Demon Tracker (Divine Justice, 2)

by Mary Abshire

  “The request leaves too much room open for interpretation. If one demon jumps a vampire in an alley, the vampire has the advantage and should spare the human’s life. But if demons attack in groups, a single vampire might have to use extreme measures in order to survive. But as Zale said, vampires could break bones to stop a demon. At least the human would live.” Gordon paused as he released a sigh. “I’m willing to agree to amnesty on a case-by-case basis. Order must be maintained.”

  Colin grinned. “Fair enough.” He shifted his attention to Zale. “I can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done. You are an example for all of us. Setting aside your differences to help defend another’s existence is commendable. I hope you don’t mind if I share what you’ve done tonight. I think it will send a clear message about the UoJ’s willingness to help us.”

  “I would ask that you don’t disclose the details about Bethany or vampires being tortured,” Gordon said. “It might motivate others to kill.”

  Colin smirked. “Agreed.”

  “The best way to prevent this is to find the source, the master. We’re making progress, but it takes time. Let the community know they need to be patient,” Zale said.

  “I’m calling in agents from local offices in surrounding states. We will have more staff to help snuff out the demons,” Gordon said.

  “Tell everyone to call the tip-off line if they have any concerns or suspicions,” Zale added.

  “And I will contact the leaders to warn them,” Colin said.

  Gordon nodded. “That would be helpful.”

  Colin glanced at each of them. “Gentlemen, it’s been a long night and we have much to do still. I’m sure we will meet again before this crisis is over.” He rose and offered his hand to Zale again.

  Gordon and Zale rose at the same time.

  Zale shook Colin’s hand. “I hope we can prevent an outbreak. Otherwise, we will see more blood and destruction worse than we’ve ever seen.”

  “I fear you are right. Let’s not let it come to that,” Colin said.

  Zale offered a partial grin. “I’ll do my best.”

  “I’m sure you will,” Colin said.

  “I’ll walk out with you.” Gordon headed toward the door.

  Zale waited until the two had left before he returned to his chair. He rested his elbow on the table and his head against his hand. The night’s events weighed heavily on his mind. Everything had happened so fast. While he’d handed over another three demons and one dead one to the DS, the root of the problem still needed to be addressed. The master needed to be stopped from bringing over more demons. Until the DS or UoJ found the master, the UoJ would continue to find corpses and vampires in the community were targets for the demons.

  He lifted his head and leaned back in his seat. Instinct warned him life would get worse before it would get better. And if they couldn’t get a handle on the demon population, an outbreak was inevitable.

  Chapter Eighteen

  With one arm on the table, Zale shifted his attention to Gordon as he stepped into the conference room. His boss said nothing as he strode to the seat Colin had vacated. Gaze lowered, Gordon had tense wrinkled brows and his pressed lips formed a flat line. The look of concern on his boss’s face troubled Zale.

  “Did I miss anything?” Zale asked.

  “No, I told him about the investigation and the progress you have been making. We talked about working together and sharing information. I told him how much of an asset you were and mentioned your accomplishments. So no, you didn’t miss anything. But I knew he needed to hear from you about the things you’ve seen so far. That’s why it was important for you to be here.”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t call to let you know I was heading to Scott’s house. If I’d waited, I could’ve walked in to find them destroyed.”

  “You made the right call. I’m not worried about your decisions.”

  “What are you worried about?”

  Gordon placed an arm on the table and tapped his fingers on it. “Do you trust Colin?”

  “I think you know my answer, but we have to if we’re going to work with the vampires and end the madness. And who knows, maybe our collaboration efforts will have a lasting positive affect. Both species need to be more accepting of each other.”

  Putting aside his opinions had been difficult. With the exceptions of demons, Zale believed everyone was good and aimed to have a happy and peaceful existence. Fighting alongside Tiffany, Aaron, and Scott had boosted his confidence. Both races could work together to stop the demons.

  “I’m not certain I trust him,” Gordon said. “His requests were too broad. For someone as old as him, he should’ve known we couldn’t agree to them.”

  “Maybe he did. Maybe he wanted to see your reaction.”

  “Or yours. Or both.” Gordon shook his head. “I don’t like games or beating around the bush. It makes me suspicious of the person.”

  “You don’t have to trust him completely. Be open and on guard. The rest will fall into place.”

  “You’ll make a fine UoJ leader one day.”

  “If we make it that far. We have a lot of work to do.”

  “I didn’t tell him what I’m about to tell you. I spoke to the DS in great detail earlier. They want to issue an alert. The Alliance of All has to approve it first.”

  Zale’s eyes widened. “Do they really think an alert is needed right now?”

  “From what they’re dealing with, they must.”

  Zale lowered his gaze. “I guess I can’t blame them. The demons are doing things I haven’t seen before and they’re moving fast.”

  “We’re only seeing half of the picture of the full problem. It’s wide spread across the states. Aziel and I both agree it’s time for our agencies to work in a joint effort. He has a lead agent he wants us to work with. I want you to meet your new partner the night after next. She’s the best in the Divine Syndicate. You’re the best in the Union of Justice. Together, you two should be able to find the masters quickly.”

  “Masters? As in more than one?”

  “Yes. They suspect there is more than one now.”

  The news didn’t surprise Zale much, especially since the population had been growing so quickly.

  “I’ll do whatever I have to do in order to prevent an outbreak,” Zale said. “You know I will give everything to restore peace and save lives.”

  “Aziel sent me the agent’s file. I had one of the staff print it off and put it on your desk.”

  Sadness crept within Zale as he thought about his recently deceased partner. Ray had been a loyal agent for many years and a good friend. Zale would miss him greatly. He tried not to think about Ray’s death. Every time he did, anger filled him. Although he wanted revenge, the best resolution would come from exorcising the demons and spoiling their plans to rule mankind.

  As for his new partner, she could never come close to filling Ray’s shoes, especially since she was a vampire. Zale held no complaints about working with women and would reserve his judgments about vamps to accomplish their goals, but he doubted working with a bloodsucker would be as entertaining as partnering with a fellow werewolf.

  “Review the DS agent’s file and let me know if you have any concerns,” Gordon said before he rose.

  If Zale saw any issues from her credentials, he’d keep them to himself. He’d survived one hundred and thirty years and an outbreak. No matter what, he’d work with her to stop the bloodshed and preserve the future of mankind.

  “When will the other agents start arriving to help with the investigation?” Zale asked.

  “Tomorrow and the next few nights. Chicago is having trouble too and has pulled resources from Northern Indiana and Wisconsin. As you know, Indianapolis has the most vampires in the Midwest. Our staff needs to double in size soon.”

  “Once the DS interrogates the demons from Scott’s house, we should have more names. Agents should research each one. Look for connecti
ons. Hit the streets and talk to people.”

  Gordon nodded. “Aziel and I both agree no agent should go out alone. Werewolves aren’t targets, but it’s better to be safe. While we’re increasing our staff, so is the DS. Neither agency can afford to lose agents right now.”

  “I agree. Too much is at stake and we’re just starting to learn the names of demons.”

  Gordon tapped his fingers on the table. “Aziel and I both agree the top priority is locating the masters. Therefore, the DS is taking the lead in the matter. You’ll essentially be working under their command.”

  Zale disliked the idea of taking orders from vampires, but he’d do it. “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me.”

  “I have faith in you, Zale. And since you’ll be working with the top agent in the DS, I’m sure everything will be all right.” He headed for the door. Past it, he paused and faced Zale. “If you ever wanted to be an Alpha, you’d make a damn fine one.”

  “And miss all the fun as a UoJ agent? No thanks.”

  Gordon grinned as he walked away.

  Zale leaned his head back on the chair. He had a laundry list of items he needed to do. Yet, he continued to ponder about working with the DS. Before the last outbreak, he recalled the DS and UoJ had shared information, but not much. They didn’t have computers and the automobiles of the era didn’t move as fast or last as long. The DS had controlled everything while the UoJ had temporarily shut down to protect their packs.

  Much had changed since the Depression. Both agencies now had unlimited resources, which aided them significantly. But the demons were using different tactics than they had before. He suspected the DS had recognized this also. Perhaps it added to their decision to issue an alert. While Zale respected their decree, he feared the issuance might cause some vampires to panic. Now more than ever, they needed to be strong and vigilant.

  Following a calming breath, Zale rose from his seat. If he wanted to get home before eight in the morning, he needed to get to his desk and start working on his tasks. He had one full night before he had to switch gears and work with the DS agent.

  From the basement, he returned to the office on the fifteenth floor. A phone rang from one of the cubicles. The chatter of several employees mixed with the thuds of hearts to form mumbles. The aroma of pizza drifted from a room in the far back. The break room, if he guessed right. Since he hadn’t eaten all night, any smells of food added to his hunger. Wanting to get out of the office at a decent hour, he fought the temptation to stop by and see if any slices remained.

  Zale flipped on the light to his office after he walked in. His desk had three stacks of files. Post-it notes on top of two stacks contained writing from Henry. But the single green file laying on his keyboard held his attention.

  Zale exhaled a breath as he dropped into his chair. He hoped his new partner wouldn’t be some old militant vampire who liked to bark orders. He needed someone smart and quick. Someone good looking would be nice too.

  He opened the folder and gazed at the photo on the left. The vampire appeared young, early twenties by his estimate. She had long reddish-brown locks, bluish-green eyes, a small nose, and cute pink lips with a hint of a curl on one side. She held a confident look and a unique beauty that held his attention. Her frame appeared small. Many older female vampires had a similar build. Although she had pale skin, he wouldn’t have suspected her nature from the picture.

  Documents on the other side of the file contained details about her. He scanned through the summary. Her name was Anna Collins. Typical of all vampires, she’d changed her surname many times over the years, but Anna was her true first name. Over two hundred and twenty years ago, vampires had slaughtered her family when she had been twenty. One of them brought her into the world of vampirism. Her attacker had been destroyed within days of her transformation. Aziel had found her and had taken her under his care. With his training and guidance, she joined the DS early. She’d fought bravely during the last outbreak. Over her career, she’d taught many agents. She also had interrogated and exorcised hundreds, if not thousands, of demons. She’d received high praise from Meru and her peers. Flipping through other pages, he skimmed through her achievements. There were plenty.

  Zale leaned back in his chair as he stared at her picture. From the little he’d read, he’d gathered she was the type of person who played by the book. The trait was an asset in his opinion. She had interrogation and exorcism skills as well as combat ones. All good. All indicating she had brains and cunning. She wasn’t afraid to face the enemy and get her hands dirty. Moreover, she was beautiful. Maybe working with her wouldn’t be so bad.

  He wondered if she’d taken a lover or had changed any humans into vampires. Had she ever killed a human? He guessed she had since she’d fought during the last outbreak. Did the ones she’d killed haunt her? What was her favorite thing to do off the clock? Did she enjoy music or movies? What did vampires in the DS do off the clock? Zale knew plenty about the after-hour habits of UoJ agents. They hung out together, drinking and chatting. Then, the single agents, such as Zale, picked up women to have sex with. They were a close-knit group. Were DS agents the same? Although he thought they could be, he couldn’t imagine Ms. Collins hitting on men for sex. She held a respectable persona. She didn’t appear to be a flirty kind of woman. Did DS agents know how to have fun? He hoped she had some kind of sense of humor.

  In all his years, he’d never taken any time to learn about DS agents. Until recently, he’d never said more than twenty words to one. Were they that much dissimilar from the UoJ? Sure, they had different objectives, but they both worked to save lives and maintain peace. The lack of heartbeat and requirement of blood to survive were the big contrasts among their species. As far as character and work ethic, he suspected the DS agents were similar to the UoJ ones. Maybe he wouldn’t have any problems working side by side with her.

  Zale closed the folder and then put it in a drawer. Regardless of what the papers showed, he wouldn’t know what type of person she was until he met her. He believed she was a moral being, so he’d consider putting his trust with her. Even if they couldn’t get along, he’d remind himself they shared the same goal. The future of mankind and vampires rested on their shoulders. One way or another, they had to stop the demons.

  The End

  Excerpt from Crisis Alert (Divine Justice, 3)

  Hot and wet from his shift, Zale pushed his wet hair back. He felt much better now, stronger and full of energy. The pain in his hip had disappeared. The wound had healed and left behind a small pink scar. Anna had done a good job of extracting the bullet.

  He brought his gaze to her. Her eyes were as wide as saucers as she stared at his naked body. Surely she’d seen plenty of men before.

  She blinked and lowered her gaze away from him. “I’m so sorry.”

  He stepped toward her. “Told you, I have nothing to hide.” He stopped in front of her and lifted her chin.

  Dark circles had formed under her eyes. They hadn’t been there earlier. Her skin seemed whiter and tighter around her cheekbones. The aroma of her blood filled his nose.

  “I’m so embarrassed. It’s just… Well, I’ve never seen a werewolf change before. And you have such a solid...body.” Cheeks turning a light shade of pink, she pressed her lips together and looked away from him.

  Her compliment revved his heart. From the way she blushed, he suspected she enjoyed his package.

  “It’s your turn to strip now,” he said.

  She veered her gaze back at him. “What?”

  “Take off your clothes.”

  She lifted her palm up. “I don’t think so. In fact, you should put yours on.”

  He couldn’t help but grin. “You have bullets in you. I can take them out.”

  “I have nurses who can help me.”

  “Not the way I can.” He curled his lips on one side.

  She gaped at him. “I’m sure you can, but this isn’t the time. The bullets—”


  “Need to come out. I can do it. I have experience.”

  “How is it you’ve never been shot but you can remove bullets?” she crossed her arms.

  “I helped a few buddies over the years. It’s not unusual for us to get shot at least once every fifty or so years from hunters. I’ve just been lucky so far. Now, let’s stop wasting time. I can help you.” He took hold of the sides of her shirt and lifted.

  She abruptly stopped him. “I can undress myself, thank you.” She stepped back from him.

  When she didn’t remove her top, he said, “You have nothing to be bashful about. I’ve seen plenty of women naked.”

  “I’m not bashful.”

  “Then take off your clothes.”

  “I have nurses who can tend to my wounds.”

  “What are you afraid of?” He stepped closer to her.

  “Nothing.”

  “Then take off your clothes and let me help you. The longer you wait, the more blood you lose.”

  Shaking her head, she lifted her damp shirt over her head. Dark red fluid oozed from several holes on her body. A gold necklace with a cross pendant hung around her neck. Her skin clung tight to her collarbone. A black bra cradled her breasts.

  “I think I have a couple in my back.” She twisted around. “Can you see them?”

  Dried blood covered a portion of her lower back. He spotted one hole with crimson fluid seeping from it. Then he noticed another below the waistband of her jeans.

  “You’ll need to remove your pants,” he said.

  “What?” she asked over her shoulder.

  “One of the bullets hit below your waist.”

  “Shit.” She turned around and unfastened her pants. “Take out the ones in my chest first.”

  “Do you want me to put the IV line in your arm too?”

  “No, I can manage it.”

  After she pushed her pants down, she stepped out of them and her shoes. Thin black underwear matched her bra. Although dark fluid coated several areas of her body and she looked as dehydrated as a starved Ethiopian, he enjoyed eyeing her curves. His temperature began to rise while his blood headed south to his groin. While she twisted to get the IV, he couldn’t veer his gaze from her gorgeous ass. A small piece of cloth separated the cheeks.