The Davy Harwood Series 2: In Transition
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Tijan
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27
CHAPTER ONE
I felt stupid.
There was no other way around it; no way could I justify my emotions. I just felt stupid.
Emily had hounded me for the last two months. She wanted me to talk to Mr. Moser. Finally, after sheâd held my cell phone hostage, Iâd had to succumb. So this is how I found myself back in the infamous building where I used to volunteer with the hotline.
I suppressed a shudder. I really hated working at the hotline and it wasnât because of the last time Iâd been in this building. Although that moment had changed my life, the real reason was because I hated talking on the phone. Only a select few got on my âIâll talk to you on the phoneâ list.
âDavy Harwood,â Mr. Moser boomed as he entered his own office. If he was trying for intimidation, it wouldâve worked three weeks ago.
Mr. Moser did not qualify for my phone list.
I waited until he rounded his desk and sat. His leather chair squeaked underneath his weight, but his two beady green eyes werenât amused and didnât care. His orange tie had flapped over his shoulder and it stayed there, caught between the wrinkles of his green buttoned dress shirt. His khaki pants hadnât fared better. I wasnât a wrinkle-noticing person, but I wouldnât have been surprised to find out theyâd been rolled up and stuffed in the back of a drawer for the last two years.
He lifted an eyebrow. âDo you have anything to say to explain your actions three weeks ago?â
I was more concerned about how his tie still hadnât moved off his shoulder. He looked like an idiot. Was I supposed to tell him?
âMy actions, sir?â
âYou broke protocol.â
Oh, that. The night that had changed my life. If only Mr. Moser actually knew I was supposed to go up to that roof.
âOh,â was all I said. I tried to sound apologetic. I folded my hands and when I looked down, I even fiddled my thumbs.
âIâm not buying it, Davy.â Mr. Moser was very smart.
âBuying what, sir?â
âYou answered the phones after weâd already closed. You broke protocol. You identified the callerâs location; chose to intervene without any communication with your supervisors, and then you had the balls to resign by sneaking a letter under my door. I am not buying your act right now, young lady.â
He said âballsâ. I loved that.
âYes, but . . .â I really had no defense. Iâd claimed what had happened was too traumatic for me to continue working with the hotline. Things had been traumatic, but he was right. Iâd chosen the cowardâs way out so that I wouldnât get in trouble.
I eyed Mr. Moser up and down. The beady eyes had a glaze of anger in them. âI had hoped better of you, Davy.â
Wow. Guilt.
He sounded disappointed as he took a deep breath. âEmily is an outstanding Listener. She spoke highly of you, but perhaps she was biased since youâre roommates. Still, even Adam seemed to have taken a liking to you. He respected you, Davy.â
I had so many corrections to Mr. Moserâs rose-colored perspective. One, Emily was an awful listener. She might be a wonderful Listener at the hotline where she was fulfilling a requirement for a social work class, but she didnât listen to anyone in real life. And two, Adam had taken more than a liking to me. Adam had asked me out on one date. The date had failed miserably and I didnât think being kidnapped had been the problem.
âWhat are you thinking?â
âWell, under the circumstances I do not support your actions. You broke protocol and you should have the correct discipline. Then thereâs the item of your resignation. I know that you didnât really mean to resign and because of Miss Whistworthâs death, the hotline is in need of any willing volunteers so Iâve decided to look past your actions.â
What? Did he mean . . . ? There was no way.
Mr. Moser beamed. âYou can start tonight. Adam needed a replacement since heâs taken two weeks of vacation. You can take his desk.â
I had no words. I couldnât even feel my toes and I felt everything, literally.
Mr. Moser was already up and out of his office before any thoughts could form in my brain. And when I realized Iâd been duped, I groaned and dropped my forehead on the desk. Not only did I feel stupid, but I felt like a complete moron.
When my phone vibrated, I snapped it open. âYeah?â
âWhatâs wrong, slick?â Kates drawled. I heard music in the background and that meant one thing.
âAre you at the Shoilster?â
Iâd been there twice and hated both times. Plus, it was a vampire bar. I wasnât the biggest fan of vampires.
âHell no.â Kates barked out a laugh. âListen, Iâm going to be out of town for awhile. I need to figure some stuff out.â
My childhood friend had been camped out in my dorm room for two weeks. The news was met with varying shades of relief and concern. I knew if Emily was the type to shout for joy, my roommate wouldâve been screaming at the top of her lungs. I was growing tired of the tension between the two. Of course, Emily had reason for her dislike. Kates had been the one to kidnap us, but Emily wasnât privy to the fact that Kates had tried to save me from her psychotic vampire boyfriend later that evening.
âWhere are you going?â She might be a vampire slayer, but sheâd find trouble. She always did.
âIâm not going to find Lucan.â
I relaxed, just a little.
Kates added, âThereâs something I gotta do on my own. Trust me, slick. You can talk to Blue if you want. She agrees that I should go and do this thing.â
âI donât know, Kates.â I wasnât too concerned about what my Empath Sponsor had to say since Iâd been avoiding her ever since I found out she was connected to my immortal enemy.
âWhat donât you know? You donât even know what Iâm doing.â
I opened my mouth.
Kates beat me to it. âIâm not telling you because youâll just worry. Iâve talked about it with Blue. She agrees that I should go and do this. And she thinks I shouldnât tell you so Iâm not. Besides, you have enough to worry about. Youâre the freaking Immortal, Davy. I have no idea why youâre still in college, much less going to see that idiot supervisor.â
I was going because Emily made me, but I couldnât say that to Kates. âIâm living a normal life because Iâm going to be living for a long time. Are you sure that youâre not looking for him?â
Katesâ boyfriend had been a psychotic vampire, but he was human now. So that made him a psychotic human with all this knowledge about vampires and how to become a vampire again.
Kates was silent for a couple beats. âI donât really have to, remember?â
I flushed and shut my mouth. The reminder was duly noted. If anyone was going to find Lucan, itâd be Lucas Roane, his twin.
âHave you heard from him?â Kates asked, gently.
I rolled my eyes. I didnât need kid gloves. âI havenât seen Roane since he took off.â
That had been ten days ago. And since he was hunting Lucan, I had no idea how long it would take. Lucan was human, but he thought as a vampire. Roane was not only a vampire, but a hunter. I was surprised he was still gone actually. Hunters had the skill and jurisdiction to hunt and kill any vampire that broke the decree that stated no humans were to be bitten or harmed by vampires. They were the elite of their race and Roane was one of the best.
Lucan didnât stand a chance.
âYour roommate has been buzzing around the room like sheâs on meth. You sure sheâs a sober saint? She ainât acting like it.â
âDid you say something?â I was so thankful to Katesâ attention deficit. No more questions about Roane.
âWhat? Iâve been perfect.â
âKates, no,â I groaned.
âThe chit needs to toughen up, seriously. Iâve gotta go, Davy. Iâll be in touch. Donât worry about me. I love you. Iâll be fine.â And my childhood friend hung up.
I sighed and dropped my forehead on the desk. What else could I do?
âOkay, Miss Harwood, weâve got you back in the program!â Mr. Moser broadcasted as he strode back into his office.
Yes, my life could get weirder. I lifted my forehead from the desk. âMr. Moser, I hate phones. Iâm not good on the phone. Iâm not good at this work.â
âNonsense! Youâre perfect.â
Meaning, he was desperate. Adamâs two weeks to mourn his girlfriend of one day mustâve put the hotline in a dire spot.
âWhen is Adam coming back? Maybe I could fill in until he gets back?â
Mr. Moser squashed that idea as he slapped a file on his desk. âWeâll figure that out when the time comes.â
I winced from the slap and resigned myself to my fate. I had an entire six hour shift answering a phone in my future. Youâd think I wouldâve seen this coming since I was the Immortal and empathic, but I was lame.
