The Devil is in the Details

by Maya Daniels

  “Nowhere in particular. I figured you’ll tell me eventually.” Smiling sheepishly, he shrugs. Looking at him, I can’t help thinking, And, this is the evil they want us to kill?

  “I need to go to the Sanctuary.” He stiffens. “Not go inside. I’m not stupid. I just want to watch the comings and goings for a while.”

  “Okay. Let’s go stalk us some hunters then.” Relaxing, he smiles, starts the SUV, and peels off the side of the road.

  We park about a block away from the sanctuary. The building is outside the city of Atlanta on a big piece of land with a lot of space for obstacle courses, training grounds, and other amenities that the Founders thought necessary for us hunters. All those things are behind the monstrosity of a building that for all intents and purposes looks like an ancient cathedral to the unassuming humans. Green lawns and trees surround it, creating a picture of pristine peace and serenity. The private dirt road leading towards it cuts through a small planted wood, giving us enough cover to silently stalk towards it. This place where I’m headed like some thief dressed in too large dark clothing is the place I used to call home. My safe haven. But not anymore…now, it’s where my family plans my demise.

  My heart rate picks up the closer we get, and as if he can hear it, Eric presses close enough that I can feel his body heat at my back. As a hunter, it should bother me to have someone so close behind me, but his presence has a calming effect. The annoyance I expected is missing, and it gets me a little worried. I should be more on guard with everyone and their brother after me. Luckily, I can see the sanctuary through the trees, and I have no time to overthink things.

  Stopping, I look over my shoulder at Eric and my breath catches in my throat when his face is so close to me, I can almost feel his breath tickling my lips. Pulling back, he looks at me intently. I blink a couple of times before my brain catches up with why I stopped. His lips twitch at my stupefied gawking, and that’s enough to snap me out of the daze. I used to think girls were stupid for drooling over guys, and here I am doing the same at the worst possible moment in my life. Get your head in the game Hel! I yell internally, before pointing my hand and indicating that Eric should move to the opposite side of the dirt road so we cover more ground. I don’t want any surprises today, and hunters patrol these grounds. Hell, I used to patrol them after I turned eighteen. Eric nods sharply once and gives me a quick kiss on the lips before slinking away through the trees like a shadow. Which reminds me, he never told me why Abaddon calls him Shadow, but that has to wait for now.

  Pressing my body close to the large tree trunk I picked as my hiding spot, I get as comfortable as possible for the long wait by letting most of my weight lean on the tree. The night will be coming to an end soon enough. If my senses are correct, we have a maximum of a few hours before it will be too light to stick around. The sanctuary is busiest at night, and just like nothing has changed, apart from my life going to shit, teams go in and out through the front yard.

  After an hour of watching the same thing over and over, the activity picks up a notch. Twisting my blonde hair in a knot, I shove it inside the collar of the t-shirt so it doesn’t get in my face every time I lean on the side of the tree. Squinting I try to see the faces of those coming and going, and I’m surprised to see more strangers than hunters I’ve known my entire life. That can’t be good for me if they’ve called other teams here. Or, it might not have anything to do with me and more to do with the increase of abominations everywhere. I guess we will never know.

  The crack of a branch breaking makes my entire body freeze, and my ears strain. The area around me gets unusually quiet, and I slowly turn around, pressing my back to the tree so I have a better view of the little forest. I’m hoping it’s just Eric getting bored of the lurking-like-creeps game and coming to tell me we should return another night. Even as I think that, I know it’s not him because if that man has anything in spades, it’s patience. Gripping my guns tighter, I examine my surroundings, careful not to miss even the slight movement of a leaf. Nothing stirs, and no sound comes from the trees, so after a couple of minutes, I give up staring.

  When I turn back around, the front of the Sanctuary is all empty, as if there weren’t a few dozen hunters strutting about earlier. The only people I can see are the poor suckers who ended up on guard duty walking around the building from opposite sides. From where I am, I finally see that guard duty is really a punishment. It would be so easy for me to slip inside the sanctuary with only those four around. It’s almost as if the Order is giving the middle finger to those like Eric, or me as the case is now, saying ‘we have no protection at the moment, but you can’t do shit about it.’ It pisses me off immensely, and I can only imagine how that feels to Eric, or Maddison, if they’ve had to deal with this for however long it’s been going on.

  Deciding not to think about it anymore so I don’t get more upset, I drape my body on the tree trunk, almost hugging it, and keep watching the four guards do their rounds. The rumbling sound of a vehicle breaks the silence, making me drop on all fours and crawl around the tree, so the headlights don’t give me away when it drives past. After a minute, a black SUV, looking very much like the one in front of Maddison’s office and the one we used to drive here, comes rolling towards the front of the building and stops almost at the steps for the front door. It’s different from the ones the Order uses, but only when you look at the wheels. The rims are much larger, and the tires look more fitting for a tank than an urban vehicle.

  Holding my breath, I scramble to lift myself up in hopes I’ll see who in it. The night is almost at an end, and it’s not pitch black anymore. It’s some muted color of gray where it can’t decide if it should stay as night or let the new day start. My heart stops, and my entire body stiffens when a body presses me between firm muscles and the tree, while a hand wraps around my mouth, cutting of the terrified shriek that was ready to burst out. I didn’t hear a sound to alert me that someone was that close. My brain kicks into gear, realizing how stupid it would’ve been if I screamed while hiding. I jerk my hips as hard as I can into the groin of whoever is holding me captive. My hand lifts up, and I use my gun to hit the asshole’s head over my shoulder. The thumping sound is like music to my ears. As soon as his grip on my mouth loosens, I bite his hand as hard as I can, almost drawing blood. The groan of pain makes me all giddy. Well, it makes me giddy until he speaks.

  “Damn it, woman, stop hitting me,” Eric growls quietly as he cradles his head in his hand while holding the one I bit pressed to his groin. I bite my lips to stop the laughter that wants to come out and his eyes narrow.

  “We missed seeing who was in that SUV.” I point out to stop whatever he was going to say about the ninja moves I just pulled on him. The laughter I’m suppressing is evident in my voice, and his eyes turn to slits.

  “I know who was in it,” Eric tells me before flicking his eyes over my shoulder towards the Sanctuary. Taking a breath, I’m about to ask who.

  “As do I.” The familiar voice coming from behind Eric cuts off any words that were going to pass my lips. Lifting my arm, I place it over Eric’s shoulder, pointing the gun at the intruder’s face.

  “I would prefer not to have a bullet in my head if you don’t mind, Hel,” Hector says tiredly, but I don’t lower my arm. Eric twists around, stepping next to me to face Hector.

  “What are you doing here?” I can’t stop myself snapping at him.

  “I could ask the same. I, on the other hand, live here, remember?” A small smile lifts Hector's lips, but it looks so sad that my gut clenches when I see it.

  “I know where you live. Why are you out here, and not inside? And how many of you are around?” My gut feeling stays quiet, so I know no one means to attack. At least for now.

  “It’s just me.” At my raised eyebrow, Hector huffs. “I knew you’d come back here eventually. I taught you everything you know. I’ve been walking this area since you left with him.” He points his chin at Eric.

  “He has a name. I
know you know it,” I point out, still glaring at him. I’m not angry, I’m hurt, damn it.

  “Eric.” Hector winces, then nods in acknowledgment when I call him out on his bullshit. “I’m guessing you told her everything.”

  “Hector.” Eric’s deep voice calms me a little. “No, not everything, but she knows the gist of it. We haven’t had much time for talking, what with trying to keep her alive and out of Michael’s hands.” Subtle Eric is not. I appreciate that about him.

  While Eric talks, I look closely at Hector. The proud, elegant man that I’ve known my whole life is nowhere to be seen. His face looks drawn and his skin pale. More wrinkles have appeared, and dark circles puff up under his eyes. Even his hair looks mussed, like he’s been running his hands through it too many times and his robes are wrinkled. It hurts me to see him like this. He is the only close family I’ve known. If I didn’t know better, I would’ve thought he was on the run, too.

  “What’s wrong with you?” I blurt out, and finally lower my gun.

  “What do you mean?” A frown pulls Hector’s eyebrows down and Eric turns to look at me.

  “You look like you’re on the run, too.” Giving him a once over again, I lock eyes with him. “What’s wrong with you?”

  “I’m an old man who has made too many mistakes in my life. What’s not wrong with me?” His voice cracks and my heart does the same. “What are you wearing?” he says, as if noticing my clothes for the first time. He frowns harder, making his face scrunch up.

  “I had to run for my life so I couldn’t pack. I had to wash up all the dirt and grime from when my own people tried to kill me. What else should I be wearing?” If I sound bitter, well, it’s because I am.

  “Wait a second,” he mumbles, and turning around, he disappears between the trees.

  Eric and I look at each other, and he shrugs at me as if saying let’s see what will happen. He’s mostly quiet, but I’m not fooled. His body is coiled tight, ready to spring in action, and his nostrils flare as if scenting the air while his head tilts this way and that, listening for threats. His movements are so subtle and barely perceptive, but they are there. Ever since he kissed me, it’s like I’m in tune with everything that he does. I can even tell when his adrenaline starts rushing, making him ready to move fast. It’s an unnerving feeling.

  The rustling of feet over dried leaves and grass announces that Hector is back. We both turn at the same time to see the old man wrestling a large duffle bag, almost dragging it behind him. Without waiting, Eric walks up and takes it from him, dropping it with a thump where I’m still standing. I’m looking at it as if it might bite me before I lift my eyes to Hector in question.

  “As I said, I knew you’d come eventually, and you’ll need some of your stuff.” Shrugging his shoulder, he lowers his eyes as if embarrassed by the admission.

  “Why the sudden change of heart?” Hector looks at me sharply. “Don’t give me that fucking look!” I snap at him. “First, you ask Eric to kill me. Then, so I don’t get killed, you make sure my best friend is killed. Now, you’re helping me? Shit doesn’t add up in your favor.”

  Eric takes a breath to say something, but I lift a hand, stopping whatever is about to come from him. Still glaring at Hector, I wait, not ready to let him brush off what he did as some sort of misunderstanding. Saying something wrong or doing something stupid is one thing. Trying to get someone to kill the one you’ve raised is a totally different matter. Crossing my arms awkwardly because I’m still holding my guns, I wait for his answer.

  “I never wanted Eric to kill you.” When I open my mouth, Hector glares to keep me from talking. “I let you talk, now you will listen. I don’t think I have much time.” He waits until I nod before he nods in return, as if satisfied with my compliance. “I asked him to track you down to kill you, yes. Amanda is just another life I’ll have to pay penance for in a long list to ensure your survival, but that is my cross to bear, not yours. I had my reasons: to be sure that Eric wouldn’t do it if what I know about him is true. Do you think he would’ve agreed to come find you, and protect you, if I just walked up to him out of nowhere and told him that? Those are my hunters killing his kind every night, not just their rogues.”

  “Yet, you lied to us all, and like fools, we followed blindly, trusting every word coming out of your mouth,” I spit the words at him. Eric just growls deep in his throat, clenching his fists; I can hear his bones cracking.

  “I was raised in the Order just like you were. We all thought we were doing the right thing. When all the little details come up and make you start doubting it, there was always a good explanation for everything. An anomaly, sometimes you must sacrifice for the greater good and other such rubbish. After years pass you start turning a blind eye, or you won’t be able to live with yourself if you look too closely and admit that you’ve lived a lie, that you’ve done horrible things in the name of good, including hurting innocents while living that lie.”

  “If you’re trying to make me feel sorry for you, I’m sorry to say that I can’t find it in me at the moment,” I say honestly. That gets me a proud smile from him.

  “I wouldn’t expect anything else from you, Helena. You have always made me proud, even when I didn’t show it.” Hector’s words warm my insides, even though I’ll never admit it to him. “As I was saying, me asking him to find you in a way that I knew he would agree to was the smartest thing I’ve ever done. You have this glow about you, this aura you project that makes everyone pay attention. I knew it’d intrigue him enough to observe you first. He did exactly what I prayed he would. And you are safe now, thank the Heavens.”

  “Your God or his Heavens have nothing to do with it, old man!” Eric growls, and goosebumps cover my arms.

  “Whatever it is, she is safe now! I’m dying.” Hector smiles sadly at me, and my heart falters. “They found cancer a few months ago, and it’s spread too far to do anything about it. That’s why I went looking for Eric. I couldn’t protect you from where I’m headed after everything I’ve done. I just hope Lucifer will be more merciful than I am to myself.”

  I just stare at him, his face blurring when tears fill my eyes, but I blink them away, not wanting him to see them. Eric laces his fingers through mine and gives me a reassuring squeeze.

  “Michael will stop at nothing to get her, Eric. I don’t know the details because they don’t trust me anymore. I’m left to die in peace in my own room but stripped from everything I’ve had.” Hector looks from Eric to me. “Even from my daughter as a punishment. Michael wants me to suffer for disobeying him.”

  “He will not have her,” Eric says with so much conviction I honestly believe him.

  “Good!” Hector nods, and Eric returns it as if it’s some unspoken deal. “George is gathering information for me in the ranks. Come back tomorrow night, he will meet you here. But, be careful. I can’t know if they’ll follow him. Go now!”

  I want to stay, or say something, but words escape me. Hector has never been a hugger, but I grab him and squeeze him tight until his arms wrap around me awkwardly, and he pets my head when I release him like I’m some lost puppy. Tears run down my face freely now, but he only nods firmly, first at me, then at Eric, before he disappears through the trees. I let Eric guide me, and I follow him numbly to the SUV, and all the way to his apartment where I curl up, not moving until I fall asleep.

  My body is stiff when I wake up the next morning. I’m still curled up the same way I was when we got to Eric’s apartment in the early hours of the dawn. I thought he didn’t want to disturb me, so he left me alone, for which I’m grateful, but when I start stretching my arms to get rid of the tightness in my muscles, I stop short. I’m curled up on one of the leather couches in his living room. When I uncurl from it, I almost hit his head with my knee, but luckily, I notice him before that happens. He is sitting on the floor, his legs stretched out in front of him with his hands on his stomach, fingers laced together. His head is tilted back on the couch. It looks like I was c
urled up around him the whole time I slept. Eric’s eyes are closed, and his thick lashes cast shadows on his cheekbones. With his lips slightly parted, he looks so peaceful, all the tension and worry whipped from his face. I sit there and watch him.

  “Do I have something on my face?” His voice rumbles, sounding deeper than usual from sleep.

  “I was making sure you’re not drooling in your sleep.” Snorting ungracefully, I move, so he doesn’t see my face getting red at being caught staring.

  “Are you okay?” Snatching my hand, he doesn’t let me get away and turns around, so we are face to face.

  “As good as I can be considering…”

  “It’ll be okay, I promise. We’ll figure it out.”

  “Don’t say that, Eric.” Pulling my hand away I lift myself off the couch. “Michael will never stop coming after me. From what you’ve told me so far, you have others to worry about and protect. I know you said you’d protect me and reassured me that I’ll be okay, but I’m not worth all that trouble, trust me. I’ll figure something out. I just need a day, or two, to do it.”

  Standing up as well, Eric wraps an arm around my waist and takes a handful of my hair in the other, tilting my head up so I must look at him. “I am the one to decide what is worthwhile to me. And rest assured, you are worth it!” His eyes do that amber flashing thing as he stares intently at me. “He will not have you. I won’t allow it!”

  “I’m grateful, Eric. Please, don’t think I’m not. But he will kill as many as he needs to until he gets to me. I can’t live with that.” My eyes soften when I see something like fear before he hides it from me. “It’s not that I don’t want, or need, your help. But one life is not worth the cost of many. We both know that.”