Shadow Watcher (Darkness #6)(20)

I said goodbye to Ann and promised to call her later. Charles was pacing by the door. As soon as he saw us he straightened up and stepped aside, waiting for me to pass in front. “All better now? Done freaking out?”

“We finally have something in common. I’m now as hormonal as you. Only, mine is not from going through puberty.”

“Everyone’s a comedian,” Charles retorted as Jonas’ lips tweaked toward a grin.

The cool evening air brushed my face and calmed the raging butterflies. My feet crunched on the dirt and rocks outside the bungalow. I stopped for a moment, relishing the twilight as the shadows stretched across the ground and started to blend together. The night flirted with my magic. Elements danced and played around me, ready to weave into a spell at a moment’s notice.

“I love this time,” I said in a sigh. “When the day is shaking hands with the night. I feel it’s like the middle between my two halves—my past life and my future.”

“Your past life was just a classroom. This is where you belong. Where you’ve always belonged. You just had to slog through shit to be worthy of it.” Jonas looked out at the trees, lines of fatigue and exhaustion ringing his eyes.

“How’d you guys know where to find me?” I asked as a few crickets started their chorus. I could hear voices in the direction of the Mansion.

“Got the call you’d left. Charles phoned the mongrels and told them to look out for you. After that, we got word of a couple of sightings,” Jonas answered.

“That Tim has got a tight network, I’ll say that,” Charles murmured. He’d inched closer to me since I stopped walking. His gaze was on my stomach. “Since last night he has people everywhere. Still hasn’t caught that intruder, though. The guy must be good.”

“The mongrel is new. Boss has been around a while. If there’s someone that don’t belong here, the Boss will chase him out.” Jonas’ jaw clenched. “No one messes with one of our pregnant females.”

“Wow.” I couldn’t help the widened eyes. I was about to say more when I saw a hand slowly, gently, land on my stomach. I swiveled my head with an inquiring raised eyebrow at Charles.

“Sasha, don’t freak out. This is totally normal.”

“Charles, creeping closer to lay your hand on my belly doesn’t exactly sound totally normal. Especially since my stomach is flat.”

After a beat I added an, “Ish,” just to be mostly correct. “Flat-ish.”

He took his hand away just as slowly. “Note taken.”

“We good, or what? We gonna stand here all night?” Jonas asked. That irritation was peeking through again. He was having a really hard time with this patience issue.

The butterflies started up again as I pushed forward. The trees rustled from a small stirring of wind. As we passed the stone benches where I liked to sit to take in the dawn on occasion, Jonas said, “That human male has a mix of our blood and human. He said it was from his father.”

“What about his power level?” I asked in a hush, slowing again as we approached the door where a few people stood chatting.

“She thinks as high as gold. Probably light gold.” Jonas’ jaw clenched as he matched my slower pace.

“We did good, Sasha.” Charles veered in close again. “It’s way easier to train halvsies.”

“Are there many?” I asked, thinking of Delilah.

“Not that we can find. You heard Paulie’s story,” Charles reminded me, his hand reaching toward me slowly. I slapped it away. “They don’t mention what they see in the shadows once they’ve been called crazy. And because of the pheromones, the human females don’t realize where the baby came from. Which I had never realized was a little f*cked up before.”

I slapped his hand away again.

“I am going to make you some bright orange booties,” Charles promised.

I took it as a threat.

“We lose access to children that way,” Jonas said in a tight voice. He cleared his throat with burning eyes. His fists tightened.

I couldn’t help a grin. He totally wanted to push me through the door and throw Charles in after me. His face was nearly puce with the effort of holding back.

“Does he count as human, though? Does his magic count as human’s?” I asked. If he veered towards Stefan’s race, it wouldn’t work in a large link.

“Could go either way.” A line formed between Jonas eyebrows in thought. “I have to ask Selene about the taste. Humans taste a little more savory and our kind a bit sweeter.”

“Savory, huh? Charles! Stop touching me! It’s getting weird. I don’t even have a bump.”

“Can’t help it. It’s exciting.” Charles put his hands in his pockets with an excited smile. “No one ever lets me around pregnant females.”

“You are like a damn dog, Charles. Did you ever realize that?”

“Get used to it, human. He won’t be the only one trying to touch you.” Jonas shifted in impatience. “Now, are you ready? Standing around out here is getting nothing done. We need to check in with the Boss, and arrange for you to see the doctor. Then we can decide what things you can still do.”

“What things I can still do?” I asked quietly, turning toward Jonas.