The Night Beat

but I never got over it. Today, however, I didn’t really want to look. Jack collapsed in a heap and I cuddled next to him. He fell asleep before the rest of those hitching a ride were loaded in. I wanted to sleep, but couldn’t. I had too many things flying around in my mind, not the least of which was that I’d turned the guy I was in love with into a werewolf.
    This was a good news/bad news scenario. Most of it was on the good news side -- extended longevity, ability to actually mate with the intent to create progeny, able to share everything, truly mated for unlife. The bad side has its possibilities, though. Some couldn’t successfully make the transition and survive it mentally. Maybe he’d get antsy or curious, now that he was an undead. Maybe he’d want to continue with interspecies dating, meaning that I’d be boring and tossed aside.
    I shoved my mind away from these worries and any others that wanted a word. The base of my tail was bugging me, but I ignored it, too. It had been too long since I’d slept and the motion of the Bus and the chummy nearness of all the other beings lulled me to sleep.
    As I slipped into slumber, the base of my tail got one question in. Why did the minions leave when victory was likely to be theirs?
    I jerked awake, head fuzzy and mouth dry. We were at Headquarters, and the Bus was unloading. From what I gathered, we’d already made the hospital stop. I started to get to my feet when Freddy pushed me back down, gently.
    “They’re taking you and some others to your homes. So you can sleep in your own beds. We’ll attack it all when we’re fresh, tonight.”
    I put my head back down on my paws. “Sounds like a plan.”

Chapter 56
     
    Of course, from my perspective, the plan shouldn’t have included anyone other than me and Jack being at my place. Freddy, Sexy Cindy, Merc and L.K. tagging along wasn’t how I felt the plan should go down.
    I’d been too tired to protest too much, though. Jack and I were in my bedroom on the Prosaic City side of the building. I’d been too exhausted to slide over, and I didn’t feel up to making sure Jack could handle it right now. The others were on the Necropolis side, so we could see and hear them if we wanted to, and ignore them if we so chose. I so chose.
    Jack had managed the transition back to human form without too much trouble, so after some fine “we survived” lovemaking, we were sleeping wrapped around each other.
    Along about sunset I woke up. I could have slept longer, but a couple of centuries of training mean an internal alarm clock doesn’t shut off just because you’ve had a rough time the night and half the day before.
    My moving roused Jack. He gave me a sleepy smile. “Hey, you.”
    “Hey yourself. How’re you feeling?”
    “Different.” He kissed my nose. “But good. Better. Stronger.”
    “You are. You’re one of the stronger undeads now.” I took a deep breath. “I’m sorry I didn’t ask you what you wanted…before I made the decision for you.”
    Jack shook his head. “This is what I would have picked. What I wanted to be, as soon as I knew you loved me back.”
    My throat felt tight. “I hope we make it through everything to make it all worthwhile.”
    “It’s already worthwhile, to me.” He sighed, stretched and sat up. “So, brief me. What’re my strengths and weaknesses now?”
    This was a little sudden, at least in my experience. Most newly formed undeads were confused, like Freddy and Sexy Cindy had been. Then again, Jack had been clear on everything prior to the change, so maybe that was it. “I think we need to figure out the Prince’s next steps.”
    “Sure, but I’d like to know how to defend myself when the time comes, which I’m sure will be sooner, not later. Like, what can kill me now?”
    “Not much.”
    “What’s my best form of attack?”
    “Uh, depends on what you’re fighting.”
    “Do we really run in a pack? I mean, I haven’t seen any werewolves other than you and Ralph. Are there more?”
    “Yeah, plenty.”
    “Where are they? Why aren’t they fighting with us?”
    Jack’s curiosity was unsettling me for some reason. The base of my tail, in particular, was upset. “We’re sort of…instinctive. Show up when needed, sort of thing.” I hadn’t asked this many questions of Black Wolf, but maybe that was just me. Though the base of my tail said it wasn’t just me, since I’d seen plenty of werewolves form over the course of time. You woke up