Fine by me. He wouldn’t be the first human sensitive to ghosts, the undead, or whatever sort of thing I was.
“Sure,” Lu said. “I got nothing better to do.” She gave the hunter one up-down look, then turned her back on him and walked down the hall, discreetly guiding Jo toward the room while letting the hunter know he wasn’t worth her time.
“I think you can find a room at the Super 8,” Dot suggested.
He seemed to remember she was in the room and sniffed. “Yeah.”
Then he turned and was out the door.
I followed him all the way to his truck. Got in the passenger side while he sat in the driver’s. He didn’t start the engine for several minutes, just sat there watching the house.
“And people think ghosts are creepy,” I muttered.
Finally, he pulled out his phone and thumbed through his contacts. He pressed dial and held the phone against his ear.
“It’s here,” he said.
I leaned in to hear the other side of the conversation. Just like the wireless router, electronics and me didn’t always mix, so I was careful not to touch the phone. All I could make out was it was a woman’s voice.
“Yes,” Hunter said. Then he disconnected the call.
“That was not helpful,” I said. “You working for someone? Who? You hunting for someone? One of the werewolf clans? One of the government agencies? You hunting for monsters? Gods? Or are you just hunting for magic? Who’s your boss?”
He sat there through every word, just staring at the house, eyes shifting from window to window.
“You touch any of those women, and I will tear through reality and turn you inside out. Understand?”
I pushed that last word, filled it with my anger and sheer, pig-headed determination.
If he heard it, he showed no sign.
He just started the truck, backed up and drove to the Super 8.
I stuck with him while he checked in, walked to the room, and tossed his duffel on the bed. I shoved my hand into the duffel and found clothes, toiletries, a gun cleaning kit, and explosives.
Interesting.
I waited for another hour, but all he did was take a shower—leaving a gun handy on the sink—then pulled the chair over to the window so he could stare out it.
When he closed his eyes and started breathing like he was asleep, I moved from the room and followed my soul back to my heart.
Lu was in her room. She sat in the middle of the bed, Lorde half draped across the quilt, her head in Lu’s lap.
Lu wasn’t looking out the window. Her eyes were closed. Other than her fingers slowly petting the softest spot behind Lorde’s ears, she was perfectly still.
“Hey, love.” I sat at the top of the bed, leaning against the headboard. Lorde lifted her nose toward me and wagged her tail. Lu didn’t open her eyes, but she smiled.
“You should get some sleep. I need to talk to you tonight.”
Lu inhaled, exhaled, her shoulders relaxing by degrees.
I scrunched up, scooting forward so my chest was nearly touching her back. I reached around her and pressed one finger firmly on the pocket watch that hung against her heart. “Tonight.” I made the word strong enough, I knew she felt it.
She pressed her fingers against the pocket watch, chasing the feel of me, even though my touch was already gone.
“Get some rest,” I said again. “I’ll keep an eye on you. And Jo.”
Lorde wagged her tail again, thumping, thumping.
