Chapter Fifteen – Kim

“What changed your mind?” Kim asked. “Or is this a roundabout way of thinking you’ll change my mind about going tomorrow?” They were sitting in a borrowed truck, with borrowed bedding and utensils in the back, heading to a borrowed house. For Jay, this was a huge step. One Kim appreciated more then he realized.

“No, I’m not that type of guy. I will always be straight and true with you, Kim.” Jay backed the truck up and drove away from the dragon’s house. “Harlan gave me a talking to.”

“And you didn’t get offended? Wow.” Kim made a face at Archie, who was strapped into his car seat and sandwiched between them in the cab. He giggled, and kicked his legs in excitement, until something caught his eye and he stared out of the truck window.

“I’m sorry I’ve been so grouchy.” Jay cast a sideways glance at Kim and Archie. He seemed more relaxed, despite their plans for the next day.

“I’ll let it go, if you promise me we’ll forget all about everything tonight. Let’s just have some family time. You, me and Archie,” Kim suggested.

“And Harlan’s beef casserole.” Jay inhaled deeply. “I might need to try some as soon as we get through the door.”

Harlan had insisted they take some of the casserole he’d prepared for dinner. Along with some fresh bread and what was left of the apple cake, they had enough food for the evening. Kim had also noticed a bottle of wine poking out of the crate containing the food, but she might have to pass on any alcohol tonight, since she wanted a clear head for tomorrow.

The trip to Harlan’s other house was short, and Jay turned left off the main road and followed an overgrown dirt trail up to a small house nestled under the shadow of the forest. It needed work, but had a homey feel that Kim liked. As if the house was waiting for a family to bring it back to life.

“It’s seen better days,” Jay stated as he stood, hands on hips, surveying the roof.

“I like it.” Although when she placed her foot on the wooden porch and it creaked ominously, Kim was left hoping the house wasn’t about to collapse around them.

“It’s sound.” Jay gave the wood a hard knock to prove his point.

She unlocked the front door, noting the paint on the front door flaked off to reveal bare wood. Red. Kim always wanted a house with a nice bright red front door. Running her hand along the flaking paint, she figured that would be the first thing she did. Strip the old paint off, sand the wood down smooth and then paint it red.

“Ready to go in, or are we going to stand here and look at the place?” Jay asked with a wink. Archie wriggled in his arms toward the door, giving it a push. “Good job, Archie.”

Opening the door revealed a large living room, with a squishy sofa that needed as much work as the rest of the house, and a couple of chairs that didn’t match. Kim had expected a stale musty odor to permeate everything. However, everything was clean, and smelled fresh.

“I like it,” Kim announced as she walked across the room to the thin curtains and pulled them back, revealing a picture window that looked out over the valley below. The hedge out front needed tending, since it blocked the view, and the grass needed mowing, but it wouldn’t take too much to get the place up to a good standard. “Do you?”

Jay joined her at the window, where Archie placed his palms on the cool glass and stared out. “I think it’s a really nice house.”

“Nice. That sounds as if you are holding something back.” Kim drew her attention from the window and looked at Jay. His expression was guarded. Surely, they weren’t back to not wanting to accept help.

“I just don’t want you to fall in love with the house too much. We’re only here temporarily until we can find a place of our own. Which means me finding a job.” He slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “I’m being overprotective again, aren’t I?”

“You mean by protecting me from falling in love with a house?” She nodded. “Maybe a little.” She sighed deeply. “I want us to have a home, Jay. I want us to settle here in Bear Creek. But more than that, I want us to be happy and together. So if we have to live in a cardboard box, that’s okay with me.”

“It’s not okay with me,” Jay said firmly. “And like I said, I have money, a good nest egg saved up, I just can’t get at it right now. Not until I know it’s safe.”

“And will that be after we take down Harrod?” Kim asked. A nervous gurgling in her stomach reminded her of the job she had to do tomorrow. There was no reason they shouldn’t be successful. She might be a mere amateur, but Kim was certain Wyatt and Tiberius knew what they were doing. “What do you think Wyatt did before he came to Bear Creek?”

Jay stood thoughtfully, looking out of the window as the sun shone down on them. The warmth of the rays brightened the room and chased away the drabness of the old, worn furnishings. “Special ops maybe.”

Kim reeled inwardly. “I thought he was in the police force. Like you.”

Jay shook his head, and his hand went to his shoulder. “He didn’t think twice before he dug the bullet out of my shoulder. It wasn’t his first bullet wound. You don’t get familiar with operating in basic conditions in the police force.” Jay turned away from the window. “It’s his business. If he wants to talk, we’ll be there to listen, but until then…”

“We give him space.” Kim nodded. “I know you’re right. And I trust him even if I don’t know who he is.”

“Me, too. Which is good or I would not let you go tomorrow.”

“And there you go, thinking you are giving me permission,” Kim retorted.

Jay chuckled and turned to talk to Archie, who was wriggling in his daddy’s arms. “Your mommy does not take orders. Make sure you remember that.”

“I’m not joking,” Kim told Jay.

“I know. But if I thought you were putting yourself in danger, I wouldn’t let you go.” Jay’s expression changed, his voice serious. “But, I also accept that you know what you are doing.”

“Thank you. And you’re right, if I thought this was too dangerous, I wouldn’t go. However, the advantage of two non-shifters going outweighs the risk. Although I do worry for Wyatt.” Kim walked out of the room, wanting to explore the rest of the house, and Jay followed, with Archie still in his arms.

“I agree. As for Wyatt, something tells me he is a survivor.” Jay pointed out of the kitchen window. “Look, Archie, look at that mountain just waiting for you to explore.”

Archie chatted in his own language, his tone serious as he told them both about the mountain. “We’re all going to explore the mountain, once this is over. And it will be over. That’s why I need to do this. See it through to the end.”

“Do you think Tiberius can put Quentin to sleep?” Jay asked. “It sounds almost absurd.”

“That’s what I thought when he said about this eternal sleep. But I say, what have we got to lose?” Kim closed the cupboard containing the plates and bowls. “And the alternative doesn’t bear thinking about.”

“You mean killing Quentin?” Jay asked, sitting Archie down on the edge of the counter, his hands on either side of his son to keep him from falling off.

“Yes. That is the alternative, isn’t it?” Kim asked gravely. “I mean there’s no way a shifter like that gets put in jail, is there? Not without a lot of people getting hurt.”

Jay nodded in agreement, looking into his son’s innocent face. “Although from what Tiberius said, killing him would never be easy. None of us are dragon slayers.”

“Then we do what we can.” Kim clapped her hands together. “Right, boys, let’s get everything in from the truck and set up our little house for the night.”

“Yes, boss,” Jay replied with a mock salute that made Archie laugh. He lifted his hand as if to copy his daddy.

“Don’t be mean,” Kim told Jay, coming around and putting her arms around his waist, and looking at Archie over his shoulder. “I want Archie to grow up in a world where he never has to fear a big bad dragon taking everything away from him. I want you to understand that.”

“I do.” Jay kissed her cheek. “Come on, let’s empty the truck and shut the door on the world for one night.”

“The first of many nights,” Kim told him.

“The first of many.” Jay lifted Archie and they all went outside. Kim opened the truck and they carried in clean bedding and the food Harlan had sent.

“You need to buy some clothes,” Kim told Jay as she took her backpack into the bedroom and dumped it on the bed. “Until then, Alex sent these for you to borrow.” Kim pulled out a pair of worn jeans and a couple of T-shirts.

“Now you’re dressing me in the man’s clothes?” Jay asked in mock offense, chuckling at Kim’s face as she made ready with a scathing reply.

She threw the clothes at him. “Or you could walk around butt naked. I for one would not complain.”

“But all the single ladies in town might chase after me.” Jay turned his back to her and wiggled his butt, much to the amusement of Archie who was sitting on the bed.

“I didn’t know your dad was such a tease,” Kim told Archie.

Jay crossed the room to her and pulled her into his arms. “There is so much about each other we don’t know. But we’re going to make time to find out. Soon.” He bent his head and kissed her, his tongue sliding along her lower lip. His hand cupped her bottom and pulled her close. So close she could feel the extent of his arousal.

“We’re being watched,” Kim whispered in his ear as their kiss ended.

“I know. I will have to contain myself until later.” He pecked her lips and then whirled around. “Come on, Archie, let’s go play. I saw a box full of toys that has your name on it.”

Kim watched Jay leave the room with his son in his arms. Left alone, the realization of what she’d agreed to came crashing down on her. If something went wrong, she might not see Archie again, or hold him in her arms. As for Jay, it would destroy him.

Well, she’d better make sure that didn’t happen. Kim had no intention of leaving the two people she loved most in the world alone. They were a family. At last, after so long apart, they were ready to forge a life together.

Anger bubbled up inside her. What gave a dragon shifter like Quentin Harrod the right to destroy people’s lives? First by murdering Jay’s parents, and now by trying to destroy a part of every shifter in the world.

It was time for him to go down. Right down. So far down he’d be warming his feet in hellfire.

Tomorrow could not come soon enough. But first, she was going to spend the evening with Jay and Archie. Then they would spend the first night in their new home. Yes, she understood what Jay meant about not falling in love with the house. But since it was the first home the three of them could collectively call their own… Well, she was going to call it whatever she damn well chose.