Of Humans and Monsters

by Candace Blevins

  Nathan was back in human form this morning, sitting in a straight-backed chair, and I grinned at him as I finally sat up in bed. “Watching over me while I sleep in case a portal to Hell opens? Thanks.”

  He didn’t grin back, just looked at me. Great, moody Nathan was here today. I had my incredibly unsexy flannel pajamas on, so I got up and padded into the kitchen in my bare feet, looking to see where everyone was. They were in the living room, and Josh was showing them his Jedi-looking light-weapon. Mordecai was asking questions, and Josh was answering them. I slowly pulled more energy into myself while I watched.

  When Josh saw me, he grinned. “I’ll show you mine if you’ll show me yours?”

  I held my hand out and quickly manifested a sword about six inches longer than Josh’s weapon.

  “I have no idea how you’re doing it without a handle.”

  I was considering how to answer without explaining and without appearing rude, when he asked, “Do you want to see what happens when they hit each other?”

  I shrugged. “Sure.”

  I walked to him and held my sword up, assuming nothing would happen. He gently touched his light-weapon to my light-sword, and my heart stalled as a force knocked me backwards and through the air. It was as if a wall of energy pushed me back — like a wall of water, or a wall of anything — but there was nothing there.

  Josh was thrown back as well, and while I managed to levitate myself so I didn’t crash land, Josh wasn’t so lucky. By the time he landed, he’d lost concentration on his weapon and it was no longer manifested. Mine was still in my hand, and I was standing and not sprawled on the ground, which seemed to impress him all over again.

  Once he’d gotten his breath, he sat up but didn’t attempt to stand. “Did you know it would do that?”

  I shook my head and looked at Mordecai. “Did you?”

  “I had a good idea but didn’t know for sure.”

  “I’m guessing if we’d clashed them together hard, the push backwards would’ve been that much more intense, right?”

  “Most likely, which is why it isn’t generally a good idea to fight with like energy weapons. They often either attract or repel, as one would expect of a magnet.”

  A magnet — that’s what it’d felt like.

  Josh wavered a little and scooted sideways to lean against the wall, but I kept my focus on Mordecai. If the supernaturals smelled damage they’d have said something, so I was assuming Josh was just dazed.

  “Does it mean anything that our weapons didn’t attract? That they repelled each other?”

  “I don’t know.” Mordecai answered.

  “You don’t know?” My legs were still shaky from the impact and shock of being knocked back, but it felt important to stand and not show weakness.

  “I told you before — I’ve known people who could wield such weapons, but I don’t have personal experience with them. There’s much about them I do not know.”

  I absorbed my sword back into myself and sat on one of the sofas. I tried to make it look casual, as if I were merely sitting because most everyone else was. “With magnets, like repels and opposites attract. But usually with metaphysical stuff like attracts like, so.... I don’t know if we make anything of that or not.”

  No one said anything for a few minutes and I asked, “Any activity last night?”

  Nathan answered, his voice still obviously grumpy. “Nothing. At least, nothing we’ve heard about.”

  “I’d like to go home tonight.”

  “No,” said Ryan.

  I hadn’t even seen him in the room. He was plainly visible once he drew attention to his presence, he’d just managed to make himself inconspicuous. He was dressed normally this morning, and he answered my question before I asked it. “Joshua told us he won’t return to the Celrau. Nathan made it clear the penalty for telling our secrets to the Celrau would be death. He understands.”

  I looked at Josh and he smiled shyly. “Just a gut feeling. I mean, you’re all scary, but I think you’re the good guys. The others were scary in a different way.”

  “I’m glad you’ll be staying with us.” I shifted my gaze back to Ryan and asked, “Do you have food here? Should I just find something to cook, or are there plans for breakfast?”

  He grimaced. “I hadn’t planned to invite a horde of shapeshifters. Nathan called someone to make a food run — he should be here soon with groceries.”

  “Why’d you rent this huge cabin if you weren’t planning to bring everyone back here?”

  “It was a just-in-case thing, so I put enough supplies in for two people to eat a few times. Based on what Bran told me, I thought it might come in handy but it was still a Plan C at the time, so there was no need to fully stock the kitchen.”

  “So, Nathan hasn’t had anything to eat since shifting back to human?”

  They all nodded.

  Damn, that’d be why he was so grumpy and quiet — he was trying not to eat us.

  “Anything I can do to help?” I asked Nathan.

  “Don’t annoy me, and don’t do anything to make either of us hungry.”

  Either of us meaning him or the lion.

  “Considering I’m, well... food, that’ll be hard to do.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Wait,” said Josh, “are you saying he’s not in control?”

  “You already know shifters need to eat after they change.” He’d learned that on the island. “Nathan’s shifted twice, from human to lion and then back to human, and hasn’t had anything to eat since sometime yesterday. He’s strong and he’s always in control.” I shrugged and met Nathan’s gaze. “I’ve seen him in worse shape, but it’ll be good if we’re nice to him — not because I worry he’ll eat us, but because I know he’s hurting and I hate he’s doing it because of us.”

  Nathan walked out the front door without comment, and I worried he was in worse shape than I’d thought until I heard a car coming up the drive.

  “My guess is he recognizes the car and is going to get whatever food they brought.” I told Josh. “Or, he doesn’t recognize the car and he’s investigating.” I looked at Ryan and asked, “Did they tell you I’m a vegetarian?”

  He smiled. The first smile I’d seen from him — I was beginning to wonder if his face was capable of expressing emotion or feelings.

  “I’m glad you think I’m amusing, why are you smiling?”

  “I’m sure the monsters must love that.”

  I rolled my eyes. “My supernatural friends tell me it makes me smell more like food than the average human. Most of their natural prey are vegetarian, so it makes sense.” I looked around the room and realized Bran was missing. “Where’s Bran?”

  “Still asleep. He was up until dawn.”

  Right. It was too easy to forget he’s a vampire sometimes. Abbott is ruled by the sun, but Bran can choose his sleep schedule, and can even go out during the day when it’s overcast. Most vampires won’t sleep in a building full of humans and shifters they don’t control, but he’d brought in someone he trusted enough to keep him safe. I’d met Marco the evening before and hadn’t been able to get a handle on what he might be. He didn’t feel like shifter, and obviously wasn’t a vampire if he was staying up to guard one.

  “Did you sleep?” I asked Ryan.

  “I don’t need much sleep. I may nap today, but I’ll be up at night while I’m responsible for your safety.”

  I filed away the fact he doesn’t need much sleep and can apparently get away with a short nap every twenty-four hours. If he were ever my enemy, it’d be important info.

  An hour and a half later we’d all eaten and Nathan was in a better mood. I’d asked him why he didn’t just drive to Hardee’s or something, and he said he didn’t want to leave me unguarded. I rolled my eyes at him, but deep down I was flattered. He’d shifted twice and hadn’t eaten in at least twelve hours, but wouldn’t leave me when I was asleep and defenseless.

  We finished eating and I was telling Josh about our grandpare
nts when Bran came out of one of the bedrooms.

  “Did you get something to eat? Or, well, drink?” I asked.

  “I’m fine.”

  I started to point out he hadn’t answered my question, but decided to take his word for it. He’d given me his blood in the past to heal me, so if he was hungry I’d feel obligated, but I really didn’t want to be bitten by a vampire.

  “How seriously are we taking Aquila’s threat? We aren’t giving Josh back, so I guess the ball’s in his court?”

  “Quite seriously,” said Bran. “Ryan’s on it.”

  “What’s the plan for the day?” I asked Ryan, “I’d like to spend some time with Lauren when she gets out of school.”

  “Alex and Cora took her to school, and will pick her up and bring her here,” said Bran. I was good with that, both were skilled at making sure they weren’t followed, and Cora would defend Lauren at all costs.

  “What have you told my parents?”

  “Your parents,” said Bran, “have been told there’s another threat against you and you’re being protected. Kendra suggested to your mother that this way is better than calling the police.”

  “Wait. Kendra used the vampire mind control thing on my mother?”

  “Yes, and there was no time to talk to you about it first.”

  I wanted to be pissed, but I know my mom. If she’d set her mind on calling the police, Kendra likely didn’t have a choice.

  I sighed. “Yeah. Okay.” I looked to Ryan. “Is Lauren safer with us or with my parents?”

  “We’ve worked out how to get her to school safely and watch out for her while she’s there. She’s safer with your parents at night, but Bran says you’ll be happier if we bring her here after school, and we believe we’ve mitigated the danger enough to bring her for a few hours.”

  I smiled at Bran, thankful he was looking out for the mom in me, and he nodded in acknowledgement. “Cora will stop by your house to get bathing suits before she and Alex pick Lauren up from school. There’s a pool in a glass building out back, so the two of you can spend the afternoon together in the sun.”

  Chapter 10

  Later that evening we were all sitting around eating, worn out from swimming and playing. I sometimes use heavy stage makeup on my wrist to hide the demon marks, but that doesn’t work when swimming. I’d been wearing a lightweight neoprene wrist brace an awful lot to hide them, and I was still wearing it because it would’ve looked odd to have it on to swim and then suddenly be okay to eat.

  Randall had arrived with more wolves to watch the perimeter, and he’d played in the pool with us as well. At one point, we’d had a girls versus boys volleyball game, but the men had slaughtered us. Lauren’s pretty good, but I suck at volleyball and Cora was our only supernatural, while Nathan, Randall, and Patrick had been on the other team. We’d still had fun playing though, and I couldn’t remember when I’d laughed so hard.

  Nathan was in a much better mood with food in him. He sat beside me to eat, but he didn’t join the conversation. Ryan stood at the door and observed — he seemed to take in every nuance and it gave me the creeps.

  The plan was to take Lauren and Smokey to my parents’ house before discussing a game plan for the coming days. If there were an imminent threat, I assumed we’d have already discussed strategy and assignments, but I realized it was likely they already had and I wasn’t part of it.

  Bran had called someone from his household to come earlier, and introduced the large man as Fluffy, his chef. Why would a vampire need to keep a chef on staff? To be sure the vampire’s food is well fed, of course.

  Fluffy was brought in to prepare meals and clean up afterward, but I also got a shifter vibe from him, so he could probably help defend us in a pinch, too.

  I offered to help him clean, but Ryan stepped into the room and said, “I need a word with you and Lauren.”

  We followed Ryan into my room, and he closed the door behind us. Seemed silly, since the supernaturals would be able to hear, but maybe he wanted to discuss something without Josh knowing?

  “I wanted to touch base and make sure I know everything I should.” He looked at Lauren. “No sneaking out to meet with friends, no telling your boyfriend details of where your mom is. Be aware of strangers at school, and use your panic button if you think there’s a problem. One push if you just need someone to check the situation out, two if you need an extraction.”

  I’d already explained to Lauren that Ryan was in charge of security instead of Nathan, but I guess Ryan wanted to be sure she understood.

  Lauren looked at me. “If I touch him, what will I feel?”

  I didn’t want him knowing Lauren could sense supernaturals, but I didn’t see a way around it. I tried to answer as if it were no big deal. “I have no idea, but from what I’ve been told, you shouldn’t feel anything funny.”

  “Can I touch you?” she asked Ryan.

  He looked at me with raised brows, and I shrugged as I told him, “When she touched Cora she sensed teeth and dog, when she touched Abbott she sensed teeth and eyes and said he was a scary monster, when she touched Nathan she said he felt like a cat.”

  “I’d assumed she wasn’t...” He shook his head. “I must’ve assumed wrong. Was her father Chinese?”

  I shrugged. “I have no idea. I never saw his face.”

  He tried to keep his expression composed, but his poker face was gone. I’d managed to get through his face of stone. Ha!!

  Lauren lost it and started giggling beside me, and I took mercy on him. Lauren isn’t comfortable with me telling people the specifics of her adoption, but she’s okay with me explaining the basics as long as the person asking isn’t being an ass. “Both of her biological parents are likely Chinese. She was adopted from China and we have no information on her birth family.”

  “This is coincidence?”

  “I don’t think so, but can we discuss philosophy later? My daughter asked if she can touch you.”

  He looked at her, considered the request, and finally held his hand out to her.

  She rested her hand on top of his for a good ten seconds before she shuddered and slowly pulled it away.

  She gave me a guarded look, and I glanced at Ryan before looking back to Lauren. “Let me guess — he isn’t a very nice person?”

  She didn’t do anything to confirm or contradict my assumption, and I sighed as I explained, “Usually, we’re fortunate that the people who guard us are also our friends. Ryan’s been brought in because he knows how to keep us safe from the specific threat I’m under. We can trust him now, but if we see him a year from now — maybe we can’t trust him. It’ll depend on who’s paying him.”

  “Your mom’s right. I’m not a good person, but she’s also right about it being my job to keep you safe, so it’s important you do as I say if something happens.”

  While Ryan appeared to be talkative, I asked, “Do you and Tyler know each other?” Nathan had asked him to bring the groceries earlier, and he was still here.

  “Why do you ask?”

  “Just the way the two of you conversed. I got the impression you’ve worked together before.” And Tyler used to be CIA, but I kept that part in my head.

  “How well do you know Tyler?”

  Ah, perhaps I was in the right ballpark. “I have a good idea of what Tyler used to do. He and I are friends outside of work. I’ve spent a decent amount of time with him and his wife.”

  He looked at Lauren. “Your mom and I are going downstairs to talk. We’ll leave Smokey with you and I’ll send your mom back to you soon.”

  She clearly didn’t want me to leave, so I told her, “I’ll be fine. He’s being paid to keep me safe. He won’t hurt me.”

  She nodded, and I followed Ryan downstairs to the cabin’s game room. He turned the television on, cranked a radio, and motioned me into the bathroom, where he turned the water on in the sink and shower before asking, “How much do you know about the vampire and shifter’s second nature?”

&nb
sp; “What do you mean?” He’d spoken softly, so I did as well.

  “You realized what was up with Nathan so you understand some of it, but I get the idea you think a vampire’s just a human who drinks blood, and a werewolf is just a human who can change form.”

  “Not exactly, but I try to see them as humans as well as their second nature. Nathan’s both human and lion, and sometimes I’ve found it necessary to speak to both.”

  “There’s a helluva lot more to it for all of them,” he said with a small shake of his head. “A vampire’s bloodlust can take control and completely override their human nature. I doubt you’ll ever meet a Lugat or Strigorii vampire who’s less than two or three years old, because they haven’t learned to control their bloodlust yet and are rarely allowed in public. I personally don’t consider a vampire to be safe until they’re at least a couple of decades old. However, even the old ones can lose control if they allow themselves to get hungry or terribly angry. Most of the truly powerful — the ones you seem to be friends with — can stop themselves before they kill, but it isn’t unusual for them to take enough so their victim needs a blood transfusion to live.”

  I measured my words, careful to say what I was thinking without provoking him. He was being nice and I didn’t want to slam him for it. “I think you’re trying to give me well-intentioned advice, and I appreciate it. I know they can kill me, but I can kill them too. We’re all choosing not to hurt each other. If I wanted them dead, I could easily manage it, just as I’m pretty sure I’d be toast if they wanted me out of the picture.” I shrugged. “The same could be said of any human with a gun though. Easy enough to hide in the woods across the street from my house and get me as I step onto my front porch.”

  “I don’t have this conversation very often,” he said, his eyes not as cold as before but still not exactly warm, “but human to human, I want you to understand they have to fight their basic nature to be around us. It isn’t just making a choice not to hurt us — they must fight their animal or deny their bloodlust every waking moment.”