Page 69 of Dark Obsession

“You’re being a dick today.”

“Why? Because I called you out for never having met someone named Preston?”

“I wasn’t even thinking about that, but yes, now that you bring it up. What’s going on?”

Cody rubbed a hand across his chest, feeling the raised lines beneath his damp Critter Catchers polo. “A lot happened over the weekend.”

“Like what?”

“Let’s release the squirrels, and I’ll fill you in.”

Jugs squinted as he sipped his tea. “I’m not going to like it, am I?”

“Do you ever like anything I tell you?”

“I like when you tell me you’re leaving for the day.”

Cody let him have that one. He’d kind of walked into it.

It was a bit cooler under the trees around Parson’s Pond, but still humid. Cody pulled the truck off the sandy trail, and he and Jugs got out. They carried the cages a short distance into the woods to release the squirrels, standing back to watch them scurry up trees. Once they’d returned the cages to the truck and Cody lifted the tailgate, Jugs leaned against the back.

“Okay, Bonker, talk.”

He told him all of it, including his and Demmy’s argument. Jugs swore through most of it, and by the time Cody had finished, he was pacing and waving his hands overhead.

“Vampires? Again?”

“Yep.”

“And now there’s a vampire bar just sitting out there in the middle of some cornfields?”

“Yep.”

“And, what? We’re just supposed to be okay with all this?” Jugs stopped to stare at him.

“Marlowe protected us when her patrons started to get worked up.”

“Worked up?” Jugs started pacing again. “Worked up? That’s how you’re going to describe the way they want to tear out your throat and guzzle your blood?”

“Look, I knew this would upset you⁠—”

“Upset me?” He stopped again, eyes wide enough to show the whites all around. “I’m beyond upset. I’ve reached really fucking alarmed.”

“Maybe that sweet tea wasn’t such a good idea. You really need to calm down.”

“Calm down?” Jugs’s register had gone way up. “How am I supposed to calm down when there are vampires all around us?”

“Because you’re getting into high-pitched whiny mode, and I already have a headache.”

Jugs took a step closer and pointed at him. “You and I both almost died at that wedding back in June. Same thing happened when that fucking witch released that demon, not to mention the previous vampire invasion, and the werewolves before that, and all the other terrifying things that have happened here. How is anyone who lives in this town or this fucking county supposed to be calm?”

It went on that way for a little longer until Jugs had released enough steam for his voice to return to its normal pitch. When he finally collapsed against the tailgate, arms draped over the top and chin resting on them, Cody spoke.

“You done?”

Jugs glared from the corner of his eye.

“I’ll take that as a yes. Look, I don’t know what the next steps are. Demmy and I need to get everyone together to talk through it all. What we do know, though, is Bastian is dangerous on multiple levels. Not only is he an asshole disciple of Xavier’s and has pretty much picked up where his idol left off, but he’s also running this Fang operation.”