I Put a Spell on You

rated M

Jackson stuffed his cell back into his pocket and exited his vehicle. Checking his surroundings, he made sure he had his trusty 9mm pistol by his side before he headed into the diner.

He'd just gotten off the phone with Sam Winchester, a fellow hunter, acquaintance and brother of Dean Winchester. Probably the most famous of hunters, the duo had contacted him regarding a case involving Vetala's. Currently, on the other side of the country, they weren't available to follow up on it, so they reached out to a few hunters who they knew near Seattle and he popped up on their radar. This wasn't his usual stomping grounds and the only reason he'd been so far on the west coast was because he'd been tailing a pack of werewolves that he'd managed to track down and kill one by one over the course of a month.

Frankly, Jackson was surprised they'd even bother to take on as many cases as they did. The Winchesters were infamous for attracting trouble; more than the average hunter, not to mention either triggering or preventing the end of the world. He'll admit, he didn't think highly of them in the beginning, but Bobby had needed the three of them on a hunt involving a band of ghosts who'd haunting a high school in Missouri. Jackson had been impressed with the brothers and learned a bit more about their history. Since then, they'd become constant contacts, sharing intel and possible cases, even more since Bobby had been killed.

Today, he was meeting another hunter by the name of Kepner. She'd been recommended by Sam as someone who'd be worthy of helping him with his monster problem. Dean had put the word out several years ago that Vetala's thought to be loners, preyed on their victims in pairs. Knowing that he couldn't tackle the job alone, he asked them for the name of a hunter who'd be skilful enough to hang with him.

Jackson didn't know much about this Kepner person and all Sam had said was that she was a veteran in the game and typically stuck to the eastern seaboard, but had made a locale change recently. She was supposedly exceedingly intelligent, well versed in the lore and quite the huntress. He'd asked Sam for a description of her so that he'd be able to spot her right away, but Dean snatched the phone out of his hand said you'll know her when you see her, called him pretty boy then hung up the phone. Dean often teased him about being a hunter who also happened to look like a male model. Like he had room to talk.

Walking into the eatery, he peered around the establishment, getting a bead on the occupants. It was second nature for him to scope the place out before he deemed it safe to enter. Looking around, he saw several couples, a few groups stuffed into tables that didn't appear large enough to accommodate them entirely, and three female diners who were eating unaccompanied.

The first one was an older woman, most likely in her early sixties and he doubted that she the person he was supposed to be meeting. The second had her back to the door. She was a redhead and petite, dressed in a pink blouse, black jeans and Keds on her feet. He moved past her thinking his contact would look a bit tougher, so he fixated on the third. She was tall, close to six feet, with a medium build and an expression that said she didn't take any shit.

Approaching the beefy brunette, he stuck his hand out in greeting, "Kepner?"

She scowled at him from her menu, a scowl on her face, "What?"

"Are you Kepner?" he asked again.

As the woman opened her mouth to respond, he heard a high-pitched voice address him from over his shoulder.

"Avery, over here."

He turned around and was immediately taken aback at the sight before him. This was not what he had been expecting.

Jackson prided himself on noticing people. Taking in every minute detail of their appearances to aid in assessing their character. That he'd naturally assumed the brunette had been his colleague when he'd instantly dismissed the unassuming woman who now stood to meet him had thrown his system into an array. She certainly didn't look like a hunter, but he also knew that looks could be deceiving.

The fair skinned, fiery-haired beauty was about five-five, thin, but curvy with jade green eyes that peered into his soul.

"Hi, nice to meet you," she said as she held out her hand.

Jackson stood there with his mouth agape, momentarily stunned by the beauty before him. She stared at him, one eyebrow raised in confusion. It took him a few seconds to snap out of his bewildered state before he returned the gesture.

"Yeah, sorry. I'm Avery," he said, offering her his most charming smile in an effort to reassure her that he was not some weirdo.

"Sit?" she said, pointing toward the booth.

Jackson climbed into the seat across from her and picked up a menu. She'd been in the middle of eating a burger and fries which staggered him because looking at her, he'd naturally assumed she was a salad's only kind of chick.

Perusing the choices, he motioned for the waitress and ordered a burger and fries, same as hers with a side of coleslaw.

"So, Kepner, how's it going?" he asked.

"Please, call me April. Kepner is so formal and we'll be killing monsters together, so we might as well be on a first name basis," she said and presented him with a smile so brilliant, he'd almost expected to hear a tinging sound.

"Okay then, April, you can call me Jackson. So, Sam tells me you have all the information we need regarding these Vetala's?"

"Yeah," she began, pulling a laptop from her bag, "he forwarded me all the data they had and with the supplemental material I'd reached, I was able to get a complete picture of what we have in store for us. The two culprits have been trolling targets for several months in the area. So far, I've estimated there had been no less than four victims. No one knows where they originated, but these are the first crimes we've seen of this variety in these parts. Their last kill was over a week ago, but according to their pattern, we can expect to see a new victim within the next few days. I've been able to triangulate their location to this area," she said, indicating a series of red marks on a map she'd opened up in front of him, "and our best bet for attacking them is in the morning as they feed and before they leave their lair because they typically stalk for their objects to consume at night."

Jackson was impressed. Not only was she gorgeous, but she had done her research. He wasn't the type of guy who generally based his lasting opinion of someone on their initial encounter, but April was a pleasant surprise.

"You've really got a handle on this don't you?" he inquired.

Her tongue pushed against the inside of her cheek, she chuckled, "Let me guess. As soon as you saw me, you imagined I wouldn't be this professional, probably not as prepared as you thought but ready nonetheless."

"I hope you're not offended and I'm not trying to diminish your talents, but you look like the type of woman who'd be more at home managing a business because you're obviously smart as hell. I picture you as a lawyer or a doctor maybe. You know picket fence, a husband and three kids," he said, hoping she didn't take his assessment as an insult.

"No, it's okay, you're not the first person to question my abilities," she replied, stuffing the map back in her bag, "and if you'd prefer to work with someone else, I understand."

Jackson reached out and grasped her wrist, "Wait, no. That's not what I meant. I'd be honored to work with you. You seem invested and I assure you I was not trying to offend you. I find you interesting and I'm guilty of creating this scenario in my head about the life you'd have if you weren't doing this."

"Well, we all have our own story," she said hauntingly.

He waited for her to say more, but conceded when she bit into her burger, eating with gusto.

Wanting to alleviate the awkwardness, he went back to the case.

"So, you were saying we should hit them in the morning. What's the method to destroy them?" he queried.

"Yeah, I think mornings best. We should take them by surprise and the longer we're in town, the greater chance they get wind of us and once they take off, odds of locating them again might be difficult. As far as killing them, a silver knife to the heart will do nicely,"

He nodded his head in agreement, "Sounds like a plan."

They focused on finishing their meals and when the check came, he grabbed it from the tray.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm paying the check," he said

"I'm perfectly capable of paying for my own food," she said incensed.

Jackson reached in his wallet and plunked down a twenty, "I know, I'm just being polite. Besides, you're the one who did all the legwork, least I can do is shell out for the meal."

Though she tried to appear angered by his deed, the growing smile on her face and creeping blush gave her away.

"Fine," she said, but once we're down kicking their asses, our celebratory meal is on me."

"Deal," he said, giving her a beaming smile in return.

They headed out to their cars and Jackson trailed her to hers.

"Where are you staying tonight?" he asked, curious.

"I'm over at the Tellford motel in Redmon. I've stayed there before. It's not too sleazy and it's safe. You?" she inquired.

He hesitated, not sure if he should lie to her or not. Choosing to be honest, he confessed, "I'm at the Four Seasons."

The change in her appearance didn't escape his vision.

Jackson didn't like to reveal too much about himself to his associates. Not that he didn't' trust them to keep his business private, he just didn't like people to presume they knew things about him. He wasn't some playboy who was doing this to kicks. This was a calling and right now, he couldn't hope to do anything else.

Jackson was a wealthy man and had a net worth of about 150 million dollars. Now, anyone with common sense would think him crazy for choosing to run around across the country, chasing down ghosts, vampires and demons. They'd assume he should be sitting poolside with a drink in his hand, ogling exotic beauties on the beaches of Maldives, but he had a reason for why he did what he did and nothing, not even money would deter him from his goals. No, he wasn't the Winchesters and didn't plan on doing this for the rest of his life. He wanted to settle done eventually, have a family. But for right now, this is what he needed to do. He knew it was rare for a hunter to leave once they'd been indoctrinated in the life, but then again, there were some who'd been able to balance having a personal life with honoring the duties of hunting.

He waited for her to make a joke or comment pertaining to his affluence, but was pleased with her response, or rather, lack thereof.

"I think we should meet about 6 am, down by the docks," she said. No hint of sarcasm at all in her tone.

"Sounds good," he replied in anything clever to say.

He didn't know why, but he didn't want to let her go but knew it would be creepy if he tried to invite her back to his hotel room. He hadn't expected anything to happen between them, he only wanted to talk. He had friends, but not many he could talk to about the hunter lifestyle. Bobby was gone, Garth was in the wind, Sam and Dean were guarded and stuck together like glue. Apart from Castiel, and Jody, not many were included in their inner circle.

He watched her until she pulled off and left for his own hotel.

Jackson entered his room, turned the t.v. to ESPN and jumped into a hot shower. He didn't plan on going anywhere else tonight so crawled right into bed, pulled the blanket up to his chin and fell asleep somewhere between the Wizards game and Sports Center.

The next morning, he woke up earlier then he needed too so he'd be ready to meet April. He put on his Carhart with the extra pockets, not sure how much firepower he'd need and his sterling silver dagger. Double checking his cell before he left out, he put the do not disturb sign on the door and headed out.

As expected, April was already there. He didn't know anything concrete about her, just assumptions, but he got the feeling that she was the type of person who was always prompt and didn't suffer fools.

"Morning," he said as he handed her a cup of coffee. He'd stopped at the local Top Pot Doughnuts before the fifteen-minute ride out here.

She greedily grabbed at the container and took a sip, "Um, thank you. You don't know how much I needed this."

"How'd you sleep last night," he asked, not sure why. It wasn't like he was overly concerned if she'd gotten rest or not. He just needed something to say to her.

"Fine. The occupants in the next room kept it down to a dull roar," she said with a guffaw.

"Alright," she began as she pulled her out the same map from last night and spread it across the hood of his car, "this building right here is where I believe their stomping grounds are. As you know, they hunt in pairs but don't necessary subsist in that manner. They may be inside together, or we might just catch one."

Jackson adjusted his gun belt, "Well, whatever we do, I don't think we should split up once we're inside."

"I don't think that'd be a smart idea either," she concurred.

Folding the map and stuffing it in her cargo pant side pocket, she went to her car, pulled out a gun that he thought was almost bigger than she was and waved him on to follow her.

Jackson wasn't used to people ordering him around, but in her case, he thought it wasn't a problem if he bent the rules.

They'd been exploring the interior for over an hour. Checking larger spaces, corridors, offices, even restrooms and loading docks.

"You think your intel was wrong," he asked.

She shook her head in dispute "No, all signs point to this being the right spot. If we don't find anything in the next thirty minutes, we'll call it and reformulate our strategy."

Half an hour later, they were about to give up when they heard a faint wailing from about thirty feet away. Signaling for her to take the rear, he crept down the dark hallway until he came upon a partially closed door.

Jackson whispered over his shoulder, "I see one of them with their prey. Not sure where the other one is, but something tells me, she's close."

"Why don't you take the lead and I'll lay back. Maybe we can set a trap," she suggested.

Giving her the thumbs up to indicate he approved, he stepped forward and slowly opened the door hoping that it didn't creak and give away his position. His weapon trained out in front of him, he watched at the blond female grab hold of the man's throat and lean over him.

"I believe it's time for me to have my breakfast," she declared.

"Yeah, I don't think that's gonna be happening," he interrupted loudly.

She whipped her head around, hand still clutching her victim's throat, vertical pupils ablaze.

"Let me guess, a hunter," she said, releasing the man's neck and faced him full on, "and I suppose you're here to kill me."

He shrugged his shoulder nonchalantly, "Something like that. How about you let the guy go and you and I can have a little chat."

She gave him a seductive glare, "I'm sorry but I don't think so. What is going to happen is that you are going to let me have my feast and I promise, I'll be as gentle as I can before I make you my next meal."

"Eh, I don't think so bitch. I'll be leaving, along with your breakfast and you'll be off to Purgatory, where all your kind go after I kill you," he said a smirk on his lips.

She sucked her teeth at him, "That would work except for one little thing."

"Hmm, and what's that?" he asked.

An evil grin spread across her face, "I'm not here alone."

Suddenly, Jackson felt a set of arms wrap around his neck and apply pressure.

The other female spoke closely in his ear, "Mmm, I see you've found us another snack and this one looks absolutely delicious."

"Well actually, he came to me. Like special delivery," she cackled maniacally.

Coughing, trying to take in some air, he tried to speak, "Except… I think… there's a flaw… with your proposal."

"Yeah, and what's that?" the one facing him said.

Without warning, April appeared and stabbed the second Vetala through the back in line with where her heart lay, "He didn't come alone either," she exclaimed.

He felt the arms slip away and the blond one let out a howling screech and just as she charged, he raised his arm and fired six shots. The bullets only fazed her and when she rushed toward him again, he drew his knife from its sheath and jammed it into her heart and as her partner had, she decomposed instantaneously.

"Right in the nick of time," he said to April, wiping the blood off on his coat.

"I wouldn't have left you hanging," she said and patted him on the back

They untied the victim; Melvin Haggard and helped him to his feet. He'd been drained for days so his weak from partial dehydration and delirious. April went to her car to obtain a first aid kit and they cleaned him up best they could. She had also been thinking ahead and brought along a pint of O negative blood to transfuse what he had lost. Though it was no longer considered a universal blood type for donation, it would do in a pinch.

They explained to Melvin exactly what had happened to him and what those creatures were. Normally, they had a tough time trying to get the public to believe them about all the evil and crazy things that existed, but Melvin barely took any convincing at all. They explained to him that it would be in his best interest to keep the details of this incident to himself. Don't call the police or go to the hospital. It'd be harder trying to explain his injuries and hospital staff may alert the authorities of his condition. They told him they'd drop him off at the place he'd been abducted and suggested he come up with a cover story for his disappearance. April could tell he was still shaken and took him back to her car while Jackson disposed of the bodies.

By the time he returned to his own car and assured her he'd cleaned up any trace of them having been there, it was about twelve o'clock and he didn't know about April, but he was starving.

"Hey, since we're all done here, why don't we go grab something to eat?" he recommended.

She didn't even give it a second thought before taking him up on his offer, "Sure, I could definitely eat. Where do you want to go? I could suggest something. I'm familiar with the area."

"I was thinking we could go back to my hotel. They have an awesome menu and after this morning we deserve a treat," he proposed.

Her mouth twisted, she glared him, "Look, I don't know what kind of girl you think I am, but I'm not gonna sleep with you. We just met."

"What? No, no, no! That was not my intention. I swear," he said holding his hand up in the recognizable Boy Scout salute.

She bit the inside of her cheek and considered him momentarily, "Alright, you seem harmless enough. Besides, I could kick your butt if I needed to."

Jackson laughed at her confidence, "I have no doubt in my mind that you could. You're kind of bad ass. A dynamo wrapped inside of a small package," he said jokingly.

She grimaced and pushed him playfully.

"Say, do you have a change of clothes with you?" he asked taking note of both his and her filthy attire.

"Yeah, why?" she questioned.

"Well, I was going to suggest that while I ordered the food, you can get cleaned up. There's a sweet steam shower in my room and I promise you, it's like heaven," he guaranteed.

"So, not only do you invite me to your room for lunch but now you want me to shower there too," she asked, blinking rapidly.

"Yeah," he confirmed as if asking her to use his shower were the most innocent thing in the world, "I promise, I have no ulterior motives."

She pointed at him and waggled her finger, "Nothing fishy?"

"Nothing fishy," he assured her.

"Okay, let's go," she said and walked off to her car and awaiting Melvin.

She followed him back to his hotel and grabbed a backpack from her trunk when they arrived. Upon entering his room, he had her look over the menu and make her selections then offered her use of the bathroom first. He busied himself straitening the room and fifteen minutes later she pranced out, wrapped only in a towel, her damp hair stuck to her skin.

Jackson gulped hard at the figure before him. He'd had an image in his head of what she looked like undressed but was thrilled with the reality. She had freckles that dotted her velvety pale skin, strong, toned arms and despite her height, legs that didn't seem to quit.

She lifted a second towel she had in her hand and rubbed it over her scalp, "Shower's all yours."

"Uh, thanks. Food should be here in another ten. I'll be out in a flash," he said and hurried out of the room, the beginnings of a hard-on approaching.

While he was in the shower, he concentrated on washing himself and not the half-naked bombshell in the other room. He couldn't deny, she was hot, and it had been a while since he'd had the company of the female persuasion. Oh, it wasn't like he had any problems getting a woman if he wanted to, he was just at a point in his life where one-night stands didn't appeal to him anymore.

Following April's lead, he'd forgone any clothing and wrapped a towel around his waist and joined her.

Their food had arrived, and she'd arranged it on the table, so he set in front of her and dug in.

"Can I ask, what got you started in the business?" he asked, cutting into his steak.

She swallowed the piece of baked potato she'd been eating and said simply, "My family."

He looked at her confused, "What are they hunters too?"

"No. My entire family was killed by vampires," she stated flatly.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry," he said in all sincerity.

She waved him off, "It's been over twenty years now. I've moved on."

Jackson waited quietly, hoping she'd continue. He didn't want to pry, but he was interested in her.

She eyed him, not suspiciously, more as if she was wary. He figured she didn't tell her tale to too many people and was weighing whether she could trust him or not.

"I was five and a vampire couple invaded our farm in Ohio. My father had helped one of them when they stopped on our property claiming car trouble. My mom, being the devout Christian, she was, invited them in to have dinner with us while they called AAA for a tow. Of course, none would ever come, and they swarmed over us before we knew what was happening. My mom, dad and three sisters didn't stand a chance and just as I was about to be exsanguinated, my savior, Bobby Singer came crashing through the door," she said, her voice taking on an air of great sadness.

"Bobby. Damn, he was awesome," he said reflectively.

She approved, "Yes, he was. He protected me, got me safely to my grandparents and over the years he kept an eye on me, which I greatly appreciated."

"So, is that what made you want to do this?" he wondered.

"For sure. By the time I was sixteen, I was itching to get away from my grandparent's home. Oh, they were lovely but naïve. I tried telling them my version of events once, but they chastised me for spinning yarns. I never did say anything again and refused to talk about it to the shrinks they sent me to, to help deal with the trauma of the event. I didn't want to end up institutionalized and when I was eighteen, I split. I told them that I wanted to travel the world, but I ended up on the residing on the east coast instead. I'd made an initial stop to see Bobby and begged him to teach me how to be a hunter. Of course, he rejected me at first, but I was persistent. I told that him if he didn't give me the tools I needed to survive, I'd just have to learn as I go. He was reluctant, but he trained me for months. After going with him on several hunts where he let me take the lead, he pronounced me proficient and sent me on my way. I've been based in Seattle for a few years and along with a few other hunters, patrol the surrounding states."

Jackson was amazed by her story. Most people would be traumatized by such a horrible experience, especially from an early age, but the woman in front of him was resilient and determined.

It really turned him on.

"What about you, Jackson Avery? What's your tale of woe?" she asked.

Jackson chewed his food thoughtfully, as he pondered whether he would tell her the real account of his journey or an abbreviated version. He rarely included the sordid details of his origins as a hunter when speaking of it. The only person who knew the real story was Bobby Singer and he wouldn't be telling anyone from the grave. But he felt comfortable with April. He didn't get the sense she'd judge him for his family's mistakes, so he settled in and began his narrative.

"My grandfather Harper Avery was a mean old bastard. From an early age, I could remember how cold and distant he was, not only to my parents but to me. He was always harping on me the importance of living up to the family name and maintaining a respectable image. I was a representative of the Avery dynasty and he would not tolerate any disobedience from me. I didn't know what my grandfather did at that age, I just knew we were wealthy. My mom and dad were great and spoiled me, not with gifts and trinkets but with love. My dad worked as a lawyer and my mom was a paralegal at his firm. He was highly successful, specializing in corporate law. My parents, Catherine and Robert were killed in a car crash when I was fourteen and I had to move in with Harper. I hated it because I knew this would have been my parent's last wish. My maternal grandparents had tried to fight him for custody, but Harper was too powerful, and they didn't have the finances to battle him in court. The only kind thing Harper ever did for me was to allow me to maintain a relationship with them."

Jackson took a swig of his beer. He would need a drink before he delved into the next part.

"By the time I was seventeen, I'd gotten curious about where our family money came from. Asking Harper was out of the question, but I'd developed a talent that came to use. I'd always been good with computers and was able to hack into my grandfather's files and what I learned stunned me. It took me days to uncover all the data, but my grandfather dealt with and specialized in the underworld of the occult and all things paranormal. There was proof in his documents of dealings with demons, vampires, witches and the like. At first, I thought he'd discovered that I'd breached his firewall and planted the info to fuck with me. But the more I dug into the lore, the more I learned that it was true. I had intended to confront him when I found out something that shook me to my core. Harper kept meticulous records and I'm sure he never believed his secrets would see the light of day."

He swallowed hard before he began again, "My parent's death hadn't been an accident. Harper had been working a witch's coven leader named Aoife. Apparently, my dad had known what his father did and tried for years to get him to end his partnerships and all dealings with them. When he refused, my dad threatened to divulge the truth. He said he knew that people wouldn't believe him at first, but he was very persuasive. A week later, my parents were dead. I could never directly tie him to having a part in their deaths, but I was able to track down who was. A witch named Nimah had hexed them. I ascertained the police records of the crash and found the evidence they'd overlooked only because it's significance meant nothing to them. The only thing that stood out was a hoodoo bag that had been stuffed under the driver's side seat and was filled with rabbit's teeth, bird bones and various herbs. So, I did some more digging and found out what it was. I couldn't figure why they would be a target because I refused to believe my grandfather could do something like that to his own child and was convinced it was retaliation against Harper for something he'd done wrong. I confronted him and demanded he be honest with me. He told me I was being ridiculous and that he could get me some professional help if I needed it. But I knew he was lying. My grandfather had a tell and over time, I'd learned to recognize it. I had some money my parents left me and once I turned eighteen, I left his home and never looked back. I immersed myself in all things monster-ish and hooked up with Bobby a year later. By the time, I'd quite a bit of knowledge on my own and he helped me learn the rest. I hunted that witch down and killed her and I knew then and there I wasn't finished. I wanted to track down everyone on my grandfather's cohorts on his list and eradicate them from the earth."

She sat there her mouth agape, "And I thought my life was fucked up."

Jackson let out a huge belly laugh, and she joined him not long after. The irony of their situations not escaping them.

"Is that how you fund your lifestyle. Your parent's money?" she asked.

"Believe it or not, no. I had a substantial trust fund, but my grandfather died five years ago, and he left me in his will. Yeah, I know, shocked the shit out of me too," he said when he saw the look on her face.

"Maybe he forgot to take me out of it or maybe he just felt guilty. Anyway, the money's a good cover and gets me into a lot of unlikely places," he answered truthfully.

"What about you? How do you manage?" he asked.

"I actually have a job. I am a freelance writer and make my money that way. It's a good cover for me as well. It allows me the chance to travel and whipping out my press badge comes in handy," she said proudly.

Jackson didn't want to spoil the pleasant mood they'd created, but he really wanted to know "How much longer do you see yourself doing this?"

"I don't plan on being a hunter forever. I mean, I appreciate what people like the Winchesters do, but that's not how I want my story to end. I want a husband, kids. As a child, I'd fantasized about going to college. I love animals and wanted to be a vet and in the back of my mind, I hold onto the dream," she said, and he swore he could see the stars in her eyes.

"What about you? Are you a lifer?" she questioned.

"No way. I can see myself hunting a few more years if that, but I want the same things as you. Wife, kids, picket fence, backyard and the dog. I want someone to spend the rest of my life with," he said.

A silence fell over them and the air in the room became palpable as they gazed into each other's eyes.

Her eyes shifted away from his and she stood abruptly, "My hairs dry. I think I'd better get dressed and head out."

Jackson panicked and blocked her path.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I uh… I-I am going to kiss you," he stammered.

"Really?" she said, eyes wide in astonishment.

"Really," he stated boldly.

"You think so, huh?" she continued with no hint of expression on her face to give away her feelings on the subject.

Jackson squared his shoulders, "Yes."

"So, do you pull this routine on every woman you meet in every town?" she grilled him.

"No, I don't," he said affronted.

She tilted her head and squinted her eyes at him, "I believe you."

And that was the last thing she said as she stood on her tiptoes, wrapped her arms around his neck kissed him full and hard on the lips.

It didn't take long for them to maneuver themselves to the king size bed. Stripping their towels away, they proceeded to have the most incredible sex he'd ever had.

Jackson took his time with her. April wasn't just the type of woman you rushed. He kissed, licked and nipped at every square inch of her body and she, in turn, his. He went down on her and spent an absurd amount of time savoring her. She tasted so good and she was extremely responsive. She clenched her thighs around his head as her foot rubbed over his ass, moaning and writhing as she rubbed her nails lightly over his skull and when she came, he held her hips firmly, refusing to let her move away as he happily lapped up every drop.

He quickly got up from the bed, rummaged through his carry on and pulled out a condom. Rolling it on, he climbed on top of her and entered her swiftly. They spent hours with their hands touching, feeling and tracing every inch of the other's bodies. Moving together, thrusting, heaving, grinding, the pressure building, giving each other orgasm after orgasm until they were so spent they couldn't even bother to pull the sheets up to cover their once heated and now cooling bodies.

"Wow, that was awesome," he said, his body drenched in sweat as he tried to catch his breath.

She giggled giddily, her own breathing labored, "Yes, yes, yes, it was!"

"You want a drink or something," he asked, "there's water and soda in the mini fridge."

She shifted so that she was facing him, "No, I'm fine. Just tired. You wiped me out."

They watched each other, satisfied smiles on their faces. He was about to ask her if she wanted to take a shower with him, thinking it could possibly lead to another round when she spoke up.

"I should go," she said and rose out of bed.

Before he could censure himself, he said something uncharacteristic, "I'm gonna say something crazy, but I want you to hear me out."

Amid pulling on her jeans, she stopped and studied him, "Okay."

"Why don't we ride together?" he proposed, excited at the concept.

"What?" she said, eyes bugging out.

"Look, you're by yourself out here in the world and so am I. You know the life and it gets lonely. We can help each other, be the support each other needs. We both plan on only doing this a short while longer. Why not stick together? Watch each other's back," he said optimistically.

She stared at him, obviously bewildered, "Jackson, I think you're sweet, but I barely know you."

"Ride with me and you'll find out everything you need to know," he begged.

She shook her head slowly, "I'm sorry, I can't. It was really nice meeting and working with you and I hope our paths will cross again, but no."

Jackson nodded his head solemnly. He knew it was a long shot, but he had to give it a try.

She finished dressing then leaned over him and pecked him on the lips, "Thank you for a wonderful evening."

He grasped the back of her head and kissed her passionately. If this was the last time he was going to see her, he wanted to make a memory to last.

The door shut softly behind her and Jackson pulled the covers up around him and stared up at the ceiling. He thought about the hours he made love to April, the time they spent fighting side by side and his initial meeting with her. Though he'd only got a glimpse of the woman, he had to admit, he was smitten. He hadn't felt like this in years. No, he didn't know, know her, but he felt in his heart that she was a good woman, a caring woman, a woman he could eventually fall in love with.

He closed his eyes, a broad smile on his face and drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, he woke up at nine and prepared to head out. He didn't have any cases in the foreseeable weeks even though he knew how quickly that could change, so he decided to steer the car for his home base of Boston.

By eleven, he tossed his bags into the trunk, climbed in the driver's seat and started the car. Just then, he heard a loud bang on the passenger side window.

Startled, he peered out the glass and saw a smiling April looking back at him making a hand motion for him to roll down his window.

"Jesus woman, what are you doing?" he asked perplexed.

"Got room for one more?" she inquired.

"What?" he asked still confused.

"Well, I had some time to think about your offer and well… I changed my mind," she said her face bright and shiny.

He unlocked and popped the trunk, so she could throw her bag in the bag and sidled in the seat next to him.

"Where's your car?" he wondered.

"Sold it this morning," she said as a matter of fact, "So, where are we going?"

He thought about his original destination and altered his plan, "Wherever the road takes us."

Jackson gunned the engine and peeled out of the underground garage.

He didn't know how or why and if asked to put into words he could never explain, but he believed deep down in his soul that with April by his side, he was riding off with the woman who would be his future and the only love of his life.

HEY GUYS! Thanks so much for the reviews on the last fic! :) If you enjoyed this one pllleeeeaasseee leave a review letting us know :) SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT WEDNESDAY with yet another fic!