Read Moonlight: The Big Bad Wolf (Black Swan 4) for Free Online

to pretend that he didn't notice the wet stain on Sol's pants. When they were alone again, Sol fixed his coffee and noticed Storm hadn't moved.
    "What do you like in yours?"
    "Oh." Storm's eyes seem to clear as he refocused on Sol and the coffee tray. "Black. One sugar. Thank you."
    Sol stirred Storm's coffee, set it on the table next to him, and sat looking at the younger man expectantly.
    "I told her I would give it up in two years which would give me time to tie up loose ends and groom somebody for the position." He wagged his head back and forth slightly. "She wants enough time to have some fun while we're still young."
    Among other things Storm was trying to imagine referring to himself as "young" when he reached Sol's age.
    Since Storm wasn't responding, Sol decided to continue.
    "Let's face it, kiddo. I'm just an old vampire hunter witnessing the end of an era and the turning of the page. It's an historic moment for The Order. The Hunters Division is going to need to be reconceived and refitted. The old challenges are on the way out. The new challenges..." He blew out a long exhale. "I don't know. Defense against interdimensional breach?" He looked at Storm. "I'm thinking exit stage left."
    Storm was toying with the possibility that Litha had dropped him in the wrong dimension. A Sol who was getting married and using theatrical references? Couldn't possibly be his Sol.
    The imposter grinned at him and said, "There is one incomparable perk. You can behave like you invented asshole and the worst that your superiors will do is say, 'Good job'." He laughed. Storm stared, remembering some of the times Sol's asshole impersonation had been aimed at him. Personally.
    Replace Sol Nemamiah as Sovereign of Jefferson Unit? There was no fucking chance in the whole of the fucking universe that Storm would consider that fucking job. But he liked and respected Sol too much to not at least give the impression of considering the offer. It was, after all, intended as an honor. A great honor.
    "It'll be a loss to The Order, but you deserve to have some fun with your girl."
    "My girl." Sol repeated that with a little smile, like he was trying it on for size. "Yeah."
    "I need to give this some serious thought and talk it over with Litha." The truth of the matter was that Storm needed some time to figure out how to let Sol down easy.
    "Oh. That reminds me! About the second thing I wanted to ask you." Sol set his cup in its saucer and put it down on the table between them. "I need to prevail upon Litha to get her father to come to dinner."
    "Her father?"
    "Yes. The Council wants me to find out if he might be a potential Friend of The Order."
    For a few uncomfortable seconds Storm couldn't decide on how to respond. He finally gave in to impulse and laughed out loud.
    Sol cocked his head. "What is so funny about that?"
    Storm took a deep breath. "Waking Woden. Where do I start? Well, first, he can't come to dinner because he doesn't eat food."
    Sol looked interested. "What does he eat?"
    "He eats energy. Incubus demon?" Storm had his eyebrows raised like he thought Sol was missing something he should have picked up on. "The best he could do, on a good day, would be to sit at a place setting and watch you chew."
    Sol's blank look was gradually replaced with understanding. "Oh."
    "I will ask Litha to ask, but don't set the table. I'm telling you right now that my father-in-law is the very essence of unexpected. You cannot imagine a personality more unmanageable. He marches to the beat of his own whistle."
    "You mean the beat of his own drum."
    "No. That would be way too predictable for Deliverance. I will ask, but I'm not making any promises." Storm looked at his watch. "My wife is picking me up in twenty minutes. I want to go say a quick hello to Ram and Elora and see how they're treating my namesake before she gets here."
    "Sure. They're on the sixth floor, east end. We had to reconfigure an apartment and an adjoining rec room, but I think it's