Escaping Duty

Chapter 19

(Whew this is a long chapter but I hope you all enjoy.)

"One of the people you work with own a club downtown?" Valentina asked her parents one eyebrow raised.

She woke up that morning to her mother saying she needed to come downtown with them. This was where she'd learn more about their jobs and werewolves. Her father also mentioned something about meeting other hunters at the same time.

"Yes, and when needed we use his club as a place for meetings," her mother said looking at her from the rearview mirror.

"I thought the guesthouse was for that?" Valentina asked ignoring the sickening feeling of recalling the wolf from that night.

That wolf was nothing like the one she saw that night at work. She also didn't know if it was experience or apathy that made her parents act as if nothing had happened. After the guesthouse, Valentina had also decided for herself something important. While she may want answers, she didn't agree with her parent's actions.

"Those other hunters, did they start when you both started?" she asked trying to generate conversation so they wouldn't get suspicious.

They gave her their usual weary look whenever she asked anything. It was as if they were happy to finally tell her, but expected her to have a break down if they told her too much. Might've explained why they were hesitant to explain everything to her.

"No, they all started at a different time. Not all of them have hunting throughout their families. Only certain families have generations of hunters," her father explained.

"How does someone not in a hunting family join hunters?"

"In most cases its people who share a personal connection with hunters and can vouch for them. Sometimes they have firsthand experience with the werewolves and have shown the qualifications. Other times we look for people who can bring something valuable to the team. Like an arms dealer or a doctor for example," he continued.

Valentina thought it over, it seemed like such a secretive job, but what narrowed the choices down even further she thought?

"What if anyone were to hear about wolves?"

"We handle situations so that not just anyone knows about werewolves. Even with qualifications, we look further into the person. We look for people wanting justice, not someone bent on their own revenge. We want people who know this danger and want to stop it for others. Basically, a chance to stop what happened to them from happening to others, and of curse can't spread the existence of werewolves" he continued.

"What if they know and aren't qualified?" she asked feeling as if it wasn't going to be a great answer.

"Valentina, we make sure to keep our population safe, even if it means one or two people can't be saved," her father said neutral not meeting her gaze in the mirror.

As wrong as that sounded she could see the reason in it. The general population can't know something like this, but did that justify it? And what if those one or two people have family and kids they're leaving behind? Valentina picked at a thread in her ripped jeans thinking it over while her mom pulled into a parking space.

As they walked up to the club a man greeted them waiting outside with a face very much similar to an angry pug. He nodded when he saw her mother and father and opened the door for them as they walked in.

The club was empty except for a few people, and only had a few warm lights on over the bar and open area serving as a dance floor.

"Where is everyone?" Lara asked looking around displeased.