Anticipations

I was sitting next to Bess in the CPD conference room where she was literally writing so fast I could almost see smoke coming from the tip of the pen. She filled in some information before sliding the papers over to me to sign. I read them over and the gist of it was my official record of employment for the SCF task force and that I was fully aware of the supernatural dangers I could be entering on the field. If I got hurt I couldn’t sue them, even in the supernatural world there were politics and disclaimers.

  I signed all the dotted lines before handing them back to her. “Now what?” so far my new job was all pretty painless, I was eager to find out the next step as to how everything worked. I worked in a restaurant since I was a teenager and never knew another line of work until now.

  Bess put the paperwork in a folder and put the folder in a black purse at her feet. “There’s a case involving magic that came onto our radar last week.” She grabbed a stack of folders that had been piled on the table. “While you’re getting your feet wet and learning the ropes I’m assigning you a partner.” She sorted through the files until she found the one she was looking for and pulled it open. “There was a robbery at the Town Center Plaza bank. It was during after hours and the only witness was the security guard patrolling the mall. He went on record saying he saw a man and woman together and that the man was moving in and out of the place chanting something that got the doors to open. The vault and every entrance and exit were checked out, there’s nothing pointing to how they broke in but even so the police department has written it off like the guard was mistaken.”

  “It sounds like magic and I’m the new resident magic expert. So far so good.” I didn’t feel overwhelmed or anything like I was expecting at first. I was starting to believe maybe I could do the job and actually make a difference. It was a good feeling.

  “That’s the spirit. I know you have no experience with law enforcement and I’m not going to throw you into the waters without some floaters. There’s a training course that I’ve signed you up for starting in two hours. This case was put onto our radar last night and I need someone on it but until you’ve completed the course and feel comfortable on your own your partner will show you the ropes but mostly your instinct about magic will be your biggest weapon in the field. Still sounding good?”

  “It doesn’t sound like anything I can’t handle.” I was keeping my expression cool, I didn’t want to seem like an excited dork even though inside that’s exactly how I was feeling.

  “Good. I’ve already spoke to the bank manager and we have clearance to take a look around after hours.” She handed me the folder. “Inside are the facts about the case and the information you need for the training sessions. Your partner is Thomas Monroe, a supernaturally aware human who’s been a part of our FBI division for years now and helping out with the SCF development around the country. He’ll be at the training session waiting for you. If you have any questions never hesitate to call.” She frowned in order to tease me. “You know I’m always here and that’s not a sales ploy.” The frown quickly turned into a smile.

  “Got it, boss.” I returned the smile as I flipped through the pages in the folder, there were many of them. I thought of Dominic and his distain for paperwork. I had a feeling being a SCF officer was going to be worse in the paperwork department than a restaurant ever could conjure. “I guess its time to get to work.” I stood and decided to skim through the case file and training session after I got home.

  “I’ll call you when the bank is ready for us.”

  I nodded and said my goodbye. I didn’t make it back down to the parking lot without running into a familiar face.

  Jake raised an eyebrow and let his curiosity drip from his features. “Hey Evie, what are you doing here?” his grey eyes noticed the folder I had tucked under my arm.

  I wasn’t sure how to answer. Bess already told me my position would be more on the down low and not advertised with the public, in the essence I wouldn’t be patrolling the streets like the rest of the task force, but it was still my choice who I told or didn’t tell. I didn’t see any reason to lie to Jake. He didn’t go around gossiping to people I wouldn’t want to know, for example people like Michael. The SCF was created to keep vampires in check after all and I couldn’t see my ex-boyfriend being thrilled that I was now part of that group. “I was meeting with Bess. She has a case that she needs help with concerning magic. She hired me on as a consultant for the SCF.” I read that in the paperwork she had me sign as my official title on record. Something told me it’d be a little more complicated than that if she wanted me on tough cases.

  “That’s great.” Jake said and it looked like he really meant it. “I spoke to Caleb earlier.” I cringed and it didn’t go unnoticed by the powerful werewolf. “He was in a pretty bad mood and won’t say anything about it. I was wondering if he has spoken to you.”

  I shook my head and hated how sweaty my palms were becoming. “I’ve been busy catching up with work at La Amour and now this new job here.” I was coming to realize I wasn’t the best liar out there and I had a horrendous poker face.

  His eyes narrowed in thought, his head titling off to the left side as he looked at me for better answers. “He got pretty ticked off when I mentioned you.”

  “Caleb and I never really got along until he needed help keeping Jamie safe and now with the Coven mess over he doesn’t feel like he owes me one and we went back to how it was before.” I managed to keep my expression neutral under his intense gaze. He wasn’t a fool and knew damn well I was hiding something and so was his alpha for that matter.

  “I guess that’s it then.” He wouldn’t push boundaries and ask any more questions. He was a good guy like that and would always respect Caleb’s privacy.

  Before I could make my exit a man and woman came toward us. She was a pretty brunette with equally dark brown eyes. I knew she was a cop by just looking at her, she was very focused and alert while also at ease in the familiar setting of the police station. The guy standing beside her had to be Chase Thompson, Jake’s brother, they has similar features and his eyes were the same shade of blue Jake’s once were before his supernatural change.

  Jake introduced us. “This is my brother Chase and our friend Zoe, guys this is Evie.”

  I shook Chase’s hand and saw exactly why Bess was in love with him. Aside from his good looks, he was a very lovely mix of charming, polite, and painfully sincere. I didn’t get a sense he was putting on an act, the smile he gave me was very natural. Zoe was on guard and shut down. I got the feeling she was always waiting for something bad to happen and in her line of work, it probably always did. “Hi. I’ve heard a lot about you both from Jake and Bess.”

  Zoe grew more curious and less threatening. “How do you know my sister?”

  “I’m a witch and she approached me about assisting magic based cases.”

  “Anything she or Jake have said is a complete lie. I’m really not that bad.”

  I laughed and felt any tension in the air amongst strangers fade away as the ice was broken. “I’ll keep that in mind. It was good to finally meet you both.” I felt good as I made it back to my car. So far every experience with the SCF was going better than I could’ve ever prayed for. I was truly excited to start to new career path. It was nice that after everything going wrong with the Coven and the way I handled things with Caleb I had something to be positive for.

  When I got home I saw it wasn’t a good day for everyone. As I turned down my street I noticed Jamie sitting outside looking very sullen.

  I parked in my own driveway before hopping out and going to see what was wrong with the young girl. “Hey, what’s the matter?” I joined her on the bottom step.

  “I didn’t get my dad to cave. I got my flight to go back home with my mom in two weeks. Where’ve you been? We all thought something bad happened.”

  “I got caught up with some stuff but everything is fine.” If I said it enough maybe it’d come true. I didn’t like disappointing the people in my life and
right now that’s all I was doing.

  “Not everything because my dad is being a royal a-hole!” she turned and directed her anger at the closed door. I looked at the driveway and saw no car indicating he was home, maybe it was in the garage.

  I took her hand and motioned for her to follow me. If he dad was inside eavesdropping I didn’t want him to hear what I was going to ask her. We moved down the street and sat on my porch. “Why don’t you want to go home? Is someone hurting you there?”

  “No, its nothing like that I just…” she groaned and dropped her head down into the palm of her hands. “I have people here who care and back with my mom she so focused on trying to make her relationship work. I miss talking to you and hanging out with Sarah when I’m back home. I even miss dad’s overprotective attitude sometimes.” She kept her head down while she started to cry.

  I pulled her to my side in a hug. “Have you sat him down and explained all of this? Or talked to your mom about spending more time together?”

  “Dad’s too paranoid I’ll get hurt if I stay in town and mom thinks I’m being irrational so there’s no point in trying to talk to them. Can I stay with you?” that question threw me for a loop.

  I was shocked she liked me enough to want to live together. “I’m sorry sweetie but you’re sixteen and your parents decide. They’d never let you stay with me. Your father is trying to keep you out of danger and I think he’d flip his lid if we became roommates.”

  She wiped her cheeks and started to accept she had to play by her parents rules. “What if I was eighteen, would you let me move in with you?”

  “In a heartbeat.” I didn’t regard Jamie as a weak child, I firmly believed if push came to shove she could protect herself at least enough to escape for help. She was a hell of a shot and with Caleb’s genes she was faster and stronger even if she couldn’t shift.

  She gave me a tight hug. “Thanks for not treating me like a six year old child. I’ll see you later.”

  I watched until she was back home. I got off the porch and went back to my car to grab the case file. I had work to do.

  Chapter 27