Chapter 1:

“This is what I get for bringing the best talent agent to the company. I get saddled with babysitting duty.” -Remington

“Princess, I have a special job for you,” the CEO of Howling Moon Talent calls out to me in that tone that lets me know that I am not going to like this “special job”.

“You know I hate being called that, Fred!” I snap.

If my boss, or rather the co-owner of my company was anyone but my brother and I didn’t own an equal stake in the business, I would never snap at them like that. It isn’t in my nature, but he sets up scenarios that I can’t help but be involved in, yet frustrate the heck out of me. I’m more of a tech guy. Fred is more of a people person. But when our father fell ill six years ago with a rare werewolf disease called ‘Lupus Malignus’, he made me promise to help my brother run the company and even had contracts written up. I usually stay behind the scenes and take care of computer systems, security and programming algorithms that help us both locate talents and find the best fits for them in the industry. We are not just the top werewolf run talent agency in The Rim, but the top talent agency in all of Calliope.

Calliope is a large country on the continent of Yearls. The Rim is the nickname of the region of Calliope we live in because we are closest to the edge of The Yearlish Chasm. The Yearlish Chasm is truly just a rather large canyon, but it divides the Continent of Yearls in two. We live in North Yearls.

“But you are so pretty and the ONLY person who can handle this task. No one else can manage HIM,” Fred says, interrupting my thoughts.

By HIM, he means our top talent agent, Cassidy Williams.

“No other talent agents need a babysitter,” I groan.

“No other talent agents are YOUR best friend, nor are they known for fucking ALL of the female tallent,” Fred says, all too accurately.

Fucking Hell!

I usually don’t swear, but this is my least favorite part of the job. I get to watch my hunk of a best friend reel in the top talent, and fuck woman after woman. He is our top agent. He isn’t even afraid to go to The Shades, where he discovered our second top recording artist, a Vampiress named Lady Bat-Blood. It’s not her real name. Her real name is Stephanie Sanguire. But sure enough, Cassidy has fucked her and it drives me nuts when she comes around the office and flirts with him, even though he has a a strict ‘no repeats’ policy.  There is always a chance he will repeat with someone and fall in love. That should make me happy, and on some level it does. I want to see my best friend happy. But the thought of him settling down with a woman, or anyone really…it…nevermind.

“Where are you sending us this time? The Bowels Of Hell? I’m sure Cassidy hasn’t fucked every Succubus there, yet,” I goran, knowing that is only because we haven’t been there.

“That is an excellent idea. We would be the first non-Demonic talent agency to land Demon talent!” Fred says in what I hope is a sarcastic tone, but I should know means he is considering it. “No you are not going that far into South Yearls. Though, that is the largest country down there. You are going to Carne Fest in the city of Luna.”

Carne Fest is a carnivore festival in Licantropos. Luna is their largest and most festive city in the country and the festival is celebrated over an entire week of parades, dancing, meat and moonlight shifts and runs, culminating in an enormous full moon celebration. The country was settled by a large werewolf pack, but there are native jaguar shifters, coyote shifters and panther shifters, along with occasional lion shifters and a number of fae species.

This is going to suck!

Sure, Licantropos is a gorgeous country and I have heard many tales about the beauty of its capital city, Luna, but going there to scope out talent during this enormous festival with Cassidy is going to be torture.

“Look, Remi, I have you set up in a luxury hotel with an amazing double suite. The balcony has a private infinity pool and the resort has a waterpark and nightly entertainment, both poolside and in the lounge. We just need you to keep Cassidy in check so that he doesn’t cause any damage the PR department cannot handle. He’s our top agent, but he is a loose cannon,” Fred explains.

“Fine!” I snort at my older brother. “This is what I get for bringing the best talent agent to the company. I get saddled with babysitting duty.”

“Just tell him how you truly feel,” Ferd says.

“Easier said than done,” I huff. “He’s my best friend. I can’t risk it. Wait! How long have you known?”

“I know you better than you think, little brother,” Fred laughs. “It’s fairly obvious you are in love with your best friend.”

“I never told you,” I sigh. “Besides, even if he were gay…no one wants a broken half breed.”

“You aren’t broken. You just got more of mom’s genes than dad’s. We can’t all be big werewolves, especially in an interspecies family,” Fred replies. “At least you didn’t get mom’s wings, but you got her cute pointy ears.”

He’s wrong. The ears aren’t cute, and the wings…I have the ability to retract them. I only know of a few fae who can do that, mostly hybrids like me, but they got the shifter abilities along with their fae parent’s traits, unlike me. I have no shifter abilities But I have fae traits while having very little fae magic.

“You know, you could be a late bloomer, Remi. It’s not unheard of, especially with hybrids like us. I didn’t shift until I was fifteen, a full two years later than is the norm,” Fred offers.

“I’m twenty-eight, not a teenager. I doubt I’ll shift anytime soon,” I snort and roll my eyes.

“Still, tell him how you feel. Maybe, this trip will bring the perfect opportunity before he takes his leave for Lupinfest.”

I still remember the first day I met Cassidy like it was yesterday even though it was a decade ago…