Things That Go Bump At Night Part 25

The third guy, Jason, probably in his mid-twenties, was impressive. He was tall and slender, shaped similar to Jake without the impressive muscles well, without muscles as impressive as Jake's, but he certainly had some- I a.s.sumed he was built for speed. His black hair was short and spiked in the front. His strong jaw was covered in a five o'clock shadow and his eyes nearly as dark as his hair- watched Jake and I curiously.

It made me wonder how, exactly, we looked to people. We were clearly attached at the hip, but I wondered what else others saw.

We learned that Mr. Wagner had called Mick's team for a.s.sistance but as they were hunting in town, they didn't make it until after Jake and I had shown up- I could tell Jake was upset over the fact that his father hadn't called him for backup. I knew Mr. Wagner had taken a card from Jake's deck, he'd thought to keep his son safe and tucked away at the Halloween party. Little did he know we'd be attacked there as well. Jake muttered something about him knowing if he'd answered his phone.

"They were pus.h.i.+ng through the protections." Jake explained, taking up a stance behind and around me where I sat at the island. I could feel his chest b.u.mp my shoulder as he spoke.

"I think they figured out the rain had weakened our lines here and we hadn't gotten reinforcements up yet, we'd been so busy getting them up around town." Mr. Wagner sounded as if he blamed himself.

"Why are we not talking about this girl here?" Mick said, nodding his head in my direction. He stood in a defensive stance, his feet placed apart, his arms crossed over his chest. He stood near his team, most of who were seated at the kitchen table. Except for Jason, who stood doing Jake's leaning thing against the back door. He c.o.c.ked his head curiously as he watched Jake lean into my ear.

"Don't say a word. Let dad do the talking." Jake whispered. I nodded. I wasn't sure what I'd say anyway.

"We don't know what there is to talk about yet." Mr. Wagner said vaguely.

"Oh, come on now. Don't bulls.h.i.+t a bulls.h.i.+ter. You came to me a month or so ago asking questions about the one. Is she the reason?"

She had a name. I thought sarcastically.

Mr. Wagner sighed.

"We don't know what we're dealing with here, and until we do, we'd appreciate it if this stayed between us."

Mick frowned.

"The home office would know what to do. Why haven't you contacted them?"

"No." Mr. Wagner shook his head. "We can't do that yet. If they come for her, I lose two of my team."

"Two?"

Mr. Wagner turned his head to look over his shoulder, though he didn't look directly at Jake and I his motion made his meaning clear. Jake scowled and leaned protectively against me when every pair of eyes zeroed in on us.

"Besides, Remi's a minor. If the home office were to take her, the school would investigate her absence, their investigation would lead them pretty quickly to Jake and that in turn would lead them to us. We don't need that kind of attention." Again.

"How long have you known about her? Like I said, you were asking questions over a month ago."

"I had my suspicions then, but what you saw tonight, that's a recent development."

Mick scratched his head and heaved a hefty sigh.

"I can't say that I agree with what you're doing David, but, you're the only person I trust, so if you say you need time, then alright, you've got it. My team won't call it in."

I felt Jake relax next to me.

"Thank you Mick." Mr. Wagner said, his voice was as relieved as Jake felt.

"Have you had this many problems with the demons since she came?"

"Since Remi came?" Jake asked, obviously just as offended by my being referred to as she and her as I was. Mr. Wagner shot him a look, but said nothing and Mick only nodded.

"Yes and no." Mr. Wagner responded, Jake had apparently said what he needed to. "We've had a slow month, just as you've had. But the hunt that day you and I scouted those nests in my back yard was big. Bigger than any attack we've ever dealt with. They seem to be coordinating attacks, something we weren't even aware they could do."

Mick shook his head.

"This is why I think you should contact the home office. This is big, if the demons keep congregating in your back yard, breaking through your protections just to get to...Remi" Mick's eyes flicked to Jake momentarily before he resumed speaking and I hid my smile. "You're always going to be in constant danger, always going to be battling in your back yard, what good is that doing anyone else?"

"It does a lot of good." I was shocked when Ana stepped forward. "If they congregate in our backyard then they're out of Webber. Town's never been safer."

She wasn't wrong. As much as I hated to think of stepping outside every night to shoot from our back porch. Home was supposed to be safe so I have heard.

"Eventually," Jason said in a low tone, drawing everyone's attention. He was still leaning against the back door and I wish he wouldn't, that was Jake's thing. "They're going to get hungry while they're waiting in your back yard to get their hands on her." Here we go again, back to being her or she. I narrowed my eyes at Jason, but I was pretty sure he didn't care. "They'll fall on the town like never before just to get their strength back up only to come out here and wait for you again." His eyes bore into mine at that last, I leaned back into Jake uncomfortable with the way he was looking at me.

Mr. Wagner shook his head.

"We keep the protections up and you continue to hunt in town, like always. Nothing changes."

"Everything's changed." Miss Pixie scoffed.

"You know what?" I finally stood from my stool and stepped forward. Jake grabbed my hand, but didn't stop me. "You can stand around here and talk about me like I'm just a thing. It's so easy to do when it doesn't affect you personally. But I am a person, I'm a teammate, and believe it or not I have an opinion. This is my life you're talking about here, and if it's all the same to you, I'd like it to remain mine. So, when I'm ready for," And then I said it, it sounded foreign on my tongue, but I needed to show that this team was united. All of us. "David to call the home office, then he'll call the home office. But until then, I'm not ready to quit school and possibly s.h.i.+p myself off to location after location for the rest of my life because certain teams can't get a handle on their demons."

Jake stepped up next to me.

"Since it's Remi's life we're talking about here, I think she should be the one to decide who to call and when. And only her."

"You think so?" Miss Pixie asked, sweet as pie. "Well I don't think that something that affects all of us should be left up to a teenager with a crush that she's obviously going to put first."

"How does this affect you?" Jake asked her. Pixie eyed him up and down, slowly and deliberately. I knew it was meant to make him uncomfortable, but Jake simply raised that one awesome eyebrow and waited her out. She eventually looked away, poor little fairy, she obviously didn't know Jake very well.

"Alright." Mick said, finally stepping in. "We'll let you take the lead on this David, but you know we can't keep this a secret forever, so you better figure out whatever it is you need to figure out."

Mr. Wagner yes, I was back to that- nodded. Mick rounded up his crew. The sun would be rising soon and we all needed to get some rest. On their way out Jason stopped in front of me, stared at me for a time.

"I'm Jason, by the way." He finally said and held his hand out. I looked at it, debated whether to shake it or not, but Jake beat me to it. He gave Jason's hand a single pump and dropped it.

"Glad we all know each other now." Jake said. Jason chuckled and threw me a smile that was clearly meant to be private, yet not.

"Be seeing you." He said and followed his team out.

I took a deep breath and looked up at Jake.

"Wow. That is a...confident group of people." I muttered almost breathlessly.

"Bunch of a.s.sholes." Jake muttered, watching Jason's back until he couldn't see him anymore. "They've been doing this so long they think they're pretty hot s.h.i.+t. Mick's been the team leader of the only team here for nearly fifteen years, we show up a year ago and they think we're rookies."

"Well, technically, I am a rookie." I reminded him. He looked down at me and smiled.

"Bet you're still a better shot than any one of them."

I pretended to smile shyly.

"You're just saying that 'cause you like me."

"And I'm really trying to get into your pants."

"These aren't my pants." I teased. Jake's eyes widened in mock horror.

"Then we should get them off you, ASAP."

I squealed in delight as Jake chased me from the kitchen up the stairs, ignoring everyone else around us. I really loved that no matter what our day was like, or how many injuries we suffered, or the conflict currently going on around us, Jake always wanted to finish the day out with me. Being with me was the last thing he thought of every day.

And being with him was how I wanted to finish all my days.

14.

I stuck my ear buds in my ears and set my treadmill to walk. It was early the next morning, Ana and Ryan were working out with me, everyone was tired and in fairly testy moods. Plus it was cold, the cool crispness of October fall was quickly turning into a bitter cold November. Gone were the workout shorts and sports bras. Now we all sported gym pants and long sleeves tees. The cold didn't help the gloomy mood any.

I watched as Jake walked into the shed. He was not dressed to work out today due to his injury. He had on cargo pants and a hooded sweats.h.i.+rt over a t-s.h.i.+rt. He walked a bit stiffly and I knew his side was bothering him. Halfway across the barn he stopped and watched me. Just stared. I pulled the buds from my ears, letting them hang around my neck and shot him a questioning smile, he continued walking to me and joined me on the treadmill at a slow leisurely walk behind me; his hands came around to grip the handlebars on each side of me, essentially trapping me in. I liked it.

"Are you okay?" I asked quietly. He leaned forward to kiss my neck, I angled my head to let him.

"No. I hate that you're going through this and there doesn't seem to be anything I can do about it."

"But you are. You're here with me." I replied, turning my head to him. He kissed my temple and breathed me in.

"Doesn't seem like enough."

"It is to me. It's far more than I've ever had before and way more than I could ever have hoped for." I shut down the machine and turned to face him. "You have done everything for me, Jake. I don't know where I would be right now if it weren't for you, and I hate that you feel so responsible to do even more."

He frowned.

"I will always do more where you're concerned. I will do everything." He reached out and touched my cheek.

Tell him, Remi. Tell him you love him, right now!

I opened my mouth to do so and wouldn't you know it, I was interrupted. A commotion at the door caught our attention.

"I want to know who the h.e.l.l called you!" Mr. Wagner shouted as he followed uh-oh- six men in suits and sungla.s.ses into the shed. Jake frowned and stepped from the treadmill, and stood between me and the newcomers.

"What's going on?" He asked. His father shot a look his way, and moved forward with the suits, going between them and his son. Funny how much we would all do to protect those we loved.

"Good Morning, boys and girls." The front gentleman called in an overly friendly voice. "I'm looking for a Miss Remi Dexter. Raise your hand."

No one moved a muscle and the man's covered gaze seemed to settle on Ana, who was closest to him. "Are you Miss Dexter?"

Ana lifted her chin in defiance.

"Who wants to know?"

I knew then, that despite how she felt about me, she'd always have my back. I was part of her team now, her family, and to h.e.l.l with anyone who was going to mess with it or me. One of the other suits leaned forward to whisper something in the first ones ear, who then smiled and continued to scan the barn. His gaze settled on me next.

"Ah, Miss Dexter."

Jake took several steps forward.

"Who the h.e.l.l are you?" He asked, his voice dripped with menace.

"Please, pardon my rudeness. I'm Evan Parker, director of the Portland Home Office. You must be Jake Wagner, you look like your father." Mr. Parker removed his sungla.s.ses as he spoke, his eyes were jovial and friendly. I distrusted him immediately.

"What do you want?" Jake asked.

Mr. Parker c.o.c.ked his head at Jake in a condescending way.

"Oh, come now, let's not play dumb. I'm here to speak with Miss Dexter."

"Then you're s.h.i.+t out of luck, there is no one here by that name." Jake said.

"So I'm going to have to ask you to leave my property." Mr. Wagner followed up. Mr. Parker turned to him with slight amus.e.m.e.nt.

"You're property, Mr. Wagner?"

"Yes. I purchased this land, I did not use Home Office funds, so you are technically trespa.s.sing right now."

Mr. Parker laughed lightly.

"Oh, David. You are in breach of your hunting contract, you failed to register a new hunter on your team by the name of Remi Dexter. I am within my rights to detain you, and given the new information that your unregistered new hunter has special gifts that should have been reported to the Home Office immediately, I am also within my rights to jail you and your entire team for as long as our justice system deems fit. Should a conviction be made I am also within my rights to confiscate any and all of your property."

Oh my G.o.d. They could throw Jake and his family- in jail well, demon hunter jail anyway? If all this man wanted to do was talk, then jail was so not worth keeping my secret for me.

"I'm Remi Dexter." I said, going forward.

"Remi!" Jake hissed, grabbing my arm as I stepped around him. I didn't fight him, I stopped when he stopped me.

Evan Parker turned to face me, the warm smile back on his face.

"Miss Dexter. This is truly a pleasure, I've not heard nearly enough about you."

"I've heard nothing about you." I retorted, blandly. I don't care how nice he appeared, if it smells like a snake, moves like a snake, talks like a snake...

"Well then, maybe we should get to know each other a little better, yes?" Mr. Parker glanced over his shoulder and three of the men behind him moved to separate me and Jake, they pushed me forward while pus.h.i.+ng Jake back, he shoved at them, a short scuffle ensued before his father barked at him to stop. Jake gave one of the suited men a final shove before relenting. I noticed now that they were armed, it made my heart flutter slightly. I did not believe for one second they were just here to "get to know me". I looked to Jake, he was frowning fiercely, that jaw of his working, but he made eye contact with me, gave me strength. I turned back to Evan Parker.

"Alright. Do you want to sit down, have a nice cup of coffee while we talk?" Part of me was sarcastic, the other part of me desperately wanted this to be over so they would leave again.