35. This Is Stupid

Foxx glared at the wall. This was all Alastair's fault! The fucker HAD to keep pushing him! And now, not only was Foxx feeling confused as all fucking hell, he wasn't getting any cuddles!

Huffing, he rolled and glared at Harlow's broad back, along with the space between them. He wanted cuddles… No, Foxx deserved cuddles!

Nibbling his bottom lip, he glared for a moment more, before a slightly sneaky idea formed in his head. Closing his eyes, he rolled again and…faked a whimper. Waiting a few seconds, he faked another.

He heard a deeper exhale from the human, and then the bed moved. Arms snaking around him, he smiled as he was pulled back against a firm chest.

Foxx felt like a winner for all of two seconds…up until the man sleepily murmured, "Shh…shh… It's okay, Foxx…you're safe." Then he just felt bad for faking it.

This is what he'd been talking about. Alastair tried to tell him that Harlow wasn't different, that he wasn't much better than the rest…but he was.

What Alastair didn't understand was…as much as he claimed the man couldn't give him what he wanted…or anything at all…Harlow had already given him more than anyone else ever had… Why couldn't that be enough? Why couldn't he have just said yes?

He flinched as My Boy Lollipop started to play. Harlow sighed behind him.

* * *

"This is an unbelievably STUPID idea,"Foxx snapped.

Harlow sighed, and found it an actual struggle to argue back, because he knew the vampire wasn't fucking wrong. "We have no choice."

"What do you mean we have no choice?! The choice is to FUCKING wait!"

"We can't."

"It's a super blood red moon, Harlow. They are sending us to take down a pack of werewolves, in the middle of a fucking swamp, during a super blood red moon. The only way to describe werewolves during this time is a frenzy! One of uncontrolled violence. Even ones that mean no harm lock themselves down to protect each other and outsiders. It is the moon where werewolves are at their most powerful and most uncontrolled. High werewolves on wolfsbane don't even compare."

"I know all that, Foxx. Which is why we have to take them down before they go on another killing spree. Because, while we stand a chance, no one else does."

"Bloody hell, Harlow. This is stupid. Even more stupid is that we COULD have gotten there before the sun set, but instead, they are forcing us to drive twelve hours, making sure that we arrive right as the chaos starts."

"I'm not saying it isn't bullshit. It is. But we are in this situation because the fucking locals waited too long to report this. A massive storm has grounded flights in Illinois. The jets are not in the area, and even if we drove to an out of state airport, we'd likely get there at the same time or later."

"Why are you being so fucking calm and reasonable about all this?! You do realize how fucked we could end up, don't you?!"

To be honest, Harlow was a bit surprised himself by how reasonable he was being. The whole situation was beyond fucked… But then, his mind was stuck elsewhere. Partly on murderous thoughts about Iggy…and also on Foxx saying no.

Foxx had a right to say no. But that somehow didn't make him any less his. Which he knew was fucked up to think or even say, but that's how he felt. Harlow was pretty sure that going along with Wes' idea of ‘just say something' had majorly backfired. And that his thoughts were nothing close to healthy or sane.

None of which had anything to do with what they were currently talking about. Beyond that, he wasn't sure what Foxx's deal was…at least, about the case…

"Foxx…what is this really about? You aren't a coward, and you haven't given a damn about the strength of those we were facing before. And we've had worse odds, haven't we? Also, couldn't you do that thing you did with those ‘mafia' vampires to them?"

"It's not about what we have dealt with. You were healthy before. But you literally just finished physical therapy after fucking up your back! And before you mention again that I can just do that ‘thing' I did. Well, no, I can't!

"All werewolves have a resistance to my kind, to some extent. And while I usually can do something, even with a full moon, my bloodline powers will be useless against them tonight. They will be too strong, too empowered, for me to do anything! We should not be here. And this case is too soon! They should have sent a different pair of hunters!"

As sucky as learning all of that was…his mind still wandered elsewhere, and Harlow had to force himself to say nothing, as words completely unrelated to the case tried to bubble up. He silently stared out at the road, just listening to Foxx's breathing, frowning at the slightly rapid pace. "Foxx…I'm going to be fine."

"What if you're not? What if you fuck it up again?! Worse, what if it happens in the middle of a fight, as a werewolf is trying to tear your fucking throat out?!"

"Then I die."

Foxx inhaled sharply.

"You told me when we were talking about the trackers that you can't live your life worrying about what could happen. Well, neither can I." Harlow went silent for a second, before cursing and blurting out, "Foxx, why did you say no?"

The vampire spluttered. "Y-you are r-really bringing that up now?!"

"Why the fuck not? Might as well have the discussion now, since you think my bitch ass is going to get offed tonight."

"I didn't say I think you are going to die! I said that I think it's stupid that they are sending you on a suicidal hunt, when you JUST got better."

"Same damn thing. I'm healed, Foxx, and I'm human, so shit's not really going to get any better than this. In fact, it will get worse. So, what is the fucking point in worrying about the inevitable?"

"Does it have to be inevitable?!"

"Foxx, getting old and dying is inevitable for every human."

"Do you have to be human?!" Foxx cried out, his voice shaking.

Harlow's eyes widened. Did he have to be human? It wasn't…a question he'd ever thought about, which really said how fucking strange he was. He was sure most of humanity had thought about the possibility, now that there were other options… It would solve the problems that aging was bringing, yet…he wasn't sure if that was the right answer for him…

"Harlow, I…"

"I don't know… I've never thought about being anything else."

"So, you wouldn't be opposed to it?"

* * *

WouldHarlow let him change him? Foxx bit his bottom lip. Did he want to change Harlow? He had never…changed anyone before. Foxx had never even thought about changing anyone before.

Wait…had he really never watched a friend age, and gotten the urge to try to hold on to them forever? Didn't that make him a horrible friend? It wasn't like being a vampire was easy before the world found out. Not that it was easy now.

But did he even need to change Harlow? Yeah, he was human, but…he was strong, nonetheless. And if aging was the problem, well…Foxx was part of the Bloodline of Fates. It would be nothing for him to reverse the damage of time. Ten years, twenty years, he could reset the clock. Harlow would still be very human, but he'd remain as strong as he needed to be to keep going with him.

"I don't know. I don't think I'm at a point where I can answer that. But backtracking, you didn't answer my question. Why did you say no?"

Foxx sighed. "Can't you just let it go?"

"No."

"Harlow, drop it. I said no, and that's that."

"Regardless, you are mine."

"What?!" Foxx squawked.

"I said what I said. You are mine. My brain has decided that."

What was he? A fucking object?!

"Well, it can fucking undecide, because I am not a thing, Harlow!"

"You are my thing."

Oh, the audacity of this fucking human!

"By the Goddess, Harlow, you can't just put a claim on my ass."

Harlow scoffed. "We are way past the point of that, brat. I will kill anyone who touches you."

The words were so hot, yet…so infuriating! "You won't do shit!"

"Try me."

"Try you?!" Foxx said with an angry laugh. "How about a two by four to the head?!"

"You don't even have a two by four."

"I can buy one!"

"I dare you."

"Forget the two by four! I have iron skillets! Instant brain damage! Oh, wait!" Foxx said sweetly. "There's nothing in there left to damage!"

"Then you should know there is no fixing this." Harlow tapped his own head with a smug smile.

"How about an early grave?!" he ground out.

"Gee, and I thought you wanted me to live forever? Weren't you just worrying about me, brat?"

"Well, I changed my mind! I'm allowed to do that!"

"So fickle."

"Fickle?!" Foxx gasped. "Did you just call me fickle?!"

"I did. What are you going to do about it?"

He glared before slowly smiling. Even though there were no thoughts in his head, he said, "Just wait. You'll see."

"Petty fucker."

"I haven't even done anything yet!"

"You are plotting though."

"So what if I am?!"

Harlow tsked. "You know, it's not good to be angry all the time."

"You are the LAST person who should be saying that."

The human chuckled. "True. But hey, I didn't track Iggy down and kill him the other night, so progress, right?"

"Sure… Great progress, you fucking psycho."

Harlow just smirked.

Foxx sighed and rubbed at his temple. "Let's just go over the case again… Because we really do need to be careful on this one."

And they did. Because every single werewolf they'd face tonight would be stronger than Foxx.

"Do whatever you want."

"Shut up and listen." Foxx glared.

Damn right he'd do what he wanted. Maybe Harlow was the one with the fucking death wish? He shook his head and began to recite the information that had been thrown at them before they'd even made it onto the interstate.

"We have a pack of fifty-two wolves, ages ranging from mid-twenties to late forties, living pretty deep in the Louisiana Atchafalaya Basin. Along with a list of names, ages, and pictures etc., they gave us the exact GPS coordinates for the house the pack is using as their base.

"The house isn't theirs, but it's assumed that the couple who owns it were murdered as well. As of this report, they've wiped out a total of two tour groups, guides included, one tour company, and an observation station, making their victim count an even thirty.

"Two of the attacks happened within a mile of the house they've claimed for themselves. The tour company is just outside the swamp, but it was their tour groups that were killed. As for the observation post, while not as close as the other, it is closer than that tour company was."

"I wonder if the attacks are less about them killing, and more about whatever those tour groups saw, or could have seen."

"What they…" Foxx trailed off. "If they are trying to keep something hidden…like say drugs, the tour groups wandering around near them would be an inconvenience, that's for sure. Though I can't think of what plant derived illegal drug would actually grow in a swamp. I'm also kind of wondering why they sent out another tour group after the first one was torn apart."

Because they had literally torn them apart. Foxx also kind of wondered why they didn't just try to feed the bodies to alligators. It would have brought way less attention to them…probably.

"Maybe them taking out that tour company was a warning to others to stop? As for the second tour group dying, the first was just missing at that point, not dead."

Foxx frowned and pulled his phone out of his pocket, quickly pulling up the email. "Ah…that's right. The second group went out when the first was only assumed missing. By the time they found the bodies of the first group, the second had already been killed. Either way, all the bodies were found miles away from where they were actually murdered. The police, realizing that wasn't where they died, did track down the location. They were, of course, also attacked, but unlike the tour groups, everyone escaped without dying."

Harlow grunted. "And then they made multiple attempts to go back, instead of calling us, which is why we are arriving late."

"Pretty much." He sighed. "Trying to hide shit or not, we know they are hostile, young, and vicious on the regular. Which means they'll be worse tonight. But them being young also means they likely aren't trained to fight, not that they would have any sort of control during a super blood moon. It's both an advantage and a disadvantage, because while they lack the skill, they will be moving on pure animal instincts, which will make them semi competent."

"We are all just animals in the end, Foxx. And sometimes, instincts, animal or not, can result in some very stupid decisions. I'm not denying that they will be dangerous. If any one of them gets a hold of either of us for long enough, we'll be torn apart. Which is why we won't let them get near enough for that to happen."

Foxx sighed again. "Easier said than done."

"You know what the best thing about werewolves is?"

"What?" he asked with a huff.

"The fact that they can be taken out with a single silver bullet to the head. You vampires sometimes keep going, no matter where you're shot…but with werewolves…it doesn't matter where the bullet lodges in their skull, one pop and they"re done."

All of which Foxx knew. Yet…his mind kept going ‘what if, what if.' What if one of their guns jammed? What if one did get too close? What if Harlow's old age caught up to him at the wrong moment…?

‘What if's' were so fucking annoying!

Foxx was also just so irritated with himself… Well, he was irritated with Harlow too, but that was more about the whole dating bullshit. The feelings he had towards himself though, were because of all the doubts running through his head.

It wasn't like him. He'd never felt this off before a fight. And he really needed to get his head in the game. Because the werewolves would not give a flying fuck that his head was more of a mess than normal.