Green - a werewolf story

19.Gifts

Vanessa glared at the faun. How dare he expose her secret?

"Do what?" Green asked, helping her to her feet. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Vanessa said, stepping away from him.

"You've split your soul in two!" Terin exclaimed.

"What?" Green said, looking at her as if he'd be able to see it on her.

"I haven't split my soul," Vanessa said, walking over to Terin to take the necklace back. "This helps me manage my wolf-side a little better, that's all."

"Manage it!" Terin said, holding it out of her reach. "With this on it is virtually nonexistent."

"That's the point."

"It's self-mutilation!"

"Some people are into that. Give me back my necklace, please."

"What is he talking about?" Green asked Vanessa as Terin reluctantly handed her back the necklace.

"Nothing," Vanessa said, scowling at Terin to keep him from giving away any more of her secrets. She didn't know what sort of powers fauns had, other than being able to sniff out magic and remain standing on their feet after copious amounts of alcohol, but in a match between a wolf and a goat she'd bet on the wolf every time.

Apparently Terin disagreed because he took no notice of her warning look.

"I hope the witch that did this for you warned you of the consequences," he said.

"She did, yes, so it's nothing you need to worry about. Kindly wrap up the parasol and we'll be on our way."

"What consequences? What are you talking about?" Green asked.

"The necklace she's got," Terin said, pointing to me putting it back in my shirt pocket.

"What about it?"

"Don't you know what it is?" Terin asked, looking aghast.

Green shook his head and turned to look at her as if he'd never really seen her before.

"It's got nothing to do with him," Vanessa said and turned away from his intense perusal to meet Terin's gaze. She found herself considering ditching the parasol and Green and simply escape out the door and into the city.

"You haven't told your mate about what you're..."

"Enough of this mate bullshit!" Vanessa snapped. "I don't have to tell him anything and I decide who I spend my time with, not some dumb Goddess."

Terin gasped, his hand going to his heart. "Blasphemy."

"Why do you care?" Vanessa asked. "I thought you only worshipped the God of wine."

"While the God of wine is our most important deity," Terin said, drawing himself up, "the Goddess Selene is highly venerated among my kind."

"I'm sure that makes her very happy. Could we finish this? I have other things to do."

Terin shook his head, but he continued to the register and pulled out a glittering, green wrapping paper.

"It is dangerous to deny yourself," Terin told her testily as he selected a golden string. "Particularly for a creature as powerful as you are."

"Thank you for your input," Vanessa said. "But I think I'll continue to make my own decisions."

"I can see that," he said and it sounded like an insult.

Vanessa didn't respond. She reminded herself that she was here to pick up a parasol for her friend. Terin was no one to her and she didn't have to care about anything he said. Not his warnings, not his taunts.