A/N: Merry Christmas to all who celebrate it!
I've got a Christmas present for you and no, I don't mean this chapter. My present is the Alec/Riley one-shot which is available on my blog. The link to it will be given in the first comment and as an External link.
The familiar jingle of the bell above the door greeted me when I stepped into the Milk & Cream. Riley smiled and swirled around, working on my coffee before I'd even taken a seat.
"Hey." Winnie - Riley's human friend and colleague, gave me a nod in acknowledgement as she strode by with two serving trays. I smiled at her while taking of my black leather jacket and putting it on the empty stool to my left.
"Lots of cream, no sugar," Riley recited as he turned and pushed a large mug towards me. "A tough Monday, huh?"
"Just the usual," I shrugged and took a picture of the coffee art he'd created before I sipped my drink. This time he'd gone for drawing me two coffee beans.
The patron who was sitting to my right pulled a couple of bills from her purse and left them on the bar.
"Keep the change," she insisted as she got up. "And thanks for the flower; it was really pretty."
"My pleasure," Riley beamed at her.
"What kind of flower did you draw her?" I asked after the woman had left.
"A rose," he replied. "Because she told me her name is Rose. It's the first time she comes here, but she's really nice so I hope I'll see her around. And she tips well," he added, when he saw what the brunette had left him.
"Are you still saving up for a present for Rhys?" I took another sip of the rejuvenating brown liquid.
"Yep." He left me for a couple of minutes to serve a middle aged man who sat down at one of the tables after taking his drink. Even though at least one waiter or waitress was present at the café at any given time, it was common for patrons to order at the bar when Riley was on shift so they could actually watch him 'work his magic' as Rhys had put it.
I wholeheartedly agreed.
Observing Riley's fluid motions and slight flicks of the wrist which always resulted in a coffee art masterpiece was entertaining to say the least and straight out mesmerizing when he did a complicated design.
"There's over a month until Valentine's Day," I noted once my newest friend was back.
"I know, but I want to get Rhys something really nice, something he'll absolutely love like how I loved Luna when he brought her home."
I'd gotten really excited when Rhys had told me he'd be getting a pet for Christmas - it was a puppy; who doesn't love puppies? - but I was totally unprepared for the cuteness overload that was their Luna. That Golden Retriever cub had the sweetest temper, made the most adorable sounds and had won many Silver Bullets hearts from the first moment they'd laid their eyes on her.
"Maybe you should get Rhys a cat," I suggested and we both laughed at the idea.
Rhys would never be mean to an animal, but he did not like cats.
"Seriously though, you don't need to get him anything. You are with him so he already has everything he's ever wanted." I winked at Riley and he smiled shyly at me, his cheeks turning a delightful pink.
"I just want to show him how much he means to me, Keri."
I leaned across the bar and reached for his hand.
"He knows, Riley. All you need to do is be by his side and he'll be in Heaven."
He moved his arm, his palm touching my skin, so he can squeeze my hand.
"Thanks, Keri."
"I just call them like I see them."
And that was really how I saw the two: like one perfect couple. Supporting. Loving. Completely devoted to each other... Everything I'd never have, all the blessings I'd never experience for myself.
I let go of him and leaned back.
"But if you really want to make your first Valentine's Day together special, buy yourself something sexy and get to work between the sheets," I joked and took a gulp from my coffee, hoping he hadn't noticed the pain in my eyes while I thought about how I'd never be with my mate.
He giggled.
"That's one idea, yeah."
"An idea for what?" Winnie asked, placing a tray on the bar. "A cappuccino and a mocha."
"Keri suggested I buy something sexy and wear it for Rhys on Valentine's Day," Riley explain as he began making the drinks.
"Good one!" The short waitress raised her hand and we high fived. "Try it, Riley. It worked every time on Tim before we got married and it still works afterwards," she chirped.
"Maybe I will," the boy said as he placed the two drinks on his friend's tray and off she went to serve a couple of girls.
"I like her," I noted.
"I know you do." He looked around to make sure no one needed his services, then leaned on the bar. "She likes you back."
"I've noticed." I took another gulp from my coffee, this time larger.
Riley's forehead creased.
"You look tired."
"Alpha stuff," I replied a little lower than usual, although there were no patrons within an earshot.
"Is it just the training equipment? Or is it..." Riley lowered his voice as well. "Is it the killer? Were you going through those files again?"
I sighed and drank what remained of my coffee. He immediately took my mug and refilled it, too eager to hear my reply to bother with a drawing this time.
"I can't believe we missed her in the summer." I began to rub my temples again. "We were so close, Riley... So close!"
It had been the day Riley had seen the white wolf - a shape shifter who wasn't a part of my pack, but had nevertheless walked on our territory. We'd called in a team of two Sentinels to help us figure out who that werewolf had been and what they had wanted, but that mystery had quickly taken a backseat to the call one of the Sentinels - Johnathan Mitchell, had gotten from HQ.
Apparently one of his colleagues - a woman by the name of Claire whose Gift was that of having visions - had seen a series of images related to the serial killer's crimes, then got a vision of the perpetrator in their wolf form, standing next to a church sign. With a little research, the Sentinels had found out the name of the church and where it was located and sent out four teams after the murderer.
By the time they got there, the werewolf had disappeared.
Clifford Clarence had used his empath abilities and gotten a read of someone disturbed and angry who had recently been there. We'd missed them by maybe an hour, maybe less.
The Sentinels had asked around if people had noticed anyone or anything strange, but all had been quiet in the town of Lakeview.
To our misfortune, Clair had only seen the shape shifter in their wolf form so the Sentinels still had no idea who they were. The only thing we found out about them was that they were young and female.
"At least she hasn't shown up for a while," Riley attempted to reassure me and it was his turn to reach for my hand.
"They'll be back." I uttered quietly. "They have it in for us. I don't know why, but they do. Why else would they kill in our town and leave a silver bullet at each of the crime scenes?"
"Hey, can I get a mocha breve?" A young man asked as he squeezed between me and a stool. "To go."
"Sure," Riley replied politely, but without the usual cheerfulness he talked to costumers with.
The man drummed his fingers on the bar throughout the few minutes it took my friend to make him a drink.
"Here you go," Riley handed him the mocha and the guy threw the exact sum at him before turning around and leaving without a word.
"Have a nice day too!" I called after the man and got flipped off.
"A real charmer," Winnie jibed as she joined us.
"Yeah..." I gulped down the new dose Riley had made me all at once and reached for my jacket. "He's so magnetic my fist wants to connect to his face."
Winnie snorted merrily.
"Here," I handed Riley some cash, hoping we wouldn't get into the usual 'You don't have to leave me a tip, Keri/But I want to, Riley' conversation we usually got into when I was about to leave the Milk & Cream.
"Don't go just yet," he pleaded.
"I can leave you two alone if you need to talk," Winnie offered.
"Nah, too many patrons today; we'll just get interrupted again." As if to prove my point, four teenagers walked in and headed towards us. "How about you and Rhys come over for dinner tonight?" I invited Riley as I put on my jacket and made sure to zip it up to ward away some of the cold I was about to face outside the mall.
"Yeah, that sounds good," he agreed.
"Is there some sort of a special on the menu today?" One of the teenage girls asked as she made herself comfortable on the stool I'd just relinquished.
"See you tonight then. I'll text you the time later." I smiled at Riley and he nodded before turning his attention to the newly arrived costumers.
"You might want to make that an early dinner," Winnie's voice followed me as I walked towards the exit. "You look like you could use some rest."
Yay, Rhys and Riley are coming over for dinner!
After two relaxed chapters - well, relaxed for us, not for Keri - it's time for some action...
But before we get to Chapter 3 (expect it next week), please tell me what you thought of this one and VOTE for it if you enjoyed it!
Did you like the interactions between Keri, Riley and Winnie?
Do you think Riley will buy himself something sexy and get naught with Rhys?
To those who read the one-shot: what did you think of it?
Once again, MERRY CHRISTMAS! This time from me, not from Rhys and Riley.
What do you think about their chibi versions?
PS: Don't forget that there's still time to enter the giveaway.