The Awakening (3 page)

Jonas glanced at Boss. “You...don’t want me to mention anything about her?”

“Not yet. There’s a reason she was left alive and I want to find out what it is.”

Yeah, I did too. “What is the council?” I asked.

Jonas met my gaze in his mirror. “We work for an organization, and part of what we do is monitor activities over clans. We report our findings to the council within the organization.”

“Were you monitoring activity at the dump?”

Boss looked at me from over his shoulder. “I sensed strong power coming from the dump. After we arrived, we found the bodies, and you.”

I inhaled a deep breath and felt another tight cramp in my stomach. I glided my hand over my abdomen. Near my hip, a slight bulge in my skirt grabbed my attention. I slid my hand under my blouse and found a pocket with things in it.

I withdrew two small pieces of paper, and held them in my hand. Hello clues.

Chapter 3

I blinked and the two small papers disappeared from my hand. Looking up, I found Boss holding them.

“Hey!” I unbuckled my seatbelt, reached between the seats, and snatched them from his hand. He grabbed them back, except they fell. The wind blew in from his open window and picked up the lightweight papers. They floated like leaves in a breeze. Our arms and hands smacked into each other as we fought to get hold of them. Then in split second, they flew out into the night. “Shit!”

“Stop the car!” Boss shouted.

Jonas slammed on the brakes. The tires squealed and I flew forward between the seats. Thankfully, my head hit something soft instead of the hard dashboard, but my body landed lopsided over the seat divider. When the car stopped, Boss gripped my arm and lifted my head, helping me up.

“Take her,” Boss said as he leaned me on Jonas.

“Got her.” Jonas wrapped his arm around my waist.

Boss shoved open his door and vanished, sending an influx of cool air into the car.

“Are you all right?” Jonas asked, panicky.

“I’m fine. I need to get out.” I lifted one leg at a time over the passenger seat, slid Jonas’s arm from my waist, then rushed out of the car.

My heels clacked on the pavement as I jogged down the deserted street. Boss meandered near the sidewalk, bent over and with his head swiveling around.

“Did you get them?” I asked.

“I found one. Check on the sidewalk and the lot.”

I stepped up on the curb, scanning the empty lot and surrounding area. “This wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t taken them from me.”

“Just look for it.”

A quick examination of the empty parking lot revealed no sign of the paper. However, small plastic wraps, cigarette butts, and trash from Wendy’s littered the sidewalk. I toed through the trash, searching for a small piece of paper. When I didn’t find the mystery paper, I walked further along.

At the end of the sidewalk, I lifted my head. The entrance to the strip of businesses looked free from trash. “I’m not seeing it.”

“Keep looking,” he said from down the street.

I tightened my fists as I stormed across the pavement to the other side of the sidewalk.

“I heard you,” Boss said.

Crap. “Do you always hear my thoughts?” I asked, scanning the patch of grass near me.

“Only when you’re shouting them.”

I opened my mouth to say something, but stopped short when a small piece of paper leaped from the grass. The wind claimed hold of it and the paper rolled over the paved lot.

“Shit!” I ran after it. The wind continued to hamper my efforts, pushing the paper out of my reach. As I drew near the end of the lot, Boss stepped forward. He slapped his foot on top of the paper, capturing it.

“Finally.” I breathed a sigh of relief.

He bent to pick it up. He straightened with the paper in his hand.

I reached for the paper. “Can I see it?”

He jerked his arm away. “Not yet. Let’s have a look at it.”

He unfolded the square paper and we both peered at it.

“It’s a receipt,” I said. Studying the thin paper, I found a name at the top. “From Arnie’s Books.”

“Do you remember going there?”

“No,” I said, examining the receipt. “It shows a single purchase paid by cash. Where’s the other paper?”

Boss slipped his hand into his pocket.

A loud shriek from above the building startled me. “What the hell was that?” I looked up and spotted a winged creature perched on the roof, looking down at us. The gray thing looked somewhat human with a head, torso, arms, and legs, but it had wings. “What is it?”

Boss pulled a gun from his blazer and pointed it up. The creature opened its mouth and shrieked again. Boss fired two shots. I flinched. The creature leaped high, spread its wings, and soared into the night.

“Holy Mary.” I twisted around, watching the winged thing until it vanished.

“Guys?” Jonas called out, drawing my attention back down to Earth. “Can we go?”

“Come on.” Boss slid the gun back under his blazer and headed toward the car.

I walked fast at his side with the wind blowing the hair from my face.

“What the hell was that thing?” I asked, scanning the sky to see if any other ugly creatures hovered around. “I’ve never seen anything like it.” And I hoped I would never see anything like it again.

“It was a garguman. Half-gargoyle, half-human,” Boss replied. “They like to come out at night and feed. They're also spies for demons.”

“You have got to be kidding me.”

“I don’t kid,” he said with a stony glare.

I swallowed hard. Was I dreaming or in some alternate universe? The creature seemed too unreal. Yet, I saw it with my own eyes, heard it, and watched it fly. Stranger yet, I didn’t panic. Why? Shouldn’t I have been terrified of the ugly creature? Why didn't I take off running back to the car?

I shook my head, finding my reactions and everything since I awakened too difficult to comprehend.

“Do you have my papers?” I asked.

He shoved his hand inside his coat pocket and withdrew the crumpled papers. He plucked the yellow one out and handed it to me.

I opened the crushed paper and studied it. “Another receipt. For a pawnshop. Nine hundred dollars.”

Boss eyed me. “Do you have the money?”

I slapped my hands over my pockets. “No, I don’t have it.” Damn.

He snatched the receipt from my fingers and glanced down at it. “Do you remember going to this E-Z Pawn?”

“No, and I don’t know what I would’ve had to pawn worth nine hundred dollars.” I held up my palm. “Can I have my receipts back?”

“There are addresses on them. We should check them out. Maybe you’ll remember something.”

“Ok, but can I have them back...please?”

“Later,” he replied, and slid the papers back into his pocket

He headed for the car, and I followed a few steps behind him, biting my tongue in frustration. Those were my receipts. Why couldn't he let me hold them?

Boss stopped at the open passenger door. He reached inside the car and picked up something from his seat. He straightened and turned to face me. “What’s this?”

I looked down and saw him holding my dagger by the handle.
Shit!
It must have fallen out of my boot when I kicked my legs over the seat.

“That’s mine,” I said, and reached for it. Boss pulled it away from me.

“Can we go please?” Jonas asked with urgency in his tone. “Before any others show up.” He sat behind the wheel with his hand on the gearshift.

“Get it in the car,” Boss said harshly.

Though I disliked his callous attitude, I obeyed without hesitation. The car sped off the second Boss slammed his door shut.

While Jonas drove at a fast speed, checking his mirrors, I scooted to the center of the leather seat. Boss opened the glove compartment and withdrew a small cloth. He placed the dagger in the cloth and held it close to Jonas. “Did you see this?”

“I thought it was yours. I didn’t want to touch it,” Jonas replied.

Boss held the blade with care. He twisted to face me. “Where did you get this?”

“I found it in my boot.”

“And you didn’t think to mention this to us?” Boss asked, his tone full of contempt.

I folded my arms under my breasts. “I didn’t know you. I still don’t know you. How can I be sure you didn’t kill those people at the dump and you aren’t going to kill me? You guys are the ones with the guns.” My heart pumped fast, ticked off by his attitude. He had weapons, why couldn't little ol’ me, a young woman, have a small blade tucked away for self-defense.

“What’s on it?” Jonas asked.

Boss held it closer. “I'm certain the handle is real gold. And there are two letters engraved on the tip, S and B.” He lifted the blade to his nose.

Jonas took his eyes off the road for a few seconds. “What?”

Boss lowered the weapon. “It’s poisoned.”

My eyes grew wide. “Poisoned?” Holy shit! What if it had cut me?

“Find a spot and pull over.” Boss wrapped the dagger in the cloth and tucked it inside the glove compartment.

Jonas made a fast turn down a side street. We drove past a few businesses, and into a residential area. Slowing, he turned onto another road and shut off the headlights, leaving the inside light on.

My gut tightened. “Why are we stopping here?”

Boss got out of the car and opened my door. “Get out.”

“What?” I stared at him.

“We need to be sure you’re not hiding anything else.”

“I’m not.”

“I need to be sure,” Boss said in a firm tone. “Get out.”

I glanced at Jonas. “He won't hurt you," he said calmly. “Just do what he says so we can get out of here.”

I scooted out and pressed my back against car. “Now what?”

“Raise your arms and spread your legs.”

I clenched my jaw and obeyed.

Boss dropped to my feet and patted around my boots. Moving up, he wrapped his hands around my bare kneecap. His cool fingers slid over my flesh, upward between my legs. He was dangerously close to touching me in the most intimate way. After a brief pause, he wrapped his hands around my other knee and repeated the process.

Once he finished checking my legs, he smoothed his hands over my hips. He dipped his fingers in my front pockets and swished them around. Finding nothing, his hands slithered around my waist to my back. I stared at him square in the eye as his hands glided over my rear.

“I’m wearing a thong. I doubt you’ll find anything dangerous there,” I said.

He cracked a smile while he slipped his hands up my back, under my armpits, and down my sides. Thinking we were done, I lowered my arms.

“One more place.” He lowered his eyes to my chest.

I put my hands on my hips. “Do you truly think I could hide a weapon there?”

He gave me a frozen glare.

“Fine. Go ahead. Feel me up.” I wondered if he treated all women this way. What would he have done if I resisted?

Boss put his hands on my shoulders and brought them down slowly, cupping my breasts and feeling underneath. I bit down on my tongue and played the good girl, but I really wanted to punch him. His hands stayed on a downward path, gliding over my abdomen. When he finished, he placed his arms at his sides and took a step back.

“Are we done now?” I asked with a sharp glare.

His lips twitched. “Yes.”

I twisted to return to the car. Boss gripped my arm, stopping me.

“Let’s be clear about this. You don’t trust me and I don’t trust you, but we need each other. I need to find out who killed all those people and you need to find out who you are. So let’s make a deal, shall we?”

I crossed my arms. “Fine.”

“I will help you, but you need to be honest with me and trust me. In return, I will be open with you and provide you with security and information. When we have our answers, you can go your own way and I will go mine. Fair enough?”

I inhaled and stared into his dark eyes. Did I have options? Sure, I could go my own way, but I had no money, no resources, no one I could turn to for help. He had everything I needed. In truth, I didn’t believe he wanted to hurt me. Just annoy me.

I sighed. “Ok. I agree to the terms of your deal.”

“Good. Now let’s get going.”

After we returned to our seats, Jonas turned the car around and headed back the way we came. For several minutes, I pondered over Boss's deal. I had no qualms about it. I could put up with the cold attitude for a little while longer. As soon as I got my answers, I’d take off. In a couple days, I’d probably be free. Sure, I could tough it out.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

Boss removed the yellow receipt from his pocket and unfolded it. “Let’s check out the pawn shop.”

Chapter 4

Jonas and I stared out the front window of the car at the pawnshop across the street. A police cruiser and old pickup truck sat idle in the parking lot, in front of the shop. The night seemed serene, free from busy traffic and the hustle of activity. Even the restaurant nearby was quiet. The few vehicles parked on the lot hadn't moved in over twenty minutes and no new customers had arrived. Given the late hour, I suspected most people were sleeping. Silence lingered between Jonas and I while we waited for Boss to return.

“Can you hear how many people are inside the restaurant?” Jonas asked.

I gave him a confused look.

“Relax and open your mind”

As I sat in the back seat, I breathed deeply and opened up my mind to the world around me. The soft voices of people whispered in my ears. Multiple heartbeats sounded like ticks on a clock. Scents of coffee and greasy hamburgers tickled my nose. "I can hear them, and I can smell food." Amazing. How could I detect such activity? Nothing made sense to me.

I leaned forward and filled the gap between the front seats. “The police car is empty.”

“It’s for show,” Jonas said, staring straight ahead.

“Seems like a waste. Criminals are smart enough to figure out there isn’t a cop inside.”

Jonas grinned and nodded. “Do you see the security cameras?”

I looked closer at the pawnshop. “One near the door and above the corners. Good set up.”

The lights were on in the shop. Bars barricaded the windows and door, blocking my view of inside. Focusing my attention on the building, I opened up my senses.