Don't Open That Door - GoM 1

BW - 8

The book did include the recipe for a spell bag to keep ghosts away, so Alex texted Claire the list of ingredients she needed to make one.

Claire and Mark spent most of the day out together, and when they came back, Alex didn't ask what they'd been doing. They brought everything she'd asked. And dinner for four.

As soon as Mark excused himself to go grab his brother, Claire fetched her bluetooth speakers, and played Green Day loud enough for the whole motel to headbang along American Idiot. Alex laid the table for four without a single objection. It was the third night of the full moon, and having Mark and Aidan around meant more protection for Claire, not to mention the boy was adorable.

As far as she could figure, surely the brothers' father had been or still was a hunter, and he'd trained his boys into it since they were little kids, so they could carry on with the family business. Old Bootter had explained to her once that most hunters found themselves shoved onto the supernatural by personal tragedies, and a few of them dragged their families into it. Nevertheless, hunters used to be nomad loners that kept their activities a top secret, and their lifestyle didn't allow them to keep long or honest ties to anybody, let alone have a steady, safe home.

Old Bootter himself had been able to have both only after he'd retired, when he'd gone back home to the old family farm, and settled down there with his nephew and his growing family.

She could tell Mark didn't really like being a hunter. But he didn't know anything different, and his brother surely was his only reference in a weird, dangerous world. She could also understand, and even relate to that cocky confidence Aidan displayed at all times. He was the big brother, so he always had to know all the answers and find a fix for everything. He was in charge of his little brother's needs, and keeping Mark alive and safe was his true full-time job. Even if he didn't know the answers. Even if he had to hide his own fears and doubts, so Mark wouldn't feel lost.

Yeah. She knew something about that.

The brothers coming in interrupted her musing, and she took advantage of the distraction to lower the music to a healthier volume. Green Day was okay, but she happened to have a sentimental attachment to her eardrums.

Mark went straight to help Claire in the kitchen, and Alex paused halfway to the table to watch them together. All of a sudden, her niece looked cool and relaxed around the boy, like he wasn't a temptation anymore. Weird. Had Claire given up and cheated on Ollie? Alex scoffed at herself. Claire, cheating on Ollie. Yeah, anytime. And Mark was too grateful for the chance of socializing to screw up hitting on her. So what had changed over the hours they'd spent together?

Aidan came to stand by her to watch the other two.

"Your brother's such a fine boy," Alex said, her eyes still on them.

"You bet." Aidan's voice was hued by a loving pride that didn't go unnoticed for Alex. Like realizing he'd just given away he had feelings, he faced Alex with his smug smirk. "So? We good, hun? Or you still jealous?"

She understood it was a peace offer and nodded to her own hands, raising her eyebrows. "You're asking the bitch holding a bunch of knives?"

Aidan laughed heartedly.

Truce was signed.

It was a nice, funny evening. The brothers let the Corbans do most of the talking, and encouraged Claire to tell funny stories. Alex appreciated they didn't try to make any up, considering the life they led surely didn't have many bright moments fitting for small talk over dinner.

Aidan didn't linger at the table after they finished eating. He stood up, still laughing at Claire's account of some Halloween prank, the Challenger keys tingling in his hand.