Finding Blood (City Underdark #1)

The Repressed

Barmond knew where the pack's camp was, of course. He needed to know so that he could avoid it to the best of his abilities. Only tonight he had to lead Yoven to it because he had promised it. They had found a spot to plant their tents on the very edge of Lamare, not far from the forest. They were given all the room they needed to be as loud and wild as they wanted - what else could one expect from werewolves?

They had made a couple of fires and were gathered around them, talking loudly among them about things no one really cared about. Barmond approached what seemed to be the main fire and looked around, but he spotted Hugo nowhere. It wasn't until Yoven pointed him out at another fire around the back that Barmond spotted him. He was busy eating and talking with two other werewolves that looked a little younger than he was. Actually, he looked like he was the oldest werewolf present, now that Barmond was having a good look at everyone, and by far. That surprised him. Usually, werewolves packs tended to have a much more harmonious spread of ages. Was there a story behind that?

Yoven seemed like he was about to make a beeline for Hugo but Barmond wanted to go around, so he followed. There was no need for them to be noticed any more than they needed to. So they kept to the shadows, at least until they had no other choice than to approach the alpha brute himself.

Hugo, of course, seemed aware of their presence before they even stepped into the circle of light from his fire. He simply switched his attention to the two of them, smiling knowingly, as if he had been warned that they would drop by.

"Good evening," he said.

The two other werewolves he had been talking to, surprised, turned around to look at them. Yoven muttered something that sounded like a greeting and looked as if he was about to try and make his face disappear in his tight collar.

"We'd like to talk to you, Hugo," said Barmond. "Alone."

"We?" Hugo seemed a little surprised by the use of the plural, his gaze shifting between Yoven and Barmond. "Hmm. Sure. Looame, Kebreis, would you mind leaving us for a moment?"

The two werewolves excused themselves quickly, obviously eager to please their leader. Barmond helped Yoven sit down - and something about the way he treated the human was a clue that Hugo picked on.

"Are you sure you should be up, Yoven?" he asked. "You should rest after giving blood."

"I feel well enough," said Yoven. "I'm the one that wanted to talk to you. Barmond was kind enough to come with me."

"Is that so?" Hugo gave Barmond a side glance as the latter was sitting down next to his retainer. "So, I'm guessing this has nothing to do with our mission."

"That will come later," said Barmond. "I'm only here because Yoven asked me to come."

"Huh. So, what did you want to talk to me about, Yoven?"

Yoven just turned red, which was surprising considering how little blood was left in his body. Hugo chuckled, while Barmond just sat there wondering why was his retainer this shy about it. Surely the subject was taboo but from the looks of it, it seemed that Yoven was getting timid because he was talking with Hugo. Which was, of course, ridiculous.

Hugo chuckled again. And, really, how dare he? It was one thing for him to laugh at Barmond, it was another to laugh at Yoven, that had done nothing to him.

"He wants to ask some more questions about your lifestyle," said Barmond.

"My lifestyle?" Hugo answered. "What lifestyle?"

"Aren't you a... a homosexual?" asked Yoven.

Hugo started to laugh. Yoven made a high squeak. Barmond gave Hugo the dirtiest look he could muster.