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Monday, October 20, 2014

Raif and Me: Part 3

No, you haven't fallen into some alternate universe and missed parts one and two. I'm a part of a really cool story project with the amazing Leah Sanders and the awesome Wendy Knight. Leah wrote the first part of the story (CLICK HERE TO READ IT) and Wendy wrote the second (CLICK HERE TO... YOU GET THE IDEA).

And here it is. Part 3. Leah will have part 4 for you next week :) <3 ~Kelly

~*~*~*~

In the monster hunting business, Halloween is either take it or leave it. It's cool because at least, for one day, people-- no matter how sarcastic-- acknowledge what Tabitha dealt with every day: monsters exist.

Tabitha took her eyes off of Raif and watched the lyther demon in the form of a 5 year old girl walk by with a bag full of candy. She-- and the Cooperation-- called it a lyther demon. Normal people called it a werewolf. The Cooperation-- always making simple things difficult. Their motto since 1667.

A Sleagh Maith fluttered by. (A young girl in a fairy costume).
A princeps with a crown and wand ran along behind her (A princess, of course)
A vampire stalked across the street, mumbling about the horrible selection of candy at Mrs. Parrish's house. (A vampire was called a vampire. No matter what.)

And then there was Raif. Suddenly realizing she hadn't seen him in a few seconds, Tabitha scanned the shadows, cursing herself for letting her mind wander. Raif was a different sort of bird all together. He looked human, acted human-- was human-- for the most party anyway.

"Where are you?" she mumbled, squinting to see into the shadows. She couldn't lose him. He was too important to the project. Not that she cared about the project. She had no idea what it was. But it was important to the Cooperation and that made it important to her. They wouldn't be happy if she lost him. Not the Cooperation and certainly not Frankcorp, who wanted him back, but on their terms-- preferably unconscious and dismembered.

"Find what you are looking for?" Tabitha felt his breath on her neck, but didn't jump and she certainly didn't scream. One, she was a freakin' spy and spies didn't do that. And two, her pride wouldn't let her. In no way would he ever know he scared her.

Not again.

She slowly turned to face him, tilting her head up to see his face-- the same face she dreamt about every night. She remembered that face: leaning down to kiss her,  lips brushing against her forehead, saying he loved her. She remembered him holding her-- back before his name was Raif, back before he towered over her.

"Did you?"

"You already know the answer." His voice wasn't the one she remembered. It was gruff and dark. She felt the hunter power within her rise, ready to attack, ready to do her job. The only question was-- could she look into those eyes and kill him again?