Shadow Watcher (Darkness #6)(3)

I walked right up to Charles as he picked up the gun. “Looks like a throw-away,” Charles observed. “The serial number has been scratched off.”

I put my hands on my hips in frustration and stared at the handsome man. I knew my eyebrows were furrowed and my lips were in a thin line, but I couldn’t help it—he wasn’t acting normal, damn it, and I wanted to know why.

“What’s your deal? Have you seen people like Charles before?” I threw a thumb in Charles’ direction.

“Human male, I’d answer her. She’s starting to get annoyed. You want to be on the move when she gets all crazy, trust me.”

“Not helping, Charles.”

“What do you want?” the man rasped, still staring down at me.

“Who are you?” I asked.

My question was met with silence.

“Have you seen people like Charles before?” I tried again.

I got the same frustrating response—a deadpan stare and no movement in the mouth.

I barely kept from stomping my foot in exasperation. “Dude, you’re not going anywhere until you’ve answered a few simple questions. Just tell me why you’re acting strange and we’ll settle this. I don’t want to have to make you talk…”

I let the threat linger, hovering in the air. I didn’t actually plan to hurt him, but he didn’t know that. The threat of pain was often a powerful motivator.

His expression didn’t change but a wildness had crept into his eyes at my warning. A fire flickered and then roared to life. A subtle change took hold of him and his muscles flexing down his sizable frame.

He did not like being threatened. He was ready to answer my challenge with a primal energy I rarely saw in humans.

That’s when I noticed it. When I really looked at the guy.

Underneath the rough exterior, this guy was striking in a familiar way. His bearing, poise and physical development indicated someone in their mid-to-early thirties, but his face looked like he was only in his mid-twenties. His body was fit, with the large shoulders, defined pecs and loose shirt around the middle indicated a flat stomach, but it was also fluid and graceful, like a dancer. His grace and agility was natural. He was born with the ability to fight, but he’d learned to control the consuming need for violence, I’d bet my life on it. He was a predator at home in the shadows.

“Oh my God,” I breathed. My stomach rolled with implications. “Who are your parents?”

The fire boiled over and turned his face into a mask of anger. His body straining against my magic. I felt him pulling at the elements. He was yanking at them to help him fight and to break free. I was right. I knew I was!

“Look, bitch,” he seethed. “I ain’t got no money and I ain’t with Jimmy’s crew no more. I got no ties. I got nothin’. So what the f*ck do you want?”

“Ohhh, he’s feisty.” Charles moved in close ready to defend me. “You sure you got him wrapped up tight?”

“You do have access to your magic. But you think you’re a freak, right?” I asked in a hush. “You see people lurking in the shadows that no one else can see, right? Have any followed you before?”

The man’s jaw clenched.

I tapped Charles. “Make your arms glow.”

I felt Charles pull at his magic. The runes on his arms seared into life. The man’s eyes glanced at the runes and then back at my face with no sign of surprise.

Oh yeah, this guy had secrets. And I knew exactly which ones. Wanna see that rabbit?

“Seen a few people like him, huh?” I gave him a knowing smile. “You see people like him lingering in the shadows, right? Moving through the darkness? You see things that no one else notices…”

As if a balloon of energy had popped inside him, the man’s fire was extinguished. His body slumped and fear starting to make itself known. “Are you for real?” he asked quietly.

“Yes. I have magic. And whether you know how to access it or not, you have magic. You can see Charles, you aren’t surprised by my spell—help me to help you.”

“Nice one, Jerry McGuire.” Charles smirked, then got my elbow in the ribs.

The man stared at me. His gaze flicked to Charles before settling back on me. Softly, almost as if he knew he was damning himself, he said, “Yeah, I seen guys like that before. They don’t usually bother me. Seen a lot of hot ladies walkin’ around the place, like you said. Stick to the shadows. I used to point them out to people. I mean, shit, they were right there. No way was I the only one seein’ ‘em. I used to get pissed, you know? I ain’t no liar. I thought it was some joke on the dumb orphan kid. Well f*ck that—I got in a few fights over it. But then I got locked in the psyche ward. That changed some shit. I got smart after that. Started playing the man’s game. So now, I see one of them big f*ckers, I let it be. I mind my own business, and I keep walkin’. Except…you followed me. And you’re human. But he’s…one of them. Curiosity got the better of me. My bad.”

“Have you served time?” I asked. It was a personal thing to ask, but I needed to know the sort of guy I was thinking about taking back to the Mansion. Because I did have to take him back. A fighter with magic? Even if Cato wasn’t pushing the uniting of the species, he was still a prize

He tried to roll his shoulders, but my spell wouldn’t let him move freely. “Yeah. Got out of the orphanage and didn’t have nowhere to go. Fell in wit’ a street crew. I did petty shit at first—stealin’ cars and stuff. I did ok so I moved up to the big time. I wasn’t runin’ no drugs, though. Packing shit around like a donkey? Dishin’ out to kids? C’mon, man. That shit wasn’t for me. I got lazy, got pinched, did some time in the clink, and then got out for good behavior. Never went back. Fuck that. I’m good at fixin’ cars so I do that. Not as much money, but screw it, you know? My mom didn’t sacrifice her life to have me in and out of jail.”