Dead of Night (Hunters of the Dark #4) by Dave Ferraro
Chapter Thirty-Two
Shanna arrived back at the mansion before the others, as Damien was able to use a local witch to teleport them. She hadn’t expected to miss Lime Bay so much, but the minute she was on the steps leading up to the mansion, she felt a wave of happiness course through her.
“Will I see you again soon?” she asked, looking shyly down at Damien, who lingered on the bottom step.
“I mean, if you want to,” he teased. He reached up and planted a kiss on her lips, one that ended much too soon.
She sighed as he drew back. “I’ll let you know the moment I make any headway on Paimon.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
He smiled at her one more time before turning around and walking away.
She watched him as he left, then shivered in the night air. With a quick look around at the dark trees, she hurried up the steps and slipped into the mansion.
“Who was that?”
Shanna jumped at the clipped voice and turned to see Agent Ross standing just inside the door, arms crossed. She had a suspicious look on her face.
“Just a friend,” she answered as she closed the door softly.
“A friend,” Ross echoed, then offered her a smile. “It seems that Valor has been rather lax with security around here. We’re going to have to keep a log of visitors. We can’t have civilians roaming the premises at will.”
“No, we can’t have that,” Shanna said nervously.
Agent Ross watched her for a moment, and Shanna was relieved when she caught sight of Valor walking into the entryway behind her.
“Valor!”
Valor smiled tightly as she approached them, then sent a sideways look at Agent Ross before she addressed Shanna. “Shanna. I’ve been reading your reports. I’ll have some follow-up questions for you.”
“Yes. Of-of course.”
“And you remember Agent Ross?”
Shanna nodded, eyeing the woman, from her matronly bun, to her stiff suit, to her eyes watching her like a hawk through the lenses of her glasses. “How could I forget?”
Valor took a deep breath, then sent her a small smile. “Well, we’ll have the pleasure of Miss Ross’ company for a few months, it would seem.”
Pasting a smile on her face, Shanna swallowed hard. “Oh?”
“General Kagan and Agent Ross are under the assumption that things could be more…efficient around here.”
Ross smirked. “Come, Valor. Your agents don’t even try to hide the fact that they cavort with the enemy.” She wielded on Shanna. “Your recent report states that you sought the aid of several supernatural entities to rescue the other hunters.”
“Yes, but-“
“But nothing. Monsters are the enemy. Further violations of this nature will not be tolerated, and will result in disciplinary action.” She pulled down on her suit jacket and glanced back over her shoulder. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have more files to go through.”
She left them quickly, the sound of her heels clicking on the tile echoing loudly until she had left the room.
Shanna turned to Valor with wide eyes. “Valor…”
Valor nodded and put a hand on her shoulder. “It will only be for a few months. We have to illustrate our ability to…adhere to the standards they set forth. In the meantime, I think it would be best if you keep Damien from visiting the mansion.”
Nodding, Shanna began to follow her from the room, but lights suddenly washed over the windows, and they heard the sound of car doors slamming shut outside. “The others are back.”
Valor turned to the doors expectantly, then scowled as the sound of Agent Ross’ heels returned. “Perfect.”
On her heels were Jordan and Brett, who looked relieved to see her. Shanna sent them a smile and Jordan wrapped her in a bear hug when he reached her. “I’m so glad you’re back.”
“Same here,” she said, all smiles. “Hey, Brett.”
“Hey,” Brett saluted her. “Get any beads?”
She frowned, then laughed. “We weren’t there for Mardi Gras.”
Brett shrugged sheepishly.
“The others have returned?” Agent Ross asked.
Valor didn’t need to answer, as the door swung open and the other hunters entered, carrying their luggage and laughing with one another.
In the midst of the noise, Jordan leaned into Shanna and whispered in her ear. “Valor had me delete and rewrite her files on Serene and Krystal. Their powers are not to be discussed. Serene is going to take Cameron’s old room.”
Shanna looked at him with wide eyes as he pulled back. She looked past him at Valor, who offered her a reassuring smile and nodded toward the others.
“Were these your bags on the steps?” Quinn asked, sidling up to her with her luggage.
Shanna nodded. “Yeah. I just got back myself.” She turned to the others and cleared her throat. “Guys, this is Agent Ross. She’s going to be staying with us for awhile.”
Everyone went silent for a moment, and Shanna noted that Krystal had gone pale.
“I’m pleased to meet you all,” Agent Ross said stiffly. “I look forward to getting to know each of you better. In fact, we should start going over your reports as soon as possible.”
“But after you’ve all settled back in,” Valor amended with a smile her way. “You must be tired after the trip, after all.”
Ross frowned, but nodded. “Yes. I’ll be around to interview each of you later.”
Shanna saw Jordan nonchalantly walk over to Hunter and whisper to him, the scholar looking stony-faced as he absorbed the information he was hearing. He quickly moved toward Krystal, however, and escorted her to her room. Shanna took it upon herself to grab Serene’s arm and steer her upstairs. She thrust one of the suitcases that Quinn had retrieved for her into the siren’s hand. “Don’t forget your stuff, now.”
Serene sent her a confused look.
“And I think I lent you my hoodie. I’ll get it from you right away so I can start laundry.” She faked a sigh. “The worst part about traveling: playing catch up afterward.”
Serene allowed herself to be led up to the second floor with the others, and as soon as Agent Ross and Valor were out of sight, Shanna and Jordan quickly explained the situation to the others.
“I don’t feel good about hiding things from my employers,” Jade said, frowning.
“And I don’t like the idea of letting the siren walk around freely,” Brett added, glancing quickly in Serene’s direction.
“Serene is one of the only reasons we’re standing here right now,” Amelia told him. “She’s one of us now.”
Brett snorted. “I still don’t like it. Don’t you guys remember what they did to us? What they did to…” His voice trailed off as he looked in Jade’s direction. He looked confused for a moment and shook his head. “They’re bad news. She’s bad news.”
“We’re not handing them over to someone who will dissect her,” Amelia said, standing tall.
Brett put a hand to his head. “My god. Maybe they’re right. Look at us, what we’re doing. Why are we hiding monsters from them? There’s something wrong with us.”
“There’s nothing wrong with us,” Jordan said. “They just need to understand what things are really like, and they don’t want to hear it. They won’t discuss it. So, we’ll have to prove our point with our actions. It will take some time, but they’ll come around.”
“Agent Ross will come around?” Rachel scoffed. “She doesn’t seem like the ‘coming around’ type.”
“We’ll see about that,” Amelia shrugged.
“Well, I’m locking my door at night,” Brett announced. “I guess I’m not as trusting as the rest of you.” He glanced at Serene again, who refused to look his way.
“While I commend Serene’s recent actions,” Natalia spoke up, “I also disagree with hiding things from Agent Ross and General Kagan.”
Shanna exchanged looks with Jordan. “Natalia,
it’s Krystal too. We can’t let them-“
“I will go along with this for now,” Natalia interrupted her. “It’s against my better judgment, but I see the logic in the subterfuge.”
“Thank you,” Amelia sighed.
“So, we’re in agreement?” Jordan asked. “No one will give up Krystal or Serene? Or any allies, like Damien and Noel?”
They all agreed, and then quickly dispersed.
Shanna led Serene to Cameron’s old room, which had been stripped of all of the former hunter’s personal possessions, but still seemed oddly eerie to Shanna. She shivered as she passed over the threshold and looked around. She hadn’t spent a ton of time in the room with Cameron, but images of him sitting on the bed and coming around the corner besieged her.
Swallowing hard, Shanna sat down on the bed.
Serene sat down beside her.
“This is your room now,” Shanna said, glancing up at the siren, who smiled back shyly. “If you need anything, I’m right next door.”
Serene nodded and grabbed Shanna’s hand. Shanna looked up sharply and met the gratitude in her eyes with embarrassment. “It’s nothing,” Shanna shrugged. “You’ve earned your place here. You’re one of us now, and we look out for our own.”
Shanna arrived back at the mansion before the others, as Damien was able to use a local witch to teleport them. She hadn’t expected to miss Lime Bay so much, but the minute she was on the steps leading up to the mansion, she felt a wave of happiness course through her.
“Will I see you again soon?” she asked, looking shyly down at Damien, who lingered on the bottom step.
“I mean, if you want to,” he teased. He reached up and planted a kiss on her lips, one that ended much too soon.
She sighed as he drew back. “I’ll let you know the moment I make any headway on Paimon.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
He smiled at her one more time before turning around and walking away.
She watched him as he left, then shivered in the night air. With a quick look around at the dark trees, she hurried up the steps and slipped into the mansion.
“Who was that?”
Shanna jumped at the clipped voice and turned to see Agent Ross standing just inside the door, arms crossed. She had a suspicious look on her face.
“Just a friend,” she answered as she closed the door softly.
“A friend,” Ross echoed, then offered her a smile. “It seems that Valor has been rather lax with security around here. We’re going to have to keep a log of visitors. We can’t have civilians roaming the premises at will.”
“No, we can’t have that,” Shanna said nervously.
Agent Ross watched her for a moment, and Shanna was relieved when she caught sight of Valor walking into the entryway behind her.
“Valor!”
Valor smiled tightly as she approached them, then sent a sideways look at Agent Ross before she addressed Shanna. “Shanna. I’ve been reading your reports. I’ll have some follow-up questions for you.”
“Yes. Of-of course.”
“And you remember Agent Ross?”
Shanna nodded, eyeing the woman, from her matronly bun, to her stiff suit, to her eyes watching her like a hawk through the lenses of her glasses. “How could I forget?”
Valor took a deep breath, then sent her a small smile. “Well, we’ll have the pleasure of Miss Ross’ company for a few months, it would seem.”
Pasting a smile on her face, Shanna swallowed hard. “Oh?”
“General Kagan and Agent Ross are under the assumption that things could be more…efficient around here.”
Ross smirked. “Come, Valor. Your agents don’t even try to hide the fact that they cavort with the enemy.” She wielded on Shanna. “Your recent report states that you sought the aid of several supernatural entities to rescue the other hunters.”
“Yes, but-“
“But nothing. Monsters are the enemy. Further violations of this nature will not be tolerated, and will result in disciplinary action.” She pulled down on her suit jacket and glanced back over her shoulder. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have more files to go through.”
She left them quickly, the sound of her heels clicking on the tile echoing loudly until she had left the room.
Shanna turned to Valor with wide eyes. “Valor…”
Valor nodded and put a hand on her shoulder. “It will only be for a few months. We have to illustrate our ability to…adhere to the standards they set forth. In the meantime, I think it would be best if you keep Damien from visiting the mansion.”
Nodding, Shanna began to follow her from the room, but lights suddenly washed over the windows, and they heard the sound of car doors slamming shut outside. “The others are back.”
Valor turned to the doors expectantly, then scowled as the sound of Agent Ross’ heels returned. “Perfect.”
On her heels were Jordan and Brett, who looked relieved to see her. Shanna sent them a smile and Jordan wrapped her in a bear hug when he reached her. “I’m so glad you’re back.”
“Same here,” she said, all smiles. “Hey, Brett.”
“Hey,” Brett saluted her. “Get any beads?”
She frowned, then laughed. “We weren’t there for Mardi Gras.”
Brett shrugged sheepishly.
“The others have returned?” Agent Ross asked.
Valor didn’t need to answer, as the door swung open and the other hunters entered, carrying their luggage and laughing with one another.
In the midst of the noise, Jordan leaned into Shanna and whispered in her ear. “Valor had me delete and rewrite her files on Serene and Krystal. Their powers are not to be discussed. Serene is going to take Cameron’s old room.”
Shanna looked at him with wide eyes as he pulled back. She looked past him at Valor, who offered her a reassuring smile and nodded toward the others.
“Were these your bags on the steps?” Quinn asked, sidling up to her with her luggage.
Shanna nodded. “Yeah. I just got back myself.” She turned to the others and cleared her throat. “Guys, this is Agent Ross. She’s going to be staying with us for awhile.”
Everyone went silent for a moment, and Shanna noted that Krystal had gone pale.
“I’m pleased to meet you all,” Agent Ross said stiffly. “I look forward to getting to know each of you better. In fact, we should start going over your reports as soon as possible.”
“But after you’ve all settled back in,” Valor amended with a smile her way. “You must be tired after the trip, after all.”
Ross frowned, but nodded. “Yes. I’ll be around to interview each of you later.”
Shanna saw Jordan nonchalantly walk over to Hunter and whisper to him, the scholar looking stony-faced as he absorbed the information he was hearing. He quickly moved toward Krystal, however, and escorted her to her room. Shanna took it upon herself to grab Serene’s arm and steer her upstairs. She thrust one of the suitcases that Quinn had retrieved for her into the siren’s hand. “Don’t forget your stuff, now.”
Serene sent her a confused look.
“And I think I lent you my hoodie. I’ll get it from you right away so I can start laundry.” She faked a sigh. “The worst part about traveling: playing catch up afterward.”
Serene allowed herself to be led up to the second floor with the others, and as soon as Agent Ross and Valor were out of sight, Shanna and Jordan quickly explained the situation to the others.
“I don’t feel good about hiding things from my employers,” Jade said, frowning.
“And I don’t like the idea of letting the siren walk around freely,” Brett added, glancing quickly in Serene’s direction.
“Serene is one of the only reasons we’re standing here right now,” Amelia told him. “She’s one of us now.”
Brett snorted. “I still don’t like it. Don’t you guys remember what they did to us? What they did to…” His voice trailed off as he looked in Jade’s direction. He looked confused for a moment and shook his head. “They’re bad news. She’s bad news.”
“We’re not handing them over to someone who will dissect her,” Amelia said, standing tall.
Brett put a hand to his head. “My god. Maybe they’re right. Look at us, what we’re doing. Why are we hiding monsters from them? There’s something wrong with us.”
“There’s nothing wrong with us,” Jordan said. “They just need to understand what things are really like, and they don’t want to hear it. They won’t discuss it. So, we’ll have to prove our point with our actions. It will take some time, but they’ll come around.”
“Agent Ross will come around?” Rachel scoffed. “She doesn’t seem like the ‘coming around’ type.”
“We’ll see about that,” Amelia shrugged.
“Well, I’m locking my door at night,” Brett announced. “I guess I’m not as trusting as the rest of you.” He glanced at Serene again, who refused to look his way.
“While I commend Serene’s recent actions,” Natalia spoke up, “I also disagree with hiding things from Agent Ross and General Kagan.”
Shanna exchanged looks with Jordan. “Natalia,
“I will go along with this for now,” Natalia interrupted her. “It’s against my better judgment, but I see the logic in the subterfuge.”
“Thank you,” Amelia sighed.
“So, we’re in agreement?” Jordan asked. “No one will give up Krystal or Serene? Or any allies, like Damien and Noel?”
They all agreed, and then quickly dispersed.
Shanna led Serene to Cameron’s old room, which had been stripped of all of the former hunter’s personal possessions, but still seemed oddly eerie to Shanna. She shivered as she passed over the threshold and looked around. She hadn’t spent a ton of time in the room with Cameron, but images of him sitting on the bed and coming around the corner besieged her.
Swallowing hard, Shanna sat down on the bed.
Serene sat down beside her.
“This is your room now,” Shanna said, glancing up at the siren, who smiled back shyly. “If you need anything, I’m right next door.”
Serene nodded and grabbed Shanna’s hand. Shanna looked up sharply and met the gratitude in her eyes with embarrassment. “It’s nothing,” Shanna shrugged. “You’ve earned your place here. You’re one of us now, and we look out for our own.”