Hollywood Witch Hunter

by Valerie Tejeda

  “Do it,” Iris muttered, tearing the protective hunting glasses from her face and throwing them to the pavement. She stood, meeting Belinda’s gaze, daring her to attack.

  But there was something strange in Belinda’s eyes. For the first time in Iris’s life she believed Belinda was telling the truth.

  Fifteen

  After her strange encounter with Belinda at Rodeo Drive, Iris tried to focus on other things. But she couldn’t. The death of the two young women and the man at the shopping center was all over the news. Investigators were now calling it a virus and even going as far as to suggest this same virus may have killed America’s sweetheart.

  “A virus? Right,” Iris said as she, Knox, and Dex stood in front of the TV in the kitchen.

  “Well, they have to pin it on something, right?” Knox added, shaking his head.

  “But now that they’re saying ‘virus’ everyone is going to think we’re on the verge of some zombie apocalypse or something,” Iris huffed.

  “Wouldn’t that be so much easier?” Dex said with a grin.

  “All right.” Knox turned toward his sister. “Dex and I are going to get the car loaded for tonight. How’s Arlo doing with the training?”

  “Good. Really good.”

  The training came naturally to him, just as she had expected. Iris was a better teacher than she thought too. She even worked with Arlo on his bow skills and she noticed he was very adept. He kept saying he felt like Legolas from Lord of the Rings, which always brought a smile to Iris’s face.

  “Good, huh?” Knox smirked. Dex shot her a playful look as well. Iris started to sweat.

  “Would you guys seriously stop it,” she snapped. “He’s just a Hunter buddy, nothing more.”

  Iris said this for herself more than anyone else. Hunting witches was something she could do. But dating? That was a different animal entirely.

  Yesterday, Arlo tried to hold her hand and she pulled away. She didn’t know why. He also asked to take her to dinner. Iris declined. Arlo replied with “Hey, it’s okay. A guy can dream, right?” and Iris ended up with the largest of lumps in her throat.

  And even in the midst of her confusing feelings for Arlo, Silos was also tugging at the back of her mind. She hadn’t had any creepy visions today and she wondered if Silos was finding the same luck. He had called a few times since yesterday, but Iris didn’t answer. The last thing she wanted was more drama, and a random guy who was having the same psychotic daydreams as she was, just screamed bad news. She figured it was best to just act like they never met. For now anyway.

  But today the training was over, and Iris was excited to hunt with Arlo for the first time and put everything else in the back of her mind. She was giddy, actually, like a kid on her first trip to Disneyland. Tonight, she was determined to keep an eye on Arlo to make sure nothing happened.

  “Well,” Knox said with a wry grin. “How about you go fill your ‘buddy’ in on how tonight is going to go. He’s sitting outside in the back.”

  “Fine,” she said, “As long as you keep the ‘me and Arlo’ teasing to a minimum tonight. I don’t want him to get freaked out.”

  “I can’t make any promises.” Knox snickered.

  Iris rolled her eyes and walked out the back door. Today was Halloween— the day that children across the nation dressed up in costumes and went door-to-door looking for a trick or a treat.

  Since Halloween was first celebrated, witches and Hunters alike had held it to be an especially significant day, though for different reasons.

  The witches valued Halloween and the many sacrifices it brought. Each year, they roamed the streets, searching for scantily dressed girls who had had one too many drinks. So many costumes, so much alcohol, so many unsuspecting sacrifices just waiting to be had. Halloween was a day of exceptional bounty.

  And every year the Hunters stalked the streets as well, seeking to save the mortals and extinguish the vile witches from the face of the earth. For them, Halloween was a day when they could hunt in plain sight with or without an Idas spell. They could march through neighborhoods, clad from head to toe in tactical attire with weapons at the ready, looking like real-life commandos, and nobody would so much as give them a second glance. Yes, Halloween was a day of bounty for the Hunters as well.

  They were still hours away from embarking on their hunt, but Iris was already decked out in her gear. She had checked and rechecked her equipment at least a half dozen times, and every time she thought of what tonight might bring her heart raced like she was running the hundred meter dash.

  “Hey,” Iris said, taking a seat beside Arlo.

  The two sat on a bench on the Bentlys’ back porch. Clouds loomed high above—gray and swollen and threatening to burst at any moment. There were also gusts of bruma filling nearly every corner of Los Angeles.

  “How are you doing with everything?” Iris asked, as a smile crept across her face. He smiled back. Something, Iris noticed, he’d been doing a lot lately.

  “I’m doing good … I think,” he replied, gazing upward. “I mean, in a few hours I’ll be killing witches. In Hollywood. Real witches. It’s all just kind of crazy, I guess.”

  Her large brown eyes met Arlo’s with a slew of intensity, as they always seemed to do.

  “You’re going to do a great job tonight.” Her eyes glistened.

  Arlo put his head on Iris’s shoulder. She felt comforted by his touch. This time, she wanted to grab his hand, but she couldn’t muster up the courage.

  “You really are quite the natural, Arlo. Just please, for the sake of all that’s holy, don’t touch a gun.” Iris giggled.

  “Oh trust me, I won’t.” Arlo chuckled nervously, flushing a light shade of red. For some strange reason, Arlo didn’t take to any weapon besides the bow, an oddity for someone with the gene.

  “Plus, if it makes you feel any better, Knox wouldn’t let you go out there if he thought you weren’t ready. He must think you’re a really good W.H.O.R.” She smirked. “But in all seriousness, he’s very strict that way. He must see something special in you to let you out this early.”

  “Or he just wants me to die.”

  “Yeah, or that,” Iris joked and playfully pushed at his shoulder.

  “So where are we going tonight anyway?” Arlo asked, scooting even closer to Iris.

  “Well,” she drug out the word before taking a deep breath. “It’s pretty much witch bait city tonight.”

  “How do you even find them?” he asked as he bit off a piece of his fingernail.

  “We usually start by going to places like Rodeo Drive, Melrose, The Grove, anywhere in Beverly Hills. Tonight we’ll scope out a couple of places where all the rich kids trick-or-treat.” She paused to catch her thoughts. “But one more thing,” Iris added. “You’re not a true Hunter until you bear our symbol.”

  “Your symbol?”

  “Yes,” she said proudly. She sat a little taller. “I promise it’s not too painful. But you have to get it. It’s like a rite of passage. Every Hunter has one … see?” Iris pulled up the back of her shirt, revealing a tattoo on her lower back. She peered over her shoulder to find Arlo flushing, eyes glued to her body.

  “A tramp stamp? Really?” His voice was drenched with sarcasm. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s totally hot,” Arlo gushed. “But can I at least get mine on my shoulder?”

  “Of course you can, dumbass. Now look at the symbol.” Iris pulled her shirt a little higher, revealing more than was necessary. Arlo lightly pressed his hand to the small of her back, running his fingers across the circle and the letters. Her body was hit with chills from her head to her toes.

  “WH, Witch Hunter?” Arlo asked.

  Iris turned around and pulled down her shirt. “Looks like you’re smarter than I thought.” She smirked. “Every Hunter around the world has one of these, depending on their location. The circle symbolizes eternity, of course. And the star represents our city, Hollywood. It’s the same symbol on the side of our vehicle
s.”

  “Eternity, huh? So you’re saying I’m in this forever?” Arlo chuckled flirtatiously.

  “Till death do us part,” Iris proclaimed the Hunters’ mantra, looking deep into his eyes.

  “So are you guys ready for some hunting, or what?” Iris heard Knox say as he ran up beside the bench. Her brother always loved Halloween.

  “Man,” Knox said. “I’m so freaking excited right now!” he shouted before jumping up and down like a maniac.

  “Okay, calm down, buddy. Jeez,” Iris interjected. “How ’bout you just tell us the plan instead of being an asshat.”

  “As you wish.” He smiled before composing himself. “Well, we’re going to have to rely on Arlo’s bow tonight,” Knox said, getting to business. “We have silencers, so our gunshots are pretty quiet. But it’s imperative we’re completely stealthy. There’re too many people around and we should use them only as a last resort.”

  The plan made Iris shiver. She didn’t want this mounting pressure to be on Arlo, especially since it was his first hunt.

  “I don’t like the sound of everything relying on Arlo and his bow. I’m just gonna be honest, I don’t think he’s ready for that,” Iris asserted. “No offense,” she added, offering Arlo an apologetic look. She couldn’t say she wanted to protect him. That would be embarrassing. Acting like he couldn’t handle it was a way better option.

  Arlo’s mouth turned to a hard line and Iris could see his face change color. The whole vibe just morphed from awkward to super awkward.

  Knox sighed. “Arlo can handle it fine,” he assured. “I wouldn’t bring him if he couldn’t. Plus, we will have Dex and another team of Hunters keeping watch from the chopper. It will be easy peezy.” He stopped and scratched his chin. “And well, Iris, I hate to tell you this, but you’re going to have to be bait tonight.” He stared at Iris flatly.

  Her eyes grew wide and she tightened her grip. “Um, what are you talking about?” she seethed. Not that she minded being at the center of the plan. She could handle it just fine. But Iris wished her brother wouldn’t call her bait. Figures.

  “I’m sorry, kiddo, but you have no choice,” Knox said with loving sternness. “Now, just tell me you have something girly on under your jacket and pants.”

  “Not that it’s any of your business, but I have a sports bra on under my jacket,” said Iris, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

  “Perfect,” Knox cheered. “When we get to where we are going, just take off your jacket and you’ll look like you’re trying to be a pop star or something for Halloween.”

  “Yes!” Arlo snapped his fingers. “I think Beyoncé did that look once—a black sports bra and leather-type pants. It was hot.”

  “I remember,” Knox quickly added. “God, that was so hot.”

  “Right?” Arlo vigorously nodded, slapping Knox on the shoulder. “God, I could never forget it.”

  “You guys are so pathetic. Really,” Iris said, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. “So what’s the point of this anyway?” she added.

  Knox looked at her, a conniving smile spreading across his face. “You’ll see.” Her brother put one hand on Iris’s shoulder, and the other on Arlo’s. “You girls better get ready. Tonight, we kill some witches.”

  Sixteen

  Arlo, Iris, and Knox approached their first trick or treat spot in the Hollywood Hills. Darkness quickly enveloped as the gray, cottony clouds drifted above, concealing the bluish-white glow of the full moon. The wind whipped up, carrying a mild chill as it devilishly licked at Iris’s skin. The smell of caramel corn, apple cider, and citrus wafted through the air—a combination of aromas that reminded Iris it was fall—even though the California weather tricked her into thinking otherwise.

  They clambered up a tall tree on the edge of a small cul-de-sac, giving them a bird’s-eye view of the entire neighborhood. Iris patted the gold knife strapped to her thigh, ensuring it was secure and ready to be deployed at a moment’s notice.

  “Can we say witch bait?” she said, pointing toward a group of college-aged girls dressed as sexy pirates with lingerie and fishnets. “Oh man, the witches are going to be all over this place.”

  “Looks like they may be here already.” Knox motioned his head toward a crowd of women at the other end of the street. They were tall, beautiful, curvy and youthful … . and they glowed white-hot through their sunglasses.

  “Nomads. They don’t belong to any coven in particular,” Knox explained to Arlo. “They’re most likely here just to get some good sacrifices in.”

  Iris stared in silence. She hated the Nomads. They were messy, unpredictable, and never played by any rules. “They also constantly forget to use their Idas spell, so people tend to remember them unless we step in,” Iris added. “Basically, they’re a hot mess.”

  “If we don’t stop them, that group of witches is going to murder a lot of people tonight,” Knox said, with a deadly serious conviction. “So, Iris, here is my plan. I want you to lure them back here, past this tree and to that fence, so Arlo can use his bow and take them out, one at a time.”

  “And how am I supposed to do this, your majesty,” said Iris, with the best curtsy she could muster while perched on a tree branch.

  “Well, they like shallow, right? Be a shallow girl.” Knox shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

  Her eyes dimmed. “Witches can tell if we’re not really shallow,” she snapped, “or did you forget that minor detail?”

  “Nice try,” Knox spewed. “Nomads don’t even factor in the shallow stuff. These aren’t Belinda’s witches we’re dealing with. They’re junkie killers who will go after anyone, including children. They’re looking for a fix.” Knox paused as if remembering something. “Besides, you seemed pretty excited when Mom brought you a Hermès bag from Paris last summer.”

  “Hey, that was a Birkin bag!” Iris shot back. “You’d have to be dead to not get excited about getting one of those.” She gave him a dismissal wave.

  “I was just glad to see you showing interest in something other than weapons for once.” Knox burst into laughter.

  Iris slugged her brother in the shoulder, inciting more hysterical laughter. “You’re such a dick,” she huffed, half-serious.

  She shifted her focus on the witches in the distance. Though Iris didn’t want to admit it, she felt uneasy about tonight. She didn’t want any more innocent people to be killed, especially on her watch. She couldn’t bear it. And to top it off, having Arlo in the field for the first time added to her stress. She felt like she needed to keep an eye on him. He was her Padawan after all.

  “Hey, I hate to chime in to the party here, but I’ve been listening to you guys on the com this entire time,” Dex said in the earpiece, interrupting her thoughts.

  They all looked up. Dex was circling the neighborhood in their stealth helicopter, keeping an eye on things from the sky.

  “Dude, how are things looking from your end?” Knox asked, pressing his finger to his ear.

  “Not that good. Lots of Nomads, guys.” He sighed. “It’s going to be a long night.”

  Iris glanced at Knox, then peered at Arlo who was looking increasingly more nervous.

  “Well,” Dex continued, “what if Iris pretends to be talking on a cell phone. She can walk by the witches and throw out designer names, talk about celebrities, anything that will make her sound right. And since these witches are Nomads, they won’t know. Then Iris can lead them back to you guys. I think it’ll work,” he said confidently.

  “That’s actually not half-bad,” Iris mused, bolts of adrenaline coursing through her body.

  “I think it’s perfect,” added Knox. “Look, we all have our earpieces in. If I feel like it’s getting dangerous, I’ll tell you to come back. You know I’d never let anything happen to you.”

  “I know,” Iris said softly. “Okay, I’ll do it.”

  Knox gave her a high five. “Well done, Dex,” he said over the com.

  “That’s what I’m here
for.” The com went silent and Iris’s nerves started catching up to her. She felt jittery, but in a good way. Like she’d had an entire pot of coffee.

  “Look, I’m going to do one walk-through before sending you out there, okay?” Knox said, nodding his head. “Arlo, you stay here with Iris, I’ll be right back.”

  Knox hopped out of the tree, landing on the grass with the grace of a jaguar, and disappeared into the darkness.

  “Looks like tonight I’m the bait, huh?” Iris said, letting out a light chuckle. “Too bad I’m not dressed like a sexy nurse, I’d fit right in.”

  “Are you sure you’re okay with this?” Arlo asked. His voice seemed surprisingly shaky.

  “Well, yeah. It has to be done, doesn’t it?” she said with confidence.

  “Sure. But who would they use as bait if they didn’t have a girl on the team? It just doesn’t seem fair.”

  Iris nearly jumped. It wasn’t every day someone recognized the inequality in the Hunter world.

  “Look.” Her face turned solemn. “My brother and cousin would never truly put me in danger.”

  “Are you sure about that?” He set his chin.

  “Arlo!” she spat.

  “I’m sorry. It just seems sort of … unsafe.”

  “Well, welcome to witch hunting. It’s very unsafe.”

  “Just … promise me you’ll be careful.”

  “I promise.” Iris nodded. She was touched by his concern.

  “And … well … I want you to have something. I know it’s totally lame.” Arlo reached into his pocket and pulled out a long, gold chain with the letter A on the end of it. “My mom gave this to me when I was young. It was her father’s, who was also Arlo. He was Sicilian and he loved this. Anyway, I’ve never been into jewelry so I just keep it in my pocket, kind of for good luck. And, I, uh, I want you to have it.”