Chapter 51
Once they were walking back towards the vehicles, Rossi winced when he saw that the back of Hotch's neck looked as bad as his hands. "Where the hell is that damn sunscreen Kahlan gave you?"
JJ and Mack gave him a confused look and he shook his head as he pulled on Hotch's arm. "Show them your hands, Aaron."
"I'm fine," Hotch insisted as he pulled his arm away from him and continued walking all the while hiding his hands in his pockets.
JJ sighed. "We can go to the scene while you two go to the hotel," she offered knowing that Hotch had probably left the bottle in his bag.
"Really, Man? You know how. . ." Morgan started as he shook his head but Hotch turned to them with his stare.
"I said I was fine," he repeated in his Unit Chief Tone.
"The sunscreen won't heal him. Only time will, unless, of course, he wants to feed before we reach the scene that way he won't have to worry about anyone noticing," Reid offered with a quick grin to Rossi knowing that Hotch would never feed in front of them.
He was right as Hotch's brows shot up above his sunglasses. "I will not!"
Rossi bit back a chuckle and looked at Morgan. "You all go to the scene, and I will take Mr. Denial back to his bag."
Hotch wilted knowing that was the only thing he could do. "We'll be there as soon as we can."
Morgan smiled. "No worries, Boss Man, we can handle it."
XXX
Once Rossi and Hotch were on their way, Rossi turned to the younger man. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"Because it didn't bother me until we were outside that last time."
Rossi frowned as he studied him. "How badly does it hurt?"
"Not bad," Hotch offered.
Rossi huffed, though, because Hotch had yet to settle his back up against the seat. "Sure it's not, Aaron, sure it's not." He shook his head. "You will put that damn lotion on every hour for now on and you will not be out in the sun for over thirty minutes at a time."
Hotch glanced at him out of the corner of his eyes and knew Rossi meant it. "Yes, Sir."
Rossi sighed as he drove.
After a few minutes, Hotch huffed. "I don't get it. The wound from that spike healed almost instantly, hell, even when Kahlan cut me in the beginning it healed almost instantly. Why am I not healing now?"
Rossi glanced at him and then shrugged. "I don't know, maybe because the sun is a real enemy of the vampire. That's probably why Sebastian was so worried about you once he found out we were here."
Hotch nodded slowly as he looked at his hands. "Maybe."
XXX
Once Hotch was in his room, he grabbed his bag and headed to the bathroom as Rossi shook his head. "There's no shame in drinking that in front of me," he called out and then chuckled at the disapproving sound that escaped Hotch before he could shut the door.
Hotch inhaled deeply as he fingered the bag of liquid he had taken out of his locked box. I'm not even hungry. He winced as wondered why and then looked at his hands and shook his head. Oh well, I don't want to look like a thousand year old mummy in front of the team let alone the locals.
He licked his lips, put the bag to his mouth, let himself change, and sank his fangs into the plastic. Once his taste buds got a tease, though, his hiding hunger grew and his hands clenched involuntarily and the end of the bag busted open and blood flooded into his mouth and down his chin. Shit!
He quickly pulled the bag back and wiped his face off with his free hand hoping to stop any from getting on his shirt. As he searched his clothes, he felt his hand tingle so he focused on it, and he watched in awe as his skin started healing where the blood had gotten on him. What the hell?
He took a deep breath and chuckled as his thumb and forefinger went back to pre-sun condition. He bit his lip and looked at the rest of the blood in the bag. Does it really work like that? He sat the bag down on the sink, washed his hand off, pulled his shirt off, and then squeezed some more blood into his hands and rubbed them together vigorously. He smiled when he felt and saw the healing begin again. Then he rubbed some on the back of his neck and anywhere else he felt was bad.
"Exactly how long does it take to drink one bag? Or are you being a stubborn ass and trying to tell yourself that you don't need it?" Rossi yelled from the other side of the door.
Hotch looked down at himself and then studied his reflection in the mirror. He had blood all along his hair line and dripping down his chest and arms, and he winced. I look like I slaughtered someone. He shook his head and sighed. "I'm just jumping in the shower real quick. Maybe some cold water will help," he offered as he washed his hands again and then stripped off the rest of his clothes.
"Take your time," Rossi assured him as he got comfortable in the chair and flipped the TV on.
When Hotch emerged wearing fresh clothes and a smile, Rossi looked him up and down. Hotch held out his hands and turned them over, and Rossi's grin matched Hotch's. "Damn, that was fast. I was worried you'd have to wear gloves to the scene."
Hotch half shrugged. "No one would have thought anything if I'd done that, but this is much better."
Rossi frowned. "How much did you drink?"
Hotch shrugged and headed for the door. "Enough. Come on; let's go see what we have."
Rossi studied the younger's man back as he followed him out the door and down the hall. That seemed a little too fast. What exactly did you do, Aaron? He caught up with him. "And where is that bott. . ."
Hotch pulled the bottle of sunscreen out of his back pocket and flashed Rossi a grin. "I have it."
Rossi pat him on the back. "You better."
XXX
A short trip over to the Lanai Island was pleasant, but what they found on the ground was very disturbing. Medics, police, press, everyone was everywhere, and as they made their way through the throng of people to meet up with Detective Iona, Hotch was also on the lookout for shifters and hunters, too.
When they were closer, Iona waved them over to the covered body he was knelt down next to, and his face showed is disgust.
When Rossi heard Hotch suck in a breath and miss a step, he grabbed his arm and hoped that the uneven terrain had been responsible for the uncharacteristic lack of coordination. "You alright?"
Hotch sucked in air through his mouth and shook his head minutely. "No."
The ME was walking by them shaking her head. "This one's the most gruesome one yet. Hope you guys haven't eaten dinner," she offered lightly as she made her way back to her van. "There's a lot of blood since it's the freshest," she offered her shoulder. "Watch where you step."
Rossi watched with concern as Hotch's Adam's apple bobbed up and down slowly and an almost inaudible slurp told Rossi that Hotch's mouth had flooded with salvia. He cringed and leaned in closer to the man he loved as a son. "Didn't you just feed?"
Shame filled up Hotch's entire being as he half shrugged. "Sort of."
Exasperated, Rossi brows shot up and he shook his head. "Aaron!" he admonished in a rough whisper.
Hotch ducked his head as he ran a hand down his face. "I know. I'm sorry." He took another stuttering breath and tried to present a strong face. "Just give me a minute; I'll be. . ."
"Fine, yeah, I know," Rossi scolded as he looked around the scene. When he saw JJ and Mack discussing something with Officer Schewel as far away from the body as possible, he sighed and shoved Hotch towards them. "Go see what they got."
Hotch's eyes thanked him and he nodded and went to them as Rossi shook his head. If he had a tail, it'd be between his legs. His eyes went skyward. Please, God, give me the strength to deal with his stubborn ass.
When Rossi got to the detective, the detective frowned at Hotch not joining them. "He'll be right over. What do we have this time?" Rossi asked hoping to get the officers attention off of Hotch.
The man pulled the cover back and revealed a young man. "Name's William Meck, he's only nineteen," Iona stated solemnly.
Rossi couldn't keep the wince off his face. The young man's chest cavity looked as though something had exploded out of it. "This is the youngest one yet. Do we have anything to help us catch this son of a bitch?"
Iona sighed as he stood up. "We have the tip of shoeprint," he offered dryly knowing that wouldn't give them a whole lot.
About twenty five feet away, Hotch cringed and hid his face behind his hand. A light breeze was blowing perfectly across the body and right into his face.
JJ frowned and stepped closer to her boss. "You alright?" she asked in a whisper.
Hotch licked his lips and looked around the scene. "I think I'll just go see what Morgan and Mack have," he offered and started walking before any of them could figure out what was wrong with him.
Officer Schewel shook his head as he watched him walk. "I don't understand how one like him could even begin to do this job. All the blood, all the carnage. . . How does he do it?"
Reid gave him a small smile. "He's an amazing man. He can do anything he sets his mind to."
Hotch actually past up Morgan and Mack talking to a few locals and went into the trees on the other side of the scene. That way he was up wind from the body and he pretended to be interested in the trail that led up to the body.
"Does the FBI have any suspects yet?" a pushy woman stuck behind the crime scene tape asked as she shoved a little digital recorder towards Hotch.
"No comment," Hotch told her.
"Do you think it odd that his victims keep getting younger and younger? Should the public be warned that they need to keep their kids safe?" the loudmouthed lady continued.
Hotch stopped in his search and looked the woman in the eyes. "Parents should always be aware of their children, but yes, right now they should be extra vigilant, and no one. . ." he trailed off as his attention was drawn further into the woods.
"No one should what?" the reporter asked trying to move closer to Hotch.
Hotch ignored her, though, and took out his phone and text JJ: 'Ask Jimmy if any of his family are here?'
He watched JJ take out her phone, read the text, and then ask the shapeshifter the question. Jimmy turned and looked at Hotch and then he cringed as he wilted. "Yes, and tell him I'm sorry. I know he didn't want anyone around but I thought. . ."
JJ relayed the answer and watched as Hotch read it and text her back. 'Are any of them in human form?'
JJ asked him and Hotch could see Jimmy shaking his head, so he turned back to the trees. His eyes searched the darkening woods and before he could decide what to do, he felt a hand on his back.
"What's going on?" JJ asked as she too searched the trees although she didn't know what she was looking for.
Hotch glanced at her, Reid, and Officer Schewel. "I can hear it. It's faint, but it's there."
Jimmy tensed and then looked to the tree across the clearing as he gestured with his hand. Two black birds took flight and headed over the trees.
"You think it's our unsub?" Reid asked as he moved closer to Hotch.
Hotch turned and then gestured away from the trees as he started walking and the rest of them followed him. "It won't help us if it sees us looking for it. I'm going to jump in the SUV and head down the road to get a little closer."
"No, Hotch! You can't go alone! It could. . ." JJ tried as she used her phone.
"I'll be fine. You all close up the scene," he ordered.
"I can go with you. No one would think anything of that," Jimmy offered. When Hotch looked about to argue, he stood up straight. "I am a police officer. I am allowed to help with the case."
"He's right and you are not going alone, Aaron," Rossi injected as he came up behind them.
Hotch glanced at him and then looked at JJ. She smirked as she put her phone away, and he shook his head. "Tattle-tail."
Rossi bit back the grin that wanted to show and put a hand on Hotch's back. "Go, and be careful."
Hotch nodded and started for the SUV. Jimmy gave Rossi and them a quick smile and then jumped to catch up with Hotch.
