AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"And I'd be even worse," Thane admitted. "Sir, I can't focus on this, the team, the men we lost, and everything else. I feel like I'm already being pulled apart at the seams. I snapped at one of the new guys yesterday, and I was about to follow it up before Dale sent me outside. It's just..." He stopped.
"No, go on," the Cardinal insisted. "I need to know how our hunters are doing. This is just me checking in. I know it's been hard."
"You have no idea," Thane grumbled. "Just when I thought everything was going so well, it all came crashing down. I mean, I'm sure we all feel that way, but I honestly hope that demon never comes back. I'm not bothered at all to hear Brice couldn't call her. Maybe she's truly trapped in Hell, because that's where she belongs. That bitch ruined everything! My brother will never get a promotion. Valerie's pissed because I'm blowing her off, and I feel like there are ghosts everywhere I look. I go home and drink away my problems until I hit my bed! I just... I want things to get back to normal. I want to find a demon I can kill. I'm a damned good hunter, but since this thing came here, I've done nothing but fail, over and over. With my family's reputation, they make sure I'll never forget it, and - " He stopped hard one more time.
"You're fine," the Cardinal promised. "The pressure is normal. Every time there's a serious demon sighting, it weighs on God's soldiers. I also think you need some time off. I pulled up your record, and it looks like you've got weeks accumulated. Saving up for something?"
"Not intentionally," Thane admitted.
"Mm, and who is Valerie?"
Thane clenched his jaw - mostly to hide the urge to smile - then scrubbed a hand over his mouth. "It's nothing."
"Have you known her long?"
Thane shook his head. "I met her a few days after that date with Cora." Rubbing his face again, Thane shifted forward to lean over his knees, pressing his face into his hands. "Gerald, I'm thirty-one years old. If I want a family, I need to do it now. I need to stop screwing around and settle down. My brother can't do it. My father's in love with a bottle. I don't have any nieces or nephews coming. There are no cousins to fill the gap. One day, I'm going to be an old man, and who's going to look after me?"
The Cardinal was watching him carefully. "Cora was a schoolteacher, right?"
"Yes, sir. I'd hoped that was a sign that she wanted a family. She did, just her own and not an adopted one."
"Ah..." The man nodded slowly. "That's your plan. Marry a girl and adopt a few kids."
"I just don't want to be alone like my father," Thane admitted. "Harrison's going to be limping for months. Lucas may never walk, if he truly survives. Time and time again, hunters have lived, but they'll never be a hunter again. Our job requires us to be physically fit, but demons don't care. What happens when I start to slow down? Will that be this year? Next? A decade from now?"
"Sounds like you're as distracted as Brice," the Cardinal pointed out. "We don't know why we can't summon the demon back, but Brice had a few valid points. I have the priests looking into it, but that means time. It'll be at least a week before we're ready to try again. Maybe longer. Why don't you use some of this vacation time, get to know Valerie, and bring her to the church so we can meet her?"
"Uh..." Shit. He hadn't thought that through. Thankfully, he had a very good excuse. "She's not from around here, sir."
"So make a day of it," the Cardinal said.
"She's actually out of state. I, uh... You see, on my days off, I play this game, and um, we met when she knew the origin of my character's name. It's..." He forced a sigh. "It's stupid."
"Ah, a long-distance romance. So, is she religious?"
"Yeah," Thane breathed. "Methodist, actually. She volunteers with the youth group."
"I see a theme here," the Cardinal teased. "Take some time. Get to know your girl and settle your mind. Grieve the men you've lost. Your shift is over in the morning, and the demon activity has been low lately."
Thane nodded. "And I could have a few days?" he asked.
"How long are you thinking?" the Cardinal wanted to know.
"Well, if Valerie's willing, I thought maybe I could take a trip to actually meet her. To know, you understand. It's different texting someone than talking to them face to face. For all I know, she could be hideous and annoying."
"There is that."
"So, if she's ok with the idea..." Thane chuckled. "She probably won't be. Still, I have some money saved up. I could fly there, see how it goes..."
"I think this is a great idea," the Cardinal said. "If she agrees, then take two weeks off. Clear your mind, Thane. Refresh yourself. Even if she's not the woman you're destined for, it's a reminder of why we're willing to risk so much. A reason to keep hunting the evil in the world, so good women like Valerie can be safe and happy. So your future family will never need to know what kind of monsters are out there."
"Yeah," Thane agreed, unsure how he could spin that to his advantage.
"So, think about it. Let me know if you want time off, and I will approve it. You've been through so much - even more than the rest of your team. We have time, and when you get back, these new hunters will be used to the routine around here. One less piece of stress to wear you down. Who knows, maybe a good woman will convince you that you need a promotion. A little more money in your pocket for that house - or adoption fees." Then he smiled. "Or fertility treatments."
"There are treatments?" Thane asked.
"No," the man assured him, "but I'm sure we could make an exception to have Laird supply a sample as a sperm donor. A way to keep the Keegan line from dying out. Your family has made many strong priests. We'd hate to lose that because of the foolish decisions your mother made."
