Page 2 of His Human Believer

“She’s so much bigger in real life than through the vid screen.”

“They do that,” Avery laughs. “Ooh, your hair is shorter, I like it.”

I run my fingers through the ends, happy she likes my new look. “Oh, thanks.”

We’re both of similar size, meaning we’ve always been overweight, wearing plus size clothing. But Avery was the one with sexy style and I always wore what was serviceable and appropriate for work. I’m more of a ‘whatever covers my extremities and appropriate for work is good’ type of person. But lately, I’ve been liking the idea of color and wearing less baggy clothes. At thirty-four years old I’m in the mood to reinvent myself. Well, I already have, leaving a steady career at the IBB to take a chance with this new gig, being self-employed, hosting a cold-case show on Intelgram that has no business doing as well as it does. It was risky but is working out really well for me. But…I must still be on the lookout for something else different in life because I’m recently caring about my appearance more than ever before.

She glances down at my shirt. “Oh and I like that color on you. You look good in lavender.”

“Thank you.” I grin.

Dagr Hellstone has been hovering at a polite distance this whole time. Deep red skin like his father, two small black horns just coming in above his forehead, and that same slightly serious set to his mouth.

“Hey Dagr, it’s good to see you. You’ve gotten tall.”

“Hello, Aunt Margaret.”

“Come here, Dagr.”

He grins, ducks his head, and steps into the group hug. I have to widen my arms to fit all four of them.

And then I feel something hot and damp against my elbow.

Three snouts.

Skylo has found me. This wulver is enormous now, with three menacing, full-grown heads and three sets of intimidating red eyes all locked on me with an intensity I would find frightening if his tail weren’t wagging hard enough to move air. The left head licks my hand. The center head investigates my luggage and finds it acceptable. The right head decides I’m friend and bonks his cheek against my knee hard enough to nearly take me down.

“Hey Skylo, it’s good to see you too.”

“He’s been waiting at the door for two hours,” Avery says, breathless from laughing. “Hannibal said if we didn’t bring him, he was going to break out and find the station himself.”

“Well, I’m happy you’re here.” I scratch the center head behind one stubby horn and get a rumble of pure animal pleasure.

“I know I already mentioned this, but for reals, that blouse is cute,” Avery says as we all walk outside together. “You look great. Are you actually wearing makeup?”

Dagr takes my luggage for me and I smile at him in thanks. Then I look back at Avery. “Yeah. I was in a mood this morning. Took a little more time than usual.”

“Mmhmm. This is unusual. Why all the pomp and circumstance?”

I point at her feet. “Says the woman wearing heels to a transport station.”

She flings her long hair over her shoulder. “I don’t work out of the house anymore, but I still have standards.”

Avery is self-employed too, with high-value financial audit and advisory clients and the same Salo assistant she’s had for years running her calendar. But she’s scaled things down a bit since her babies arrived.

“I always dress this way,” she points out. “But for you, this is unusual. And I’m going to help you lean in on this, because of course I like it. Maybe I can finally talk you into trying one of these Hyrrokin tops. It would look great on you.”

I roll my eyes, preparing myself for lots of makeover and shopping advice in the coming days.

We step out into the Tarvos afternoon and I take a deep breath. The dual suns are warm on my face and I’m loving yet again the climate of this planet. The Hyrrokin themselves might be scary as hell, but their planet is a delightful paradise.

And then my mouth drops open when I see the enormous black vehicle parked on the curb. “What the heck? Avery, this is our ride? It’s the size of a small building. It has armor panels.”

She shrugs. “You know what Hannibal’s like. He wanted me to take his security transport today.”

“I like Daddy’s vehicle,” Mitry cheerfully announces as Avery helps her up into the back seat. Sela goes into the buckled car seat beside her and is asleep before the doors close.

I frown. “Is this thing legal?”