“Ready for your first day?” Josh sarcastically asks as he answers the front door and walks back into his house. “You might as well just walk in rather than knocking at his point.”
“Where are the others?” I ask him, ignoring his sarcastic statement as he picks his leather jacket up off the hook and puts it on.
“There was an emergency mission last night, and they all got called in. Rick and Nath are still at work. Mich is in bed because he worked all day and night yesterday. So, I’m stuck with the awful job of taking you in today,” he explains, and I roll my eyes at him.
“Are you always this dramatic?” I ask.
“Always,” he grins, looking pleased with himself. I try to ignore how his messy black hair looks brushed today and ridiculously sexy. Everything about Josh screams sexy biker man. Which I may have gone through a phase of thinking it was the hottest thing ever.
“Let’s just go,” I mutter, turning around and walking to the car. Josh unlocks the red sportscar this time, and I quickly get in. I don’t admit that the seats are extremely comfy or that this is the nicest car I have ever been in. I think it’s an Audi, but I never cared much for car names. Josh gets in the driver seat and does his seatbelt up at the same time I do, our hands brushing against each other, and he glares at me.
“Do you think being mean and cruel is the best way to push everyone away?” I ask him, pulling my hand away and regretting saying it when he narrows his eyes at me before looking away and starting the car up. It starts to heavily rain as Josh pulls the car out of the driveway, and I’m almost thankful for the sound in the deadly silent car.
“Why do you think I push people away?” he asks.
“Because you’re scared you will hurt them. It’s easier to make them hate and be scared of you than to admit you are afraid you will lose control of yourself,” I blurt out. Ah well, I’ve said it now.
“You don’t even know what I am, so what gives you the right to act like my therapist?” Josh snaps, and I turn in my seat, looking at him. He doesn’t scare me like he should do, but I can see past the defensive, frightening attitude he puts up.
“I grew up with humans, and I pushed every one of them away that got close to me because I knew I could hurt them. I knew I wasn’t safe to be around, and it’s damn lonely to do it,” I tell him. “You get angry with Rick, Nath and Mich because it doesn’t work with them. They see past it, and you can’t push them away. I can see past it too, and that’s why you hate me.”
“Sweetheart, you have no idea how dangerous and frightening I can be,” he growls, tightening his hands on the steering wheel so tight that it leaves indents. “But I don’t hate you.”
“Yeah, I get that you can act like the big bad wolf, but I have a sneaking suspicion that you have no bite,” I say, and he laughs, smirking at me.
“I have bite, sweetheart. I spend most of my every damn day keeping the side of me that would do more than bite under control,” he admits to me.
“What are you? Other than dark angel?” I ask, curious.
“Do you even know what a dark angel can do?” he asks.
“Nope, why don’t you tell me?” I reply, and he smirks at me before pulling the car over at the side of the road. I flash him a confused look as he turns to face me, reaching for my hand which I let him pick up. I gasp as he runs a finger over my wrist, a stinging pain being left in the place of where he touches, and he lifts my wrist up, kissing the spot. A wave of pleasure spirals through me, mixed with the tad bit of pain he left before.
“We can cause pain with our touch,” he whispers seductively, “but I like a little bit of pain mixed in with my pleasure anyway.”
“What else can you do?” I ask as he lets my hand go, and I clear my throat. Josh only smirks, clearly confident in the effect he has on me. I have no doubt he knows his way around women.
“I have some powers to see into people’s past, but I’ve never been good at controlling that one,” he remarks. I wonder for a second if he can get the answers to my past I need if the last two books my mum left me don’t. Josh might be able to see my past, at least when I was born, and the answers I want from that. I don’t know if he will help me, but it’s worth a shot to ask.
“Josh—” I start to ask, but he cuts me off.
“I am also a half demon, and that demon side of me isn’t under control yet,” he says, and I remember that demons destroyed Paris. Killed all those humans and supernaturals. He is half demon.
“Demon?” I whisper, feeling frightened for only a second, and whatever Josh sees on my face makes him go cold. Josh turns away from me, but I know the damage has been done, he thinks I’m scared of him.
“I’m not scared,” I tell him.
“You should be. My demon powers make me drain other people, especially supernaturals. You might want to ask the others what happened at the castle before this mission and why I am not welcome back there,” he snaps. “Why you should be scared, Adelaide.”
“Why don’t you just tell me?” I ask.
“Because you are already scared of me…I don’t need to bother pushing you away, you already look ready to run, sweetheart,” he says and starts the car, making it clear this conversation is over. I silently sit back in my seat as he takes us to the hunter’s base, and Josh hands over both our IDs to the hunters at the gates. After they have checked them, they let us in, and Josh hands me one of the small plastic cards. I accept it off him and see my name and a scanner number on the bottom of the card. There isn’t anything else on it, but I doubt anyone can just walk into here. I am sure the cameras are checking the cars somehow.
“Remember, I am always near you, and you are safe. Even if you can’t see me,” Josh says, and I almost think he is being sweet before I shake my head and remember that this is Josh. Josh doesn’t do sweet, but he does do confusing apparently. We both get out of the car, and Josh locks it before we walk up to the building. Mr. Graves is waiting for us in the reception room, and he smiles tightly when he sees us.
“Adelaide! Are you ready for your first day?” he asks, and I nod. “Josh, the command needs you downstairs on level five. I will find you after I show Adelaide what to do up here.”
“Yes, sir,” Josh nods, and he walks to the elevators. I almost panic for a second that he is leaving me alone in here when I remember his words in the car and see his dark eyes on me as the elevator doors shut. That look is full of confidence and protection. I can do this, and Josh will protect me if I can’t.
“Come here,” Mr. Graves kindly asks, snapping me out of it, and I plaster a fake smile on my face as he leads me into the receptionist counter. Mr. Graves shows me how to answer the phone and direct the phone calls to the right area before showing me the massive pile of paperwork that he wants sorted into a filing cabinet under the counter.
“Good luck, and if you need anything, hold the number one down on the phone, it will direct the phone call to me,” he explains.
“Thank you.”
“No, thank you. I hope I don’t have to remind you not to wander around. This place is full of very dangerous people, and remember, you are always being watched,” he says, nodding his head at one of the cameras in the corner of the room which is pointed at me.
“I have no plans to go anywhere but this desk, your office if you call me, and the break room to get myself a coffee later.”
“Brilliant. This week, I need you here through Wednesday, and the rest of the week you can have off on me,” he explains.
“Thank you,” I reply with a smile.
“I’m sure this is going to work out well for us all,” he says, patting my shoulder gently, and I pull my shoulder away without thinking. He doesn’t say anything, but I see the annoyance flash in his eyes before he walks to the elevator and gets in. I quickly look away as the phone rings, and I answer it, directing the phone call to the right department, and try to pretend that I’m working a normal job. It’s only one month, Adie. One month.