13. Thirteen

thirteen

I was getting frustrated, and not in the good way. I tapped my fingernails on the counter. The ancient clerk at the rental counter hunt-and-pecked each letter as she typed in my name.

"I have a reservation for a work van," I repeated for the third time. I tried to be kind to workers. I thought of it like a bit of good karma keeping me from having to work thankless jobs.

She smiled up at me. "Yes, ma'am. I see it here. Would you like to add additional insurance?"

"No, thank you." I didn't want overpriced insurance that covered the same things my reasonable policy handled. I just wanted the damn keys. It was four o'clock. Sunset was at seven and my nerves started to build.

If we wanted to get to the meeting on time, I needed to hurry this along.

"I'll need to make a copy of your driver's license."

She looked surprised when I yanked it from my pocket and slid it across the counter. She picked it up and nodded, turning toward the back wall and a copier that looked like it had seen better days during the Reagan era.

The machine whined and knocked and I heard every gear as it picked up a piece of paper from the tray. I had to hope the printer wasn't similarly hindered. At some point, she would need to print out the rental agreement.

My fingers went back to tapping. I darted my gaze outside, worrying my lip at the purples and oranges already lighting the sky.

When she returned to her computer I gave her my best nice-person pleading smile. "Can I help speed the process? My boss is a stickler for punctuality and he expects me by six."

"Umm," she looked around as if there was any possibility another worker was present, "I'm not supposed to do this, but you can go ahead and sign the agreement. I'll fill in the details later, and we'll skip the walk around if that's okay."

My grin grew. "That's perfect. Thank you so much."

She gave me a conspiratorial wink. "I've had bosses like that. Insist you follow the rules, but do whatever they please. It's frustrating, but a paycheck's a paycheck, ya know?"

I played along and grumbled, "I just wish they were bigger."

We shared a good-natured laugh and within ten minutes, I had the keys in hand and was climbing into a windowless van. I was a nervous driver, but it was a recent thing. My therapist thought it was the fact that I was grabbed in a parking lot while walking to my car.

I wondered if any of the wyrfangs could drive. I can't imagine the scientists would teach them. I giggled at the picture of Drym folded into a sedan. Yeah, that wouldn't work very well.

I'd have to buy a van like this.

What? No. I couldn't keep him. We were from different worlds. It's not like I could walk down the street holding his hand like a normal boyfriend. People would freak out. And there was still the threat of the company behind the scientists.

They wouldn't be truly safe until every one of the people responsible was in jail or dead. Tonight was the first step, and I hoped the supernatural community helped them. It would be harder if they didn't, but they wouldn't give up. Their lives depended on them rooting out every person associated with creating them.

I took a deep breath and relaxed my grip on the steering wheel. I tried to lower my shoulders, but I knew they'd creep back up in no time.

It was only a couple of blocks to my apartment building and a few miles to the building in downtown Damruck. I'd driven the roads hundreds of times. It was no big deal.

I backed into a parking space as close to the woods as I could, peeling my fingers from the steering wheel one at a time. I hopped out on shaky legs. As soon as I had both back doors pulled open wide, two blurs moved in my peripheral vision.

I squeaked and scrambled away, losing my balance when my foot hit the curb. I braced myself for hitting the ground, but it never happened. I was yanked into powerful arms and found myself in the back of the van opposite Kragen.

Drym's voice rumbled beneath my ear. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, you just startled me is all. You're so fast. You came out of nowhere."

"I'm sorry, Kendal, we didn't mean to frighten you." Kragen's ears flicked back and forth.

Both of them seemed on edge. "Really, it's okay. Are you nervous?"

Drym released me and I bent to walk to the front. Both of them shook their heads.

"It's a little confining in here." Drym's voice was soft, but there was an edge to it.

It hit me like a ton of bricks. How else were they transported than in vans like this one? "This is how they moved you, isn't it? Took you on missions?"

"Usually in cargo trucks. But the metal walls are similar enough."

"Right." I hurried into the driver's seat. "Get the back shut and we'll get there as quick as possible."

Worry for them overrode my anxiety and I was able to drive with competence. We arrived with a few minutes to spare, so I circled the block, scoping the best place to park. Kragen and Drym needed cover to make it from the van to the building without being seen.

I found an entrance to an underground parking deck at the back and eased up to the gate. A speaker crackled to life as I rolled the window down.

"This isn't public parking." The voice was deep and clearly annoyed.

I imagined that happened often.

"Right, I know. I have an appointment."

"There are spaces in the front of the building."

"My… um…" I wracked my brain for what to call them. I didn't think monsters would go over well. "Companions have a sensitive… uh… complexion."

I smacked my palm against my face. They didn't know I was bringing anyone with me. I hoped my dumb move blowing the surprise wouldn't bite us in the ass.

The pause from the speaker was so long I thought he would tell us to park in the front again. I was surprised when the metal gate rattled upward.

Near identical black SUVs filled most of the spaces. A few random other cars were neatly lined up on one side. I pulled the big van into a space near them, high five-ing myself when I got out and saw I did a decent job. Nobody would want to park on either side of me, but I was in the lines. Mostly.

I had my hand on the handle of the back door when a low voice made me gasp and whirl around.

Three big, intimidating men stood in front of me.

I guessed it was a universal thing that supernaturals could appear out of thin air.