“Hey…hey, wake up.” Demetrius gently nudged Jamie, wanting to rouse her from the fretful sleep she’d managed to fall into. It had been the same each night; tossing, turning, the occasional outburst. Something followed her into her dreams when she slept, menacing her until she bolted awake in fright. He thought to ask her about her dreams, but that necessitated the admission he often stopped by to see her while she slept. He nudged harder, surprised at how deeply she’d fallen into sleep on such an occasion. “Huh…what…who is it?” Jamie rolled onto her back rubbing lazily at her eyes. “Get up; we’ve got work to do.” Jamie bolted upright, squinting into the dark room. It took her an extra moment for her eyes to adjust to the low light and yet another for them to dispel the last of the sleep that shrouded them, but he could see that she was now wide awake. “What are you doing here?” she whispered. Her voice was thick with the
“Daddy, can we keep them? Please?” Valerie clung to the pair of black and white cats, fixing her father with a desperate look. “Look at their little faces. I promise I’ll feed them and clean up after them. Please please please please!”Demetrius squirmed against the 8-year-old’s tightening grip, but Cassidy would not endure the abuse. She leapt from the girl’s arm, choosing instead to sit by her feet and mewl plaintively at the man standing between them and the next phase of the plan.“I dunno, Val…” he said. “You know how your mother feels about animals in the house.”“But please?” Valerie whined. “I know she won’t mind when she sees how cute they are.”“I’d still wanna talk to her about it first, sweetheart. When she gets back next week, we’ll circle back to this.”“But they could be dead
Jamie wasn’t sleeping. The phone call rattled her days after it had been made and it left her seeing shadows at every turn. Where before she was hesitant to have either himself or Cassidy sleepover to keep watch, it had become a requirement for her to remain calm when the hour grew dark and everyone else was off to sleep.They began taking turns, trying to minimise their absence at their own home but Demetrius knew his mother had grown suspicious. She’d become aware her children were hiding something but hadn’t yet decided it was a matter of urgency that she find out. They were fed, uninjured, and home often enough that she was willing to let them have a few secrets.He would keep it that way if he could help it.“Sun’s coming up,” he said, turning to the girl who’d spent the night by her study table. “You sure you didn’t want to try squeezing in an hour?”“What’s the use? I’m n
The faint scent of familiarity drew him from his slumber. Demetrius eased himself from Jamie’s outstretched arm then slipped from the bed. He thought to throw his shirt on but it was already too late; Cassidy had helped herself into the bedroom. His sister raised a brow at him, displeased by his current condition but for the moment, she didn’t comment on it. “You weren’t at school.” He nodded toward Jamie. “I needed her to sleep.” “Dem, that’s not your responsibility. Look at you.” She gestured to his bare chest. “Have you forgotten what we’re supposed to be doing? You asked me for my help and I’m willing but…what is this?” “You’re overthinking it,” he said. Demetrius reached for his shirt, slipping it on. Despite the cavalier gesture, Cassidy’s words had made him self-conscious. “She’s no use to me dead and her body’s beginning to fail.” His sister narrowed her eyes. “You’re lying.” “Drop it.” “Demetr
“Mom’s home!” A loud banging erupted outside the bedroom door, startling Demetrius who’d been perched atop Jamie’s study table while she did their French homework. “Jamie! Jamie, come on! Mom’s home!” The banging continued for another moment before a set of excited footsteps disappeared down the hall. Jamie was slower on the take. She completed the final sentence in both his and her workbook before closing them and rising from her seat. “Are you coming?” She asked. Demetrius hopped from the table and made for the door, waiting for her to open it. The extra week of waiting had been excruciating and a part of him feared her mother would run into another excuse that kept her out on business. His report was coming up due and he’d so far had nothing of importance to turn in. Rather…he was unwilling to turn in certain pieces of information and was willing to wait for his main target’s return. Demetrius padded his way down the stair
Room 41 was filled with the idle chatter of students but Demetrius’ mind was on the previous night’s meeting. He’d been given an audience with the regional guardian to present the findings of his investigation. Things moved quickly after that. Files were requested, scouts sent out. There had been talks of transferring the case to more seasoned guardians but Demetrius wouldn’t hear of it, not after all he’d done…not when he still had someone to protect. The regional guardian had smiled at him, had patted him on the back and told him he wouldn’t be able to begin to imagine the contribution he’d made. His own father had beamed with pride while the regional guardian sang his praises and Demetrius felt seen. But he felt something else, too. It was a gnawing at the pit of his stomach, an uncomfortable wrenching that he couldn’t shake. He’d done his duty as a guardian and had played his part to keep the realm orderly but he felt wretched. There
“You wanted to see me, sir?” Demetrius walked into the classroom with a defiant look in his eyes. Under any other circumstance, he would’ve ignored the order entirely but the boy couldn’t shake the growing connection this man was attempting to cultivate with Jamie. There was a plan brewing below the surface, one that threatened to spiral uncontrollably if he couldn’t gain a firm grasp on it and it wasn’t a risk he was willing to ignore. “Ah, Finley. Nice of you to join me,” Carlton said, remaining at his desk. “Get to the point; why are you here?” In the absence of his classmates, it became easier to catch the man’s scent. Demetrius bristled at the familiar scent of clandestyne, seeing now that his scepticism had been warranted. “Is that any way to speak to a superior officer?” The man reached into his pocket, pulling out a badge that he tossed onto the desk. “Take it, then address me again.” Demetrius hesitated before reaching for th
Fifth period Math was off to an il-advised. Mr. Adams was out with the flu and the sub was nowhere to be seen. It meant general teenage tom-foolery and little else. Demetrius sat with Jamie perched atop his desk chatting up Megan and Sarah while he pretended to listen. In truth, he was more interested in the pair of boys roughhousing their way across the classroom and creating a general nuisance to those around them. Zane and Ephraim, he couldn’t say he was surprised. Demetrius’ gaze lazily followed them from desk to desk, cringing once when they managed to bump into another group of boys who’d pulled their chairs together to discuss the upcoming game. On they went like a tornado among houses, laughing and shoving their way through. In was an innocuous scene, one no one would be too surprised to witness in the absence of any authority. It would’ve been difficult to predict what happened next. Zane stumbled over a misplaced desk and th