Kev's peace was short-lived as Fang's bark cut through the room.
"Talon! Come here!"
Kev looked over and watched Talon slowly rise and step towards Fang. The eagle stood before the wolf, his hands clasped behind his back, his posture ramrod straight, his expression an unreadable mask of pure professionalism.
Fang was silent for a moment as he sniffed at Talon. His teeth were bared slightly, his tail perfectly still. Kev was worried, thinking his story-time show might have been wrong after all. Talon was rigid, and Kev couldn't blame him. Getting thrown through a door once was one too many times.
Fang's ears finally lifted a bit. "Your dart throwing... Can you tell me how you learned?"
"It's a child's game, sir," Talon rasped.
Fang's ears flicked back again, and a growl emanated from his chest. "Is that a joke?"
Talon looked a bit panicked, so Kev jumped in. "I think Talon just started playing darts after he got hired," he said, standing from his seat and stretching his legs. "He didn't even know the rules to 301."
"Bullshit," Fang said, his amber eyes still glaring at the eagle.
Talon tried to maintain eye contact with the wolf. "It was not a problem," he said, his voice flat. "The distance was not very far."
"See?" Kev said, strategically placing himself close to Fang so he could preempt any potential episodes. "He's just a genius at darts. I've watched him hit bullseye after bullseye, day after day, in the private billiards room. To be honest, I was a bit nervous about how far away I was. This table's really long..."
"It's not that long," Talon said.
"If you only picked up darts last week, it's fucking long!" Fang howled. "You dare throw those at my partner?! You think you can take a risk like that, in front of me and my guests?!"
"Hey!" Kev said, quickly ducking under Fang's arm. "It was my call. I didn't want him to have to fight one of their bodyguards... they both seem... violent."
"I pay him to fight!" Fang snarled, as he subconsciously rested his arm over Kev's shoulder. "If he had hit you, I would have... ended the meeting early."
Kev hadn't really considered much when his mind landed on the William Tell story. He had thought of it in a panic and, without time to think of anything else, he had just run with it. The consequences never came to mind because he hadn't had the time to think of them. He'd known the moment that Fang had offered up Talon to the fighting pit, there would have been a real fight. Kev had thought that Sterling would have been a better match for Talon than Bruno, but after seeing the fastest spitter in the west... he wasn't so sure.
"Hopefully, to rush me to see Vlad," Kev said, leaning into the wolf.
Fang's growls quieted as he felt his human close to him. He finally tore his eyes from Talon and rested his snout on Kev's head. "Of course," he murmured. He then took a long, slow sniff of Kev's hair, a deep, almost calming breath, the familiar scent of his human helping smooth down his fur. "Talon, you may go for the night."
"Sir?" Talon questioned, his posture still rigid.
Fang looked annoyed as he pulled himself away from Kev. "When I see you tomorrow, you better have a better answer about how you learned to throw," he growled at Talon. "Or I'll find ways to make you tell me."
Kev rubbed Fang's hand. Talon looked quite uncomfortable, but Fang was right. Unless Talon was a savant, there was no way he was that good at darts without practice.
"I was... enlisted in the Avian Defense Forces," Talon finally said, his voice a low, reluctant rasp. "I have a Plumbata certificate."
"Plumb-what-a?" Fang growled. "Why are you just telling me this now? Defense Forces?"
"I told Mr. Lanon," Talon said, looking a bit confused. "It was part of the interrogation... I mean, interview."
"Lanon," Fang growled. "Like I ever read the reports... Is there anything else I should know? Are you going to turn invisible to impress the guests at our next dinner?"
Talon shook his head. "Mr. Bozeman does that."
"You know what I mean!" Fang sighed and waved his hand, dismissing the eagle once more. "Go. Take the night off. You haven't had a day off yet, right? ...I'll just read the file and figure out what to do with you tomorrow."
Talon looked a bit sick. "Mr. Fang," he rasped, "I... I... I..."
"Good night, Talon," Fang said firmly.
Talon closed his beak, turned on his heel, and walked out the door.
"What did you do that for?" Kev said. "Talon was badass tonight... even if his timing sucked."
"He raised his hand against you," Fang said. "And he's only held darts for a week... I didn't realize how much of a fool he is."
"No," Kev pulled himself away from Fang. "He's great. He's just not the best for social situations, but... neither are you."
The wolf looked offended.
"I know," Kev said, "but it's true. He's always working when he's here. He doesn't get to 'turn off' and leave like the other employees. He said it's his first time doing this work, and he hasn't had anyone to teach him. He's managed to save me from the enforcers, some punks, and a purse thief, all in the first week of knowing the guy. I trust him."
"He could have missed."
"I know, but I trust him. If he didn't think he could do it, I know he wouldn't have thrown the dart. It's not like he's nuts... after he's introduced himself..."
"It was reckless," Fang said. He reached out towards his partner and pulled him close once more. "I need to review his file..." Fang grinned. "...but I will take your role in this situation into consideration."
Kev nodded, and they headed towards the door. "Thanks for not tasing Bryan, by the way," he said, before Fang could open the door. "I'm kind of disappointed in Horns, though. I don't think Bryan's kick hurt nearly as much as getting shocked."
"What?" Fang laughed. "Horns just hit a little button."
"Yeah, the 'activate taser' button," Kev said as they stepped into the east wing hallway.
"Oh, come on, Kev," Fang said. "This is an electronics-free establishment."
"Right..." Kev murmured. "Did you see how hard Bryan fell when he was... paralyzed?"
"I know, with fear!" Fang bellowed with laughter. "That dumb bunny really took a tumble!"
Kev was confused. "How do you know it doesn't work? Warlock seemed pretty confident that it did."
Fang glanced down at kev, his wolfish grin still wide. "He was pressing the button all throughout dinner. The rabbit would have been smoking when Pops' guard pushed him in."
Kev nodded. He hadn't noticed Warlock fingering the remote during dinner... if Fang was telling the truth... that reaction from Bryan. He had basically had a seizure just from the anticipation of being shocked. Kev wished he didn't have to think about it.
"What does that mean, then?" he asked, his voice low. "Bryan is just loose in the club now? He's going to run away and just tell the city council what happened."
"I'm sure Horns will take care of it," Fang replied, turning the corner into the main bar.
As always, the night was in full swing, but things were even louder than normal. The stage was nearly full, crammed with musicians. Asmodeus was out front, seated at a grand piano, his vibrant feathers a stark contrast to the instrument's polished black. His left hand flew across the keys, pulling out a frantic, complex melody, while his right hand, a flurry of motion, conducted the rest of the band with sharp, dramatic gestures. It was a symphony of controlled chaos.
Kev gave a wave to Twitch and Skippy as they passed. When he turned to the comfortable VIP booth, he saw two drinks already waiting and Cindy's antlers sticking up from the backrest.
"Cindy," Fang said as he sat next to Kev in the booth. "It's good to see you. I'm guessing you've heard the news."
Cindy sat there, a picture of serene grace in the midst of the bustling club, a half-full teacup in her hands. She softly nodded. "Congratulations, Fang."
Fang beamed. "It's thanks to my lucky charm here. The Mafia Don was a 'super-vegetarian,' so he really enjoyed the planty room."
Cindy looked at Fang in a way that only a mother could look at a son, a look that said, Regardless of whatever you just said, I still love you. "Fang, that is wonderful. But... what are your plans for the rabbit?"
Kev felt the chill that always ran through him when he remembered that Cindy was not just a sweet, old deer.
Fang picked up his drink and took a sip. "Horns will figure something out. He's a 'people person'."
"That's not good enough," Cindy shook her head. "Come on, boy. You know what you should do."
"I know," Fang took another sip, "but the old goat said the bunny was a gift. What am I supposed to do? He said Bryan is a symbol of the business deal."
"That..." Cindy frowned, a hard line forming around her gentle mouth. She stood. "I will talk to Ms. Kaiote. The rabbit... Mr. Bryan... will stay in his cage."
Before she left, she turned one last time and said, her voice soft again, "I hope my boys have a good night."
Kev could feel Fang's tail wagging next to him as he watched Cindy leave. He took a few sips of his drink and tried not to imagine what Cindy might ask Kaiote to do.