Falling in Love with the King of Beasts

GAHRYE

"No," Ihrysh snorted. "They're all bored as hell. They'll jump at the chance to hear about what you've been doing. It'll be a lot more interesting than us."

There was a nervous sense in her and the others, but Gahrye put it down to everything they'd just been through. He was on edge, too.

"In that case, go tell the others I'm here and bring them back. I've got a few hours. I'll tell you all together so I don't have to repeat it."

They leaped up, chattering and telling him not to move, excited to have something to do, he thought as he watched them all turn tail and practically run out of the cave.

All except Elyn, who remained next to him until the others had disappeared onto the path.

When he turned to ask her if she was okay, she was leaning in to sniff him. He saw the moment she realized and her mouth fell open even as her eyes lost some of their light.

He'd been close to Elyn, once.

"Congratulations," she said with forced brightness.

Gahrye almost winced. "Don't congratulate me yet," he said darkly.

"But… you mated right? A true mate? Gahrye, that's incredible!"

He nodded, not missing that she didn't want to meet his eyes now. "Yes, it is. It was. And I'm really grateful. But she can't come here. So we're separated until I can get back over there."

Elyn looked up at him carefully, then swallowed. "Well, if you get lonely, there's plenty of disformed that would keep you company. Don't forget that. We're here for you."

"Thank you," he said, and he meant it. "It's going to be a rough time for a while, I think."

He gave her a quick hug, then turned away to go back to the dresser. But Elyn caught his arm. He turned quickly—had he forgotten something?

But she was staring at him, her lips pressed to thin lines. "What I meant, Gahrye was… I'd be happy to keep you company. If you're lonely. You're valuable and special and… we all realized that even more while you were gone. We kind of fell apart without you, honestly."

Gahrye wanted to slap her hand off his arm for the suggestion in her eyes, but she hadn't spoken it, so maybe he was misreading? So instead, he pulled firmly out of her grip and used the other hand to pat her shoulder. "Thank you. I… thank you."

Then he did turn his back and walk over to the Dresser and start turning it on it's side, praying she would leave and not come back until there were others here.

She didn't move for a moment, but when he didn't talk to her again, she finally shuffled out of the cave.

His stomach was sick by the time she left.

"Oh, Kalle," he breathed. "How am I going to do this without you?"

He leaned his head on the broken dresser and just breathed until he was certain he wouldn't give in.

*****

KALLE

"The Coroner is of no doubt that there was a wild animal—a very large animal—involved. Our concern is the source of it. And what happened to it afterwards."

The detective stood in the dining room in front of Kalle and Eve, a small notebook in his hand. He wore a suit, not a uniform. He'd been polite and non-confrontational. But he'd arrived today without an appointment. Kalle smelled something up. It made her uneasy. She stood with her arms folded, while her grandmother smiled lightly and ushered the Detective to a seat. Then she and Kalle joined him at the other side of the table.

"Is there anything we can help with?" Eve said softly.

The detective flipped through some pages on his notebook, frowning. "We suspect an exotic animal. The Coroner is still working on the actual size of the jaws—she's getting expert advice from a colleague. But she is of no doubt it is an exotic breed. A big cat, likely. And as you can imagine… we're all a little curious how a large cat might have come into the City." He looked at them both evenly. "You see, usually when there are exotic animals in a place as populated as this, they have either escaped from a zoo of some kind, or… someone very rich has purchased them on the black market and they have… run wild."

He made a pointed look at the chandelier above the large table, hung from the very tall ceiling. He didn't need to point to the opulent entryway, or the sheer size of the Big House and its grounds.

The Guardians were very aware of the wealth that surrounded them. And it was true any of them could have afforded to import a big cat if they'd had the desire. Of course, they dealt with animals that were far more interesting. Who needed to make their own zoo? But the Detective didn't know that. Kalle had to fight a smile when she thought about what the Detective's face would have looked like if he'd known what—or who—really attacked Shaw.

She imagined herself reminding him of the missing person's case from the previous year—a young university post-grad who disappeared without a trace. She wondered what his face would look like if she told him that young woman could now become a lioness, then explaining how the shift into animal form worked…

He could close two cases in one move. He'd be ecstatic. Or he'd have her committed…

"I understand your concern, Officer, but I assure you, no one here has any interest in, or desire to import an exotic animal. Our lives are quite exciting enough without that," Eve said with a warm chuckle.

The detective didn't smile back. "Are you certain that Shaw himself hadn't taken a recent interest in this kind of… pet?" he asked carefully. "It wouldn't be the first time. And I can assure you, that it would be far easier for the precinct to clear a case of illegal smuggling, than homicide.

The word fell to the floor in the middle of the room like a grenade with the pin pulled. They all waited for it to go off.

It was the first time anyone had used the word in relation to Shaw's death.

"There are no animals here, detective," Kalle said. "Not even from Uncle Shaw. He was eccentric, but… in a different way. And anyway, if there were, I would tell you. I find the caging of animals unnecessarily cruel. If you'd like, you're welcome to search the property."

She held his gaze and waited. He thought she was bluffing. She wasn't. And they both knew they'd already had evidence teams search the property high and low.

The detective nodded. "Thank you," he said and flipped another page in his notebook. "I will see if the Commander wants to search again." He frowned at his notebook, then looked up. "I guess that's all, thank you for your time."

That was quick, and relatively painless. Kalle sighed with relief as they both stood and walked the detective out of the dining room and into the entryway. He shook her grandmother's hand first, then took Kalle's.

He was turning for the door when he caught himself and turned back quickly. "Oh, one more thing. As long as I'm here, perhaps I could explore one other avenue?"

"Of course," Kalle said tightly.

The detective looked down at his notes, read something, then flicked his eyes back up to lock on hers.

"I understand you were married recently. I found it odd that you hadn't mentioned that when we interviewed you yesterday. Can you tell me: Where is your husband? And what's his name?"

*****

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