being uncomfortable around needles and shit anymore, but it really wasn’t my problem. Keeping him alive and catering to his delicate sensibilities were two very different things.
“I do what I got to do. Do you want a highly dangerous hemotoxin entering the water supply by accident and possibly killing hundreds? A drop of this will have you bleeding internally within thirty seconds, as well as from your gums, ears, nose, and eyes. Well, you would bleed out of every hole, but I don’t think you want to hear about that.” I smiled viciously. “My blood renders it useless and then I dispose of it all where humans won’t be able to find it and run tests. Some of us are careful with our presence in a modern, scientific world so we don’t become science projects.”
“Bitch,” he mumbled, shaking his head at me.
“And you’ve been an asshole since we met, so I guess we’re fucking even,” I snapped.
We glared at each other. Maybe I could have been nicer about what I just had to do. Maybe he could have not tried to put two bullets into me, which now that I thought back to it, was really a dick move. Every time I thought he and I were getting along, one of us got snappy, and I just didn’t know how to rein in the situation.
“So, what are we going to do now?” he asked, shoving his hands into his pockets.
Sighing, I shrugged again, grabbing a lid for the cup. Once it was sealed, I went to sit down at my dining table, gesturing to the seat next to him to sit down as well, across the table from me. I didn’t want him next to me. I needed to get used to the warring sensations I was going through.
“I’m going to try to figure out what you are. If I can do that, then I can find someone who can teach you, explain it better than I ever could. It’s not going to be easy. It might take some outside help, but I’m going to start tonight. We’re going to lie low. I need to make some phone calls to get backup. I can’t protect you alone and have no idea how far this could go. Mygi might recall the bounty and the people they’ve hired and let it drop. They might keep coming and try to kill me for sticking my nose in this.”
“You work for the…Tribunal or whatever. Would Mygi try to kill you?”
“At some point or another, Raphael, everyone tries to kill me,” I whispered, giving him a sad smile. “If they’re into something illegal, covering up my murder is the best option they have, but they would have to do it before I can testify at a Trial. Anything I say before that is considered inadmissible. It needs to be said directly to the Tribunal under their oath or it doesn’t matter.”
“This sounds like it’s going to be harder than you let me believe,” he accused.
“I sure as fuck never said it was going to be easy,” I reminded him. “Do you really think this is as easy as making a phone call? After everything you’ve been through? First, I need to keep you alive. Now, I need to make some calls.” I grabbed my bag off the table in a huff. “Let me show you the room you can use. Heads up, though, in the supernatural world, we’re all pretty much night owls, and you might want to switch to that schedule as soon as you can.”
“What about my job? Or really any of my life?”
“Did you have much of a life before I met you?” I demanded, wondering if he was serious. “And we both know you’re overqualified for construction and getting paid under the table is probably garbage. Once we’ve secured your safety, I’m sure there’s going to be some work you can find in the supernatural world.”
“That’s it? I’m in the supernatural world and have no say in it?”
“Yes,” I answered with finality that, hopefully, didn’t get any back-talk. Because I need you to stay in the supernatural world, even if everyone else lets you walk away from it, damn it.
He sighed, and I watched that red flash through his eyes, but he didn’t get angry, didn’t make any attempt to argue.
Impressive.
“Come on,” I ordered. He followed me toward the back of the house without complaint. “If you know how to use them and someone attacks, feel free to break into any