Blood Mountain (BWWM)

Pups

aaaaAAaaaaAAAAAAHHHHHHhhH. An update. Happy almost-New Year's! May 2017 be merciful. pls boss. This year was hell. 

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"That it?" The gruff voice of the shopkeeper tugged Cade's attention back to the short man.

He offered a wan smile and confirmed. "Yes, that's all."

Scraggly brows lowered and he pressed. "Ya sure now?"

Cade pursed his lips, gaze flicking back to the pretty grey scarf dangling on a hook behind the counter. Thick ribbons of dark purple wove between the knit folds. It looked impossibly soft and his fingers itched to touch the downy material. His head inclined. "...Can I see the scarf?"

The man obliged with a knowing smirk and pulled it down from the rack, gingerly handing it over. "Knew ya had an eye fer it since ya walked in."

Cade hummed noncommittally and stroked his hand over the plush cloth. Damn. It was soft. He hadn't believed himself a tactile person before meeting Halia yet now he couldn't stop touching things, curious about sensations that never interested him before.

Curling the garment around his neck he palmed his side pocket for his coins, raising a brow at the owner. "How much?"

He rattled off a price and Cade internally winced. It wasn't overpriced, not for the obvious quality and craft. But Cade wasn't made of money. His coven had reserves, of course. You didn't get to be as old as them without naturally accruing wealth. They had funds. But it wasn't his. And he refused to claim ownership of money stained in blood.

The additional coin dropped into the man's waiting palm without protest and Cade pocketed his herbs with a murmured parting to the owner. Crisp air whispered over the exposed tops of his ears and he wrapped the scarf tighter around his neck. The cold didn't bother him much, more than the others, sure, but not like it would a human. Though he supposed it didn't hurt to blend in as much as possible. Act like the cold was more of a hindrance than just a prick of acknowledgement.

The town wasn't quite bustling with activity, the late evening air driving most people back to their homes, though a few stragglers still shot curious looks his way. He was used to it by now. Cade was well aware of his stature, the imposing figure he cut, even if he tried his hardest to minimize the breadth of his shoulders and towering height. Predictably, people tended to avoid direct contact with him, so when a flailing hand flagged him down he stopped to squint at the body attached to it.

An involuntary hiss of breath left him and he turned on his heel to quickly snatch the wildly flapping hand from the air. "Cut it out," He scolded the grinning vampire and released his wrist when he made no move to continue. "Why are you here?"

"Hello to you too," The blonde was still smirking like a cat that got the cream. Cade was very familiar with that particular expression.

"Ray," Cade repeated emphatically. "Why are you here? You shouldn't be out."

Ray snorted good-naturedly and prodded the taller man's shoulder. "I'm not a child, Caedus. You forget that I'm older than you."

He didn't bother biting back his response. "You don't act like it."

To Ray's credit, he didn't take the bait. He shook his head and puffed a laugh. "What's the point in acting my age? No fun in that. I thought you appreciated me." He tacked on the last bit with an indulgent smile, joking. The two weren't exactly best friends, but they were closer with one another than the rest of their coven.