Grim Echoes

Chapter 54 - Will

"Where are we going?" Maeve turned her head to the road he'd passed that went to the motel.

"Just want to try one of the arrows," he said. Really, he just needed more time before they got back. Didn't like thinking that was Ander's thing, but the shit Pastor M had spouted messed with his head. If he tested at least one arrow, he'd feel better.

"You keep a bow in the SUV?" her face scrunched up with confusion. The word cute crossed his mind. Again, the word cute. A wave of nausea hit him. Needed to stop thinking about her being pretty or cute or any other words that meant affection.

"Yeah, for hunting." he pulled over by a field with rolled up hay. Without another word, he got out of the vehicle and went around back to grab his bow and one arrow. Testing it wouldn't remove the blessing or damage the arrow.

"Do you mean for hunting vampires?" Maeve appeared beside him.

He'd become accustomed to her presence, otherwise if he sensed something drawing near, he'd have drawn his sidearm. She didn't understand what that meant, but he did, and it made his stomach knot. He closed the door, compound bow in hand. Will traveled with the compound bow because it made more sense, but he preferred his recurve bow. Compound bows were more popular, because they didn't require as much upper body strength to use and because they were more customizable than a recurve bow. One of the chief appeals of using his compound bow for missions was the ability for him to customize it as needed for different creatures.

"Yeah, well, no." he stomped into the field toward the hay-roll and ignored the heat on his neck and ears.

Her hurried footsteps behind him signaled her proximity. At least she had enough sense to stay behind him.

"I can and do use it when we have a mission for bloodsuckers, but I also use it for regular hunting," he finished and checked the arrow's flex.

"Like for animals?" her voice unsure.

Will lined up his shot and decided on an irregularity in the hay roll. "Yeah, it's my hobby." he exhaled and loosed the arrow, it hit exactly where he'd aimed. Perfect. Pastor Mallory might be crazy, but he knew how to balance an arrow. Will's jaw ached. Needed to hunt.

"Oh," she muttered behind him.

He retrieved the arrow and took in the swell of her breasts and curve of her hips as he strolled back. Her dark hair fanned out around her whenever the wind picked up. Wanted to touch her, feel her soft flesh in his hands. Being at Pastor M's and the weird blessing had been uncomfortable. He gripped the bow and arrow tighter and moved his eyes to the SUV.

"My father used to take us hunting on the weekend, well after drills," he began, and assumed she'd follow him.

"Drills? What kind of drills?"

"You have to run the drills, or you won't be prepared when the monsters come," he replied with a smirk. Wyatt's voice echoed in his head. He closed up the back of the SUV and got behind the wheel. "There was only once I thought he was actually gonna kill Ander." he peered out the window. That'd been a bad weekend.

"Wait, what?"

He shrugged. Wyatt had always been a prick. It sucked having an asshole for a father, but Will hadn't picked him. Most of the time he hadn't minded Wyatt was such a bastard. It'd only been an issue when it came to Ander. His father's treatment of Ander got under his skin and over the years and fed his anger until it became hatred. Andy had been a good kid, always wanted Wyatt's approval. His father had no justification for treating Ander the way he had.

"You aren't being serious?" unable to ignore the animosity in her voice toward a dead man she'd never met.

"Wish I wasn't, but it only happened one time. I made sure it didn't happen again."

The memory of the fight with his father was still hazy. But when he'd talked to Ander, Ander told him he'd lost his shit and scared Wyatt. Will had laughed. It was ridiculous. How could a boy have frightened a God Killer? Ander's ashen face confirmed he hadn't exaggerated. Somehow, he'd scared Wyatt. One of the toughest, cruelest sonuvabitches Will'd ever known. Ander swore he hadn't seen everything because he'd been injured at the time, but Will knew that part had been a lie but let it go. It had traumatized Andy enough.

"Why would Wyatt want to kill Ander? I know he was cruel and tormented him but,"

"Wyatt thought he was an abomination," Will stated matter of fact.

"There is no reason a child should ever be told that." she turned and faced the window.

Will didn't disagree. He thought it'd been fucked up, too. Other than Mason, he'd never seen anyone so enraged because Wyatt called Ander that. "I'm not defending that shitwad, but being who he was, growing up the way he did, for whatever fucked up reason he believed something was wrong with Ander, something unnatural,"

She turned back with a glare that made his stomach tighten.

Think before you speak if you want to claim her, the voice in his head warned him.

He shook his head to shut it up. Didn't need that dick's opinion right now.

"Anything that wasn't a Soldier of Night or a normal, was a monster. Even creatures that helped the Soldiers of Night, like angels and whatnot, they were all still monsters." his throat was dry. He reached for his flask. "And all monsters had to go, useful or not." he averted his eyes, lifted the flask to his lips and welcomed the burn as he ingested his poison.

"He was the monster. A narrow minded, cruel monster. Evil people attack children. Evil people want to hurt innocents,"

Her bitter words stung. Will couldn't look at her. Wanted to snap at her, make her shut up, but deep-down he knew she was right. Didn't want to defend Wyatt. That fucker could burn in hell for all he cared. But if she knew the things he'd done, the things he would do to preserve and destroy, she'd hate him and call him evil, too. He understood civilians didn't get what it was to be a soldier, didn't expect them to, but this was different. Her words not intended just for Wyatt but also him. He took another drink as his eyes burned.

Being around her confused him, made him think too much. He just wanted to do his duty until his number was up and hopefully go out in a big way. The constant assault of weird feelings because of her drove him nuts. And now he fucking questioned his life choices? She had to go. Soon as they were done with the hive, he'd call Mason. She could find her other babysitters. Ander would be upset, but he'd just remind him it was always temporary.