by Ginna Moran
Dr. Sullivan flips a page on her clipboard. “Good. Now for my first question. What are you?”
A million answers run through my mind. I open my mouth to say necromancer, but the words don’t come out. Instead, I say, “I’m not a monster.”
Agent Chris touches the handle of his knife and I’m pretty sure that was the wrong answer and he’ll kill me any minute.
8. CLEVER CREATURE
HUNTER
The air is so tense it’s hard for me to stand here and watch my mom converse with the monster, Jacqueline. My mom is so calm and collected, and a little bit frightening, how she can hold her ground and show how she’s in charge. She’s taught me to fear supers all my life, but standing here, watching her now, makes me question if she fears them herself.
“Are you a succubus?” my mom asks, ignoring the fact that Jacqueline didn’t answer her with something useful. “I saw some footage of you murdering an agent at the single touch of a hand. Soul manipulators tend to do that.”
Jacqueline shifts uncomfortably. “I don’t get nourishment from souls, so no.”
My mom scribbles something on her clipboard. “Stop evading my questions. Answer me or I’ll stop wasting my time.”
Jacqueline’s eyes shift to mine and I drop my gaze to the floor. I wish she wouldn’t look at me at all. Even under her human-like façade, she’s still scary as heck to me, because her abilities aren’t prominent and it’s hard to tell her apart from humans. Other creatures have distinguishing features, like teeth structure or facial structures—they’re just different enough to notice to the trained eye, but not so different to ordinary people who don’t know what they’re looking for.
“I don’t want to tell you,” Jacqueline finally says.
“Call Agent Janie, please,” my mom says.
She gets to her feet and saunters toward me. Agent Chris makes a call and within a few seconds, his partner enters the room.
Jacqueline jumps to her feet. She rips off the gloves and holds her hands up, fear crinkling her forehead. She walks backwards until she hits the wall and sweeps her gaze across the room.
Agent Chris tugs his tranquilizer gun from his weaponry belt and aims it at Jacqueline.
“Wait!” Jacqueline yells. “Please, wait! I know there has to be information you’re looking for. If there wasn’t, I wouldn’t be here. You wouldn’t go through all this trouble just for what I am.”
My mom touches my shoulder, smiling at me, and then turns to face Jacqueline. “Clever creature.”
“Please,” Jacqueline begs. “I don’t want to die.”
JACQUELINE
My heart races as I stare down the barrel of the tranquilizer gun. The two agents won’t come close enough for me to touch them. They’ll sedate me and then kill me, and I won’t have a fighting chance. My life will just be over.
I run my fingers through my wild, curly hair. “Just tell me what you’re looking for. Maybe I can help you. I’m quite powerful, you know.”
A smile creeps onto Dr. Sullivan’s mouth. “I don’t think a creature has ever offered to help us.”
I take a breath. “Well, I’m not loyal to anyone anymore.” I don’t mention my brother. There’s no point and it wouldn’t do me any good anyway.
“I see.” Dr. Sullivan pulls her cell phone from her pocket. “Give me a minute, Jacqueline. I think I might have a deal you can’t refuse.”
Dr. Sullivan steps into the hallway and the room falls silent. I swear I can hear the rapid heartbeat of the boy pressed against the wall next to the door. He’s different from the agents and the doctor, and I’m curious as to why he’s here.
I stare at him until he meets my eyes. He shifts uncomfortably before dropping his gaze. I don’t take my eyes off him and sweat shines on his forehead. My presence makes him nervous, and it makes me feel a little better about the entire situation because at least someone won’t come after me.
I meet the boy’s eyes again. “You look like you don’t want to be here.”
Lines crease his forehead and he points to himself like he can’t believe I’m talking to him. “What?”
I smile. “You heard me. What are you even doing here?”
Agent Chris steps in front of the boy. “Don’t say another word, Creature 1156.”
I shrug. “I was just curious.”
“I’m an intern,” the boy says, speaking up. He shifts behind Agent Chris and looks over his shoulder.
I can’t rid myself of the feeling that there’s more to it. And then it dawns on me. I study the boy’s face for a moment and then see it. He has similar features to Dr. Sullivan. The same round, hazel eyes, the same hair color, the same bow-shaped lips, only the boy’s are fuller. He’s her son. I know it. I can use this information to save me.
“You’re the doctor’s son,” I say. “I see it now.”
The boy pales and opens and shuts his mouth.
“Enough, Creature 1156,” Agent Chris says. He turns to his partner and presses his lips together as he silently converses with her.
Before any of us can say anything more, the door swings open, bumping into the boy’s shoulder and in walks his mother. Dr. Sullivan’s eyes shine with a mixture of excitement and confidence, and fear trickles down my spine. I don’t like the way she’s looking at me.
“Good news, Jacqueline,” Dr. Sullivan says. “The board agreed to spare your life if you choose to cooperate with us.”
I twine my fingers together. “What would I have to do?”
“We want names and locations to every creature you know.”
I frown. There’s a problem with that. I don’t have any ties to any creatures except for Jazmin and it wouldn’t be right giving her up. Dr. Sullivan also didn’t mention my freedom. How do I know she won’t just keep me locked up here forever?
I shake my head. “I want my freedom and amnesty from the Human Preservation Agency. I want to be able to settle down and not be bothered by you.”
Dr. Sullivan taps her pen to her lips. “You’ll have to offer more than names for that, dear.”
I run my hands over my hair and think. What would Dominic want me to do? He’d think I was a monster for even agreeing to work with the HPA, but he was always braver than me. There has to be something I know that the HPA would want. The Creature Council...
I suck in my bottom lip and scrounge up the courage to make a better deal. “Do you know what the Creature Council is?”
Dr. Sullivan holds her serious expression, but her son’s eyes widen and he gives away what I need to know. The HPA is aware of the Creature Council and they are interested in finding them. The two agents straighten their shoulders and tension wafts through the room.
After a long moment, Dr. Sullivan says, “Now that’s the kind of information we’d trade your freedom for.”
“I can get you everything you need to know about them, but only if you grant me amnesty.” I sit back and cross my arms. “But you have to let me go. They’re very secretive and if they have any idea that I’ve agreed to work with you, they’d never let me near them.”
Agent Janie clears her throat. “She’s lying.”
I sigh. “Why would I lie? I have nothing to lose and everything to gain from this deal.”
Dr. Sullivan purses her lips in thought. “I’ll give you three months to gather every piece of information the board wants about the HPA and you’ll return here to deliver it. If you don’t, we will find you and kill you.”
“You’re just going to let her go?” Agent Chris asks.
Dr. Sullivan turns and glares. “Do not question my judgment. Ever. Releasing one creature is worth the risk because the information about the Creature Council is priceless. This is what we’ve been waiting for.”
Her words echo in my ears. This information is more valuable than I realized. It could be just as dangerous for me if I seek out the Creature Council for information. As of right now, Jazmin told me the council will interview me to see if I’d make a good candidate fo
r their sanctuary, but now I have to be a good candidate if I ever want my life back. The tricky part is making sure the council never finds out my real motives. I’m sure they’d kill me for it, too. That’s why they can’t find out. I need this. If the board gets what they want, I wouldn’t have to worry about the council in the end. They’d be too worried about themselves.
I clear my throat. “One more thing. How do I know you won’t kill me the moment I give you the information?”
Dr. Sullivan smiles. “What can I do to get you to trust me?”
I look at the agents and then the boy. I lift my hand and point. “I want his soul to hold onto. I’ll return it when the exchange is complete.”
9. HUNTER’S CURSE
HUNTER
The edges of my vision shadow and I lean against the wall for support. I can’t believe the super just asked to take my soul to safeguard herself from the HPA. She could’ve asked for either Agent Chris or Agent Janie, more valuable people, but she asked for me.
I turn toward the door and touch my fingers to the knob. I’m not staying around to find out what my mom’s answer is, even though I know she’ll never agree to that. Just the thought that the super wants my soul is terrifying.
Agent Chris grabs my shoulder and digs his nails into me. I jerk my head up, my eyebrows pinched together, and meet his serious green eyes. Pressing his lips into a tight line, he shrugs, but doesn’t say anything.
“You’re crazy!” I yell. “You can’t have my soul.”
My mom turns and looks at me with teary eyes. She opens her arms, stepping forward, and I stiffen under her touch. She rests her chin on my shoulder and my chest tightens, making it hard to breath.
She squeezes me. “Oh, Hunter, you have to understand. This is for the greater good. Everyone must do their part at the HPA. You’ll be a hero.”
Dread claws at my heart and I shrug away from her. “What are you talking about? You can’t seriously let this monster have my soul. This is my life!”
“Please, baby, you have to understand,” my mom says.
I can’t believe she’s doing this. What kind of mom thinks it’s acceptable to trade her son’s soul for some stupid information? I peer around at the four pairs of eyes on me and straighten my shoulders. They’re crazy to think I’d agree to let this soul snatcher take me.
“No. No way. I don’t care what greater good you think you’re doing, but this isn’t the answer. You’re making a deal with a monster. I’m not letting her have my soul.”
I step back and Agent Chris strengthens his grip. I swing out and punch him in the nose. He covers his face and I jerk out of his reach and grab the doorknob. Agent Janie kicks the back of my knee and my leg gives out on me and I fall to the floor. Before I have a chance to fight her off, she flips me on my stomach and cuffs my hands behind me. I’m no match to the skilled agents. I’m a dead man.
I struggle and kick at Agent Janie as she pulls me to my feet. My mom stands a foot away and stares at me with narrowed eyes. She looks more annoyed than sad, and her steeliness buries deep into my bones. This woman, she’s not my mother anymore, she’s a board member, and she doesn’t care about me like I thought she did. If she loved me, she wouldn’t do this.
“I’m sorry, Hunter. I really am,” my mom says.
I charge forward, but Agent Chris steps between us, not letting me get close to my mom. “I’ll never forgive you for this!”
Agent Chris forces me to move and I lock eyes with the super standing quietly across the room. Fear washes over me and I feel like I’ll be sick any moment. I was just starting my life. I graduated early, started preparing for my agent training when I turn eighteen, and now—it’s all being ripped from me. I don’t know if I’ll ever see Mason again. He’ll never know what my mom did either—I’m sure she’ll have a cover story.
I yell as Agent Chris pushes me forward. “Please,” I beg the creature. “Don’t do this. I’m not important. Please.”
Jacqueline raises her hands up. “I promise this won’t hurt.”
I struggle until Jacqueline touches her cool fingers to my cheeks. I stare into her lavender eyes for a moment before squeezing my eyes shut. There’s nothing I can do to stop this. Heat washes through my veins and the air shifts.
I open my eyes in pitch blackness and an emptiness like nothing I’ve ever felt before settles into my mind. My life is over. I’m now only a soul trapped in the mind of a monster.
I wish she had killed me instead.
JACQUELINE
Hunter’s life flashes before my eyes. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. There’s a light in his soul that is pure and good, and nothing within him has been touched by evil or bad intention.
I watch as a young boy with dark, curly hair scoops mounds of ice cream into a bowl. When he’s through, he carries the bowl and walks down the hallway of a quaint house filled with tons of family portraits on the walls, and to a room where another boy lies in bed. The child version of Hunter hands the boy the bowl of ice cream and hugs his sick brother. So much love and caring fills my soul. I wish I could watch Hunter in this moment forever.
Another vision flashes in my mind and I watch as Hunter squats on the ground and snaps his fingers, calling for a fluffy, white dog. The dog dashes away and into the street. Hunter rushes to stop a car before it can hit the dog. He scoops the dog into his arms and hands it to a woman with a cane, and she hugs Hunter and kisses his cheek. His kindness overwhelms me. I’m only used to the selfish souls.
Lastly, I watch as Hunter hugs Dr. Sullivan. He tells her he loves her and how he wishes the world was safe for everyone. His devotion to his mother was so strong, it was tangible, and I wonder how her actions will affect his love for her. A person can only take so much.
After the visions stop and I can focus on the world around me, I realize what I’ve done. Nana warned me long ago that I can’t redeem a pure soul. She told me the consequences of doing so and I didn’t really believe her until this moment.
I don’t have control over Hunter’s soul like I would have if he’d been evil. I can’t redeem him. Hunter’s cursed to share my life and body and I’m cursed because even if I manage to rid myself of the HPA without having to come back here, I’m stuck with Hunter until I return him back to his body or he chooses to release himself.
I blink my eyes a few times. I’d never let anyone know that. I want Dr. Sullivan to be afraid for her son. I want her to think his life truly lies in my hands and I can destroy him if I want to.
I take a deep breath and pull Hunter from the void in my mind. His presence sits heavy on my soul and I feel bad he was the one I chose—but I needed him. I needed someone Dr. Sullivan would want to see alive again.
“Mom? Mom! What have you done to me!” Hunter’s voice rings in my ears.
“She can’t hear you,” I think to him.
“Let me out of here, please, I don’t deserve this!”
“I can’t, Hunter. I’m sorry. You’ll get used to it,” I think.
Dr. Sullivan waves her hand and I draw my eyes to the doctor. Hunter’s body lies lifelessly on the floor and Agent Chris picks it up and swings it over his shoulder. Dr. Sullivan whispers something to him, and he exits the room without looking back.
“His body will die without his soul so you must use medical intervention to keep it alive,” I say.
“What? Are you kidding me?” I push Hunter’s voice away.
Dr. Sullivan nods. “Agent Janie will take you where you need to go. Again, you have three months. If you don’t return with the information we’re looking for, plan on spending the rest of your life running—but just know—we will find you and I don’t give second chances.”
“I’ll get what you want,” I say.
“What about what I want, Jackie?” Hunter asks.
His use of the nickname my brother called me stings and I think, “Don’t call me that.”
“I can call you whatever I want, monster.”
I s
igh. “Shut up or I’ll toss you in the void.”
Hunter doesn’t answer me.
I turn to face Agent Janie and she doesn’t meet my gaze. Instead, she waves at the door and I walk across the room and step into the hallway with her behind me. Dr. Sullivan clears her throat and I look over my shoulder.
“Take care of my son, Jacqueline.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Don’t worry, Dr. Sullivan. He’s not going anywhere.”
I follow Agent Janie down the hallway and to an elevator. We cross through an empty lobby and I step out into the cool night air. I can’t believe I actually survived being captured by the HPA and I can’t believe they agreed to let me go. Maybe I’ll actually survive in the world without my brother protecting me.
I will survive in this world—better than that—I might actually get to do more than survive. I’ll actually get to live.
HUNTER
Agent Janie pulls into the parking lot of the train station. Her cell phone rings and she holds her hand up, stopping Jacqueline from hopping out. I only see what Jacqueline sees and I feel trapped behind a glass window, watching the world from eyes I have no control over.
“Yes, Dr. Sullivan. I understand. No word about this to anyone,” Agent Janie says. “A transfer? What about Agent Chris? Oh, okay. I’m dropping the creature off now and I’ll go pack my bags. Thanks for the opportunity. Yes, I’ll remind her.” Agent Janie hangs up the phone and shifts in the seat. “Dr. Sullivan said don’t try anything stu—”
Jacqueline raises her hand and cuts off the agent. “I won’t. I know what the deal is.”
The world shifts as Jacqueline opens the door and hops out. She slams the door shut, but doesn’t walk away from the van. I concentrate on moving Jacqueline’s arm, but nothing happens. I’m really just a soul without a body and no one except the two agents, my mom, the board, and Jacqueline will ever know I’m here.