Kev stood there, rooted to the spot, the beat up van looked so out of place… he didn't know what to say.
Fang growled, his gaze finally landing on the dilapidated van. "What the hell is that?"
After a few moments of stunned silence, two little, hesitant honks sounded from the van. Kev coughed awkwardly and said, "I think that's us." He slowly began walking towards the van, a mixture of embarrassment and amusement bubbling up inside him.
"What?!" Fang yelled, his voice echoing across the courtyard. "Where did that thing come from?!"
Kev glanced at Talon, who was still stock-still, his eyes fixed on his van with a look of utter mortification. "Uhh, it's the club's, I guess," Kev mumbled, not entirely convincingly.
Fang howled, a sound of pure indignation. "I'd never be caught dead driving in a piece of junk like that!"
Cindy promptly smacked Fang with her handbag. "Don't you be causing a scene on my day off," she chided, her voice firm. "Let's go. Tessa is waiting."
Fang's tail drooped, and he muttered, "Perry is waiting too."
As they approached the van, Tessa waved happily from the driver's seat, her earlier nervousness replaced by a cheerful grin.
Talon reached for the back seat door, intending to let Fang and Kev in, his face a mask of mortification at the sight of his van being used for such an occasion.
Cindy coughed, a delicate but pointed sound. Talon froze, his hand hovering over the door handle, and looked up. Cindy was standing near the front passenger door, a serene smile on her face, her gaze expectant. Talon glanced at Kev and Fang, a flicker of panic in his eyes, then walked past them and opened the front door for Cindy.
"Thank you, dear," Cindy said, settling gracefully into the front seat next to Tessa.
Talon avoided looking at Kev and Fang as he hurriedly opened the sliding back door of the van, the modified ramp extending with a slight groan.
Fang looked down at the extended ramp, his lip curling slightly. "What is this, for deliveries?" he growled, but he got in nonetheless. The middle seats of the van had indeed been removed, leaving only a bench seat in the back. Talon closed the door, the sound a dull thud, and then slid in next to Kev, who found himself in the middle. Kev felt a bit squished between Fang's imposing frame and Talon's lean but surprisingly solid form.
"Buckle up, everyone," Tessa chirped from the driver's seat. "Let's go." She slowly pulled the van out, meticulously stopping for other cars and pedestrians, her driving style a stark contrast to Perry's usual swiftness.
Fang loudly cleared his throat. "Do you drive often?" he asked, his voice carrying an edge of impatience.
"Every day when I come to work, Mr. Fang," Tessa replied, her tone cheerful and unfazed.
Cindy turned in her seat, looking back at Fang with a knowing smile. Fang, however, turned away pointedly and stared out the window. Cindy, undeterred, turned back to Tessa and began a pleasant conversation about Tessa's children, inquiring about their progress in school and their current relationships. Kev, finding the domestic chatter a strange counterpoint to the usual high-stakes drama of the club, zoned out the conversation and leaned into Fang, the wolfman's familiar scent and warmth a comforting presence.
The conversation halted as they reached the checkpoint. Tessa rolled down her window and held out a plastic badge towards the security booth. "Just going out for a bit," she called out cheerfully.
Rex approached the van, his usual swagger evident. "Why did you park up in customer parking?" he began, his voice a low snarl as he leaned in. But his words died in his throat, his face changing from annoyance to shock as he saw Cindy sitting calmly in the front passenger seat.
Rex quickly stood upright, his posture shifting to one of respectful deference. "Of course you can go out for a bit, Madam Cindy," he said, his voice suddenly much more polite. He gave the roof of the van a single, awkward pat and then hurried back into the security checkpoint building, his earlier aggression completely forgotten.
Tessa continued to the opera house, her driving meticulously slow and considerate. She waved pedestrians past with a friendly gesture, her conversation with Cindy flowing easily, filled with anecdotes about her children's latest antics and school achievements.
Fang let out a loud, exasperated sigh. "Why did you choose this car?" he grumbled, his voice a low rumble of displeasure. "What if someone sees me getting out of this thing?"
Cindy shot Fang another pointed glance from the front seat, her disapproval silent but clear.
Tessa, oblivious to the undercurrents of Fang's frustration and focused on navigating the busy city streets, replied cheerfully, "I haven't been in the garage before, and the keys were the first ones I grabbed. When I saw them, I knew it was meant to be. I drive my kids around in the same model."
"Oh, that does sound like fate," Cindy said, her voice laced with a gentle amusement.
Tessa nodded enthusiastically. "I'd mistake this one for my own if it didn't have the wheelchair ramp."
Fang looked over at Talon, his eyebrow raised in a silent question. "Wheelchair ramp?"
Talon glanced over at Fang, his expression neutral. "The safety rating is the best in its class," he stated, his voice a low rasp.
"Exactly!" Tessa chimed in. "Wouldn't want my little ones in anything else."
Fang scowled, the slow pace and domestic chatter clearly grating on his nerves.
"Are we close?" Kev asked, sensing Fang's growing impatience.
"We're just waiting for a spot," Tessa replied, her eyes scanning the bustling street for an opening.
Fang looked out the window, his displeasure evident. "No," he said, his voice firm. "Find a place that's quieter and let me out there."
Tessa laughed, a bright, cheerful sound. "You sound just like my oldest," she remarked. "He's at that rebellious phase, I think."
Cindy, her eyes sparkling with anticipation, pointed towards an opening near the curb. "Oh, a spot there!" She turned to Kev, her voice filled with excitement. "This is so exciting!"
Tessa skillfully pulled the van up to the curb directly in front of the opera house. The building was a grand, imposing structure, its facade a stunning example of classical architecture, a stark contrast to the modern skyscrapers that surrounded it. Ornate columns, carved with intricate designs of musical instruments and mythical creatures, framed the massive arched entrance. Above the entrance, a wide balcony, draped with heavy velvet curtains, hinted at the opulent interiors within. Warm light spilled from the tall, arched windows, casting an inviting glow on the bustling sidewalk.
A line of well-dressed beastmen and beastwomen snaked its way towards a small, ornate ticket window nestled beside the main entrance. Their excited chatter and laughter mingled with the distant sounds of the city, creating a symphony of anticipation. Valets, their uniforms crisp and their movements precise, hurried back and forth, attending to the arriving guests and their gleaming vehicles.
Talon swiftly exited the van and opened the sliding door, extending the ramp with a practiced efficiency. He then moved to open Fang's door, his presence a silent but reassuring reminder of their security detail. Fang, Kev, and Cindy emerged from the van, stepping onto the red-carpeted walkway that led towards the opera house entrance.
A lemur valet, his ringed tail swishing with an air of professional eagerness, approached the van. Tessa, however, rolled down the passenger window and let out a sharp hiss. "We don't need you," she snapped, her voice surprisingly firm. "Go find some other car." She then turned to Cindy, her expression softening into a warm smile. "Have fun! I'll be back here in three hours."
"Thank you for driving, Tessa," Cindy replied, waving goodbye as the van pulled away from the curb.
Cindy turned, her face alight with excitement, and smiled at Fang, Kev, and Talon. "Tickets!" she announced, her voice a melodic trill.
Talon, his sharp eyes scanning the area, observed the queue forming at the ticket window. "The will-call line isn't very long," he remarked, his voice a low rasp.
Cindy looked where Talon was pointing and nodded in agreement. She then hooked her arm through Kev's, her touch surprisingly firm. "Lead the way, Mr. Kev," she said, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
Kev was surprised by Cindy's assertive gesture, but when he looked at her, her genuine excitement and the warmth in her eyes helped him relax a little. She was still terrifying in her own quiet way, and Kev couldn't shake the image of Pedro, bound and gagged, from his mind. Yet, Cindy was also undeniably kind, her actions consistently demonstrating a deep care for those around her. It was a weird dichotomy, but Kev, caught up in the anticipation of the evening, didn't have the luxury of dwelling on it. He smiled back at Cindy and said, "Tickets it is."
They joined the short will-call line. Kev glanced back over his shoulder and saw Fang standing a little apart from the queue, next to Talon. Talon, ever the professional, was alert, his gaze sweeping methodically over the crowd and the passersby, assessing potential threats. Fang, however, was standing with his arms crossed, his amber eyes fixed intently on Kev. The intensity of his stare made Kev quickly turn back around.
"Do you know how much tickets are, Cindy?" Kev asked, his voice a low murmur.
Cindy let out a soft giggle. "Oh, I guess we will find out," she said, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
Kev laughed, a hint of nervousness in his voice. "I'm a bad date, Cindy," he confessed. "I don't have any money on me."
Cindy raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk on her lips. "Is that wolf not paying you enough?"
Kev paused, a thoughtful frown creasing his brow. Was he supposed to be making money? He was, technically, working. It was another unsettling question, another aspect of this strange new life that he hadn't had time to properly consider. He pushed the thought aside. "You know I'm not one to talk about compensation," he said, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "That stays between me and Fang."
Cindy laughed, a warm, melodious sound. "That is good, dear."
When they were nearly at the front of the line, a burly wolverine man, accompanied by a sleek dingo woman, brazenly cut in front of Cindy and Kev.
Kev glanced at Cindy, expecting a gentle reprimand from the head of housekeeping. But before Cindy could even open her mouth, a dark shape blurred past them.
Fang was on the wolverine man almost instantly, his movements shockingly fast. He grabbed the wolverine by the front of his shirt, his powerful grip lifting the startled beastman slightly off his feet. Fang was in his face, a low, menacing growl rumbling in his chest.
The dingo woman yelped and stumbled back, her eyes wide with terror.
The wolverine man, initially defiant, let out an answering growl and tried to grapple with Fang. But his snarl quickly turned to a whimper of fear as Fang, with seemingly little effort, lifted him completely off the ground. The wolverine's feet dangled uselessly, his struggles futile against Fang's iron grip.
"And who do you think you are?" Fang snarled, his voice a chilling whisper that cut through the sudden hush that had fallen over the queue.
Cindy sighed, a soft, almost disappointed sound. "Fang, put the poor boy down. He looks scared out of his mind."
Fang glanced over at Cindy, his amber eyes still blazing, and growled, "No."
"Fang," Cindy said again, her voice still gentle but with an unyielding edge that even Fang seemed to recognize.
Fang bristled, but he did lower the wolverine slightly, the beastman's feet now just brushing the ground. The dingo woman, seeing a sliver of hope, yelled, "We're sorry! Just let him go!"
Cindy looked at the dingo woman, her expression serene. "It's alright if you two didn't see us," she said, her voice calm and reasonable, "but the line starts back there."
The dingo woman nodded frantically. "Oh, of course! How silly of us!"
Fang, still holding the wolverine, who was now gasping for breath, sneered. "I'm not laughing." He then slowly lowered the wolverine further, until the beastman, struggling to stay upright, was forced to his knees. He was now eye-to-eye with Cindy. Fang's grip remained like iron on his shirt. "Do you see them now?" Fang asked, his voice a low, dangerous purr.
The wolverine, trembling, could only nod, his eyes wide with terror.
Fang abruptly released his grip. The wolverine scrambled to his feet and, without a second glance, bolted away into the crowd. The dingo woman yelled, "Hey! What the hell?!" before turning and scurrying after her absconding date.
Kev, watching the chaotic retreat, said with a slightly forced cheerfulness, "Oh look, we're up." He stepped forward with Cindy towards the now-vacant ticket window.