Alex Finch: Monster Hunter

  I stared at the door after she closed it, numb. Then the panic kicked in.

  Clutching the note, I limp-ran to the side door and shoved it open, stumbling into the parking lot. My ankle throbbed in warning. I leaned against the building, grateful that I was the only witness to my panic, and pulled my phone out of my hoodie pocket.

  My hands shook so much I had trouble tapping out Sam's phone number. His phone took me straight to voicemail. Not a good sign.

  "Sam--call me as soon as you get this. I know the truth about the fire ten years ago." That should get his attention. I ended the call and speed dialed Dad's work number.

  "Alex." I closed my eyes when I heard his low, steady voice on the other end. It helped calm me. "What's up, sweetheart?"

  "Dad--" I cleared my throat, tears I'd been able to keep back until now burning my eyes. "I need your help."

  "Where are you."

  "Outside school. I'm--"

  "Stay right there. I'm on my way." He hung up before I could get in another word.

  I ended the call, wrapping my arms around me as the wind picked up. Halloween, the anniversary of the basement accident. That was no coincidence, and Mrs. Swiller all but confirmed my suspicion that the accident was no accident.

  What did we do, by walking into that crumbling, underground haven? And why would Sam know? He wasn't much older than me, and would have been just a kid when the accident happened. Unless . . .

  I refused to let my mind shut down, forced myself to finish out my thoughts.

  Unless Sam wasn't attacked the same time as Jake. Or by the same creature.

  I always assumed--but Sam's scars bled more than two weeks after Jake attacked me and Misty. And that thought led to one I didn't even want in my head. But it showed up, like an uninvited guest.

  What if Jake was the one who attacked him?

  Dad's truck roared up, saving me from myself. He leaned over and opened the passenger door. "Get in, Alex."

  I climbed up and fell into the cab, closing the door as he revved the engine and tore out of the parking lot. And he wonders where I get my lead foot.

  "Dad--"

  "Tell me. No censoring, no hedging. I need to know all of it."

  I gave him all of it--including Jake. And Sam, my heart breaking with every word.

  By the time I finished, I was in tears, and Dad pulled off the road leading out of town, behind a group of gnarled oaks. He gathered me into his arms, rubbing my back until I cried myself out.

  "Better?" I nodded against his chest. "Good. Now take this," he waved a tissue in front of me, "blow your nose, and look at me."

  I did, taking my time with the nose blowing part, since that was the only stalling tactic I had. When I finished, I raised my head, bracing myself. "I'm sorry, Dad."

  "What the hell do you have to be sorry about? You didn't start this mess, Alex. A group of paranoid people did, and tried to cover their tracks." He leaned against his door. "You really like Sam, don't you?"

  His voice was gentle, and I almost burst into tears. Again.

  "More than like," I whispered. It was hopeless--I was hopeless. I braced myself, waited for Dad to forbid me from ever seeing him again--

  "I admire him, for being able to have a normal life with that hanging over his head."

  "What?"

  He smiled at me. "You expected an immediate banishment. Sorry to disappoint, sweetheart." I stared at him, not daring to believe. "What happened to Sam was not his fault. As long as he--" Dad cut himself off, rubbed his face. "I don't remember this particular dating scenario in any of the books I read on parenting."

  I choked out a laugh. "Shocking."

  "What I'm trying to say, Alex, is be careful." He cradled my cheek. "I wish I didn't like Sam, but I do. He has a code of honor, and I trust him to protect you. But if he ever--if he--"

  "Changes?" I laid my hand over his. "It's been ten years, Dad. I don't think that's going to happen." I really, really wanted to believe that.

  "Right." Dad rubbed my cheek, then lowered his hand and changed the subject. I was so grateful I wanted to kiss him. "Tell me more about the photo of the boy."

  I did, giving him the last bit of information I had. "I recognized what was behind him in the photo. He's in Hyattown. We have to go after him--"

  "Not we, Alex."

  "Yes, Dad." I didn't contradict him often, because he was usually right. This time I had to stand up. "I started this, by asking you to look into the old plans."

  "It started before that. Long before that. Don't take this kind of blame on your shoulders--"

  "I won't be able to live with the blame I do own, if I don't try and save him. And there isn't much time. If Sam doesn't call me, I have to go and--" As if he heard me, the ringtone I programmed for him poured out of my hoodie. I fumbled the phone out and swiped the screen. "Sam--"

  "Get out of Emmettsville, Alex. Take your family and get out."

  "Sam--what--"

  "Don't argue with me." He sounded--desperate. And scared, really scared.

  I closed my eyes and shut him down. "I know about the little boy, Sam. I know about everything. Mrs. Swiller told me."

  Silence roared across the line. I could hear him breathing, so I knew we were still connected. Finally, he let out a sigh. "And you're still talking to me."

  I took in a deep breath, clutching the phone. "I'm your friend, Sam. And I want to hear the whole story. From you. After we save that boy."

  I waited. This could be the end of it. Sam could just shut me out and hang up, or go back to not noticing my existence--

  "Okay. But I have some more bad news. Two other kids are missing."

  Oh, God.

  17

  I quickly learned that Sam's okay didn't mean "Okay, you'll save those kids with me."

  "You are not going near Hyattown again, Alex."

  "This is my fault. I broke whatever secret pact they made ten years ago--"

  "You didn't know about it--"

  "I'm going, Sam."

  Real panic filtered through the anger in his voice. "You are not."

  "I'll meet you at your house, Sam."

  "No, you won't. I want you to go home. Now. Go home, and stay there. Better yet, get out, and don't come back until after Halloween."

  "Not happening."

  Sam continued to argue, until I hung up on him. I also shut off my phone, so he couldn't call back. No matter what he said, I was going to help get those kids back.

  "Dad." I turned to him, my face flushing as I remembered what I said to Sam. In the heat of the argument, I completely forgot where I was, and who was with me. "Can you take me home? I need to--"

  "No." His denial left me blinking in shock.

  "But I--"

  "You are not going to ditch me, Alex. We do this together, or you don't do it at all."

  I let out a sigh. Now I understood how Sam felt. And I couldn't hang up on this argument, even if we'd been on the phone. Dad would have simply come after me. "I don't want you there."

  "You're not going to get that wish. I go, or you don't go."

  We stared at each other, but I already knew I'd lost the argument. "Fine." I sounded angry, and I didn't care. I wanted him far far away from this, and he wasn't cooperating. "But we do need to go home first, so I can get the plans."

  "No need." He leaned over seat, and pulled out a long, rubber banded roll of paper. "I made my own copies."

  I looked at the thick roll, then back at him. "You were never going to let me do this alone, were you?"

  "Nope." Dropping them on the seat between us, he glanced over at me before he pulled back out on the road. "Call your mom, tell her I'm taking you out to dinner."

  "She'll want to join us."

  "Give her a reason not to."

  As I tapped in our home number manually to give me more time, I hoped inspiration would come to me before she picked up.

  18

  The sun was setting by the time we got to the Emmett mansion. Sam s
tood in the doorway, highlighted by the porch light. Every window in the huge house behind him was dark. The truck's headlights flashed over him as Dad swung around and parked.

  Sam waited for us, and the closer I got, the worse he looked. He had his shoulder length hair pulled back; it accentuated the dark circles around his eyes, and the already sharp cheekbones. He looked like he hadn't slept or eaten in a couple of days.

  "Come inside," he said. His voice sounded raspy, like he was catching a cold.

  Dad stopped next to him, laid one hand on his shoulder. "Where are your parents, son?"

  "Gone," he whispered. "My mom's already been hurt . . ." He took in a shaky breath, and I knew he was on the edge. I'd seen it before. "I need all my focus for this." His gaze moved to me.

  Temper I could usually control beat at me. "I can take care of myself--"

  "You won't have to," Dad said. "I'll be there, for both of you."

  Sam looked startled. "Sir--you can't--"

  "I've already seen what we're up against, and I won't leave you two alone to fight it."

  I clutched Dad's hand, wanting him to not be here, to be safe at home, with Mom. I remembered the way he looked when he rescued me: leaping out of the truck, shotgun in hand, absolutely fearless as he faced down the green-eyed nightmare. He looked the same way now, his dark blue eyes intense, holding the same shotgun.

  "Dad," I whispered.

  "Not without me, sweetheart."

  Sam let out his breath. "Thank you, sir."

  "Call me Lee." He smiled. "No need to be formal when we're about to jump into the abyss."

  I swallowed and clutched his hand tighter.

  We just reached the front door when another car came screaming up the driveway. My heart jumped when I recognized it.

  Misty was already opening the passenger door as the car shuddered to a halt. She waved at us and ran to help Jake, who was struggling to pull himself out of the back seat.

  Sam shot past me. "What are you doing? I don't want you here--"

  "Guess we didn't listen," Jake said. He looked better. Impossibly better. He moved to Dad, flashed a smile. "Fast healer."

  Candace joined us, her arms crossed. "So, what's the plan?"

  Sam pushed past her, furious. "You're not part of any plan. None of you."

  "Yes, we are, Samuel," Jake said. Sam flinched at his full name. Moving to him, Jake laid both hands on his shoulders. Sam jerked away. Swallowing, Jake lowered his hands. "Like it or not, you're going to need all of us to find those kids."

  Misty gasped at the plural. "How many?"

  "Three," Sam whispered, his gaze locked with Jake's. "And I can do this alone."

  "That's where your wrong, cousin. Do this alone, you'll die, along with those kids. Besides," Jake smiled, and my stomach clenched, because that smile had bad news written all over it. "I found the nest--and I won't show you the location until you agree to let me go with."

  ~

  By the time we got inside and settled at the dining room table, Jake's announcement hit me. Sam asked the question screaming in my mind.

  "How did you find it?"

  "Where do you think I've been hiding out? I found the haven mentioned in one of the old journals your dad keeps." I flinched, forced myself to keep my face neutral. No one else knew I had that guide. "It wasn't hard to find once I got underground." He glanced at me. "Sorry about her coming after you."

  "Her?" Horror shot through me.

  "That was partly my fault. She wasn't happy I found her, then you all showed up. On the plus side, I know how to chase her out, for good." We all stared at him, waiting. He seemed to enjoy the captive audience. Until Dad cleared his throat. "Sorry. They hate fire--even the smell of where there's been one. All we have to do is burn her out."

  Interesting--that wasn't mentioned in the guide. Only the people involved in the basement fire knew about that particular weakness. How did Jake know about it?

  "Set a fire," Candace said. She crossed her arms, giving Jake a glare I never want to be on the wrong end of. "Underground. With three missing kids and our home over our heads. Oh, I forgot--this isn't your home, so you don't care."

  "Would I even be here, Corwin?" He got in her face, and it hit me--they liked each other. Was she in for an unhappy shock. "Anyone with a brain would be running in the other direction."

  "Then start running, wolf boy." Or maybe not. "We have some kids to save." She snatched the plans out of my hand and spread them across the table. "You've been down there the most. If you want to help, get us where we need to be."

  Jake smiled. "Stop flirting with me, Corwin." He bent over the one of Hyattown, then looked up at Sam. "Your call, cousin."

  Sam clenched his fists. "I don't care if you come with us." His body language screamed the opposite.

  "Okay, then." Jake scanned the plan, and tapped a spot with his finger. "I found her nest here." He pointed at one of the tunnels in the sewer. Of course. "She's in there pretty deep, and the service lights in that tunnel have been smashed. But," he raised his hand when Dad opened his mouth. "It will only take one of us to set a fire and run--"

  "I'm doing it," Sam said.

  The room exploded with objections.

  My heart skipped at just the thought of him anywhere near that thing. Dad spoke over everyone's shouting. "I'll be the one going in, son."

  "No!" I grabbed his hand. "You can't--you aren't even supposed to be here--"

  "And where else would I be, when my daughter needs me?"

  I covered my face, not able to hold back the tears. Dad pulled me in, his embrace warm and strong. I always felt safe there. Now I wanted to cling, wanted to beg him to leave. And I couldn't deny it--I wanted to leave with him.

  Instead, I sucked in a breath, dug down for the courage that saved me before, and stepped back, wiping at my face. "You'll need someone to cover your back. I'm volunteering."

  Dad caught my arms. "You are not--"

  "And I'll cover your back," Misty said. She took my hand, gave me a smile.

  "You're not going anywhere without me, baby sister." Candace moved to her, bumped her shoulder.

  Jake limped over, meeting Candace's glare with a smile. "I'm up for a meet and greet. Can't let the ladies have all the fun."

  Sam stared at us. "Why are you doing this?"

  "This isn't your burden to bear, Sam." Dad let go of me, faced Sam. "Not alone. We all have people we love up here, people we want to protect. And as much as I don't want any of you involved," he swept his gaze over all of us, lingering on me before he turned back to Sam. "I'm realizing I can't do this alone."

  "Jake stays here," Sam said, the rage on his face so sudden, so shocking, it didn't look like him. "I can't trust him--not after what he did to Alex and Misty, going after our neighbor, and attacking Mom--"

  "Whoa--wait a minute." Jake stepped over to Sam--and caught the fist aimed at his face, moving so fast I didn't see his hand until it held Sam's fist. "I haven't changed, Sam, not since your dad chased me off the estate, the day after I--tangled with Alex. And I would never attack Evelyn. I've been underground all this time--until I decided to check out what was happening above, and saw Katie being grabbed." His voice lowered, concern in the dark eyes. "Where did this happen?"

  "Like you don't know!"

  "I don't, Sam."

  Sam backed away, the little color he had in his face fading. "You jumped me, in the cabin, in the dark--Mom shot you twice with the crossbow--"

  "Not him," Candace said. "He may heal faster than the average human, but he doesn't have even the scars that crossbow bolts would leave."

  Sam looked like he was ready to collapse. I moved toward him, but Dad got there first, easing him into a chair. "Head between your knees, son. It will help with the shock." Sam obeyed, propping his head in his hands as he bent over. Dad rubbed Sam's back, and glanced over at me. "Can you get him some juice, Alex?"

  I nodded, searching for the kitchen door. Jake took my arm, one hand cradling my elbow.
"I'll show you the way."

  I figured he had another reason, since I could find the door myself. I let him guide me to what turned out to be a huge, country style eat-in kitchen. An old, scarred, absolutely beautiful farmhouse table stretched across the open floor, mismatched wood chairs painted in different, faded colors surrounding it. Mom would cry, then covet the entire kitchen, starting with that table.

  "Beautiful, isn't it?" Jake moved to the huge, double door refrigerator, pulled out an individual size bottle of orange juice. "This should help him--"

  "You really weren't there, were you?"

  "I do remember what happens to me when I--change." He turned away from me, staring out the window over the deep, stainless steel kitchen sink. "I was still licking my wounds when Evelyn was attacked. Sam used silver nitrate and a silver walking stick to stop me when I was stalking you, and it took some time to recover."

  I had a feeling that was what Sam flung at him. "I was there," I whispered. "I saw what happened to Sam's mom. He was devastated, thinking you had done it."

  Jake let out a sigh, turned around. "I knew something was up, the way he avoided me. I couldn't get him alone long enough to ask." He lifted the orange juice. "Let's go take this in to him."

  "Did you attack Sam ten years ago?" I slapped one hand over my mouth. The words flew out before I could stop them. "Oh, God--I didn't meant to--I'm sorry--"

  "Stop, Alex." He pulled my hand down, closed his fingers around it. Hard callouses pressed into my skin. "I didn't. It took me months to recover from the attack. The beast nearly tore me apart. You'll have to ask him. I do know he was attacked around this time of year, just a couple weeks after me. I think it was the day before Halloween."

  "That would be--today," I whispered.

  He tightened his grip on my hand. "Watch him, close. If we share the same attacker, he could get ugly at any time. So far he hasn't changed, but his temper spikes, and he becomes unpredictable."

  I swallowed, met his eyes, to prove I could. He scared me, and not just because of what was just under the human surface. But he also saved Katie, and came pretty close to getting dead in the process. To say my feelings were mixed would be a massive understatement.

  "Alex!" Dad's voice broke our staring contest.

  "Coming!" I pulled out of his grip. "Please don't say anything to Sam."