Raven glanced down at her cell phone for what seemed like the 100th time. The bar had been slow since she arrived other than a few regulars and the girls from a bachelorette party. Some of the guys from the swim team had stopped by to set flyers out. Waiting now as the girls flocked around them, there was no doubt in Raven's mind that the team would have a good turnout for tonight's fundraiser. Raven shook her head as she looked back down at her phone.
"Still no word from Lil Miss Foxy?" Liam said walking over to stand beside her.
"What? Oh no, she's a werewolf." Raven didn't bother looking up from her phone as she shot Shelly another text.
Liam laughed, "Yea, I know I just meant she's hot." Liam glanced down at Raven's Phone. "Tell her to come back here and hang out, the sexy bartender wants to see her." Liam flashed Raven a bright smile as she met his gaze.
"Yea…. That shit isn't happening!" She smirked before adding, "Plus her brother would eat you."
He frowned, "What about your other roommate, is she coming in tonight?"
Raven laughed, shaking her head as she stood up and patted his shoulder. "That, my friend, will get you ate even faster." Raven glanced down at her phone again then began walking toward the front door as she read the message she'd just received from Jos.
[Hey we are pulling in now; can I talk to you about... all this...]
Liam followed closely behind her. As they stepped out onto the front deck, Liam asked, "Why would that get me ate? Is he protective of her too?"
Raven chuckled an unladylike sound as she watched a charcoal 1967 Shelby Mustang pull into a vacant parking spot close to the deck. "Protective? Yea, you could say that." Raven answered, not taking her eyes off the car.
Liam forced his attention away from the classic muscle car and back to Raven, she was smiling ear to ear still focused on the car. He looked back in the car's direction when Raven threw up her hand in a wave. He watched as a tall, well-built blonde man emerged from the driver's side. He flashed a youthful smile Raven's way before quickly making his way around to the other side of the car. Liam could hear Raven giggling beside him as he watched the man fight to open the door, apparently, the passenger didn't want to get out. Suddenly the large man turned back to Raven and threw his hands up in the air in a sign of defeat. Raven busted out laughing. She stood up off the railing she'd been leaning against and quickly flicked her wrist and the door of the car pulled open. The man quickly jammed his body against the door so it couldn't be closed again throwing a thumbs up over his shoulder as he leaned down to capture the small hand pushing against his thigh.
Raven slapped Liam on the back as she said between laughs, "Oh man, this is hilarious! I've never known Jos to be shy before!"
"Jos? Joslyn?!" Liam quickly looked from Raven back to the car, "Your hot roommate, Joslyn?"
Raven laughed harder giving him another jolting smack, "I wouldn't let him catch you calling her hot." Before Liam could reply, Raven yelled out. "Come on man, carry her princess style if you have to! I don't have all night!"
Liam watched as one bare leg after another emerged from the car, then saw the glint of silver and turquoise hair. Sure enough, it was Raven's roommate. He watched as she seemed to use the large guy as a human shield. He couldn't understand why she kept fighting to hide behind the large man, she had been there several times before, until the pair stepped onto the deck. Liam's mouth dropped in a combination of shock and amazed horror. {What the hell had these two been doing?!}
Raven's hands flew to her mouth as she tried to muffle another unladylike chuckle, "My god Russ, did you two try to do it while you were still in wolf form?" Raven laughed again as both Russ and Joslyn blushed, "Jos, Honey, you look like a victim from that TV show 'when animals attack'!
Joslyn buried her face into the back of Russ's arm as she gripped it tighter. "Can we please go back home?" Joslyn's muffled whisper was barely audible.
The desperation in her voice struck Liam like a sledgehammer. As he moved forward Raven's words from earlier hit him, he looked up at the large man in shock. "Russ?!" He searched the man's face as the guy met his gaze with a lazy smile. Liam's mouth dropped, "But the last time I saw you, you were…. How the hell?!"
Raven slapped his back, "I'll explain later. Maybe you should head back in now?"
Liam stared at Raven; confusion written all over his face. "Yea…" He looked back over to where her roommates were standing. It had been roughly nine months since the last time he saw the boy... and boy had been the proper term for him at that time. Granted the boy had always been athletic, most werewolves were, but he had nearly doubled in bulk and grown a good 6 inches taller. Liam trailed his eyes over the three of them, Russ had turned toward Joslyn. She pressed against him, her head tilted up toward him. Liam couldn't hear what they were saying but judging by their body language it was something lovey-dovey. He quickly looked back a Raven, who had a wide grin on her face as she watched the two, he spun on his heels and headed back inside.
"Come on, it's not that bad. Besides, it's dark and we are already here." Russ looked back at Raven, "Please tell her it's not that noticeable." He spun Joslyn around to face Raven.
Raven scanned Joslyn, thoughtfully. There were faint marks around both of her ankles nearly hidden by the straps of her shoes, faint bite marks and love marks on her thighs, three long shallow scratches peeking out from the back side of her skirt, marks matching the ones around her ankles also marred her wrists, there was love marks mixed with bites across both shoulders and up her neck, and the messy braid pushed over one shoulder. Raven noticed when her eyes fell on the bottom of the braid Joslyn's face got redder. Beneath the braid, barely visible through the material of the shirt, there was a huge, deep bite mark. Raven's eyes widened in shock before she quickly covered up her shock and said, "Like he said it's dark." Joslyn's eyes opened and met Raven's, worry clearly written in them. "Come on let's step into the bathroom for a minute, I'll see if I can't help a little." Joslyn shook her head yes as a relieved smile came over her face.
As Raven turned to head back inside, Russ twirled Joslyn back around to face him. He looked deep into her eyes, "I think you look beautiful, and I want everyone to know you are mine." His eyes heated as he bent down to kiss her deeply. He looked down at her, the smile leaving his face, and said in a strong, domineering voice instructed her, "Don't cover them." He clasped his hand around the back of her neck and pulled her in for a deeper kiss before letting her go and guided her toward the bathroom.
Joslyn stepped into the bathroom and automatically fell back against the door. She was too dazed to even acknowledge Raven, who was watching her through the mirror as she wetted a paper towel.
Raven chuckled, "Girl you look like a hot mess, no lie." She rang out the paper towel and walked over to Joslyn and pulled back the neckline of Joslyn's shirt. "Here, there's a little bit of blood still there." Raven watched Joslyn's face from the corner of her eyes. "You know what these marks mean, right?"
Joslyn shook her head yes as she hoarsely responded, "Mostly, I remember women on the island with them." She idly ran her hand over the mark. "I assume it has something to do with marking a mate."
Raven turned away from Joslyn and headed back over to the sink where there was a small first aid kit. She opened it and took out a large bandage. She stared down at the bandage as she said, "You wouldn't be wrong about that." She turned back to Joslyn with troubled eyes, "Do you know why they bite them?" Raven continued as Joslyn shook her head 'no'. "It's to turn a non-werewolf partner into a werewolf…" Raven met Joslyn's shocked eyes, "I'll see what I can find out, but I know it's more complicated than just one or two bites. I doubt he even realizes the reasons behind the impulse."
Raven moved the sleeve out of her way again to place the bandage on it, but Joslyn grabbed her hand, "No…" She met Raven's confused gaze, "It's ok, don't cover it." Joslyn let go of Raven's wrist and walked over to the sink. She stared at her own reflection as she turned on the water.
Raven walked over to lean against the stall wall beside the sinks, "Jos, are you ok?" She crossed her arms and grinned, "I mean…." Raven went quite as Joslyn turned toward her with troubled eyes.
"I don't know…" She hung her head, "I love him, but I can't quit thinking that this is just wrong." She glanced up at Raven, fighting back tears. "I just don't think I'm ready for a relationship, let alone to make our 'new' relationship public yet and to make it worse just…. just…" Joslyn turned blood red as she looked down at the floor. "You wouldn't believe the things I've let him do."
Raven gently guided Joslyn's face back up toward hers, "Jos, look at me. Is your only problem with all this, your age difference?" Raven held tighter as Joslyn tried to look away. "Joslyn, you don't look your age at all and neither does he. Unless you two wear matching shirts stating your ages, no one would ever guess there's such a gap." Raven let go before continuing, "Answer me this one thing… Are you happy right now?"
"Yes," Joslyn answered immediately, then blushed again as her answer sank in. {I'm happy, very happy.}
A mischievous smile crept across Raven's face, "Come on girl, don't hold back. Tell me all the details!" Her smile widened as she openly looked Joslyn over from head to toe, causing Joslyn to blush. "I mean last night I sent him in there to apologize... must have been a hell of a good one!"
Joslyn let out a long sigh then began to summarize the past several hours leaving out very little in the process.
"So yeah, It's been a pretty intense day." Joslyn ran her hands through her hair, "But Raven, It has only been A DAY! And WTF am I supposed to do about the surfer guy? He texted me first thing this morning!" She blew out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, "I love him in more than a family kind of way, there's no denying it. And the way he his as a lover, I can't help but see him as an adult on equal grounds." Without realizing it Joslyn had begun to wrap her arms around herself and smile deeply.
Raven smiled, "Joslyn, look into the mirror." Raven smiled at Joslyn's reflection as she continued, "How long have I known you? I've never known you this happy, not even when you were with that ass hat from back home." She turned toward Joslyn and placed her hand on her shoulder, "Just let go of all the worries and doubts, it's a relationship there will be enough problems along the way. Just enjoy what you have now."
Joslyn leaped forward and gave Raven a tight hug, "Thanks, you're the best."
Raven pushed away awkwardly, "Yeah, Yeah… I know…" She held Joslyn at arms-length, "Besides if you were really that embarrassed by your relationship with him, you would have let me put the bandage on." A wicked smile curved Raven's lips upwards into a catlike grin, then she walked past Joslyn and opened the door to the bathroom. Holding it wide she asked, "Coming?"
Joslyn snapped herself out of shock and shook her head, "touché, touché…." She continued shaking her head as she walked past Raven out of the bathroom.
When Joslyn entered the bar area, Russ was laughing and carrying on with the others from the swim team as the girls from the bachelorette party surrounded them. Her steps slowed as she neared them. {What should I do? Wait by the bar or go over to him… Every person over there is in my class.} Joslyn had come to a standstill in the entryway when Raven pumped her shoulder gently as she walked by.
"Go on over there." Raven nudged her again then made her way behind the bar.