Werewolf Boyfriend: Arsene (special preview)

“It’s best you believe that.” Billy holds out his thick hand and you shake. “Take up my offer, and be glad Mrs. Locklear didn’t find you, or else she’d have you by the ear and forcing you into a room.”

You chuckle. “Ok. I mean, I get it. I’m just used to this is all.” You glance back at your car. “I’ll stop by after work for the day.”

Billy looks to your car as well and the special paint job you gave it to look like it had been through a zombie apocalypse. “What the hell is work for you?”

You shrug. “Set design, special effects makeup, a hodgepodge.” 

Billy then smirks. “You want some extra work?” He asks. “Halloween is coming up, and it’s a pretty big deal around here. Come paint my windows and I’ll pay your room plus a little extra.”

“Who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth?” You chuckle and the two of you trade business cards.

You head to the theatre where you spend most of the day painting sets. Behind the theatre is the old fire department. As you paint and build, you get to see the firemen outside perform training procedures with some new hires. Today, they’re washing and inspecting the fire trucks, and it is quite a show.

“Ogling the fire fighters?” Kamilah chuckles.

She came out of nowhere, suddenly appear beside you. She’s tiny, so you could understand that, but her presence is massive, much like her father’s. “Oh uh-” you turn off your airbrush, noticing you’ve messed up a spot from staring.

“I grew up with most of them,” Kamilah huffs. “It makes the visual lose its appeal when you know one of them stuck a fork into a socket on a dare, and a couple of others have eaten worms on a dare.” She turns and looks to you with a smirk. “Any of them spark a fancy.”

“No,” you lie. 

Kamilah shrugs “No harm in looking.” She takes a seat on the stairs. “Everything going well? It looks like your team is vanished.”

You scoff and start peeling off your work gloves then tug down your mask. “I’m fine working alone honestly. Most of them just stand and stare anyways.”

“Want me to yell at them?” Kamilah’s grin is sharp and dark.

You shake your head. “Nah, I don’t think even Satan deserves that.”

Kamilah snickers, glancing up as one of the firemen comes across the street. “Arsene, stay on your side,” she points. “You know how these turf wars work.”

The man who approaches is wearing a wet white t-shirt and some dirty jeans. His hair is silver, but his eyebrows have remained dark, as well as eyelashes so thick it looks like he has eyeliner. He has a dark beard peppered with silver that’s neatly trimmed and styled.

You instantly feel your face heat up as you look at him. You’ve been noticing him a lot as you work and he’s been a major distraction.

“You can enact your blood oath later, you monster,” Arsene smirks at Kamilah. His bright green eyes then flick over to you. “I’ve been curious seeing you work. I’ve seen these stage props go from dull to remarkable, and I wanted to poke my nose around.”

“I uh-” you lose your train of thought for a moment.

“She’s pretty good right? Better than the usual volunteers from the college.” Kamilah stands up. “The troupe that’s here now hired her.”