Caged

5-3

DAD EXPLAINED THE SITUATION, while I stuffed my face with one lamb pastry, followed by a second. I scrunched up the paper wrapper, opened a third, and shovelled in a mouthful.

“So ...” Jess brushed crumbs from the corners of her lips. “You came to see me about this, why? You need my help?”

She may as well have added the again on the end, with the tone she used.

“Actually, we just thought you deserved the warning,” Dad said. “And—”

“Thought there might be more.” Jess’s skinny arms folded over her chest.

“And,” Dad repeated, “we thought, as you’re the only witch we know, you’d do the honours of passing the caution onto any others in the area ... or anywhere, for that matter, as we don’t, or won’t, know when these ...”

“People?” Jess offered.

I shook my head. “No way humans could take so many werewolves down.”

“So, what are they, then?”

I looked at Dad, then back to Jess at his nod. “We’ve no idea. Other werewolves, we presume.”

“Not necessarily,” Jess said. “They could be anything. You do realise that, don’t you?”

“Such as?” I asked on another bite of my meal.

“Hmm, let me think.” A sardonic tone tinged her words. “I don’t know, maybe shifters. Or vamps. Half-demons.”

My eyebrows shot up. “Half what?”

She sent a glance toward Dad before giving me her attention again. “You lot are as much in denial as Jem. You’re not the only species out there, you know.”

“Race,” Dad said. “And we’re well aware of that ...”

My gaze whipped toward him. First I’d heard of it. Didn’t need to tell Jess that, though.

“... I’m just unsure how broad a range the different races cover.”

“Probably more than you imagine.” Jess faced Dad for seconds before her lips pursed. “Okay, you haven’t heard this from me, but ...” She blew out a breath. “There’s a close-knit group of vamps in the area.”

Dad and I exchanged a quick glance. “You know these vampires?” I asked.

She nodded once. “Word on the street is a couple of new ones have been spotted in town.”

“New vampires?” Dad asked. “Strangers?”

Jess gave us the same positive acknowledgement. “Look, I need to get back to work before my boss makes me do overtime.”

“We’ll walk with you.” Dad fell into step on Jess’s left, and I took her other side.

Between the two of us, Jess almost disappeared into shadow, and the narrow pavement meant I ended up in the road.

“Do you have a description of these new ones?” Dad asked, as we climbed the hill.

“No. There’s only so much the locals share with us witches.” Although her lips curved, no humour entered her eyes. “Apparently, they consider us untrustworthy.”

Imagine that, I almost muttered.

“Could you ask them?” Dad asked.

“Doubt it will get me anywhere, but I’ll try.” It took only a few minutes to reach the car park outside Jess’s work. Her hands did a double point toward the glass-fronted business. “Do you need me for anything else?”

Dad shook his head. “Just watch your back, okay?”

“Sure. And you watch yours—and Jem’s.” She walked away a few strides before twisting back toward us. “I take it there’s a chance you might be around, then?”

“Yes,” Dad and I said.

“Well ...” She shrugged, smiling with her gaze on mine. “You need a place to stay, I still have half a bed that needs filling.”

“I’ll bear that in mind, Jess,” I told her, ignoring how Dad’s head snapped round toward me.

“’Course you will.” With a laugh, she spun and disappeared into the job centre.