The Target

Chapter Eight - Closer Together

"How about a movie and some hot chocolate? To get our minds off how f****d up our lives are."

I furrowed my brows at her, "Are you sober now?"

She laughed, "I am.. I think... Oh God I pray that I didn't embarrass myself earlier."

It was around 8 and she has been sleeping for more than 5 hours. I bet she was sober. She also smelled so good I could tell that she cleaned up before coming down the stairs.

I smiled and turned to the television that was playing, "You can go make the hot chocolate. I can't wait to taste it."

"Are you okay?" she asked again and I sat on the couch and ignored her question. The truth was I wasn't okay and I didn't want to burden her with my problems, worse because she was already dealing with a husband who was sleeping with a kid half his age.

I took the remote and started browsing through the channels. It seemed like everything that was playing was all boring.

"Here .. I'll bring a blanket." Martha said and I took the mug she was holding.

I watched as she put her mug on the coffee table before leaving.

I continued to check the TV until I reached the music channel. Nothing interesting seemed to be on.

She came back and then sighed after throwing the blanket to me, "Look now I forgot to take another blanket.."

I furrowed my brows for her, "For what?"

"Me ..."

"Come on Martha.. I don't bite unless I have to.. You can share a blanket with me... Besides I'm not cold."

She stood there and looked at me, just looked and didn't say anything. I furrowed my brows at her until I realized what I said. I laughed, "Oh God I didn't mean that sexually.. I just mean I don't bite humans."

She ached her brows, "If you don't bite humans then what are you?"

I laughed more, "Let me just shut up. Come and share. I don't mind sharing."

She smiled a bit and nodded her head. She took her mug and I fixed myself and the blanket so that she could join me on the couch.

I placed the blanket over her after she sat next to me and looked at her," See this is big enough for two people. Unless you like running up the stairs."

She laughed, "Shut up.. What's playing."

"Everything that's boring."

She took the remote and started browsing through the channels as if she didn't believe me.

I smiled a bit while looking at her. I hated what had happened but I knew she was my mate the first day I saw her. We connected in a way I've never connected with anyone and her being married was just the biggest problem, also that was probably the last straw to my father and he was definitely going to disown me as his child.

But he knew how imprinting works, I had no control over it and I still say she deserves the best and I'd exactly be that for her until she marches out of this loveless marriage.

"Stop .." she whispered and I swear if I didn't have extended hearing abilities I would have missed it, I furrowed my brows at her, "Stop what?"

She looked at me for a while, "Stop looking at me like that."

"Like what?" I asked and she just stared at me as if she didn't know how to explain it. I smiled and took a sip at my hot chocolate, "This is actually great. You are not a lost cause in the kitchen after all.. Look at you filling my stomach with sweet somethings."

She laughed and poked me, "Oh my God you are horrible."

I winked at her and looked at the channel she stopped on. A kid was running in the woods screaming for her mother.

"So you like horror? You have a child and watch such things.."

She immediately changed the channel, "I bet you are so boring at parties..."

I chuckled, "Coward .."

"So ... Who's Lucia..?" she asked after a few seconds of silence between us.

I took a very deep breath and then slowly let it out.

"You can tell me only if you're comfortable. You don't have to say anything."

"My ex... She's my ex." I said truthfully.

"Oh .. So what did she do? Or what did you do?"

I laughed and put my now empty cup on the table before getting comfortable next to her, "God I love how much little faith you have in me."

She laughed, "Sorry .. There is always two sides to a story."

"Okay smart person... Well, I was dating her for 3 years I think. I took her to meet my family and she was really happy. We were amazing... And my family learnt to love her regardless of the differences between us and her. So two years ago she told me she wants a family and she wants a baby immediately."

Martha smiled at the mention of a baby and I internally smiled too.

"I wasn't ready to be a parent so I told her no... And we fought everyday until I went out one day and had s*x with another girl.. I suck at keeping secrets. I told her what I did and she broke up with me..."

"Why did you do that? Why ruin a 3 year relationship by just doing that?"

I thought carefully before responding to her, "As a cop then, my job wasn't safe at all and the people I delt with would have definitely used my family against me.. And also babies scared me a bit then... But most importantly something was missing between us. That thing that made us click, that little thing that is actually important in a relationship. It was missing. So the relationship was just us staying together and having s*x 4 times a week and... "

She gasped stopping me midsentence," You had s*x 4 times a week? "

I shrugged," Or 5 times.. "

" Wooow .. Really..?"

I laughed," That's not the important part here Martha... So I hated the routine coz it was now tiring. We were not going to work even if I had agreed for us to have a baby. Babies don't fix broken relationships, they just add more to what's really happening, they become the baggage and probably the only reason we are together even though we are not happy with each other. And it's so sad that they'd now be stuck in that f****d up mess.. So I didn't want that."

She looked back at the screen and said nothing. She was thinking about what I had said. I kept quiet and let her.

I wanted to change the subject but I wasn't going to ask her about her marriage because I didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

"You say that one thing was missing. What is that? How do you know when you have it with your partner?"

I smiled at her asking that, "You just know. You feel enough, you don't feel any yearning for anything outside because what you are getting at home is more than enough. You feel complete. I know because I was born with that... Can you believe that my parents knew they were soul mates when they were 12 and 14?"

" What ? That young?"

I smiled," It's a gift we have and it is also a curse because you can find someone that you feel everything for and you find that they feel everything for someone else. So my parents were blessed to have met. Now my dad expect us all to be like that. I mean he's already disappointed that I'm a lesbian, I just had to go and 'ruin' the only relationship he was trying to put up with for whatever reason."

"Woow ...so have you moved on from your last relationship? Are you seeing someone?"

I furrowed my brows at her a bit and wondered if she really doesn't remember everything that happened earlier on. Her asking this meant she didn't remember because I answered this question to her friends.

" Well ... "

" So you're seeing someone? " she said when I didn't finish off my sentence.

I laughed, "It's a bit complicated.. I've seen someone that I feel the deepest connection with..."

She smiled, "Oh really? Who? Please let it not be one of my friends."

I laughed and decided to tell her the truth, "It's you.."

She rolled her eyes and laughed also, "So you are really not going to tell me?"

I took her hot chocolate and started drinking it. She smiled, "I'll take that as a yes."

I kept quiet and tried to concentrate on whatever was playing on TV.

After a few minutes of quietness I looked at her, "If you had to pick between Leslie and your company what would you take and lose?"

She furrowed her brows, "That's a really stupid question. Leslie is my life. I'd do anything for her, I'd quit the darn job for her."

"Would you sell drugs for her?"

She looked at me weirdly, "What the? What?"

I laughed, "I'm just trying so hard not to ask you anything about your marriage.."

She nodded her head, "Oh God.. Ohh.. Yeah that now makes sense.. And no, I'd not do drugs for her. I mean I rather die that break the law."

So she wasn't the criminal. I noted that in my head.

"Why are you married to Robert Martha."

She looked at me, "You asked me this question before."

"Do you feel that thing? That little detail. Do you have it with him.."

She laid back on the couch, "Give me my hot chocolate I'm feeling a bit cold."

"Lean on me and put the blanket over you. Like I said I don't bite unless I have to. Be comfortable."

She did what I was asking. Rested her head on my shoulder and looked at the television. We kept quite and I mentally told myself that she wasn't going to respond to my question. Maybe it was too deep or she didn't feel comfortable answering it to me.

We watched the television silently and I smiled. This felt really good. Made my heart feel at ease.

"I love him.." she said after a while, "I love him and we had that thing.. But it's not there anymore... At least for him because he can't even touch me."

My heart broke at that. I moved my hand over her shoulder and pulled her closer to me. I squeezed her hand a bit just to show her that I heard. I didn't want to insult her marriage, at least not to her face . But it was not a marriage. She and Leslie deserved so much more than Robert.

..

'Pumpkin ... Mommy... ' I heard someone say. I slowly opened my eyes and found that I was laying on my back on the couch and Martha was laying on top of me. How we got like this I have no idea. But her being in between my legs like this immediately made me horny.

' Mommy ... Daddy..' I heard again.

I closed my eyes and opened them they were now gold. I looked around the house for where Leslie was.

I found her upstairs holding her favourite doll and her blanket. I wanted to get up and go to her but her mother was sound asleep on top of me. I sighed and watched Leslie come down stairs.

"Pumpkin.." I said and she followed the sound. She stood next to us in the couch and smiled, "Is mommy your baby?"

I tried so hard not to laugh, "Yes ... We don't want to wake my baby now do we?"

"No ... I want food. I am hungry.." she said.

"Okay ... So the stove is bigger than you.. Which means you can't eat unless I get up from here.."

She poked her mother's ears, "Mommy ... Is mommy a dog...?"

I laughed, Leslie better not tell on me about being a dog or I'd kill her cute self.. Martha slowly opened her eyes and then she jumped when she realized where she was sleeping.

Leslie laughed, "Mommy is awake.."

"That she is."

Martha stretched herself a bit and then she looked away from me, "God.. Sorry I slept on you.. You are so warm."

I laughed, "It's in my blood."

"Okay and I apologise for you seeing me like this also. I'm probably scaring you away."

I just looked at her with her messed up hair. She looked cute and I could get used to seeing that every morning.

"Don't be silly. You look great."

She got up, "Yeah Riiiiiight ..." she dragged that before turning away, "I'm going to freshen up."

Leslie followed her mother, "Mommy I want food.."

"Please ..." her mother said, "You have to use the word please Leslie.. Say something like 'Mommy can I have some food please..'"

"Nooooo .." Leslie screamed making me laugh. She was going to be trouble that one.

I got up and folded the blanket we had on before taking the mugs to the kitchen. I made my way upstairs and took a quick shower then headed downstairs.

They were still not there. I started making the simplest breakfast, bacon and eggs then toasted bread.

They joined me when I was done.

"I hope you guys are hungry.."

"Eggs ..." Leslie jumped on me and I laughed, "Definitely your favourite pumpkin." I said picking her up and putting her on her chair.

"You shouldn't have done this.." Martha said and I sighed, "So you're not hungry?"

She shook her head, "I'm not saying I'm not it's just that.."

I shook my head cutting her off, "We both know you are bad at making this. So please make us that amazing hot chocolate so we can have it with breakfast."

She laughed and went to do the hot chocolate and I sat next to Leslie who was already eating.

We all ate and cleaned up after that. I sighed," I'm leaving.. I have to check if my apartment is still standing." she nodded her head,"Thank you for staying over the weekend. I know you didn't sign up for it so I'll pay you double for that."

"No it was not trouble so please don't do that.. Besides I had a g..." my phone started ringing cutting me off.

Fuck.. It was Sunday and I had to report to my boss.

I got up, "I have a call to make first."

"Pumpkin is a dog.." she said and I laughed while going up, "True that pumpkin."

"Stop saying Sandra is a dog Leslie.."

"But she is.." Leslie argued and her mother shushed her making me laugh.

I reached the guest bedroom and called my boss back.

'I thought you were going to report today?'

"Apologies Chief, I'm at the Pillow mansion. Mrs Pillow asked me to stay behind because she had friends over."

'And the call I got from your dad? Is it true.'

"You know I can't control who I imprint on uncle.." I said and he sighed, 'Chief... I'm chief right now Sandra..'

Well... My father was such a bore for telling on me.

"Chief ..sorry." I said thinking if he wanted us to be formal then I'll give him that, "Robert Pillow is still under investigation, I followed him on Saturday and found that he is having an affair. There's also a secret call he had during the week that I still need to follow up on. But I'll ask the tech girl to help me with that.."

'Oh yeah about that? So you used our resources to follow Robert.'

I sighed," I didn't know I wasn't allowed to use the little gadgets to try and get the information that is needed to get the weapon. Am I not allowed to use the tech girl also? Am I expected to use my Werewolf abilities only to find out something I know nothing about... chief? "

'I'm not saying....'

"Then what are you saying? Look I know you're mad at me because my father is mad, but I don't have magic, my speed, my excessive seeing, hearing and also anything that is inhuman about me won't be the only thing helping me here. You need proof right, I need gadgets to get that. I need to know where he is going and I need Bridget and the tech people to track him. If you want me here blindsided then just tell me so I'll know that this is a suicide mission."

He sighed, 'Sandra calm down..'

" As I was saying... Last night I found out that Martha is not involved. I did some checkings in her routes and nothing is out of the way. As for her husband, he is a different story though so I need to look into that more chief."

'Sandra...' he said and I closed my eyes trying to calm down," Chief... "

'Sandra...'

" Chief... "

'You imprinted on her... You protected her from any of your kind.. You've been there for a week and already you are what? In love with her?'

"I know what I did Chief... And I know what it entails. For the last time to you and my father, that is uncontrollable. Now, if we are done with this briefing I'd like to leave."

'I'm sorry.. I'm sorry that your father is mad. He is just worried about you.'

"He is worried about his reputation. You should have heard him on the phone last night.. But that doesn't matter. Look chief I have to go. I hope what I said makes sense and I hope I'll get the help I'll need."

' Yeah ... You will get the help you need. I'll talk to the best of the best to stay in touch with you.'

"Thanks .. Bye.."

I hung up and took the deepest breath. Martha was no longer a target... That was a relief to me.

Now the only thing I needed to do was to find out what her husband was up to, who he is sleeping with and who he is talking to, all that was going to lead me to the source of this. I was going to find out what was happening and put an end to this.