming from one of the full-human towns. A few of the store owners wanted us to get a team together to hunt them down and . . . uh . . . She studied Blayne a moment before finishing with, Take them somewhere they could live forever in happy fields.
Even if Marci hadnt spit out her Sprite, Blayne didnt buy that for a second.
Contrary to popular belief, Kerry-Ann, dogs arent stupid. We know when were going to the vet.
Well, we didnt do it, did we? Kerry-Ann snapped. It was just a suggestion anyway.
Uh-huh. Blayne took more popcorn, now feeling fully entitled to the entire bag. And what about the farmhouse?
What farmhouse?
The one near the beach. You have to get through Antarctic Minor to get to it.
Marci chuckled. Shes talking about the old Benson place, Kerry-Ann.
Gosh. No ones lived there for years. Cant get to it anyway from here because of the storms.
What are those anyway?
Theyre the reason we dont have any more covens running around Ursus County, Marci murmured.
They wanted to make the polars comfortable by making certain parts of the area cold year-round. Needless to say, that went badly.
Even the polars dont feel like going through that freezing weather. Its hell on their coats.
And the Bensons died without a cub of their own, so that house goes untended.
But its a beach property, right? You could sell that, couldnt you?
To who? Full-humans? Remember, Blayne, they dont know were here and we plan to keep it that way.
Well those dogs have to be coming from somewhere, and it needs to stop.
I have a few friends in the Humane Society who could look into it, Marci told her. Ill call them and ask.
Blayne pressed her shoulder into Marcis. Thank you. Dr. Luntz.
Oh, stop your foolishness, Blayne Thorpe. And duck.
What
The puck slammed into her head, sending Blayne flipping into the lap of Marcis daughter.
Its always nice to know that morbid embarrassment follows me wherever I go.
During a timeout, Bo skated over to the sideline where Blayne was waiting.
Where did all that blood come from? he asked.
She glared at him, but didnt answer. Since she seemed relatively unharmed, he didnt worry about it.
Games going pretty well, huh?
Sure.
She didnt sound sure. What? Say it.
Its just a suggestion, but maybe you could . . .
Could what?
Let someone else get a goal.
Why would I do that?
She rubbed her forehead with both hands. Because itll be very cool to do and you have absolutely nothing to lose?
Except my puck.
Her hands turned into fists, and he thought she might try pummeling him, but she looked off, took a breath, and tried again. Only a truly confident man
Is willing to be a loser?
That time she did swing, hitting his arm and chest with those tiny wolfdog fists. And his laughingnot helping.
The truth was Bo had never willingly allowed anyone to get his puck, but Blayne did have a point. He had nothing to lose. But there was a bigger issue here.
Will it make you happy if I do this? he asked.
Yes, she hissed, frustrated. It would make me happy.
Then Ill do it.
Blayne blinked, her fists unfisting. Just like that?
Yep. I like making you happy.
Her grinworth any going-against-his-personal-beliefs moment this would cause.
But dont try this during an actual game where Im getting paid millions of dollars to win, he added, so boundaries were clear.
She laughed, heading back to her seat. Like I care what you do at that dog and pony show at the stadium.
Nope. He didnt get her at all, but man did he like her.
Blayne returned to her seat, Marci watching her close.
What was that about? she asked.
Just a little conversation. Nothing to worry yourself about.
Seems to me like you two are getting serious.
Getting serious about what?
The sow dismissed her with a hand wave. Forget I asked.
I will. Kerry-Ann, whod shown up once the game had started, held out a bag of popcorn for Blayne.
This is going so well, isnt it?
You were supposed to give me more time, Blayne reminded her around a mouthful of popcorn.
I had complete faith in your skills, Blayne Thorpe.
Uh-huh. Just for that Blayne took another handful of popcorn. I have a question.
And whats that, dear?
All the stray dogs I keep finding. Where are they coming from?
Both Kerry-Ann and Marci shrugged.
Dont know, Kerry-Ann admitted. We find em all the time. Figure theyve been coming from one of the full-human towns. A few of the store owners wanted us to get a team together to hunt them down and . . . uh . . . She studied Blayne a moment before finishing with, Take them somewhere they could live forever in happy fields.
Even if Marci hadnt spit out her Sprite, Blayne didnt buy that for a second.
Contrary to popular belief, Kerry-Ann, dogs arent stupid. We know when were going to the vet.
Well, we didnt do it, did we? Kerry-Ann snapped. It was just a suggestion anyway.
Uh-huh. Blayne took more popcorn, now feeling fully entitled to the entire bag. And what about the farmhouse?
What farmhouse?
The one near the beach. You have to get through Antarctic Minor to get to it.
Marci chuckled. Shes talking about the old Benson place, Kerry-Ann.
Gosh. No ones lived there for years. Cant get to it anyway from here because of the storms.
What are those anyway?
Theyre the reason we dont have any more covens running around Ursus County, Marci murmured.
They wanted to make the polars comfortable by making certain parts of the area cold year-round. Needless to say, that went badly.
Even the polars dont feel like going through that freezing weather. Its hell on their coats.
And the Bensons died without a cub of their own, so that house goes untended.
But its a beach property, right? You could sell that, couldnt you?
To who? Full-humans? Remember, Blayne, they dont know were here and we plan to keep it that way.
Well those dogs have to be coming from somewhere, and it needs to stop.
I have a few friends in the Humane Society who could look into it, Marci told her. Ill call them and ask.
Blayne pressed her shoulder into Marcis. Thank you. Dr. Luntz.
Oh, stop your foolishness, Blayne Thorpe. And duck.
What
The puck slammed into her head, sending Blayne flipping into the lap of Marcis daughter.
