Hunting Shadows

by Rain Oxford

  I heard Phobos snapping at the creature for a moment before I felt him shield me. I covered my face and hands as well as I could. “Take me to Lilly in the other room,” I said. Phobos held still beside me until I could safely stand. I desperately needed blood.

  Phobos led me to my room and I found that the door itself was gone. Why aren’t there cops here yet? Once I moved far enough in, I was able to open my eyes. The television was smashed and the contents of my bags were scattered, indicating there was a struggle. Lilly was nowhere to be seen.

  “Find her,” I said. Phobos started sniffing around the room. I grabbed my cell phone and called Logan.

  “What happened?” he asked, picking up almost immediately.

  “Lilly is missing. She went into my room and something… hang on.” Phobos was scratching at the bathroom door, so I opened it. Faster than I had ever seen a human move, the cabinet under the sink burst open and Lilly jumped out, clutching a broken piece of glass like a weapon. I dropped my phone and grabbed her arms. “It’s okay!”

  She screamed something unintelligible until I was able to pull the glass out of her grasp. As soon as I got it, she lost her fight and fell limp.

  “You’re okay now.”

  “I saw him. He won’t let me go.”

  “He’s not going to take you again.”

  “I want Logan.”

  “I know.” I picked up my phone and saw that the call was still connected. “I found her,” I said calmly, interrupting his yelling, before hanging up. “Let’s go back to your room.”

  “You’re hurt,” she said.

  “I know. I really need blood now.”

  Her chin wobbled. “I’m sorry. I was grabbing a bottle when the monster attacked. It shoved me into the fridge and they all got broken.”

  “Fuck.”

  “Logan will get you some more. I want to go back to my room,” Lilly said.

  “Get the occult books off the table.”

  She went into the main room and returned a moment later with my bag. “I put them in with your clothes because I figured you might want to change.” She had a good point. Although the blood didn’t show badly on black satin, the entire front of my shirt was torn to shreds.

  After I covered my face and hands, Lilly grabbed my arm and guided me outside. Even with my eyes closed, the light stung. I heard Lilly open the door to her room and stepped onto soft carpet. She closed the door behind me and I put my hood down.

  “Do you need blood really soon? Like… do we need to order delivery or something? I can be a lookout,” Lilly volunteered.

  I would have laughed if she didn’t look so damn serious. Instead, I sat gingerly on the bed. “Text Logan and ask him if he can pick up some from a hospital.” There was a high risk of hurting humans if we fed on them while injured.

  “What’s going to happen to you if he can’t?”

  “When we’re starving, we get tired. Our senses, strength, and reflexes diminish. Soon, just moving becomes too difficult… and then breathing. Eventually, we just… fall asleep.”

  “But then you can’t get blood.”

  “Right.”

  “So you never wake up?”

  “We usually go to sleep after getting blood, but if we fall into a deep sleep from starvation, which we call a ‘blood coma,’ there is no waking up without fresh blood. At that point, our bodies go into hibernation. It stops consuming energy, our hearts stop beating, and we don’t heal. We’re basically dead, except that we can be awoken if someone were to give us blood.”

  “Your heart would start beating again?” she asked. I nodded. “What about your brain? Doesn’t it get damaged from oxygen deprivation?”

  “We aren’t human. With enough blood, our bodies can overcome anything.” I pulled up the cover and settled down under it. “I need to take a nap. Don’t leave the room and don’t go into the bathroom.”

  “No! You can’t go into a blood coma! What if the creature comes back?”

  “I’m not going into a blood coma, I just need a nap to conserve my energy. Then again, just to be safe, don’t come near me in my sleep. I may not be in control of my actions if something wakes me from my sleep when I’m this hungry.”

  She didn’t look very comfortable. After a few minutes, Phobos jumped up on the bed next to me and snuggled against my back. I was just about to fall asleep when he rolled over, half on top of me, and rested his head on mine. I sighed.

  * * *

  I woke to some unfamiliar, albeit pleasant, lips on mine and opened my eyes. To my shock and confusion, Logan was kissing me. I shoved him away automatically. “What the hell?!”

  He was sitting next to me on the bed and we were alone in the room. “Relax.” He tried to close the space between us.

  I shoved him away again. “I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but I’m not interested in---”

  “I’m healing you,” he said impatiently.

  “What?”

  “I can heal people, but only by wanting to heal them. I need to feel affection for you in order to do it, so shut up and let me kiss you.”

  It was only due to my confusion that he was able to kiss me again. The few people I had kissed up until then were vampires. Logan was completely different. Warmth spread from the contact, but it wasn’t unpleasant. The burns faded from my mind as he filled my senses. He smelled like old books, vanilla, and arousal. Wherever his hands touched, my skin tingled as the magic flowed into me.

  Without conscious thought, I reached up and ran my hands over his muscular chest. When did he take his shirt off? It didn’t matter. I couldn’t bring myself to stop him, and the longer he kissed me, the more I wanted it. I realized why it never worked with me and Cody, Astrid, or anyone else; there wasn’t enough passion. I didn’t know what I was missing until that moment.

  Just as I reached for his belt, he pulled away and it took all my self-control not to whine. I did try to pull him back down, but he just smirked. My strength failed me. “That’s enough; you’re healed. A little sleep is all you need now.” He leaned down once more, whispered “Sweet dreams,” and kissed me gently.

  I knew he was using more magic on me, as it pulled me under before I could say a word. And I did have sweet dreams. I had very vivid, physical, dirty dreams in which Logan and I were alone for weeks. Realizing it wasn’t real, I suspected this was also caused by his magic, yet I didn’t try to stop it.

  I wasn’t an idiot; I knew this was Logan’s way of distracting me. He had a lot of explaining to do.

  * * *

  When I woke again, I felt good as new, which I wasn’t happy about. Logan may have healed me, but I wanted to punch his lights out for it. He and Lilly were sitting at the table, reading Michael’s books. Deimos was asleep to the right of me and Phobos was asleep to my left.

  Without acknowledging me, Logan put his book down and patted Lilly’s hand. “Go get a soda from the machine,” he said.

  She rolled her eyes and dropped the book with exaggerated frustration. “Fine. I’ll leave you alone with your girlfriend.” He didn’t correct her as she stood.

  “Take Deimos,” he added when she reached the door. Deimos argued incoherently. “What did he call me?”

  “Deimos only protects me and if the enemy does escape, Deimos is the one who hunts him to the ends of the Earth. Phobos takes orders. Phobos, protect Lilly.” The dog rolled off the bed leisurely, stretched, and crawled towards her as if he was too lazy to get up. When Lilly opened the door, I saw that it was dusk. “You’re a demon,” I said once Lilly was gone.

  He sat back and looked at me. “Yes. I’m a demon. However, I had nothing to do with Marluk or the missing children.”

  He may not have outright lied, but he omitted a hell of a lot. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “For one thing, that isn’t something I normally tell people. I avoid most paranormals, and those who can sense my magic assume I am merely a wizard. For another, you didn’t believe in demons, so I wasn’t sur
e what you would do if you found out. And if that isn’t enough, I didn’t trust you. How was I supposed to know you weren’t the one kidnapping children?”

  “Yeah, I blew up my own room.”

  He sighed. “I know now that you weren’t behind it.”

  He was right; if I knew he was a demon, I would have suspected him from the start. Since I got to know him, I couldn’t imagine the apathetic asshole summoning another demon, no matter how many secrets he kept.

  “If you knew it was a demon doing this, why didn’t you tell me?”

  For a moment, it didn’t look like he was going to answer me. “I didn’t know. I suspected, but demonology is the one branch of magic I avoid. I’m not a full demon.”

  “Um… isn’t that like being a little bit pregnant? I thought that was an either/or thing.”

  “My father was a demon, but like I said, he died when I was only three. My mother knew what I was, but I developed my power faster than I learned to control it and it created quite a lot of tension when I burned down the house. It was an accident, of course. I was nine.”

  “So, Lilly isn’t a demon?”

  “No. Nevertheless, my mother blames me for Lilly’s interest in witchcraft. I buy, sell, and trade magic items, but I mostly make deals with humans and wizards; I have never actively researched demons. Thus, I knew the coin had to do with a demon, but not which one.”

  “Did you know the coin would mark me?”

  “I suspected as much. I had hoped you would lead me to the demon responsible. You turned out to be rather useful as bait and as a distraction to keep the demon’s pet off my back. I was able to track the coin once it was stolen from me.”

  “Did you know Ginger Hull was going to get taken?”

  “Yes. I was able to find them because of it.”

  “Then you found the person who blew up my room?”

  “I did; it was Officer Lewis. In addition, he has the children in his basement. We need to go after the officer first, kill him, and destroy the creature.”

  “You can’t destroy it with magic?”

  “Magic comes with a price. I used it to help Lilly escape, but saving the others using magic isn’t worth the price.”

  “What kind of a price?”

  “One I was willing to pay to get my sister back. I have no such attachment to the other missing children.”

  “You’re an asshole.”

  “I know, and I don’t have a problem with that.”

  “Magic would help us defeat the creature.”

  He sighed and unbuttoned his shirt. I resisted my first instinct, which was to shield my eyes so as to not get sucked back up in the demon’s allure. Instead, I focused on his tattoos. Aside from the magic symbols, which I assumed were various protection spells, there was a thin chain tattooed all around his chest as if it were binding him.

  He ran his finger across one of the strands of chain. “Demons who are in service of humans or more powerful demons often wear chains either around their neck or torsos as a sign of their obedience. This was created by a very powerful wizard when I was young as a way to control the demonic part of me. It limits my power considerably. Ironically, it hardly affects my personality, for I have no interest in morality.”

  “Then why do you hinder your own power?”

  “I already told you; magic comes at a price. Without this chain, I would be compelled to use magic endlessly, thereby gaining more power. The cosmic debt would be too great and I would be unable to remain here. This world is not meant for demons.”

  “But you still have some magic?”

  “I can do small spells, like helping Lilly to escape and healing you. Anything greater than that could break the chain. I can, however, remove the chain, but there would be no guarantee I could get it back on.”

  “What do you mean? You can remove the tattoo?”

  “I can. I’m not going to, though.”

  “If you can read Latin, I know how to banish the creature without magic.” Sort of.

  Lilly returned then and picked up a candle on the table. “This will enable you to see the creature.” She pointed to a sigil etched into the side of it. “Burn the candle in the dark and anything invisible will be seen.”

  We spent the next half hour planning our trap. Lilly wanted to go with us, despite Logan insisting it was too dangerous. In the end, we decided to leave Deimos and Phobos to watch Lilly while Logan and I took care of the cop and saved the kids. I wasn’t any happier leaving the boys behind than Logan was leaving his sister. Once again, we stopped at the store to get supplies.

  * * *

  As I drove us to Officer Lewis’s house using Logan’s directions, I considered the fact that I was sitting next to a demon. A few things kept bothering me. “Do you sleep?”

  “Of course. I sleep at least an hour or two a week. I’m only half demon; I’m not all that different than a human.”

  “What about salt? And the demon’s trap?”

  “They don’t stop me.”

  “If you were shot by a bullet…?”

  “That wouldn’t stop me, either.”

  “So, what if someone chopped your head off?”

  “Well who wouldn’t that kill? I have many of the strengths of a demon without the weaknesses. I’m not as powerful as a full-blood demon, but I can’t be summoned. At least, I don’t think I can.”

  “Your issue with making deals, is that part of it?”

  “I think so. Like I said; I know little about demons. I know my father made a deal with my mother and I know I am physically incapable of going back on a deal.”

  “Does that include repaying your debts?”

  “Yes.”

  Good to know. We reached the house at that point and got out. It was a nice, brick house with a manicured lawn. I knocked on the door and waited, then broke the door and entered when no one answered. An alarm next to the door chirped. Logan put his hand on the code box nonchalantly and a moment later, the alarm fell silent.

  Before getting started, I did a quick search of the house to make sure it was really empty. According to Logan, the children were in the basement. We had decided that the kids were safest where they were until the creature was banished, so we weren’t going to save them or even check on them until afterwards.

  The house was fancy and all the furniture matched. The kitchen was white, including the tile floor. Since it was the only room in the house without carpet, it was going to have to do. “I don’t know his schedule, so we may not have much time before he gets here,” Logan said. I nodded and got to work on the kitchen floor. “Are you willing to do what it takes for this plan to work?”

  “I’m a vampire, not human. Besides, I’m past the point of playing nice.”

  “I’m glad to hear it.”

  Logan set the candle on the counter next to the sink without lighting it. I copied the pentagram and enclosed it in a circle with white paint. The sigils were more difficult, but I managed. Meanwhile, Logan studied the Latin passage. Right as I was finishing, I heard a car pull into the garage. “Perfect timing.”

  I waited by the door to the garage and Logan stepped out of sight. When the door opened and Officer Lewis started to enter, I grabbed him, dragged him into the kitchen, and sat him in the chair. He screamed unintelligibly until I let him go and stepped back. After sputtering for a moment, he saw the circle on the floor. “What is this?!

  “We know all about the kids, including where they’re being kept,” I said.

  His face paled. “I don’t know what you’re---”

  “Shut up. We know Dr. Brian was the one to choose the kids, Lilly was an accident, and you cleaned up the mess. We also know where you hid them. Logan and I are unsure on one thing; why the hell do you want to raise a demon?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Yes, you do. Cut the crap and tell me. Is it some religious worship thing? Because that would be interesting. Blind faith is adorable.”

  The c
op clenched his jaw, but I could smell fear on him. “It was never about… I can’t tell you.”

  “Why? Are you afraid something is going to come get you?” I smirked when he nodded. “Then you don’t have a clue what you’re up against.” Just as I was about to thrall him, he realized it was coming and shut his eyes.

  I leaned over him, very nearly touching him, put my hands on his shoulders, and spoke in his ear. “Don’t be like that. You know you like me in your head.” Despite the fact that he wasn’t looking me in the eyes, I used my magic. “Do you remember the warmth you felt? It felt good to give up control, didn’t it?”

  “We don’t have time for this,” Logan said, irritably.

  The cop jerked, no doubt having forgotten the demon was there. I stepped back. “Damn it, Logan! I had him!”

  His normally illegible expression had a definite sour note to it this time. “It was taking too long.” He put his hand on my waist and pulled me closer to him so that he could speak softly in my ear. “On the other hand, if you ever want to thrall me, I encourage you to try that as much as you want.”

  Since I couldn’t smell his emotions, it was way too difficult to predict his move. That both pissed me off and intrigued me. I stepped away from him, easily breaking his hold. We had work to do.

  Fortunately, our discussion distracted the cop, who was glancing back and forth at us as if we were insane. I easily caught his gaze and ensnared his mind this time. “You must answer every question I ask you honestly. Why do you want to summon the demon?”

  “We want the power the demon will give us.”

  Logan smirked. “I told you.” He pulled a lighter out of his pocket and lit the candle.

  I rolled my eyes. “You were right; humans can be that stupid.” I focused on the officer. “How did you find out about Marluk?”

  “The demon’s servant found us and told us how to summon Marluk. He said Marluk would be grateful and grant our every wish.”

  “How did you get the kids to write runaway letters?”