Devil Hunters

by R. Gualtieri

  A moment later, a dark shape stepped from the tree line. Noah crouched low, preparing to engage this newcomer, but then there came a shout from off in the distance. It was a bit distorted, but he could have sworn he heard a female voice cry out, “Don’t shoot! Please!”

  My Sarah!

  Before he could react, a gunshot rang out ... a rifle, from the sound of it.

  Whoever had stepped into the clearing halted in their tracks and turned back as if listening for more.

  A male voice followed, one Noah recognized. Elijah perhaps, and he was saying something about a warning shot. That was good. If any of his kin dared to hurt Sarah, they’d have to pry his teeth out of their throat next.

  That assumed it actually was his Sarah. He’d only heard her for a moment. Definitely female, but he wasn’t entirely certain the voice was hers.

  The trespasser before him held their ground, probably debating what to do. Then they turned back toward the clearing and surveyed it before muttering a quiet, “Oh no.”

  Noah’s eyes opened wide. The figure was dark, despite his eyes being well attuned to the night, almost a void against the blackness of the forest. But the voice that had come from it was unmistakable. His Sarah was here, no more than twenty feet away.

  His kin could keep whoever they’d found. In fact, with any luck, she’d keep them busy for a while so he could...

  He was about to move from his spot, but then she pulled something from her back – a rifle judging by the brief glint of starlight the barrel caught. She leaned it against a tree at the edge of the clearing and moved in.

  But why? Why disarm herself if she was going to...

  His question was answered a moment later as she pulled a second weapon from her shoulder. This one she kept hold of.

  Noah began to understand. When they’d found Nathanial, he’d been without his weapon. There’d been that empty gun case in Pa’s room as well. Then there was Ezra’s body, shot in the back. His Sarah was smart, far smarter than Ezekiel had given her credit for. She was hunting them and taking their weapons as her own – as trophies.

  A woman like her was truly a force to be reckoned with, and she would soon be all his.

  He continued to watch from the shadows as she first checked the body of the trespasser he’d just finished. A smile crossed his face, knowing what she would find. She’d examine the others next, putting her back to him. Then he would strike.

  As much as he liked that idea – the thought of getting his hands on her – he was forced to acknowledge it was still risky. If she knew what she was doing, as he now believed she did, rushing her from across the clearing was potentially dangerous.

  He needed to play this game as smart as she was.

  Noah didn’t normally hunt with weapons. It was rare that he needed them, his body tough and resilient as it was. But he wasn’t bulletproof. That much he knew. The grimy bandages still covering his wounds were testament to that.

  As good as his claws were for rending flesh, they wouldn’t be much help if he was caught at a distance.

  He turned to where she’d discarded the first weapon and decided on his course of action.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  “What have we got here?” the one in the middle asked from the side of his misshapen face.

  The two others, equally as grotesque, chuckled as they advanced upon her, weapons raised.

  “Nice night for a walk, ain’t it, Sarah?” the leftmost one said.

  Julia wasn’t sure whether he’d mistaken her for someone else, but realized that keeping them talking was her best course of action. By then, she was certain Derek had passed out, or worse. Rescue seemed little more than a fantasy. It was all up to her now. “I’m ... looking for my sister Sophie.”

  “Sophie?” the middle one replied. “Don’t know anyone by that name. I do know a Sarah, though. More than one, as a matter of fact. How about this? You take off that rifle you’re wearing, nice and slow. Sidearm and pack, too. Toss them to us, and we’ll take you to meet them. Would you like that?”

  The crooked smile he wore terrified Julia to her very core. They were passing looks back and forth between each other as if they were cats who’d just caught a mouse. Worse, they had her dead to rights. There was no way they’d miss if she tried anything, not with three against one and her barely able to move.

  She carefully slid the rifle strap off her shoulder, then her backpack, making it a point to not move her leg. She tossed them behind her, toward them, then did the same with the Glock at her side.

  “That’s mighty considerate of you,” Crooked Smile, the one seemingly in charge of this threesome, said. “Now, why don’t you tell us whether there are any more of you out here?”

  “They’re dead,” Julia replied, craning her neck to keep them in sight. “You bastards killed them.”

  “Maybe we did and maybe we didn’t. But if you’re lying to us, believe me, we’ll know.”

  He stepped forward and retrieved her weapons, taking a moment to look them over. “Nice. Fine prizes for all our troubles tonight.” He shoved her pistol into his belt, then shouldered his own rifle and held on to hers.

  The leader nodded to his two buddies and together, they approached her. The nearer they got, the more clearly she could see them and the less she liked it. Derek hadn’t been kidding. It was a whole family of monstrosities – their asymmetrical bodies all displaying numerous deformities, but nothing that seemed to hinder them in any way that might help her.

  Crooked Smile reached a hand up to her cheek and grinned. “There’s plenty enough here to share, boys.”

  Right before his fingers could touch her skin, though, Julia’s legs were kicked out from beneath her.

  She fell with a cry of surprise and landed hard on the ground. A strong arm grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her flat.

  “Stay down!”

  Julia turned her head just in time to see Derek let go of the trip wire he’d been holding onto.

  CHAPTER 46

  Danni didn’t recognize the body. Whoever he was, he’d been mangled badly – throat torn open and one of his arms ripped from its socket. He was beyond help.

  Her heart went out to him, but she couldn’t spare herself the luxury of sympathy, not with the woods still full of enemies. Danni didn’t fool herself into thinking she’d gotten them all. Even if they caught her now, though, she’d taken a hell of a chunk out of their numbers – hopefully enough to make them think twice about grabbing anyone ever again.

  She once more glanced down at the body. Is he wearing a tie?

  Strange, but a mystery for another time. She had more important things to worry about, such as the fact that of all the Lesterfields she’d encountered since escaping, she hadn’t seen hide nor hair of the one who terrified her the most – Noah, the so-called Jersey Devil. With any luck he was lying in a ditch, a victim of the earlier firefight.

  She hated to think of him escaping, remaining free to haunt these woods and anyone unlucky enough to cross his path.

  Danni pushed that thought away and moved across the clearing to where she spied two more prone figures in the dim starlight. She didn’t detect any movement, which probably didn’t bode well for them, but needed to check anyway. If they were merely unconscious, she couldn’t just abandon them.

  She reached the first body and dropped to one knee, digging the butt of the shotgun into the ground for purchase. Her breath caught in her throat as she leaned in and recognized a familiar face.

  “Arthur? Oh my God!”

  It was like Colorado all over again and, for a second, the memory halted her in her tracks. Tears dripped from her eyes at the sight of him, creating tiny furrows in the mud that still caked her face. She gave his shoulder a nudge to try and wake him, but there was no response.

  In a near panic, she wiped one hand clean against the grass and pressed two fingers to the side of his neck, praying that she wasn’t too late, but then feeling
the sticky blood coating his throat.

  No!

  Several seconds passed and she felt nothing. She leaned down and pressed her ear to his lips to no avail. There was no pulse, no sign that he was breathing. He was likely gone, another victim of these soulless monsters.

  Danni wasn’t about to give up that easily, though. She hadn’t known him long, but in the short time since they’d met, he’d reminded her what it was to be a normal girl again – giving her back a little piece of the life she’d walked away from.

  And those bastards killed him for it.

  She bent down and began chest compressions.

  What is he even doing out here?

  She didn’t try to fool herself as to the reason. She’d seen the looks he’d given her when he didn’t think she was looking. He came out here to save her, and that somehow made the hurt even worse.

  Danni wiped away the tears, smearing the grime on her face. Was he out here on his own? How the hell did he even know how to find...

  She glanced up and noticed something lying next to Arthur that she’d missed in her horror at finding him – a large side-satchel pack. Even in the gloom, it was instantly recognizable.

  Danni reached for it, but then she heard a sound, a low groan from somewhere nearby. Acting on pure instinct, she shouldered her shotgun and spun to meet this new challenge.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  Derek wasn’t trying to scare Julia, but there hadn’t been any other way to go about it. His injuries were catching up to him, and his reaction time was likely not up to the task of a firefight against three armed opponents. That Julia was holding his rifle while he was on the ground likewise severely limited his options.

  He’d heard them approaching just as he realized what kind of trap she’d almost triggered, hoping the thick bushes which obscured the trip wire were enough to hide him from their view as well.

  Of course, none of that would have mattered had Julia panicked and set it off, but he had to hand it to her. She’d kept her cool. It was more than admirable considering what they were up against.

  He’d used the time as best he could – working quickly and quietly to brace the trigger mechanism so that she wouldn’t accidentally set it off. Not that he was in any position to let her know that.

  Fortunately for them, their guests – three, if he heard correctly – hadn’t immediately opened fire. Then again, perhaps it shouldn’t have been all that surprising. Julia was a woman, an attractive one at that if he allowed himself the conceit. It was the reason these monsters had taken Danni and all the others before her, the reason they’d left Julia’s brother-in-law behind to rot in the woods.

  Derek hadn’t intended to use her as bait, but sometimes one had to think on the fly. Truth be told, they were both in a bad spot, not helped by the fact that he wanted nothing more than to pass out for the next several days.

  He reached a hand to his hunting holster. His Ruger had given its life saving his, but fortunately, he had a backup in the form of an old .357 Colt Python. It didn’t have the punch of the other weapon, but it was more than enough for these assholes.

  Derek hesitated just as his fingers brushed against the release, realizing that unsnapping the button would make a sound, however slight. In these conditions anything could potentially set off their foes, who were likely already on edge.

  No. He couldn’t risk it, not until the time was right. Even then he’d have to hope that his reflexes were still quick enough to make it count.

  The Lesterfields ordered Julia to disarm, then stepped in.

  Come on, just a little more.

  The one in the middle moved close enough to touch her, the others barely a step behind. It was now or never.

  Hoping the reporter was in a forgiving mood, he kicked out at the back of her knee, toppling her over.

  She hit the ground and he released the trigger. With any luck, the Lesterfields had put their all into this particular trap.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  Julia felt a whoosh of air above her, then heard a meaty thud as something heavy collided with the trio who’d been accosting her.

  She rolled over and saw a heavy log swing back over her. Wooden spikes jutted out of it and dark, viscous liquid dripped from their tips. Considering the nasty look of those spikes, she didn’t have to guess too hard as to what it was.

  “Go!” Derek shouted from next to her. She didn’t need to be told twice, even if she did plan on kicking his ass when this was all over.

  For now, the priority was making sure they were the last two standing in this skirmish, something made more difficult by the fact that she’d thrown away their weapons.

  Or maybe not. She rolled clear of the death pendulum’s backswing and saw Derek’s rifle lying on the ground several feet away, illuminated by the discarded lantern lying next to it.

  Two of their assailants lay unmoving in the grass close by. It was hard to tell at this distance, but she was fairly certain the one with the lopsided smile wouldn’t be getting up again. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

  She bent low and retrieved the gun, but before she could bring it up, movement registered from her flank. Julia turned in time to see the third member of her would-be kidnappers rush toward her. The lantern light revealed a wicked-looking knife in his hand and a snarl of pure hatred on his face.

  Julia’s eyes opened wide and she braced herself as best as she could.

  In the moment before he reached her, Derek launched himself into the misshapen man’s side, knocking both of them to the ground where they began to wrestle for purchase.

  “Go help the others!” Derek cried out, driving a punch into his foe that appeared to do little to dissuade him.

  Julia raised her gun but didn’t have a clear shot as the two men continued to grapple.

  Come on! Get out of the damned way!

  There came a moan from behind her and she dared a glance over her shoulder. Sure enough, another of the Lesterfields was slowly pulling himself up to a sitting position. She knew Derek was barely in any condition to go one on one with a toddler, much less a murderous mutation. If another managed to join the brawl, then all hope was lost.

  She weighed the odds and trusted that he could keep fighting long enough for her to make sure this didn’t become a tag-team match.

  Julia turned and stepped toward where the man-thing was trying to get up. He hadn’t caught the full brunt of the trap like his buddy, but he was pretty badly injured. A pair of nasty gashes bloodied his torso and his left arm hung uselessly at his side.

  She raised the gun and pointed it at him. “Don’t move.”

  “You a-ain’t got the sand, S-sarah.” He spat out a wad of blood. “Put down that peashooter and I’ll tell the others you submitted like a good girl.”

  Julia wanted nothing more than to put a bullet right between his eyes, but he was right. Self-defense was one thing, but outright murdering someone – even one of them – was something she wasn’t prepared to do.

  He grinned, apparently sensing this.

  Besides, if they’re all dead, then there won’t be any of these bastards left to tell me what they did with Sophie.

  A smile of her own creased her face. She quickly shifted her grip on the gun and had just enough time to register his look of triumph turn to one of surprise as she slammed the butt of the rifle into the side of his head.

  Broken teeth flew from his mouth and he fell to the ground, motionless.

  Julia allowed herself a moment to savor her victory, then she remembered the fight going on behind her.

  She spun back to find that the tide had shifted against Derek. He was on his back desperately trying to hold the other man’s knife at bay. It was a losing battle. He was too weakened by his injuries and his opponent had the advantage of leverage.

  Time seemed to slow down as she spun the rifle around and tried to bring it to bear once more, knowing she was going to be too late. The hunchbacked man atop Derek pu
lled back, yanking his arm free from his opponent’s grasp.

  He raised the knife high for a killing blow.

  Julia aimed the rifle from her hip, praying her aim was true.

  She pulled the trigger just as the knife came down.

  CHAPTER 47

  “Mitch! Are you okay?” Danni lowered her gun, relieved beyond belief that she hadn’t pulled the trigger. “Come on, wake up. I need your help. Arthur’s...”

  A wheezing cough came from behind her. “D-don’t worry ‘bout them, Sssarah.”

  She froze in place, one knee on the ground and with her weapon in a bad position. There was no mistaking that voice. Slowly, so as to not provoke him, she glanced over her shoulder.

  Noah Lesterfield, the Jersey Devil himself, and a monster far worse than any urban legend, stood no more than ten feet away. His misshapen bulk was terrifying enough, but she saw that he was now armed, holding the stolen rifle she’d left behind while she checked on things. It lay awkwardly in his inhuman hands, but there was little doubt he had her right where he wanted her.

  He let out the breath he’d no doubt been holding so as to sneak up on her. It came out in a wet cough. But despite the thick gasps which escaped his body, he held the gun true, offering her no quarter with which to open fire before he got off a shot.

  “T-throw it away and ssstep back,” he said, in between sucking greedy gulps of air. “Over there.”

  “My friend...”

  “Ain’t no helping the dead. Now do as I say.”

  Danni stood up. Noah growled and tightened his grip on the rifle. Rather than tempt fate, she threw the shotgun into the bushes and raised her hands in surrender, risking a glance down at where her teammate still lay unmoving.

  As much as it killed her to admit it, Arthur was most likely beyond help thanks to this son of a bitch and his family, but Mitchell wasn’t. Though she wasn’t sure she’d ever forgive herself for making this choice, she realized neither of her friends would survive if she couldn’t keep Noah’s attention firmly locked on her. I’m so sorry.