You are the Answer {boyxboy} ✓ (Dogs, Bats & Monkeys series, Book I | Riley)

Chapter 12

A/N: Are you a writer who wants feedback and more exposure for your work? You can get that by entering the short story challenge I posted this morning in The Contests Book. A link to it will be in the comments :)

*****

"Rhys," I uttered when he took his seat. My voice trembled. "Who was that man?"

He did not give me an immediate reply. Instead, he furrowed his bushy eyebrows and took a long sip of his coffee, his narrowed eyes fixed on the bar.

"A hunter," he finally replied, placing the mug back on the bar with a thud.

"A hunter?" I repeated, crossing my hands over my chest. Not that Rhys saw the gesture; his gaze was still downward. "You mean he kills rabbits and birds and stuff?"

"No," he looked up to me, worry lines over his forehead. "I mean a bounty hunter. He's probably here to try and catch our serial killer," he threw in, getting up once again. "I should tell Keri about him. And Kelly; she should warn Callum," he seemed to be talking more to himself as he took out a few bills and left them on the bar between us. "The hunter would want to see the crime scenes and there are patrols still keeping an eye on the last location; Callum should know his men are in danger..."

"Wait... This guy isn't actually going to attack police officers... Is he?" I added unsure when I saw his grim expression.

"This guy will do whatever it takes to get his prey, Riley." Rhys had leaned forward, grasping me by the chin. "He doesn't care much about laws and morals and that makes him dangerous; the fact that he's really good at what he does, makes him even more so." He made a brief pause before tilting his head so he could kiss me. The touch of his lips on mine was long and hard. Once he removed them, he sighed and leaned his forehead over mine, his eyes closed.

"Lock your windows and door and lean a chair on the latter. Keep your phone with you at all times and call me..."

"If I hear, see or feel anything strange," I quietly finished his instructions.

"Exactly." He opened his eyes and pulled away. "I'm sorry about today, Riley; I was looking forward to it but..."

"It's not your fault," I interrupted again, my tone still low. "Just please don't do anything stupid like facing this guy on your own or something like that."

"I can't make such a promise." My heart skipped a beat at his words. "If he goes after one of our own, we'll go after him."

"B-b-but," my voice shook, "he is here for the killer, right? Why would he do anything to you?"

"Because the people in my society are different, Riley, and that makes some people hate us. If he finds an excuse, he'll go after us."

"But," I tried to reason again, "he does this for money and there's no bounty on your heads."

He snorted, a humorless, morbid sound.

"He does this mainly for pleasure, Riley; the money are just a bonus for him," he explained.

I stepped back and leaned on the wall behind me, feeling fait. Rhys and Keri had told me before that their people were judged for being different, but I'd never imagined it could go as far as them being hunted. It was like we'd gone back centuries in time and an angry mob with torches and pitchforks was gathering for a witch hunt. Except that witches didn't exist and Rhys and his family were real.

"Can't you contact the police or something?" I whispered, my breath coming out uneven. Rhys walked around the bar. Once before me, he took my hands in his and began rubbing them with his thumbs, the movement quick, betraying his own anxiety.