Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
CONNOR
I’m not sure exactly what I said to put that expression on Kieran’s face, but I like it.
A lot. It makes me feel like I’ve single-handedly saved the world from annihilation.
His eyes are all soft and dreamy, and there’s just a tiny hint of a flush on his face.
It’s the same expression he had right after I jerked him last night.
Maybe Gabe’s right and I do have feelings.
I wait for the sense of panic, for the instant denial, but there’s nothing. I guess I don’t mind the idea of having feelings for Kieran? If only it wasn’t so inconvenient.
I clear my throat. “So, uh, where’d you grow up?” I try not to wince because that’s a lame-ass question, but he doesn’t laugh.
“Ohio. There’s nothing interesting about my childhood, believe me.
I’m an only child of only children who are both career oriented.
That’s not a complaint,” he adds. “My parents are great, and I never felt like I was missing anything. Even after they got divorced, things were fine. But I also wasn’t sad to leave home, and I’m good with only seeing them once a year at either Christmas or Thanksgiving.
” He hesitates. “It’s kinda dumb, but I get more of a sense of home and family here than I ever did there. ”
“No, I get it,” I assure him. “You’ve got a great group of people here.
Gabe and I both noticed it.” Part of me is jealous.
I have Gabe and our brothers, but now especially we rarely get to spend much time together.
And it’ll be even less now that Gabe is staying here.
Maybe I should see if I can talk the Collective into a new compound in Chicago?
That would be closer, and it’s not a terrible idea.
Right now there’s the main American compound outside San Diego and a smaller satellite one in New York, but a base in the Midwest could work.
And Chicago’s just a couple hours’ drive away.
I’d be able to see Gabe between assignments.
Yeah, I’m kidding myself.
“What about you?” he asks. “You’ve talked about your family being hereditary hunters, but you haven’t mentioned much about them personally.”
I smile thinking of my family. “My parents were like yours, I guess—dedicated to their careers. So much so that I hardly ever saw them—and they hardly ever saw each other. My brother is twelve years younger than me. But at the Collective compound, you’re never alone.
Gabe and I literally grew up together. He’s a year younger than me, but we’ve always been together—in the nursery, then the kiddie dorms when our parents were away.
He’s hella smart, so we were in the same classes, all the same training groups…
everything, right up until he started specialist gatekeeper training.
We even both have brothers the same age, and they’re best friends.
They’re at college together. The dipshit duo. ”
Kieran laughs. “I don’t know them, but in their defense, most college-age boys are dipshits.”
Companionable silence falls. I’m glad the ghosts only brought in dining chairs and not a sofa or something, because I don’t think I could resist temptation right now—and with said ghosts, including my uncle, listening outside the door, that would be bad. Very bad.
“Why are you all standing here?” Josh’s voice carries clearly through the door, and Kieran and I look up, exchange glances, and scramble to our feet.
“We like it here,” Hattie says.
“Yeah, I don’t believe you.”
“It’s good feng shui for us to stand here,” Freddie declares pompously, and I snort.
“Still don’t believe you. Have you seen Kieran?” There’s a heavy dose of skepticism in Josh’s voice.
“No.”
“Of course not.”
“Why would we have seen Kieran? We don’t even like him.”
“Ouch,” Kieran mutters, then raises his voice. “Help, Josh! They’ve locked us in.”
“Kieran?” Josh sounds startled despite having been suspicious. “Oh, for fuck’s sake. Open that door right now, or I swear you’re going to regret it.”
With many grumbles and complaints, the ghosts comply, and the door opens. I grab hold of it and grip firmly, then gesture for Kieran to precede me out. He does, glowering at the ghosts.
“You don’t like me?” he accuses. “I was going to forgive you for this stupid stunt, but now I’m buying every ghost-repellant herb I can get my hands on and turning this place into a herb sanctuary.”
I smirk as the ghosts protest. “I only said it ’cause it ain’t true,” Johnny swears. “No one would believe it. You’re our favorite!”
“Excuse me?” Josh says, heavy on the sarcasm. “He’s your favorite?”
It’s a lot more fun than I expected to see the ghosts squirm.
“What even happened here?” Josh asks. “Why did you lock Kieran and Connor in the storeroom?” He takes a step forward and peers inside. “Did you cater dinner for them? Oh my god… is this supposed to be a Parent Trap-style situation?” He turns on the ghosts. “I’m so ashamed of you right now.”
“And on that note…” I sidestep the remorseful-looking group. “I’m going to check on Gabe. Did you bring him dinner, at least?”
Uncle Norval puts a hand over his heart. “I swear I did, boy. He was eating when I left him.” He winces. “And asked after you.”
Swallowing my laugh—because it’s a lot funnier now—I suggest, “Maybe it’s time for you to go check on someone else. Did Gabe mention that Ian and Matt came home for the weekend? They could probably do with some guidance at school.”
He shakes his head glumly. “They’ve salted their dorm room and told me not to visit them on campus. No respect for family, those two.”
I stop edging away and squint at him. Because yeah, we’ve all been tempted to salt him out at least one time in our lives, but Ian and Matt love Uncle Norval. They think he’s a hoot. “What did you do?”
His gaze slides sideways shiftily. “Nothing.”
Yeah. Sure.
Scoffing, I wave over my shoulder as I walk away. “I’m checking on Gabe.” I’ll have to ask the boys what happened.
I don’t see Kieran again until nearly lunchtime on Tuesday.
I tried to wait up for him last night, but either he was working until way late or he found another bed to sleep in.
I’m not sure how I feel about that. On the one hand, we got each other off with no strings attached—he definitely doesn’t have any obligation to sleep with me, whether sex is involved or not.
But on the other hand, it felt like we had a good thing going?
Like we’re friends with bennies at the very least, and maybe that could be more.
I don’t know. I’m not used to this whole feelings thing.
The last time I liked someone for more than just sex, they were too freaked out by my job, and aside from that one huge failure, I’ve never had a boyfriend.
Truthfully, after that failure, I never tried again.
With how much I travel, it’s not like it was ever going to be easy to maintain a relationship, even before you add the bit where I’m hunting demons and other beasties.
It just seemed better to make do with one-nighters and fuck buddies and a series of casual flings.
So… yeah, if Kieran’s not feeling it for anything beyond getting off, that’s his prerogative. I’m leaving soon anyway. Or I will be if I can work out where the damn gateway is that the soul-eater came through all those years ago.
I’ve been trying to narrow it down most of the morning, except for when I switched briefly to tracking down the douchecanoe who we think planned to sacrifice Emma to a demon.
He was much easier to find than this rogue gateway, and eventually I give up on that and go downstairs to buy a sandwich.
Kieran told me and Gabe that our meals are on the house, but I don’t think he realizes exactly how much money the Collective has.
I do, and I have no compunction about spending it.
It can definitely afford a five-dollar sandwich.
I stop in at the Garden Suite to see if Gabe wants anything, but he’s not there, which means he’s done guarding the gateway.
And sure enough, when I look, it’s an absolute work of art.
Gabe’s practically my brother, so I’m always going to think he’s special, but seriously, he’s special.
There aren’t many gatekeepers who could do work like this—and in such a short space of time.
Downstairs, I head for the kitchen but only get halfway before I run into Kieran and Gabe talking in the hallway.
“Well, if it isn’t my two favorite men!” Fuck, did I just say that out loud?
Thankfully, Gabe rolls his eyes. “Need something, do you?”
I feign hurt. “What? Although,” I add as a thought strikes, “I could do with another set of eyes.”
“I’ll have a look after lunch,” he promises. “I was just telling Kieran that I’m done.”
I finally look directly at Kieran, meeting his gaze. His pretty green eyes are all shiny with pleasure. Sadly, none of it has anything to do with me.
“I can’t believe it,” he says with a disbelieving chuckle. “So… nothing else is going to sneak through?”
“Summoned demons will be able to get through without any effort, but they won’t be able to stop and cause problems for you…
unless the person who summoned them is here.
Anything else that tries to get through will struggle hard.
Most will give up and go away. If they don’t, that’s what I’m here for.
The chances of anything actually getting through are so slim, we don’t often bother to calculate them,” Gabe explains in his calm voice.
The truth is, if whatever entity is trying to get through can force its way past an experienced gatekeeper, everyone on this side is fucked.