Ch:16 Old Wounds Of The Heart

~Tatum's P.O.V.~

    At a lull later that night, Tatum glanced around the room, feeling the glow of satisfaction. The tavern, gathering home of Danain since it first opened in eighteen eighty-two, was thriving under his care. Not only shifters liked the Lost Lodge, but OtherFolk and even humans enjoyed the warmth of companionship here.

    Most of them. He eyed a table with three human females. Two were pleasantly drunk and soaking up the attention from the human males. The third female nervously watched a couple of older shifters seated nearby.

    Tatum frowned. Only yesterday, Thorstin had returned from the mountain where he'd gone to ease his grief. Tonight, she was single-mindedly trying to get intoxicated. Unfortunately, his drinking partner was Bert Baity, another human-hater. Sober or alone, the men posed no problem. Put them together, and their anger merged and increased.

    After Evelyn had gone off duty earlier, Tatum had served the men himself so Kasumi would have no the reason to go near them.

    Other customers also required special service. He glanced at the corner table by the kitchen door and saw the dwarves glasses were empty. Again. With a sigh, Tatum built two more black an' tans and carried them over. The satisfaction that the discriminating local dwarf population found his beer good was offset by the danger of having them frequent his bar, especially on busy nights.

    Like many magical beings, the dwarves generated a you-can't-see-me aura. The RESERVED placard on the table and the antagonistic waves coming from them repelled most humans... unless they were very drunk. Like the old rancher last week who plopped himself down on Grimler's lap.

    And Tavic -Tavic had been laughing so hard he almost failed to wrench the axe away from the dwarf before Grimler split the human's head in two.

    At the table, Tatum kept his back to the room and bowed. "Gentlemen, your drinks. I trust everything is adequate?"

    Nerxvin smoothed his beard, you still have fine beer Cosantir. I haven't visited here since your dam's lifemate passed on. My condolences."

    "I thank you" he sat a mug in front of each dwarf.

    The other dwarf who came in often nodded his thanks.

    Nerxvin's attention turned away, Tavic just walked in, and his progress to the bar was hindered on all sides. "Your brother appears in good health."

    "He is that."

    The dwarf frowned. " he scatters his seed to many, many, yet has no formal lifemate. And neither do you, Cosantir."

    "My lifemate died."

    "Time has passed. Find another. Bonded Danain are safer for all."

     Tatum's jaw tightened. Dwarves didn't lie, didn't hand out compliments, didn't have any tact, and those long noses of theirs poked into everything. Including people's personal lives."I--"

     Nerxvin interrupted. "And this time, share with your brother."

     No point in discussing it. Tatum rendered a tight nod and stocked back to his bar. 'Bollocks.' Linda had been frail and her timidity had kept her from accepting Tavic, warping their maiting to only her and Tatum. Tavic had understood, but guilt still rode Tatum's shoulders. Even so many years after her death. Putting it aside, he returned to working the taps.

    From the waitress station, Kas waved and caught his attention. "I need three white wines and a Bud Light," she called. As she reached for the water pitchure, her full breasts rested on the bar top like a prize to be collected. With an effort, he averted his gaze. Closing his hands around a cold wine bottle instead. 'Three wines. Right.'

    Despite the noisy conversations, he still heard his brother's snicker from the far end of the bar. Obviously, his brother had seen where his attention had lingered. Tatum shot him with a look of frustration, and Tavic raised his glass in a toast of perfect understanding.

    "Your order is complete, Kasumi." Tatum placed the drinks in front of her.

    "Thank you." She set them on her tray and gave him a smile that flooded his system with testosterone. Her face was flushed, her eyes sparkling, and he couldn't help but wonder if she brought all that delightful energy to mating.

     "Ring them up to the Frederick account." She told him and hefted up the tray.

     The ease at which she carried the heavy trays hinted at strong muscles hidden under her smooth female padding. She had the prowling gate of a shifter, he noticed again. He turned and met Tavic's look. After drawing a Guinness, he moved on a bar to hand it over. "Here."

    "Thanks." Tavic took a gulp. "A human shouldn't affect us this way."

    "Some trick of the pheromones. Some Shifters do bed humans, after all."

    "Only because they're convenient - not because of any real appeal." Tavic pointed out. "I don't know about you, brawd, but I am damned attracted."

    "As am I." 'Too attracted.' The God was teasing him, keeping her constantly in his sight. Within his scent-range. But he knew it wasn't wise for a shifter to get entangled with a human. "After the Samhaim Gathering, we should visit elsewhere."

    "And check out some new females? Maybe even find a lifemate?" 

     "Precisely." His relationship with Linda had been incomplete. Next time he'd be able to share his mate with his brother.