Page 6 of In the Monster’s Wake (Monsters Amongst Us #1)

“I think it’s a great idea,” Corey said as he bounced in his chair.

Jasper stared at him. “You think that looking for a monster who has enough fangs to make a dentist rich is a good idea? You remember him, right? You saw that monster.”

“We just have to find him, not fight him.”

“What do you think will happen if we find him? It’s not like we can go up to him and nicely ask him to hand himself over to the hunters. That monster’s dangerous, Corey. Besides, I said yes when my mom suggested it, but I never planned on following through with it.”

Corey pouted. He was ridiculous, but Jasper had chosen him. It hadn’t been a great idea, clearly, but he’d been a kid when they’d become friends, and Corey was hard to shake even now as an adult.

“I know we're not hunters anymore, but we could use this opportunity to protect people,” Corey said.

“We don’t have to protect people anymore.”

“Look, I understand why you’re not sure you want this, but are you comfortable knowing that monster’s out there killing people?”

Jasper glared at Corey. He knew where to poke to get Jasper to change his mind.

“Of course I’m not comfortable with that.

There have been too many violent murders recently, and I’m pretty sure that monster was responsible for most, if not all, of them.

I want him stopped, but that’s what the hunters are for, isn’t it? ”

“Your father said that the hunters are in trouble. How many of them died recently?”

“I don’t know.” But with the way Leroy had complained about not having enough of them, Jasper was ready to bet that the hunters wouldn’t look very deep into this.

Yes, humans might be hurt, but mostly, this was monster-on-monster violence, and the hunters didn’t care about that.

Jasper knew his father. As far as Leroy was concerned, monsters killing monsters just meant there were fewer of them in the world. It was a good thing.

Sometimes, Jasper wondered how he’d grown up to be so different from his father.

Leroy had raised him to be a monster-killing machine.

He’d started training Jasper when he was ten, and he’d taken Jasper out on his first hunt when he was fourteen.

He’d even complained that he’d had to wait that long, but Jasper’s mother wouldn’t allow him to do it sooner.

Leroy had never understood why Jasper wasn’t as giddy as he was to hurt monsters.

Jasper could admit that some of them needed to be stopped, just like some humans.

A monster like the one he’d fought the other night was dangerous to everyone.

Hunters didn’t discriminate, though. They went for all monsters if they had a good excuse to do it, even the peaceful ones who were just trying to live their lives.

“I’m just saying that we know what we’re doing. We could help this time. That monster is dangerous, and I can’t help but wonder if any of the hunters will be able to stop him,” Corey explained.

“I don’t think we will. There are only three of us.

” And only Jasper had promised his father that he’d look into it.

He didn’t want to pull Corey and Kerry along.

He knew better than to tell them—especially Corey—to stay out of it, though.

His best friend would push until he was allowed to help.

Trying to keep Corey out of trouble just meant that he’d find a way to get himself in trouble on his own.

Sometimes, Jasper felt like he was Corey’s keeper more than his best friend.

He sighed. “Fine. What did you have in mind?”

Corey was on his feet instantly. “Go change. We’re going to the club.”

It wasn’t what Jasper had expected, but he was glad not to have to think about what his next step would be. Corey seemed to have given it some thought, and Jasper was happy to go along with it. Nothing would probably come out of it, anyway.

That didn’t mean Jasper didn’t feel uneasy when they left the house.

He could still remember the way the monster had told him he’d see him again, and he wondered if the monster was watching him even now.

Was he hiding in the darkness, planning how he would snatch Jasper off the street?

Corey would intervene if anyone tried, but would he win that fight?

Hunters had always been at a disadvantage when it came to fighting monsters, which was why they worked in teams. Jasper, Corey, and Kerry were a team, but there were only three of them.

At least they were armed tonight.

Corey took them to a club, but not the one where they’d been the other night. They’d hidden their weapons on their bodies and were able to pass through security without anyone finding them, mostly thanks to Kerry, who flirted with the bouncer and distracted him.

The smell of sweat and heavy perfume hit Jasper as soon as he stepped in.

He wrinkled his nose and looked around, but there was nothing odd about this club.

People danced on the dance floor, sat at the bar, made out, and yelled at each other, just like in every other club.

He could feel the music through the vibrations of the floor, and the lights were alternatively blue, green, and pink.

“What now?” he asked Corey. He had to lean close enough that his lips almost brushed Corey’s ear as he spoke.

Corey pushed him away. “Now, we dance.”

“I thought we were here to catch a monster.”

“We are. You said the monster seemed interested in you.”

Jasper shuddered. “Can we not say it like that?”

“We’re using you as bait.”

Jasper groaned. “Of course you are.” It wasn’t a bad idea, but Jasper would have preferred to know before getting here. He would’ve been more prepared.

Corey took his hand and pulled him toward the dance floor. Jasper went. They were here for a reason, and since he was going to be bait, he’d be good bait.

They danced and drank—only water because Jasper didn’t want to be impaired in case the monster popped up—for about an hour.

Jasper kept glancing around, but while he did notice a few monsters here and there, most of the people in the club were human.

No one seemed to have a problem with the monsters’ presence, fortunately.

One was even making out with a man in a corner.

Jasper was dancing with a tall blond when the back of his neck prickled.

He frowned and turned, but he couldn’t see anything wrong.

Corey was dancing next to him, his attention on the man moving with him.

He didn’t seem to have noticed anything, but when he turned to Jasper, he nodded. “He’s here?” he asked.

“I don’t know.”

Jasper might feel like someone was watching him, but he could be wrong. Even if he wasn’t, it might be someone else entirely. Maybe someone had noticed him and wanted to dance with him or take him to the bathroom for a different kind of dancing. Maybe it had nothing to do with the monster.

Or maybe the monster was somewhere in the club, staring at Jasper.

* * * *

“D O WE REALLY HAVE TO be here?” Archibald complained.

Braith took a sip of his drink as he continued watching the dance floor. “Do you really have to ask?”

Archibald sighed. No, he didn’t. He knew why they were here.

They’d gotten a tip that Kester had been seen in the area. He could be anywhere, but there was a good chance he was looking for a new victim. What better place than a club where humans and monsters mingled?

Archibald wasn’t sure he understood why Kester killed people. His informant had told him that Kester did it because he felt like it, but it was an odd thought. Maybe it was because Archibald couldn’t understand doing something like that.

It didn’t matter. Kester had been seen in the area, so here they were, watching the dance floor and hoping to catch him.

They had a vague description, but Archibald wasn’t sure he’d be able to recognize him.

Most monsters learned how to hide in crowds of people and make themselves appear more human, at least at first glance.

It might be impossible to identify Kester, even if he was here.

The loud music and voices weren’t helping. People kept moving, and it was hard to stay focused. Archibald wanted to complain again and get Braith to send him home, but he wouldn’t leave his friend to fend for himself, no matter how much he disliked this place.

His gaze caught on a man dancing. He’d noticed him before, but he’d forced himself to look away. Every time his gaze went back to the man.

He wasn’t sure why. The human was as normal as they came, even though he was gorgeous. His dark hair was plastered to his forehead by beading sweat, and the way he moved his hips was mesmerizing. There were better dancers on the dance floor, though.

Archibald didn’t care about any of them.

He shouldn’t care about his dancer, either. He was here for a reason, and it wasn’t to ogle someone’s ass as they danced. At least no one would wonder why he was here. Anyone watching him would probably think he wanted to try his luck with the guy.

“You’re supposed to look out for Kester, not stare at that guy’s ass,” Braith grumbled.

Archibald didn’t even look at him. “It’s a cover.”

Braith snorted loudly. “Sure it is.”

Archibald was still watching the guy. The man moved closer to his friend and said something in his ear, then turned and left the dance floor. For a second, Archibald considered going after him. If the guy was going to the bathroom, it would give Archibald a chance to talk to him—or maybe more.

But he wasn’t here for that. He wouldn’t leave Braith on his own to possibly face Kester, even though he doubted that Kester would attack anyone in such a crowded place.

He frowned when he noticed a tall person wearing a jean jacket push away from the wall when the human walked past them. The human didn’t notice. His attention was on pushing through the crowd of people.

The guy in the jeans jacket fell into step behind the human. Archibald couldn’t see him well, but the man’s arms looked disproportionate. It might be a coincidence, but something cold slithered down Archibald’s spine. “I’m going to the bathroom,” he told Braith.

“You couldn’t have gone at home? I’m not waiting for you if I see Kester.”

“You won’t see him.”

“You can’t know that,” Braith called out as Archibald walked away. “My idea to come here was great.”

Archibald didn’t answer. He kept his attention on the human and the man following him.

Was it a monster? Archibald couldn’t see well between the dimness of the lights and the many people moving around.

He’d only find out when he got closer, but he didn’t want to risk startling whoever he was following. He had to be careful.

He lost sight of the guy in the jeans jacket for a few seconds as the human disappeared into a side hallway.

He hurried forward, his heart racing as he thought about what the human might have to deal with if the guy in the jeans jacket was a monster.

He might not even be Kester, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t dangerous.

The hallway was empty when Archibald reached it, but the bathroom was just a few feet away. The door was already closed.

Archibald rushed toward it, intent on making sure the human was okay, when a hand suddenly appeared in front of him.

It grabbed his shirt and pulled him into a secondary hallway he hadn’t noticed.

It was darker than the one with the bathroom, but not so dark yet Archibald didn’t see the fist coming for his face as his back slammed against the wall.