Demon Hunters 3: Tainted (Stand Alone Series) (Demon Hunters.) (5 page)

The next evening Cassidy kicked the stand down on her new motorbike and swung her leg over as she unbuckled her helmet to hang it on the handlebars. She glanced around, wishing she could see in the dark. She slid the two daggers out of their sheaths in her motorbike boots and closed her eyes. It didn’t help. She couldn’t hear anything unusual, but she could feel the demon. He had to be here somewhere. Her mark burned. Opening her eyes she sighed. Her first attempt at being a hunter wasn’t going too well. She didn’t have a clue what she should be doing. All those how-to videos hadn’t prepared her for tracking down demons. Hopefully they’d taught her something about fighting.

She took a hesitant step forward then straightened her shoulders, forcing herself to stride into the shadows. She could feel him in her mark. Could feel the direction she needed to go. But she still couldn’t see him. There was a rush of air and she raised an arm as she ducked, feeling an impact on her blade. She spun, trying to see better. Maybe she should have waited for a full moon. How could she attack what she couldn’t see?

Laughter filled the air. “What are you? Demon or hunter?”

“Why don’t you come and find out?” Her words sounded way braver than she felt. There was another rush of air and the shadows seemed to leap on her. She screamed as her hair was grabbed and she was forced to the ground.

The demon sniffed at her skin. “Either way, you smell delicious.”

“Remedy!” Fear forced the name from her lips. There was no answer. She was going to die. It had all been for nothing. Months of nightmares, guilt, struggling to keep going and it was going to end here. Pressed against the ground and as helpless as a child.

“So delicious. Hot sweet blood. I can smell it through your skin.” The demon ripped one of her daggers from her hand, throwing it away.

She couldn’t move with her hair gripped tight against her scalp pressing her head into the ground, the demon’s body holding hers down. Blood. What had Remedy said about blood? Blood brings us forth. She felt gravel under her left arm and ground her arm into it. “Remedy!” Screaming his name, she wondered if she should have used his true name. But he’d told her never to speak it out loud.

“Blood,” the demon hissed before he pulled her left arm to him. Then he was gone and Cassidy was free. She struggled to her feet, still clutching one dagger. She spun around, trying to see what was happening, but she could only hear noises. The rush of air, the beat of wings, then a scream of terror.

“Mine. Do you hear me? Mine.” Remedy’s voice rang out over the whimper of the other demon.

Silence fell around Cassidy. She slowly turned around, trying to figure out where Remedy was. She froze as she felt movement behind her.

Remedy grabbed her hair, pulling her head back against him. “What were you thinking?” When she didn’t answer he demanded, “Well? I should kill you now. Better to die by my own hand then that of a minor demon.”

She struggled to get away from him, but he gripped her hair too tight. “Let me go,” she said through clenched teeth.

“I sent you to demon hunters. Didn’t you learn anything from them?”

“That I’m doomed for a sinner and dead by the first demon I meet.”

Remedy pulled on her hair so she was forced to face him, his eyes a fiery gleam in the night. “Then use what you do have. What is the use of having my blood if you’re not going to use it?”

No one told her anything. “How the hell am I meant to do that?”

He lifted her left arm. “Like you did. Blood. It binds, it empowers, it feeds. Blood is everything with demons.” He brought her arm to his mouth, licking the blood from her torn flesh.

Pain arrowed through Cassidy and she gritted her teeth, unable to prevent an initial gasp. She pulled her arm away from him. “I’m not on the menu.”

“It looked that way earlier.” He released her and she staggered. “Go home.”

She raised her chin. “Don’t order me around.”

“You’re the one who called me.”

“Would you rather I didn’t?” Silence hung in the air and she wished she could see him clearly.

“Go home.”

She felt him leave and her body began to tremble. She sheathed her dagger before she ended up cutting herself and walked unsteadily to her motorbike. The other dagger she gave up for lost. When she reached her motorbike she sagged against it, trying to steady her breathing. Maybe she should have stuck with a car. She forced herself to straighten. No. This was her choice. She’d had enough decisions taken from her hands. This one was hers.

Feeling steadier she pulled on her helmet and started the engine. When she reached home, she found her other dagger on the bedside table. A single droplet of blood rested on the blade. She stared at it. What was he trying to tell her? She spun when she felt him arrive.

“We are even.” Remedy nodded towards the dagger.

Cassidy continued to stare at him.

“Have you changed your mind? Are we no longer partners?”

She felt like swearing and throwing something. Instead she remained still, meeting his gaze. She wished someone had written a manual on being bound to a demon. Information was a desperate need. Still holding his gaze, she reached for the dagger and lifted it. The flames in his eyes danced as she wiped the blood off with her finger and put it in her mouth. She tensed at the sharp pain that hit her, refusing to break eye contact.

“Use the blood when you’re in a fight. You could have beaten that demon effortlessly. My blood is far more powerful than his.”

“How?”

Remedy lifted her left arm and took the dagger from her. He pressed the edge of the blade across the demon mark and slid it towards him. She hissed as a thin line of blood formed on her skin. “Close your eyes.” When she obeyed, he ran his fingers across her skin, smearing the blood over her wrist. The demon mark writhed under her skin. His voice lowered. “Feel it? Feel my blood feeding? Feel it strengthening? This is our link. The demon mark. Use it, feed it. Catch hold of our bond and let its power fill you.”

Cassidy felt it. Like a sluggish creature trying to slide away. She grabbed hold of it and forced it to obey. Energy flared through her and Remedy chuckled. She opened her eyes to stare at him. The flames in his eyes leapt high.

“Keep hold of that energy.” He let go of her arm. “And don’t let anyone past your guard.”

The room seemed brighter than it ever had before. Her muscles bunched and she wanted to do something. Anything. Remedy swung at her and she reacted automatically, blocking and dodging. She grinned when he laughed, the power flowing through her making her feel invincible. Now she felt like a hunter. Demons better watch out.

“That is what you should have done earlier. Next time fight them with power. You are more than human. Don’t forget it.”

Cassidy watched as he strode across her bedroom to the window. “Remedy.” He turned to face her. “I want the one who sent my father to you.”

“You and me both.” He met her gaze. “You’re not ready. Not yet.” He climbed out the window.

This time she saw him move away into the night. Her mouth dropped open as she stared after him. A few seconds later she was at her window, peering outside. The moon was no bigger than it had been earlier. She could see in the dark. Tomorrow night she’d hunt again. This time she knew how to do it. And she wasn’t going to let a demon get the upper hand.

She grabbed a handful of hair, glaring at the long, reddish brown strands. It’d have to go. Tomorrow she’d visit a hairdresser and get it cut short. She rubbed the strands of hair between her fingers. She’d never had short hair before. Pushing her hair out of the way she reminded herself there was a lot of things she hadn’t done before. But she wasn’t about to let that stop her.

Her finger trailed along the cut Remedy had made on her wrist. The blood had started to congeal. She’d get used to new things. Her survival depended on it. An image of her father lying on the floor, the dagger in his chest, came to mind. This time she didn’t push it immediately from her. The demon who’d sent him to Remedy would pay. Her gaze remained on her wrist. He’d pay in blood.

Cassidy groaned as her alarm clock turned on, the radio station interrupting her sleep. She rolled onto her back to stare at the ceiling. She smiled as she realised what song was playing. ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’. She’d walked the streets alone every night this past week while everyone slept. Her only company had been demons. And they didn’t stick around long. She had to find a way to get rid of them permanently, not fight them until they fled. Maybe she should ring the hunters and see what they knew. Surely there was some way to get rid of them. Some way that didn’t involve joining their religion and following their strict rules. She didn’t believe in their God. No, he’d failed her far too many times.

Her mum staring at her, asking her who she was came to mind, quickly followed by her father lying in a pool of his own blood. How could she worship someone who hadn’t been there for her? If they couldn’t tell her how to get rid of demons without being like them, then she’d figure it out on her own. Somehow.

The song ended and she turned off the alarm clock, rising to her feet. Tomorrow, before she went to sleep, she’d get in touch with the demon hunters. Ringing someone at eleven p.m. probably wasn’t a good idea. She ran her fingers through her short hair. She’d considered getting a mohawk, but had decided that was probably too drastic for her first time with short hair. Instead she’d gone with a jagged, anime kind of look. A style that didn’t need a mirror to look after it. Her mirrors were staying painted. There was no way she wanted to face her father’s accusing eyes every day.

It didn’t take her long to dress in black jeans and shirt, grab an apple to eat and put her daggers in her boots before she headed off on her motorbike. She was drawn towards the city centre, parking her bike in an area that was filled with the noise from nearby nightclubs.

Laughter and music wafted on the air. Cassidy ignored those in favour of tracking down the demon she felt nearby. She ran her fingernails along the scab she kept breaking open from the cut Remedy had made on her wrist. It was probably going to scar at this rate. Blood formed along the line and she smeared it across her demon mark. Energy flared, the night grew brighter and power flowed through her. Then she caught scent of it and raced through the streets, coming to a dead end. And there he was, a young woman passed out at his feet where he bent over her.

He reminded Cassidy of a spider, long joints, narrow limbs, fangs and grey skin that seemed stretched to a translucent thinness. She pulled her daggers from her boots, her lips curving into a mirthless smile. “Why don’t you pick on someone your own size?”

The demon leapt at her. She struck out at him, jumping to the side, barely avoiding his blade like claws. He stalked around her and she slowly turned, keeping him in view. He threw himself at her again, screeching when he missed her. But she didn’t. Her blade slid along his flesh and dark liquid spilled over the grey of his skin. He howled and launched himself at her again.

“Is that the best you can do?” She couldn’t resist taunting him. “It sucks when your prey fights back, doesn’t it?” She spared a quick glance for the body lying on the ground, unmoving. She hoped she hadn’t been too late to save the woman.

“Prey.” The demon spat the word out. “Prey is human. You are more demon than me.” He leapt at the nearby building and, digging claws into the wall, scurried up the side.

Cassidy swore as she watched him flee, then spun when she heard a noise behind her. “Gabe.” She said his name like it was a swear word.

He grinned at her. “Hello, bad influence. Nice to see you missed me. I like what you’ve done with your hair.”

She ignored the compliment. “How’d you find me?”

“Do you really need to ask, demon girl?” He gestured towards her wrist. “You might as well have taken out a billboard sign saying demon tainted here. I’m surprised a heap of demons haven’t headed this way to check out what’s going on.”

“What are you doing here?” She looked behind him. “Alone. Without your babysitter.”

Gabe’s grin faded. “He’s a year younger than me. Besides I’m too old to need a babysitter.”

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-one.”

“You never said why you’re here.”

“You seemed more concerned about my cousin’s location than wanting an answer.” He held up a hand when she glared at him. “Alright. No need to get upset. I don’t spend all my time hunting demons. I was at a nightclub.”

“A nightclub.” She knew she sounded sceptical, but that didn’t sound like something a hunter did. Not from what she’d read in Patrick’s book.

“I’d offer to buy you a drink but they’re afraid I’ll escape if they give me more than a few dollars at a time.”

“Escape from what?”

“Escape to.”

“Escape to what, then.”

“To bad influences.” He grinned, taking a step towards her. “But it looks like one found me instead. So bad influence, what happened to your pet demon?”

Cassidy shrugged as she returned her daggers to her boots. It felt odd holding onto them when she wasn’t fighting. “Don’t know and don’t care.” She looked around, flaring the demon blood as she did. She felt a tug in one direction. There were still more demons in her city. “I was going to ring one of you in the morning.”

“What for?”

“I want to get rid of demons, not let them escape. How can I do that?”

“You can never get rid of them permanently, just send them to hell. But they’re stuck there until they’re called by name or they’re first to answer the call of a human looking for any demon.”

“Is this going to be one of those conversations that take forever? I’ve got things to do.” She looked back in the direction she needed to head in next. She’d have to get her motorbike first. The demon wasn’t within walking distance.

“Like what?” Gabe stepped past her with a frown. “Is that a body?”

Cassidy swore. “I forgot about her.” She spun and hurried to the still limp body to stand and stare down at her. She couldn’t bring herself to check the pulse. What if she was dead? An image of her father, knife in his chest, flashed through her mind.

Gabe reached her side and crouched beside the woman, his fingers going to her neck. “She’s alive.” He rose to his feet. “Come on. The sooner we get away from here the sooner we can get someone to rescue her.”

“We’re just going to leave her here?”

Gabe reached for her hand and tugged her forward. “The last thing we want is to be in every second police report. Things like that start to ring alarm bells.”

Cassidy allowed him to lead her away from the area. He dropped her hand once they reached a street sign and pulled his phone out to send a text message. “Who’d you let know?”

“Family. They’ll make sure the message gets to the appropriate person. So, where to next?”

“You’re not going anywhere with me. I hunt alone.” She pressed a hand against his chest when he tried to come closer.

“Alone, huh? Fine. I’ll stand in the shadows and watch.”

“You weren’t invited.”

Gabe grinned. “If I waited for you to invite me I’d go grey.” He looked around. “So where is it?”

Cassidy shook her head, striding in the direction of her motorbike. She glared at Gabe when he fell into step with her. “Don’t you understand the word no?”

“Nope.” His grin faded. “I want to see how you hunt. You’re so far from sainthood it should be impossible. At least from what I know.”

She reached her motorbike and turned to look at him. “And why’s that any of your business?”

“Because I love to hunt demons. It’s the rest of it I have trouble with.”

“The rest of what?”

Gabe’s lips twisted into a smile. “Let’s just say I’d never attain sainthood.”

“Bad influences?”

Gabe laughed. “I think the problem is that I’m the bad influence.” He sobered. “This is meant to be my last chance to be a hunter. I don’t think I’m going to pass the exam.”

Cassidy’s eyes narrowed. “I thought there was no exam.”

“Not officially. But you might as well say we’re being tested all the time. If they handed out grades I don’t think they’d be able to find one low enough for me.”

Cassidy picked up her helmet. “I haven’t got a spare one.”

Gabe shrugged. “So don’t stack it and I won’t miss having one.”

She studied his face. His gaze was so intense she wondered if he could see in the dark as clearly as she could. She nodded and swung her leg over the motorbike. “Get on then.” She waited until he was behind her, his hands lightly resting on her hips, his legs alongside hers.

“Thanks.”

“Don’t thank me yet. We haven’t reached our destination.”

Gabe laughed. “Then what are we waiting for?”

Cassidy took off faster than she normally would and grinned as he tightened his grip. It took nearly a quarter of an hour before they were close to the next demon. She parked her motorbike and they both hopped off. Spotting the demon ahead of them, strolling along the road, she drew her daggers.

Gabe put a hand on her arm. “No. It hasn’t done anything yet.”

“It’s a demon.”

Gabe sighed. “Until we have proof a demon means harm we can’t act against it.”

Energy flared through her as she spun to face Gabe. “What sort of rubbish is that?”