“We have been friends ever since, and vowed to each other that until we could no longer do so, we would protect and watch over each other and each other’s children no matter what the threat.”
“So when she was in trouble, you saved her.”
“Yes.” Valeria held Denny’s hand. “We’ve been in and out of each other’s lives for years.”
“How come—”
“You’ve never met me? I come when needed, sometimes when called. When I knew what Cassandra was planning, I came and I stayed near enough to be of assistance should you require any.”
“Kinda did.”
“Kind of, yes. The Magyar are very dangerous, Golden, very dangerous indeed. You were very brave to go after one, and my sisters very foolish to call one. They know better.”
“They in trouble?”
Valeria lowered her face, a slight grin on her lips. “Just a little. It would appear you’ve stolen the hearts of a couple of them.” Valeria smiled as she shook her head. “Your mother charmed people much in the same way. It is a gift you Silvers have.”
“Wait. A couple?”
Valeria squeezed her hand. “Apparently. They wished to help you...you and the young woman you saved. Both witches would swallow fire for you, Golden…just as I would for your mother. The girl—”
“Iris.”
“Yes. She is...well...let me just say, when she is fully trained, she will be able to help you in your quest to banish evil from Savannah.”
“My—”
“All demon hunters need a powerful witch in their back pockets, my friend.” Valeria rubbed her hands together quickly back and forth before laying them on top of Denny’s bruised and torn knuckles. “Why did you fight so, Golden? You had the chance to be rid of the demon once and for all. It is why I waited. I thought for sure you would relinquish it.”
“I couldn’t.” Denny turned to Valeria. The witch was ageless and Denny couldn’t tell if she was thirty or seventy. “Did my mother?”
“Have the chance to be free? Once upon a time she did, yes.”
“But she kept it. Why?”
Valeria looked up at the moon before replying. “Why did you?”
“You know, at first I thought it was because it had saved me tonight when I was trapped in a casket. Then I thought it was because it had saved her.”
“And finally?” Valeria looked back at Denny.
“And then, I realized I’d been chosen. Somewhere along the time continuum, Mom and I were chosen.” Denny looked at her knuckles. They were already practically healed. “This is what we are supposed to do with our lives whether we want to or not.”
“Very well, then. You have your answer and yes, you are so much like your mother, it is frightening. She, too, understood that there are times in this life when we bear a responsibility greater than the meaning and value of our own lives. She battled bravely to keep her Hanta. It is, I imagine, why it will never let you down. You have bonded now, my dear girl. It owes you just as much as you owe it. It knows you fought for it and will repay that in kind.”
“That would be good because it looks like I may need it.”
“You fought well, Golden.”
Denny pinched the bridge of her nose. “Still…I wish we could have just killed that demon.”
“We could have, but then, Asmodeus would have sent more. I needed him to understand that there must be a better game elsewhere. When he does, he will leave you and yours alone.”
“Let’s hope.”
Valeria smiled softly. “Your friends are waiting at your house. You need to head on over there.” Valeria rose and lightly touched Denny’s eyebrow, her eyes lingering on Denny’s face. “So much like your mother.”
“I haven’t even really had the chance to thank you for saving me.”’
“Oh, Golden, I did not save you. I merely gave you a hand. You were doing just fine. I’m certain when the time comes, you will repay the favor.”
Denny rose and nodded. “Absolutely.”
“And Golden?”
“Yes?”
“I know you may not realize it now, but you did the right thing.”
“By hunting the Magyar?”
“No. By keeping the demon.”
****
Her body still ached, her muscles were sore, but all of that vanished as her friends surrounded her and hugged her. A million questions came at Denny all at once, so she held her hand up to silence the crowd of friends and witches. “Cassandra, what happened here?” Denny asked, seeing Brianna appear from the shadows.
“Bunch of skinny little dweebs with gas cans came to set your house on fire. In a nutshell, your friends and my coven kicked their asses.”
Denny reached for Lauren’s hand. “You okay?”
Lauren’s wide eyes blinked once. “It was pretty wild for a moment, but we...we ran them all off. It was frightening and invigorating all at once, really. Snake and Scar were in their element, firing their guns and hollering like wild banshees. I could have sworn they actually shot one, but—”
Denny looked around the group. Victor and Patrick looked like two ecstatic football players, the witches eyed everyone warily, and Snake and Scar high fived like two triumphant athletes.
They were a motley crew, but they were her motley crew, and they had saved her.
Denny’s house was undamaged.
Her lair was intact.
She was alive.
Her friends were alive.
Her family was safe.
All was well in Savannah.
“Thank you, Lauren,” Denny said softly. “I couldn’t have done this without you.”
Lauren gently held Denny’s hand. “Of course you could have. I’m just glad you’re back.”
After hugging Lauren and her car full of champions before they took off, Denny walked over to Brianna and stood before her. “Thank you.”
Brianna lightly brushed stray hair from Denny’s sticky forehead. “For what?”
“She didn’t just show up. You contacted Valeria, didn’t you? You saved my life.”
Brianna looked away. “Why would you assume it was me?”
Denny leaned in and whispered, “Because I know you really do care about me.”
Brianna turned back, their faces inches apart. “Of course I do. You are my friend and I care a great deal what happens to you, Denny. I also know you are in this way over your head and need to stop hunting and start learning, but no, it was not me. I did not call Valeria.”
This surprised Denny… and also somewhat hurt her feelings. “No? Was it…was it Cassandra?”
Brianna shrugged. “Who loves you the most? Who would do anything in the world to protect you? She is the one connected to Valeria. Not me. Not Cassandra. She saved you, Denny.”
Denny blinked. “You mean—”
Her mother.
From somewhere in her catatonia, Gwen managed to contact Valeria and send her to Denny.
An arm went around her waist. “What sweet Bri means is you are braver than you are brilliant and you need to be both.” Cassandra flashed Brianna a smile that could freeze lava. “Your help is ever appreciated, Brianna, but I can take it from here.” Cassandra turned to the rest of the women. Now then, everyone go on back to our house for a nightcap and cookies.”
When Brianna hesitated, Cassandra shooed her along. “I have her covered, Bri. Go on, now.”
“Wait.”
Brianna stopped and Denny folded her in her arms. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“Always,” Brianna whispered back. “Be careful of her, Denny, please.”
When Brianna walked away, Denny turned back to Cassandra. “If you talk to her like that again, we are through.”
“Through? I didn’t realize we were a thing.”
“As friends. As allies. As anything. Are we clear?”
“Quite.”
Denny turned from Cassandra’s grasp and whispered, “I need a hot bath and my pillow. I’m exhausted.”
<
br /> “Sure you don’t want me in your tub and on your bed?”
Denny shook her head. She felt like she might fall where she stood. “Rain check?”
Cassandra kissed her softly. “Count on it.”
When everyone had finally cleared out, Denny hauled herself up the stairs and started her bath.
“It appears you are quite the hero.” It was Rush.
“Not really. I got by with a little help from my friends.” Easing out of her torn and bloody clothes, Denny gently lowered herself into the tub, every muscle in her body aching. “Thank you for staying here. I know you must have been worried sick.”
“Baby, I have been worrying about you since you were this high.” Rush held her hand out about three feet from the ground. That’s never going to stop. I’m just glad you have good people in your corner, even if one of them is that strumpet Cassandra.”
Denny closed her eyes and leaned her head back on the big claw footed tub. “She’s persistent. I’ll give her that.”
“So...is that it? Are we safe?”
Denny shrugged. “According to Valeria, Asmodeus is afraid of witches...or of her...not sure which. She came out of nowhere to keep me from getting my ass kicked.”
Rush sat on the edge of the tub. “She’s beautiful, isn’t she? Ageless.”
Denny didn’t respond.
“I always got the feeling that she was in love with your mom. The way she would look at her.” Rush sighed. “It was sweet.”
Denny’s eyes popped open. “Why in the hell would you—wait—you’ve seen them together?”
Rush nodded. “You always forget—I’ve seen so much of what goes on in this house. Not just in the house, but all around Savannah. After Valeria saved her that first time, they became good friends. They would have lemonade and sit out on the porch for hours. Much of what your mother learned about hunting she learned from Valeria. She still visits your mom every week.”
Denny sat up in the tub, water swishing everywhere. “No way.”
“Way. Comes at night. No one ever sees her.”
“You can’t possibly know that.”
Rush shrugged. “But I do. It’s not important how I know, but that priestess protects your mom like a lover might guard her amore. Their connection runs deep, baby. It wasn’t a coincidence that she showed up tonight. My guess is she’s been following your career ever since you took in the Hanta.”
“That could very well be, but my mom would never—”
“Never say never, Golden. You’re talking to a ghost right now. You have a demon inside you, and you’ve seen what witches can do. Your mom loving a woman seems pretty minor league, don’tcha think?”
“I guess so. I was just so stunned to see her. She saved my ass tonight.”
“Of course she did. Reciprocity. Valeria isn’t like the rest of those women, Den. She’s the real deal. Powerful. Knows her stuff. She is a High Priestess, not some rookie. Your mom chose well when she chose her.”
“So just like that she thinks she got Asmodeus off my back?”
“I’m thinking she bought you some time, love; that’s all. Make good use of it. Learn what you have to know to stay alive, because he’ll be back. They always come back.”
Denny closed her eyes again and watched the water as it rose to her chest. It took forever to fill the tub. “It saved me,” she said softly. “They tried to drown me in a coffin, but it...he…” she shook her head.
“It what, baby?”
A single tear rolled down Denny’s face. “He saved me. Like he saved my mom.” Opening her eyes, she looked at Rush, wishing for the millionth time that the ghost was alive. “The night of the accident...everyone, including me, thought Mom had been blown away from the car. The witness was so certain she’d been trapped—so certain she could not have crawled out from under the car herself. But she wasn’t alone. She wasn’t blown up. The Hanta saved her. I’m sure of it.”
“You’re romanticizing this, Den. The demon saved itself.”
Wiping her eyes, Denny nodded. “Oh, I understand that. I really do, but in the end, all I could think about was that he saved us both, and I finally know why.” Denny reached over and turned the water off. “This is my destiny. It is what I have been chosen to do, like my ancestors before me. My job in this life is to protect people from the many demons roaming the earth, and I can’t do that without the Hanta.”
Rush nodded sadly. “It is a lonely life, baby. One filled with death and fear and darkness. I wanted so much more for you.”
“I am aware of that, Rush, but I’m beginning to surround myself with people who can assist me on my journey down this dark path. Mom knew how to do that. I can as well.”
“People like Valeria?”
“People like Cassandra.”
“I’m not fond of that horny bitch.”
“Whatever else she is, she’s lent me a hand twice now. That must count for something.”
“Doesn’t mean I have to like her.”
Denny grinned and doing so hurt her face. “No, no it doesn’t, but I have a powerful coven behind me. I have Lauren’s mighty brain and the boys’ powerful bodies. I have Ames and…” she paused to look into Rush’s eyes. “I have you.”
Rush sighed. “You will always have me, baby. I am so sorry you lost your mind when I went away, but I won’t go again. You have my word on that.” Rush forced a smile. “So...what now, demon hunter? I know you have other irons in the fire.”
“Now, I pay the DA a little visit to make certain he pulls the trigger and gets Quick out of jail.”
“No rest for the wicked.”
“Isn’t that the truth?”
****
Denny’s Journal
Morning came too early for me, but that was becoming customary for one who walks in the night’s shadows. Every muscle ached, but my wounds looked several days old already. If there was anything weird about having this power inside, it was my rapid healing ability.
Standing in front of the mirror, I surveyed the damage. My cheek was bruised, I had a cut on my forehead, my lower lip was cut, and my nose had a cut across the bridge.
And that was just my face.
My shoulder was bruised from where the bolts had entered but the hole looked more like a cigarette burn than a puncture wound. I lightly fingered it, wondering how close I’d come to death last night. How close I’d come to losing the Hanta.
Peering at my eyes, I suddenly remembered looking deeply into Valeria’s. They were, if I wasn’t mistaken, lavender, like Liz Taylor’s, and filled with the wisdom of the ages. I had wanted to speak more with her—to talk about my mom. I can only hope to see her again someday, under less stressful circumstances. If she was my mom’s champion, I want to know everything I can about her.
I can’t help wondering where she lives. What does she do during her days? How did she become so powerful? I had so many questions and not nearly enough answers.
I suspected that will be the way of my world now.
Rush was right about Valeria buying me time. Asmodeus will surely be back. If not next month or next year, maybe next decade or century. It is incumbent upon me to slow down now and educate myself—about demons, about witches, about all things supernatural. I need to take better care of myself, and the best way to do that is to learn far more than the minuscule amount of knowledge I possess.
Sure, I’ve been enamored with the cool weapons and super-human strength, but it will be knowledge that will save my bacon and the bacon of those I care about.
Valeria bought me time and I will use it wisely. I will stop stalking the streets at night and instead, I will spend that time reading all of my mother’s journals, and begin to systematically read every book in my library.
I owe it to my mother and our legacy to be the best hunter I can be—to help as many of those in need as I can.
And I will.
****
Throwing on some jeans and a button-down shirt, Denny was heading downstairs whe
n the doorbell rang.
It was Brianna, with a coffee in one hand and a bag of goodies in the other.
“Hey!” Denny said, her face lighting up.
She smiled. “I knew you’d need some nourishment after last night’s battle. I came to see if you needed some poultice or unguent for those wounds.”
“Come in, come in. I was just getting dressed.”
Brianna paused and studied Denny’s battered face. “Jeez, Denny, you heal fast. Last night, you had a pretty good shiner and a jagged gash across your forehead.”
“Yeah, just one of the many perks of being possessed.” Denny led her to the living room sofa, where they sat next to each other.
“You’ll need a plate.”
Denny got one and returned to find Brianna unwrapping an enormous breakfast burrito. “Are we having a party?”
Brianna set the burrito on the plate and carefully prepared it for her, pouring all kinds of sauces over it.
It smelled delicious.
“Trust me. After what I saw last night, you’ll eat the whole thing.”
Denny smiled at her. “Thank you. And thank you for last night.”
Brianna half turned, her eyes intense. “You need a woman, Denny, and not Cassandra.” She held up a hand before Denny could reply. “As your friend, I just want to warn you that, like you, she is a hunter—well, not so much a hunter as she is a collector. She collects hearts. Once she has them, she quickly bores and moves on. You don’t need that right now. What you need is stability and consistency.”
“My heart isn’t really in question here, Bri.”
She looked at Denny. “I don’t want you to lose yours.” Handing Denny the plate, she ordered her to eat. “You are a dalliance for Cassandra right now—a blip on her sexual radar. Be careful you don’t make it into anything more than that.”
“About Cassandra—” Denny said, mouth full.
“No, you don’t talk. You just eat and listen. I don’t know how much you know about Valeria, but she’s a wonderful ally to have and she clearly favors you and your family.”
“Well, I don’t—”
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