added finally.
Toby's eyes grew sullen. “And that's why I'm afraid of you." I was hurt. “Do you even like me?"
The Werewolf drew in a long, deep breath and considered the question. “Yes,” he said after a moment, but he didn't sound sure of his answer. “I think you're a damned good Seeker, but..." "But?” I repeated, hoping to coax the rest of the thought from him. "But I don't know if you would turn on me at any moment.” He rapped his knuckles lightly against the wooden shingles. “And I'm not sure I want to find out.” It was hurting him as much to say it as it was for me to hear it.
It cut me to the bone. I felt as if my abdomen had been sliced open and my guts were about to spill out. I would put my life in Toby's hands no questions asked, even though he could turn into a hulking monster that could easily reduce me to a red stain on the pavement. It had been a long time since I trusted someone so completely. Lifting my heart from the ground, I slid it back into my chest and fought the emotions bubbling in the back of my skull. Forcefully reminding myself to blink, I crawled back to my perch on the peak of the roof.
We fell into a terribly uncomfortable silence, but I didn't care. I wasn't going to talk to him if I didn't have to, and it looked like he felt the same way. I could barely hear the regular rise and fall of his chest. He was making every effort to be as silent as possible. Even the wind that whistled through the trees was making more noise than we were. For the first time since knowing Toby, I felt uneasy with my back turned to him.
"I think we can call in the Cleaners,” I said after a while. “There are only ten or eleven Vamps in this brood. They should have no problem.” I glanced over my shoulder, but he was already gone. Apparently he didn't even need to stick around to hear my assessment of the situation. Falling back off my perch, I laid on my back and stared at the stars. The night was perfectly clear; a far cry from last night's drizzle. The nights were still cool but were staring to warm. This was more the weather I was accustomed to in Southern Nevada. It was hot and dry here forcing even the humans to adopt a more nocturnal lifestyle. It was just too damned hot to go out in the middle of the day. The stars were twinkling brightly overhead. In the hushed lights of the suburbs, it was easy to make out the constellations.
I didn't know what to do about Toby but it would have to wait. Glancing into the eastern sky, I cringed as I saw the black sky transitioning to blue. It was nearly dawn. We were cutting it really close. Digging into my jacket pocket, I felt my small, clamshell design cell phone. Pulling it free, I flipped it open and jabbed two of the rubberized buttons. The preprogrammed number began to ring immediately. I listened to a gruff male voice answer on the other end. “Eleven targets maximum. Wait for my order to execute.” I snapped the phone shut and deposited it back in my pocket.
I hated military jargon, but it was all some seemed to understand. They had been gifted with free will, and chose to ignore it. It was easier to follow orders than think for one's self. They were cattle. Or maybe I was just in a really, really bad mood.
Toby's eyes grew sullen. “And that's why I'm afraid of you." I was hurt. “Do you even like me?"
The Werewolf drew in a long, deep breath and considered the question. “Yes,” he said after a moment, but he didn't sound sure of his answer. “I think you're a damned good Seeker, but..." "But?” I repeated, hoping to coax the rest of the thought from him. "But I don't know if you would turn on me at any moment.” He rapped his knuckles lightly against the wooden shingles. “And I'm not sure I want to find out.” It was hurting him as much to say it as it was for me to hear it.
It cut me to the bone. I felt as if my abdomen had been sliced open and my guts were about to spill out. I would put my life in Toby's hands no questions asked, even though he could turn into a hulking monster that could easily reduce me to a red stain on the pavement. It had been a long time since I trusted someone so completely. Lifting my heart from the ground, I slid it back into my chest and fought the emotions bubbling in the back of my skull. Forcefully reminding myself to blink, I crawled back to my perch on the peak of the roof.
We fell into a terribly uncomfortable silence, but I didn't care. I wasn't going to talk to him if I didn't have to, and it looked like he felt the same way. I could barely hear the regular rise and fall of his chest. He was making every effort to be as silent as possible. Even the wind that whistled through the trees was making more noise than we were. For the first time since knowing Toby, I felt uneasy with my back turned to him.
"I think we can call in the Cleaners,” I said after a while. “There are only ten or eleven Vamps in this brood. They should have no problem.” I glanced over my shoulder, but he was already gone. Apparently he didn't even need to stick around to hear my assessment of the situation. Falling back off my perch, I laid on my back and stared at the stars. The night was perfectly clear; a far cry from last night's drizzle. The nights were still cool but were staring to warm. This was more the weather I was accustomed to in Southern Nevada. It was hot and dry here forcing even the humans to adopt a more nocturnal lifestyle. It was just too damned hot to go out in the middle of the day. The stars were twinkling brightly overhead. In the hushed lights of the suburbs, it was easy to make out the constellations.
I didn't know what to do about Toby but it would have to wait. Glancing into the eastern sky, I cringed as I saw the black sky transitioning to blue. It was nearly dawn. We were cutting it really close. Digging into my jacket pocket, I felt my small, clamshell design cell phone. Pulling it free, I flipped it open and jabbed two of the rubberized buttons. The preprogrammed number began to ring immediately. I listened to a gruff male voice answer on the other end. “Eleven targets maximum. Wait for my order to execute.” I snapped the phone shut and deposited it back in my pocket.
I hated military jargon, but it was all some seemed to understand. They had been gifted with free will, and chose to ignore it. It was easier to follow orders than think for one's self. They were cattle. Or maybe I was just in a really, really bad mood.