Lupi 04 - Night Season

mother.”
    Cynna laughed. For the first time in hours—days—well, a long time, she felt like laughing. Maybe she’d been isolating.
    You think? whispered a snide inner voice.
    â€œI’d better get over that,” Lily added casually. “It looks like I’m going to be a mother myself soon. Of sorts.”
    Cynna jolted so hard she nearly gave herself whiplash. “You—you’re going to have a baby?”
    â€œNo. Oh, no, though—well, I can’t say what I’m thinking without making a forbidden allusion. I was talking about Toby.”
    Toby was Rule’s son, and Rule was…well, just about everything to Lily, except a husband. Lupi didn’t marry. “You mean he’s going to sue for custody? Or did Toby’s mom finally agree to let him live with Rule?”
    â€œAlicia didn’t agree, but her mother has. I think Mrs. Asteglio approves of me, and with Rule and me going down there so often after she broke her leg—”
    â€œShe broke her leg?”
    â€œFell down the stairs. It was a wake-up call for her. She’s sixty-three, you know, and has some other health problems that make it hard for her to care for a child Toby’s age. And she knows Toby wants to live with his dad.”
    Since the boy had run away just before Christmas so he could spend the holiday with his father, Cynna agreed that Toby’s preference was obvious.
    â€œI feel sad for her,” Lily added. “She loves Toby. It’s hard on her, giving him up, but we’ll make sure she gets to see him often.”
    â€œBut Toby’s grandma doesn’t have legal custody, does she?”
    â€œToby’s grandmother,” Lily said tartly, “has raised him. His mother sure hasn’t. Alicia visits on the occasional weekend, but even that’s dried up now that she’s in Lebanon. She’s huffing and puffing and dragging her feet, but for the first time Rule has a good chance of winning if she does contest the suit. We’re hoping she won’t. It’ll be easier on Toby if we can come to an agreement.”
    For years Rule had had no legal rights to his son. Toby’s grandmother had allowed the boy to visit his father, but his mother—a reporter for the Associated Press—hadn’t even put Rule’s name on the birth certificate.
    Rule had never taken the matter to court. The son of the best-known werewolf in the world would have been irresistible to the paparazzi. Besides, Rule had been certain he’d lose. The courts weren’t exactly friendly to lupi. Until a few years ago, some states had allowed people to shoot them on sight. Most lupi had actually preferred that to the federal government’s policy—forced registration and drugs that prevented them from Changing.
    But those were the bad old days. A few years ago the Supreme Court had ruled that lupi were citizens. As such, they were entitled to all the rights and protections of the law…when they were shaped like humans, that is. It was still legal to shoot one in wolf form.
    After a few moments Cynna sighed. “I’ve been an ass, haven’t I? So busy doing the poor-me bit I didn’t have a clue what was happening in anyone else’s life.”
    Lily gave her a smile. “It’s okay to play turtle for a while, as long as you don’t get too fond of your shell. You’re out of it now. How much of your money do I get to spend today?”
    â€œOh, a couple hundred. I usually buy myself a Christmas present, but this time I never got around to it, what with the demons and all.”
    â€œTriple it.”
    â€œWhat? I’m not going to—”
    â€œYou said you wanted a new work wardrobe. Unless you’ve changed your mind? For example, you might have some reason to think your size could suddenly change—”
    Cynna made a beeping sound.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œThat’s the allusion alert.”
    Lily slid her an amused glance. “We’ll start with the basics. Two good jackets—”
    â€œI have jackets.”
    â€œSure, and they might work if you were eighty pounds heavier. And eighty years old. And not interested in fashion. You look great in jeans, but the suits you pick…” She shook her head. “Is that what you think an FBI agent is supposed to look like?”
    â€œAll right, all right—but I look like crap in suits. I’m not built like you. I