I held out a hand as I moved closer. "Looks like you two have had a rough evening."
"Yes, sir," the one with the scar answered hesitantly.
"Relax, guys," I said. "Stand and let me look at you."
They both stood, and I looked them over the best I could without making them drop the blankets covering them. I saw a few cuts here and there, but nothing that wouldn't heal within a few days. The fact that the wounds hadn't healed yet meant they'd come from another werewolf.
"Names?"
The one with the scar spoke up first. "I'm Noah, and this," he said, and slid an arm around the other man, "is Ethan."
"Nice to meet you, Noah and Ethan. Am I correct in assuming you're together?"
Noah nodded, his posture turning defensive. "Is that a problem?"
"Calm down, calm down." I laughed. "No problem at all." I turned on my heel and gestured for the men to follow me. "We'll sit and talk here in a bit, but first I'd like to get you two settled. Is there anything I can get you?"
"Clothes?" Ethan finally spoke up. "Not that I'm complaining about these lovely blankets, but I'm afraid my ass might be chafed."
"And we can't have that," Noah chuckled in response.
I could feel the positive vibes that passed between them and I knew they were touching, probably holding each other as they walked. Adam met us at the door with a smile.
"Can I help?"
"Sure," I said, looking from Adam to Noah and Ethan. "These two need clothes, food, and a nice, hot shower. They'll be rooming together, so give them something nice in the guest wing."
Adam bowed his head. "I'd be happy to."
I watched as the two men followed Adam, setting my curiosity of their situation aside until later. I wasn't about to grill them without letting them get settled first. I wasn't sure how long they were staying, but I'd be damned if I was going to make a bad impression on them right off the bat.
* * *
"So what part of Colorado are they from?" Nikolas asked as he walked into the study and perched himself on the arm of one of the couches. "North? South?"
I shrugged and finished pouring my Scotch. "I don't know yet."
"What do you mean, you don't know yet?"
"I figured I'd let them have a couple of hours to unwind." I poured him a little Scotch, too, and took it to him. "What's with you tonight?"
"Nothing," he snapped, then took the tumbler I offered him. "You going to stay in here all night?"
"I've got paperwork to do."
"Don't tell me you're still poring over Donald's file."
"It bothers me." I walked back to the desk to retrieve a custom-rolled cigarette. The things were more addicting and soothing than any normal cigarette could be. "How'd it go with Xander?"
"Do you really have to ask?"
Well, no. I didn't. I was pretty sure it consisted of a lot of growling and posturing with numerous threats between the two of them. Nikolas had grown more and more aggravated with Xander in the past few months, and I couldn't say that I blamed him. Xander seemed to think that the pack could be run independently of the coven, and had been doing his best to try to make his point.
He wasn't making it very well. The only way the pack could be run independently of the coven was for the pack to move off coven property and make their own way. Since Xander didn't have the resources to do that, he'd just become a pain in the ass.
I shook my head and lit the cigarette I'd been rolling between my fingers, sighing in contentment when I took the first drag. Nikolas' arms circled my waist and I leaned back against him. I held the cigarette up to share and he took a long, deep drag.
After he exhaled, he turned his head and set his teeth against my neck, biting down just hard enough to mark, but not draw blood. "Be nice when Lucien's home again."
"Why? So we can all fight some more?"
"So you can get the hell out of this house." He kissed along my shoulder. "Know you hate not being able to go hunt."
"His donors all taste the same," I whispered. "I need&variety. Speaking of that, I'm hungry."
"I'll feed you, princess."
I groaned and found an ashtray to stub out the cigarette. In a matter of seconds, Nikolas had turned me to face him and was pulling me toward a couch. He sat and pulled me down onto his lap. I straddled his hips and he looked up at me with a lazy smile, green eyes filled with amusement.
"Oh, now, I like this." He thrust his hips up, teasing. "Let me fuck you?"