To Kiss a Killer | boyxman | (OLD VERSION)

Chapter VI - The Slayer

"Who was that?" Jackson startled me when he spoke once I stepped into the house. He was lounging in the living room with his feet kicked up on the couch, an expression on his curious, boyish face that worried me deeply.

It didn't take long for me to realize he was upset with me. It was written all over his face, the way he crossed his arms, the livid daze in his own gray eyes was something I couldn't quite get past. Shrugging, I unstrapped my stake's holster from my leg. "Who was who?" I asked.

Jackson rose from the couch and shifted his weight. If he'd seen Dom just a while ago, I wondered what part of us together he'd seen. Was it when he and I said goodbye to one another? If so, there was a chance he'd seen me kissing him, and not just another guy, but another guy who just happened to be a vampire. Then again it's not like he knew Dom was a vampire. I think... if that was the case, I was confident he'd have busted my face in for it... or worse, called Julius and ratted me out.

Jackson followed me to the kitchen and passed the dining room archway. When I made it, I grabbed a glass mug from the cupboard overhead and headed for the fridge, grabbing the picture of water. "You know who I'm talking about," he said, "That guy you were swapping spit with on the corner."

Cautiously, I filled my glass with a bit of cold water and took a sip. "Oh, he was just... a friend."

Jackson released a laugh that told me he knew something was up. "Kyle Timber is my friend, and so is Tony Dion, but you do not see me making out with them. I saw that dude, Raeden, he was grabbing your ass and stealing your tongue like you've been in a relationship for years. Who was he? I'm your brother, you can tell me. I always thought you were gay anyways. I was just never too sure... until now."

I wasn't up for sharing my life, especially with Jackson. He may be my brother, but that doesn't give him every ounce of trust I have. The only person I really know how to trust at the moment is myself.

"Don't worry about it," I said, "Where did Julius go tonight?"

"What's his name?"

I stopped and set my cold mug down on the counter, "Jackson, don't worry about it. It's none of your business."

He dogged me with the eyes of a greedy lion. "I'm gonna tell Julius you're dating a guy." He smirked with triumph. "You know he'd send you back to training if he ever found out about that, don't you? He's what you could call a... homophobe, and with him being in the Public and all, it'll only make things worse for you if he ever found out. Just tell me, Raeden. What was his name?"

Calming my breathing with a sigh, I thought for a moment on how I could switch this conversation. Talking about me would only lead to the discovery of Dom, and that was something I could not have.

Taking another bothersome sip of my water, I said, "What's with you, Jackson? Ever since Julius told me about my special task in taking down a vampire that actually needs to die, you've been acting like a child who didn't get what he wanted for Christmas." I huffed a laugh, "Are you jealous or something that I was given the duty, and you were stuck with city rogues?"

"Jealous? Of you? You've got to be kidding me? I'm a better slayer than you'll ever be—."

"And that's why the Slayer Public compared my skills to Hamilton, while you're stuck being a bloody janitor to the city nightlife."

A rage blew from his ears, steam I could've sworn I saw spew from his eardrums. He came at me but I didn't flinch. He gripped the collar of my shirt and shoved me back on the refrigerator door, rattling the magnets and clips stuck to the door and causing them to fall off from the force he gave.

"Don't start with me, Raeden," he began, "I deserved that position far more than you. I'm the oldest, giving me the right to go out before you. The Public must be run by fools if they think you're going to finish the job. I bet you haven't even found out where that fanger lives, let alone where it's from."