35 Pictures worth a thousand words (1/2)

[You were late for the meeting the other day then I don't see you for several days, WTF are you up to now?] Xavier had sent the message to Dante several days before but had not received a response until now.He glanced over at his phone as he pulled into the parking lot of Calypso's bar and grill. ”Great timing as always brother.” Xavier said to himself with an irritated sigh.He pulled into a parking place and shut off the Jeep before opening the text.

[Sorry brother I've been... preoccupied... Crate training a puppy is hard work you know.] There was a picture attached as well.

”Son of a whore!” Xavier exclaimed as he opened the attachment, depicting the young female werewolf locked inside a large dog kennel. Xavier dialed his brother's number.When it was answered on the 4th ring, Xavier didn't even wait for Dante to say hello before he started yelling at him angerly. ”What the fuck are you thinking?!How can that possibly make a fucking thing better?! I told you, you and the girl were supposed to meet me here today! what am I supposed to say to her now?”

Dante laughed from the other end of the phone, ”Calm down, I sent a text the other day saying we were going on a business trip.Just tell your little whore we were held up or something.” He laughed, ”You claim to be so smart, I'm sure you can come up with something.”

”God damnit, Dante! Fix this now, before it gets any farther out of hand!” Xavier hung up and flung his phone onto the dashboard.He slammed his palms against the stirring wheel.{How the fuck am I supposed to face her now... composure... I need to composure...}

Xavier fought with his emotions for a few minutes longer before finally getting it under control and exiting his vehical.

Joslyn sat out on the deck of the bar grading papers when Raven flopped down beside her. ”So where is lover boy?”

Joslyn didn't look up from the papers as she answered, ”Practice…”

Raven arched her brows, ”And you didn't stay to watch him?”

Joslyn glanced up over the rim of the reading glasses she wore, ”No I didn't… Obviously.”

Raven laughed and shrugged her shoulders, ”All I'm saying is, if I was dating a hot guy who practiced in speedos... with a dozen plus of other hot guys in speedos... I sure as hell wouldn't be grading papers at a bar.”

Joslyn set the papers down as she set up laughing lightly. ”Maybe I just wanted to see your pretty face instead.”

Raven batted her lashes playfully, ”I am a looker, aren't I?!” They both broke out into laughter.

Joslyn's laughter faded away, ”I'm meeting Xavier here.” Concern was evident in voice.

Raven lifted a brow, ”So that's the real reason you're here while lover boy is at practice…” She shrugged her shoulders, ”I see, no judgments.”

Joslyn's brows shot upward in surprise, ”You know good and well that's not what's going on here!”

Raven laughed, finally dropping the fictitious suspicious and said, ”I'm just messing with you… but I got to say you're missing out. Vampires are great in the sack.” She gave Joslyn a sly grin, ”Probably the real reason we haven't heard from Shelly in so long. She discovered the 'D' and decided she likes it… really likes it!”

Joslyn's mouth dropped in shock before she busted out laughing and crumpled the paper she was grading before throwing it at Raven. ”You're horrible!” She shook her head, ”You, my friend really need to get laid yourself!”

Raven lifted the glass of tea she had brought out with her, ”I'll drink to that!” She took a long drink as she glanced down at the paper on the counter. ”Um… Should you really be crumpling up your students' work like that?”

Joslyn shrugged her shoulders, ”It's ok, it's Naru's. He's an idiot…”

”Jeez, remind me to never take a class from you.”

The purr of a lightly teasing masculine voice brought both girls' attention toward the back deck's main doors.Xavier smiled down at them.”Sorry I'm late, something came up.”

Raven leaned back in her chair, ”Not at all! We were just talking about you… well, actually your species.” Raven jerked sharply as Joslyn's foot landed a sharp kick to her shin. ”Damnit man! That hurt!!!” She pushed her chair out and stood, ”I'll not stand for this violence any longer, I'm leaving!” She winked at Xavier as she walked past him, ”Be careful man, she's exceedingly dangerous!”

He chuckled as he set down in the seat she had abandoned, ”I'm sure she is, but fear not…” He glanced over his sunglasses, shooting her a sparkling green wink, ”I'm plenty old enough to handle such a cute little girl.”

Raven let out a very unladylike snort followed by laughter. ”I'm sure you are…. I'm sure you are…” She continued laughing as she walked through the back doors.

Joslyn suppressed a giggle and asked, ”So how old are you, if you don't mind me asking?”

He shrugged his shoulders, ”I don't mind, you've accepted everything else I've told you easily enough. I'm 189 years old.”

Joslyn sighed sweetly, ”Ah, still just a baby huh?”

Xavier let out a loud laugh, ”A baby? Bahhahaa. And how old are you, pray tell? 25, 26, maybe even 27?I will eat my shoe right here and now if you tell me you're over 30...”