127 Museum

For the first time, the building of the Museum of Natural History seemed to Greg somewhat threatening. He was here more than once in childhood with his family or on excursions with the class. And who would have thought that this monumental building, apart from heaps of skeletons, stuffed animals and prehistoric artifacts, can also conceal the secret organization of mystical beasts?

"Surprisingly, it is quite a logical choice." - commented Paul from the back seat.

Greg threw a questioning glance at him through the rearview mirror. He just

shrugged response.

"The forgotten branch of human evolution hides among the remains of prehistoric animals. Very poetic! Although I imagined rather some kind of secret base with a bunch of guards." - Paul continued, carefully studying the main entrance.

" As I heard, the Council has been here since the founding of the city. The museum itself was built only to cover everything under it. I do not even know how many floors down belongs to the Council. Although there are

some more separate headquarters, for example, cleaners are based on the Central City ​Junkyard. And hounds even have their own, secret metro station. Although it is more like an abandoned depot from the outside."

Greg caught from the corner of his eye as Michael, not tearing his honest eyes away from Lana, was diligently trying to write something by touch into his notebook.

"Don't bother, Mike." - Greg said with a grin. - "You are all in now. No way back from this point So ask whatever you want. Now there is nothing to hide."

The man's eyes immediately shone, but Lana's resolute voice didn't give him a chance to unload his stream of questions.

" Let's move the session of answers-questions for later. I think we should get going if we do not want to miss our chance."

The girl's face was full of confidence and determination, although Greg felt through their connection how fast her heart was beating and how much strength she needed to take this step. Without hesitation, he grabbed his brave girl hand, that was clenched into a fist and pulled, drawing her closer. Lana looked at him in surprise and wanted to ask what did he want. But

Greg's lips had already caught her in a kiss, sealing the words inside. At that very moment, everything seemed to cease to exist for her. Problems, fears, sad thoughts - scattered like fog under the onslaught of Greg's feelings. It was as if he tried to pour his strength and courage into her through this kiss, to burn all her doubts, with the flame that burned in his heart.

"Oh my God!" -Growled Paul, rolling his eyes and literally jumping out of the car. - "Couldn't you wait for a little. I really didn't want to see this!" - He threw before slamming the door after him. Mike, too, hastened to go out, although rather from a sense of discreteness, giving them time for each other.

In the end, Paul could not stand it even two minutes before starting to knock on the side glass, trying to get the sweet couple to finish their exchange of bodily liquids.

Greg reluctantly ended the kiss and smiled at Lana, who was flushed red. Then he sent an impudent glance at his irritated friend, and winked, forcing him to grit his teeth.

"There are too few positive emotions in your life, my friend." - Greg said leaving the car. - Only unfortunate people come to you. Here I am trying to show you the other side of life. You should be grateful."

"Romance, kisses and cute puppies, invented only for advertising detergents. No need to feed me this bullshit. I still do not believe in all this." - Grumbled Paul, trying not to look towards Lana. Greg shook his head and led the company to the entrance of the museum. Along the way, he still decided to annoy his friend a bit more.

"Love is not a unicorn, Paul. It is not something you need to believe in. It's just a feeling that one day will turn your world upside down. Or vice versa, finally putting everything in its place." - he proclaimed thoughtfully.

" The chance that this will happen is about the same as the chance to meet a unicorn selling hot dogs from dragon meat on the main square." - retorted Paul.

"We'll see." - Greg grinned, defiantly hugging Lana by the waist and helping her climb the stairs.

While they were exchanging spikes, their group had already reached the main entrance to the museum.

Everything looked as usual. There were not so many visitors today. A couple of groups of children on a field trip, several families and strange loners, either students or just bored citizens.

Having passed the main hall, Lana immediately turned left and led them through several halls filled with sculptures, exhibits and a picture. They entered the exhibition of prehistoric predators. After a few more minutes wondering between gigantic sculptors of dead animals, they finely stoped in a small corridor, where human evolution was presented.

In the corner behind the statue of primitive people in a duel with a saber-toothed tiger, Lana found a hidden door that looked like the service entrance. They waited a bit before nobody will be around. When Lana give a sign, guys, one after another, slip unnoticed inside.

Behind the door was a small room, more like a utility room filled with dusty boxes and some sort of junk.

" I kind of pitying all the workers of your Council to go this way every day just to get to the workplace. It's hard to believe that no one ever noticed." - Said Paul critically looking around.

"As far as I know, there are several entrances," - Lana answered, walking up to the opposite wall, on which hung some old faded sausage ad. - "This entry is for visitors. And believe me, not many shifters want to visit the Council on their own. So it is rarely used."

Paul wanted to ask something else, but at that moment Lana ran her hand over the seemingly ordinary poster, and something clicked. With a quiet rustling, the rack on the next wall slightly moved away and behind it, a large gap formed.

Without waiting for the others, Lana was the first to slip into the passage. Greg hurried after her. Michael and Paul looked at each other. It seems that they, too, had no choice, so they one by one squeezed into an opening and froze, amazed at what appeared to their eyes.

The vast hall was absolutely identical to the one that they passed at the very beginning, after entering the museum. But the bas-reliefs here did not reflect the evolution of man or ordinary events from history.

Michael could not endure the curiosity and came closer, examining

one of the images, the characters on it were clearly not humans, and yet the situation itself was very familiar. Roundtable, and around it set 12 men in armor and with swords. Only their beastly eyes and rather long fangs showed quite clearly that the men at the table were not human at all.

" This is?" - Turning sharply, asked Mike, pointing his finger at the bas-relief. Greg, who all this time carefully examined the situation, immediately jumped to a friend and lowering his hand, hissed.

"Stop it! We should not look as if we only learned about the shifters yesterday."

"But we really only found out about them yesterday." - Paul pointed out sarcastically said, not taking his eyes off the tapestry with another significant event from the distant past, which apparently they perceived quite differently.

"This is great and all," - Lana said, grabbing Greg by the arm and guiding toward the central arch. -" Only today you should pretend that all this is an ordinary visit and you are not surprised at anything."

Behind the arched doorway was a small reception room. Right in the middle, there was a wide table, and behind set a common looking secretary. That surprised Paul and Mike even more than the tapestry.

" How can I help?" - Noticing those who entered, the girl immediately lifted the eyes from the screen of her computer and broke into a wide smile.

Greg and Lana came closer and looked at each other as if for the last confirmation.

"We would like to register as a Mates." - began Lana, turning to the secretary.

The girl's smile became even wider. Strange that it was humanly possible.

"Oh! Congratulations! Bless you, the Moon!" - She exclaimed sincerely.

- Take a seat, please. - she added, pointing at the two chairs in front of

her desk. - I just love those moments. It makes me believe that

one day I will hear the whisper of the Moon myself."

" I am sure you will." - Greg said, putting all his charm into his smile. The girl immediately flashed, and it seems even forgot what she wanted to say next. Lana imperceptibly kicked a man under the table, trying to hint that he should moderate his pheromones a little, but Greg didn't seem to understand what he was doing to the poor thing.

" Oh! Yes. Thank you. So could you tell me your name first?" - Finally, tearing her eyes from the man said the secretary, trying to focus on the matter.

"Gregory Wells." - Greg introduced himself. The girl jerked when she heard his deep voice and wanted to look in his direction again, but then she halted and frowned at the screen.

"Uh," - she began, after a few minutes of typing. -" I do not see you in any

list. You are..."

" A human." - Greg finished for her. Making the girl look again in his direction.

"I would never say ..." - she drawled, and then cut herself off in mid-sentence. - "Sorry, I didn't mean to... Just you are so ..."

" It's all right." - Reassured her this impossible man, offering her another charming smile. Even Lana has already given up and stopped kicking him under the table.

"Good. Then your Mate?" - Asked the secretary and turned curious look at Lana.

"Ruslana Benne,previously Winterbourne." - Lana said in a cold tone, smiling broadly.

Her slightly lengthened fangs carried quite an obvious hint.

"Good. Give me a sec." - The girl blurted out in response getting the meaning of it and again looking at the screen.

"Mmmm ..." - she finally mumbled after a few minutes, with a confused face. - "There must be some mistake here, but you are already registered as a Mate of Mr. Ralph Benne."

" That's right. I was registered as a Mate of Ralph, although we were never a real Mates." - confirmed Lana calmly. - "It was a lie, and today we would like to restore justice and uncover the truth!"