Nothing quite matched immediate eagerness that came with spotting a group of Daimons. And nothing could compare with the thrill that came with chasing them down and dispatching them to nothingness. 1
On that front, Dom was having an entertaining night of chasing and removing vampires from the city. It seemed that the soul suckers were out in full force and it suited him just fine. He was never one that liked to sit around staring and waiting for things to happen, especially when he had unlimited energy that had replaced his earlier tiredness. 2
Adrenalin was a valued friend and one he was happy to keep around. 3
Like all things fun, it had to end, and by three-thirty, there seemed to be not a Daimon in sight. Driving slowly along the streets, but not too slow to attract attention, Dom scanned the alleys and lanes as he passed, sighing as he came up empty. Deciding not to lose the good mood he was in, he grabbed the slip of paper that had Angie’s address on it and headed to pick her up. 4
Slowing as he got closer, he took in her street in a glance. The building number was an apartment complex that was located right next to a church with a small cemetery in the back.5
“Great,” he muttered. Since apartment buildings were basically public, Daimons could come and go as they pleased. As for the church and cemetery…wandering souls could always be found, and a body without a soul was too great a temptation for them to pass up. 6
Parking as far from the church area as he could, he got out of his car and approached the large front door of the apartment building. Scanning through the call button numbers, he pushed the one for Angie and waited. 7
“Yes?” a voice answered after a few moments.8
“Angie?” he asked. “I’m a little early. You ready?”9
“Just about,” she replied. “Come on up.”10
Before he could refuse, the door buzzed to let him in. Grimacing, he turned and pointing his key remote at the car, setting the alarm. Pulling the door open, he hoped that there would be no Daimons lurking around, and that any lost souls would have the sense to stay in the cemetery next door. 11
Making it to the tenth floor, he stopped outside of a nondescript door and knocked. Angie opened the door with a smile and stepped back to let him in. Stepping into her home, he stopped short. 12
Huge windows lined one wall, allowing a great view of the city beyond, and would most undoubtedly give a magnificent view of sunsets. “Ready?” he asked, facing her. 13
“Something wrong?”14
“Nope.”15
“You look like something is wrong.” She took a look around her apartment and frowned. “Grant it, my place isn’t as opulent as yours, but I like it.”16
Rolling his eyes behind dark glasses, he smiled slightly as his mind whirled to find a good excuse. “It’s nice. Cozy, warm, inviting, and probably pretty bright in the daylight.”17
Her eyes widened slightly in understanding. “It does get bright. I usually don’t have to turn lights on until evening.” Grabbing a small bag, she smiled at him. “I’m ready.”18
Breathing a slight sigh of relief that she hadn’t suggested that they stay here instead, Dom reached out to take the small bag from her and took a step back as she smiled and turned for the door.19
“Don’t take this wrong,” she said as they rode down in the elevator, “but you don’t look anything like a gentleman.”20
“That’s good,” he replied easily. 21
“But you’re great at acting like one,” she teased, stepping out as the doors opened. Making her way outside, she breathed in the cool morning air, and followed as he headed for the car. 22
Closing the car door for Angie, Dom straightened as he felt something behind him. Turning, he honed in on two figures walking towards him. “Gallu,” he whispered. “With lousy timing.” 23
Keeping one eye on them, he pulled out his cell phone as he walked to the back of the car. “I’ve got two Gallu wandering around,” he said as the call was answered. “Got a human, too, and I can’t do this with her watching.” Giving the address, he started walking backwards as the demons approached.24
Opening the driver’s side, he quickly got in, locked the doors, and started the car. It irritated him to have to leave while Gallu were around, but Angie’s safety and the safety of keeping the Hunter secret came first. He couldn’t even take a swipe at them with his car, which annoyed him even more. 25
Driving away, he checked the rearview mirror, keeping an eye on the two until he got out of sight. Luckily, pedestrian traffic was null, and it would only take minutes for another Dark-Hunter to arrive and deal with the Gallu. 26
They were quiet as the car traveled along the streets, Dom wondering if he could have somehow gotten Angie back to the security of the building, giving him opportunity to take out the demons. Walking away from killers wasn’t something he did often, and it never set right on the rare instance that he had to. 27
Angie glanced at him from time to time wondering why he had suddenly changed to sullen. Last thing she wanted was to get involved in another relationship with someone that had mood swings, and decided to get certain issues out of the way.28
“You’re quiet,” she said.29
“Hm?” Glancing at her, he returned his attention to driving. “Sorry. Had to back out of a sweet deal tonight, and I’m second guessing my decision now.” Giving her a brief smile, he tried to shake the sense of failure that always accompanied missing a great opportunity to remove demons.30
Slowing down, he reached up and tapped a small remote that sat just below the top of the dashboard. A large gate in a high fence slid open a few hundred yards ahead, and he pulled through the gap, driving up to the house. 31
Angie’s eyes grew wide at the sight, it still holding awe to her for the second time seeing it. Looking like someone had taken a Swiss chalet, a New York Brownstone, and a Southern mansion, and mixed them all together, Dom’s house was truly a thing of beauty. Huge columns held a sloped roof that gently topped bricks that looked older than her. Growing up, she remembered driving past the large gate, trying to crane her neck to see beyond it, but could never catch a glimpse. 32
“Have you lived here long?” she asked.33
“Two hundred or so years,” he answered absently, then realized what he said. “I mean my family has…they built it.” Which was partially true, although it had been him that had purchased the land, and had the house built.34
“I’m surprised it’s not full of people,” she said, then stopped. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean-“35
He cut her off with a small sigh. “Angie. Don’t worry about saying something you think is going to remind me of my family. I’m not going to have you tiptoeing around the issue.” He smiled slightly as she nodded, then took her hand and after keying in the security code, walked through the front door. 36
Entering the foyer just outside the living room, Dom stopped short as Ash stepped in front of him. “You’re early,” Dom said in a slightly annoyed tone. “And Craig was supposed to call me when you got here anyway.” He looked at Angie. “Just be a couple minutes.”37
Angie stared at the tall man in front of her, completely taken in by his beauty. The first two times she had seen him, she’d been more concerned with work, and although he was good looking, she sort of glossed it over. Now, standing beside Dom, she could feel herself flush at their gazes. “Are you two related?” she asked, realizing how lame it sounded.38
“Distantly,” Ash said. “Why don’t you go to his bedroom, Angie,” Ash said, adding some magick to his suggestion. “Dom will be along soon.”39
Nodding, Angie walked past them and out of the room. Dom stared at Ash. “You forgot the hand gesture that goes along with Jedi mind tricks,” he said dryly.40
“I got a hand gesture for you,” Ash said with a smirk. “But, instead, I have two guest for you to take in, look after and guard with your life.” He turned and walked in the direction of the living room, leaving Dom no choice but to follow. Glancing around to make sure Angie was where he said she should be, he raised a hand slightly.41
Dom blinked as two women appeared in his living room, and wondered why he would even be surprised that Ash would unload two women on him. Then, he took a better look, recognizing one of the women as a Were-Huntress, and decided that there was much more to this that the big guy would ever tell him.42
“Who are they?” he asked as they looked around.43
“Friends of mine,” Ash replied. 44
“So, friend one and friend two?” Dom asked. 45
“Aiden, and Wendy.” 46
“And why are they here?”47
“Because you’re such a gracious host and scintillating conversationalists that I knew you’d love it.” 48
“So you drop off with a Were and a… human?”49
“Yes,” Ash answered simply. 50
“Where’s Craig?”51
“I sent him out for a few hours,” Ash told him.52
Sighing in annoyance and acceptance, Dom looked at the women. “Wander around, help yourself,” he told them. “Stay out of my area of the house, and I won’t have to receive another smack down from Ash.” He glanced at Ash with a small smirk. “If whatever’s after you tracks you here,” he paused to look at Ash again, “head through the big oak door. End of the hall is my escape route.”53
Aiden nodded. “Great, thanks.” She looked at Ash. “Why would we need an escape route if no one know we’re here?”54
“Just a precaution.”55
“Wow. And here I was thinking that you’re dumping us here because someone is having a bad hair day, or broken fingernail, or just wants to kill either me or Ms. Peters here.” Crossing her arms over her chest, she glared. “We wouldn’t be moved across the country, and put with a Dark-Hunter unless there was some real damned threat that you or Sav can’t stop because it’ll screw up some timeline, and then I’ll have to hear about it for the next couple weeks, with reasoning and things that I really don’t give a shit about.”56
Dom arched an eyebrow at the Were-Huntress and her forwardness. “I take it back, Ash. Seeing her bitch you out is well worth it.”57
Ash vanished with an aggravated moan, leaving the women staring at Dom. “Don’t look at me,” he said. “I have no idea what’s going on either.”58
~~~~~~~~~~~59
There were times that Savitar would like to take the whole Were population and bury them into some dark corner of the universe and forget about them. Usually, they taxed his limited patience, and on more than one occasion, pushed him so far over it that someone ended up dead.60
It hadn’t gone that far today, but the Arcadian in front of him was seriously taxing the limits. Sighing to himself as the Gerakian Regis continued talking, he decided to put a stop to the arrogant drivel that was assaulting him.61
“Stop,” Savitar said in a calm voice, waiting while the other man realized that he was being told to shut up. “You want to call the Omegrion so you can request ownership of a piece of property that you legally sold over a year ago, correct?”62
“That building should be returned to us immediately.”63
“You want me to pull your council peers out of their lives so you can argue with me?” 64
The Regis stopped and stared. “I don’t plan on arguing with you over this, but as your position as mediator, it would be in the best interest of the Omegrion to-“ He stopped at the dangerous look that sprung to Savitar’s face. “I only meant-“65
“I know what you only meant,” Savitar said. “Now, I’m going to tell you what you really should be thinking about. Everyone moves out, except for one eagle. She remains, and eventually gains ownership of the building…which you sold for a rather large sum. After a while, you decide to use this eagle to gain favor with a rather powerful dude that could kill you three times before you even realized you were dead, and when that favor manipulation didn’t work, you removed her from the Patria.” He paused. “How am I doing so far?”66
When no reply past a strained glare came back, he continued. “When kicking her out didn’t cause her to come crawling back, offering the building, you come to me to try to get it from her.” Savitar stood slowly. “Don’t ever drag the Omegrion into your petty nest games. This council is for serious issues, and I don’t believe that soothing your bruised ego counts as one of them.” 67
“I’ve requested the Omegrion be called, and your rules say that it has to be.”68
Sighing dramatically more as an effort to keep himself from turning the eagle into a fried carcass, Savitar raised his hand, instantly bringing all the other Omegrion members from their private lives, and whisking the Eagle off to the same room. 69
“Memo to self,” he said as his beach clothes morphed into a long blue robe. “Remove that rule from the Omegrion law.” Turning, he walked into the large room that held the complaining voices, and told himself that no good would come from frying anyone, or stepping in to stop what would happen. 70
At least not yet.71
~~~~~~~~~~~72
Dom stood just inside the doorway, his view captured by the woman that lay on his bed. Shapely legs peeks out from below a blanket that covered enough for modesty, but left more than a sufficient amount to fuel his imagination. His gaze tracked up to her face, pausing when he realized her eyes were closed.73
“Hell,” he whispered as her chest rose and fell lightly in sleep. Sighing, he kicked off his shoes, stripped off his clothes and silently made it to the bed. Slipping in under the covers beside her, he momentarily considered waking her up for a rousing hour or three of sex, followed by a few more hours of the same.74
Then again, Angie had looked tired when he picked her up a short time ago, and he didn’t want to wake her from what looked like a rather pleasant sleep just to satisfy his urges. He was tired too, he told himself, trying to convince the hardness of his body to return to comfortable levels. Although sleepy sex was fun, there would be no way it could squelch his craving, and that would mean that they’d both be awake for most of the day, too.75
Nearly convincing both body and mind to put ravishing Angie on hold for a few hours, he moved closer to her body, spooning in behind her, and then had to go through the whole convincing routine again. Her body felt like warm silk against him, with just the lightest hint of coffee scenting her skin. 76
From her hours working in the café, the aroma of coffee seemed to cling to her clothes, and skin, and more than likely her jacket, that laid neatly atop folded clothes on the floor. Moving her brown hair to the side, he moved in slightly closer, inhaling deeply, fighting the urge to run his tongue along her shoulder. 77
He nearly whimpered at how delectable she smelled and looked, and how decidedly unfair it was that he couldn’t have a taste right here, right now. Reminding himself yet again that they both needed to sleep before carrying on with mattress acrobatics, he closed his eyes, snuggled in so his face was in her hair and he could breathe her lusciousness all day, and was soon unexpectedly fast asleep.78
~~~~~~~~~~~~79
With Tria as safe as she could be without actually being in his presence, Ash tried to relax. Or, at least relax as much as his worries would let him. He couldn’t see Tria’s, or Aiden’s futures, and since Dom’s was currently tied in with two people that meant a lot to him, the Hunter’s future was a little fuzzy as well. 80
He had let Simi out of her tattoo form, and ushered her off to her bedroom before she could ask too many questions. He trusted her completely, but he didn’t want to give her any worries about what his or her own future would be. Regardless of his decision, they would still have Katoteros, and his mother in Kalosis working her schemes to be released. He would still be the harbinger that could bring around the fall of the world, and he wondered if he could bring Tria into that life. 81
Aiden had been righter than she knew when she said that the emotions invested into a brief relationship didn’t always translate well when faced with forever. And with him, forever meant a very long time. To stay with one person for that long…well, he’d ‘been there, done that’ with Artemis, and wasn’t sure if he could do it with someone else, regardless how much he cared. 82
He’d loved Artemis at one time, and that had morphed into a hatred that was only tolerated because of his need for her. If Savitar was correct, and he no longer needed the goddess, then he wasn’t sure if he could remain with someone that he wasn’t anchored to. He’d spent his human existence desperately seeking out love, and took it in any form that it presented itself in. Those had been fleeting and shallow, feeding his loneliness, and a part of him considered that maybe Tria had been just another in that line.83
Ash groaned in aggravation at his sudden indecision. He was a creature that made split-second life or death decisions almost daily, and he couldn’t comprehend why he was even entertaining waffling over the choice in this one. Spending a minute, hour, or on the rare occasion, a day on a decision was enough… spending nearly two weeks was nearly incomprehensible.84
~~~~~~~~~~~~85
Finally making it back home, Craig set his keys on the small rack by the front door, walked through the foyer into the living room, and stopped short as he heard talking coming from in front of him. Two female voices talked in hushed tones, the natural acoustics of the house allowing him to hear what they were saying. 86
Not wanting to eavesdrop on the two guests he assumed Ash had dropped off while he was ‘away’, Craig walked into the living room. One woman stood immediately, a ball of fire appearing in her hand, while the other merely regarded him with slight interest. 87
“Craig, I presume?” the brunette asked, then looked at the other woman. “Relax, Tr- Wendy,” she corrected herself. “This is the squire.”88
Tria extinguished the fireball but didn’t return to her seat. “Sorry,” she muttered.89
Trying not to show his discomfort, Craig slowly approached. “I’m Craig Marshall,” he looked at Tria. “Wendy, is it? Word of advice… don’t pull the fire bit in front of Dom. Unless you’re partial to pain.”90
“Dom?” Tria asked, her mind quickly narrowing down the Dark-Hunters. Ash hadn’t told them who he was, and their host hadn’t exactly offered any information before retiring for the day. There was only one Dom she could think of, and she knew that not even Ash would be cruel enough to place her in his house. 91
“Dominic Olluein,” Craig said, confirming her fears.92
“I’ll keep that in mind,” she said, not wanting to give away that she knew Dom… as much as any Dark-Hunter knew another one; Internet chats, a few over the web cams that had become a favorite of Hunters. Since pictures were basically forbidden, being able to see each other over the Internet had brought them all closer in an extremely lonely world. 93
She remembered talking to Dom on the occasion that they had been in the same gaming rooms together. He had a penchant for chess, although he wasn’t very good at it, but kicked her cyber ass in each and every other game they played. He was nice enough, quick with a retort, and totally refused to discuss his past. The one thing she did know was his aversion to fire, which he let slip when they exchanged Hunter information regarding their little ‘talents’. 94
She was surprised that she hadn’t recognized him earlier, but the addition of the goatee gave him a different look. “Any other hints?” she asked, realizing that she was staring at him. 95
“Nothing really beyond that,” Craig said. “I’m assuming that since Ash dropped you off that you’re more than aware of the no sunlight deal, and not inviting people on to the grounds.” 96
“Well versed,” Aiden said. “Who else is in the house?”97
“What?”98
She sniffed lightly. “There’s a fifth scent.”99
Craig raised his head lightly in understanding. “That would be Angie. She has no idea of what Dom is.” He looked at Aiden. “Arcadian…?”100
“Eagle.”101
Craig nodded again, taking the information in. “There’s also a housekeeper that comes twice a week, and a gardener that shows up Saturday mornings. Neither know about Dom, either, and neither are allowed past that door.” He pointed at the large oak door. “A housekeeper shows up around ten every second night to clean that area, and she’s from the council. Since Dom doesn’t do the cooking thing, and I’ve been known to burn water, there’s also a cook that’s here every couple days. She leaves a bunch of stuff in the fridge, and we ‘nuke it up. Help yourself.102
“Now, if you will excuse me,” he continued, “I’m kind of tired. Ash had me running mundane errands for the past few hours. I’m heading to bed.” He paused. “Did you get settled in?”103
“Yes,” Aiden replied. “We’re fine, get some sleep.” She gave him a smile and held it until he turned and started up the stairs. Then, she turned to Tria. “All right, just who is Dominic Olluein?”104
~~~~~~~~~~~105
Really wanting to destroy something, but opting for surfing instead, Savitar rode one wave after another as he tried to bleed off the annoyance that the Gerakian Regis had instilled in him. Even after listening calmly to the eagle go on and on about the condo, and hearing both annoyed outrage and arguments from the others that had been drug to the island over such a trivial matter, he was wiped. 106
The final consensus was that the Patria had sold the condo legally, and without any expectations of future recompense. Since they had not sold it to a member of the patria, it showed that the intention of later moving back in was not even considered during the sale. It didn’t matter that the person who bought it then flipped the ownership over to another eagle. 107
And all of this had been decided without Savitar even having to utter a word past reminding humans and animals to keep a civil tongue while debating. More than a few council members had come right out with their displeasure in having been summoned for, what they referred to as, a petty squabble, while a few others just ignored the eagle as he talked. 108
Fury Kattalakis, the Lykos Katagarian Regis looked like he wanted to leap over the table and have eagle for lunch, and part of Savitar hoped that he didn’t. Besides the fact that Aiden was fond of the wolf, he himself found the annoying Fury helpful and willing to take on any job as long as there was the opportunity to seriously hurt someone. He would have hated to zap the animal into dust for doing something that he himself would have applauded had it not happened during the Omegrion. 109
A final decision, a laying down of the law, and soon everyone was whisked the hell off of his island, and he was thankfully alone again. Of course, by not allowing the eagle to gain the building back, they had set in motion the events that would more than likely cause him a lot of headaches in the coming week. 110
~~~~~~~~111
Total relaxation wasn’t something that came easy to Dom, but this was about as close as he ever imagined he could possibly get. Lying on his stomach, with arms folded under his head, he sighed as Angie’s hands glided over his back. He could see why she was at the top of her class in massage therapy, and grimaced a few times as she loosened up kinks and muscle strains that he didn’t even know he had. 112
“Feel good?” she purred in his ear.113
“Feels wonderful.” His eyes opened to stare at the headboard in front of him. “Not nearly as good as earlier, though,” he teased, referring to the activities they had partaken in after waking a few hours previous. Hissing through his teeth as Angie touched a particularly sore spot, he flinched slightly.114
“That looks like a knife wound,” Angie said thoughtfully as fingers expertly prodded the area. 115
“I wasn’t always the upstanding citizen you see standing… uh, laying before you,” Dom said in a breezy voice, hoping she would not ask too many questions that he couldn’t fake his way through. 116
“No?” She sat back slightly. “Ever kill anyone?”117
His eyes closed briefly, then opened. “I, Dominic, swear that I have never killed another human being,” he said, wording it so that it was the truth. “That ease the nervousness I sense back there?”118
Angie stared at his back. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”119
“It’s okay, Ang,” he said. “I’m not big with handing out the information, so you’re going to have to ask if you want to know some things.”120
Knowing he couldn’t see her, she nodded anyway. She had sort of gathered from the past few years of acquaintance that he didn’t like to talk about himself, and she was glad that her curiosity about his seemingly multitude of scars hadn’t upset him. “What does this say?” Angie asked in a soft voice, her fingers tracing the Japanese symbols on his back. 121
“Roughly translates to ‘family is forever’... or eternal… or like the stars,” Dom replied, glad that she had dropped the personal questions for now. “Something along those lines.”122
“It’s pretty,” she said, kissing the symbols. “Cerberus isn’t too bad, either,” she muttered, continuing to kiss her way around to his front. 123
Shifting, he rolled on to his back, smiling slightly as she looked at him. “Not going to kiss the cobra?” he asked innocently, trying not to laugh at the look that crossed her face. “I meant the tattoo,” he clarified.124
“Oh.” Her face spiked with crimson, then returned to its natural shade. “The tattoo, yes.” Leaning over his body, she kissed the snake that coiled around his arm, squeaking in surprise as hands grabbed her sides and pulled her on top of his hardened midsection. “Speaking of cobras,” she whispered with a wink. 125
~~~~~~~~~126
Pulling out her cell phone on the second ring, Aiden’s brow creased in slight confusion at the number displayed. She found it slightly amusing that a being like Savitar would need a phone, and equally amusing that his number always showed up as 555-5555.127
“Hello?” she asked, taking a step away from the kitchen table where she and Tria had been having a coffee.128
“Hey babe,” Savitar said. “Everything good?”129
“Why are you calling me?” she asked calmly.130
“Can’t a guy call his lady and see how she is?” he asked.131
“Why aren’t you thinking things to me?”132
“Because it might tip off whoever is after you two that you’re staying someplace they can gain access to.”133
“Oh.” She grimaced at not thinking about that fact. “Good point. Things are good.” 134
“Are you alone?”135
“Not currently.”136
“Damn,” he said. “I was hoping to get in a little phone sex action.” Sighing dramatically, he was silent for a moment. “I really called to see how you were and to just hear your voice.”137
Lowering the phone slightly, she looked at Tria. “I’m going to go outside for a few minutes.” Going to the door just behind her, she entered a small shaded area and sat on a bench that was just to the left of the door.138
“What’s going on?” she asked as she took a seat.139
“I told you,” he said easily. 140
“Is there something I should worry about, or not worry about and then end up getting pissed off about later?”141
“Have you talked to Fury lately?” He said instead of answering.142
“Not since last night. Why?”143
“I really can’t tell you, babe,” he said. “Omegrion and all that, but… I want you to know that I will back any decision you make, and be here for you.”144
“You’re freaking me out.”145
”I don’t mean to.”146
“I know.” Aiden leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes. “When is this going to stop?”147
“Come stay with me on Neratiti, and-“ Realizing what he said, he stopped.148
“Why, Savitar,” Aiden asked slyly. “Did you just ask me to move in with you?”149
“God, I hope not,” he breathed. “I mean, it wouldn’t be a bad thing, it’s just that…”150
“Relax,” she said, enjoying this. It was rare that he blurted out something he hadn’t meant to. “I enjoy staying with you, and treasure our time, but it’s not meant to last.”151
“Yeah,” he said, a little more disappointed than he wanted to. “Look… when all this is done with, you and I are going to sit down and talk about this like two mythical beings should.”152
“Deal,” she said, taking that as his way of letting her know that, although something was coming, she would make it through. 153
“Until then…are you alone now?”154
Aiden burst out laughing.155
~~~~~~~~~~~~156
Sated and rather tired, Dom closed his eyes as Angie snuggled in close to his side. It was getting close to dusk, and he wanted to savor the last few minutes before his alarm clock was set to go off. Although Angie didn’t have to work that evening, she did have classes early the next morning, so they agreed that he would drop her off at her place before going to his ‘work’. 157
He didn’t really like leaving her in an area where he had seen Gallu, and where Daimons could gain entry because of the public access of an apartment building, but he had no real choice. He couldn’t let her remain here with his two guests, since god only knew what was after those two, and worse yet, if the Were pulled any magick in front of Angie.158
Last thing he wanted to do was pull her into his world until she ready, since doing anything too early could spell an end to him, or even her if she told the wrong people and the Squire Council decided she needed to be silenced. 159
He could feel himself entering a light sleep, and went with it, determined to enjoy the peace he felt. The initial refusal to entertain thoughts of Angie had been replaced by a general calmness that he’d forgotten he’d had. She knew the abridged version of how his family had died, the dates shuffled to the recent past to coincide with his age, and she didn’t offer him any ever extended sympathy, for which he was extremely grateful. 160
Twitching slightly as a vision started, he was sitting up on the bed before he realized. Fear was etched on his face as his mind focused on the image, and he closed his eyes in a futile attempt to escape it. 161
He looked as Craig lay face down on the carpet, blood pooling from somewhere below his midsection. Pain filled eyes stared at him, letting the Hunter know that his Squire was still with him. 162
It took less than five seconds, but it was more than enough to spur him into action. Grabbing his cell phone, he pushed the button for Craig’s number, and tried not to panic while he waited. 163
“Yeah?”164
“Option triple-six,” Dom said, referring to the three sixes that stood for evil. It was a code they used to alert the other of possible danger. 165
“On it,” Craig said, hanging up.166
“What was that?” Angie asked, concerned with the look on Dom’s face. 167
“Weird feeling,” he muttered, jumping as the alarm clock sounded. Reaching out with the intention of pounding it into an electronic mess, he forced himself to tap the off button. It took a lot of will power to remaining his room, when he really wanted to grab a weapon and go… but, that would no doubt give Angie the wrong idea on basically everything. He grabbed his phone as it rang. “What?” 168
“Everything checks out,” Craig replied, breathing heavy from running to verify the security system. “I’m calling the office to check on their end.” 169
“Yeah.” Dom closed the phone slowly, the images still in front of him. Shaking his head, he exhaled, trying to get rid of the sight. “Come on,” he said, standing. 170
“Wait.”171
He looked at her, realizing that she had pushed herself to the top of the bed and was huddled in the blankets. “Probably nothing,” he said, hoping he wasn’t lying. “More than likely I’m tired, and imagining things.” 172
“Imagining what?” she demanded. 173
Sitting on the edge of the bed, he gave her a small smile. “Ever since my family was killed, I’ve acted on every gut instinct and bad feeling that’s come up. Sometimes it places me on the slippery slope on Mount Paranoia, while other times it drops me right in the center of ‘Fuck I Was Right’ City.” Giving her an evaluating look, he lowered his eyes. “I suppose I sound like a complete wacko.”174
Crawling across the bed, Angie placed a finger under his chin and raised his face so she could see into his black eyes. “Not a complete one,” she said. “Just slightly. But, I already figured that out a year or so ago.” 175
“Ah.”176
“Take me home,” she told him. “I need sleep, and I can’t see to get that when I’m with you.” Placing a finger over his lips, she glared. “Apologize for it, and you’ll be in trouble. I have to work tomorrow night…will I see you there?”177
“Can I kiss you in front of all the customers?”178
“Yes.”179
“Then I’ll be there.” I hope. 180
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Line 3.. Adrenaline.
Sounds like Angie lives in a great place...just not great for Dom.
"Jedi mind tricks" HAHAHAHA!
That condo is more trouble than it's worth. Or, is there a reason why it's important? hmmm?
Yo! Ash! Make up your melon, dude!
I thought he killed humans before, which Ash got pissed at?
or, is it worded in a way that he's telling the truth on it?
Savitar's doing a lot of dramatic sighing lately.
Kill off Craig, and I'll have to hurt you
Savvy? 
beginning: 5, language: 5, plot: 5, ending: 5, dialog: 5, characters: 5.
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Tantalizing
More. I want more, as I'm sure many others do. I could die waiting for more. (Over dramatic I know.) But seriously, I am in absoulte suspense here. Please don't kill Craig, he's such a good Squire. Oh, It would be fun to see Savitar kill something viciously. He needs to work out his frustrations. Very good on the whole thing though.
beginning: 5, language: 5, plot: 5, ending: 5, dialog: 5, characters: 5.
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