To Save Me

Chapter 4

I was still sitting on the floor just outside the small room. Sam gave the feed to Carnie and then came and helped me up. We then went to sit out by the barn doors and watched the downpour. Finally he began talking.

"Well for starters, we're all freaks. Humans pass by but they never stop. Mom owns or inherited most of the town but she works just as hard as anybody. Rachel works at the apartment building and it's generally slow enough that she gets away with picking up shifts at the diner. Mom mainly works at the diner but occasionally she'll be at the post office, barbershop, and gas station too. Most everybody knows that she's mainly at the diner so they usually try for her there first. But I know what you're thinking and no we aren't the only people in town that work. We own these places though and it's only right that we help out."

"I was beginning to wonder, but that's really nice and good of you. Normally I know more about the town before I decide if I'm going to stay for a little while."

"How often do you stay put in a town?"

"At most a week."

"So what about Hope?"

"I think I'm going to be staying put for a while. No promises though. But there is a school, a diner, an apartment complex, gas station, vet clinic, Mechanic shop, post office, and barbershop." I turned to look at him, "anything else?"

He smiled and shrugged.

"Grocery store owned by a mermaid, the pizza and ice cream parlor owned by a dragon couple, umm let's see what else, a day care run mostly by lioness', a bar which of course I know nothing about the dragon owner." He smiled checking to see if I caught that," the police station, you're going to love this, because you're from the human world, is run my werewolves. Dogs. Get it?" He was cracking up at his own jokes, but I had to admit that was a tad bit funny.

" Okay I get the gist, small town but has everything you could need. How long has it been here?"

" curious one aren't ya. Well my grandad started hope when he was 28 and mom was just 3. We figure he put up some sort of force field that just deters them. Makes the town invisible to humans."

"Your grandfather was a...?" But I couldn't find the right word. Witch didn't seem to fit and warlock only made everything sound fictional and story like. Thankfully he finished for me.

" a mage. Yes. Humans call it witchcraft and I don't actually know where mage came from but that's what everyone calls it except for Rachel. She lives in a fairytale. Anyways you get the point. Grams was the shifter but mom got more of pops side and grams powers skipped a generation. My sister and I both are shifters. "

I hadn't noticed I'd propped my chin on my wrists but I was so enjoying the history of this town. Certainly 10 times more unique than any other town I'd ever lived in. "Tell me about Rachel." She was going to be my roommate and neither of us really knew each other.

"She has a caring heart. Hard worker. Only 24 but left once just to see what it was like in the human world. She fell for a boy, not her mate and everything went south. She became hunted and I had no idea until my last visit that she was even in trouble. She told me to go home and that her apartment wasn't safe anymore. Needless to say I brought her home and fixed the situation."

"By fixed what do you mean?"

I could barely make out the mumbled words because he had drawn his knees up and encircled them in his arms. It was obvious he was reliving everything and I felt bad for bringing it up.

" exactly what you're thinking. The chaser followed her here and almost had her when I surprised him with officer Dupree. Between Dupree and I there wasn't anything after that. The only chaser that's ever been in Hope, and hopefully the last. Rachel has Danni now so thankfully she won't be leaving again. It's easier to watch out for her here. Danni is officer Dupree and one of my best friends. A werewolf, you'll probably meet him tonight. He's her mate. Next question?