Hunter: Cursed

Chapter Twelve.

Browsing through pages of recent activity on the network, I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking for. A job to keep me occupied, something suspicious to grab my attention and possibly drag me to my doom or maybe I'm determined to go back to my normal life, well, normal for me. It's all the same thing really, over and over. A vampire coven has been recruiting in nothing that resembles free will. A few teen witches are trying to gain some street cred after watching too many episodes of Charmed, and are summoning demons no one should be summoning.

Staying with Paytah had been a great idea, to start off with. Three days of hiding in another realm, off the radar and free of everything; until my groupies found me. Mum had fussed, Dad had been contemplating letting me stay there long term and Zane was on his side. No one had a clue what was going on, but their little intervention got me 'home' to the Academy and being back here is worse than anything else.

Jordan said something about getting on with life, that the worst was behind us now. I wish I could say he was right, but I can't bring myself to believe that.

"If you want to get back out there, come with me." Zane offered, glancing at the laptop screen before sitting beside me.

"No, I don't really play well with others."

He laughed. "You're not so bad, kiddo. Logan can come along, you already know Penny and the others are no where near as bad as her. I shouldn't say that, she tries hard and I do admire that."

"I'm glad to hear it. You finished slacking off around here then?"

"Leaving in the morning. You have until five am to make up your mind."

"As if I'm getting up that early." I scoff.

"Just, look after yourself. If you're in trouble, or need us, just say the word. Even if it's just to talk, we always used to do that and lately you've really closed up on me." He reached for my hand and gave it a squeeze. He was right. Since the last near apocalyptic event happened, we haven't been quite the same. "You may be a pain in my ass, but I wouldn't change that for the world!"

"I love you too, old man." I couldn't let us get too sentimental.

We hug and for the briefest of seconds I remember the Zane I first met. How was this man that psychopath? As proof of how messed up our lives are, I actually smile at the memory of being kidnapped by him and Chris.

It really was a simpler time back then.

Zane leaves and I go back to the Network. I've got a few unread emails from the Council, more importantly, Ailin, but I ignore them. No one was impressed with Logan and I for our disappearing act, especially V and since we were in another realm, locating us had proven rather difficult for everyone to start off with.

I glance over the news pages, not interested in tech updates or council politics, and it's a picture of some kind of sword collection that gets my attention at the bottom of the page. Well, not the swords, but the fact Drew, Nigel and Tom stood beside the glass case that contained them. The brothers were loaning some family heirloom to a museum to aid in their exhibit of fifteenth century weaponry. Their claim to have an original piece from Vlad the Impalers reign had been verified by historians and a bunch of other stuff I didn't really care about.

The fact there was going to be a gathering for opening night of the exhibit did get my attention and after researching that a little more, my family had a few finds my grandfather had given years before being included too. It wasn't anything new, our families used these kind of things as a source of income and was where my families money had been coming from for years.

"A party?" Logan asked doubtfully, coming into my room with Alfie. "You're after Tom aren't you?"

"No. Maybe." I confessed.