Page 25 of Gray

“Like that’s possible.”

“Get in your truck and leave, hunter. You’ll be better off because of it.”

“Is that some kind of threat?”

“You’d know if it was.” Galen placed a still-sleeping Gray in the car and closed the door before walking around to the driver’s side. He cast me a final glance before shutting his door and putting the car in reverse.

I hopped in my truck and started it, the engine idling as I let the cab heat. What should I do? Head south like I originally intended? A snow flurry landed on my windshield, then another. The chance of snow had been low that day. Light flurries in the morning, and then it was forecasted to be out of the area by late afternoon.

The temptation of southern weather was hard to resist. Sunny skies and warmer air.

But then Gray’s cheeky little grin came to mind and the way his brown eyes had lit up when he’d first sat down to talk to me. My curiosity went deeper than the fact he was a Nephilim. He had a genuine kindness that was rare these days—a playfulness too.

I left the café, heading back to my motel.

Another day in Echo Bay wouldn’t hurt.

***

One more day turned to three. I sat in my motel room with a bucket of fried chicken and a case of cheap beer to keep me company. The necessities. I took a swig from the almost-empty can before bringing my laptop closer.

Me:Anyone know anything about Nephilim?

After days of research on my own, and yeah, maybe driving around town in an attempt to see a certain blond-haired twink again, I was finally reaching out to the other hunters.

Scar:Like the offspring of angels and humans? Some claim they’re giants. Others say they’re monsters who will swallow the earth. That’s all I know though. Why?

How much should I tell them? Part of me wanted to share the full truth about my encounter with the three Nephilim brothers. Another part hesitated. Why? I didn’t know.

StormBreaker:I think I met one b4. It had black wings, but the wings were made of feathers, not the leathery shit we see from demons.

Hawk:What happened?

StormBreaker:The thing saved my life. Few years ago, I was down in the Caribbean shit deep in a ghoul nest, outmanned and my damn ammo was empty. Next thing I knew, I heard the flapping of wings and looked up to see something that looked like a woman but far from human. A total Amazon warrior type. She killed the fuckers and left without a word.

So Nephilim really were on our side. Had to admit, a small part of me had doubted that fact.

I considered myself a good judge of character. Galen with his stormy gray eyes and muscles that could pop off someone’s head like a damn berry was far from the hero type. Anger rippled beneath his skin, like one slipup of his self-control and he’d unleash his fury on the world.

Then again, he had killed the manananggal, saving my ass in the process.

And Gray? I didn’t think there was a bad bone in his body.

Me:Cool. I came across the term in some of my reading and was curious.

I chatted with them for a while longer before I needed a break. Too much screen time gave me a headache. My shitty diet of fast food and alcohol had nothing to do with it.

Lies.

I popped open another beer and peered out the window, looking at the small diner beside the motel. People crowded inside it for a late dinner.

When was the last time I’d hung out with someone for fun? Hell, the last time I’d gotten laid? My life was a blur of motel rooms, hunting, and waking up to do it all over again. My only pleasure came from knowing the monster I killed wouldn’t be able to hurt someone else or turn their life upside down like mine had been.

“I’m so c-cold,” Kinkaid said, blood seeping from his lips. “Mason.”

“I’m here.” I held him closer, my fucking soul shredding.

I blinked away the memory and took a swig of beer. I’d developed a high tolerance for booze over the years—unfortunately. Probably all the self-medicating in an attempt to forget about that night in Afghanistan. Sometimes it worked. Mostly it didn’t.