by Sara DeHaven
Franchesca's eyes narrowed. “You might want to consider just whose side you’d rather be on right now. I can get you another demon, right here, right now.”
“I need a minute to think about that,” Justice replied. God, no! was his first thought. Being this close to someone possessed with such a powerful demon made him feel ill. It was like his body remembered it, even though he had lost so many memories from the time he'd been possessed.
“Think about this,” Franchesca replied, walking closer to him. “If we get the hiding spell out of Daniel, we'll have the leverage to buy our way into any Keltoi clan, anywhere. Don’t you want in on that?"
Justice said, “You make an interesting offer, but I can tell you, my clan is not going to take kindly to you offing Carson. Don’t think you’re going to have their support in this.”
“There's no reason they have to know about Carson right away. Just get me the personnel, and I can guarantee you that within the next week, we’ll have Daniel. If things go the way I’m planning, we’ll not only have the spell, we’ll have Daniel on our side. I’ve read him, and he’s close to coming over to the Keltoi."
Hunter crouched in the corner of the room, hand over his mouth to keep from throwing up. He'd instinctively closed his eyes when the devil appeared, hoping somehow if he couldn't see it, it couldn't see him.
There was shouting swearing, crashing, the sound of glass breaking. He felt surges of magic against his skin, like when Daddy raised wards around the house. Finally, every thing got quiet, and Hunter opened his eyes. The couch was overturned, the TV broken and hanging half off the wall. Destry was lying on her side, still as a statue, and Justice was flat on his face, on top of the broken coffee table.
And that's when his eyes fell on Franchesca's purse. It was lying atop the only chair in the room that was still upright. His amulet was in there, he just knew it. Shooting a fearful glance at Franchesca and Carson, he started crawling for the chair. It was all the way across the room, right near Franchesca. Franchesca was slumped over, hair falling onto Carson's chest, and she was breathing hard. Carson was very still.
Hunter crawled a little faster, but stopped again when Franchesca straightened up and brushed her hair back with her forearm. She stood up, and looked around the room. Just in time, Hunter fell onto his stomach behind one of the fallen chairs. Then she started talking again. The buzzing sound in her voice was so awful Hunter had to put his hands over his ears. He couldn't help it, it was worse than a fire truck siren.
After minute, he decided he had to start crawling again. He still felt sick to his stomach, and he really just wanted to hide, but he told himself he could be brave like Batman. He moved slowly, trying not to make any noise. He made it to the chair and had just put his hand in the purse when Franchesca stopped talking. He looked up to see what she was doing. Their eyes locked, and Hunter was so frightened, he thought he might pee his pants.
“You keep away from that!" Franchesca shouted.
Hunter broke her gaze, then picked up the purse, turned it upside down, and shook it hard. His amulet fell out, and he grabbed it up and yelled, “By wind and by will, I call Daniel Thorvaldson!”
Franchesca got to him and jerked the amulet out of his hands, but it was too late. He’d done it! He had just a moment of excited elation before Franchesca picked him up into the air and shook him. Her face was right next to his, and there were orange sparkles in her eyes.
"God, I'm sick of you, you little brat!" She threw him down onto the floor. Hunter bumped his head on the chair on the way down, and he started to cry.
"I wasn't ready for Daniel yet!" Franchesca screeched. She threw her arms wide, and shouted, "Tirakku, I call you! Tirakku, I command you."
"What are you doing?" Jim asked. Hunter looked over and saw Jim was swaying on his hands and knees. Justice had gotten up and was backed up against a wall.
Orange smoke poured into the room, and another devil appeared out of it. This one was green and orange, and it's long teeth protruded over its lips. "So glad you called, master," the devil said.
"Possess this child!"
"God damn it, no! That's too big a demon, it'll kill him!" Jim shouted. His arms buckled, and he fell on his face.
"Not necessarily," Franchesca said.
The devil hadn't moved. "A child won't feed me for long. Give me that one again," it said, pointing at Justice.
"He's not recovered from possession sickness. I commanded you, possess the child!"
"That one then," the demon replied, pointing now at Jim. "He wants to fuck the pretty woman on the floor. We will force her, and I will feed."
"The child!" Franchesca shouted, clenching her fists. The devil turned slowly back into smoke, and right then, Hunter remembered. He remembered the time before, when he woke up sick. He remembered Franchesca had put a devil in him.
"No, no, no," Hunter whimpered through his tears. The orange smoke crept between his lips, burning. He opened his mouth to scream, and it poured into him, down his throat, choking him. He tried to stand up, tried to run, but he couldn't. His whole body shook so hard it made him bang his head against the floor. Pain exploded in his whole body. His eyes were open, but the light bled away from his vision until he couldn't see anything. The voices in the room faded, then there was nothing more.
"You lost him?" Steve cried. He and Kevin exchanged stricken looks.
"Bree and I still have our Reader sense, we'll search that way," Daniel replied, but he looked grim.
Bree said, "Where do we start?" She refused to panic. They were close to Hunter now, surely there was a way to find him.
Daniel turned his head slightly first in one direction, then another. “Take the next right. That's the last impression I got as to Hunter's direction.”
Steve started up the car again and made a right. "A bit slower, Steve," Daniel instructed. "Kevin, keep your eyes peeled. Look for anyone lounging outside a door or loading bay. And try to stay open to any hint of magic."
"God, I suck at reading," Kevin said as he shoved his glasses up his nose and looked out the window. They went a couple more blocks, then Daniel had Steve take a left and park again. Bree had been scanning for energy signatures of any kind, and she had her Demonsense open wide as well, but so far, nothing.
"I think we're close to where I last felt Hunter's signature," Daniel said. "The trick now is to drive around slowly, but not so slow that it looks suspicious."
"And how slow is that?" Steve asked with a nervous glance over his shoulder.
"About fifteen miles an hour," Daniel answered promptly. "I want you to take a spiral pattern. Go about six blocks, then make a right, six more, and make another, then another. Then go around in a five block radius."
"Won't that look suspicious?" Kevin asked.
Daniel ignored the question and closed his eyes.
Bree followed suit. She felt the motion of the car as they made the first right, then the car slowed way down as Steve eased it through another huge pothole. Her Reader sense kept fritzing out. She knew it was because she was so anxious. After a few discouraging minutes, she opened her eyes and turned toward Daniel. "Didn't you say they had all kinds of masking spells up? Will we be able to feel Hunter even if we get close?"
He opened his eyes as well, and his expression was strained. "It's a long shot," he admitted.
The car slowed. "You won't be able to feel him? At all?" Steve asked.
"The finder spell messed with their masking spell, and there's a chance its not sealed up yet."
A very small chance, Bree corrected silently, hearing the almost-lie in Daniel's voice. Then she had a thought. "Look, won't it be easier to sense demon sign through a hole in a masking spell than Hunter's signature? Maybe we should just throw everything we have into our Demonsense."
"I switched over to Demonsense a few minutes ago. Nothing so far," Daniel replied.
"Then we keep driving." Kevin turned to look out the window again.
Bree forced herself to t
ake a few centering breaths before bringing up her Demonsense. She pushed it out as far as she could, then demanded it seek farther. It cut out, just like her Reader sense had, and she had to strangle a scream of frustration. She knew she was exhausted from lending power to Daniel, knew Daniel had to be in even worse shape. Javier and the Keepers will be here soon. Surely with all of us seeking, we'll find Hunter soon, she soothed herself, and opened wide again.
Silence dragged on as Steve made a careful circle of right turns and she and Daniel strained for any hint of demon sign. She nearly jumped out of her skin when Daniel abruptly drew in a sharp breath and jerked hard in his seat.
“What is it?” she demanded.
He faced her, expression electric “It’s Hunter, he just touched his amulet. I know exactly where he is."
"Thank God!" Bree breathed. Kevin and Steve whooped and pounded each other on the shoulders.
"Go back, Steve, go back about three blocks, then make a left." Daniel reached out and took Bree's hand, squeezing it.
She squeezed back. "You're a genius," she said.
"I'm never going to let you forget you said that," Daniel replied, then raised her hand and kissed it. "Wait, too far, go back about ten feet, then go left."
"I can't, there's no turn between here and the last block," Steve told him.
"Just go back like Daniel said," Kevin said.
"It'd be faster to go up to the next turn, and then go right."
"Go back, go back!" Kevin demanded, pounding the dash.
"All right!" Steve executed a three-point turn and went back the way they came. "Now go left?"
"Yes," Daniel replied. "Then go two blocks. Keep a lookout for Keltoi."
Bree held onto Daniel's hand. It was worth it. All the craziness with him was worth it. They were going to get Hunter. Her joy broke some kind of dam inside her, and a heady feeling rushed through her. Maybe she and Daniel would find some way to work things out. If they slowed things down, maybe he wouldn't get so unstable. Maybe he could stave off demon burn long enough for them to solve the entire demon puzzle.
Her giddy thoughts were interrupted when Daniel's hand spasmed in hers. "What is it?"
"Oh Jesus, oh no," he whispered.
"What is it?" Bree repeated, forcing herself not to shout at him.
"Hunter's hurt. Steve, stop the car. I need to focus."
"How can you tell he's hurt?" Kevin demanded.
"The amulet spell opened a channel between us. I can feel his presence through it, but strong feelings can come through as well."
"Do you know how badly he's hurt?" Bree asked.
Daniel shook his head, let go of her hand and closed his eyes.
"What'd he say?" Steve whispered.
"He doesn't know how badly Hunter's hurt," Bree whispered. "Now stop talking."
Daniel sucked in a loud breath, and his eyes flew open. "He's possessed. Someone put a demon in him."
"I'm going to kill that bitch!" Kevin cried, fisting his hands in his hair. Steve leaned his forehead onto the backs of his hands where they clutched the wheel.
Bree flung her Demonsense out, hoping for some hint of Hunter, some clue as to whether he'd survived the possession. Daniel slumped back against the car seat, and the movement snapped her out of it. He was looking at her, and the look on his face immediately brought tears to her eyes. "I don't feel him anymore," he said.
Steve sat up and wiped at his face. "That doesn't necessarily mean he's dead, does it?"
"Not necessarily," Daniel replied cautiously.
Again, the half-lie in his voice. Something about what he'd sensed made him doubt Hunter had survived. "We still have to try,” Bree said, meeting Daniel’s eyes, and a moment of perfect understanding passed between them.
“Yes, we have to try,” he said softly, more to her than to Kevin or Steve. Then he leaned forward, and instructed, “Steve, go up a block and take a right. Kevin, check your GPS, then call Javier with our location. Tell him Hunter's being held in a warehouse a block to the west of us.”
"We can't wait for Javier, you know we can't," Bree insisted.
"If, if Hunter's not dead," Kevin stammered, "why wouldn't we wait for Javier's team? What chance would just the four of us have against a bunch of Keltoi?"
Daniel shook his head. "I recognized the signature of the demon possessing Hunter. It's the same one that possessed you."
"That one's huge," Kevin said through clenched teeth.
"What does that mean?" Steve asked, voice rising.
"It means if Hunter did survive, he won't last long with that strong a demon inside him," Bree answered for Daniel.
Kevin threw open the car door. "So we go now," he snarled.
Chapter 26
Hunter woke up. He looked down at himself, puzzled. He felt really strange, but he looked the same. And his stomach didn't feel sick anymore. There was something sticky on the side of his head where it hurt. He put his fingers up there, and they came away bloody.
"See, the boy is fine," Franchesca snapped.
"I can't believe you just did that!" Jim shouted. "I thought you said Hunter was the only way to be sure of drawing Daniel!"
"The demon wants what it wants," Franchesca said, voice sounding thin. Hunter saw Jim and Justice look at each other. She ignored them, running fingers through her hair to straighten it. “We have to get out of here. We don’t know how close Daniel is, how long it will take him to get here. I’m not ready for him yet.”
“What about Carson and Destry?” Justice asked. He was still keeping his distance from Franchesca.
“Oh hell, we’ll have to take them with us. Scanlon, you and Justice take Carson. I’m going to have to re-freeze Destry until I can get her restrained and have a talk with her.”
“Not until you send the demon out of Hunter,” Jim said, his face red.
"I don't want out yet," Hunter heard his own voice say. He felt dizzy, like he was floating away somewhere.
Franchesca turned to Jim and frowned. "I'm not taking the demon out because it has to be done carefully, or Hunter will die. And I don't have time for that now."
“Okay, okay," Jim said, backing away, hands up in surrender. He came over to Hunter and put a hand on his shoulder, but immediately took it off again. "Just stay put for now, Hunter."
"Tirakku, you must practice restraint," Franchesca said, looking at Hunter. "I order you not to drain the boy to the point of death. I will provide a more powerful host soon."
"Yes, master," Hunter said. He looked all around the office, and all the colors looked brighter. He looked over at Carson's body, and felt a kind of hunger reach out of him, felt it touch Carson, then pull back in. He felt disappointed.
Jim and Justice went over to Carson and picked him up, Justice carrying his shoulders, and Jim his feet. Justice waved the door spell down, and he and Jim disappeared with Carson down the stairs.
Francesca leaned over Destry and touched her on the shoulder, then stood up, gathered up the things from her purse that were still on the floor, and went into the bathroom.
Destry still didn’t move. Her eyes were open. Her skin was such a pretty brown. Hunter went over to Destry and squatted down. He stroked her cheek. "So warm, so pretty," Hunter crooned. He patted her short, springy hair, then put a wandering finger into the hole of her ear. Destry started breathing fast, and that interested Hunter. He tried running his finger along Destry's neck, and down along the edge of her white shirt toward her breasts.
She breathed even faster. He felt that hungry feeling reach out of him again, out of his body and towards Destry's stomach. He made a sipping motion with his mouth, because that's what it felt like. He wanted to sip her up, like pulling juice through a straw. A warm feeling rolled through him, thrilling him. He wanted more. He ran his finger down her neck and pursed his lips to drink again. But then Jim was there, slapping his hand away. "What are you doing?"
"I'm hungry!" Hunter cried, and this time, it was him talking, at least in a way.
Maybe him and the devil together.
Jim jerked him up by his arm. "I just gave you a hamburger."
"I'm not hungry for that." Hunter twisted in Jim's grip.
"Jesus, Franchesca, would you order your damned demon away from Destry?"
"Tirakku, behave," Franchesca said as she came out of the bathroom. It looked like she'd fixed herself up. Her hair was combed, her eyes circled with smoky grey stripes, and she'd put on dark pink lipstick. Hunter's gaze fastened on her lips. He wanted to bite them.
"Tirakku, make the boy sit until we're ready for him."
Hunter yearned toward Franchesca's pretty lips, but his body went and sat down on the couch.
Jim and Justice carried Destry out of the room. When they came back, Jim said, “We’ve put them behind the crates nearest the door so that if any of the clan comes in the next couple of minutes they won’t be visible.”
“Do you have the keys to the SUV? That should be big enough that we can put them in the back. Get a couple of blankets or something to cover them,” Franchesca replied. She was pacing, like she’d been the whole time the two men were gone. Her eyes kept moving around, and she touched everything she passed, like someone trying to feel their way in the dark.
Jim went into Carson's office and returned in just a minute. "Got 'em," he said, holding up some keys and jingling them.
Franchesca led the way down the stairs after telling Hunter to follow. Down below was a giant room filled with boxes and crates. It was cold and dark in the corners, lit only by lights far overhead. There was a big open area around the door to the outside and leading up to the stairs.
Hunter had just gotten to the bottom of the steps when Franchesca said, “With all the wards on this place, I can’t read shit about what’s out there. What a crappy spell design. I’m going to have to open the damned door to get a read.” She waved a hand in the air, then opened the door to the outside, just cracking it slightly. She froze with her hand on the knob. “No, it’s not possible, not so soon,” she said angrily, then shut the door and turned to face the rest of them. “Daniel's coming. He’s nearly here, and he has at least two powered with him.”
