United (The Guardians Book 2) by Jessica Roe

American sort of way. He and Zay slapped each other on the back in greeting before he turned to introduce himself.
    “Hubert Eades.” He shook each of their hands with a firm, confident grip. “But my buddies call me Hue. Sorry I couldn't get to NYC to meet with you guys earlier – I was advising a Tracking team in Cali about a wendigo case so it was just easier for me to come straight here after they'd taken the nasty little shitter down. They wouldn't let me actively help until I'd completely healed, unfortunately. Talking of. . .” He held up his hands and wiggled his fingers at the scientist before pulling her into a warm hug. “You saved my skin with that healing salve of yours. Literally. That fire elemental did a real number on my hands. Thank you. Really.”
    “Just doing my job.”
    “Well it was an awesome one.”
    “You're that Tracker Walker doesn't like, right?” Nicky asked him bluntly. “I remember her bitching about you. I mean, she bitches about a lot of shit, but she bitched about you specifically.”
    Hue smirked. “Oh, she likes me well enough. She just doesn't like that she likes me. It pisses her off.”  
    Nicky chuckled and they bumped fists. “Yeah, man, we're gonna get along just fine.”
    “So are you guys ready for a drowning?” Kacey piped up cheerfully, like she was asking them if they wanted to go check out the sights. She'd swapped the pink bow in her bouncy hair for a large, red tropical flower. When no one answered her ridiculous question, she just smiled. Gable wondered if she was quite right in the head. “Not right now, of course, not after your long flight. You'll rest for tonight in Hawaii Guardian Division Headquarters, and then we'll do the deed at first light in the morning. Sound good?”
    “Sounds awesome,” Cadby replied, deadpan.
    But Kacey didn't seem to notice his sarcasm. She clapped her hands once and bounced on the balls of her feet. “Great! The cars are this way. Don't worry about your luggage, the guys will get that.” She nodded to a couple of nervous, pimply boys who couldn't have been much older than eighteen.
    “Officials in training,” Zay said in low voice to Gable, smirking. “Probably just left Guardian school. Bet she's got them doing all her grunt work. Poor bastards.”
    Unlike the Cadillac Escalades the Guardians preferred in the city, Kacey led them to a couple of huge, black Jeeps. Before they climbed in she had them sign a set of forms each, almost exactly like the ones Charles had made Gable sign before she'd been granted access into NYCGD HQ.
    They separated into two groups and Gable settled into the back of one Jeep between Hue and Nicky, sighing gratefully at the delicious breeze of the air con, a welcome relief from the sweltering heat outside. Maybe she wasn't a sunshine gal after all.
    “Did y'all put on sunscreen?” Kacey asked from the driver's seat. “You should put on sunscreen, you know. Especially you, honey pie.” She glanced at Cadby next to her in the passenger side. “You look pale. Don't you get out much?”
    He just eyed her wearily.
    They drove in near silence for twenty minutes as they all gazed eagerly out of their windows. It was beautiful out there, an utterly magnificent landscape. Large mountains, lush rainforests, and every now and then they'd get a glimpse of the glorious Pacific Ocean. It was breathtaking.
    “How many Guardian Divisions are there in Hawaii?” Gable wanted to know.
    “Just the one set of Keepers,” Hue answered for her. “Outcast activity in Hawaii has always been incredibly low. And those that do live here are very rarely Dark Ones.”
    Another hour passed before Kacey announced that they were almost there. They drove down a long, winding road shielded overhead by tall trees, and finally they approached a set of large, intimidating black gates. With the other Jeep still behind them, Kacey pulled up by the gate and waited. A camera at the top of the gates swiveled and pointed in