Page 17 of Nightfall


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“You got it,” Jackson replied.

I leaned against the wall, just outside of the front door, and watched Declan disappear around the edge of the building. I finally noticed the security camera that was trained on the front door. It was installed at the top of a street lamp.

“How did it go down there?” Jackson asked. “Did Dr. Reynolds freak out about Declan being a dhampyr?”

“Weren’t you listening in?” I replied.

“No, I was dealing with some other business. Besides, I’m more of a peeping tom than an eavesdropper.”

“Not surprised by that at all.” I couldn’t tell when this guy was being serious or if everything was a joke to him. “He didn’t freak. It was more of a low-level hatred for all things dhampyr that he was happy to share with the group. Don’t get me wrong, I understand. If a dhampyr had killed somebody I loved, I might be prejudiced against all of them too.”

Jackson didn’t reply to this for so long, that I felt like I had to say something to break the silence. How long was Declan going to be?

I rubbed my fingertips over the small bandage at the crook of my arm. “Listen, Jackson, thanks for pointing us in the right direction. I’m sorry I gave you a bit of a hard time before.”

“No worries.” His smile had finally returned. He was actually quite attractive in a biker-dude kind of way, and the expression helped soften up the rougher edges. “I’m usually a hard-ass when it comes to shit like this, but from what little I understand about your situation...well, I’m really sorry for what you’ve been through.”

His sudden sincerity surprised me. “You don’t strike me as the type who’s sorry for much.”

“I’m not,” he admitted.

I pressed back against the warehouse wall. The air was dry, hot, and smelled like dust. The meeting with Dr. Reynolds had tired me out, and I wasn’t entirely sure if the blood donation was entirely to blame for that. Hope was an exhausting emotion to entertain.

I regarded Jackson for a moment in silence, trying to picture him and Declan fighting vampires side by side.

“You’ve known Declan for how long?” I asked.

“Ten years, give or take,” he replied. “Our fathers knew each other. Well, my dad worked for his dad.”

“Your father was a scientist?”

“No, he was a hunter like me. Still on the government payroll, though.”

“It’s a dangerous life,” I said.

“Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Is your sister a hunter too?” I asked.

Jackson scoffed. “No. Jennifer hated hunters. Well, except for Declan. She would have made an exception for him if he’d given her the time of day. But, well, I’m sure you know his story by now when it comes to the bedroom.”

I didn’t say anything in reply to that, which only seemed to gain his interest. That was pretty presumptuous of him to even suggest something like that. Not that he was wrong, of course. But still, very presumptuous.

Jackson shook his head. “It’s strange seeing him with a woman like you, Jill.”

I raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean by a woman like me?”

He shrugged a shoulder. “You strike me as the type of woman who needs a man in her life who’s able to show her a good time.”

I wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or not. “Is that how I strike you?”

“Yeah. And I saw how you looked at Reyes before.”

“And how’s that?”

“Like my sister used to look at him,” he said.

I’d given Jackson significant bonus points for introducing me to someone who might actually be able to help me, and for saving Declan’s life long ago, but he wouldn't be going on my Christmas card mailing list any time soon.

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