Page 4 of In the Monster’s Wake (Monsters Amongst Us #1)

“Sure. Bad TV is what keeps you sane.”

It was an exaggeration, but not much. After dealing with the worst humanity and monsters had to offer at work, Archibald needed a distraction.

He had to be able to focus on something that was light and easy and bicker with people on social media about whether or not the couple he shipped belonged together.

Newsflash—they did.

A knock on the door made him groan. He was definitely going to miss watching the episode live.

Braith gave him an amused glance before getting up and stepping into the waiting area to open the door. Archibald didn’t see who Braith was talking to initially, but when Braith stepped back into the room where their desks were, an older monster came in after him.

The monster’s black hair had white strands in it and two big horns that curled toward the back.

He—Archibald was pretty sure it was a male—stood tall, but his expression was wary.

He looked around as if he expected someone to pop up from behind a desk.

Archibald and Braith weren’t hiding anyone, though.

Archibald plastered a smile on his face. “What can we help you with?”

“I thought you’d have a secretary.”

Braith snorted and eyed Archibald, who carefully ignored him. This wasn’t the moment to talk about their possible secretary.

“We don’t,” he said with a smile. “Which means you’ll have to talk to us if that’s okay with you.”

The monster waved Archibald’s words away. “Of course. I was just surprised because I expected to talk to someone who would tell me to come back or make an appointment.”

Braith gestured at the chair in front of Archibald’s desk.

The office was cramped, but they didn’t have more space.

There was the waiting room, a tiny bathroom in which Archibald always felt like he was suffocating, and their office.

It was a small miracle they’d found this place to begin with.

A lot of humans didn’t want to rent or sell to monsters.

The monster sat in the chair while Braith dragged his chair closer to Archibald’s desk. Once all three of them were settled, the room was silent for a moment. Archibald let their new client lead. He always did.

“I suppose that I should start with my name,” the monster said. “I’m Varken.”

Archibald nodded. “I’m Archibald, and this is Braith.”

Varken nodded. “The owners of this place. I was told you did good work.”

“I believe we do. What can we do for you, Varken?”

Varken cleared his throat. “My daughter was killed recently. Her case ended up on the news.”

Archibald sat up straighter. “Was her death part of the string of murders in our community?” There had been so many of them recently that even humans had noticed.

Of course, they used every act of violence between monsters to point out that they shouldn’t be allowed to mingle with humans.

Maybe they were right. Maybe humans and monsters shouldn’t live together, but it wasn’t like either of them had an alternative.

No matter what they thought of each other, there was only one Earth, and they had to share it.

Varken nodded. “The way she was killed mirrors the violence in the other cases. Humans aren’t investigating. I reached out to them, but they told me they couldn’t help. They gave me my daughter’s body back, and I buried her, but I want more.”

“You want revenge,” Braith said.

Varken’s expression hardened. “Whoever did this to my baby deserves to die as painfully as she did. They haven’t only hurt my daughter.

As of today, they’ve killed five monsters, hurt two human bystanders, and wounded three hunters while killing one.

I don’t care about the hunters, but clearly, even they can’t do anything about this monster. ”

“So you thought you’d ask us.”

“I’ve heard your reputation. You take care of things like this.”

Archibald nodded. He was a little worried because whoever was doing this was clearly strong, so it might be complicated, but he and Braith often worked together. He was sure they could put a stop to the monster responsible for all of this.

Archibald didn’t think much of killing. Some people—humans and monsters alike—shouldn’t be allowed to live.

They were too dangerous for humanity at large, and when someone realized that and paid Archibald to get rid of them, he was happy to do it.

He’d be especially happy to do it in this case because this monster was leaving a trail of bodies.

He was messing with the delicate balance between humans and monsters, and if Archibald’s life got worse because of them, he’d be pissed.

“We do,” he confirmed. “Do you know who’s behind this, or will we have to investigate and find out?”

Varken hesitated. “I’ve heard rumors. I don’t know how true they are, but it could be a place to start.”

“Rumors?”

“That the monster behind this is new to town. That he’s cold-blooded and never hesitates to kill, for whatever reason he feels like. My daughter never would’ve hurt anyone. There was no reason for her to be killed. I want that monster stopped, and I want it to hurt.”

“How much are you willing to pay for us to do that?”

Varken swallowed. “Whatever you ask for.”

* * * *

J ASPER WONDERED WHAT would happen if he ran away.

Would his father make a scene and come after him?

Probably not since the hunters weren’t the only ones who’d arrived on the scene of the attack.

The police had also been called, which was both an annoyance and good for Jasper because it meant that his father was distracted.

“What happened after that?” the policeman who was questioning Jasper asked.

Jasper blinked and told himself to focus. As soon as he was done answering questions, he’d go home and burrow into his bed. Maybe he wouldn’t come out for an entire week. He felt he deserved that.

His entire body ached. It had been a while since his last real fight with a monster.

He still trained with Kerry and Corey every day, even though the three of them weren’t hunters anymore, but it wasn’t the same as facing a monster who wouldn’t have hesitated to tear Jasper’s head off with those wicked fangs of his.

“We heard gunshots,” Jasper said. “My friend Corey called my father to tell him what was happening when we found that monster attacking the woman.”

The policeman wrinkled his nose. “And your father is?”

Jasper pointed at Leroy, who was talking to a detective. “He’s one of the hunters. Actually, he’s one of the guys in charge of the hunters. As soon as Corey called him, he grabbed a team and ran here. Luckily for us, they were in the area, which is how they got here so quickly.”

The policeman looked bored, probably because this had been a monster-on-monster crime.

Jasper was surprised they were even asking questions.

It wasn’t like they’d do anything with these statements.

Maybe they just wanted to make sure that Jasper, Corey, and Kerry weren’t involved in anything since they were human.

The policeman nodded and put down his notepad. “I think I have everything I need.”

“Great. Can I go home now?”

“You can. I’ll call you if we have any more questions.”

Jasper almost snorted because no one would call him. He wasn’t about to antagonize the guy, though. He wanted to go home.

He made a beeline for Corey and Kerry, who were done talking with their own police officers. He’d almost reached them when he heard his father call for him. “Jasper.”

Jasper groaned. Did they really have to do this tonight?

He turned. From his father’s expression, yes, they did. “What? I’m exhausted and need to go to bed.”

Leroy nodded. “I won’t keep you long. I just wanted to make sure you and your friends are okay and ask when I should expect you.”

Jasper frowned. “We’re fine. But what do you mean, when should you expect me?”

“Well, you’ll have to go through some training before being allowed on the streets with other hunters, but considering how you fought tonight, I don’t think it’ll take long.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You’re coming back, aren’t you? You fought like a hunter tonight, Jasper. It’s in your blood, and you showed everyone that you haven’t forgotten how to do it. I’m proud of you.”

Leroy actually looked proud of Jasper for the first time Jasper could remember, which was horrifying. Jasper couldn’t think of anything worse than working with his father again.

He took a step back, just in case. “I’m not coming back.”

“What are you talking about? You fought a monster and won.”

“I did fight a monster, but I didn’t win. He only ran because you guys arrived. He wasn’t even wounded, for fuck’s sake. He knocked me down and would’ve killed me if Corey hadn’t called you.”

“Which is why you’ll need some training before getting back on the streets.”

“I’m not getting back on the streets. I fought that monster because I didn’t have a choice, but it’s not going to happen again.

” Part of Jasper wondered if it would, though.

The monster had seemed interested in him, maybe because he’d done his best to hide how scared he was.

He’d promised he’d see Jasper again, which Jasper really hoped wouldn’t happen, but what if it did?

Maybe he could stand to train a bit harder.

But not with the hunters. He didn’t want to give his father the satisfaction, but it was more than that. He never wanted to go back to that life. He never wanted to go back to who he’d been then.

“Look, no matter what happens tonight, I’m done with the hunters,” Jasper explained, even though he knew his father would ignore what he was saying. “I really wish you’d stop pushing.”

“It’s a waste of your abilities and of all the work you’ve put into this since you started training when you were a kid.”

Leroy really didn’t understand, did he? It was because Jasper had started training when he was a kid that he wanted nothing to do with this. “Maybe, but I’ve made my decision. You should accept it.”

He wouldn’t. He’d always been controlling, and that hadn’t changed after Jasper had left the hunters. Leroy always got what he wanted.

Not this time.

Jasper turned away. When his father called for him again, he ignored it. By the time he reached Kerry and Corey, Leroy had stopped.

Jasper didn’t turn to check on his father. He didn’t care what the man was doing. “I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for bed.

“What did Leroy want?” Kerry asked as she wrapped an arm around Jasper’s waist.

“He assumed that I’d be joining the hunters again after fighting that monster tonight.”

“He really doesn’t know you.”

“I don’t think he was ever interested in knowing me. Let’s go home.”

Jasper was done with this day. Hopefully, everything would be better tomorrow morning, but something told him that wouldn’t be the case.

That monster would still be out there, hurting people. Jasper doubted that the monster would stop until someone stopped him.

That someone wouldn’t be Jasper.