From the Shadows (Hunters #1)

Chapter 3

Diego smiled down at Jeremy, who lay beside him, his head on Diego’s chest. He hadn’t even made it halfway through Avengers: Infinity War before he conked out. Jerm had been sleeping a lot in the last three days. Last night Diego had brought it up and Ranna told him that Jerm was probably getting ready for his first molt.

“His what ?”

She’d grinned at him. “You know how snakes shed their skin? Well, snake shifters do the same as they grow. He’ll get cranky and be exhausted quite a bit of the time. He’ll go into his room, where he’ll lay beneath the heat lamps and fall asleep. While he rests, his skin will split and slide off, leaving him with a fresh, healthy glow.”

Diego had shuddered at the thought. “At least he’ll be asleep during it.”

“And you know you’re going to have to put money beneath his pillow for it.”

Diego scowled. “What? Like the fucking tooth fairy?”

“Precisely. Jeremy won’t lose teeth, so he’ll never have that excitement. It’s why his shedding is so important. For snake shifters, it’s a rite of passage. This will be his one and only molt until he’s a teenager, and then they’ll happen two to three times per year, depending on how he grows.” Her smile softened. “He doesn’t have anyone to help him with this. He’s going to be scared, and how we react will go a long way to calming him. We need to be ready, because this will be a life-altering event for him.”

His thoughts about the rest of the conversation were cut off by the bell. He turned to Ranna, who sat on one of the overstuffed loveseats reading a book. She lifted her head and met his gaze.

“You expecting anyone?”

She shook her head. “No one logged any guests coming.”

Diego reached into his holster and pulled out his Glock. He made his way to the door, not in any hurry. Sloppiness made for dead bounty hunters. He reached the front entrance and peered through the one-way glass. Outside stood a short man clutching a suitcase. Blond hair and light brown, almost coffee-colored eyes. No way was this pipsqueak a threat of any kind.

He reached up and rang the bell again, his gaze darting around, perusing the property. He seemed to be… vibrating.

Diego pulled open the door. “Can I help you?”

The guy looked up, his eyes widening. “Hi, my name is Shay Nowak, your new majordomo.”

Diego narrowed his gaze. “The new… what the hell is a majordomo?”

Shay fluttered a hand. “Oh, it’s like… Have you ever seen Magnum PI ? Higgins was the majordomo, responsible for the upkeep of the property, overseeing the staff. Things like that.” He frowned. “And I’m guessing you didn’t know I was coming.”

“Nope. Who sent you?”

“Ms. Connelly hired me.”

Empatia!

There’s no need to shout, you know. Has Shay arrived yet?

What the hell is this crap?

When you came for our appointment, you told me we needed someone to take care of Jeremy, did you not?

Yes, but not a human!

Oh, I assure you, Shay is much more in tune than a regular human. He’s fascinated by all things supernatural, and I think he’d be an excellent fit with your group.

No.

This has already been decided, Diego. If you have a problem with it, you’ll need to take it up with Mr. Biggs, who is, so you know, well aware of Shay’s… shortcomings.

Diego couldn’t believe this crap. Either he goes, or I do.

Then I will let Mr. Biggs know you’ve tendered your resignation. We will, of course, provide you with ? —

Of course she’d call his bluff. Damned mind reader. Enough! Fine. He can stay, but I won’t be responsible for him.

I know you do your best to stay away from humans, though I don’t understand why and you refuse to tell me, going so far as to putting that information behind the shield I taught you. Regardless, you can’t avoid them your entire life.

I can try. Just… keep him away from me.

Shay will be overseeing the household. I can’t very well tell him to avoid you, as you live in the house.

Diego ground his teeth. His gaze snapped to Shay, who stood there with a smile on his face that Diego wanted to put a fist through. “Fine, come in.”

“And it’s a true pleasure to meet you too. Let me guess. You’re… Diego.”

Diego scowled. “How’d you know that?”

“Prickly personality, snappish attitude, very unfriendly. That leaves me to guess it’s you.”

“Fuck. Come in… please,” he ground out.

Shay grinned. “So you can be taught manners. That’s helpful to know. I’ll add it to the list of things I need to work on.”

“You’re pretty fucking mouthy for a….” Diego bit back the word. “Are you going to stand out there all day?”

With an annoying smirk, Shay entered the house. “Human. The word you were looking for is human. Though I suppose I could be considered mouthy for any species.”

It made no sense. Anyone, no matter who, should feel the threat of a vampire in front of them. That prickling sensation that made the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end, as well as that dread that said you needed to run as fast and far as you could and never look back.

“Do what you have to do,” Diego murmured, then headed for the stairs.

“Ah… wait.”

He paused, gripping the banister. “What is it?”

“In an effort to get to know everyone, could you tell me what you prefer to eat?”

Diego smirked. Time to give this dick a lesson. “I’m a vampire. I drink blood.”

“Yes, I’m aware of that, but do you prefer it warmed or room temperature? Cow, pig, or does it have to be human?”

“You…. It….” Diego squeezed his eyes shut. “It doesn’t matter,” he growled. “I eat when I’m hungry.” He let his fangs drop and whirled to face Shay, hoping to impress on him the threat. “So I suggest you stay away from me, little human, or else I might be tempted to make a meal out of you.”

Shay tilted his head and peered closely at Diego. “How do you floss those things?”

A growl formed deep in Diego’s throat. A quick spin on his heel, and he rushed up the stairs before Shay could say anything else. He stormed into his room and slammed the door loud enough, he was sure it echoed downstairs. He perched on his bed, his fists aching from being clenched so tight.

He could smell the human’s—Shay’s—blood. It called to Diego, taunting him. Tempting him with something he desperately wanted. Visions of grabbing Shay, pulling him in, sinking fangs into that soft throat, and listening to Shay scream as Diego drained him until he died plagued Diego. Why would Empatia do this? Especially since she knew some—though definitely not all—of Diego’s background.

Downstairs, he could hear Shay as he spoke with the others. They greeted him jovially, listened as he explained his new job. Everyone was excited and told him what they liked to eat. When Jeremy’s voice sounded above the rest, all high and sweet, Diego turned and slammed his fist into the pillow. Bad enough Shay had invaded Diego’s home, but now he was working his wiles on the team and Jerm?

No one is taking Jeremy away from you.

Get the fuck out of my head, Empatia.

Diego, Shay just ? —

I said, get the fuck out of my head! Leave me alone.

The moment he felt her withdraw, Diego breathed a sigh of relief. He enjoyed being part of a team, and he… cared for Jerm. Right now, though, he still wanted to get up and walk away. A human. They’d invited a goddamned human into the house. Most vampires shied away from shifters, because their blood was bitter and reacted badly with a vampire’s stomach. Contrary to popular fiction, vampires had food sensitivities like most wouldn’t believe.

Humans, though? Their blood was sweet, almost like nectar. The warm liquid went down smoothly, metabolized easily, and settled the hunger like nothing else could. Sure, Diego could eat most anything, but it never filled him in any meaningful way. He occasionally shared dinner with the others, though it was mostly for show. Now? If Shay was part of the team, if he sat down to the meal, Diego couldn’t be there. The why was simple. All he’d be able to hear would be the thump thump thump of Shay’s pulse. All he’d think about would be that sweet blood flooding his mouth, swallowing it down, watching as the light in Shay’s eyes went out, which would be followed by Diego dropping him to the floor, drained.

No, he couldn’t do that. The horror on the team’s faces—even that wasn’t right. It was the fact that Jerm would be terrified. Diego couldn’t chance losing the boy he considered a son because he was unable to control his urges. Still, even from his bedroom, the blood sang to him, tempting him, nearly controlling him.

He got up and went to the window, then pushed it open. It didn’t matter that the temperature was just above freezing, because it would have no impact on him. Diego felt the hot and the cold, but the variations of either did nothing one way or the other to him.

He blew out a breath, knowing full well he didn’t need to breathe, but he appreciated the fact that his body still believed it did. At least it gave him a semblance of the life he used to have. Once, last year, Jerm asked if he’d ever gone scuba diving. When Diego said no, Jerm told him he had to! The whole not-breathing thing would make Diego able to swim deeper than any human could hope to. He swore he’d add it to his bucket list.

That would never come up.

Immortality blew, plain and simple. When he was a child, Diego had dreamed of eternal life many times, but the reality of it sucked. Diego would always look his twenty-five years. He’d never get crow’s feet or wrinkles. He’d never know the aches and pains that came with time and a life well lived. Most people would find that a blessing, but it wasn’t. Instead, he watched everyone around him wither and eventually succumb to old age or disease. How many people had Diego watch die? How many times had a doctor or nurse assumed Diego was a son or grandson to the person at the end of their lives?

Unable to bear the constant loss, he’d hardened his heart. He’d refused to let people get close to him, and that had worked out fine. At least until Jeremy. With Jerm, Diego found himself falling into the same trap as always. He wanted to protect him, to keep him safe from anything that might hurt him, even though Diego knew that doing that meant he’d come to love the boy who would grow up to become first a teen, then a man, who’d age and die, leaving Diego alone once again.

He let his gaze fall to the earth below. It wouldn’t kill him if he jumped, but it would rattle his bones quite a bit. Would be nice if the old legends about vampires turning into bats was true, but alas, that wasn’t an ability Diego possessed. Still, if he jumped, he’d be able to run, to escape. If he fled far enough, maybe he could forget Jerm, let him grow up without having to see him die.

You won’t do that. As much as you don’t want to admit it, you love him. He’s already wormed his way into your heart, and nowhere you go will be far enough to stop worrying about him.

Damned internal monologue. Empatia would tell him to listen to it, because it gave his hopes and dreams the chance for a voice. Diego stopped having hopes or dreams several lifetimes ago.

Eternal life was hell on earth .

Shay slumped into the overstuffed chair with the funky purple covering. He was exhausted beyond belief. He spent his first day at the house moving his stuff in—not that he had much—and then he went down to the kitchen to arrange it the way he wanted. He’d gone to everyone and asked for their favorites, then made notes on what each of them liked to eat, whether they had any allergies he needed to know about, and if there were things they couldn’t stand. He was surprised to find that no matter how different they were, their tastes were similar.

Nearly everyone loved meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy. Some liked baked chicken, while others preferred fried. Jeremy wanted anything with macaroni and cheese. Shay was a little ashamed that he thought supernatural beings would have more… varied and esoteric tastes that would have him diving into the deep end to find ingredients. Nope, everything they wanted could be found in bulk at the local Sav-A-Lot store.

Then there was Diego, who still hadn’t left his room. Shay wondered if there was another way out, and that was why no one had seen him. He couldn’t understand the reaction he’d gotten when he’d showed up at the door. He expected them to be wary, even questioning, but Diego was downright hostile.

One thing Shay took note of was the fact that Jeremy kept looking around, bereft. It was obvious he loved Diego, despite how prickly the man was. That said a lot to Shay, because it meant that Diego treated Jeremy well. So he wasn’t a total asshole, and maybe Shay could find a way to get him to warm up.

At least he hoped so. He loved the house, and his room—more a suite—was immense, at least compared to his shitty apartment. As for the people? They’d been warm and welcoming, especially when they found out that he’d be taking over the cooking and cleaning. He wasn’t sure how to broach the subject of their paranormal abilities, even though he was dying to know, but Jeremy piped up, proud and loud, saying he was a snake shifter. When Shay asked what kind of snake, Jeremy’s face scrunched up .

“We… don’t shift into one kind of snake. We can become any snake we know about. It’s why Diego bought me all these books on snakes, and why he practices with me. He wants me to understand who I am, where I came from, and what I can become.”

So yeah, Diego was definitely not a total asshole.

As soon as they discovered his interest, the others started chiming in, and Shay’s eyes were opened to worlds he never knew existed. Martin was an elemental, who could command fire and, to a lesser extent, earth, water, and air and get them to do his bidding, though being on this plane for so long, he wasn’t as strong as he’d once been. He’d been trapped on Earth, bound to a crystal by a spell cast at the behest of his former master. When the man found out that Martin wasn’t a mindless beast, he apologized and set to finding a way to release Martin. The two became best friends, and the thought that Martin would have to serve someone else repelled his master, so near the end of his life, he told Martin the truth. A sacrifice was the only way to free him, and his master, already nearing his end, was prepared to pay the price. Martin protested, but it wasn’t enough to stop his master from spilling his blood on the crystal that bound Martin, thus releasing him. Still, this plane of reality had become his home, and he didn’t wish to leave.

Then there was Ranna. She intrigued Shay. Her sea green eyes and long red hair, cheekbones that could cut glass, coupled with a cherubic face seemed to belong to someone who should be living the high life, like a model or something. Instead, she got down and dirty with a group of bounty hunters, and according to everyone, she was the one who usually rushed into a fight. She eventually told Shay she was a wendigo. Shay had remembered reading about them in comics, but she assured him it wasn’t a curse from eating flesh. Actually, it was a familial trait, passed down from generation to generation. She was, in fact, an ovo-lacto vegetarian, despite having teeth that could rip flesh and rend bone.

And Borne. He was an enigma. Dark eyes, dark hair, and dark skin that seemed to absorb light. He almost seemed to be a living shadow. When the others encouraged him to tell Shay what he was, Borne ducked his head and whispered that he was a demon .

“C’mon, you’re pulling my leg!”

He gave a rueful laugh. “I wish. I was cast out of hell because I wouldn’t collect on the soul of a young woman who offered to trade it for her unborn baby’s life. Tests showed the child would be born with a degenerative disease and wouldn’t live out the year. She pleaded for his life, made the proper agreements, signed the papers, and the deal was struck. The contract said the baby would be born happy and healthy. The problem? She didn’t know Asmodeus, the big cheese of demon-kind, had intended on taking her soul and that of her baby after the child came into the world all bright and pink and happy and the contract was fulfilled.

“I never reneged on a contract. Not once. Then again, all the contracts I was given were for men and women who had no regard for others and were merely out to make themselves more powerful. But I looked into this woman’s eyes as she held her baby, and I saw so much love there. Demons don’t get the chance to experience tenderness like that.

“When I told her why’d I come, she put the baby down and informed me she was ready. This was where I was supposed to do it. Asmodeus wanted me to take the baby first, to fill the woman with guilt and regret, then take her and bring them both to him.”

He sighed, and leaned into Ranna’s hand when she gripped his shoulder.

“I couldn’t let that happen. I reached into her mind and put her into a deep sleep. Once that was done, I snuck into Asmodeus’s office and stole the contract. He caught me and said that if I gave it back and fulfilled the deal, he’d forgive me. Instead, I destroyed it. Doing that saved the life and soul of mother and child, but got me beaten savagely, then expelled from the only home I knew. I wandered earth for decades before I met Diego, who brought me to the group.”

And there were others, including a ghost that everyone said only materialized from time to time. He wasn’t exactly a member of the team, but it had been his house, so they didn’t bother him, and he generally left them alone, except for when he was feeling rambunctious .

Shay was beside himself with excitement. A world he’d always wanted to be a part of was now opening the curtains and letting him step inside. It was beyond amazing.

Then there was Diego….

“Does anyone know why Diego hates me?” he’d asked, really wanting to fit in at this job.

They exchanged awkward or uncomfortable looks, then turned to Shay. Ranna was the first one to speak. “He doesn’t hate you , per se. He doesn’t seem to care for humans, though none of us know why. If a mission involves a human, he assigns it to us. He won’t leave the house until we get home, preferring instead to stay with Jeremy.”

So it wasn’t Shay he hated—it was all humans. Well, that made things ever so much better.

“He’d never actively harm you, Shay. He just… doesn’t care about people. I think he tolerates us at best, because we’re part of the team.”

Jeremy hung his head. “He never told me why, but he’s never said anything against humans to me.”

Which meant he kept his dislikes to himself. Though that didn’t make Shay feel better about the situation, it did tell him that he wasn’t foisting those beliefs on others. Again, it helped make Shay not as worried about Diego. He was sure, given time, he could win the man over.

When Shay took a tour of the house, he was stunned when he entered the huge kitchen that held high-end appliances from Shay’s list. Stuff he couldn’t even use, seeing as how he lived alone, but now that he was cooking for a group? Hell, yes! A thirty-six-inch Subzero Designer Over-and-Under Refrigerator and Freezer with internal water dispenser and an ice maker with the same glossy red finish as the kitchen walls, and an ILVE sixty-inch stove in midnight blue. He figured he could practically live in this kitchen.

Then he saw his new place. Easily three times the size of that, what was the word Ms. Connelly used? Oh, hovel.

The group helped Shay move his stuff in, and even ordered pizza to allow him time to get settled. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t this place. It wasn’t a room—it was a grand suite, like those he’d see at hotels in high-end magazines. Fifteen hundred square feet, with every amenity Shay could think of, including a huge bathtub, a jacuzzi, a king sized bed, floor to ceiling windows, a bar—not that Shay was a drinker, especially considering he was going to be responsible for Jeremy. When Ms. Donnelly told him he only needed to bring clothes because everything else was provided for him, Shay assumed it meant he’d have some hand-me-down furniture. Nothing was further from the truth. He knew that she’d taken the images from his mind, but that was okay. Shay actually had the stuff he’d dreamed of.

When he’d laid eyes on the couch he’d always fantasized about—the Seatcraft Omega Sofa with the faux-leather gel, powered headrest, and power recline in jet black—he pinched himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. This hadn’t even been on his list, due to it being insanely expensive, but he’d kept it tucked into the back of his head since he’d seen it at a store when he was younger. Probably the part that had hooked him was the lighted cup holder. He wasn’t sure why; he was simply fascinated with shiny things.

The bed was way bigger than Shay needed. His old one had been a single, and that was fine with him. This one? He guessed it was a king of some sort, and he might have squeaked when he laid down on it. The mattress wasn’t soft and squishy, nor was it hard as a rock. Instead, it was firm, but giving. Like being on a cloud.

He glanced over at the alarm clock, and groaned. It was already nearing midnight, and he had to get up in a few hours to make breakfast for everyone. His stomach flipped. He had people to take care of! It was his dream job.

He took a quick shower in the combo bath, then after he dried off, went and crawled into bed. He was exhausted, and sleep took him almost immediately, despite his excitement.

This would work out. It had to. Now that he’d cut ties with his old life, Shay had nowhere else to go.