Sighted

Chapter 4: Supernatural Babysitter, At Your Service

Owen

     Bratty – Check

     Fire Powers – Check

     Ability to Control Fire Powers – Sorry, this software is not yet installed.

      For the second time that evening I give a small prayer of thanks that we keep a fire extinguisher at home. I set the small, red cylinder down next to me while the smoke clears. I'd learned my lesson earlier, after the cocktail table had become a crispy pile of uselessness, to keep the thing close by. The damn street urchin Gin brought home yesterday is looking over my shoulder at the smoldering hand print on my desk. He is trying, and failing, to look innocent and apologetic.

      Gin left earlier, after dinner, to patrol and look into the information the boy had given us, who introduced himself as Dylan. I wasn't really surprised when she came home with a drowned rat of a kid yesterday. She's brought home worse, and in worse condition.

      After Dylan was clean and dry, his injuries had almost healed. Although the abilities of halflings, a term used for half-demon-half-humans, were limited and they its rare for them to have the ability to materialize, they usually healed quickly. Like most demons, they either had increased strength or a special power. No questions now about what power Dylan has.

      The kid has big, blue eyes and dark brown hair that reaches his shoulders and lightly tan skin. He is almost as tall as Gin and I and insisted that he was thirteen. Unfortunately, his voice and mannerisms give him away and I'd say he's eleven at most. I didn't call him out on it, feeling for the boy. Dylan said he'd been on the run for a couple of days already. I believe it after I saw how much of the food this kid ate, making a sizeable dent in the supply Bowden had brought.

      The halfling had been like an angel with Gin around. He patiently answered all our questions about where he came from, why he was traveling alone and what happened with the trio of demons yesterday. He said that he lived with just his human mother and that his father wasn't around much. Except, he'd had shown up several days ago and told Dylan and his mother to go into hiding. The boy didn't have any other details besides that there was danger to halflings right now, but then they were attacked by other demons.

      Dylan explained that his mother had escaped with his father, but he had gotten himself separated, and felt the pull to come find Gin in the city. He hadn't realized he was being followed until he was so close. Apparently, he ducked down the alley and confronted them. Gin and I were alarmed that he'd been so reckless, but the kid just brushed aside our concern, claiming he could kick some demon ass if he had too. It was just that his power ended up not working because he was tired. It was clear he wanted to look tough in front of Gin, who he obviously hero worshiped.

      However, I had long gotten over feeling sorry for Dylan. Once Gin was gone, this kid acted like a little punk. He had been insistent that he could be helpful and was pouting that Gin didn't let him go with her. I was lucky enough to be put in charge of him and he was acting tough and belligerent to me. He'd shrugged off all the questions about his parents that I had, so that I could try to contact them. He just claimed that they will find him as long as he stays with Gin.

      I let the kid use my tablet to occupy him while I kept trying to access housing records on the missing vampire family. I had already hit a dead end on getting any usable footage from security cameras on the trio of demons yesterday. Dylan had been sitting in the living room, playing some game, before I heard a very concerning, "Oh! Shit!" The tablet hadn't stood a chance and the fire had spread to the table before I'd manage to contain it.