One Plus Two Equals... - 51

"But I couldn't shift." Julyan protested as he sat, wrapping his arms around his knees. "I've been angry before in my life, and scared, and nothing like that happened."

"Anger and fear come in many forms. I would suspect you've never been in the position where you've felt the need to save someone you love and didn't have a clue how to."

"Well, no. I'm not a fighter and," Julyan smiled slightly, "I'm usually the one who needed protecting." He shuddered. "What was I? I felt like a predator. All I wanted to do was maim and kill those…those sons of bitches."

"You did a damned good job of it, too. And before you start feeling any kind of guilt, I'd say they deserved it," Duane said. "Not because of what they were doing to me but because of what they undoubtedly planned on doing to or with you."

"You still didn't answer my question. What was I?"

"A saber-toothed cat."

Julyan's eyes widened. "They're extinct."

"Somehow in the grand scheme of things, I don't think that matters. Shifters have been around since the beginning of time."

Nodding slowly, Julyan thought about what he'd said. "Does that mean I've been around since they were?" He shook his head. "No, that's not possible. I had a normal life growing up, parents who loved me. I told you that, and about my mom's getting sick and all. I was born just like any other human. Ask my mother, she's got baby pictures from day one, literally. I didn't…appear one day like…like a changeling dumped in a crib."

Duane chuckled at his description. "No, I doubt you were a changeling, or even that you've been reincarnated over and over. My best guess, and it's really more than a guess, you carry a gene which makes you a shifter, just as Auden and I do."

"Shifting is genetic?" Julyan looked as if he didn't believe it.

Duane chuckled. "Unless you're a god, according to those who should know."

Julyan must have been recovering at least some normalcy because he snickered. "If I am a god, you'd better start bowing down to me."

"Worshiping you, I can handle, but I draw the line at bowing."

"Well, damn." He leaned back against Duane when his lover moved closer, sighing deeply. "This is going to take a lot of getting used to."

"We're here to help you. The first thing you'll have to do is learn to control your shifting. It would cause real problems if you always reacted the way you did today, without a thought for the results."

"But, I didn't know…" Julyan shivered.

"I understand that, Juls. However, just because you now know you can shift, doesn't mean it won't happen again without warning if we don't show you how to master your cat. At least you were able to return to being you."

"Damn, that would have sucked if I hadn't been able to. I might be out there tearing up the sofas." He straightened suddenly, glancing toward the living room. "I have a hell of a mess to take care of."

"I'll call the boss and have him send a cleanup crew."

"Is that something he keeps on hand?"

Duane snorted. "You've never seen what's left when Auden gets done taking out one of the creatures he has to deal with."

"I hope it's less messy than what I…what the cat thing left behind."

"How about we give it a name. The 'cat thing' just doesn't have the proper ring to it."

"Yeah, I guess it doesn't, though that's what it is."

"How about Garfield?" Duane ducked fast when Julyan took a swipe at him. "Okay, scratch that. How about… Xander?"

"Xander?"

"It's a nickname for Alexander and means defender of mankind."

"I'm not certain that fits me, or him, I suppose."

"Juls, he was defending me and once you learn to harness him, I suspect he'll do the same for others, just as Auden does. It's in you to do that, and I mean you, Juls, as well as your cat."

"I hope so."

"I know so."

One Plus Two Equals... - 50

"Holy hell," Duane whispered as understanding hit him hard. He would have touched the animal if his hands weren't still shackled behind him. "How…? Damn, no wonder they wanted you but how did they know? Why didn't I know?"

The cat shook its head from side to side.

"Can you, do you know how to shift back?" Duane remembered the first time he'd shifted and the underlying fear that he wouldn't be able to return to himself.

The cat yowled softly, again shaking its head.

"Think it, Juls." Desperation gave an edge to Duane's voice and he tempered it. "Think of yourself in your human body. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Time seemed to stretch out indefinitely before the cat's body began to transform. Then Julyan was there, shaking uncontrollably. "Why did that happen?" he asked in a panic-stricken whisper.

"Because you wanted to save me," Duane told him as he struggled to sit up.

Despite his obvious terror at what had happened to him, Julyan realized Duane needed his help. He looked around at the destruction he'd caused, uncaring for the moment as he asked, "Who had the keys?"

Duane nodded sharply at the body of the dead leader and Julyan searched the pockets of his jeans. When he found them he unlocked the shackles, to Duane's great relief. He eased his arms forward, wincing in pain. Gently Julyan rubbed his shoulders before wrapping him in a loose embrace.

"Auden's going to be pissed that he missed this," Julyan muttered. Then he began to laugh hysterically, a laugh that soon changed to sobs.

"Pissed doesn't begin to cover it."

Julyan found himself in Auden's arms and buried his head in his chest.

"Careful there." Auden eased him away from the worst of the still healing wounds Duane had received.

"S-s-sorry," Julyan took a deep breath to try to quell his weeping.

"Hey, I'll live. We'll live." Auden kissed the top of his head. He stood carefully with Julyan cradled in his arms. "Let's get you out of this mess."

"Please…" As Auden laid him gently on his bed, Julyan shook his head. "I have to… I need to know…how."

"How come you're suddenly a shifter?" When Julyan nodded, Auden settled down beside him, stroking his cheek. "I think this is a question Duane can answer better than I, if it's all right with you."

Julyan clung to Auden for a moment before nodding again. Duane reappeared, smiling slightly. "So now I'm the expert, huh? Well, I'll try to answer. As I said, I think you were terrified by what they were doing and wanted to help me but couldn't, or at least not in your human form. However, somewhere deep inside you another form exists just as Auden does in me, and me in him."

"How come I never knew? Why didn't you know? Those men did."

"So it would seem. I have to wonder if they knew what you shift to or just that you could shift."

One Plus Two Equals... - 49

There was a knock on the door, the requisite code rapped out. Turning off the security system, Duane unlocked and opened the door. 'Mr. Pink' stood there, four men now flanking him. All of them held guns which were pointed at Duane.

"Don't even think of shifting," one of them growled as they stormed through the doorway, surrounding Duane. "You'll be dead before you do."

Hands grabbed him roughly, his arms were twisted up behind his back and shackled. The leader of the group pressed the barrel of his gun to Duane's forehead. "Where's the boy?"

"What boy?" Duane replied defiantly, wondering in surprise why it was Julyan they were after when they had him.

'Mr. Pink' backhanded him. "Don't play games. The boy who was here this morning. Where is he?"

"He left soon after you did."

"Liar!" A fist landed in Duane's gut, doubling him over for a moment until he was pulled erect again. "I was watching, no one left."

"Spread out and search the place," the leader ordered his companions. "The boy is here somewhere. Find him."

Duane could hear doors opening and things being moved about as the men searched. One by one they returned to report that they hadn't found Julyan.

"Fun and games time." A large knife appeared in the leader's hand. He smiled maliciously at Duane. "How much pain can you take before you cave and tell me where you've hidden him?"

Duane remained silent, his eyes locked on the knife. 'Mr. Pink' stepped behind him, yanking his shackled arms up, forcing him to his knees. The leader fisted his free hand into Duane's hair, pulling his head back, and the torture began. Duane screamed finally, and again, but the only words he said were, "He's…not…here. He's safe from you…you bastards."

Suddenly there was an earthshaking roar of rage. Then an immense feline sprang into the room, its huge canine teeth bared. It swung its head from side to side for a moment then leapt, claws tearing into the leader's chest before its teeth ripped open his throat. Without hesitation, it spun to attack a second man, dropping its prey seconds later.

"Shoot it," 'Mr. Pink' shouted as he aimed his pistol at the saber-toothed cat and fired.

Another roar emitted from the beast's throat. It attacked, fangs ripping through the flesh of 'Mr. Pink's' arm. Sharp claws raked bloody lines down his back when he wheeled in an attempt to escape. Moments later he was dead, unaware that the last two men had fled in terror.

With its enemies dead or gone, the cat sank down beside Duane, its rough tongue licking at the deep wounds which decorated his body. Duane groaned, his eyelids fluttering open. For a second, panic flooded him. Then his eyes met those of the gigantic cat.

One Plus Two Equals... - 48

The bout of love-making did relax Julyan, so much in fact that he fell asleep, waking to find Auden sitting on the side of the bed. Julyan smiled sleepily when he bent to brush a soft kiss over his lips and ask, "Are you feeling better?"

"Yes. No. Maybe."

Auden chuckled. "The definitive reply. Hold that thought because I think someone wants their time with you." With that said he shifted and moments later Duane sat in his place.

By then Julyan was more awake…and aware, apparently, quickly sitting up. "What time is it?"

"Early still, just mid-afternoon." Duane cupped Julyan's jaw in one hand, studying him. Then he released him after kissing him lightly. "Still, you probably should get dressed."

Julyan nodded, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. "I'm scared, Duane, terrified actually," he said, his voice trembling with emotion. "What if something goes wrong and…?"

Duane put a finger over his lips to silence him. "Nothing's going wrong. Auden knows what he's doing and he's prepared. When they show up here he'll take care of things just like we planned. Have faith in him, Juls."

"I do. Honest, I do."

"I know." Duane kissed his temple before picking up Julyan's jeans which lay in a heap by the side of the bed, handing them to him. "Go wash up and get dressed."

Duane watched as Julyan disappeared into the bathroom, admiring as always his lithe figure and taut ass. He'd really wanted to crawl into bed with him as Auden had done earlier. But common sense said Auden would need all his energy for what was coming, and they did after all share the same body no matter how different it looked on the exterior.

Getting up, he headed into the kitchen to find something to eat, stopping with a frown when the buzzer announced that someone was downstairs. He hurried to the security monitor to see who it was, his frown deepening when he saw the face of the man Auden had labeled 'Mr. Pink'. Pressing the 'Talk' button, he asked, "What brings you here?"

"We might have a problem," the man's disembodied voice replied through the speaker. "Let me in and I'll tell you why."

Something felt off to Duane but since the man was alone he buzzed him in. If he tries anything I can handle it, or Auden can.

Still he wasn't about to take chances as far as Julyan was concerned so he quickly went back to the bedroom.

Julyan had just finished dressing and was sitting on the bed to tie his shoes. He looked up, asking, "Who was that?"

"Our friend from this morning. I'm not certain why he's back but I want you to do as we planned, just in case."

"I… All right." A wave of fear flashed across Julyan's face, quickly wiped away by determination to do as Duane said, even though it was too early.

Duane paused just long enough to wrap him in a tight hug, saying, "It's fine, I'm sure," then walked swiftly back to the entryway to wait for the man to arrive.

One Plus Two Equals... - 47

When the buzzer sounded around nine the next morning Julyan froze like a deer in the headlights. He dropped the spatula, then jumped when it hit the floor with a bang.

Duane was beside him seconds later, gripping his arms tightly. "It's just our contact. Relax."

"You relax," Julyan growled, angry at himself for overreacting.

After patting his ass and telling him he was relaxed, mostly, Duane went to check the security monitor. Whoever stood at the downstairs lobby door must have passed visual inspection because Duane buzzed him in.

"Time for me to vanish for the moment," he told Julyan, kissing him gently before shifting.

Auden appeared, muttering with a grin, "He always runs when it gets down to the nitty-gritty."

"He does not," Julyan protested before getting that Auden was teasing.

By then someone was rapping on the front door of the condo. From the sequences Julyan figured it had to be a code of some sort. Whoever it was must have given the correct one because Auden turned off the security and opened the door. Julyan noted however that he kept his hand behind him at the waistband of his jeans until the person was fully inside and the door closed.

"Julyan, this is Mr…Pink."

"How Reservoir Dogs," the man said with a small chuckle.

Auden shrugged. "The less he knows the safer it is for him."

That idea didn't make Julyan's day but he figured at this point nothing would, so he just nodded in greeting as he studied the man. He was Auden's height and build and had the same 'take no prisoners' look that graced Auden's face at the moment. Although they weren't carbon copies of each other, Julyan could see how from a distance, or in dim light, they might pass for one another, which was the plan.

"Julyan, if you don't mind we're going to disappear for a while." When Julyan froze, Auden quickly shook his head. "Not out of here, just into the office so we can finalize things. I wouldn't mind some of whatever it was you were fixing for breakfast, if it hasn't turned into something inedible."

"Aw shit." Julyan spun around, hurrying back into the kitchen. The omelet was a goner so he tossed it, cleaned the pan, and began again. It occurred to him Mr. Pink, or whatever his real name was, might want something too. He went to the office door, rapped, then asked if he did, getting a negative reply.

A few minutes later he was rapping on the door again, this time with a plate of food and utensils in his hands. It opened enough for Auden to take his meal and thank him then close it again.

Julyan returned to the kitchen where he choked down his own breakfast and cleaned up. At loose ends now and knowing there was no way he could concentrate on anything like a book or a TV show, he set to work making beds, dusting, and otherwise being the 'house-husband' he'd teased himself about a couple of weeks earlier. He was just finishing the bathroom in the master bedroom when he heard the front door open and close.

Auden came in a minute later, leaning on the doorframe. "Things are set to go."

"He's going to be you for the meeting?"

"The meeting we're pretty damned sure isn't going to happen. The boss agreed with us on that, thus Mr. Pink." Auden grinned. "It was a bit Reservoir Dogs, wasn't it?"

"Well, at least you didn't tag him with 'Keyser Söze' from Usual Suspects."

"Good point." Auden waited until Julyan finished and came into the bedroom. Then, smiling, he stalked toward him.

"What are you doing?"

"You're wound up tighter than a spring. You need to relax."

"What makes you think…?"

"I know you." Auden continued his stalking steps, chuckling when Julyan took a quick step away, the backs of his legs hitting the edge of the bed. "Perfect."

For a second Julyan considered resisting Auden's intentions, but only for a second. Then he fell back onto the bed, holding out his arms, enfolding his lover in them when he tumbled on top of him.

One Plus Two Equals... - 46

Julyan watched Auden, wishing he could hear what was being said. Common sense told him it probably wasn't a good idea to try and eavesdrop. After what seemed an interminable length of time, Auden finally hung up and came back to where Julyan was now impatiently sitting.

"We're going to have company in the morning. For now though, I think dinner and sleep are in order." Auden flopped down beside Julyan. "Who would you rather eat with, me or him?"

"Both of you," Julyan replied, wishing it was possible.

"Duane, it is then."

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to. I'm here, but you want us both, which to me means you'd really prefer it was him but didn't want to hurt my feelings."

Julyan rolled his eyes. "Now who's being temperamental?"

"Not me." Auden smirked. "Just calling it as I see it."

Leaning forward, Julyan put his hands on Auden's shoulders. "Make you a deal. I get you for dinner and dessert, then him for breakfast."

"Breakfast in bed?"

"Well, duh."

"Someday you're going to push your luck."

Keeping his hands on Auden's shoulders, Julyan pulled him close enough to kiss. "I have all the luck I ever wanted with the both of you in my life," he whispered against Auden's lips. "Now you just have to make damned good and certain you stay alive past tomorrow night."

Pulling away, Auden shook his head. "I have to be certain you stay alive and don't get taken."

"If we're right about them…"

Auden put a finger to Julyan's lips. "I think we're right about them wanting you here alone so they can grab you. The problem is if that happens, and trust me I'm going to do all in my power to stop it from happening, then keeping you alive once they gain their objective would be iffy at best."

"You sure know how to cheer a guy up." Julyan was teasing, trying to lighten the dark look on Auden's face. He succeeded in that his lover's lips did turn up a hair. Glad of that, he suggested they eat dinner before it was ruined. Then he realized he'd never even started it. "How do you feel about hamburgers and… salad?"

"How about the salad makings on the hamburger? Much easier that way."

"Deal."

One Plus Two Equals... - 45

Still worrying his lip, Julyan said almost under his breath, "What if I come along?"

"And do what? You're human, the ones I'll be dealing with undoubtedly aren't. So no, you're not coming with me. I'm finding a safe place to stash you until this is over."

"Why not here? With the security turned on it should be safe as aces."

"Not if they know this is where we live." There was a long pause while Auden stood, pacing the length of the room and back. Suddenly he swore violently, slamming his fist into the palm of his hand. "I'm denser than a fence post!"

"What?" Julyan asked once his heart rate slowed again.

"That's exactly what they want to happen. They draw me away and come after you. With you in their clutches they think I'd do whatever they wanted to get you back. Well, either I would or Duane, depending on who they're targeting."

Julyan shivered, fear limning his face. His next words however belied the fear as he straightened, his eyes locking on Auden. "If that's their plan then we screw it up."

Auden cocked an eyebrow, feeling proud of his young lover's determination. "And just how do we do that, oh great and wise one?"

"Well…" Julyan was up now and pacing just as Auden had been. "First off, we have to fool them somehow into thinking you're at the Square when you're really here."

"Sorry but I gave my doppelganger the month off for vacation."

Julyan stopped in his tracks to glare at him. "This isn't funny, Auden."

"I know. Trust me, keeping you safe it the most serious thing going at the moment."

"Keeping all of us safe, damn it!"

"Okay, okay, calm down. We can't figure out how if you go all temperamental on me."

Taking a deep breath, Julyan nodded. "So back to the problem, how can you be in two places at the same time?"

"Let me make a couple of calls and maybe I can come up with something that will work." Auden took out his phone, dialing a secured number while he paced to the far end of the room. A glance over his shoulder told him Julyan was behaving and not trying to listen. He smiled at him then went back to his call.

One Plus Two Equals... - 44

"Locking up means turning on the security system, too!" Auden glared at Julyan as he armed the system.

"Sorry," Julyan whispered.

"Just be damned glad… Aw hell, I'm the one who should be sorry for yelling at you."

"Why are you here and not Duane?"

"Because I'm the protector in this outfit."

Julyan frowned. "Why would I need protecting here?"

Auden sat down on the arm of the sofa. "You probably don't. Remember what we told you about being bait? I have the distinct feeling that's what's happening. Not that whoever called you expects you to show up tomorrow. They know you'll tell Duane and figure he'll be there instead of you. And if they happen to know what he is, they might be hoping it'll be me instead."

"Well, then don't go."

Auden shook his head. "If one of us doesn't show then they'll try something else, like just taking you instead of making you the messenger."

"Maybe they really think I'm just the houseboy."

"Don't count on it. They were trying to panic Duane by letting him know how close they were to you."

"That means they do know what he is, or at least that he works for the agency."

"I suspect so, all things considered. What's worse, they know you're you despite this." Auden reached over to ruffle Julyan's hair.

Julyan caught his hand before he could take it back, gripping it tightly. "You're not going there to meet them."

"Since when do you make the rules?" Auden spat out before he could stop himself. Seeing the hurt look on Julyan's face, he brought his temper under control again. "Don't you see I don't have a choice? It's better to end whatever game they have in mind before it goes any farther and you get hurt."

"What about you? You know you'll be walking into a trap and they have to know you're not stupid enough not to know it, so they're going to be very prepared."

Auden chuckled. "That’s a somewhat convoluted sentence, but I get what you're saying. I'll just have to be better prepared. It's not like I haven't faced down more than one at a time before."

"I know." Julyan worried his lip with his teeth. "Will you have backup?"

"If the boss here can spare someone. It's not like we're a huge organization."

One Plus Two Equals... - 43

Grocery shopping took three-quarters of an hour, during which Julyan kept expecting his phone to vibrate again. When it didn't, he figured it really had been a wrong number. He paid for the groceries, stowing them in his backpack, and started back home.

"Not again," he grumbled, opening his phone. The number was blocked, tempting him to ignore the caller. Instead he answered.

"How do you like the neighborhood?" the same voice as before asked. When he didn't reply the caller chuckled. "Guess your mother told you not to talk to strangers. Smart woman. Six words, boy. Verdi Square, tomorrow night after dark." The caller hung up.

Seconds later there was another call. He answered, saying, "No way in hell."

"Juls, no way what?"

"Duane." He let out a sigh of relief, realizing at the same time that he was in front of their building.

"What was that all about?"

After a second's debate Julyan told him, "I got a strange phone call. Well three if you're counting." He had his keys in his hand by then, opened the door and went in; making certain it was closed before heading to the elevators.

"I'm counting," Duane was growling as Julyan pushed the 'up' button. "How strange?"

"Give me a minute, I'm getting on the elevator." As soon as he stepped off again on their floor, he said. "Weird."

"Weird? Oh, the calls. Tell me." Julyan did, which made Duane say firmly, "You're to get inside, lock the door, and not answer it or the phone until either Auden or I get there."

"I'm in, the door is now locked. What if you call?"

"I won't." Without another word, Duane ended the conversation.

"Gee, thanks for worrying," Julyan muttered as he went into the kitchen to empty his backpack. When everything was stored away, he flopped down on one of the living room sofas only to immediately jump up again to go change clothes.

Dinner, got to fix dinner. He looked at the time. Too early. He went to stare out the living room windows, wondering if the person who had called was down below, looking up at him. They can't see me if they are, he thought hopefully.

Grabbing a book from the shelves he curled up on the sofa to try to read, thinking that would calm his nerves. It might have if he hadn't picked a Stephen King horror anthology. He snapped it closed halfway through the first story, jumping to his feet again to move to the sofa in front of the entertainment center. "No, no, you're not serious, they put crap like that on, no, and no," he mumbled as he flicked through the television channels.

He leaned his head on the back of the sofa, staring up at the ceiling, lost in thoughts about the calls and what they meant. The sound of a key turning in the front door had him bolting upright.

One Plus Two Equals... - 42

Julyan had been afraid being cooped up in the condo with nothing to do would drive him crazy after the first day or two. Unlike in New Orleans, where he worked publicly with Duane, here he wasn't able to. He was relegated to entertaining himself.

Deciding to make the best of it, he took care of the place and began learning how to cook more than the basics. That way when Duane returned home in the evening, there was a hot meal waiting. Julyan had chuckled to himself at one point when he'd thought, I'm becoming a regular little house-husband. If he hadn't loved both of them so much he might have found the idea distressing rather than amusing. As it was he was more than willing to make himself useful in whatever way possible.

Being useful included, of course, doing the food shopping. And that meant he got to get out of the building and rove the streets in the neighborhood on his way to and from the surprisingly well-stocked grocery store he'd discovered not too far from the condo.

Two weeks after they'd arrived, Julyan decided to venture farther afield before shopping. From the window of his bedroom he could see the Hudson River and the path running beside it. After bundling up in his warmest clothes and a jacket, he headed out, his empty backpack slung over one shoulder. Being Louisiana born and bred he'd expected to hate the chilly northern climate. Instead he found it marvelously different and invigorating. Even the cold breeze off the river didn't bother him in the least.

As he rested his arms on the railing, looking out over the river, he thought, I could really get hooked on this place. It's sort of a cold New Orleans, minus the voodoo shops and the Cajun restaurants and the carriages and the trolleys. He shook his head, amused. Okay, so it's not at all like New Orleans except for the river but I still think I'll get used to it.

He glanced at the time, and with a slight sigh took off to the grocery store. As he did, his cell vibrated. He answered without checking to see who was calling since only Duane and Auden had the number. So when a voice he didn't recognize asked if he'd been enjoying himself he figured it was a wrong number and hung up. Seconds later there was another call. This time he checked only to find the call was blocked. Curious, he answered anyway.

No one spoke but he could hear breathing and traffic noise. Then a horn honked and breaks squealed. It took him a second to realize he heard that both through the phone and a few hundred feet away from him. Keeping the phone pressed to his ear he turned slowly, trying to see if he could spot the caller. No one stood out, which didn't really surprise him.

He felt reasonably safe; the sidewalks were full of pedestrians and there were plenty of shops he could dart into if necessary. His only problem was deciding if he should continue on to the grocery store or return home. Seeing the store half a block ahead he thought What the hell? I'm here, I might as well do what I came out for.

One Plus Two Equals... - 41

Julyan soon discovered there were two over-sized bedrooms in the condo, as well as an open chef's kitchen filled with top of the line appliances. "How the hell do we justify living like kings?"

"Because this time around Duane's a VP at an investment firm."

"He knows investments?" Julyan looked stunned at the idea.

"He knows quite a bit about a lot of things, all of them business-related in one way or another."

"So what am I supposed to be in this whole…whatever?"

Auden grinned. "You're the houseboy."

"Excuse me? I'm just a servant? Even a waiter has higher status than that."

"Calm down. It gives you a legit reason to be here most of the time and still have the hotel room when needed."

Julyan thought about it and then nodded slowly. "As long as you don't expect me act like a servant when no one else is around. Will there be other people around?"

"On occasion. As a VP, Duane will be expected to do some entertaining."

Now Julyan frowned. "Is it illogical to think some of the people he'd invite here are ones the agency is interested in, not humans?"

"It's possible. It's happened before."

"They'd be the good ones, right?"

Auden nodded. "Mostly."

"Mostly? Now there's a cheery thought."

"Sometimes he has to find out if a specific one is friend or foe. It's part of what he does. If he discovers they're an enemy then I get to handle the problem."

"That makes sense. So…" Julyan looked around, "where are the servant quarters?"

Auden grinned. "Follow me." He walked into the hall between the living room and the kitchen, turning left.

"Unless there's a hidden room…"

"There isn't. You get the smaller bedroom, the one with fewer windows and just a king-sized bed."

"I think I could get to like this houseboy gig."

"I suspect the perks will make it tolerable."

Julyan dropped his backpack on one of the chairs before returning to stand in front of Auden with a grin on his face. "Are you one of the perks?"

"I'd hope you think so, but not right now. I have to do my vanishing act so Duane can take care of something." When Julyan's grin widened Auden put his hands on his shoulders, turning him around. "The 'something' is not you, so unpack."

"Well damn," Julyan muttered although truth be told at the moment he was more tired than anything else. It had been a long day.