I look up and lock eyes with Brooks. “No,” I state flatly, realizing what the look on his face is saying. “Now, I’m glad that I’m right about the whole Welks thing, but no. There will be no damn human on my team.”
“He’s smart.”
I jab a finger at the wide-eyed analyst. “If the human analyst wasn’t here, that wouldn’t have been an issue.” I know what I’m saying is absolutely stupid. It’s not the human’s fault. A vampire should be able to control themselves even if someone simply pricks their finger.
“Top of his class,” Brooks reminds me.
“No.”
“You should see all the work he’s done.”
“No.”
“He was practically raised by a vampire, so he understands all the ins and outs.”
“How do you know so much about this kid?” I ask in disbelief.
“He talks… a lot. Like if you don’t know everything about him by the end of your first day working together, then he’s either dead or unconscious. I’ve also known him since he was young.”
I narrow my eyes. “‘Our first day working together?’ Excuse me? I must be going deaf in my old age.”
“Tomorrow is going to be so much fun!” Brooks says, and I decide he’s an asshole. That’s alright. I’ll make the kid want to leave.
Chapter Two
FINN
My phone rings, disrupting me from my sleep. I see that it’s six thirty, so I only had another ten minutes to sleep anyway. When I see who it is, I can’t help but grin.
I feel completely awake now. “Brooks, my man! My bestest buddy and pal!”
“Don’t give me that cheery tone. Meet me in my office in an hour. And be on your best behavior. Everyone already thinks I’ve lost my mind for even considering you.”
“I’ll be an angel.”
He snorts and literally hangs up on me. I push my covers back, swing my right leg over the edge and reach for my prostheses. When I was sixteen, I lost my right leg and my left arm. Thankfully, the man who raised me had both a doctor friend who’d been experimenting on realistic prostheses and the money to get me set up with my own. The prosthesis requires a cap that goes over the end of what’s left of the limb and connects to the arm or leg, allowing me almost full motion. What makes it so unique is that the program inside the artificial limb allows me almost complete access to the prosthesis, as if it’s a real leg. While I can’t move the toes individually on the prosthesis, they bend and give me natural movement. As for my arm, it took him years, but he finally figured out how to create it so I can move individual fingers, grasp things, and easily pick up small items. I’ve gotten so used to them that at this point, it’s like asking the rest of my body to work. While it’s easy enough to hide my leg, my arm is a little harder, so I wear gloves to cover them. Honestly, it’s not that unusual for people to constantly wear gloves since many vampires wear them to help protect them from sunlight.
The only issue is that what is left of my leg and arm get tired and stressed from the weight of the prostheses, so I have to take them off frequently and can’t get them wet since it could kill the electrical parts.
I attach the prostheses and pull a protective padded sleeve over them that is supposed to absorb some shock or damage to keep them safe. Honestly, with my job, I’ve been hard on them, but they’ve always held up for me and given me the freedom to walk and move almost like I used to.
I get dressed and reach out to my boss who tells me that he’s already talked to Brooks and okayed my transfer. The VRC department is in a different building than I’m used to working in, so I find a place to park before walking into the small building.
There’s a reception desk immediately inside with a smiling woman behind it. “Good morning, how can I help you?”
“I have a meeting with Brooks in ten minutes.”
“Go ahead and sign in, and I’ll tell him you’re here.”
“Thank you,” I say as I jot my name down before looking beyond her. It looks almost exactly like homicide, but less busy. To my understanding, it takes a lot of work to get into a department like this because they’re constantly working around blood which means it’s a requirement to be older. Even so, no vampire is completely immune to fresh blood. It’s not something they can control, so the department is constantly suffering because of the lack of help.
“He said to go on back,” the woman says. I thank her before heading back to where I know Brooks’s office is from the last time I was here and pestering him.
I knock on the closed door that says “Chief Brooks” and wait.
“Who is it?”
“Your favorite person in the entire world.”
“Aw, sweetheart, I didn’t know you were coming here today, did I forget something?” he says, sounding overly cheerful.
I yank open the door and give him a huge smile. “I love you too! Now, where’s my anniversary present?”
“Your anniversary present is me putting up with you. Have a seat.”
“Does that mean my presence is so amazing it’s like a gift?”
He stares at me. Clearly, he’s at a loss for words. I don’t blame him. “Moving on.”
I laugh as I take a seat across from him. That’s when the door swings open again and Church walks in.
He lets out this grumbling noise that shows how pleased he is at seeing me. Apparently, my presence is enough that he’s forgotten the basics of speech. He’s now taken to brooding, which seems to be his best ability.
I just give him my most charming smile and his eyes narrow even more. Or maybe he’s trying to take a nap.
He sits next to me, back rigid. He feels kind of intimidating compared to last time, and I realize he’s using his aura to make me fear him. Apparently, he’s trying his hand at intimidation. He really doesn’t know who he’s working with.
Brooks just smiles like he doesn’t notice all the body language going on between the two of us. “We have an opening that we’d like to offer to you as a temporary position,” Brooks says. “I want you to be aware that this is temporary. While I know you have an interest in becoming a full-time member, our department does not have the space for a human. While you’re here, temporarily, Church is your superior and you will do as he says. If he tells you to sit in the corner, you will…?”
“Perch in the corner.”
“And will you complain?”
“Probably.”
Brooks raises an eyebrow.
“Do you want me to start off lying? I’m not a very good liar,” I say.
“You lied to me and told me you’d stop bugging me.”
I grin at the thought. “You deserved it, and I would like everyone aware of that. Now, Church, let me tell you the story—”
“No,” he says. “I don’t have time for stories.”
“Alright… I’m sorry for wanting to share a moment of joy with you.” I turn back to Brooks. “Do you have any other questions?” I ask like I’m not affected by Church trying his hardest to make me hate working with him. I’m not worried.