Inner Predator: Unleashed

Prologue

Prologue

 

            “You’re sure it’s ok that Jess stays are your house?” I ask my dad for the fourth or fifth time. I want to make sure that he really is ok with it. Jess is coming for a visit now that everything seems to be settling down and we don’t want her to have to sleep on our couch. Chase and I love the little apartment but it's not exactly guest friendly. And to be honest, neither is Chase. So my dad offered up his place since it’s a real house with spare bedrooms and everything.

 Registration is well underway, but no one’s started to moving into the designated Supernatural areas. Mostly because those areas haven’t actually been zoned out yet. Supernaturals aren't the only ones being displaced due to this shitstorm, humans who live in what will become the Supernatural Housing Developments are being forced to relocate as well. Quite frankly, it’s bullshit.        

“Ask me one more time,” he says with warning in his tone and my mouth snaps shut.

“Ok, well we’re on our way to the airport to get her now and we’ll probably spend the evening hanging out at your place if that’s cool.”

“I’ll stay out of the way while your friends are over.” He pauses to laugh. “I’m feeling very parental right now, how about you?”

“Feeling very daughterly,” I play along with laughter in my voice.

“Only a few years late,” he ads with the hint of sadness in his voice that he gets every time he remembers all that he has missed out on in my life.

“Hey, I’m nineteen. This is still perfectly normal behavior for my age group. We’re making up for lost time. And tonight I’m telling you to bud out so you don’t embarrass me in front of my friends,” I tease.

“You are so much like her,” he says so quietly, that I’m sure he’s speaking to himself instead of me. He does that sometimes. Or he’ll get this funny look on his face and just stare at me oddly. When he does that I know he’s remembering my mother.

“I’ll talk to you soon, ok?”

“I’ll get my embarrassing stories ready,” he teases.

I turn to Chase after ending the call. He looks at me from the corner of his eye and smiles.

“You’ve got pouty face,” he says.

“He’s lonely.”

“Not your business, love,” he says trying to hide a smile.

This is something the two of us will simple never agree on. So I change the conversation while we wait in traffic to get to the airport where Jess should be landing in about ten minutes. Damn DC traffic.

When we arrive Jess is sitting on a bench waiting. Chase honks the horn grabbing her attention and she stands up excitedly. I swing the passenger door open as he pulls up to the curb and jump out of the car before it’s come to a complete stop. I practically leap to Jess who meets me half way.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” I say hugging her tightly.

“Ah,” she squeals. “Me too. I have so much to tell you.”

I help grab her bags and toss them in the trunk.

“Hey Chasey Poo,” Jess says as she climbs into the backseat. Chase gives her the bored, irritated look that was once enough to scared my best friend- and me- into submission. Now she just laughs. “I missed you too.” She leans forward and ruffles his hair.

“I’ll kill her,” Chase says to me only half joking.

“Leave him alone,” I tell her feeling a bit like an adult getting between two bickering children.