“I can go over and arrest him for domestic but if he posts bond,” he sighed. “Without a proper eviction, he can return.”
“Even if I file a protective order?”
“Yes, ma’am. I mean, I can give him a warning.” He grinned at me.
“Let me get this straight. You can arrest him. Hold him tonight, but if he posts bond, he can come back and do this again?” I pointed to my bruised face.
“If I were you, I wouldn’t take anymore rides from men other than your boyfriend.”
His blue eyes grew hard. My world sank to the floor. I finally understood what was happening. He wasn’t simply a dick cop who didn’t care. This guy knew Gage and was probably a hellhound too. That would explain why I didn’t get a ticket that night, and why he won’t help me now. He called this cop and told him not to help me.
I glared at him, “Are there any more officers I can speak with?”
He smirked, “They will tell you the same thing.”
“Come on, Tank.” He jumped up and followed me to the door.
“I would also suggest not coming in here again, getting my station in a ruckus. I could have you arrested for disturbing the peace.”
I stepped out into the night, feeling lost. If I had my phone I could call someone to pick me up. I sat down on the step of the station and pondered on my choices. The cops weren’t going to help me. I had to get him out the old-fashioned way. With force. I didn’t want to go back to the house but I had no other choice. I walked as slowly as I could.
When I walked around to the back door, Gage was there waiting for me. His large arms were crossed over his chest. He could shove his anger up his ass. There wasn’t much more he could do to me to hurt me, other than kill me. I didn’t care anymore.
“Jess…” He paused and sighed. “I’m sorry about everything, including the other night.” Tears threatened to spill but I pinched them back. I would not cry over him, especially when he could see. “I just lost it when you thought I was Rayce. You’re mine.”
“No. I’m not.”
He smiled, “You don’t see it now, but you will.”
“You sound crazy.” The chill of the night had me shivering but I didn’t want to go back inside with him.
“How do we fix this?”
I laughed again, “First, there is no we in this situation. That’s over.”
“Jess, be reasonable.”
“Oh, I am.” I felt like I was going crazy. I couldn’t believe he was trying to cover up my pain with kind words. I had been through this before and I didn’t plan to do it again. I would freeze to death before it happened. “I want you to leave.”
“I’m not leaving, and you can’t force me,” he grinned.
“I could kill you.”
“You can try, sweetness.”
There was only one way of convincing him to go. “I can’t think with you here. If we are going to work this out, I need time to think. That means you can’t be here.”
“If I leave, we can work on this, on us.”
It repulsed me but I stepped up closer to him, “Yes, but only if you give me some time.” I placed my hand on his arm. There was nothing there but hate and anger. The attraction and understanding were gone. Lifeless in my soul. There was no way I would allow him back into my home, but if he went for my compromise, my ruse, I could get a plan together.
“Is there anything else I can do?”
“Just time, Gage. Please,” I begged. “We will be hunting Dawn soon. I need a clear head.”
“You’re right,” he nodded. “I will give you one week to think it over. I will be back for you.”
“One week.”
“Anything else.” He was persistent. I thought about his words and there were only a couple other things I wanted. My phone and hunting equipment. He agreed to return them when he left.
“You will also have to cut other women from your life. If we are going to be in a relationship, it should be built on trust. I don’t want to have to worry if you are sticking it somewhere else.” The thought of being with him made my stomach turn, but I had to try and be sincere.
He smiled, showing his pearly whites. His gray eyes softened and I cringed when he hugged me. “Don’t worry, Jess. I’ll make this right.”
He truly was deranged.
A week later, I got a text from Jay. Tonight, was all it read. We were hunting Dawn tonight. I knew I had to be there early enough to get the plan together.
My week without Gage was a peaceful one, for the most part. He would text me seductive texts and play with my heart by sending gorgeous roses. He knew my passion for them. I hated to do it but I tossed them all, no matter how beautiful or colorful. They were tainted and I wouldn’t allow them inside.
My truck still wouldn’t start. I had to get to work but didn’t want to call Jay on such an important night. I knew he would be busy. After dressing, I found myself staring at a number I had never called. I looked at Tank and he was watching me quizzically. “Should I call?” He tilted his head. I pressed the call button and waited. I debated hanging up when he answered.
“Hello.”
“Rayce, it’s Jessica.”
“Where are you? We are hunting Dawn tonight.”
“That’s actually why I’m calling. My truck won’t start.”
“I can give you a ride. I’ll be there in ten.”
“Thanks.” I was surprised he didn’t ask why Gage wasn’t giving me a ride. I would hate to explain everything over the phone. If he were interested, I would rather tell him in person.
“No problem.”
I hung up the phone and looked back down at my dog. “That was easy.”
There was a knock on my front door. Tank lifted himself off the floor and charged toward the door barking. I couldn’t imagine who it would be. I peeked out the curtain but couldn’t see anyone. Gage would use his key and walk in. He was that bold. Another knock. The moment I opened it, I was speechless. Every ounce of my heartache flooded me. My heart was thundering in my chest and my mouth ran dry. There he was, standing with a bushel of wild flowers in his hands. Dirt still clung to the roots. His red plaid shirt was filthy and buttoned all the way up to his throat and tucked into his saggy blue jeans. When he smiled, I could see what the drugs had done to his once nice teeth. They were now black pits of jagged chicklets. They were rotting out of his face. His face was gaunt and his green eyes were glazed over and frantically moving. Grease clung to every strand of his thick brown hair.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, baby.”
I had forgotten about the romantic day until his needle-sharp voice invaded my ears.
“How did you find,” I paused and remembered where I lived. “What are you doing here, Shawn?”
He eyed me up and down. “I’m back. I have missed you, Jessy.” He stepped closer to me but I put my hand on his chest, stopping him.
“Let me in.”
“Not a chance.”
He stepped back. His eyes screamed anger but he kept his cool. “I’ve changed, baby. I brought you flowers.”
“I don’t care, Shawn.
His brow furrowed as he attempted to look around me and into my house. I closed the door even more. My leg was the only thing holding the dog back. If he tried to come it, I would let him loose.
“Your mom said you were lonely.”
I rolled my eyes. Of course, my mother would worry about me. “Well, I’m not. Please leave.”
“Are you seeing anyone?”
I contemplated saying no but I saw Rayce pull around the house. He was watching our exchange. “Yes. My boyfriend should be here any second.”
“Really?” He was clenching the flowers in his hand now. His knuckles were white and his body was shaking. “Typical Jessy. Being a whore, as usual.”
“Me?” My anger was boiling as well. “I’m not the junkie who chose to fuck every piece of tail in town before leaving.”
“You bitch,” he growled and rushed the door. At one time,
his towering six-foot-six frame would intimidate me, but not today.
“Tank, stay.” I allowed him to come in and I pulled my gun on him. His face sank and he stopped. My dog was growling but didn’t move.
“You got me all wrong, baby. Put the gun down.”
“The drugs probably fried your brain, so I will speak slowly. You-need-to-go-and-not-come-back.”
“I think you should listen to her,” Rayce said from behind Shawn.
“I see your mother was wrong.”
“Yes, she was. Go. Stay away from me and my family.”
He turned to walk out but Rayce blocked his way. Though Shawn was taller than him, he was clearly thicker with muscle and was a supernatural creature. “Don’t come back or you will have me to deal with, and I just might pull that trigger.” Rayce kept his eyes on him and finally stepped out of the way.
Without another word, Shawn left my yard and disappeared around the corner. I breathed a sigh of relief and holstered my gun. “Thanks for that.”
Rayce smiled and snickered, “Who was that guy?”
“Sadistic, drug addicted, ex-boyfriend.”
He walked in and locked the door. “Hey, boy,” he said and knelt to pet Tank. I waited for him to attack but he remained calm. As Rayce scratched behind his ears, his body went slack and he rolled over for him to scratch his belly.
“He has never done that with a stranger before.”
“Animals know good people when they smell them. He knows I’m not here to hurt you or him.” He scratched his belly and stood. “Ready? We have a busy night.”
“Gotta grab my bag.”
Rayce followed me into the kitchen. When I turned to face him, he said, “Happy Valentines.” He smiled and held up a small heart shaped box of chocolates before his smile faded.
“Awe, thank you, Rayce. You are the sweetest.” I couldn’t have been happier, but I could feel his eyes examining my bruises.
What the fuck happened to your face?”
My cheeks burned with embarrassment, “It’s nothing.”
He cupped my face softly. His hands were like silk against my skin. “Did Gage do this to you?”
“Rayce,” I sighed, trying to avoid his eyes. My bruises had faded to a disgustingly green-yellow.
“I’m sorry.”
“Why are you sorry. You didn’t do it?”
“It happened because of me. I gave you a ride.”
I couldn’t tell him the real reason why Gage did this. It was far too embarrassing. Calling his name during an intimate moment wasn’t something I was willing to share. “Don’t worry about it.”
“This is unacceptable, Jessica.” His thumbs stroked my cheeks gently. He was close enough to my face that we could kiss. I clung to the chocolates with nervous fingers. There was something about this guy that was different from the rest. “He needs his ass kicked.”
“Rayce, please don’t worry. Let’s go to work and forget about it.” I placed the tiny box on the table for later. After securing my home, we left out the back door and I climbed into the T&J work truck he drove. “I appreciate you coming to get me. I don’t know what’s going on with that damn truck.”
“I can take a look at it if you like.”
“If you do that, I would have no reason to call you.” I grinned.
He smiled, “You can call me anytime.” We were quiet during the drive. It gave me time to ponder on what we were doing tonight. Being with him made it hard to concentrate. I shouldn’t be focusing on another guy after all the bullshit I had dealt with lately.
We pulled up to the office but Rayce lingered there for a moment. He seemed distant. “Are you alright?”
Before he could answer, Gage came out of the office and Rayce grew even more rigid. I didn’t want to get out of the truck. I hadn’t been around Gage for a week. I didn’t want to be any closer to him than I had to be.
I reluctantly hopped out of the truck and Gage ripped his eyes away from Rayce to look at me. When he did, he smiled, but it wasn’t genuine. It was maniacal. He was angry with me.
I had to cool the situation, “My truck wouldn’t start.”
“You should have called me.”
“I figured you were busy with getting everyone ready.”
Rayce joined us, “Hey, is everyone here?”
“Now they are,” Gage replied curtly. “Jess, you go ahead and go in. I need to speak with Rayce for a moment.” I didn’t want to leave Rayce to face the wrath alone but I didn’t want to give Gage anymore cause to be angry. Rayce nodded his head and I stepped inside.
I entered the gym. There weren’t as many as the last time I was there, but there were several hellhounds in attendance. Jay was standing in the middle of the room so I approached him.
“Hey, why are there so many people here?”
He looked up at me from his gun in his hand, “We have been scouting the last week and she has a huge nest of at least fifteen.”
“Fif,” I choked on my words. “Fifteen? Are you kidding me?”
“Maybe more,” he expressed.
“That’s a lot.”
“Jessica, do you see how big this pack is? You have never seen us work together. We can handle ourselves.”
Gage put his hand on my shoulder and looked down at me. His touch made me sick to my stomach. I slowly stepped to the side. His hand slid off my shoulder. “This is what we do. We kill vampires. We have been doing this for many years,” he explained.
“Gage is right. We can handle this,” Jay stated.
“That doesn’t make me feel any better,” I confessed.
Jay’s face pinched, “What happened to your face?”
I walked away from him without answering. Maybe Gage could explain it to him. I bumped into my friend Marie. “Hey, Jessica. Are you ready for tonight?” she asked smiling her beautiful smile. I really liked Marie, a lot. I could see us becoming great friends in the future.
“Yeah, I’m ready. How about you?”
She shook her head up and down vigorously, “Now that you know what we are, can you forgive me for what I did to you?”
“Yes, I already told you. It’s no problem, really. Now, if you keep asking, I might change my mind.” Her brow furrowed and I couldn’t help but smile. “I’m teasing.”
“You know what, Jessica?”
“What?”
“I see us becoming great friends.”
I couldn’t help but smile, “I was just thinking the same exact thing.” She kissed me on the cheek and walked away quickly. Marie was a bubble of energy and fun. I needed to be around more people like her. If we survived the night, I would make a point to hang with her more.
Through the crowd, I spotted Rayce standing on a far wall. His eyes were fixated on me. I was curious about what Gage had said to him when I left them alone. Without being obvious, I strolled over to where he was and leaned up against the wall with him.
“Jessica, I can’t talk to you.”
I looked over at him, “Why not? Why don’t you want to talk to me?”
He finally took his eyes off the crowd and looked at me. “I never said I didn’t want to talk to you. I said I can’t talk to you.”
“Okay, why can’t you talk to me?”
“Count to thirty and follow me,” he whispered. He stepped off the wall and walked to the hidden door to the firing range. I looked all around the room and nobody seemed to notice. I began to count while watching everyone. I noticed Jay and Gage walk out of the gym and into the office. I took that as my cue to follow Rayce. I entered the sound proof room and he was standing inside waiting for me.
“Okay, spill. What’s going on, and why can’t you talk to me?” I never noticed it before but his beautiful brown eyes had gold and green flecks in them. It was a unique color that I wanted to get lost in.
“Jessica, I can’t be caught talking to you because it’s dangerous. Do you understand?” I shook my head no. He raked his hand through his thick hair and started again. “You belon
g to Gage now. You have belonged to him before you even knew it. He claimed you when you walked into the office the first day,” he explained.
“Claim? What the fuck is wrong with you hellhounds? Do y’all make a habit of claiming people, even without their knowledge? Let me make this clear. I belong to nobody but myself.”
“I know that, Jessica. Gage is a rare breed of man. He looks at women as property, not companions,” Rayce replied. “And let me clarify, again, he believes you belong to him.”
Suddenly, Rayce walked up to the small window and picked up a gun. He started firing at the target at the end of the line. I took that as a hint to do the same. Gage walked into the room, I got a shiver, and it wasn’t a good one. His voice was hostel and deep. He was not happy about finding me in the small room with Rayce. I could tell it bothered him.
“It’s time to head out,” he ordered. He walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Rayce walked over to me with a brilliant glow of green to his eyes and leaned down to my ear.
“Don’t let him bite you again,” he whispered. He smelled my hair before he pulled away and I could hear a slight grumble in his chest. I was surprised by the feeling I had while he was by my ear. It gave me a shiver of pleasure. I really needed to learn to get control of my hormones. His eyes shocked me. I wasn’t expecting the color change.
“What in the hell did he mean by not letting Gage bite me anymore? Rayce, why the sudden change of heart?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re…being nice to me.”
“I will explain everything, but not right now. We have to go before he comes back.”
Rayce walked out. It was quiet in the firing range as I tried to figure out what had happened between him and me. I loaded my gun again and walked out. I could feel the room was practically vibrating with the energy from the pack. I looked at Gage in wonder to the information that I had heard. I wanted to know what the bite meant. Gage never truly answered me that day when I asked him. I heard Jay in the background of my thoughts.
“Some of us will change and some will drive to the location. We need to have surprise on our side. Park about a half a mile away from our destination,” he declared.
Everyone was nodding their heads in agreement to what he said. I knew I would be one of those to drive to the location unless someone wanted to give me a ride on their back. Gage came over and put his hands on my shoulders. I couldn’t move away from this. I didn’t want him touching me, what about that didn’t he get? He looked at me intently.
Hunting Jessica Page 12