Strong language to follow.
Chapter Four
I sat in the back seat of a black town car while David and his partner sat in the front, talking to me about strategy. Unconsciously, I was tuning them out as I watched the buildings pass outside my window.
“Princess, are you listening?” David asked.
“No,” I said. “Sorry, what did you say?”
He rolled his eyes and popped his gum. I hated when people did that, then again I hated gum chewers on principle. David was over six foot and was bald. I couldn’t tell if he shaved his head or if he’d prematurely lost his hair. He was whiter than an Irishman and it made me wonder what the hell he did over the summer.
At first I thought his appearance would bother me because on the outside and from the back, he looked like Jason. But he didn’t have the same presence as the Vampire. Which was good.
“You need to listen.”
“I have other things on my mind.” My eyes scanned the buildings and it was then I was certain I’d seen them before. That sent shivers down my spine and not in a good way.
“Like what? Boys?” His partner, Parker I think his name was, laughed and David joined him.
“No. I’m not the type of girl who thinks about boys.”
“Girls than?”
I looked away from the window and glared at him. “No.”
“Then what’s so important?”
“I was thinking about the last time I was here, at least I think this is the same place. It looks the same.”
Both men in the front seat went quiet when I mentioned my previous visit to New York. I didn’t know if Gregori told them to stay away from the topic or if they just read my file. Hell, there might’ve been a report about the whole occurrence that I didn’t know about.
“Can we make a stop?”
“Um, Georgiana, I don’t think that’s a good idea. We’re on a schedule…”
“On the way back then?”
David shared a look with Parker. “I’ll call and ask.”
I nodded and went back to looking out the window. They blissfully stayed quiet for the rest of the drive. We stopped in front of a rundown building that looked to be scheduled for demolition by the end of the week. At least that’s what the notice said.
I stood on the sidewalk and looked at the building.
“What’s inside?” I asked.
“An Otherworld shut in. This is the third time we’ve been by to tell him it’s time to go and every time he tells us he’s leaving.”
“Still hasn’t left by the look of it,” Parker commented. “See the fourth window from the left on the third story?” I nodded. “That’s him.”
“What is he?”
“Bear. Grizzly to be specific.”
“Goodie.” I waited for them to step forward first. “Well? I hope you don’t expect me to lead. This is your operation, not mine. I’m just here to keep you two out of trouble.”
David just looked at me like he was expecting horns to grow out of my head. I rolled my eyes.
“I’m not taking the lead. I’m the recruit, remember? I’m not that stupid.”
David grinned. “Good for you.” He went through the opening in the chain link fence. Parker motioned me forward and then followed behind me. We went up the drive which led around back where most parking was found. Not many back or front yards in the City.
I followed him up the stairs and he paused at the top. He turned and looked at me.
“I’m warning you now that Emerson doesn’t like…” He waved a hand at me.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I said putting my hands on my hips.
David rolled his eyes and just disappeared through the open doorway.
“Watch your step,” Parker whispered. “The floors and stairs are rotted through in places. Wouldn’t want to see if you’re up to date on your shots.”
We made our way up to the third floor slowly and when we got to the landing, a loud booming voice yelled at us.
“Is that girl I smell?” The sound of heavy footfalls followed. “Is that Girl Slayer I smell?”
I rolled my eyes, not wanting to say my smart remark that was on the tip of my tongue. Instead it echoed around in my head, falling on deaf ears.
“Well! Speak girl!”
I looked at David and raised my eyebrows, asking for permission. He nodded.
“Are you trying to tell me I stink? I did take a shower before I came here.”
A loud rumble came from the room, laughter I think. “You smell like blood, death, and pussy, girl.”
I made a disgusted face and sent a sharp look to David.
“He may have a vulgar problem,” he whispered. “I tried to tell you.”
“Well, bring her in, Dave. You know how much I like to look at a piece of ass.”
“Oh god,” I said. “I’m not going in there.”
“Get in here or I’ll bring the place down!”
David winced. “Nice, rookie.”
He moved down the hall like a SWAT team member. He pushed the door open and stepped in, with me following and Parker behind me.
“Well, what do you have for me?” the booming voice said from straight ahead. “By the sound of her voice I would say she’s a looker.”
I waited for David to move from in front of me. I was small enough to hide behind him and I wasn’t the type to step out of line without being told to. At least not in these types of situations.
“Do you promise to be nice?” David asked. “She’s not used to the likes of you.”
There was a throaty chuckle and I tried hard not to gag. “Come now, Dave. Even I can smell that the girl has been plucked. She has to be used to something.”
“Hey,” I said, stepping out of line yet again. Yes, I winced on the inside. “That’s just…gross.”
What I saw in front of me was the worst thing I’d ever seen. A huge man, who was crammed into the smallest recliner ever, looked at me with small, beady dark eyes. It looked like he hadn’t showered in a couple of weeks and there were takeout and delivery containers littered all over the floor around him.
“Ah. Definitely a better view than you, David. Where did you dig this bitch up?”
I resisted everything I had not to snap back. I’ve been dealing with his type since the boys at the school hit puberty.
“She’s a recruit. The Captain sent her out with us. Probably thought she could talk some sense into you.”
“She could talk a few things into me if she wanted. What’s your name, Slayer Girl?”
I looked at David. “Do I have to tell him?”
David shrugged. “Up to you, princess.”
“Princess? Ha! I like it!”
I glared at David before looking at the grotesque man in front of me.
“Georgiana,” I corrected. “My name is Georgiana…”
His eyes narrowed automatically and his nostrils flared. Then he looked at David and quick as a pitcher throwing a strike out, he threw a knife. I caught it by the handle before the blade could cut into David’s face.
“Now that’s not nice,” I said, something inside of me just clicking while the rest fell away.
David took a tentative step back. “Thanks, princess.”
“The girl has reflexes,” the Grizzly’s voice was cold now, none of the teasing left over from before. “But I don’t like abominations in my house. Get out, girl. If that’s even what you are.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Awe and I thought we were getting along so well.”
“Get out. I can’t believe you brought a bloody Hybrid into my house!”
“No need for name calling,” I said calmly. “Let us do what we came for and we’ll be gone.”
“I don’t need no blood whore telling me what to do.”
Just as quick as his throw, I was pressing a knife to his throat, hard enough that if I wanted to, I could draw blood.
“I don’t appreciate being called that. Did I call you fat? Or an overeater? No. So let’s keep this civil, shall we?”
“Get her away from me! Now!”
“Why Emerson, I don’t believe we’ve ever seen you this flustered before,” David said. “Why so anxious?”
“I will not deal with the likes of her.” He spat on my face.
I reached up and wiped the luggie away, trying not to let the disgust show on my face. “You better not have any communicable diseases or I will skin you alive.”
He glared at me. “What do you want?”
“You were supposed to vacate, Emerson,” Parker said. “We’ve served you twice now. Didn’t think we’d have to a third time.”
“Well then you thought wrong, pig man.”
I pressed the blade harder and nicked him. He howled and moved to push me away. David came forward and held his hands down on the arm rests.
“That’s not how you treat a lady.”
“Lady? Her? Try…” He gulped as he caught sight of my glare. “Sorry.”
“You need to leave,” I said. “This place is no longer livable.”
“Where am I supposed to go? This is my home.”
“Find another one. I did.” I backed up and David let go.
“Don’t make us come back here,” David said. “Because we’ll bring her back and I’ll let her slit you open to save us the hassle of sedating you and dragging you out.”
emerson glared at me. “You shouldn’t even be alive.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.”