“I’ll warn him so he doesn’t have high expectations.”
“And you think he’ll help anyway?”
“He’s not one of the bad ones, Jasper.”
“I know.”Sometimes, Jasper wondered if all hunters were bad, but he knew that some of them were trying to change things from the inside.Maybe he should’ve tried doing that, too, but he hadn’t even tried.He’d known he’d fail.His father was who he was, and Jasper had known that people would only see him as his father’s son, no matter what he did or said.
He was ready to bet that had changed now.Back when he’d left, though, he’d known he’d never be able to step away from his father’s shadow.Other hunters would always wonder why he was doing the things he was and what was in it for him.They probably wouldn’t have believed that he was trying to help people.
He’d always been glad he’d left the hunters, but never as much as he was now.He couldn’t imagine what it would’ve been like for him if he’d found out he was a monster while he was still with the hunters.His father wouldn’t have helped him.He’d have been in danger, and he’d have been mostly alone facing it.He’d have been in the wolf’s den with no way out.
“Anyway, I’ll be the link between you guys and Martinez,” Kerry said.“He’ll be there when we need him to be.He wants to save these kids as much as we do.”
“Even though they’re monsters?”
“They’re kids.”
Jasper agreed, but he was slightly surprised that a hunter did.He was curious about Martinez.They’d never been close, but Jasper trusted Kerry.If she trusted Martinez, then Jasper could do the same.“I’ll let you know as soon as I know something,” he told her.
“You do that.I’ll see you at home tonight.”
“Let me know if anything else happens.”
They hung up, and Jasper glanced at his boyfriend, who was watching him.He knew that Archie had heard most of the conversation, even though he’d been working.“I hope this isn’t going to be a disaster,” Jasper said.
“That’s all we can hope for.I’m not usually one to trust hunters.”
“You trustme,” Jasper pointed out.
Archie stared at him for a moment before smiling.“I do.Sometimes, I wonder why, but then, I look at your pretty face, and I know.”
Jasper snorted.“Oh, so you trust me because I’m pretty?”
“And because even though you were a hunter, you’ve proved yourself to be someone Icantrust and love.”
Jasper sucked in a breath.Now wasn’t the moment to be emotional, but God, he’d needed to hear that.“You, too.”
“Whatever these hunters say to you, ignore it.The people who love you know who you are, and that’s all that matters.”
“What matters are the kids.”
“We’ll save them.”
It was their goal, but Jasper couldn’t help but wonder if Martinez and the other hunters who would help were in this for the kids or for him.
Chapter Seven
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JASPER DUCKED, AVOIDINGthe punch coming for his face.He laughed when Corey swore and tried to punch him again.He danced out of the way, knowing exactly which way Corey would go.They’d trained together for decades, and Jasper could guess how his best friend would move even with his eyes closed.
He grabbed Corey’s arm and twisted it behind Corey’s back.Corey yelped and tried to kick out, but Jasper had expected that, too.
“Surrender,” he told Corey.
“Never.”
“You know this isn’t going to end well for you if you don’t.”
