Meeting the Grimm

Chapter 11 of UnEnchanted- Jared's POV

Jared was doing nothing- again. He sat up on a roof of a building just watching people move around and run errands and be boring, stupid humans. He didn't know why he was here, but he could guess. Another Grimm had been picked, and the Grimoire had decided they were worthy. He had been waiting for days, waiting to see who would find it, if they were smart enough.

He had been doing nothing somewhere in California before he felt the magic pull and next thing he knew, he was in this little boring town. When the book decided on something, he didn't have a choice but to go along with it. Now he had been doing nothing for almost three days, just waiting to see where he would go and then find another routine of doing absolutely nothing. God, life as a Fae on the human plane sucked. It was fun to toy with the people, but eventually that got boring. Sometimes he decided to spy on other Fae.

Jared was old, but he looked about seventeen or eighteen with dark brown hair that was usually messy. He had grey eyes and a strong physical build. He knew all too well how the girls reacted to him. That just made it more fun to mess with them all.

He felt the magic stir and he knew the new Grimm had found the Grimoire. It didn't matter to him, though. They would be dead in a couple of weeks, maybe even days. Ignoring the tingling sensation, he watched a blonde girl run past with tears in her eyes. She was crying a girl's name that he couldn't hear. He had just enough time to think that was strange when he felt panic.

He knew it wasn't his, so closing his eyes he concentrated. He heard a girl's strangled cry. "Please, somebody help me!" Then he flashed.

Jared looked around. He was in an alleyway and he smelled a Fae. He turned his head and saw one of the Fae wolf pack members, GreyTail, holding a girl by her neck. She was extremely small and powerless against his chokehold while her feet dangled in the air. Without another thought, or knowing why, Jared attacked the wolf, who was about to hit her. Calling on his magic, Jared fought the wolf. He knew GreyTail was stronger but he could at least hold him off until the Grimm came.

That lead him to another thought, where was the Grimm? He knew the book was here, he could feel it. But the only ones there were him, the wolf and…. The girl. Jared was knocked off his feet as he realized that the Story had chosen a girl instead of a male Grimm. Mother of Fates, what was Teague thinking? She was going to die before the week ended. Soon the wolf had him trapped, he grabbed Jared's shirt and lifted him into the air. The Grimm still hadn't done anything.

"Use the book!" he yelled.

"What?" he heard her ask.

Wow, this one was stupid, Yep, she wasn't going to last. "Turn the page, think of something you're scared of!" He tried to kick GreyTail as she fumbled for a red notebook. Suddenly, bright light flooded the alley. When it touched the wolf, he cried out in pain, dropped Jared and fled.

"GreyTale will be back- there's no question about that. You need to be more careful." He stood up trying to catch his breath and watched the Fae run. 'This has to be the stupidest Grimm in the family. What in world was he thinking when he cho-' his thoughts shut down as he looked at the girl in front of him. All he could think was wow. She had long, wavy brown hair with wide eyes the same color. She was at least almost a foot shorter than him and she was beautiful. He had never thought of a girl this way and that scared him. Why was this an exception? Why had he even come to help her, it wasn't a direct command. He could have ignored it.

This all passed through his mind in less than ten seconds. There's no way this girl would have any effect on him, time to act like it. "What was fate thinking, choosing you? And bees? Really? That was the best you could come up with?" he tried to put as much scorn into his voice as possible.

It must have worked, because her expression went from scared to suspicious to angry. "What are you talking about? Who's GreyTail and how do you know about the book?"

He shrugged and stuffed his hands in his pockets, "Doesn't matter." He really didn't know what to do, he had never talked to one of the Grimms, let alone save them or interfere at all. They didn't matter, but this girl, something was different about her and he didn't like it.

She backed away from him, holding the book close. "That's not good enough. I'm in charge of protecting this," she shook the book slightly, "and I need to know who you are and how you found me." He gave her credit, she had dedication.

"Don't worry girl. I have no interest in the Grimoire." He looked at her and tried to sound convincing. "Or you." Jared didn't know why he said that last part. He just felt he had to clarify it. But he didn't know for himself or her.

"So you know about the Grimoire?"

"More than I want to." He turned and started walking away.

"Wait, are you a Grimm, too?" she called desperately.

He turned back around and laughed mockingly. "Not on your life."

"Then who are you?"

He thought for a minute, trying to decide how to answer. He decided that he liked teasing her and she was…. cute when she was mad, which she was starting to get now. "Maybe you shouldn't be asking who, but what."

She looked taken aback and he smiled mentally seeing she was nervous and didn't know how to react. "Okay, then what are you?"

He crossed his arms and smiled. "Now that would be too easy, wouldn't it? I suppose you'll have to guess." If she didn't even know how to use the book then there was no way in all the realms she would even come close to guessing.

She sighed in exasperation. "Can't you just tell me? I don't have time to play twenty questions."

"I could, but I won't. You're on your own, sweetie."

She put her hands on her hips, "Well that's just rude! Why did you show up anyway?"

"No, rude is not saying thank you." He ignored her other question. He really didn't know why he had come.

"I'm sorry, you're right. Thank you for saving me," she looked at him in curiosity. Jared really didn't care about an apology, he just needed something to say.

"It doesn't mean as much if I have to remind you." He turned his head, purposefully flipping his hair to see what her reaction would be. All human girls- and in the past, Fae girls- reacted to that. She watched the movement with her eyes but otherwise didn't do anything. He looked at her, trying to learn more about her. "You won't last a week. The first tale that the Story throws your way will be the end of you." A part of him cringed at that. He realized he didn't want her to fail, though he had no idea why. They all failed at one point.

"I could if you helped me!"

Jared shook his head and turned to walk away. He heard footsteps behind him, but he still overreacted when she grabbed his shoulder. No one had touched him in years and it had startled him. Old habits kicked in and he had her against the wall with his hand loosely around her small neck. "Do not touch me!"

She stared him right in the eyes, unafraid. "Why won't you help me?"

"I can't." he emphasized the words.

"Can't, or won't?" she shot back.

"Both." And he let her go. She slid to her knees pathetically and he looked down at her. "Can't because you're in over your head, won't because you're a lost cause. So you're not worth the effort. Today proved that."

Tears slipped down her cheeks and he felt… guilty? "You're wrong," her voice was steady.

He knelt down to be level with her. "I'm never wrong."

"You have to be. I have to break the curse. I have to finish the tales!"

This surprised him. "Why? What's in it for you? What have they promised you that you would make you so determined to risk your life?"

"What are you talking about? I haven't been promised anything! I'm trying to protect my brother, Charlie. He's too young. I won't let him be the next victim." She looked fierce, which Jared didn't know someone so small could do. "I will survive, I will be the Grimm to finish the tales and live. I will beat the Story." She stood up and he followed. "With or without your help." She pushed him back. He hadn't seen it coming and stumbled back a few steps. He stepped away and swept out his arm, telling her to pass.

"Well maybe there is a chance for you after all." He flashed away as she told him to leave. What he said was true: she had the determination, but she was ignorant. She had no idea what she was up against. Jared found himself sitting on another roof of a building. He looked down and could see her running past the building he was on.

Jared had no idea what was going on with this girl. What had she made him feel and why? He had never truly cared for a human, ever. Not even a Fae girl, except maybe Ever. He didn't even know her name yet, but he felt something for her. Jared had to remind himself she was just like the others, and even if there was hope for her, she was going to die.

And he didn't want that to happen, which was a problem.