The Taste of Home

Chapter 41

With most of the humans either asleep or having their last drinks before heading home for the night, the apartment complex was deathly quiet. Each tap of Miguel's claws echoed down the hallway as if he was the only living thing in the entire building.

The second he entered Alejandro's apartment, tired brown eyes rose to meet his. "Glad you're back," Alejandro whispered. He tiptoed around the air mattress Isabella was sprawled across, as tentative and quiet as a mouse. "Where have you been?"

"Out with Ralph."

"Figured he was up to something. Headache, my foot. It'll snow in July before I fall for that." Alejandro bit his lip. "Nobody tried to hurt you, did they?"

"No, he just introduced me to a few friends of his. Nothing crazy." Other than watching humans and chupacabras fighting each other until Ralph went to talk to Creosote Pack's leader. Stars knew why he'd insisted on doing that alone, but Miguel had already dealt with enough excitement for one night.

The tension left Alejandro's shoulders as a moonbeam smile graced his face, tentative and fleeting. "Hope you didn't have too much fun without me."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Miguel took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. He couldn't put it off any longer. "We need to talk."

"That we do," Alejandro said quietly.

They wordlessly made their way to the pullout couch, wincing as it groaned beneath them. Their hands found each other in the darkness, giving each other a tight squeeze. Alejandro nodded for Miguel to go first.

"Did Mr. Kaminski say anything after I left?" Miguel asked. Everything they'd argued about would be a moot point if Mr. Kaminski decided against targeting human customers.

"He's going with your idea, but we're going to have a trial night first with friends and family. And pack leaders too, if Isabella actually gets any to come." Alejandro sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "That was not a fun conversation. She's not exactly keen on talking to any of them."

"Ralph asked Creosote Pack's leader for help. Not sure how that went, though." Ralph hadn't told him much about that meeting, but Miguel had never seen him as lost in thought as he had been on the drive back to town. He hadn't even listened to music, instead silently staring ahead with a death grip on the steering wheel.

"That might help. No idea if we'll actually get any humans to come, though." Alejandro let out a halfhearted chuckle. "Can't say I'm too bothered about that."

Miguel winced, fighting to keep his spines laying flat. So he still wasn't sold on the idea. "Your folks will definitely be there."

"Of course they will, and I'm glad they'll finally get to see the restaurant. It's everyone else I'm worried about. I just..." Alejandro gave Miguel's hand a tight squeeze as his voice faltered. "I just don't want you to get hurt again."

"I won't be. I promise." Miguel pulled Alejandro into a hug, thrumming softly as his partner buried his face against his neck. Holding him close after being apart for a few hours was like watching the sunrise after a long, storm-filled night.

"You and I both know you can't promise that." Alejandro's breath tickled Miguel's scales as it hitched. Moisture fell onto his shoulder. "You saw how David was when he came. If he'd shot you..."

Alejandro wept. His whole body shook as he struggled to stifle his sobs.

"I'm still here," Miguel whispered as he nuzzled Alejandro's tears away. Scales on skin, cool on warm, they were two halves of the same whole.