Hunters in the Night (23 page)

“That
is the highest civilian award our government offers,” Dominique said. “It is
given solely at the discretion of the President.”

I
looked at the signature on the note. It was the President’s name. “Is this a
real signature, or a stamp?”

“Real,”
Dominique said. “He signed it himself yesterday when he was in the city for a
briefing on what you and Newton accomplished. Newton is getting a medal too,
although he doesn’t know it yet.”

“And
the President just decided to do that on his own?” I said.

“He
may have had some suggestions from me.”

“Is
this your way of apologizing?” I asked.

“I
only apologize when I’m wrong,” Dominique said. “This is my way of saying thank
you.”

I
tried to hold back the smile I could feel bubbling up from some happy place
inside me. I wanted to be angry with her. I wanted to hold on to all the
frustration and suspicion I’d felt towards her ever since she refused to tell
me where my parents are. But she just handed me the first award I’d ever been
given in my life, and it was a higher honor than I could have ever dreamed of.
Still, I wasn’t in the mood to just let her off the hook completely. “Well . .
. thank you,” I said. “But it would have been nicer to receive it from the
President personally.”

Dominique
gave me her best “
Bitch, please”
glare. “We’re never going to put the
President in the same room with a known nightcrafter. Not even you.”

“Fair
enough,” I said. “I guess I should just be happy and find a case to put this
in.”

“No
actually,” Dominique said as she reached out and grabbed the box from my hands.
“You don’t get to keep it. Not yet, at least. The awards are classified. Just
like everything else we do.”

A
wave of disappointment hit me. My shoulders sagged and it felt like all the air
in my lungs just rushed out of me. But it lasted only a moment. In a flash of
realization I came to terms with what Dominique was saying . . . what she had
always been saying. This was just the way things were; the way things had to
be. This was the job I signed up for. “I should have expected as much.”

“Yes,”
Dominique said. “You should have.”

I
left her office after that. I didn’t give her any further thanks. I didn’t say
anything at all. I just left. There were no more words that needed to be said
between us. Our relationship had always been based on necessity and mutual
benefit. Nothing more. Once it was clear that there was nothing else we could
do for each other in that room, I left. I didn’t think twice about it, and I’m
sure she didn’t either.

My
mouth was a little dry after that meeting so I headed to the kitchen to grab
some water. Newton was there. As usual he was drinking aromatic coffee and
reading something on his tablet. I hadn’t seen him in a couple days since he
was mostly occupied with keeping Kellar captive. His hair was even messier than
usual and he was wearing the same clothes as the last time I saw him. But when
he saw me he smiled, and the world felt right again.

“You’re
still here?” he said. “I figured they would’ve shipped you off to Brussels to
meet with the big wigs and get your shiny new corner office.”

“Not
yet,” I said. “Besides, somebody has to help you figure out all this magic
business.”

“True,”
Newton said.

“How
are you holding up?”

“I’m
learning as I go,” Newton said. “Adapt or die. You know how it is.”

“I
most certainly do,” I said. I grabbed a ceramic mug and poured in some chilled
water from the cooler next to me.

“Kellar
and Madison seem to be locked up tight for now,” Newton said. “We’ve earned a
vacation, don’t you think?”

“I
guess?” I said. “What were you thinking of?”

“I
just happen to know a nice quiet place in Newfoundland,” Newton said with a sly
grin. “And there’s another meteor shower coming up. Should we steal away for a
bit?”

The
last time we’d been in that little cabin with the green siding, Newton had
practically shut off all his feelings, and with them any chance of us exploring
the possibility that we might be more than friends. Now he was opening the door
again. I didn’t know why at first. But after a moment I figured that maybe
capturing Kellar and keeping any nightcrafters within a hundred miles of New
York City from phasing into the Rift had changed him. Maybe it had given him
hope.

I
wanted to say yes to his proposal.
Badly
. But the job wasn’t finished
yet. Hope wasn’t going to change that. “I think it will have to be a staycation
for me,” I said. “I have a feeling I’m going to be needed here.”

Newton
sighed and said, “Yeah. I figured.”

“But
it would be nice to go back to that little cabin one day,” I said. “When the
Rift is closed, I’m going to take you up on that offer.”

Newton
perked up. “Then screw the vacation! I better get back to work on figuring out
how to close that damn thing.”

“I
love your enthusiasm.”

“You
better,” he said as he finished his coffee and walked towards his lab. “People
who don’t appreciate enthusiasm are a bore to work with.”

I
laughed. Newton gave me a playful wink and then went off to do whatever a
scientist studying magic has to do. Then I finished my water and followed him
back to the lab. We still had much to learn, and many more dangers to face, but
the nights felt a little less scary now, and the future never looked so bright.

###

The saga continues!
Spies in the Dark
Book 2 in The Nightcrafters series
Get it from ramseyisler.com