Numb: A Sociopath in Love

Ch. 4 :)

Hey guys! Here's the next part, enjoy! Please make sure to comment and provide feedback :) This chapter is also dedicated to the wonderful person who made my cover, thanks once again!

“So, are you going to go meet with that other hunter?”

            Terry’s innocent question caught me off guard, and I glanced up at his freckled face, eyes zeroed in on me.

 I fought the urge to scowl, and replied gruffly, “No. Odds are I’d be attacked, ambushed most likely. If I’m ever going to meet with him, it’s going to be on my grounds.”

Terry nodded, head dipped back down as he squinted at his homework. I went back to my research on Sumerian mythology, trying to ignore the lined paper note taunting me from the table.

It’d been the third note I’d received in four days, telling me discreetly through biblical verses that this hunter wanted to meet with me, that they had an important message for me. I knew exactly what it was – a bunch of shit designed to intrigue me and lead me out to the cabin alone, where I was vulnerable. There was no reason for me to see if they had anything good to say either; I worked alone and didn’t need another hunter’s help.

A slobbery, wet tongue slid around my wrist, followed by heavy breathing. I looked down to see Tames, Terry’s Alaskan malamute, his usual bright blue eyes blinking up at me. I lifted my slobbered hand onto his head, and rubbed it, scratching behind his ears. His tail whipped so violently it made Terry’s textbook flip a few pages. He looked up, rolled his eyes, and leaned over to push Tames closer to me.

“I swear, you’re the only one he actually lets pet him,” he complained, going back to his English homework. I lifted my eyebrows in response, petting Tames’ head and enjoying the feeling of his coarse black hair.

It was silent for a few more minutes, and then Terry slapped down his pencil, grumbling about Shakespeare, his chair creaking as he leaned back and stretched. I felt him staring at me, and continued to read my book. He began tentatively, “You sure you shouldn’t meet with this guy? He might be able to help with all the demons around here-“

“No. It’s too dangerous, not to just me, but to my family too. This guy knows where I live, who I live with, and can use that to his advantage. It’s my job to make sure he doesn’t do that. He’ll leave me alone once he realizes I’m not into fighting over whose hunter organization is better, or who has the better weapons. For now, I just need to focus on helping Ramsey, and not letting Sam find out about this.”

I looked up at Terry, who looked confused with his scrunched up face.

“But you told me, and he’s your Dad, he’s got a right to know whether someone’s endangering his family.”

It was my turn to slam my book shut, and rub at my tired eyes. “Difference is, I trust that you’re not going to completely act irrational and insist that I go to the police. He’d make all three officers go after him, and get a mob too. I don’t need all that drama; it’s pointless and stupid.”

I raked my hands through my hair, pulling it away from my face while Terry continued, “Guess you’ve got him pretty figured out. Is it a lot different, living here instead of with your uncle?”

I breathed out deeply, replying, “Yeah. With Ramsey, I was learning constantly, there was a sort of routine and structure with him. I didn’t have to care about what others thought, because I was just with him and living while hunting, but here I’m stuck in one place. The people in town think I’m insane, and my family can’t get used to another person living with them.”

There was more to it. Sam couldn’t get used to having a son who didn’t follow rules if they clashed with his, and I could tell that I made him nervous, with all the killing that I did. Add that to the fact that I didn’t go to church with them, and didn’t know how to socialize with them made me a very awkward son. But I wasn’t here to make friends with my family; I was here just to keep them temporarily safe, until Ramsey came back. If he came back.