I heard a small ding and reached down to pull my bag up into my lap. I rummaged through it and then checked my mobile but saw nothing. My stomach flipped as I searched for my TAT, and keeping the device hidden to avoid any awkward questions, I lit the screen. An email with the subject, New Case. Something to keep me busy for a day or two over the holidays, and a chance to see Vaughn. I opened the email. This was big.
There is a case in Bridgendale which will start at the beginning of next week. You have been contacted as a potential agent for this case due to current circumstances and availability. Four agents are required for this case because of the seriousness of ongoing issues. Currently, I am unable to ascertain how long this case will proceed, and participating agents will report back to me directly, at specified times regarding the potential stay. The briefing and kit collection will occur at The Agency on Sunday evening at 6:00 p.m. If you are not able to go on this case, please contact me. If I hear nothing, I will assume you are willing and available. Sheila.
That was the first time I’d heard anything from The Agency since Greed was captured. I had never been on a case set with an indefinite date. I wondered how I would get around this with Barbara. And I assumed Delta was the third agent. But the fourth?
I closed the email and typed a message out to Vaughn. You get the email?
He messaged back minutes later.
Yeah I’m in. My dad and Luka too.
Luka was coming? He’d told me then that he didn’t hunt anymore, and when I learned why, I assumed he would never hunt again. Yet he’d been there that night at the mall and the night after the dance, too. Maybe he only needed some time out before returning to the field.
I was nervous and excited at the same time. I was signing up for something where I had no clue what to expect.
“Who’s that?” Becca prodded me with her foot and nodded to my bag.
I powered the TAT down and stashed it away.
“Vaughn.”
“Anything interesting?”
I glanced around. We weren’t alone, and as much as I didn’t think anyone would notice, I wasn’t about to risk it.
“Just talking about work.”
“Ah.” She nodded.
Becca had been my cover story for my first and second case. But that wasn’t an option now, because since breaking up with Jake, she had no reason to be away from St. Helen’s for any length of time, so I was on my own with this one.
“I just need to figure a few things out.”
Becca’s eyes widened, and she gave a subtle nod.
Going on cases had a lot of bonuses. Visiting different parts of the country, getting away from St. Helen’s and school, and of course, spending time with Vaughn, which was always the best part. I got to see him every day and we were within close confines.
I forced my eyes back to the soaps, but my mind was elsewhere. I couldn’t escape the feeling that something major was coming our way. Four Hunters on one case. And the name of the town rolled through my mind. Only a few more days until Sunday, and I needed to develop an airtight cover story before speaking to Barbara.
Chapter Eleven
It wasn’t until the next day that I actually got a chance to fill Becca in properly. We were sitting at breakfast, in a quiet dining hall when she asked about it.
“So, work. Spill.”
I set my coffee down. “I don’t know a lot. Just that it’s a case in Bridgendale and it requires four Hunters.”
“Bridgendale.” She frowned. “Isn’t that the place with all the disappearances?”
“That’s right.”
I don’t know how I hadn’t recalled before now. I had been watching the news reports only a short while ago.
“Do you think it’s anything to do with that?”
I shrugged. “Who knows? Honestly, that’s all I know about the case. I go on Sunday for the full briefing and to collect my kit. Case begins Monday.”
“And how long are you going for?”
“That’s the other thing I don’t know.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. The email said we should make regular reports to Sheila and the length of stay would be decided on a day-by-day basis.”
“You could be away for ages.”
“Or just a couple days.”
“You do realise that this makes it harder to organise with Barbara. I mean, what are you going to say to her? Hi, Barb, I’m going away for some time to this town, but I’m not sure how long I’ll be?”
She was right. It wasn’t going to sound good, and the likelihood was that my request would be turned down. She had no obligation to let me go anywhere without permission. And to disobey, well, we’d all seen Barbara’s wrath, and I wasn’t keen to get on her bad side. But I had to try.
“I’ll go talk to her after this. I’ll just tell her it’s with work. Surely she won’t turn me down on that basis?”
“You can’t exactly tell her what it’s doing though.”
“No. I’ll make something up about a conference or something. I’ll give a four-day window, and then I can ring up if I’m staying longer. She can’t exactly do anything while I’m out there.”
“No, but she can make your life hell when you come back.”
“I know.” I sighed. “I can’t tell her the truth, but Becca, this is what I do. I can’t just turn away from it either.”
“You could get a normal job. Like actually working in a bank. Or a shop. Ooh, imagine the discount!” Her eyes lit up.
“Becca, you know it’s not that simple.”
“Maybe you make things too complicated.”
“And maybe you assume this is easy for me. It’s not in the slightest. I do it because if I didn’t, I’d go crazy. Being around other people who get me and understand what I’m seeing, well, that’s important.”
“Your whole life doesn’t need to revolve around it though, Red.”
“It doesn’t.”
“Wanna bet?”
I bit my lip. Was she right? Was my whole life turning into a roundabout of Hunting, cases, and demons? No way. I hadn’t been on a case for ages, and right now it felt like my life was a triad of hanging out, TV, and pyjamas. I shook it off. She didn’t understand. Working at The Agency was the only thing that kept me sane.
I drained the last of my coffee. “I’m going to go and talk to Barbara.”
“Good luck.”
I stashed my plate in the wash pile, then left the dining room and stepped into the foyer. The TV was on in the common room and a couple girls lounged in there. I thought I saw Jennifer but couldn’t be sure.
I walked past the bottom of the stairs, to Barbara’s office, and knocked on the door. Her answer came a few moments later, and I entered the dim room. She sat behind her desk and wore a black shirt buttoned up to the neck.
“Ruby. What can I do for you?” She motioned to the seat in front of the desk.
I swallowed and cleared my throat, then dropped into the chair. “I have to ask you something.”
“Go ahead.” She set her pen down, clasped her hands together on top of the desk, and gazed at me, expectantly.
“I’ve been asked to go away with work. To a conference. On Monday.”
“A banking conference?”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
“For how many days?”
“Four.”
“So you come back Thursday?”
“Yeah.” I nodded.
“Are you attending alone?”
“I’m going with colleagues. It’s all paid for and above board.”
She eyed me, and I fidgeted in my seat.
“Okay. You can go. But only because it’s work-related, and I think employment is a firm foundation to begin your journey in this world.”
She wouldn’t be saying that if she knew what I was really doing.
I let out the breath I’d been holding.
“I want full details of your stay before you go. Accommodations and itinerary.”
“Okay.” I swallowed.
“Ruby, I appreciate that it’s the holidays, and I’m sure going to a conference will fill in some of your time, but I want to remind you that you’re still at school. You have a year left, and this is going to be a tough year. Applications for university are completed, and you should think about which is more important. Education or employment.”
“Okay, thank you.”
I stood up, ignoring the scrape of the chair against the floor, and strode to the door.
I wanted to get out of there before she changed her mind.
Chapter Twelve
When Sunday finally arrived, my nerves had grown tenfold. Tomorrow I would be embarking on a journey to a place I’d never been. I had no idea what we’d face or how long I’d be away from St. Helen’s. The only thing I did know was who I’d be spending my time with, and that alleviated some of the pressure. Any time that I got to spend with Vaughn was like being on cloud nine. I knew it was stupid because we were there to Hunt and I had no idea what I’d be looking for, but at least I would be with him. And knowing that Delta and Luka would be there, too, was a huge comfort.
I left St. Helen’s shortly after dinner and travelled the streets of Black Haven, towards The Agency. The evenings were light, for which I was thankful, and it was still warm. I wore a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, my ear buds pressed into my ears, music blaring. As I approached the building, I scanned the empty street around me. Being in an industrial estate meant that The Agency could keep its affairs secret. Only Hunters and other employees were meant to be there, and even if someone came in looking for employment, there was a front, and Deidre was the only receptionist who knew what The Agency did.
I let myself into the building and trotted up the steps, the knot in my gut tightening as I reached the first floor. I entered the doorway and found that it was quiet. The light was on in Sheila’s office and the door was open enough for me to see that several people were congregated there.
I marched forward, rapped on the door once, and let myself in. All four people turned to look at me. Delta nodded, while Vaughn grinned and shuffled his seat further to the left to make room for me to sit in the empty chair beside him. Luka was to my right, and he also wore a smile, which soon disappeared as Sheila called attention to the meeting.
“Thank you all for coming.”
Sheila scanned each of us as I dropped into the seat beside Vaughn. I set my bag on the floor and crossed my arms over my chest. Time to knuckle down.
“This is going to be the biggest case The Agency has seen in a while. A small town in the South, Bridgendale, is facing a crisis. You’ve all probably seen the recent news castings regarding it. There have been several disappearances over the last month, none of which have been solved. Men, women, and children going missing. Not only that, but the Cursed have descended on Bridgendale like nothing we’ve ever seen before. I’ve seen CCTV footage showing them swarming around the town centre as dusk falls. Of course, the citizens can’t see them, but they suspect something is going on, and people have started going home before night falls.”
“Do you think the disappearances have anything to do with the Cursed?” Delta asked.
“We cannot confirm, but there’s a possible correlation. The case is to figure out why the Cursed have descended in this way and eradicate the problem. Understood?”
I nodded.
I had seen plenty of Cursed during my short time as a Hunter, but it sounded like this was an avalanche of the shadows, and what scared me most was that they usually preceded something bigger.
“The case begins first thing tomorrow, and I expect to be informed of your arrival. I want updates twice daily, and I’ll contact you if I need anything further. Delta, you’re the case leader for this, and I need you to be on-call at all times.”
“Okay.” He nodded.
“The Agency expects this to be a difficult case that may take some time. Extra resources are available on request, subject to my approval.”
“Resources such as?” Luka asked.
“More Hunters. More equipment. Your accommodation has been secured at the Traveller’s Rest for two days. I expect this case to continue longer than that, and accommodation will be extended as your daily reports are made. I usually don’t make requests of you during a case. I trust my Hunters to know their job and do it well. However, for this case I feel it’s practical to ensure that one person should never act alone. If there is a reason to split up from the group, I suggest that you always be in pairs.”
Everyone nodded.
“Okay. Any questions?”
“Actually,” I said, “I have a sort of request.”
“What is it?”
“Barbara, who manages St. Helen’s, wanted to know where I was going and why. She’s given me permission, but she wants the full information about where I am, where I’ll be staying, and the conference itinerary.”
“You’ve been thorough with your story.” Sheila arched her brow.
“She wouldn’t have let me go otherwise.” I shrugged.
“Very well. I’ll see to it that Deidre provides that for you.” Sheila nodded. “Now go and kit up.”
We filed from the office, one by one, Delta leading, with Luka close behind. I followed Vaughn and brought up the rear. As I pulled the door shut behind me, I heard Sheila tapping her keyboard.
While following the guys towards the hub, I realised how much I just felt like one of them. One of the guys. Almost. I couldn’t help but stare at Vaughn’s behind as he walked, arms swinging and back muscles flexing. That was one thing that set me apart. I had the most insane crush on him, and I couldn’t shrug off.
He swung around, and my head shot up. He smiled at me—that gorgeous Adonis smile—and my lips curled. No matter what sort of mood I was in, all it took was a smile from him to set my heart racing and my stomach tightening. I was falling for the guy, and the more time I spent around him, the more I lost myself. I was in dangerous territory, but I had no idea how to stop it, or if I wanted to.
Wells was waiting for us in the kit room, with four piles of items set out. The only additional things we had to collect were clothing and guns, which took ten more minutes of checking and signing out. I folded the clothes into the bottom of the bag before stashing everything else in top. I handled the gun with kid gloves despite it being empty. The guys did the same, and for the first time, I felt like I was part of a team.
“How’s Becca?” Vaughn asked, leaning in close to me.
I caught a whiff of his cologne and inhaled deeply. The boy smelled as good as he looked. I shook my head and came back to my senses.
“She seems better than she was. We had a day out at the beach, and I think it cheered her up.” I shrugged
“The beach?”
I nodded. “A few of Becca’s friends were there. I went for moral support, you know?”
“I wish I’d seen that. Ruby Dawson sunbathing on a towel.” He spread his hands out like he was reading a billboard.
I laughed. “Hardly.” I shook my head. “I’ll have you know I was playing football.”
“Oh, yeah? Score any goals?”
“None.” I grinned. “But I had fun.”
“I never pegged you for the footie type.”
“Believe me, I’m not.” I shook my head. “But anything was better than lounging around with Jenny throwing out her catty comments.”
“I can just imagine it now.” He made a show of staring off into the distance, looking dreamy.
My cheeks heated. How was he picturing it? I nudged him in the stomach.
By the time we were done, my bag was heavy. I heaved it up onto my shoulder and blew a stray strand of hair out my face. Following Vaughn, we strode out of the building and down to the car, where the bags were stowed in the boot of Delta’s car.
“So what’s the plan for tomorrow?” I asked.
“Six o’clock pick up,” Delta said.
“Bright and early, then.” I sighed.
“Sure, sounds good.” I nodded. “I’ll see you guys in the morning.” I waved at Delta and Luka as they climbed into the jeep, and I fell into step beside Vaughn as we took our usual route back to St. Helen’s.
I still marvelled at the difference in my life. A year ago, when I was handed my first part-time job as a receptionist, to now being a Hunter and going on cases. I thought back to the first time I went with Delta to his apartment, when he told me the true story about my dad’s death. As soon as he started talking about demons, I was ready to bolt. Now I was just like the rest of them. A Hunter through and through. My life had drastically changed, and although it was scary sometimes, I was grateful for every minute of it. I finally felt like I was living the way I should.
“So did you talk to Jake?” I was looking at my feet, but from the corner of my eye I could see Vaughn’s hand go to the back of his neck.
“I did.”
“What did he say?”
“Not a lot.” Vaughn sighed. “He just said it wasn’t right.”
“But?”
“But I’m thinking there’s more to it than he’s letting on.”
“You think there’s someone else?” I swung around to look at him and slowed my pace.
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to. I can sense it.”
“It’s just a gut feeling, but yes, I think there’s someone else. But I’m not really sure, so you can’t tell Becca.”
My stomach dropped. “What did he say?”
“Nothing, but he was talking about going out and he was really vague with me. He’s never like that.”
I sucked in a breath.
Vaughn was right about one thing. I couldn’t tell Becca. She would be heartbroken all over again.
We were both quiet for a while.
“I’m sorry he hurt her.”
Tainted Souls Page 6
