Page 16 of Fear the Fall
Play with Fire
I woke this morning,wrapped in Zeke’s warm embrace, with a new outlook. Earth will be what I make of it, and certainly, having him by my side, it won’t be all bad. After our talk, he held me. It was everything I didn’t know I needed.
With my new outlook, I managed to drum up a storm. Energy is stored and ready to go, so I can get back to hunting demons. That is normal, and some sense of normalcy is what I need right now.
“What are you smiling about?” Zeke asks from across the table at a small café in the Garden District. We’re seated on the patio, enjoying the fresh air.
“I’m excited to hunt.”
His eyebrow quirks. “Hunting? That’s all?”
“It’s been a while.” I wink.
“It’s been a few days.” He chuckles, leaning across the table and taking my hands in his.
“Is there nothing else that excites you?”
“I think you could give me some reasons.”
Lifting my hand to his mouth, he places a kiss on my knuckles that’s a promise of more to come.
“Would you look at that. Our man Zeke’s been keeping secrets,” a gruff man jests as he walks by the café with a group of people.
Zeke’s eyes close. “Shit,” he says under his breath.
They beeline to the door, and I know it’s a matter of time before they join us on the patio.
I remove my hand from his, putting some distance between us. “Who are they?” I ask, not turning to see if they’re already behind me.
“People you’ve made it clear you have no interest in knowing.”
Human hunters.
I turn to find four sets of eyes staring me down with varying degrees of interest—and hostility. Three men and one woman. A woman who is definitely plotting my murder in her head, if her deep scowl is any indication. Interesting.
“Guys, this is Tori. She’s a... friend.”
The short, stocky blond man raises an eyebrow. “Friend, eh? Is that what you call it these days?”
The other two guys laugh, while the lone woman continues to throw eye daggers my way.
“What are you up to?” Zeke asks, trying to steer the conversation into different territory, and I’m grateful for it. I don’t need these humans, who are already attuned to too much of the celestial world, working out what Zeke and I are.
The blond shifts on his feet, looking to the tall, muscular, brown-haired man to his right, as if to defer to him. This must be the leader of their rat pack.
“We’re heading to the north end. A pack of wolves was spotted there last night. We’re going to remove them if they’re still there,” the man explains, standing tall and never once looking in my direction.
I internally huff a laugh at his ridiculous story. Of course I know that wolves equal demons. If he’s not exaggerating about it being a pack, that’s ambitious for a group of powerless mortals to take on. This human is either extremely brave or entirely too stupid. Which is exactly why I’ve chosen to stay away. That type of unjustified bravado will get them killed.
“We’d ask you to join us, but, well, it looks like you’re otherwise detained.”
“Detained?” Zeke chuckles. “I’m in no way being held against my will.” Zeke looks at me and winks.
“Leave them to their date,” the girl barks. “I want to grab something to eat beforehand.”
The leader levels her with a glare. “We probably should go. I don’t want the d— err, wolves getting away.”
“You can speak freely about demons to Tori. She’s a hunter too.”