With the chance to become something more, the opportunity to change.
But do I want that?
“What do you plan on wishing for?” Darius asks.
I glower at him. “Did you hear our entire conversation?”
“It’s not my fault neither of you noticed me. I knocked.”
“You did?”
He smirks. “You two were too engrossed in your conversation, and I get it.” Darius glances at Amad. “You keep strange company.”
“He’s a client.”
“He thinks highly of you.”
"Most of my clients do, or else they wouldn't hire me."
“That’s not what I meant.”
“I know,” I say softly.
“You don’t like me.”
“I don’t trust you.”
“Why not? Because you were sent to kill me?”
"Don't take it personally. I don't trust most people."
“You trust Azir more than you do me.”
“Why do you care so much?” I snap.
“Maybe I want my life to have meaning again. I’ve been floundering since I was fired, and I just need my life to have purpose, okay?”
“Then become a bounty hunter yourself and get your own clients. Thank you for the food. Lock the door as you leave.”
“Rebel… Look. I want to blame Mirella for a lot of my life’s failings because she was involved with them, but I made the choices to fight alongside her. I knew HEX U would have a short leash with me, and in their eyes, I blew it. They have a certain way they want things done, and for a few years, it worked. I did everything they asked and nothing more, but that’s not enough. That’s not good enough. I’ve seen the evil some of the creatures do, and they want the guys locked up and thrown into Magical Prison. I don’t get it. Why not just kill them? Hardly anyone is allowed to leave the prison so they just end up dying in there. What’s the point?”
I say nothing. He’s clearly not done. Might as well let him get it all out.
“I got into trouble with my first job because of helping her. She never knew when to stop, but then I guess I didn’t either. I liked her. I really did, but she picked someone else, and she was right to. We wouldn’t have worked out. Kayden grounds her, and she listens to him more, which is funny considering I was one of her tutors. So I got into trouble with Magical Hunters Academy and then with HEX U, and I just couldn’t stand how they did things.”
“Mirella seems happy working for them,” I venture.
"She's changed. Grown-up, I guess."
I can’t help grinning. “Does that mean you’re immature?”
“I’m twenty-two. I can make the calls and know what needs to be done. That witch needed to be executed. If I could go back, I would do the same thing. It was the right choice. They don’t see it that way.”
"So, you bought a house…"
“I picked a random spot. I randomly picked a state and figured I would move to its capital.”
I blink. “You made a major decision and left it up to chance?”
"I have no significant other. I wasn't going to move back home with my parents. I just wanted to get away and have a fresh start, and then you showed up."
“Would things be better for you if I had killed you?”
He snorts. “No, but I think things happen for a reason. Our paths were meant to cross. Let me help you.”
I tap a finger against my cheek. “You asked what I would wish for. I wish for you to leave me alone.”
Darius’s gray eyes flash. “You’re going to end up dead,” he warns.
“I’m sick of being told that. Everyone underestimates me. Everyone.”
Even my brother.
Mason would spot me at the gym. He often asked if I wanted to lower the weights. Granted, I did sometimes increase the weight faster than I should so my form would suffer a little, but he would second-guess me.
He didn't think I could have the target moved back farther at the shooting range. We argued about it. Now, I'm wondering if he wanted me to focus on closer targets because the chances of my discovering a vampire from far away aren't high. He might not have known that any other creatures are also real.
Even with karate, he thought I should've waited and trained longer before attempting to obtain my black belt. I didn't fail, though. He had to have known I wouldn't, so why did he doubt me?
And the biggest way Mason underestimated me? Purely based on the way he kept the truth from me. He didn’t trust me enough to tell me about vampires. Yes, I’m certain that was what he wanted to tell me, but why did he wait so long? He could’ve told me after I became a black belt. That would’ve been a perfect opportunity but no. Instead, he left me alone to deal with school and gym and karate, all of it alone. In a way, his trips to take out vampires meant I already was becoming comfortable living alone, but we could have had so much more time together. We could have killed vampires together, and we could have maybe taken out that creature together. Mason and Gracie might still be alive.
His secret got him killed, and I hate him for that.
But I also love him, and I always will.
I also know what he would want me to do right now.
“The wish is mine,” I say. “It’s payment for the job, and there’s only one wish.”
He nods and opens his mouth, but I hold up a finger to silence him.
“We do things my way,” I say firmly. “I call the shots.”
“I understand.”
“Do you know anything about gremlins that might help?”
“They like to twist things around to benefit them always. It’ll be best if we can sneak attack him so he doesn’t even get the chance to speak.”
“That’s always ideal,” I say dryly. “What about their magic?”
"They don't normally even rely on their magic, from what I recall being taught."
“Really?”
“No. They’re intelligent creatures, and they’re crafty with technology. They can hold their own against almost anyone or anything. That’s the only reason why they’re still alive. Believe me, HEX U has tried to rid the world of them. They captured a few and had them in prison, but they managed to break out.”
“Wow.”
“They aren’t the only ones to break out either,” he mumbles.
I lift my eyebrows. “Sounds like a great place to send evil paranormal creatures.”
“Don’t judge.”
“I would never judge your world.”
“You do every time you take on a case.”
“And yet, here you are, forcing your way in to provide help.”
“I told you I want my life to have purpose.”
“I already told you that you can help with this, but, Darius, after this case, you need to find your own life’s purpose. This is mine. You have to find your own way.”
He just grins in a way that makes my stomach twist into knots. I’m not so sure I like that grin, but I give him a small smile anyhow.
“Let’s go and get this done,” I say.
Darius shakes his head. “You sleep more. You need to have your mind sharp.”
I open my mouth to protest, but he cuts me off.
“I’ll do some digging to see what I can learn about—”
“Zorn is his name.”
Darius nods. “I’ll find out what I can. This’ll be fun.”
“Your own life,” I remind him as I head toward my bedroom.
“Yeah, yeah.”
Chapter 29
The bridge isn’t the only place that Zorn likes to frequent, according to Darius’s research. The gremlin likes a metal scrapyard that is mostly abandoned. The thought of going there, on his turf, doesn’t strike me as smart.
“That place has got to be boobytrapped,” I tell Darius. I refuse to admit that he had been right. I desperately needed that sleep, and now, as I’m scarfing down some spaghetti and meatballs. All the carbs for energy. Plus, it’s dinnertime. It won’t be long until it’s dark ou
t, and I don’t like the idea of fighting the gremlin after the sun goes down either.
“I agree. Let’s check out the bridge first.”
I lift my eyebrows.
He ducks his head, but I saw his smirk. "I defer to your expertise."
“Stuff it, you.”
I swat his shoulder and glance over at Amad. He's still sleeping on my couch. In fact, he's barely shifted position at all. I'm so worried about him.
With a sigh, I turn back to Darius. “Yes, we’ll check out the bridge, but if he’s not there, we’re going to wait until tomorrow to check out the scrapyard. I don’t want to do that at night.”
“I agree.”
I harrumph. “We’ll both drive.”
“Why?”
“You said gremlins like to mess with technology, right? If he gets his grubby paws on our only vehicle, we’ll be stuck. Hopefully, we can prevent him from messing with both.”
“Good point.”
“Why do you sound so surprised?”
“I’m not. It’s just… you’re a born leader.”
“Nah, I’m just bossy.”
“You know how to give orders and be on a team.”
“From here on out, I work alone.”
“I’m just saying…”
“Say nothing.”
I make Darius follow me on the forty-minute drive out to the wooden bridge. It should’ve taken me longer, but my foot’s lead, and I found out early on that Darius is more than capable of tailing me. Unfortunately, there’s no sign of the gremlin there or in the near vicinity.
Darius pulls up alongside my car. I roll down my window.
“Let’s find the nearest rest stop,” I say. “I’ll sleep in my car.”
He smirks. "You aren't going to let me sleep in your car, too, are you?"
“Maybe. What’s in it for me?”
“What do you want?”
I tilt my head and seriously consider this. I'm not one to turn away an offer, especially an open-ended one like this.
“Can weapons be magically enhanced? I’ve always wondered that.”
“Yes.”
“Can you do that?”
“No.”
“No,” I deadpan. “Why not?”
“Not every witch can, but I do know some with that ability. What do you want? A dagger that can’t be broken?”
My eyes grow wide. "Can that extend to cars? Can I have a car that will never die?"
"All I want is a place to sleep. I mean, I could just go and get a hotel room and have a nice, warm bed and a hot shower and breakfast in the morning, and then you'll get nothing."
“Fine. A dagger that can’t be broken would be great. Could it also—”
“One thing.”
I grunt. “Fine, but I sleep in the back.”
“I’m going to recline my seat.”
“Ugh.”
I end up sleeping in the driver’s side seat reclined all the way. Darius doesn’t snore, but I’m not sure how much he sleeps. I don’t, not much, and every time I look over, he’s awake too. We don’t talk, though.
As soon as the sun rises, I sit up. “Let’s roll.”
We’re not far from the scrapyard, and we arrive there five minutes later. The gate is shut and locked, but it’s an easy climb up and over. The place is filled with all kinds of trash and garbage and, well, scrap.
“Keep an eye out for traps,” I whisper to Darius. I point to the left.
He nods and heads in that direction, whereas I turn right. I figure we can meet in the middle.
What exactly I’m looking for, I don’t know, but I try to keep an eye on everything. There’s no wires, no string, nothing to show a trap.
Just then, a ton of stuff falls to my right. Hairs on the back of my neck prickle, and I glance over, but there’s nothing there.
I start to take a step forward when I realize there’s a small pile of metal directly in front of me that hadn’t been there a minute before. My hands go to my sides. I didn’t want to walk around the place holding my gun and the angle blade, but I draw both out now.
“Zorn, are you there? Come on out.”
The pile of metal starts to shake. A tiny gadget wheels forward. I back away but not quickly enough. The gadget blows up, metal shards turning into fiery flying shrapnel. I manage to avoid all of the pieces but one that cuts into my sleeve. Thankfully, it doesn’t cut deep enough to reach my skin, and, even better, this piece isn’t on fire.
I reach to remove the piece and then hesitate. It’s coated with a green shine. Poison? Wouldn’t surprise me. Good thing I’m wearing gloves. I pull out the piece and toss it onto the ground.
“Zorn, don’t be a coward. I just want to talk,” I call.
"Talk, you say, but look at your hands."
His voice sounds from all around me. Hmm. Where is he?
“Yeah, well, your little present wasn’t the nicest,” I say, refusing to take one step.
“Why are you here, I wonder.”
“The gun and the blade don’t tell you?” I ask dryly.
“You want to hurt me, maybe even kill me. Tell me, what did I do?”
“You’ve hurt a lot of people.”
“This I do not deny.” His laugh sounds like a howl. It’s almost demonic.
I want to ask how many he curses, but I would rather him not know what we’re after, so I say nothing.
“Are you with the witch?” he asks.
I scowl. He most likely watched us enter.
“You aren’t talking anymore. Cat got your tongue?”
“You try to cut mine out, and I’ll cut out your spleen.”
“So violent. We could be friends.”
“Then come on out. Show yourself.”
“I think I’ll go and see the witch now. I don’t like witches.”
Muttering a curse, I stand there. Do I want to rush over to Darius to warn him? Yes, but I also don’t want to give Zorn an idea where the witch is. Besides, the gremlin probably knows and can get there faster than I can since I’m not precisely sure where exactly Darius is in the scrapyard.
I spy a can on top of a large pile of cars. Honestly, it’s not the smartest thing to do, but I want to warn Darius, so I shoot the can. The can jerks off the cars and lands somewhere behind other piles.
Quickly, I swap out the silver bullets for regular slugs, and I shoot the windows. Glass rains down, glistening like crystals in the sunlight.
“Do you mind? You’re making a mess of my house.”
I grin and whirl around to see the gremlin. His skin is a dark green, almost gray color. His skin is stretched tight over his body. He's thin, almost stick thin, and his face looks like overextended skin over a skull, the bone prominent. His clothes have holes in them and stains, both blood and grease. He has no nose, dark orange eyes like fire, and huge, bat-like ears. Behind him are thin wings and a tail with a huge pointed spike at the end. Zorn looks far more demonic than I would've thought possible for a non-demon paranormal creature.
“You hurt a friend,” I say.
“So you destroy my house?”
“I’m going to destroy you.”
I rush forward and go to jab him in the stomach. At the last second, he brings up a wrench to block the blow. Just as well because I would’ve pulled back. I need to know where the talisman is. If it’s not on his person, it’ll take a miracle to find it in all of this mess.
A flash of purple flies over my shoulder, zooming straight toward the gremlin. Darius has found us.
Zorn just eyes the blast and holds up the wrench. The tool somehow absorbs the blast, glowing the same shade of purple.
Well, that’s one way gremlins use magic.
Darius removes mace that I didn't even know he brought with him. He nods to me, and we race toward the gremlin. Somehow, the creature is both nimble and agile enough to fend both of us off. Bits of the arcane magic leaks with each impact, the force causing the arcane magic to travel up through our blades and zap us. Darius c
an handle that just fine, or so it seems, but me? It hurts terribly each time, and I hate it.
Zorn reaches inside his pocket, but I bring my blade down to stop him from removing anything. At the same time, I place the gun against his throat.
“Start talking,” I demand.
“And say what?” he asks, his eyes flashing.
“What has it gots in its pockets?” I ask in my best Gollum voice.
Darius shakes his head. “It’s more pocketses than pockets.”
"True. What has it gots in its pocketses?"
“Nothing you want,” he says with a sneer. Although the blade nicks him, he removes a device of some kind, but I’m already plowing forward, hooking a foot around his ankle as I shove him hard to the ground. He lands hard, and I fall onto my knees, pinning his arms to his sides.
“Um, Rebel?” Darius says in a tone that has me very worried.
“Yeah?”
“It’s a bomb.”
“Yeah, I don’t want that,” I mutter. “Does it have a timer?”
“No.”
Of course not.
“Rebel,” Darius says.
I eye Zorn. “Can you survive the blast?”
“You won’t,” he retorts.
“But if you won’t either…”
“It’s ticking.” Darius grabs my arm, but I jerk free and notice a chain around the gremlin’s neck. A necklace. Is the talisman attached?
Which means I can’t risk having the bomb go off.
“As much as I would love for you to die by the very gadgets you adore,” I say, modifying Frank’s words to fit.
Instead of finishing my statement, I throw my weight forward, my chest on his as I twist to see his wrist, my legs coming around to his left side. The bomb’s in his right hand, and it stays there even after I cut off his hand at the wrist.
Darius picks up the hand and the bomb and throws them away. The objects haven’t reached their peak by the time it explodes.
“Nice try, but you failed,” I tell the gremlin as I turn to face him.
He just smirks, grabs my hips with his hands, and rolls us over.
Hunter's Quest: A Mayhem of Magic World Story (Rebel, Supernatural Bounty Hunter Book 1) Page 18
