Blood Town

[10]: Blood Under the Bed

Ashton's eyes snapped open when he heard a clang. He sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he spotted the light shining in the hallway.

He cursed and stood up too fast, slipping on something and landing flat on his face.

Ow...

Halting, he took the time to take in his surroundings. It was still nighttime but the Mist was gone. He had been under a blanket but what he slipped on wasn't something on the floor. He was wearing socks - pink socks with a horrifying image of a Barbie girl.
He cringed and quickly slipped them off. After making his way through the hallways, he poked his head into the kitchen.

His eyes widened and he quickly ducked behind the door.

"Did I wake you?"

He poked his head out again. "Do you always make intruders feel at home?"

Steve's wife - Claudia, Ashton knew - chuckled. Her baby was sitting on a high chair, sucking on a spoon. "Sit down. I'm making you coffee."

As confused as he was, he knew this woman was no danger. In fact, he wanted to have her cup of coffee. Maybe it was the way she was so motherly towards him, maybe it was the way she had taken care of him - whatever it was, Ashton knew immediately that if he could ever pick a woman to adopt him, it would be this one. 

He sat down uncomfortably. "Why aren't you scared? Or surprised?"

She turned around to face him. She was wearing an apron and he wondered why she'd need an apron to simply make a coffee. 

"I don't know you but I know Zane. I could tell something was weird about him and how he'd acted before. So, I figured it was just going to be another one of those nights where lonely teenagers break into my house and sit in the hallway, promising to watch us only to fall asleep a few minutes later."

He didn't know how to react. Should he be shocked that Claudia knew about Hunters? That many more Hunters had arrived to keep watch on this family during their missions? That he wasn't any better than them and had fallen asleep? 

She slapped the air. "Oh, don't worry. It's normal to fall asleep. I fall asleep in the hallway too sometimes."

Ashton shot her a look. 

She laughed again. "Anyways, do you like cookies with your coffee?"

He shook his head. "It's all right... But... Do you know about us?"

"Of course!"

His heart quickened. Can she see Deimons? "Can you see them?"

"Those weird things Zane always looks out for? My goodness, no! Every time he comes here to ask about Steve, he's always so worried - like those things are dangerous. I'm glad I don't see them."

"Aren't you scared?"

"Of?"

"I mean, I'm watching over you now. Doesn't that mean you're in danger?"

She shook her head. "I trust you. I trust you and Zane. That's why I don't tell Steve this. If he knew, he'd explode into little bits. He'd make your job harder."

Ashton rubbed his eyes again like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. A woman who knew about Deimons and Hunters. Yet, she accepted them. Gave them a place that felt like home. 

"When did you find out?"

"I had a friend. She was a Hunter once."

His eyes shot up. A friend? She?