There, that was the last one. Shaine slid the book into its place on the shelf, and returned to the desk quietly. Towards the back of the library, the tables were surrounded with high school and college students, some studying, some doing research for projects; the carpeted floor held the overspill, leaning against the wall or lying down.

He didn't need to look at the clock to know that he'd be here for another hour and a half yet, before he could lock up and go meet Jess at the Brewery. Not that he was in a desperate hurry; he'd spent a lot of time here even before Bryan recruited him as a temporary assistant. So many people needed the library that apparently the budget allowed for Bryan to recruit help twice a year for extended hours; who got the job varied depending on who was available. Much to the surprise of many, not only did Shaine always show up on time, but he knew his way around the library reasonably well, and improved quickly. True, after school was out for the summer the job would disappear, but he didn't expect to be here long enough for that to be a problem. Just long enough to make sure Jess was settled, then he'd vanish before anyone could unravel any of his secrets. Haven had far too many traps waiting for him to step into them.

Gisela and Caitryn came in; Caitryn paused to greet him on her way to the side room that held all the encyclopedias and reference books. Gisela slid her backpack off her shoulder with obvious relief, and came directly over to him.

“Heya,” she said cheerfully, though not loudly, while untying the knot holding her backpack closed. “How's it going?”

He shrugged. “It goes.”

Gisela piled a half-dozen books on the desk. “Thanks for helping me find them. They had exactly what I needed.”

Why did she persist in trying to be friendly, no matter how coldly he treated her? He simply shrugged again, slid the pile of books towards him and reached for the box of cards. “That's good.”

“I asked Jess to come have supper with my family tomorrow night. Would you like to come too?”

“I don't think so.”

“Are you sure? Zarah's a great cook, she told me she was going to make steak...”

“I don't think so,” he repeated. He returned the cards to the envelopes in the backs of the books, and stood up with them. Gisela obligingly moved out of his way so he could go shelve them. Maybe she got the hint: she went to join Caitryn.

Between Gisela being determined to make friends with him, Kevin being equally determined to get answers about what he'd seen during the fight in the city, and Samantha throwing covert murderous glares in his direction at every opportunity, he was growing tired of Haven rather quickly.

Ah, well, if he could just put up with it a bit longer, he could leave. As soon as he was sure Jess would stay this time. Things certainly looked promising.

He spent most of the remainder of the evening reading, around helping one high school student track down some information and signing out books for a few people.

Afterwards, he checked that the lights were off and the door locked, and walked to the Brewery.

Jess appeared almost as soon as Shaine sat down.

“I really can get home by myself, y'know. You don't have to wait. I told you that already,” Jess said, his tone pure exasperation.

“And I didn't pay any attention then, either.”

Jess sighed. “Pepsi?”

“Mmhmm.”

“I'll be right back.”

The Brewery was fairly empty for nine o'clock on a Thursday. Shaine closed his eyes, listening to the murmur of voices from the few tables occupied. The quiet was rather soothing, in fact, it was like wind teasing the waves, voices singing harmonies to it and each other...

“Want anything else?” Jess asked, drawing him out of the fantasy before he could sink into it any more deeply.

Shaine shook his head, took a swallow of the glass of cola in front of him, and banished the brief flash of longing and homesickness. “I'll yell if I want you.”

“I'm sure you will.” He left to see to another table.

He concentrated on his drink, on the ice cubes and the bubbles, and tried hard not to think about anything else. Haven was very different from his home, and yet, in some sense it felt very similar. That was another reason why he'd have to leave, it was too hard to keep the memories away here.

Someone slid into the chair across from him; he looked up, ready with a retort that would cut like an ice-frosted whip, but it died unspoken when he recognized Samantha. Now what?

“Yes?” he said coolly.

“What are your intentions towards Jess?” Samantha asked bluntly.

“My own business, and his.”

“Jess has been hurt enough. I don't want it to happen again.”

“We're in agreement on one point, then.” How much did she know? He couldn't recall ever seeing her before, but that meant little; it was possible, barely, that she was another survivor. Did that make him responsible for her too?

He decided it didn't. Just trying to get Jess straightened out took enough effort.

“It's hardly keeping him from being hurt to encourage him to stay on the streets.”

Shaine reached out and pinned both her wrists to the table. “Don't you dare tell me how to look after Jess,” he told her, matching the coldness of her voice as well as the low volume. “I helped him in the only form he could accept by the time I found him. I've put myself through hell you can't possibly understand in order to do it. I chased him off the fucking streets, and you and your friends chased him right back onto them. So I'd be real careful who you're accusing of what.”

She jerked her hands free. “A threat?”

He didn't have a chance to reply; Jess slapped a hand down in the middle of the table, startling them both.

“Somehow I don't think this is a friendly chat,” he said quietly. “I'd rather two of my best friends didn't argue at all, but if you really must, don't do it here.”

“No one's arguing, Jess,” Samantha said, getting to her feet, her eyes never leaving Shaine's. “We were just... confirming where we all stand.”

Jess growled, low in his throat. “On the same side, I hope.”

“So do I,” Samantha said. “See you later.” She turned and walked away.

“Was it an argument?” Jess asked Shaine.

Shaine shook his head. “Just a slight difference of perspective.”

“Uh-huh. Will it help if I ask you not to fight with her?”

“Fine by me, as long as she leaves me alone.”

Jess sighed. “I thought I was supposed to be the one who's messed up and paranoid. I guess that's the best I can hope for.”

At eleven, Jess finished work, and they walked home together. Jess told him all the local gossip he'd picked up tonight; the Brewery tended to be a focal point for the whole community, and its employees always seemed to be the first to know things. Most of it meant little to Shaine, who didn't care about those few whose names he even recognized, but he listened anyway, out of long habit. Besides, it filled in the silence between the village and the house, and kept Jess from asking any further about the brief conversation with Samantha.

The house was, for the most part, dark and quiet; they saw no one on the way upstairs.

Light glowed from Kevin's open door, brightening the way up the final flight of stairs more than either of them really needed. Shaine hoped Kevin would just keep doing whatever he was doing and leave him in peace for once.

No such luck: Shaine hardly had time to get comfortable on the window-seat, and Jess not even enough time to choose music to put on, before Kevin knocked on the door.

“Heya,” Jess greeted him amiably. “Queensryche okay, Shaine?”

“Sure, whatever.”

“What's up, Kev?” Jess perched on the arm of the loveseat.

The elf leaned against the doorway, and held up a trade paperback with a bright circular design on the cover. “I found a book you might want to read, since you're always interested in magic history. Someone took a long look at the myths and legends and folktales of mundanes and magic-folk, and is trying to make a case for there having once been more than four races, and other forms of gifts that we no longer see. Or at least recognize. Especially air and water, to balance earth and fire. It's really fascinating.”

“It sounds it,” Shaine said dryly, resolutely ignoring the clenching in his stomach. Kevin was too persistent and too intelligent, if he kept trying he was sooner or later going to figure it out. “So why don't you go read it?”

Kevin crossed his arms, and looked at him thoughtfully. “Y'know, one of these days you might actually say something civil. I will probably faint from sheer astonishment when it happens, but I am optimistic enough to believe that it isn't impossible. As it happens, I also wanted to pass on a message to Jess, that Evaline is trying to get the whole pack together to go out for a night and you should call her.”

Jess nodded. “Thanks, I'll give her a call tomorrow.”

“You're very welcome. There are fresh cookies down in the kitchen, get 'em while you can. And, if I don't see you before tomorrow night, have fun at supper with Helix.”

“Thanks,” Jess repeated.

“Good night.”

“'Night,” Jess echoed, and Kevin left.

“Can't you relax just a bit?” the wolf said wearily. “I swear to you, it's safe, one mistake aside. No one's going to kill you if you act a little less hostile.”

Relax? Oh, it would be so sweet, to be able to relax. “Your friends are your friends, not mine, and I'd prefer to leave it that way. Tell them to get the hint and back off, and I'll be less hostile. If they'd stop asking me nosey questions that are no one's business but mine, I might even be able to go as far as polite, but I don't think it'll happen this century.”

Jess sighed. “That's probably the best I can really hope for, I guess. I'm going to go for a run.”

“Alone?”

“Yes, alone. I won't go far, all right? I'll be back within an hour or two. I just need to stretch.”

“Look what happened last time you said that.”

“Here, I can have plenty of help in no time flat if I need it. Would you cool it?” He strode over to the door, and Shaine could hear rapid footsteps on the stairs down.

Shaine switched off the light, and went back to the window-seat overlooking the fountain. Below him, Jess stretched lazily, shifted smoothly to wolf, and had a drink from the moon-silvered fountain. He loped out the gate and became merely another bit of the darkness.

For a long time Shaine sat still, gazing distantly at the fountain that shimmered in the silver-blue light.

* * *

Sam stalked up the stairs to the second floor porch at the back of the pet shop. The door was locked; she dug in her jacket pocket for her keys, opened it, and stepped into the kitchen. Automatically, she closed it behind her and turned the deadbolt; she was ever more paranoid these days.

She turned away from the door, narrowly avoided tripping over a chair, and crossed the kitchen to the living room.

Bryan was curled up comfortably on the couch with a book, Alfari snuggled contentedly against his legs and sound asleep; he looked up immediately. Alfari raised her head, eyes opening halfway, and yawned delicately.

“What's wrong?”

“Shaine,” she spat.

“What about him?”

“Just... oh, never mind.”

“Tell me? Please?”

Tell him to get the other wolves and chase Shaine far away from Haven, tell him Shaine's kind killed in cold blood, tell him he'd be safer trusting a viper... But how could she prove it? She settled for, “I don't trust him.”

“I don't see why. He's not exactly summer sunshine, but that's his right. I'd've thought you'd like him for being so protective of Jess.”

“Except that no one knows why he is that protective. Even Jess doesn't.”

Bryan considered that, stroking Alfari absently. “Don't take this the wrong way,” he said finally, “but no one knows why you're so protective of Jess, yet no one doubts you have good reasons of your own.”

She flushed. “That's different!”

“Not from here.”

“You know me. You don't know anything about him.”

“There was a time I didn't know you, but I decided it was worth trusting you anyway. I know that Jess trusts him absolutely, and did when he didn't trust any of us, and that Jess knows him better than we do, even if he only knows as much about Shaine as I know about you. And as far as I'm aware, Shaine doesn't have a whole lot of information about demons that should, by rights, be extremely worrying, or use an otherwise unknown system of non-innate magic that he won't discuss with anyone, or give chosen friends rather unusual animal friends with a few peculiar instructions.” He looked at her quietly. “Just how well do you think you're hiding, Sam? Did you really think that after so long living with you and Alfari that I wouldn't start making some guesses? You know something about Jess and Shaine that for whatever reason you won't tell. Shaine knows it too. And Jess would if he could remember. I've figured out more than you think. Including where you came from.”

“Don't say it! Don't say it out loud, please, ever, for Jess' safety...”

“I wasn't going to. Anything that you've gone to such lengths to not say, I assume you have a reason for it. In my experience, you usually have a good reason for anything you do.”

She sank down in a chair, hugged her knees to her chest, her anger draining away. “I can't tell,” she said helplessly. Oh, gods, it would feel so good to tell him everything, to share the still-powerful grief over her murdered family. How much had he truly pieced together on his own? If only she dared...

“I know.” Alfari stretched, padded over to Sam, and jumped up on the arm of the chair to rub her head against Sam's arm, purring softly; Bryan watched, not moving. “I've never said anything to anyone, I won't say it, and I won't ask. You've never given me any reason not to trust you, really, not even with the demon stuff. But I also have to trust that Shaine generally has good, or at least neutral, intentions, because I've seen nothing to indicate anything different.”

Sam rested her forehead on her knees, unable to bring herself to accept the offered comfort from either friend. Bryan couldn't understand, and she couldn't make him see; Alfari and the other three knew, but didn't seem to acknowledge the threat at all, Hob even accepted Shaine living in the house with complete equanimity...

She sighed, and got up. “I'm going to have a bath and go to bed,” she said tiredly. “See you in the morning.”

Alfari gave her an exasperated look, and rejoined Bryan, curling again into her place at the back of his knees.

His expression was troubled, but he let her go. “Sleep well.”