Two days later I was looking around my room at the Lockwood Mansion. I had packed up everything. Including the money I stole from Miss Slade. There was a knock. "Come in," I said.
The door opened and in came Eve. "Hey, Fire," she said.
I smiled. "Is that the nickname everyone has finally settled on?"
She grinned. "Would you prefer Saph?"
I wrinkled my nose. "If anyone calls me that, I'll set Slash on them."
She laughed. "Then it's a good thing we settled on Fire." She looked around. I had all ten boxes stacked against the wall with a bag of my electronics on top. "Do you remember when we first met?"
I raised an eyebrow. "It was only a month ago so yeah."
She nodded. "You had only a backpack and flat our refused to have anything to do with monsters."
"And now I'm a member of the Dark Savers," I finished for her. Then my phone rang. "With an annoying boyfriend." I hung up and texted him to let him know I was busy talking to Eve.
"Is everything between you two okay?" She asked.
"Beside him being overprotective? Yeah." And he calls a lot but that's because we now live in two separate places and he wants to make sure I'm okay.
She frowned. "What is he protecting you from?"
I sighed. "He doesn't trust my dad."
"None of us do."
"Not yet anyway."
"Scott told me you guys got rid of everything in the barn."
"We did. Now Dad wants to make it into a clinic."
She blinked. "Really?"
I nodded. "An animal and monster clinic. Since people are starting to get pet monsters."
Eve huffed. "Don't remind me."
I frowned. "Why?" I already knew why but I wanted to hear her say it.
She rolled her eyes at me to let me know she knew what I was doing. "Mary just got a Puffer," she grumbled.
I laughed. "That must bring back some memories."
She scowled. "I can't believe Lizzy told you that story."
"I was curious."
She groaned. "I wish my first monster had been something different."
"It's better than mine," I said.
"True," she agreed. "Mary brags about her first monster. Mom actually had to ask her to stop talking about it."
"She shouldn't brag anyway. She had been scared and asked me what to do. Which was stupid because her family is the monster hunters."
"Huh. She forgot to mention that."
It doesn't make for a good story, does it?" I frowned. "What does she say I do?"
"She says you froze up and wouldn't move. Apparently, she had to grab your hand to make you run."
I scowled. "So she made me the weak one."
"Yup."
"The little pain," I muttered. There was a small sound from under the bed. "Oh, that reminds me!" I reached down and scooped up the little ball of fur. "Eve, this is a baby Slasher." I handed the little thing to her.
She cradled it. "It's beautiful."
"It's a girl and she's yours."
Eve blinked. "Mine?"
I nodded. "Slash already trained her to not use her claws unless she's protecting you."
"I don't understand. Why are you giving her to me?"
"I'm giving her to you as a thank you. Without you, I wouldn't have figured out that monsters need to be part of my life. So thanks."
She smiled. "I'm glad I could help."
"What are you going to name her?"
She thought for a minute. "Fear."
I giggled. "Because Slashers are scary?" Slash rubbed against my legs.
"Yes." She giggled too.
When we stopped I said, "It's perfect."
Eve nodded and stayed silent for a minute. "Fire, I told the Dark Savers and now I'll tell you. I'm leaving the team."
"What? Why?"
"I just don't feel like investigating monsters anymore."
"Who's going to be our leader then?" I asked.
"Well, that's another thing we talked about. Everyone agrees you should lead them."
I blinked. "Me? Lead them?" Holy shit! I never thought I would lead them.
"Yes," she said.
I thought about it. "Alright. I'll do it."
She smiled. "Good."
"What are you going to be doing now?"
"I want to be a vet." She paused. "Do you think your dad will hire me?"
"Yes, he will," Dad said as he came into the room.
"As long as you can handle him talk about himself in the third person," I said rolling my eyes at my father. He's here to drive me to our house. You know, he's been trying to spend a lot of time with me and my brothers. Which is why he was here now. Talking in the third person is something he does when he hears people talking about him.
"Hey, don't crimp my style," Dad said. He turned to Eve. "You're hired. I've just got to get a bit more stuff and we'll be opened for business."
Eve nodded. "Okay. But I'll have to find a place to stay."
"You'll stay with us," I said firmly. She nodded. I turned to my father. "Dad, will you please put the boxes in the car? I need to go and say bye to the others."
"Sure," Dad said and picked up a box.
I went to the living room. "Mr and Mrs. Lockwood, thank you for letting me stay here."
"It was no trouble dear," Mrs. Lockwood said.
I smiled. Then turned to the others. "I'll see the rest of you when we have a monster to investigate."
They all nodded. "I can't wait for my first investigation," Mary said. Yeah, she joined so she could spend more time with Jordon.
"Morgan will call everyone when we get one," I promised.
"Good."
"Oh, and anyone who calls me Saph will have Slash to answer to." I just thought it would be good to get that out there so they don't make a mistake and call me Saph.
Bennet groaned. "Eve told you we were thinking about it?" Mary inched away from him and the other copied her.
I raised an eyebrow. "Yes. You aren't the one who suggested it, are you, Ben?"
"No!" He said a little too quickly which told me he was.
I snorted. They all knew I could tell when someone lied to me but they still do it. It's ridiculous and a little insulting but whatever. "You did but don't worry. I won't set Slash on you."
He let out a sigh of relief. "That's good."
"Yet," I added and ran to the car.
"Ready to go?" Dad asked.
"Yup." We drove off.