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“It is, and it’s pointless to drag you along.” I retrieved one of my bats, already hating myself. “You’re only human. You’ll slow me down.”
“Lady…”
“It’s been fun, but this is where we part ways. Do yourself a favor and take this as a sign. Go live a real life. Leave demon hunting behind.”
“We need to stick together now more than ever, Lady. I’m not—”
“Everyone’s dead, Aidan. Your entire operation was wiped out in a single night.”
The fear and sadness that distorted my only friend’s face was enough to make me wish I’d walked away a long time ago. If I had, maybe his family wouldn’t be dead. Maybe then the curse I clearly was on anyone I got close to wouldn’t have touched them. But there wasn’t any point exploring what ifs. The reality was right there on the floor, on the walls, everywhere we looked.
The demon hunter opened his mouth, but I turned and walked away. If I didn’t, I knew he’d convince me to stay somehow. He’d never blame me for this. He’d blame himself. And I couldn’t stay there just to watch him turn into the same person I was, so I’d leave him with something to hate me for.
“Ty was right. I was going to get you all killed someday, and now he’ll never get to tell you ‘I told you so’.” And that was the last thing I said to Aidan before spiriting away to a nearby truck station to wash and change.
THE GUY AT THE CASH register who handed me a key was a little wide-eyed and concerned, but human men were easy to manipulate. I told him I’d only just finished a horror photoshoot. Big Joe, based on what was embroidered on his overalls, shrugged and handed me the bathroom key without another question asked.
Later, I’d return to wipe their security footage. Doing it was easy enough when you had inhuman strength that broke locks and put big men like Joe to sleep with a love tap to the head. Not enough to kill, just enough to incapacitate and make his memory fuzzy. Didn’t want Joe’s loose mouth to put me on the feds most wanted list for the nearby massacre.
To an outsider, it might seem like a dick move to abandon Aidan after he’d lost everyone he ever cared about, but he would’ve chased after me if I hadn’t cut ties with brutal precision. Even now, I wasn’t convinced he’d ever blame me for being the reason everyone died. My only penance would come in the way of swift justice against whoever killed them.
I’d find the fucker. I’d take pleasure in their tortured demise. I’d exact a revenge unlike anything they’d ever encountered, and every day I lived would be in anticipation of that bloody future.
Tying up my hair and fixing my shorts, I slipped out of the gas station shower, ready to spend the next few days on the hunt for a strong demon. Since I hadn’t any knowledge on how easy it was to cross over into our realm, I had to hope that they’d still be out there looking for me.
And when they found me, I’d be waiting for them.
But as I came strolling out of the bathroom shower, already ticking off the usual haunts to start with, a figure loomed just a few feet ahead. The lights around me flickered and shuttered before their beam died out with a crack.
“Good evening, little bird. Thought you might fancy a chat.” Luminous green eyes beamed in the dark, and my mind was made up.
Resting the bat on my shoulder, I eyed the demon. “Speak of the fucking Devil.”
Swinging my bat in lazy circles, I took a brief moment to contemplate whether or not to just kill him.
He’d known it all. Said they’d come, and they had. Predicted the massacre and did nothing. It would be easier to lay blame at his feet, but when I left the bloody mess behind, I made a decision. One I’d likely regret. One that would change who I was, but one I had no choice but to make.
Nova didn’t move from where he stood, not in the few minutes I circled him the same way he’d done to me in one of his illusions. He simply let me take my stroll and offered me an easy smile when, at last, our eyes connected.
“You knew.”
“I did,” the demon responded, not at all bothered by my growling tone.
“And you did nothing,” I added, resting the bat on my shoulder. “Why?”
Nova smoothed his fancy vest back into place, looking a little too chic for a truck stop. “Some demons are too powerful for even me, little bird. And there are other things at play here. Should you join me, I’ll explain it all.”
Taking calculated steps closer, I eyed the gorgeous dream demon with a skeptical gaze. “And if I say no?”
“I’d caution you that what occurred tonight would happen again until they captured you. Anyone and anything around you would be devoured and destroyed.”
He didn’t mince words, and I had to credit the demon for giving it to me straight. I’d grown tired of all the elliptical conversation in our weirdo dream meetings. It made me want to love tap him with my bat just thinking about it.
Maybe I’ll give him a love tap for posterity’s sake.
“Who attacked my crew tonight?” I finally asked, inches from him but guard up. “What kind of demon has the power to destroy trained demon hunters without any trouble?”
Nova gave our surroundings a quick onceover before his eyes swept back to mine. “Lucifer. Or should I say, a powerful demon reporting to Lucifer. That vial of blood you have on you will tell me which one of the three it is.”
