Time Jacker by Aaron Crash (nonfiction book recommendations .TXT) 📕

real sense, money was no longer a problem in Jack’s life. He didn’t need to start up a business helping people.

However, Pinetree had made a severe error.

Gabby’s eyes brightened. “We can help people? I was literally made for two things. To war with hell and to provide comfort and support to humans as they travel from the cradle to the grave. And to be honest, I’d much rather help people than kill demons.”

“Because some of your favorite people are demons!” Bailey’s giggle turned into a guffaw. She was always the fucking loud one. “And do you know what I was built for, Feathers? I was literally made to eat people’s lust, so if we can fuck the people we help, I am so fucking into that.”

Pinetree threw a quizzical look at Jack.

Jack held up a hand. “Long story. But yeah, PT, if you have anyone that needs help—”

“Sexual help,” Bailey purred.

“Any kind of help,” Jack finished, “just let us know. We can figure out a price later. But we should charge. People have a way of not valuing things they don’t pay for.”

Gabby frowned. “But it’s going to be a sliding scale. We’re not doing it for the money. If all else fails, we can sell my Enochian gold.” She shook the bracelets on her wrist.

Jack was feeling good, not just about the money, but about the possibility of helping other people. And with Bailey’s ability to read people’s sexual desires, helping people might take all sorts of interesting turns.

In the end, though, he thought he could do some good by rescuing people who might have run into trouble with the supernatural as well as people having issues with humans because humans could be such dicks to one another. He’d seen that firsthand. And while killing Jennifer’s rapist had completely changed Jack’s life, he didn’t regret putting that asshole in his grave.

They heard a car crunch onto the gravel of the parking lot. Pinetree smiled. “More customers. Maybe I should throw a Halloween party every night.”

Jack went to the railing. He saw Annie’s car—a blue Rio sedan—turning into a parking place. What was she doing here at the bar?

Jack put the pieces together. Evelyn must’ve mentioned the Halloween party, and Annie was just showing up fashionably late. How did he feel about her being there? He wasn’t sure.

Bailey arched her eyebrows. “Oh, the bitch is back, but she’s not here looking for love. There’s something else going on with her. Unfortunately. I might really love that girl, but then again, I probably hate her so much!”

Gabby nearly sprinted over. “It’s Annie! Oh, and she’s troubled. Her Nefesh is all over the place, and something else, something strange.”

“I’ll go down and escort her up,” Jack said.

He had a bad feeling in his belly. Was it because he lost her? Or was it because of something else?

Chapter Thirty-Seven

PINETREE TALKED MORE with the angel and demon, while Jack walked through the bar and down to the parking lot just as Annie walked up. She was in a black dress with knee-high black boots and a black cloak. It was the big plastic scythe that gave her away.

“Hey, Death,” Jack said with a smile.

“Uh, I’m a Reaper actually.” Annie smiled back. “Not the Grim Reaper because I’m too good-natured and optimistic. Call me the Confused Reaper. Am I too late for the party? I had another thing I had to go to.”

“Did Evelyn tell you about our little get together?” Jack asked.

She nodded. For a Grim Reaper, she didn’t go with the full skull makeup, just a rough outline. Her hair was pulled back from her face in a simple ponytail. As ever, she was girl-next-door pretty. His type if you didn’t count angels, demons, and the occasional stripper or volleyball player.

They both stood there, looking into each other’s faces a bit too long.

“Is everything okay?” Jack asked.

Annie’s face lost all expression. She then furrowed her brow. “Jack, I know you and I were getting flirty before...before my accident, or disappearance, or whatever. And I think I’m almost ready to date again, but I’m not polyamorous. It seems like you are, according to Evelyn, only she calls you and those two other girls swingers, or ‘in the lifestyle.’” Annie air-quoted the words. “I guess that’s what they used to say in the 1970s. I like Evelyn, but she can be so old-fashioned. Anyway, I don’t think we can date, but you saved us at the bank, and I trust you. Am I rambling? I feel like I’m rambling.”

Jack held his thumb and forefinger about a quarter inch apart. “Only this much.” Every word she said was a fresh dagger in his heart. He’d already gone through this once.

“Can I tell you something weird?” Annie asked. Before he could answer, she went off on another ramble. “I keep having dreams, of you, but you have this big gun, and you’re with those girls, only they aren’t exactly human. One is a demon, and one is an angel, though they’re both really sweet. The dreams aren’t that weird, I guess, but do they mean anything to you?”

Jack had no idea what to say. This was his first time dealing with someone after they’d had their mind wiped. He remembered what Annie said before, that she wanted to forget. And Gabby insisted that giving Annie a normal human life was a blessing.

Jack shrugged. “Dreams are weird. And what you said before, about me, Bailey, and Gabby? I love ’em. But I wish things...I wish things would’ve worked out differently.”

Annie was slow to answer. “Yeah. Me too. But who knows? I might be okay with the poly thing at some point. I’m still getting over my whole disappearance act. Wanna hear something weird?”

“Tell me.”

Annie cast her eyes down. “I think I don’t want to remember. If that makes any sense. They call it dissociative amnesia. That makes me sound crazy, but I feel relatively normal.” She then looked into his eyes again. “Except that