9 Chapter Nine: Dad

Her father's eyes shifted to her, softening as they studied her.

"Alright. Yeah, of course, Sweetheart." He still stood by the door, eyes locked with Derik's.

Jade slowly moved out of bed, standing carefully. Her legs shook, not wanting to hold her weight, but suddenly, Derik was there, supporting her. She smiled up at him gratefully, and leaned against him, wishing more than anything to lay down again. She fought against that urge though and made her way to the door. Jade and Derik led the way to the kitchen. She sat down heavily at the table, Derik sitting beside her. Her father began making breakfast, and while he did that, Jade and Derik spoke quietly with one another.

"How did you know I needed you?" She asked, loud enough for only Derik to hear.

"I just knew. I woke up and knew. So I got here as fast as I could." Derik answered, leaning closer to her.

Despite the fear she had just had, her heart began to speed up, but this time, it was good. It made her happy and warm, not cold and afraid.

'Both are Demons, yet with him, I feel safe.'

Jade was thinking what Derik had said when a plate of food was set before her, and one before Derik. Her father left for a moment, then returned, a mug in one hand, a plate in the other. Giving the mug to Jade, he sat across from them, his gun on the table.

"Now. Explain this." He said, indicating to the space, or lack thereof, between Jade and Derik.

"Well...Dad..." Jade began, racking her brain for an excuse.

"She is my classmate. I was trailing that Incubus and he entered her room. I was simply trying to stop it. As you should know, Officer, Incubi are not permitted in Gun City." Derik said.

Her father nodded, thinking, then seemed to think of something.

"Why would you, a teenager, be after an Incubus?"

"My father is the founder of Gun City, I believed it was only right for me to expunge what does not belong," Derik said, still as calm as ever.

"Yes, I see what you mean, but what's with this?" He motioned towards Jade and Derik again. "Why the interest in my daughter?"

"Because of just that. She is your daughter, the child of a strong Hunter. She is useful."

"Then don't show her false tenderness." Her father said, eyes seeming to grow darker.

Jade opened her mouth to say something, but Derik beat her to it.

"Know this, Hunter Smith, what I show your daughter is not false. What I can give her is not any type of deception. I may be a Demon, but I do not lie, not on this." Derik said, his voice deadly serious. "Her safety is my concern, I never believed it had caught her scent, had I known, I would've been here sooner."

What Derik said had surprised her. His conviction, his words, Jade never would've guessed they could come from a Demon. She wouldn't have believed he was a Demon, if not for the pitch-black eyes she now stared into.

Her father was visibly mulling his words over, taking a few bites of his breakfast. After sharing a look, Derik and Jade did the same. The three of them ate in silence, Jade in fearful anticipation, Derik in silent determination, and Mr. Parke deep in thought.

Still, nothing was said when Jade and Derik left the house for school. The silence was making her worried, her father was one to always speak his mind.

About halfway to school, Derik stopped Jade, turning her to face him

"You can't go home tonight," Derik said, looking into her eyes.

"I know that...once an Incubus has a scent, they won't give up," Jade replied, remembering the journal entries she had read.

"I'm going to take you to a hotel for the night. What do you need?" He asked her.

"Extra clothes. My dad's journals. My obsidian knife under my pillow..." She paused to think.

"Once a Hunter, always a Hunter," Derik mumbled, a small smile on his lips.

Jade looked up, and couldn't help but smile as well. This was the first time she saw him smile.

"What? I gotta defend myself somehow." She replied, the smile showing through her voice.

"You've already proven you're not afraid of me. But do you trust me with your life?" He got real close to her again.

'Damn it. Why the hell does he have to be so tempting?'

Jade had the urge to kiss him, but she knew it would be foolish to do so when they were in the middle of the city. Foolish and completely inappropriate.

"Yes." She said with barely any hesitation. "I trust you."

"Then I'll head back to your house and get you what you need. Meet me at my locker." Derik said, turning away.

Jade nodded, and watched him leave, wishing that they didn't have to be separated.

'Ah, smarten up Idiot. You're not helpless.'

Jade turned back to the school, annoyed at herself. One Demon should Not be making her so...reliant. She was a Hunter.

Taking her phone out and putting her earbuds in, she turned her music on. Her goal was to block out the world. She had a lot to think about, first and foremost being, how the hell were they going to defeat an Incubus?

Sighing, Jade was about to walk into the school, when she stopped. Should she listen to Derik, or should she go fight the Incubus herself? Yes, the latter could easily get her killed, but she wanted to prove that she was a Hunter. She sure as hell loved a Demon, but she could kill one too.

'Is what we have Loved? Or is it shallow? He seemed to love me, his little speech was convincing, but was a Demon capable of love?'

Her thought troubled her. She knew as much as she wanted to deny it, what she had for Derik was more than a crush. She wanted to be with him, be loved by him, and that was because she loved him. Wasn't it?