Page 25 of In the Monster's Wake
Chapter Eight
Jasper enjoyed workingas a mechanic.He liked that he didn’t have to talk with customers because his boss took care of that.He liked that cars were usually easy to figure out.They weren’t messy like human beings.
But he couldn’t deny that the thought of working with Archie excited him.He wasn’t looking forward to having to deal with Kester, but Archie?That was an entirely different thing.
Jasper was intrigued by the monster.His father’s head would explode if he ever found out about this, but Jasper didn’t care.He didn’t answer to his father.He wasn’t even afraid of him anymore.He was a grown man, and if he wanted to sleep with Archie, he would.
Although it would probably be better if they focused on finding Kester first.
That was why Jasper was back at Archie’s office.They’d agreed to work together, and they were planning on talking to people today.Braith had to focus on other cases, which was a pity because Jasper liked him but also good because he wanted to spend more time alone with Archie.
It was strange.Jasper believed that a lot of monsters were good people, but considering what he’d done when he was a hunter, he usually kept his distance from them.He wouldn’t have been welcomed if he’d tried talking to them, but Archie hadn’t hesitated to welcome him into his office, and Braith had welcomed him with open arms.He didn’t even seem to mind that Jasper wanted Archie.He’d teased them, but it had been clear it came from friendship.
Why were the two of them so ready to forgive Jasper’s previous life?
Jasper didn’t know, but in the end, it didn’t really matter.He just had to be careful because he didn’t know the two very well, but from what he’d found on them in the hunters’ archives, they weren’t hiding anything.They’d opened their agency several years ago and had kept a low profile.They only worked with monsters, probably because no human would hire them.The hunters were convinced that Jasper and Braith both killed monsters when they were hired to, but they’d never investigated.As far as they were concerned, it was fewer monsters they had to deal with.They might not like Archie and Braith and how strong they were, but as long as the two PIs didn’t give the hunters problems, the hunters would continue ignoring them.
That was a good thing.Jasper didn’t want his father to get involved, which he would definitely do if he found out that Jasper was working with two monsters, especially monsters as dangerous as Archie and Braith.Jasper really hoped they were the good guys.He wasn’t sure he’d make it out in one piece if they weren’t.
“What are you doing standing there?”Braith asked as he came out of the building.
“I’m meeting Archie.”
Braith’s eyes lit up.“He lets you call him Archie?”
Jasper frowned.“I don’t think I ever called him that in his presence.Why?”
“Oh, I need to be there when you do, please.Actually, can we go inside and have you do it now?He’s in the office.”
Jasper didn’t understand why it was such a big deal, but he was pretty sure he’d be in trouble with Archie if he called him that to his face.
He shrugged.He didn’t really care.He wasn’t about to use Archie’s full name because it was ridiculous.
He walked into the waiting room, knocked on the open door of the office, and peeked in.Archie was behind his desk, but he got up as soon as he saw Jasper.
“I’m ready to go when you are,” he said as he walked around the desk.
Jasper smiled at him.“Good to see you again, Archie.”
He heard Braith make a strangled sound behind him, but he ignored him.For a moment, he and Archie just stared at each other.Jasper expected Archie to tell him off for using that nickname, but instead, the monster shook his head.
