He swiped his ID card outside the door to the security office, then pressed his palm against the hand sensor. These were a newly added security measures, reminding him how much the Malcontent problem had worsened over the past few years. The indicator light turned green as the door unlocked, and he entered the office.
Howard Barr, head of daytime security, was seated behind the desk, watching the wall of monitors connected to surveillance cameras. Because of the Coven Meeting, Howard was working late. Seated in front of the desk was Phineas McKinney, a young black Vamp from the Bronx. He'd been making a round earlier, when Phil had first arrived, so Phil had missed him.
"What it is, wolf-bro?" Phineas stood and raised a hand for a high five. "Lay a furry paw on me."
Phil smacked his hand. "How's it going, Dr. Phang?"
"Can't complain," Phineas said.
"Want a doughnut?" Howard pushed the box across the desk.
"No thanks." Phil shook his head, smiling. Howard Barr always had a box of doughnuts on hand, and he never seemed to gain weight. It must have something to do with having the metabolism of a bear.
Phineas settled back in his chair. "So are you stationed here now?"
"Yep." Phil was glad to be back in New York, where he could be more useful in the war against the Malcontents. He'd come earlier in the summer to help another MacKay S&I employee, Jack, rescue his fiancée, who had been kidnapped by Malcontents.
For the last year Phil's official assignment had been in Texas, where he'd served on the security team protecting Coven Master and famous fashion designer, Jean-Luc Echarpe. "I had to go back to Jean-Luc's place for a few days to take care of a problem."
"What kind of problem?" Phineas asked. "Did you have fleas, man? They make collars for that, you know."
Howard chuckled.
Phil gave them both a bland look. "It wasn't fleas. It was Billy."
"Billy?" Howard selected a bear claw from the doughnut box. "Isn't he Jean-Luc's new day guard?"
"Yes. He was the local sheriff," Phil explained, "but he retired, so he could work for MacKay S & I. I had a little trouble training him. He was sorta angry with me."
Phineas snorted. "Well, you did bite him, you know."
"He shot me first," Phil muttered.
Phineas grinned. "You looked at him funny."
"So what's the problem with Billy?" Howard munched on his bear claw. "He doesn't like being a werewolf?"
"He was shocked at first," Phil began.
"I'm sure he was." Howard stuffed the last of the bear claw in his mouth. "It can be a tough adjustment for those who become shifters as adults. It's a lot easier for us who were born into were families."
Phineas snickered. "So you had a Mama Bear and Papa Bear? Was your porridge too hot or too cold?"
"It was just right." Howard smiled as he licked the sugar off his fingertips. "So what happened with Billy?"
"After I took him out on his first hunt, he seemed okay," Phil said. "He was excited about having extra strength, superior senses, and a much longer life span. Everything was fine till about two weeks ago when Billy's girlfriend left him and he decided his life was ruined."
"Hey, I remember his girlfriend. She was hot!" Phineas sat up. "Do you have her number? She might need a little comforting from the Love Doctor, if you know what I mean."
Phil snorted. "If she rejected a werewolf, she'd probably reject a Vamp, too. Personally, I don't think she would have stayed with Billy even if he didn't go furry with the full moon. She was used to being a celebrity fashion model in New York and Paris. Life in a small town in Texas would have never suited her. I told Billy that, but he was convinced his life was over."
"What did you do?" Howard asked.
Phil had tried reasoning with Billy, but the new werewolf had sunk into a depression that logic couldn't reach. "I took him to New Mexico. I have an old friend on a Navajo reservation. Very old. And wise. He'd helped me before, so I figured he could help Billy. And he did."
"What did he help you with?" Phineas asked.
"He helped me undertake a…spiritual journey about six months ago. Hard to explain."
Phineas's brown eyes widened. "You got high, didn't you? What were you smokin', man?"
Phil crossed his arms. "I'd rather not discuss it."
Phineas snorted. "Ate some of those mushrooms, huh? Did you dream you were a giant iguana?"