Free Night Play.doc by Unknown Page A

grief!" Bride said as she saw bags. "What did you do?"
    Tabitha shrugged. "Creature comforts every woman should have." She
    handed a
    six-pack of Corona Light beer over to Bride, then wheeled her cart inside.
    Bride locked the door and followed Tabitha.
    Vane trailed behind them.
    Once they were inside the small apartment, Tabitha smiled down at him. "I
    had a
    feeling you'd still be here."
    She pulled a bone out of the top sack and unwrapped it.
    He grimaced inwardly as she set it down on the ground. There was no way
    in hell
    he was going to chew on that.
    His gaze went to Bride. She was the only chew toy that interested him.
    Bride stood with her hands on her hips. "Tabitha"
    "Don't, Bride. As a recent member of the
    I-Ain't-Got-No-Man-and-Don't-Ever-Want-Another-One Club, I know the
    last thing
    you need is to be alone tonight." She pulled a set of silk sheets out of the
    sack.
    "What are these?"
    "I told you, creature comforts. We have everything in here. Krispy Kreme
    doughnuts, beer, soda, creme horns, potato chips, dip, and enough
    hunk-filled
    DVDs to sink the Titanic. It's time for a hunk fest of men who can't break
    your
    heart." Tabitha handed her a small bag.
    Bride shook her head. "Thank you, Tabby. I really appreciate this."
    "No prob."
    Vane sat back as Tabitha hooked up the TV and VCR while Bride opened
    up boxes
    that held plates and silverware.
    "I'm glad I kept all this," Bride said as she dusted off a crate and set it up
    like a coffee table in front of the TV. "Taylor didn't want all my things mixed
    in with his. I should have known then, shouldn't I?"
    It was all Vane could do to stay in wolf form. He wanted to soothe her so
    much,
    but didn't dare. Especially not with Tabitha present.
    "Don't think about it, hon," Tabitha said as she popped the sealed top off the
    beer with her bare hand and handed it to Bride. "We never see the signs we
    don't
    want to see. You know? Look on the bright side, at least your guy didn't
    leave
    you because you were nuts."
    "You're not nuts."
    Tabitha gave a disbelieving laugh at that. "Yeah, right. Amanda aside, only
    fruits and nuts come out of my family tree. But hey, at least we're
    entertaining."
    Bride gave her a chiding stare. "Does Mina know you say that?"
    "Mina? She's a bigger loon than I am. Have you seen her collection of
    ancient
    vampire-killing kits? I swear she's the one who made that anonymous bid at
    Sotheby's for that turn-of-the-century vampire-slaying kit."
    Tabitha placed an entire doughnut into her mouth and swallowed it whole.
    Bride wrinkled her nose at the action. "Please tell me how you stay so skinny
    eating the way you do. I barely eat half a Pop-Tart and I gain thirty pounds. I
    swear I've seen you eat more tonight than I eat in an entire week."
    Tabitha licked the sugar from her fingers. "You sound like Amanda."
    "Why would she say that? You guys are twins and she's every bit as twiggy
    as you
    are."
    "Yeah, but she's a good fifteen pounds heavier than I am and she hates me
    for
    it. I don't know why you guys complain, at least you two have boobs. I have
    the
    body of a twelve-year-old boy."
    Bride scoffed. "Any time you want, I'll trade you."
    Vane growled at that. The last thing he wanted was a skinny mate. There
    was
    nothing wrong with Bride, and if he were in human form, he'd show her
    exactly
    what those lush curves did to him.
    Unfortunately, he needed her girlfriend to leave first.
    "Is something wrong, boy?" Tabitha asked as she came over to him.
    He trotted over to Bride.
    Tabitha gaped at him. "Well, I've just been dissed by Benji. Jeez. I think
    you've picked up a lifelong friend here, Bride. Just wait until he finds out
    your dad is the if-you-love-them-neuter-them king."
    Vane cringed in spite of himself.
    They wouldn't dare
    "Shush, Tabby, you'll scare him." She looked down at him as she stroked his
    chin. "But you're right, he hasn't been fixed."
    And he damned well wasn't going to be, either.
    "Maybe I should take him over to