Entite

Entite Chapter 9

Chapter: 9

James woke up with a moan. He felt like shit. His mouth was so dry his tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth, and his back and shoulders ached terribly. He was also freezing.

He squinted his eyes open to see a wooden surface underneath him. Had he passed out? He hadn't done that in years since right before discovering he had the inoperable tumor. He would have been long dead if not for his uncle. Well there had been that time five years ago, when he'd passed out from blood loss. Then he remembered what had happened, he'd been shot. He tried to push himself up but for the first time in a long time, he felt weak.

"Here let me help you." He'd managed to rise to his elbows and turned his head to see Jacob. Jacob basically lifted him up off the stage and set him back down on his ass. He realized why he was freezing when he looked down to notice his bare chest. He sat cross legged stretching his aching back and shoulders. The left one still twinged a bit. But it was nowhere near as painful as it had been.

"Wa..." He coughed, his throat was just as dry as his mouth. Jacob snapped his fingers.

"You're dehydrated, of course, you'll need water. Maybe a blanket. I don't have a blanket." He said mumbling to himself as he walked away, James smiled a little. For a burly one thousand-year-old vampire the man acted like a mother hen most of the time.

He was back in a flash with a glass of water. The man had moved at speed and amazingly hadn't spilled a single drop. "I'm afraid I don't have anything here that will fit you, or a blanket, but I turned the heat up a little." He sipped at his water until his mouth and throat felt wet enough to attempt speech again.

"I'll be fine. Is Mira asleep in the office?" Jacob shook his head.

"She's not here. She went to the hub." His eyes opened wide.

"I was shot today, and you let her go off alone." He said, trying to stand. If Jacob hadn't put a hand on his shoulder he'd have fallen flat on his face. He sat him back down.

"I didn't let her go off alone, your uncle sent three escorts for her. "Ashcroft. Highmore, and Mclintock." He sighed and lifted the water glass continuing to drink. Ashcroft and Mclintock were Entite. By the books loyal to a fault. Highmore was a decent man to hear his uncle tell it. He'd been FBI or some such before getting dragged into the organization.

"I don't like the idea of her being there without one of us. Those stuffy bastards..."

"What about stuffy bastards?" He looked up to see the door opening. His uncle walked in at a slow pace followed by Highmore. Mira was in the rear but upon seeing him she jogged forward to meet him. She had a bright smile on her face, as if she'd been afraid they'd never see each other again. Her smile faded and she put a hand on his cheek. She tilted his head to better look into his eyes.

"You're still pale." She said with a frown.

"Just tired, how's it look?" He asked, angling himself so she could look at the wound.

"It's a scar. Weeks old it looks like. Your skin is freezing." She said, running her hands up and down his arms. "I'll be right back." He turned to see that while this was going on his uncle was talking to Jacob, and Highmore was waiting by the door. Jacob and his uncle's faces looked troubled.

"What's happening?" He called out as forcefully as he could. He knew they heard him, but they continued their conversation as if they hadn't.

He turned when he heard Mira's footsteps approaching. She was carrying the sweater he'd lent her that morning. She helped him into it. "Why do I feel like the grownups are having a conversation they don't want the kids to hear?" He asked low, knowing it wouldn't help. They'd hear him if they were paying any attention. She gave him a little smile but her frustration was obvious and her scowl returned quickly.