by JKMelby74
“Give up?”
“No,” I forced out. I quickly grabbed his ankle and flipped him over. He fell and I was on him. I pinned him down and began to pound him against the ground. I could hear his skull knocking against the rock floor. After a few good ones, I tossed him aside. He was bruised up, but nothing serious. I crawled over and clamped my arm over his throat. “May we leave?” Braveheart opened his eyes. He looked like he was about to cry.
“Go.”
“That’s a sport. Take care now.” I gave him a playful slap on his red cheek.
Ivar and I were ushered out with little ceremony and we quickly found the jeep. As we got in, we could hear the music and celebrations going on back in the camps. We drove back toward the main road that would lead us back to Diablo Luto.
Chapter 10
Diablo Luto
The trip to Diablo Luto was rough. A hard gravel road and lots of deep holes and steep hills along the way. I felt the springs in my seat bend and squish with each bounce. There was no top for the car, so air conditioning would have been pointless.
We were going along a smoothly stretch and I took that opportunity to take in the area. I looked around either side of me and just saw miles of burnt desert and dead brush. Up ahead, I could see what looked like a town. I could definitely make out a few buildings and as we got closer, I saw small things moving around which started to look like cars. It was rather hard to say for sure, as we drove in a large cloud of dirt all the way.
We were finally getting closer to town and I was able to see more. It was small. About as small a town as I had ever seen in my life. It looked like the heart of Diablo Luto was no more than a strip mall. We passed through into the town and parked alongside a rundown diner with a tin roof. We got out and I looked down the way and saw a large fountain surrounded by some very large stone buildings. They looked very authentic. It was clear tourism wasn’t a major industry in Diablo Luto. Ivar led me across the way to a large hotel. Unlike the other businesses, it looked like someone had put money into it. We pushed through the doors and stepped into a large bar room, or what once was a barroom. It had since been converted into a kind of makeshift lobby. There was a gray haired old man leaning against the old bar, which had been turned into a reception desk.
“Afternoon,” The old guy said as he turned to see Ivar and me. “What brings you to Diablo Luto?”
“Is there a room available?” Ivar asked. The old man gave him a thoughtful look. “We’re tourists.”
“Don’t see many of those nowadays.”
“So you do have vacancies.”
“Yeah, we do. Let me get you set up,” He went around the counter and pulled out a large book. “Just sign the registry and I’ll get you some keys. Two rooms?”
“That would be fine.”
“Rooms? Do we really have time to kick back? Shouldn’t we be getting around to finding your friend?”
“It will be too hot to search today. As long as the demon cannot find you, we will be safe. We can afford to stop and rest at last.” I was about to argue, but I just then felt my fatigue and realized we really hadn’t rested. My adrenaline had been keeping me running, but the truth was I would have ripped off my own legs if it meant I could shut my eyes for five minutes.
“Here you go.” The old man dropped the keys down in front of us. I grabbed one and Ivar took the other.
“Thank you. How much will this be?”
“You staying just for tonight? Or longer?”
“Just the night.”
“Thirty. Each.” Ivar nodded and paid the bill and Ivar and I went on up to our rooms.
“Not much on customer service, are they?”
I examined my key and saw that I was put in room one and Ivar went on to room three. I bid him good-bye with a weak wave and turned to my door. I slid my key into the lock and pushed it open. The room was small and looked like an antique blow out. Frilly drapes on the window and what appeared to be a hand quilted bedspread on the small bed. I liked the hardwood floor, despite how it creaked with every step.
In any other frame of mind I would have campaigned to find new lodgings, but I was way too tired to fight anymore. I fell down upon the bed and my body felt as though it was deflating. I adjusted myself on the bed so that my head was on the pillow. I could feel my body sinking into the soft linens. The persistent headache that had been slowly growing more intense also became more prominent to me, but I was too tired to care.
There was a small fan set in the corner and was blowing right on me, which offset the heat. All I could hear was the constant hum of the fan and the lazy everyday activity of Diablo Luto. Soon all my senses shut down and I was in blissful peace.
A loud, violent pounding on the door suddenly interrupted the silence. I jumped up and noticed it had become darker. The sun had set and it was evening. There was another knock at the door so I got up to see what it was. I pulled the door open and saw a woman standing before me. She had on a canvas colored shirt with a tight leather vest over it. Her hair was dark and her eyes seemed to sparkle like stars. Her posture was aggressive, a stark contrast to her delicate features.
“Hello?”
“Not like I pictured.” She said as she brushed past me and came into my room. Her boots echoed a hollow thud as she strode past me. She looked around the room and back at me.
“Do I know you?”
“My name is Kasandra Nova. Kassie to my friends. You’re Jake Corba, right?” The confidence in her was almost overwhelming. Just looking at her, I could tell she would be able to walk into just about any room, in any situation, and command the attention of everyone there. Whether they liked it or not.
“Right. Again. Do I know you?”
“I don’t suppose you do. From what I hear, you’re new to the circles.”
“What are you talking about?”
“People in our situation tend to gravitate to one another. It’s a professional thing, I guess. All accountants know each other. All doctors know each other. And then there is us. The demon hunters.” Her words caught me from the left and I played them back in my head.
“Demon hunters?”
“That’s what we are. We’re a rare breed, Jake. We live between the shadows and see a world no one else believes even exists.”
“Is that in the brochure?”
“I believe we were meant to have this lot in life. We balance things out. Mortals need someone to push back against the demonic bullies who would gladly eat their flesh. Don’t you agree?”
“I’ll let you know when my brain catches up with you.”
“I’m sorry. I guess I’m throwing a lot at you at once. It’s just been a long time since a fellow hunter has been around, much less a Corba.” She sat down on the bed and crossed her legs. Her eyes followed me as I paced across the room. She was real. She had to be. I could smell her perfume. I felt the heat of her body in the room.
“You’re serious.”
“Why would I lie about this?”
“It wouldn’t be the first weird thing to happen to me.”
“I’m sure.”
“Did you come up here for something?”
“Oh. Right. I’m sorry. Just a little star struck.” She got to her feet. “I wanted to take you out for a drink. How about it?” Her lips stretched easily into a charming smile and I felt that warmth again.
“Sure. Why not?”
Chapter 11
Hunter Bonding
Kassie took me to a little watering hole at the other end of town, which wasn’t far from the hotel. We walked in and I was surprised how busy it was. A few waitresses were weaving through the mild crowd, delivering drink orders with perfect precision. We walked over to the bar. There were several shelves hung on the wall and upon them sat one of the largest inventories of booze I had ever seen. While the rest of the establishment seemed very run down, the bar itself appeared to be in mint condition. Freshly polished wood top with shiny brass accents.
“Kassie!” The
bartender said in a loud, booming voice.
“Carlos! Buenos Noches! Two for me and my friend, please,” Carlos dove behind the bar and produced two shot glasses and a large bottle of Tequila. “On my tab.”
“You got it!” Kassie pointed me toward a small table in the back near a set of stairs. I pushed my way through and sat down. Kassie slammed the glasses and bottle down with a bang.
“You drink?”
“I do, but until now, I’ve never gotten drunk.”
“Oh. The demon. Right.” She opened the bottle and set up the first shots.
“What?”
“You meant the demon that possessed you, right?”
“I did, but how did you know about that?”
“Everyone knows. The legend of the Corba family is common knowledge to most demon hunters. You’re kind of like a celebrity.”
“So everyone knows more about my life than I do.”
“Depends. How much do you know?” She slugged a shot back. I followed and I discovered drinking without the demon was a completely different sensation. The drink burned along my tongue and down my throat and I could feel the alcohol rushing into my brain.
“A little more than I used to, but I guess there’s always more.”
“I don’t know the whole story by heart. I just remembered that I had heard you were possessed by a demon. That has changed?”
“It got out.”
“How did that happen?” She planted another full shot glass before me. I took it and slammed it.
“Some psycho released it. Now it wants me dead so it can destroy the world.”
“Sounds fun. What brings you here?”
“Ivar says he knows someone here who may be able to help me.”
“Ivar?” Kassie’s eyes lit up. “Ivar is with you?”
“Yeah. Back at the hotel. You know him too?”
“Sure. I haven’t seen him in years. How is he?”
“Scary. Weird. Annoying.” Kassie downed another drink and laughed softly to herself.
“That’s Ivar.” She filled up her glass again. She didn’t look like the type to be a demon hunter. She looked as though she would be more at home backstage at a Rolling Stones concert.
“What’s your story?”
“You’d never believe me.”
“Try me. The last couple days have gotten me believing a lot of things.” She looked at me with a hard, concentrated look. It seemed like she was having a hard time debating whether or not to tell me what she figured to be too much for me to handle. She grabbed her shot and swallowed it down.
“Fine, but I warned you,” I wasn’t sure why, but my innate, natural curiosity spiked. My ears shut out all the background noise and I focused as best as I could on Kassie’s next words. “I’m a cupid.”
“What?”
“You heard me. I am a cupid.”
“You mean like those winged kids who shoot people in the ass to make them fall in love?”
“It’s not quite as simple as that. I come from a race of fairy-like creatures known as the Amorisi. They control and share the emotion of love within the mortal realm. The bow and arrow schtick went out with the sixteenth century.”
“So, it’s true. You guys go around making people fall in love?”
“Some do. Centuries ago, the Amorisi came together and modernized the operation. It kind of works like the CIA now. Everyone gets assigned to their territory and such.”
“So, you’re not a demon hunter.”
“Yes. I am. I was born an Amorisi, but I was raised as a human and that’s what I knew. They offered me my place among them, but this is the life I want. I’ve learned to use my powers as an Amorisi to hunt demons. Unfortunately, my powers are kind of out of control sometimes and I inadvertently inspire certain feelings in people.”
“Like what?”
“What do you think? Love. Just being in my presence amps up people’s receptors and they tend to focus on me. I don’t do it on purpose, but most men I meet tend to fall in love with me.” I sat silently, her words soaked into my brain. She was looking at me as if in anxious anticipation of my first reaction.
“You’re right. It’s pretty hard to believe.” She smiled and poured another drink for herself.
“For the last few years, I’ve been what some might call the resident demon hunter ‘round here. I’ve done my traveling. Tore through a Vampire colony in England. Hunted a water nymph in Scotland, but it seems as far as I go, I always end up back here in good old Diablo Luto. Check this out,” She reached into her vest and pulled out a long, thin wooden spike and held it out to me. It looked old and had a deep red stain on the point at the end. “I have staked nearly three hundred vampires with this stake alone. Feel it.” It was a long piece of dark wood. One tip thicker than the other. Looked to be standard issue. As I held it in my hand, I could feel a vibration coming from within it.
“It’s buzzing.” Kassie gently plucked the stake up and slid it back into her vest.
“Vampires and creatures like them tend to leave a psychic imprints on things they come into contact with. This stake contains the psychic memory of over three hundred vampire slayings. I still stake ‘em with it, but these days it works better to attract them.”
“Why would you want to attract a vampire?”
“It comes in handy. Trust me. You’ll learn.”
“Maybe, but this isn’t a career thing. Once Ivar and I fix this demon thing, I’m out.” Kassie looked at me with a serious look on her face.
“You’re kidding, right?”
“No.”
“But you’re a Corba.”
“I know, but I can’t live a life like this. Chasing monsters.”
“Being a demon hunter isn’t like being an accountant or lawyer. This is who you are. You can deny it all you want, but nothing will change.”
“What about you? You’re a cupid, but you chose to be a demon hunter.” Kassie stared off into space for a moment.
“This was meant to happen. I truly believe no matter what choices I would have made; I’d still be here doing what I do. I was meant to be a demon hunter. It was destined.”
“Destiny? Seriously?”
“Don’t believe?”
“No. There is no destiny. There’s just what does and doesn’t happen.”
“Most of the rookies say that their first time.” I jumped up from my seat, knocking my chair back. The room froze and all eyes were on me as I stared down at Kassie with burning eyes.
“Don’t talk to me like you’ve got me all figured out!” She quickly stood up and clamped her hand onto my shoulder.
“Easy, cowboy,” She whispered. “Calm down and sit. Most folks here don’t care for violent outbursts,” I felt my brain regain its composure and I realized where I was. I quickly grabbed my chair and slid it back and sat down. “I know it’s tough to accept, but the sooner you do, the better.”
“I just think,” I began but Kassie slid a glass in front of me.
“Stop. Drink.”
We continued to drink for another few hours. We veered away from discussions about my family or the D word, which was just fine with me. Kassie started to talk about her family. Her father was a well-respected doctor and her mother was a society matron. It seemed they offered her the best life had to offer, but Kassie had no use for any of it. She had played along with their plans for her future, but when she turned eighteen, she struck out on her own and pursued her own path. She had a lot of interesting stories about drifting from one end of the country to the other. As she recounted her endless adventures along route sixty-six, I was beginning to see a light behind her eyes. I was getting the impression I was the first human being she had talked to in a long time.
“Do you have any friends?” She looked at me awkwardly.
“That’s a heck of a question.”
“Well?”
“I’ve met a lot of people over the years. The faces pass back and forth so often, I have trouble remembering names.”<
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“I get that, but what about friends? People you trust and care about?”
“No. I can’t say I have too many of those.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. We make sacrifices to live the life we choose.”
“I guess demon hunting isn’t conducive to a healthy personal life.”
“Among other things. It can be a lonely life, I admit. It’s hard to find people who understand me and why I do what I do.”
“I understand.”
“You’re drunk.”
“All the better to understand you.” Our eyes held each other for a moment and the warm feeling I had in the pit of my stomach when I first saw her, was growing quickly.
“It’s getting late.” I just then noticed we were the last two in the bar. I looked to my watch but my eyes blurred.
“Yeah. This was fun. I guess I’ll see you around.”
“I guess you will.” I pushed myself up from my seat, but my legs gave out and I fell to the floor. Kassie ran over and pulled me back up, but I was unable to get my footing.
“I think I had a little too much to drink.” Kassie wrapped my arm over her shoulders and tried to walk me to the door, but stopped.
“Yeah. Me too. I can’t carry you.”
“I can’t stay here.”
“Sure you can.”
“I can?”
“Yeah. My room’s just upstairs.”
“Your room?”
“You heard me.”
“Is that a good idea?”
“What? You think I won’t be able to resist your charms?”
“I do have pretty nice charms. Not to mention a big...smile.”
“I’ll admit, you’re cute, but you are way too green for me, sweets.”
“Even though I’m a Corba?”
“Come on.” Kassie turned me around and took me to the stairs in the back of the bar that led up to some rooms. I struggled up the creaky steps as best I could. I held tightly to Kassie with one hand and the banister with the other.
