Of Humans and Monsters

by Candace Blevins

  Once everyone was out, Ryan just looked at me. His cold, dead eyes scared the bejeebers out of me, which made me want to make a joke. All the jokes I thought of would probably come off as being smart-assed, so I kept my mouth shut. After a few minutes, I grew tired of waiting on him to start so I finally said, “They’re gone. You asked to talk... so talk.”

  “They can still hear us.”

  “I know.”

  “Did Bran tell you how we met?”

  “No.”

  “I was hired to kill a business associate of his. Once I’d made the kill, Bran made inquiries as to who I was.”

  “And his business associate was a supernatural?”

  “Vampire.”

  “So you specialize in killing vampires?”

  “I specialize in killing monsters.”

  “Define monster.”

  “Anything that isn’t human. The creatures from legends and mythologies.”

  “See, that’s where I’m not so sure. I mean, I’ve known some humans who were pretty horrible monsters, and I know some supernaturals who have good hearts. Their bodies may occasionally appear monstrous, but their hearts are good.”

  “My way is simpler.”

  “But it’s wrong.”

  “Two years ago I’d have thought you were delusional. Now...” He shrugged. “You might be right.”

  “Is that why you work for them now? The good vampires?”

  He didn’t say anything.

  “If the Celrau wanted to hire you, would you take the job?”

  “Depends on the job.”

  “Why’d you want to talk to me?”

  “How’d you end up so embroiled in supernatural politics?”

  I sighed. “It’s a long story. Basically, I met Aaron and things spiraled from there. One by one, I’ve become friends with a lot of the Alphas and leaders.”

  “And how did you gain your powers?”

  Damn, what was with that question? Everyone treated it like it was a simple answer, but it’d taken decades and I hadn’t been trying. I kept my voice even to answer though, and tried not to sound annoyed.

  “Years of spiritual seeking. It just kind of happened. I’ve recently started learning to control what I have better, but I wasn’t trying to gain metaphysical weapons when I first got them.”

  “Do you have a romantic relationship with Bran?”

  And Bran and Nathan thought he wouldn’t talk much? I didn’t comment on his being suddenly talkative, nor did I ask if who I dated was important. Ryan was trying to get a handle on the politics of the situation he’d walked into, so it was a semi-valid question.

  “No.”

  “Nathan?”

  “Look, I’ll make this easy for you. Abbott and I went out a few times but it didn’t work out. Alex and I are good friends, but that’s it. Aaron and I went out long ago, we’ve been friends ever since, and I consider Aaron and Sophia close friends. Nathan and I couldn’t be in the same room with each other without bitching at each other until recently, but we seem to be on our way to friends. Bran has let me know he may or may not have an interest in me, and Randall has kind of asked me out but I tactfully turned him down. I’m not dating or fucking anyone out there at the moment, nor am I considering it.”

  “There are rumors about you and Xaephan.”

  “What kind of rumors?” I worked to keep my body language from giving away my anxiety over the question, and to keep from sounding defensive.

  “Rumors that say you can call him up. Rumors that say he’s on your side.”

  How to tell him the truth without answering his question? I couldn’t take too much time to formulate my answer, so I told him, “I’m honestly not sure what the deal is with him. I’m told he’s fascinated with me and has kept the upper echelon from siding against us.” I didn’t mention whether I can call him or not. I hoped Ryan would take that to mean I can’t, but my gut told me he’d know it meant I can.

  “What about you and Mordecai?”

  “He’s been MIA for a while and I have no idea where he is. We got off to a bad start, but now he’s my teacher and I’m his student. Or, I was. I don’t know if he’s coming back or not.” I’d have been happier keeping the fact he’d taught me from Ryan, but I was assuming he already knew, since he was aware of so many other details about my life.

  “Bad start?”

  “Yeah, he sent some people to collect me, and I didn’t know who they were or what their intentions were, so I killed them.”

  That got his attention. He’d be great at poker so he didn’t show it much, but I noted a subtle change in his expression when he realized what it meant that I’d killed two of Mordecai’s people. I also noted this was information he hadn’t already known.

  “You killed them with help?”

  “No, they came to my office after I’d let my receptionist go home for the day. They basically told me I was coming with them, that their boss wanted to see me, and I had no choice in the matter. I knew they were supernaturals and I’d lose a fair fight with them, so... I killed them.”

  “I was told that you killing Surtr was a fluke, but if you killed two of Mordecai’s men — it doesn’t sound like a fluke.”

  “You know a lot about the supernaturals.”

  “It’s my job to know. Tell me about this human you seem intent on protecting since I wasn’t paid to do so.”

  Yeah, Ryan was pretty damned smart. I shook my head, but didn’t argue the fact I intended to protect Josh if Ryan wouldn’t.

  “It seems he’s my long-lost cousin.”

  His raised eyebrows clearly asked me to explain, so I did. I assumed Bran had already told him and Ryan merely wanted to hear it from me too, but he gave zero feedback while I told the story. When I finished, he only said, “I think we should move your cousin somewhere else. The Celrau could attack here just because it’s known to them, and then we wouldn’t know if they tracked him here or if they just happened to attack here. I’ve rented an easily defendable cabin we can transfer to. What’s the deal with your dog?”

  Smokey had moved to my left and his head was touching my side. I patted his head as I told Ryan, “Smokey’s protective of me and my family, but he’s not an attack dog. He’s good at warning us about danger though, and he’ll bodily get between me and whatever he perceives to be a threat.” Though I noted he wasn’t standing between Ryan and me anymore.

  Ryan walked to the door, but turned to face me before he opened it. “Since your room is near Nathan’s, if the two of you can gather your things and return to the main room? I’ll put together a travel plan while you’re gone.”

  Chapter 8

  An hour later we were in a large cabin designed to sleep fourteen adults and a half-dozen kids.

  Ryan looked completely different. His change was more than the hip-hop clothes he now wore — his face looked different, as if it had a different bone structure.

  Nathan and I were sitting in the game room with Josh when my burner phone rang. My regular phone was turned off and in a cell-signal-blocking box. As far as I knew, only Bran, Nathan, Ryan, Chance in the Drake Security control room, and Lauren had the number.

  “Abbott called here when he couldn’t reach you,” Chance told me. “Mordecai’s back in town, and he and Abbott will come to you after dark. Bran’s arranged it and given them instructions.”

  I thanked him for the heads up, disconnected, closed the phone, and leaned forward — hands on face and elbows on knees.

  I was relieved Mordecai was back, but stressed over Abbott coming. The ancient vampire still got pissy with me occasionally. He hadn’t had much experience being dumped, and while he was pretending to deal with it okay — he wasn’t actually handling it well.

  Nathan walked to me and his warm hand landed on my back, stroked up to my shoulders, and his fingers poked and prodded at the tension in my neck muscles.

  “You’re safe here. Is something else bothering you?”

  “The supernatural politics w
e’re about to encounter aren’t going to be pretty.”

  He walked to the door of the room we were in and closed it, which shut Smokey away from me since he was guarding me from just outside the door. I heard Nathan walk to the other side of the room, but I didn’t look to see what he was doing. It sounded like he was taking his clothes off, but I didn’t look to see.

  And then a huge lion came padding towards us. Josh inhaled in short bursts, so freaked he froze and couldn’t move.

  “Josh, it’s okay. He won’t hurt you.”

  “Why’d he change?”

  I sighed as the huge lion head came up beside me and gently nudged my arm. I stroked the side of his face. “When he’s in animal form, I’m better about letting him comfort me.”

  The lion nuzzled my cheek and we touched foreheads a second. Nathan put his face back in my hand, and I rubbed and stroked him some more.

  I looked up to see Josh giving me a totally blank look. Finally, he said, “That’s screwed up.”

  “He won’t hurt me in either form.” I shrugged. “We’re colleagues, we aren’t romantic. This simplifies things.” I put the rest together in my head. We can touch without it being sexual this way.

  I slid to the floor and Nathan dropped down so I could lean against him.

  A few short moments later, I felt much better. There’s nothing like having a humongous lion at your side to make you feel as if nothing can hurt you — but it was more than that. I was centered, focused.

  I looked at Josh again, met his gaze, and hoped he could see he should listen carefully and take me seriously. “I know we said you can leave anytime you want, but I don’t think they’ll keep the offer open for long. You probably need to decide before tomorrow evening if you’re going to come to our side or go back to the vampires.”

  “What’s with the rapper?”

  “Annoying, isn’t he? I can’t explain him. Sorry.”

  Bran knocked and walked in, talking as he did, “Abbott’s on his way. He thinks he can sense whether the Celrau have done something to Josh to create a metaphysical connection.”

  I could see him taking in the fact that Nathan was in lion form and I was sitting on the floor leaning against him.

  “Looks like we’re down to yes-or-no questions.” He shook his head and sat in the chair I’d been in earlier. “If they had some electronic means of finding him, could your people find it?” he asked Nathan.

  “Ryan swept for that already,” I told Bran. “He didn’t find anything.”

  “I thought Drake might have other methods of searching.”

  Nathan didn’t respond, and Bran said. “I’ll take that as a no.” He me my gaze. “Abbott will be here soon. Probably less than five minutes. He’s flying.”

  When Bran was gone, I sat up and looked at the lion. “You should change back.”

  He put his head on his paws.

  “Okay, but I’m not going to be sitting on the floor when Abbott gets here. I’m moving up to the chair.”

  I pushed his head out of my way as I got up, and a rumble rose deep from his chest as he rested his head back on his paws.

  “Who’s Abbott?” Josh asked. “Some kind of bird shifter, since he’s flying?”

  I hadn’t been able to tell him about the Concilio, but I didn’t trust the binding to always be right and I wasn’t sure I should tell him what Abbott was.

  “Not my secret to tell, but he’s one of the good guys, which means he’s probably someone the Celrau hate. Abbott has money and power, but I haven’t seen him abuse either one. The people he holds power over respect and admire him, and many of them seem to love him. They’re quite defensive of him, and you only get that kind of loyalty by treating the people under you with respect, and by taking care of them.”

  “And why don’t you want to be laying all over the lion when he gets here?”

  I sighed. “That isn’t important.”

  Nathan rumbled again and I playfully kicked at him as Abbott and Mordecai walked in. I’d forgotten how fucking big Mordecai is, and how his presence fills the room. Not just his physical body, but his energy. His aura. His power.

  “Yes, I see the resemblance,” Mordecai said to Josh. “With your permission, I’d like a little of your blood.” He looked at me and added, “Both of you — so I can see if a side-by-side comparison helps me find something I missed by just smelling yours.”

  Josh looked at me with a look that plainly wanted to know if Mordecai was serious.

  “I’m well, Mordecai, and how’ve you been?”

  He lifted an eyebrow, his expression clearly not amused, and I sighed. “Let’s talk a little first before we start asking for blood, okay?”

  Josh stood so fast he knocked his chair back, the look on his face stricken, “Mordecai? Did you say Mordecai?”

  I furrowed my brow at him, trying to figure out what might be wrong. “What did they tell you about Mordecai?”

  “That...that he used to be a god, but he got kicked out.”

  When no one spoke, I figured it was up to me. “I’m not sure exactly what he used to be, but the theory that he was once a god seems to be pretty widespread.” I glanced at Mordecai and he didn’t look like he wanted me to stop, so I continued. “The theory goes that when Christianity took hold and people stopped worshiping the old gods, they lost their power. Without the energy of people worshiping them, they no longer had the...” I wasn’t sure how to keep explaining, so I finished with, “I have no idea whether the theory’s true or not, but he’s still pretty fucking powerful.”

  Josh crossed his arms, uncrossed them, ran a hand through his hair, and crossed them back. “I don’t know what — or who — to believe.”

  I stood. “Let’s start with actual introductions,” I glared at Mordecai, “like civilized beings. Josh, I’d like you to meet Abbott and Mordecai. Abbott and Mordecai, this is Josh, who’s apparently my long-lost cousin.”

  Abbott walked to me, and I sat back down in hopes it would keep him from hugging me. He stopped a foot away and asked, “Are you okay?”

  “Do I smell like I’m not okay?”

  “You smell tired and a bit defeated. Not at all like you usually smell.”

  “It’s been a rough couple of days.” I needed to get us talking about something else. “Bran said you might be able to sense whether the Celrau have somehow bound Josh to them metaphysically?”

  “I’ll have to probe around in his head to do it, and Bran would prefer I do it with his permission.”

  I looked at Josh. “Your call. If you want to know if they’ve got a hold on you somehow then Abbott can probably tell you.”

  Josh looked at Abbott. “You came after dark. Are you a vampire?”

  “I am, but not the same kind you’ve been with. I don’t need to kill to feed.”

  “So you’re a good guy?”

  “Some will agree with that statement. Others will not.”

  I worried Abbott’s non-answer would worsen Josh’s apprehensions, but it seemed to comfort him. He took a deep breath and uncrossed his arms as he let it out.

  “Can Kirsten hold my hand while you do it?”

  “It won’t hinder my task, but you’ll have to ask her if she’ll hold your hand.”

  Josh looked to me a second, then back to Abbott with a small head shake. “I’ll be okay. What do you need to do?”

  “I’ll hold your hand, Josh.” I told him.

  “I know, and thanks for offering but I’m okay. It’s nice knowing you’d do it though.”

  Everyone was silent while Abbott did his thing, but it took a lot longer than I expected. A full ten minutes later, Abbott stepped back and said, “I don’t sense any long-distance connections. That doesn’t mean they aren’t there, but if they are I can’t sense them. But,” he shook his head, “they really did a number on you, my boy. There are all kinds of holes in your memory. It’ll take you a long time to heal what they’ve done to you.”

  I gave Josh bonus points for trying to stay
composed, but I could easily see he was scared as he asked, “What do you mean?”

  “Did you lose time when you were with them? Suddenly be sitting somewhere when the last thing you remembered you were somewhere else? Or, perhaps you were driving to the store at noon and the next thing you know it’s eight o’clock in the evening and you’re back with them and have no idea what happened during the last eight hours?”

  Josh nodded, his eyes big. He’d avoided the question when I asked, and I was glad he was willing to confront the reality of what they’d done to his mind.

  “They erased your memories of those times. Or perhaps they blocked you from remembering things in the first place so there’d be no need to remove it later.”

  “You can protect me from them?”

  I realized he was looking at me. Shit.

  “I’m okay against one or two Celrau, but I’ll need help against a bunch of them. You know my friends have said they’ll work to keep you safe, but you’ll have to make a decision. It’s hard for us to protect you when we’re trying to give you the option of going back. You don’t have to decide right this minute, but it’ll need to be soon.”

  He looked around the room and back to me. “You trust them enough to let them stay in the room while you sleep?”

  “The ones here right now — yes. I trust them to have my back.”

  “I don’t know if I can get any sleep, but I’m really tired and I’d like to try.”

  The room we were in had two queen beds with a small partition between. The plan was for Josh to sleep in one and me to sleep in the other.

  “Okay,” I told him. “I’m going to step out and talk to the others. I’m not ready for bed yet, but I’ll be back when I am.”

  Chapter 9

  When I awakened the next morning, the sun was streaming in the window and Josh wasn’t in his bed. I’d sat up and talked to the guys for several hours the night before, and the lack of sleep was catching up with me. It felt good to stretch and take my time waking, and I thought back to the evening before.

  I’d hoped to hear where Mordecai had been or possibly what he’d found out, but he didn’t offer any information and I didn’t ask in a room full of people. I kept a close eye on Ryan, and I noted him paying as much attention to our conversation as he did our surroundings. Everyone mostly cut up and hung out, but I figured Ryan picked up a few interesting tidbits he’d add to whatever he already knew.