Hunter flung it backwards, his lips in a grim line. “I’m not playing this game. No doctor can fix me up. Besides I have my own private clinic.”
“I don’t understand what you’re going on about. Actually, I don’t understand what happened. That was some creepy Buffy shit going on.”
“Ahh, you and vampire shows. Since you’re so brave, it’s time for a reality check. Hurry up I don’t have much time,” he groaned and winced as he rose up.
“This is ridiculous.”
“And you haven’t seen nothing yet,” Hunter said. “Believe me or go home, either way tonight will be one you’ll never forget. And not in a good way.”
Of all the places to go, The Blazin' Bakery was the last place Luxor imagined. She turned to leave, except Hunter wrapped his lone hand around her wrist halting her.
“Meet me at The Blazin’ Bakery in five minutes, your services are needed,” he barked at the other person on the line, and thrust the phone at Luxor to hold.
“Why are we here?”
“I’m hungry.”
“Hungry? At this time? Look at you?”
“I’m glorious, aint I?” He opened the door with a key, prodding her inside and entered as though he owned the establishment and locked the door.
“Did the knock on the head cause amnesia? Slash, blood, freaky assed freaks. Or did I imagine that?” Luxor said and stumbled forward. She scanned the inside and realised no alarms went off. “You didn’t break in,” she breathed out.
Hunter headed straight to the counter and crouched down, ducking his head. He stretched his arm under the cash register just like he did previously, turning until there was a click. “That’s the problem with stalking, you only get half the story.” He slid across the glass partition at the back of the counter where all the delectable desserts were and passed her a cupcake.
"There are so many things wrong with this picture. You’re bleeding all over the place, and are trying to send me into anaphylactic shock? You've honestly lost it."
"I’ll be fixed soon and this Angel is dairy and gluten free. I was told you enjoyed it last time," he said, biting into the flourless chocolate cake.
The wall moved and shifted to the side exposing a gap. Luxor crept forward to view it. It was a metallic, manual operated elevator, a confined place enough for four people, but Hunter stood in the middle taking up more space than he needed.
"It's not a Tardis," Luxor blurted out.
Hunter chuckled. "Well done inspector, what was your first clue?" he ventured forward.
Luxor entered the elevator and into the compact stainless-steel enclosure with barred walls and a metallic smell that reminded Luxor of blood and jails. Hunter pulled at the ropes a few times, an agonised expression crossed his face with each action. It rocked a bit and she grabbed the bar to prevent herself from falling. It didn’t take long until they had reached the bottom where it ground with a halt. He slid the rails across and waited for Luxor to step out.
"Wow," Luxor breathed out.
Iron coated the walls of the bomb shelter, decked out in military style, and towards the back, gym equipment was set up with a compact kitchenette. A dozen glass cubicles were spread across the room and as they passed one after another, she noticed cardboard cut-outs of outlines on humans on the backboards. It should have disturbed Luxor except it didn’t. An involuntary shiver ran down her spine at the distorted faces, the most predominant feature being crimson eyes like the shadows that chased her.
“Are you preparing yourself for the apocalypse?” Luxor choked on the question, scared of an affirmation.
“You could say that.” Hunter headed to the kitchenette, ducking underneath the sink and retrieved a rectangular metallic box.
“Can you please sit, you’re making me nauseous?” She said, sitting on the couch. “You’re still bleeding.”
“I’m surprised. By now I’d have thought you would be used to it.”
Before Luxor could answer, a chorus of voices bellowed from the entrance. Castor led the way, followed by Theo and Melita.
“Why aren’t I surprised you’re the cause?” Melita said venomously.
“Just shut up and stitch.” Hunter pulled up a chair and eased into it, with his chest against the back.
“You can leave now,” Melita hissed. She removed Hunter’s jacket, exposing the shadow of blood saturating his grey t-shirt. Pushing his head down forcefully, she retrieved a pair of scissors and tore down the middle. Melita clucked her tongue then poured a clear, odourless liquid onto a cotton ball and swiped at the dark blue liquid.
Hunter gritted his teeth and dug his nails into his palms. “No, it’s revelation time. Make sure you get it all, I don’t need no residue slipping in.”
“Maybe it would serve you right to die,” she sniped. Pour. Swipe. Bin. And repeat.
“What happened?” Theo asked.
“These people attacked us for no reason, except they weren’t normal, but I don’t know what they were,” Luxor explained. “They had these red eyes, eyes I’ve seen heaps of times before, except this time…the way the moved. It was…gah, I can’t explain it.”
“When have you seen them?” Castor said.
“That’s the question you ask? No, oh my god she’s crazy she must be hallucinating?”
“Who wants to be sane anyway? Where else have you seen them?” Castor said.
Luxor slumped back into the sofa and thread her fingers through her hair. “Before I left to come here, a little girl on the beach. But it was her breath…Like chimney smoke.”
“Demon?” Theo murmured. “Where else?”
“What did you say?” Luxor asked, although she heard fully well.
“Here we go,” Melita sneered. She squinted as she held a needle to the light and thread it through the hole. With quick precision she stitched up the cut and snipped off the remaining thread with her teeth. Melita moved her hands and proceeded to massage Hunter’s shoulder. Hunter shifted and scowled, getting off the chair. Melita reached into a backpack and shoved a T-shirt into his face.
“Well…” Castor said impatiently.
Luxor pursed her lips together not wanting to divulge the shadows in the creek, or the pain she experienced whenever the shadows are around. The same mild pain she was experiencing now.
“It’s sporadic,” she said indulging him.
“Sporadic,” Castor scoffed. “Also known as I ain’t telling you shit.”
Hunter shot him a filthy look and kneeled down in front of Luxor. “Do you believe in the unexplainable?”
“If I see it.”
“Well you did. Those things you saw were human.”
She knitted her eyebrows. “Were?”
“They’re possessed. Or were.”
“Possessed? As in head spinning, vomiting everywhere?” She said thinking of The Exorcist.
“I’m glad to see you’re into the classics, but yeah it’s not pretty when a demon overtakes a human. Those things out there are high class possessed called the Habiti. Their minds have been twisted to the point of no return. Normal human possession can be done with an exorcism,” Luxor felt as if she’d faint even though she was sitting down. "Haven’t you experienced unexplainable occurrences in your life? Your attack in the creek?”
Luxor swallowed hard.
“Your welcome by the way,” Castor said. “I was entertaining when I was called upon.”
“Now do you realise there’s another world. Our world?” Hunter said.
Another world. Possessed.
“And you deal with them? Because you make it look like a regular occurrence”
“Lately it has been, now we know why,” Melita sneered.
“Melita shut your mouth, we don’t need your input,” Hunter said frustratedly. “We were caught off guard.” He turned to face Luxor. “You need weapons.”
“Let me guess. Holy water and salt?” Luxor said sarcastically. “Listen as entertaining as this is, and how grateful I am, this isn’t my world.�
�
Hunter gave a cynical laugh and picked up a wooden bow from the selection on the rack. “Among other things in the arsenal. Look at the bottom of your shoes.” Luxor indulged in his request and placed one leg over the other. White granules coated the souls. “That’s salt, it prevents all kinds of demons from entering.”
“You understand how crazy this sounds,” Luxor said.
“Told you she won’t believe,” Melita huffed and washed her hands. “Typical privileged girl.”
“I’m not privileged.” Anymore.
“"Oh, boohoo, being a high society girl must have been hard. You were lucky to have such a smooth change. You refuse to believe in anything that’ll pop your sweet bubble so you block it out. Privileged people do that,” Melita replied blankly.
“Have you seen where I live? I’m as middle, if not lower class, than anybody else in the town.”
“Oh, please. You’ve never struggled! Have you ever had to struggle for the bare necessities?” Melita choked out. Most turn to drugs to deal with the aftermath of their Un-”
Theo clasped Melita’s shoulder and gave it a little pinch. “History Angel, all in the history.”
“Don’t call me that. This doesn't help me," Luxor hissed.
"But it does, more than you know," Hunter chimed in.
"Stop talking in riddles!" Luxor snapped. She was at the end of her tether. "All of this is ridiculous. Next you'll be saying unicorns, the tooth fairy, and vampires that terrorise the night exist."
"Maybe they do. Want to add them to the angels and demons list fantasy list?” Hunter retorted.
"Spill now. You’re talking crap and wasting my time."
“So leave, and let the Habiti infest you with their blood and chew you up.” Melita said.
“Can you give us some time alone?” he asked his siblings.
Castor and Theo didn’t look impressed but they obliged while Melita pouted and stomped away swearing expletives in a foreign language.
“Why does Castor hate me so much?” Luxor asked.
"Don't take it personally, he hates everybody, he manstrating." Hunter chuckled at his own joke.
Luxor wrinkled her nose. “And Melita?”
“She’s a major ‘c’ who is sex deprived.”
"You're such an idiot."
"Is that any way to show your gratitude to your saviour?"
“Your right, come here,” she said in a low, sultry voice bending a finger to coax him. Hunter raised an eyebrow and obliged, sidling up close she circled a finger over his heart, his heart speeding up underneath her fingertip. She skimmed across his chest and ran a finger on his arm. And pinched. Hard.
“What the hell? That’s playing dirty.” He rubbed his arm and smirked.
“Stop piss farting around. Let’s continue on with the subject.”
“So bossy,” he said. “Do you like archery?”
“Oh, sure let’s play some obscure sport while demons are out there,” she deadpanned.
“Habiti, big difference.”
Hunter scooped up a bountiful pile of arrows from the wall. He stood side on, and slightly bent his knees. Retracting his arm, he let the arrow fly, and time and time again in quick succession he shot down the row, aiming at the paper body that hung with a clip. Luxor watched in fascination and awe as he nailed each shot with precision with the arrows ending up in the chest.
Once he had disposed of all his arrows, he gave her the rundown of the style of bows and arrows, and purposes of each of the pieces.
"If only good and bad was black and white, everything would be much simpler. Have you heard of the yin yang theory?” Theo said, passing her a Gatorade from the fridge.
"I'm sure everybody has."
"So, you'll understand when I say with every bad, there is a little good in them and vice versa. The fallen were good angels once upon a time, and once they fell, they got the name demons." Hunter cocked his head to the side, his sweaty hair flopping over. “They are strong. Holy water would buy you time and scorch them, and an incantation or being shot by a weapon coated holy water will send them back.” He paused.
"Your turn." Hunter slung a quiver of arrows over her head and across her chest, pulling one out from the collection.
Luxor shook her head. There's no way she was holding a weapon that can hurt someone or something else. "I'm not shooting anything until you answer my questions."
Hunter flicked a switch and the target came towards them. He replaced the paper body with a new one. He sighed, leaning the bow against the sofa, standing in front of her. “This is do or die, aim and shoot. I need to see if you’re a natural.”
“So, you’ll kill me if I don’t?”
“Don’t be stupid Angel. Do as I say or I won’t help whenever demons come after you, and basically, you die.”
Luxor didn’t want to point out that in all her encounters the Habiti wanted her for another purpose, to bring her for someone else of higher rank. “Answer some questions and I will.”
"You're stubborn, I'll give you that,” Hunter said. "If I answer you, will you practice?"
Luxor nodded as she took it as a compliment. "Yes."
She stepped into the cubicle and copied his previous stance, her hips shoulder wide apart as she held the bow with her right hand, pulling the bow across the string. And let it fly. No sooner had she released the arrow did she know something was wrong.
"Ouch!" Luxor yelped, dropping the bow with a thud. She stuck her lashed fingers in her mouth to ease the throbbing.
Hunter reached out and cradled her fingers, holding them up and placed the lightest of a kiss on them. "Better?" He picked up the bow and passed it over.
"My fingers have already taken a battering. Not ready for round two," she whined, clenching and unclenching her fist.
"Don't be a sook, the sting would have already been gone by now. You have a fast recovering process."
Luxor counted to three and sure enough the stinging had stopped. She dared to look down expecting to see big, fat, red welts, instead her fingers were undamaged as if nothing had happened.
"Do you want me to show you? Just have to warn you first, I might be invading your personal space." After Hunter noticed she didn’t hesitate, she resumed her stance and peered over at him to see if she was on the right track.
"Spread your legs wider." Hunter suppressed a laugh and moved in forward. He pressed himself against her back, and straightened her hips.
Heat consumed Luxor, her skin blooming underneath his touch. Electric sparks surrounded, and enclosed her in a cocoon of static.
"Are you here for me?" She said breathlessly.
"The one and only," Hunter casually said, and cut off any chance of further questions.
"Why? What do you want from me?”
“To help you.”
“Thanks, but my life is already screwed up, I don’t need you making it worse.”
“You need me. It’ll be wise of you to keep me as an ally,” he told her matter-of-factly.
“Ally? What the hell are you talking about? This isn’t a war. I’m a simple girl wanting to be left alone.” She began to turn around except he held on tight.
“You are so far from normal, you might as well be on another planet,” Hunter said, breathing on her neck.
“Next up. I know about the non-fire, Principal Wright confirmed it."
"I see you've been doing some digging."
Luxor had never been more relieved to be bullied than when she had come face-to-face with the Mount Beauty students in the cafe. It was a blessing, otherwise she wouldn't have found out the information.
"I didn't realise it was a secret. Does Principal Wright know what you are?"
"Yes, and he knows you are a Nephilim too," he said bluntly.
“A what?”
“Oops, I skipped a part.” Hunter released the quiver and trailed a nail along the inside of her palm. "Come with me."
Luxor willingly followed. It was against her plans and out of her co
ntrol but if this was how it was going to be, then so be it. She hoped he would jump right in and submerge her with the information instead he didn’t even dip his toes into the pool of knowledge. He backed away standing on the sidelines.
After a few minutes, Hunter cleared his throat. "You need to know the truth."
"So, I keep hearing, yet nobody is willing to release this all too important information. All I know is you’re out to get me. You’re everywhere, and that’s not normal, even if your father was a P.I,” Luxor's anxiety kicked in. "Am I your prey?"
"Not in the way you think."
"Ooh how interesting there are different kinds," he said sarcastically, tucking her hands flat under her thighs. If anything was going to get scratched it wasn't going to be her arms.
Hunter stuck out both arms. "Now do you see it?"
No there has to be some mistake. This can't be, it's impossible.
"No mistake. Tell me, how blue are your veins Angel?" Hunter questioned.
The overwhelming sensation to flee kicked into overdrive, as did her instinct, but what would be the use?
There is no way he could know. I've been careful to cover myself at all times.
"Show me. Please." Hunter held out a hand, his desperation was her undoing, the power he held over her continued to increase.
Luxor unravelled her jacket, her fingers shaking as she did so. Beads of sweat saturated her neck running all the way down her back. She was exposed, her secret was out. Now it was a matter of begging him to keep it to himself.
"Incredible." Hunter's finger traced the pattern on her arm, a whimsical smile on his face. "I haven't seen anything like it," he breathed out. “So dark, and twisted.”
Luxor retracted her arm and covered up. "Of course, you haven't, I've researched it and there's no information on it. It's basically a rarity."
He hummed. "Researched? Interesting."
"It's dealing with it that's the problem," Luxor said.
Hunter furrowed his eyebrows. "How did you find out?"
"There's information on the net, similar to my condition. I've tried every cream available, seen every specialist but my veins remain the same. I need to know, are you going to tell anyone?" With everything they'd been through she doubted he would but she still needed confirmation.
Unveiled: The Chronicles of Luxor Everstone Page 40
