by SD Tanner
Voice speaks: Hello. Do you hear me too?
Ip speaks: Yes I do. Who are you?
Voice speaks: I do not know, but I think you do. How do I find my way to you?
Ip speaks: What do you seek to look for me?
Voice speaks: I am for the Horseman, you will see.
Ip speaks: The noisy one will be pleased to know, his wife has finally rejoined the flow.
EPILOGUE: Taking the Empire (Ruler)
There were nearly two thousand men around him, all dressed in their ACUs and he thought they looked rather smart. Behind them were a million hunters standing idle, but grumbling in what he guessed was boredom. He was sat on top of the roof of a long, highly polished black limousine with his legs dangling over the edge so they straddled the driver’s door. Hull was standing in front of him looking up at him in horror.
“What the fuck have you done?”
He tilted his head and smiled happily. “I found a better use for your useless human army.”
Inspecting the nails on his right hand, he noted that there was black encrusted blood under each nail and thought, I need a new body, this one’s dirty. That reminded him the one he planned to use was either dead or had escaped. Shame, he thought, it was pretty.
Turning and surveying the army standing around him, Hull shook his head. “But why? You said you wanted a human army and I gave you one.”
“I know, but I thought they’d be more useful like this.” Then with a wicked smile, he leaned forward and said, “They’re much more useful now. I have a better plan.”
“How am I going to defeat Gears now?”
“Screw that dog. He’s an idiot.”
Jumping down from the roof of the long black limousine, he felt his loose skin flap as he landed on his feet. Studying Hull, he thought, I shouldn’t have lost at the Ranch and the camp, but he was only slightly annoyed by that fact. He knew he could have won both battles, but he’d lacked a second-in-command. While his demons waited for him to arrive at the Ranch, the imp and her dogs stole the win. At the camp, they’d stolen the win again while his demons waited for him. Tsk, tsk, he thought, this will not do, I’m just too important, I need to delegate more. Shrugging, he decided nothing was lost and nothing was gained. In the grander scheme of things, he owned the game and it was more an inconvenience than anything else.
He patted Hull on the cheek with an open palm. “I was going to kill you, but I’ll keep you alive for a bit just in case I want another human army.”
Jerking his head away from him, Hull sneered. “I’m not building you another bloody army, mate.”
Grabbing Hull by the throat, and digging his blood encrusted nails into the man’s flesh, he said sternly, “You will do what I tell you to do.”
He let go of Hull. Three men and three women walked up to him and he flicked his hand dismissively. “Go. Get on with it.”
Hull was massaging his throat. “Get on with what?”
Sniggering, he said, “I told you. I have a new plan. Those dogs are so stupid. My demons can possess anyone. It’s so easy to infiltrate their bases. All we have to do is possess the right people.”
“I think they’d know if any of their key people was possessed by a demon. Your guys aren’t that smart. And the blue eyes are a dead giveaway. No pun intended.”
He chuckled with delight. “That’s true. They’re not the brightest and they have some obvious habits, but the dogs have three dead people that are easy to possess, and any odd behavior won’t be noticed. Two of them are on board that precious ship of theirs and one is at the CDC.”
“So, you take over a few bodies. So what?”
“There’s a child that needs to die.”
“What child?”
He didn’t know who the child was, he only knew there was one. It had appeared as a golden star and he knew that it, combined with the Horsemen, was his only risk of losing the hell he’d brought to earth. Kill the child, he thought. First he had to find it and to find it he needed to infiltrate the bases. No doubt, the brat was somewhere there. He had believed it was at the Ranch in the body of that infected dead woman, but if it was it was rescued by the imp and those annoying dogs. He shrugged off his growing irritation. Hell was on earth and there was nowhere for anyone to hide anymore.
He climbed onto the roof of the limousine and surveyed his waiting demons. Spreading his arms wide, he boomed. “We need a new home! It’s time move into our new digs!”
Half-turning towards the impressive skyline of tall buildings behind him, he made a grand gesture with his arm in the style of a showman. “Welcome to New York!”
Books in Hunter Wars Series
Book One:
EVE OF THE HUNTER WARS (Purchase Now)
Book Two:
HEAVEN MEETS HELL (Purchase Now)
Book Three:
ARMY OF ANGELS (Purchase Now)
Book Four:
GIFT FROM GOD (Purchase Now)
Book Five:
RIGHT TO RULE (Purchase Now)
Book Six:
CALL TO WAR (Purchase Now)
Books in Eden Lost Series
(Series Two of the Hunter Wars)
Book One:
HIDDEN EVIL (Purchase Now)
Book Two
DEAD ALIVE (Purchase Now)
Book Three
BATTLEFRONT
(Release: 2016)
Books in DNA Series
Book One:
THE LOCKE FILES (Purchase Now)
Book Two
TIME TO DIE
(Release: to be scheduled)
Books in NAVIGATOR Series
Book One:
ENEMY LINES
(Release: to be scheduled)
Visit the website at www.sdtanner.com for news, updates and announcements
Follow on Twitter @sdtanner1