Hart and Hunter

Chapter 16

Ch. 16: Julian

Despite Dane's attentions, I wake up in pain, and after a light breakfast, I decide to take Chloe's advice. The urgent care is mercifully empty, and I don't have to wait long to be seen.

A couple of X-Rays reveal Chloe was right: I've got two hairline fractures, and I need a partial cast. That takes a while, and the nurse keeps asking me weird questions about my home life while I wait. Finally, with a brand new cast and a prescription for painkillers in hand, I rejoin Dane, who's been waiting for me in the café across the street.

Now that my arm no longer hurts, my appetite returns, and I grab a pastry and a coffee before we head for his car. Awkwardly juggling several items with one hand while trying to open the door, I drop the bundle of papers and pamphlets the nurse had given me. I'd thought it was just instructions for the proper care and wearing of a cast, but as Dane bends to collect them, I see she'd slipped something else in as well.

"Domestic violence?" He lifts his brows at me as he examines the pamphlet. My face warms as the nurse's strange questions make more sense.

"I said I tripped."

"Hm. And the injuries are probably more consistent with a twisting motion than with an impact," Dane says, rubbing the back of my neck with his free hand. "Speaking of, you sure you're up for this? You don't have to talk to him in person, you know. In fact, you don't have to talk to him at all."

I know what he means and shake my head.

Ian Foley and I had a history — one I'd only barely managed to put behind me in the past year. I'd forgiven him for hurting me, and I was glad he'd finally moved on and forgiven himself as well, but seeing him still raised painful memories.

He'd also helped save my life last year and lost his father in the process. Dane would say he didn't deserve an award for acting like a decent person, but I knew he'd changed at least as much as I had since the brief time we'd been together.

"He could have valuable input," I say, "and some things are easier to explain face to face. Besides, what if he's on grandma's hit list?"

"Eh." Dane shrugs. "You win some; you lose some."

I shoot him a look but bite back a smile. Ian's not his favorite person, either.

"Come on," I say, handing the rest of my things to him as I climb into the car. "Play nice, and let's get this over with."

***

Ian is tall and bulky. With red hair, a beard, and a patch over one eye, he looks like a cross between a Viking and a pirate, and dresses like a lumberjack. His remaining eye is bright blue, and when he Shifts, he takes the form of a great bear.

He'd agreed to meet us at Lagrange's shop for a proper investigation of the tunnels. We're expecting Halloran to join us, but I'm surprised to see that Ian has brought his new boyfriend, Sam, along as well.

After losing his dad, Ian had taken off on some kind of soul-searching trip up north. I'd honestly thought he hadn't meant to come back, but he had — minus an eye and plus Sam. They were clearly happy together, and I didn't grudge either of them that.

Sam is short and slender, with sleek black hair, dark eyes, and pale gold-toned skin. He looks too young to have anything to do with Ian's thirty-something; but apparently, half his consciousness belongs to an ancient demon, and he holds his own. He's got the larger man wrapped around his little finger, anyway, which is proof enough.

Ian waves and smiles as we approach, while Sam's expression remains guarded. I don't know Sam all that well, but it seems he's got something of a possessive streak. Which I suppose makes sense, for a demon.