Not a ringing endorsement, but I’ve essentially swapped my prior cuts and bruises for appearing as if I’ve just run a full marathon and then didn’t sleep for a few days.
“Yeah, I am, thanks,” I say, squinting down at my menu and working real hard at not coming off like anasshole while still keeping the Obligation in check with anger. The last thing I need to do is blow up this relationship, too. Collin stands next to the booth on Rafa’s side. He’s within easy glancing distance, but I don’t have to look at him if I don’t want to. And right now, I don’t want to.
The blonde waitress is up to us immediately, heels clicking on the linoleum. It says DUSTY in white letters on the plastic brown rectangle on her checked apron, but that’s almost certainly not her real name. She’s wearing a worn frilly green diner uniform that was out of style by the ’80s. (Never change, Joe.)
“Ready?” she asks, both bored and impatient. Looks like Rafa might have been surfing this booth for a while.
We both order burgers and fries. Rafa gets a cola. I go for coffee. I feel like I need it.
As soon as Dusty whisks our menus away, Rafa frowns, and I can see the gears turning. My guess is he’s searching his brain to come up with some small talk for us. But since he might be the one person worse at chitchat than I am, I get right to the point.
“So, what did they say?”
His expression relaxes a moment, probably relieved from the pressure of needing normal conversation, but just as quickly, his scowl returns.
“They said no.”
My eyebrows shoot up. Uhh, Emma's a human girl threatened by vampires—of all the responses I expected from Monster Hunter Central, “hard pass” wasn’t one of them!
“Why? Do they think I’m making this up?”
He purses his lips and looks away. “They wouldn’t even open the door. They… just won’t help.”
My shoulders slump. “I should have realized. I’m literally nobody. Whywouldthey believe me?!” They might know Stryker, but she’s out of town and wouldn’t vouch for me, even if she were here. A real paranormal investigator would have a reputation. I’m just this weak-ass guy Rafa had to save, and taking on a big nest of “special” vampires on some rando’s say-so has to be a huge ask.
Nicole trusted me to get her daughter safe, but she really couldn’t have chosen worse. All I did was give that poor woman false hope.
“No!” he blurts, way too loud. A couple heads turn but quickly look away. Rafa is a big guy, and sensual lips or no, no one wants his kind of trouble.
He hunkers down and leans in toward me, voice much quieter. “Sorry.No. It’s not you, Alvin. You’re… fine. You’re good.” A frown darkens his features. The huffed-out sigh that follows does nothing to temper it.
“So, why then?” I ask.
He slumps into the rounded booth cushion behind him and folds his arms. “I think they’re scared. I told you these vampires were special, and years ago, the West Coast clan was badly hurt by them.Myclan. A lot of good people died, including my parents. I was hella young, and it’s why I was sent back East. They knew I’d never let it go. That I’d want to fight. Maybe that’s why they didn’t want me back. But I thought they would have found their courage by now…”
“God, I’m so sorry, Rafa. About your parents. That’s awful.”
He raises his hand to stop me. “It was a long time ago. And it doesn’t matter. What matters is that my clan made it perfectly clear they’re not going to change their minds.”
Rafa grinds his teeth, all his Monster Hunter cool replaced with almost teenage sullenness. And who can blame him? Now I’m even more curious about this clan. Have they just been sitting on their hands all this time, letting vampires run rampant? Have they done that for all paranormals? I mean, I didn’t even know they had a presence here in San Francisco. (And you think Mom would’ve mentioned it. She’s the one who made us move here!) I glance over at Collin, who’s peering down at Rafa with sympathy. The Avatar of Knowledge could almost certainly tell me what their deal is. But Rafa clearly doesn’t want to get into it, and I’m not talking to Collin anyway.
I suck in a breath. “What now, then?”
His chin lifts, but the rest of him stays in his sulky pose. “I said I’d help you, and I will. Just tell me where you think she is, and… I’ll get her.” His expression is resolute, but it’s the opposite of confident.
“On your own? Against a whole nest of ‘special’ vampires?”
“You said you’re not a fighter.” After a beat, he sets his jaw and slowly nods his head forward in a deliberate rhythm. “Look. It’s daytime. Most of them should be unconscious. I can get it done.”
It sounds like he’s trying to convince himself as much as me. I can tell Rafa doesn’t like his odds, but suicide mission or not, he’ll still do it. On my say-so.
Ugh.
He’s right that I’d be useless in a fight. Not unless I feed, and I’m never going to do that again.
Still, this is my mess. I’m the one who made a promise to Nicole. And I’m the one who needs to prove to himself he can be more than a monster. Who needs to believe he can be… something better.
But if I want to do that, I’m going to need to get over myself and make the choice to be a littlelessuseless.
