The crawl of the upstairs wards being disabled jolted Cam awake.
"Be calm, son," his father said from next to his pillow. "It is merely Blake returning to the dojo."
"What?" Cam rolled onto his elbows. He felt muzzy, bone-tired. "How long have I been asleep?"
"Eighteen hours," the elder Watanabe said gravely.
Alarmed, Cam sat up, looking around his darkened room as he tried to shake off his exhaustion. "Why didn't you wake me?"
"There were no pressing matters that warranted disturbing you, and you obviously needed the rest."
The flare of annoyance towards his father was sharp, habitual, and Cam didn't bother hiding it as he snapped, "Who ran the classes today, then? We can't afford to take a day off, Dad."
His father's response was as unruffled as always. "Tori was more than happy to teach your tae kwon do lessons, and Blake volunteered to cover the karate classes. While our customers were somewhat surprised, they expressed only concern for your health once the situation was explained."
Cam gritted his teeth. "I'm fine."
Before his father could say anything else, Cam pushed away from the bed and grabbed a sweatshirt from his desk chair. He had a room in the apartment above the dojo, but few of his things were actually in it, with most of his clothes and books tucked away in Ops. He slipped on his sneakers.
Tori covering his classes he could handle. She'd done it before. But Blake?
And how could he have wasted an entire day sleeping? There was too much to do, and who knew what the others had done to Ops while he was lazing around in bed. They'd been invaded just last night, but of course Cam wasn't needed at all today. Of course not.
Kapri had broken through their defenses, dammit. They still didn't know if their guests were friends or foes.
He wrenched the bedroom door open and stalked to his computers. At least there were no signs of the Bradley brothers down here, he thought viciously.
Accessing the ranger database, Cam paused, hands hovering over the keyboard. It wasn't the wards. It was just this nagging… awareness.
Hunter and Blake were in the spare room. Blake was talking to someone, and Hunter was--
Cam narrowed his eyes. Hunter was asleep.
He shouldn't have been able to tell that. He shouldn't have been able to know where they were without tapping into his magic or using his security cameras.
His father perched above him on the computer hutch. Cam stared at his monitor, then glanced up at the guinea pig without moving his head.
"What's going on?" Cam asked warily. Another observation clicked into place. "The rangers aren't using their communicators."
True enough, the comm channels were silent. His third computer was charmed to monitor and record communicator conversations, as well as police bands, when Cam was away from his desk, but the screen was dark.
"That is correct, Cameron." His father rested his paws on his belly, expression concerned. "I assume you are experiencing the side-effects from the destruction of the Gem of Souls as well?"
"Side-effects," Cam deadpanned, unease growing.
"When Hunter used the Gem to deflect Lothor's spell, it was damaged and shattered," Kanoi said gently. "The dissipating energy from its destruction was directed at the nearest living things--"
"The seven of us," Cam interrupted thoughtfully. "And since we all have some magic skills, we'd react to its power and --"
"A telepathic bond, of sorts, was created. Perhaps we should consider it a merging of souls, given the source."
Cam sat back in his chair, frowning at his computer. This was unexpected, and utterly like his father to wait until Cam said something before he started explaining. Merging? What the hell? He didn't feel different, but he also knew that Hunter was only dozing lightly the same way he knew his own stomach was empty. Was this a spell that they could turn off? Was he going to be tied to everyone else for his entire life?
Stop. Duty first.
"So the rangers are using this new telepathy in lieu of their communicators." He grasped at the first thought that came to mind. "Do we even know how far it can reach? How long it will last?"
"Quite far when one of the circle is in contact with a Gem shard," his father said, then hesitated. Cam gave him an impatient look and he continued. "I believe the first exposure to the Gem merely opened the six of you to the possibility of a connection, since it was also deflecting Lothor's spells. The circle wasn't closed until two members came into contact with a Gem shard while one simultaneously accessed his magic, which the shard then siphoned to provide the power to seal the bonds. The members being Hunter, whose powers are not technically magic, and you, a warlock."
Cam arched an eyebrow. So the wards reinstating themselves was him sharing his magic with the other five rangers. That explained some of his lingering exhaustion. It was either that, or he was still asleep. Or in a coma.
His father continued. "The Gem of Souls amplifies spiritual energy, so even a quarter of it can cause an unimaginable increase in the bearer's powers. Hunter kept a piece of the Gem for himself after giving us the remaining three shards. That is how he was able to survive without blood or food recently, and to defend the dojo last night. It's also how Kapri was able to break through our wards."
"Wait," Cam held up his hand. "Lothor has one of the shards? How is that possible? I put them in the ocean."
"We do not know, but we need to be on our guard even more, now."
Cam fell silent. This was not what he wanted to wake up to. Ever.
Briskly, he shut down the feelings of violation and rising panic in his chest again, pushing them aside as something to be dealt with later. He had to focus.
"You said the six of us," he finally said, looking up at his father.
"Yes. The energy from the Gem broke Lothor's confinement spell, but did not actually reach me."
"So you're not a part of this--" He waved his hand vaguely. Insanity was probably too light a term.
"No."
"And everyone else is--"
"We discussed the situation at some length earlier. They are adjusting."
Discussed it while Cam was asleep. How typical of his father to exclude him from ranger business, probably in the hopes that Cam wasn't involved in the mess.
On autopilot, Cam logged into the database while he thought, noting the rangers had actually typed up their own reports for the previous night. Wonders would never cease. There was an extra report, though, and he frowned when he realized it was Blake's.
"Where's the shard we have now, Dad?"
"Blake is using it to remain in communication with the rangers. He did not feel comfortable leaving Hunter unattended."
A memory of Hunter the night before surfaced. Feral, glowing eyes.
"Right," Cam said, tone deceptively mild. "So they almost kill us, then come to us for help and make themselves at home, and now we're treating them like they're rangers just because they have a Gem shard, which they apparently failed to mention when they handed over the rest?"
His father frowned down at him.
"They are rangers, Cameron. They may have misplaced their trust for a time, but they still follow the same code as we do."
"Or they could be attempting an even deeper infiltration," he retorted sharply.
The wards. Cam reached out to them lightly, just testing. The threads of himself were still there, but weak. They were overlaid by his father's golden tones. And Blake's deep blue.
Cam took a deep breath.
"How do we know we can trust them?" He asked in a feeble attempt at reason.
"Trust must be given, as well as earned."
"That's not exactly an answer, now is it? They were prepared to kill you, Dad. Or hand you over to Lothor! That's hardly an incentive to--"
Cam?
Blake's voice in his head. Cam shut his mouth abruptly, and thought a tentative, Yes? in Blake's direction.
The rangers have hit some trouble. Vexacus is--
Hunter awoke at the same time Blake cut off. Where Blake was bright flashes of lightning across dark skies, Hunter was sharp edges and roiling storm clouds, jagged bolts warning people off.
Cam could tell that they were arguing from the rising tension between them. Hunter was restless, joints aching but not like the terrible pain earlier. He was field ready. Blake didn't need to be hovering over him like he was an invalid--
Pulling his thoughts away, Cam blinked, coming back to himself. His pulse was racing. He'd just--
His father waited patiently. Cam sat up straight in his chair. Focus.
"Blake says the rangers are in trouble," he said, pulling up the tracking file.
Three primary color dots were clustered in the downtown area, near the warehouse district but closer to the financial blocks. Using his own technologically-inclined magic, Cam executed the command and smirked as grey dots appeared on the screen to mark any non-ranger presence.
Woah. What did you just do?
Hunter's voice, and Cam felt his hackles raise.
A tracking spell. What did you think I'd be doing down here? Knitting? He sent back, mental voice short. So Hunter could tell when he used magic?
Impatient much? We already know where the others are.
He could feel Hunter's amusement and irritation, along with something else that he didn't look at too closely. Everything was too open right now--
Before Cam could formulate a response, Blake sent, We're going to go lend a hand. If Hunter's up to it.
Of course I am.
Cam stared at the screen in consternation and couldn't stifle his misgivings-- his concern for the rangers, his worry of a trap. They barely knew these guys.
Don't worry, Hunter snapped. We're here to help, whether you believe us or not.
The anger was expected, Cam supposed, but he could feel the hurt, too. He winced, then glared down at his hands, quickly thinking.
A little privacy please? And I'll believe that after you stop trying to kill us.
Hunter paused, the dark, brooding kind interlaced with shame and guilt. Cam didn't want to know. Didn't want to be that involved with the lamia any further.
I'm bringing down the shard, Blake sent as he opened the basement door.
Despite the crystal, Cam couldn't feel Blake's emotions as clearly as Hunter's. He wondered if Blake had been able to hear their exchange.
I don't think he did, Hunter responded with mixed emotions. But none of us could talk to each other privately earlier.
Cam tried to block the tangle of feelings in Hunter, too caught up in his own as Blake came down the stairs after being accepted by the wards. Both of them could just walk right in now, could--
We're not going to murder you in your sleep, Hunter snarled, fury overshadowing his other emotions. You are one vindictive little asshole, you know that?
Cam felt his face flush and gritted his teeth. Don't even go there. I'm not the one who was about to kill an innocent man for revenge.
We were wrong. We apologized. Your father accepted. We're trying to make up for what we did, and even Shane is willing to give us a chance because what's going on is bigger than all--
I must have missed the macho bonding session while I was asleep, Cam hurled back.
Blake hesitated at the foot of the stairs, so Cam spun his chair around and held out a hand.
"If the rangers need help, you should hurry," he said rigidly.
"Right."
Blake eyed him, but easily dropped the shard into Cam's palm before bounding back up the stairs.
Power flooded through Cam when the Gem touched his skin and he was suddenly aware of so much more-- Hunter pushing angrily through the alley door, Blake close on his heels, the other rangers farther away but present.
Vexacus isn't just kidnapping humans. Blake sent as he and Hunter streaked to the financial district. He grabbed three witches and a shapeshifter, too. Shane asked for back-up because one of the witches is resisting the spell Vexacus used and things are going to get ugly--
The fact that Blake was able to inform him of all this en route and without static during streaking made Cam admit that the telepathy was probably more reliable than the communicators. He studied the shard in his hand as he turned around again, running his finger over the milky-white facets.
Shane? Tori? Dustin? He sent out, placing the shard against his arm as he resumed typing. What's your status?
Cam? How are you feeling?
Tori was the breaking waves of the ocean, a cool mist on the wind, her happiness coming through loud and clear once she focused on him. Along with a twinge of something like jealousy from Blake. Cam rolled his eyes and felt an echo of it in Hunter.
Dude, we thought you were, like, dead, Dustin sent excitedly. His presence was murkier than the rest, like his thoughts were under a blanket of fallen leaves and moss, burrowed in the dirt.
I'm fine, Cam sent, tone dry. He wondered how they perceived his presence.
A wisp of thought came from Hunter, Barbed wire.
Vexacus is headed towards the dock. That witch isn't going to stay quiet for much longer. She's too powerful, Shane reported, a brushfire of rollicking flames, then asked with frustration, Are we still going with the whole non-engagement plan?
Cam glanced up at his father, who had been observing him quietly the entire time, and briefly filled him in on the situation.
"We need to find out where the hostages are being taken--" The elder Watanabe said, and Cam finished the thought.
"But we can't risk exposure. Right."
Engage, Cam thought at the rangers, mouth tight.
Their elation and grim determination was overwhelming as they ambushed Vexacus and his gang. Taken by surprise, Cam tamped down brutally on his own thoughts, drawing on every meditation technique he could think of and visualizing shutters being battered by a storm, shut tight, keeping everything out. The intensity of the others diminished.
So, visualization techniques would help with controlling their new powers. Good to know.
Over-achiever, Hunter thought with cynical mirth, despite his general feelings of discontent towards Cam. Although, he was punching someone out as he did it, so Cam merely raised an eyebrow.
Cam let his shutters ease open enough to respond,
At least one of us is thinking of long term effects.
The rest of us talked about it earlier. You must have missed the memo while you--
The floor dropped out from underneath Cam. He flailed in the chair, grabbing the armrests as his head spun.
"Cameron?" His father asked in concern.
Hunter! Blake's fear, anxiety.
Oh shit-- Dustin panicked and dodged.
--not again-- Shane grimly stepped up.
Blake! Tori was moving into a defensive--
Cam wanted to ask what was going on, but he already knew. He'd felt the spell like it had hit between his own shoulder blades.
Dark energy, black electricity threading into Hunter's jagged bright lightning, and Cam pulled away from the Gem shard, trying to clear his own head, but the shard was glowing--
Glowing green--
Hunter, it's me! It's Blake! Blake was shouting, pushing memories at his brother. Flashes of them training in a field, their parents, Sensei Omino--
Cam breathed in through his nose, deep breaths. Calming. Calm.
The blackness in Hunter's mind was pushed back for a moment. He recognized Blake. He--
The darkness surged back, the spell winding tighter around Hunter--
Hunter!
Blake's desperation was spreading. The other rangers were fighting-- Vexacus. Shouting, but Cam couldn't hear them, couldn't make out their words--
He was drowning in-- Hunter was--
Hunter was still weak from defending Ops, from the weeks of withdrawal. His powers were lamia, not warlock like the rest of them. His defenses had slipped, and the spell was worming in deeper--
Hesitating, Cam clutched the Gem shard tight in his hand, then let his own defenses lower. Reached out to touch the thundering storm clouds--
It was worse than the previous night. His heart was racing faster, surging with adrenaline and-- The terrible feeling of connection, of absorption, of not knowing which thoughts were his own in this morass--
Memories swirled past, impressions of smells and sights and fleeting emotions. He was losing himself so easily, pulled down by old hurts and grief, of being abandoned, not remembering his mother's face, wondering why his parents had given him up, wanting to be loved and wondering what was wrong with him, the shock of betrayal, of being cast aside, of losing the family he'd finally found but having Blake--
But Blake had betrayed him now, betrayed the bonds of family and trust and sided against him, with these people he'd just met, with this girl--
Pain shot through Cam's palm, pulled him back.
The thoughts were Hunter's. Hunter was--
Enraged, but not-- This was forced anger, someone dredging up all his past hurts, all the rage he carried in him, and making him feel it. Manipulating him--
This isn't you, Cam told Hunter. Pushed it into the cracks Blake's onslaught had created in the spell. Tried to pull Hunter's tattered defenses back together. This isn't you.
Bro! Blake was there, grabbing Hunter's uniform front. Anchoring him to the present, and to the truth. You're Hunter. You're my brother. C'mon, man, don't leave me!
The storm swelled, raged over them both--
Cam could feel when Hunter broke through the spell's dark web, could feel the blackness receding from the other man's mind.
He forced his hand to uncurl, to place the shard on the computer desk. Little smudges of blood were on the edges. He stared at his unblemished palm, chest heaving like he'd been the one fighting.
What had he been thinking? He'd just-- To Hunter-- He'd seen--
"Which way do I go, Sensei?" Dustin's voice, but thankfully not in his head.
Taking a shaky breath, Cam looked around.
He'd lost time, a detached part of his mind noted. That was happening to him too often lately.
His father was typing at one of the other computers, communicator next to his side as Dustin's voice came through the tinny speakers.
"If you take the next left, you will reach the boy's home," his father said calmly, paws hitting the keys at a slow pace.
Hostages to return home, memories to be wiped. Right. Cam cleared his throat and pulled himself together. His father tilted his tiny head at him, but said nothing. With only the slightest hesitance, Cam picked the Gem shard up again.
Shane? He projected out, wanting a status report.
We kicked ass and saved the day. Hunter's Good Hunter again. Where did you go?
The mental communication was faster than the communicators, a bombardment of impressions and thoughts. At least Cam couldn't really tell what the other rangers were thinking unless he focused on them. Not like with--
I was right here, he sent briskly. Do you need to return to ops or are you going to continue patrol?
I think we're done for the night, Tori interjected. Once we get everyone tucked in, we're heading back.
Of course Hunter reached the dojo first, as Blake went to help with the freed hostages. It was one of those nights.
Cam felt him enter through the alley door, then heard the basement door open. He couldn't stop himself from turning his head, watching Hunter descend the stairs. He met Hunter's blue gaze with what he hoped was a neutral expression.
Glancing at the elder Watanabe's back, Hunter just nodded at them and went to lounge on the futon, long legs splayed in front of him. He looked exhausted, his thoughts barely there as his eyes drifted shut.
I am exhausted.
Cam quirked an eyebrow and pretended to focus on his database again. His father continued to direct the rangers over the communicators, which they'd apparently taken with them despite being enamored with their new powers. Although from the sound of it, they'd merely forgotten them in their uniforms. He'd have to talk to them about why they shouldn't adopt new procedures without proper exigency planning.
Don't you mean lecture?
Go away.
Cam glanced at the futon to glare, but Hunter's eyes were closed and his tall frame was spread out over the cushion. Quickly looking away again, Cam was mortified when the image of Hunter's black uniform stretched across the toned muscles of his thighs refused to leave his thoughts. The more he tried not to focus on it, the sharper it became.
Closing his eyes for a brief second, he imagined slamming a door on Hunter's smug face and grinned at the snort that produced from the futon.
Over-achiever, Hunter mocked, but not maliciously. Cam rolled his eyes.
Get a vocabulary.
After someone takes the Kick Me sign off my back.
Maybe you should have listened to your brother instead of volunteering to be cannon fodder, he sent caustically.
Maybe, Hunter admitted, surprising Cam. What? I can admit when I'm wrong. Might suck, but it's the truth.
I can't, Cam thought involuntarily, then immediately clamped down on his emotions. Dammit. He needed to get his focus back. This lack of control was unacceptable.
I kinda took you for that type.
He didn't like this odd connection with Hunter, and didn't know why the lamia wasn't fighting it tooth and nail, too. But he'd been deeper into Hunter's thoughts than he had ever wanted to go. He had to admit that this wasn't an elaborate plan. Hunter probably wasn't even capable of deception that deep, but--
I don't know if I should be insulted or not.
But Cam wasn't going to apologize for having a well-developed survival instinct.
Why am I not surprised?
Cam hung a huge Do Not Disturb sign on his mental door. Hunter snorted again.
I can't help it if it works both ways. But… Thanks. For earlier.
Fingers frozen over his keyboard, Cam took in a slow breath. Hunter was watching him from the futon, sprawled in Cam's periphery. He couldn't-- Not now--
I know, Cam. I just wanted to say it once. Chill.
Focusing on his tracking program, he tried to lose himself in the code. Hunter rested his head against the back of the futon and shut his eyes again.
His father didn't say anything during the entire silent exchange, no doubt sensing something was going on if only because of Cam's body language. But then, his father didn't suggest Cam take over giving the directions either.
Which was probably a good thing. There were tremors running through Cam's hands.
The other rangers straggled not long after, thankfully none the worse for wear. It looked like Hunter had taken the most damage. After a moment of thought, Cam slipped the Gem shard into the locked drawer of his computer hutch. He'd move it to the safe later.
Without the shard, he knew the rangers were there, but he had more distance. He could breathe. Even if he could hear Hunter's--
He spun his chair around, comforted by the sight of the three rangers going through their usual post-patrol routine at the weapons table.
"So," he said out loud for his father's benefit. "I think we can safely say that Lothor's activities in the city are escalating."
Shane looked rueful. "Escalation's too nice a term, man. The streets are crawling with his people, and it was a different general who hit Hunter with that berserk whammy spell thing while Vexacus tried to kill us. Choobo, I think. Chew toy. Whatever."
"Yeah," Dustin chimed in glumly. "And we still don't know where he's taking all the people he kidnaps. If they're still alive."
Arching an eyebrow at the familiar name, Cam made a note to research Choobo's latest activities. That spell had been directed more toward mind control than destructive offense, and that wasn't a skill to underestimate. Three generals. Great.
Cam frowned when Blake glanced at Hunter, who still had his eyes closed and might've been asleep, if it wasn't for his racing thoughts.
"Tell us what?" Cam asked warily.
Blake's eyes widened as they flickered to him and the other three rangers looked confused, but Hunter just sighed, looking over at Cam.
"Choobo. When we were at his club the one time, we overheard Lothor talking about the guy and some high-security place, sending him more people." Hunter grimaced. "Lothor said he was a manager for one of his other clubs, so I didn't think to pay attention at the time."
Blake nodded ruefully. "I didn't either, but I think he called the club 'Vertigo'?"
The information connected some dots from the intel Cam had gotten the day before. It hadn't looked pretty before, but now it was just ugly.
"What intel?" Hunter groused, crossing his arms over his chest.
Shane spoke before Cam could respond. "Okay, seriously, you two. What's going on? The rest of us can't 'talk' without everyone hearing."
"Nothing," Cam and Hunter said simultaneously, then glared at each other.
"Both of you were in contact with the crystal when all this psychic stuff happened," Tori pointed out, a thoughtful look on her face. "It might have affected you differently than us."
"I wasn't in contact with it," Cam said shortly. "I didn't even know he had it."
"Your magic did act as catalyst, son," his father considered at his elbow.
Cam didn't know if the defensiveness he was feeling was from himself or Hunter, but he waved them off.
"We'll play with the new powers tomorrow. Right now we have other concerns. Namely the fact that, if Hunter and Blake are correct, then Lothor probably is conducting experiments on humans and nightworlders, and he's amassing an army in Blue Bay Harbor while he does it."
That got their attention.
"What do you mean?" Tori frowned.
Cam's expression was grim. "We know that Lothor's been recruiting from other cities, importing gangs." The rangers nodded. "He's obsessed with power. If what I've heard is correct, then he's set up a remote lab trying to find a way of draining other nightworlders of their powers instead of just killing them. Powerful nightworlders have disappeared occasionally over the years, but there's been a sharp increase recently. People are getting nervous."
Hunter might have picked up Cam's thoughts, or just made the connection himself.
"Sensei Omino," he said softly.
Cam nodded gravely. "Rangers all over the continent have been reported as missing or killed in record numbers. Sensei Omino was listed almost a year ago, but the mysterious disappearances go back far longer. We lead risky lives, but this is too coincidental even for the nightworld. The Council is opening an investigation--"
"Vexacus was headed for the docks," Dustin said suddenly. The rest of them stopped to stare. "That's where we've stopped the most kidnapping attempts, right? We've had the warehouses staked out for weeks. Dudes, it's out on the ocean. They need boats to get there. We just need to watch which boats leave the harbor and go from there."
"You're making sense," Shane said, impressed. "That's a first."
"I'm not dumb, dude," Dustin frowned.
"It may not necessarily be on the ocean," Cam interrupted the burgeoning argument thoughtfully. "But the focus on the docks could imply water transportation. The merchandise the gangs have stolen could be moved that way, too. Watching the boat traffic might work--"
"If they're not using magic to cloak it," Hunter finished. Cam shot him a disdainful look at the interruption.
"So we watch the docks," Shane declared, happy to have a course of action. Never mind that it was what Cam had been telling him to do for the past three weeks.
"We shouldn't discount other options just yet, but I'll access DMV records for registrations and cross-reference them with the database, see if we get any hits," Cam said, already planning out what he'd need. "If they're smart, they would be using aliases or have fake papers, but it's a starting point."
"If they were smart, they wouldn't try to kidnap people at the same spots over and over," Tori pointed out.
"So maybe the gangs aren't as organized as Lothor would like us to think?" Cam suggested with a bit of vindictive satisfaction.
"That Zurgane guy's nuts," Hunter said. "And he's not very good at following orders."
An image of a snarling werewolf flashed in Cam's mind and he shook his head, blinking hard and earning odd looks from the rest of the team.
"For now," his father said in the lull. "I think it would be best if we all rested. Recent events have been draining, and we will be more effective after we have slept. Tomorrow we shall begin exploring your new powers and searching for leads. With Hunter and Blake assisting us now, we will be able to accomplish even more during patrols."
Shane and Dustin were up the stairs almost before his father finished speaking.
"Good plan, Sensei!"
"Dude, we can finish the latest season on 2k6 before we have to crash."
"If you're player stops sucking, yeah--"
"I maxed my stats! My dude is sick, man!"
Cam watched them go with a feeling of doom. The fate of the city rested on the shoulders of video-game-playing, English-language-butchering, extreme-sports-junky college freshmen. At least Tori wasn't--
He turned in time to see Blake and Tori catch each other's eyes. Then Blake offered to walk her to her van, and they both grinned shyly. He would have called it cute if Tori wasn't like a sister to him.
Stay outta trouble, kids, Hunter sent at them while yawning, still slumped on the futon.
Tori gave him an impudent look. Same to you.
Hunter grinned as she and Blake walked up the stairs, then stood to remove his jerkin.
I wonder if she knows how many ways that could be taken? He mused, tugging off his gauntlets.
She probably knows more than you can think of, Cam sent blandly, spinning around to his keyboard.
Hunter snorted, then yawned again.
Cam rolled his eyes then echoed the yawn. He rubbed his face in frustration because he'd woken up not even five hours ago after sleeping for eighteen.
You were seriously comatose, Hunter sent, coming to stand behind his chair.
How long did you sleep today? Cam asked wearily, because Hunter obviously wasn't leaving any time soon.
The image of Hunter bleeding from his pores rose unbidden, and Cam could feel him wince.
Not my best moment, but I'm feeling better. Your dad thinks it was the crystal again. The butcher's delivery came today. Could go for a really rare steak right now.
Cam couldn't help thinking of how Hunter had looked the night before-- Fangs bared, striking at his throat, the fear it caused. The panic. His strength as he held Cam by the neck--
The feel of his skin under Cam's fingers. The shocking heat of it. Solid and hot and sweaty as they struggled--
Didn't figure you as the rough type, Hunter smirked. Demanding and controlling, yes. Kinky, though? I think I like those kinds of surprises.
Cam's cheeks flushed. This stupid attraction was bad enough when Hunter couldn't hear his every thought. Today had been hell, he was probably still in shock over having his mind connected to five other people, and the one person he couldn't seem to block out was thinking of--
Hunter's hands had cradled his head gently-- Cam had leaned into his touch, let himself be held in his exhaustion, let his guard down--
Rolling away from his desk, narrowly missing Hunter's toes, Cam glared up at the blonde.
"Shouldn't you go back to bed?" He demanded, gripping his chair's armrests until his knuckles were white.
"Shouldn't you?" Hunter asked in a bored tone, crossing his arms.
"I shall be retiring for the night, Cameron," his father said from the computer hutch behind them, causing Cam to stand up quickly. "Perhaps you should do the same?"
He'd forgotten his father was in the room. One more pitfall of this telepathy. He could feel Hunter's amusement.
At least I'm not letting myself get distracted in the middle of a battle, he sent archly.
That's low.
"Night, Dad," Cam said out loud. "I'll sleep down here tonight."
If his father expected that, he didn't comment. Of course, he could probably tell that Cam and Hunter were communicating silently, and he didn't mention that either.
They were good at not talking about things.
"Goodnight, Sensei," Hunter said respectfully.
His father crawled into the tube network, headed for his habitat upstairs since the cold of the basement really wasn't kind to his small bones now. Cam sighed and looked deliberately at Hunter, waiting for him to tire of the game and leave.
There was a moment of silence while they stared at each other with just the whir of the air conditioning units in the background, and in it, Cam learned that Hunter thought he looked better without the glasses, when Hunter could see his eyes like during the fight.
Cam gritted his teeth. His night had been one long emotional roller coaster. Or train wreck…
His stomach growled loudly. He'd been ignoring it as long as he could.
"I make some mean scrambled eggs," Hunter said out loud.
Cam honestly debated telling Hunter no and eating the power bar in his desk so he could start working again. Did he really want to encourage this-- thing between them? He was tired, maybe even a little vulnerable at the moment. Could Hunter sense that?
Could they be friends with this awareness?
"Just breakfast, and I promise not to ravish you on the table," Hunter grinned, for once not taking offense.
Cam glared, but they both knew he'd given in.
He followed Hunter up to the dojo kitchen, which was actually stocked better than the apartment kitchen because Cam used it more often. When Hunter started rummaging through drawers at random, Cam pulled out the pans and spatulas, motioning for the blonde to get the fridge.
If it seemed like Hunter was going to make too much, Cam didn't protest because Blake came in from the alley, no longer setting off the ward alarms but making a small shiver cross Cam's skin.
"Hey, eggs. Sweet." Blake grabbed the bread and started making toast.
Starting to feel light-headed, Cam went to sit at the small table tucked in the corner.
How long has it been since you ate? Hunter asked rhetorically.
Cam ignored him.
"We should probably start looking for our own place if we're sticking around," Blake said as he worked. "Dustin was just saying that Storm Chargers is hiring."
"Maybe his boss would let us store the bikes there. Gotta be better than the back of the truck--"
The entire scene was surreal. Cam was sitting in his kitchen, having breakfast with two people who, by all rights, should have been his enemies (had been, as of three days ago), but instead he had a psychic bond with them and his three rookie rangers, while his father was still a guinea pig and his psychotic uncle was kidnapping people off the streets to use in heinous experiments as his gangs of thugs tried to turn the city inside out every night--
Hunter put a plate of eggs and toast in front of him. "Stop thinking. Eat."
Cam bristled at the patronizing tone, but his stomach was hurting so he contented himself with neatly working through the mound of eggs. Blake was wolfing his down like they were trying to run away, thoughts still a murky haze Cam couldn't really distinguish, while Hunter lounged against the counter with a cup of cow's blood.
I'm working my way up to solid food, the lamia thought with a mental shrug.
Why aren't you freaking out? Cam asked before he had processed the thought completely. He paused from eating, glancing at Hunter and feeling like an idiot for the admission.
Shit happens. Adapt or die. Hunter shrugged again, pose still casual even as he looked away from Cam's gaze. But honestly, you didn't see Blake talking me down when I woke up this afternoon, so yeah. Who says I'm not freaking?
Horrible crushing guilt and shame-- I punched Blake I drank human blood I-- Panic at the loss of control. Aching need for someone to tell him he wasn't a monster. Invasion of his thoughts, his privacy, he didn't want anyone to see--
Hunter let the emotions surface for a moment, then pushed them back down.
At least we're all in this together, right? He met Cam's eyes again. We've got friends to watch our backs now.
Cam resumed eating, feeling indescribable. Blake had studiously avoided watching them while they were conversing privately, and Cam wondered what he could sense.
When he was finished, Cam took his plate to the sink and rinsed it. He was dead on his feet, and he hadn't been awake long at all. Maybe he'd go over the security systems before he went to bed, just to check the electronic components for wear and damage. There was so much to do--
Dude, just go to bed already. I don't want to be kept up all night with your ulcers for company.
First thing tomorrow, he'd work on his mental shielding. He was a trained ninja warlock. It shouldn't be too hard to hide his thoughts from one nosy lamia.
The warmth of Hunter's amusement lingered in his mind as Cam said goodnight aloud and headed back down to Ops. Blake gave him a look that Cam didn't feel like decoding, but as long as the younger Bradley brother wasn't directing his thoughts at Cam, he could be as strange as he wanted.
Hunter started loading the dishwasher, thinking absently about the house they grew up in. His dad's laughter. It was a quiet ache in Cam's mind.
Cam changed for bed and crawled in, staring at the ceiling, knowing when Hunter and Blake took turns in the guest bathroom above him, talking softly to each other about the patrol. Knowing when Hunter slid between the well-worn sheets, and curled on to his side, how he usually slept.
Friends to watch their backs now? He was so tired of being alone.
Maybe the day wasn't a total train wreck. More like a fender bender, or a broken limb.
Sleep well, he sent softly, almost hoping Hunter wouldn't sense it.
You too, Hunter replied.
Cam didn't expect to be able to sleep, but he drifted off as soon as he closed his eyes.
End "Careful, Boy. Careful." Continued in "Baby's First Coffin."
Another lonely pacifist, dying in the sun
I will not watch this
I will not watch this all come down
Careful, boy.
Careful.
I never thought that you could've been a monster
Finch-- Worms of the Earth