Only Human by Candace Blevins Page B

to a civilian. I didn’t take it personal, though, as he’d used the same tone with Aaron.
    “We didn’t know anything at all until explosions and fires started,” Denny continued as he looked around, and back to us. “I saw someone else fighting them. Where did he go? Is he with your group?”
    “He isn’t with us,” Aaron said, “but we know who he is and it’s good he was here to help. He likely won’t show himself, and it’s probably best if you aren’t introduced to him.”
    Denny looked pissed, and it was obvious he wasn’t happy having people around he felt he couldn’t control.
    I wondered why Abbott was here, and how he’d known to come. He’s too well known in the community to be seen fighting supernatural shit — he and Denny probably make it to some of the same political social gatherings. I was assuming Abbott was still around and just staying in the background so Denny wouldn’t recognize him.
    I was zapped and close to collapse, but I ignored the warning signs and took the half dozen steps to Aaron.
    Luckily, Aaron saw my legs giving out and pulled me to him before I fell. With my head against Aaron’s chest, I spoke soft enough Denny wouldn’t hear. “Did you see the shield the one who got away put up? It zapped my laser and drained me, which is why I only managed to kill one of them — the second one zapped my power. I think he even managed to get a boost by the energy meant to kill him. What the hell?”
    Aaron pushed energy into me as I talked. Slower this time, so while it hurt, I could stand it without letting those around me know I was in pain.
    “Yes, I saw it,” he told me, his mouth at my ear. “I need to do some research to be sure, but I believe they’ve sent an upper echelon jerkoff in, probably in response to all of the ones you’ve killed.”
    I turned in his arms, faced the other men, and looked at the chief. “Denny, can you check tonight’s nine-one-one calls to see if anyone in the vicinity of the first explosions reported a disturbance, or maybe a party with too many cars parked somewhere? If you’ll take us back to our car then the rest of us are going to go get something to eat while I try to replenish what that asshole drained out of me. We’ll eat in Fort O, so we won’t be far.” Aaron’s energy was only going to help so much tonight. I needed food — physical energy as well as the metaphysical kind.
    I turned to take the final dozen steps toward the squad car and almost collapsed despite the energy Aaron put into me. Nathan caught me before I hit the ground, and handed me off to Aaron who carried me to the car like a baby. It’d been years since I’d been zapped so bad I had to be carried, so of course it had to happen when Abbott was probably watching. Shit .
    Nathan drove, and Aaron and I sat in the back seat. Trading energy in a moving car isn’t easy, but we’d gotten decent at it, and it was easier when I could relax and accept it properly.
    Aaron sat on the back seat with his legs spread and sat me between his legs with my back to his front. I felt him relaxing his shields and I did the same, so the energy flowed from each of his chakras into mine. Within a few minutes we were basically sitting inside of one aura, and it doesn’t get much more intimate than that. I relaxed in his arms and basked in the warmth, trusting I was safe for the moment, at least.
    I startled when the engine turned off, and looked around to see we were in the Waffle House parking lot.
    Aaron and I both worked together to turn us back into two separate auras without trauma. It isn’t especially hard, but you don’t want to do it too abruptly, either. We took a few minutes to pull away, and then got out of either side of the car and walked to the restaurant.
    I wouldn’t be able to hang out in the woods and make it my energy, which meant I was vibrating at a different frequency. It feels a bit like having the flu, as if I’m not really myself, but at least I