by Eliza Nolan
Ashton frowns. “I gave you enough to get you started, and you have all those books.” He points at the trailer. “I saw how packed that thing is on demon lore. If you read all that, you might end up knowing more than I do.”
“But,” Grace whimpers. “I don’t have time to weed through all those books in order to figure out who I am and what I can do. Especially if there are others after us. I need to know how we can defend ourselves. I need to be able to keep us safe.”
“The best way to keep you two safe right now is to keep you hidden.” He turns to me. “Your friend, Fiona, you have a way to keep in touch with her?”
I nod, remembering the email address she gave me. I hadn’t checked in since yesterday. She must be worried.
“I’ll stay close to her, so if you need me, contact her.”
“NO!” I say. “You don’t get to stalk my friend. No way!”
“I won’t hover or anything. I’ll just let her know how to find me if you need me. Otherwise, I’ll keep my distance. I don’t want to put her in danger either.”
I glare at him.
A bang echoes from behind the next semi, and the smell of burning tar wafts through the parking lot.
Parked as we are amongst towering semi trailers, we can’t see anyone else nearby, but the sound is familiar.
“Crud,” Ashton says. “I think the fire demon found us again.”
“Wait,” Grace says. “We vanquished her with the salt.”
“If only it were that easy. Salt is painful for demons, and it can take a lot out of us, but it takes more than salt to get rid of her for good. I’ll go slow her down, give you time to get away. Now go!”
He jogs away, around the back of the neighboring truck.
“NO!” Grace shouts. She moves to chase after him, but I grab hold of her arm, and drag her back to the SUV.
“He needs our help,” Grace whines, but she lets me push her inside.
“No, he doesn’t. He needs us to get away safely so that the fire demon will stop chasing him to get to us.” I slide behind the wheel, turn the keys, and step on the gas. “Buckle up.” The car door locks click automatically as the car gains speed, and we roll out of the parking lot.
“Anyways,” I add. “I’ll admit he’s easier to trust after he had our backs against the fire demon, but we still really don’t know if we can trust him. You said it yourself, he’s with Inanna. So he’s the freaking enemy.”
I turn onto the main road, and then to the onramp and back onto the freeway.
∞∞∞
Grace stares across at me with her sad puppy eyes. She wants to say something, but she’s waiting for me to ask.
She sucks in her lower lip and tilts her head.
I roll my eyes. “What is it?”
She pivots in her seat so she’s facing me. “It’s just… I know I’ve been a little out of it, and stuff. And maybe in a bit of denial.”
“That’s okay,” I say. “You’ve been going through some serious stuff.”
“Yes, but after everything that happened today, I think I’m ready to face it. I’m ready to find out what I am.”
I glance across to her. “Are you sure?”
She nods and manages a smile.
I dig my phone out of my back pocket and pass it to her.
“What?” She takes the phone.
“You said you’re ready, so do it already. Open a browser and run a search.”
She pauses a moment. “Yeah, why not.” Grace swipes through my phone, and then types something out and waits, her eyes locked on the screen.
“What are you searching?”
She holds up a finger, her eyes skimming across the screen as she reads the first results. She grips my arm, and a smile worms its way on her lips.
“What?” I say.
“According to the internet, the origin of the word demon does not have a negative connotation.” She slaps my arm, excited.
I smile. I’m glad the first thing she found was something positive. She really needs it.
She reaches into the back seat and rustles around until she finds a candy bar, peeling open the wrapper.
“How much further do you think we have until we get to Florida?” I ask.
Grace swipes the screen of my phone a few times. “Looks like we’ve got another six hundred miles to go. We’ve probably got another night on the road before we get there.” She offers me half of her candy bar. I take it and sink my teeth in.
16
Grace
Moonlight shines pale across Eva’s face where she lies in bed, eyes closed. Her breathing has long slowed. Only a year younger, she’s still my baby sister. The one who always followed me around, trying to emulate me. Playing responsible eldest was my favorite game when we were little. I would take charge, barking orders and caring for her. Even later, when she rebelled against me and started hanging out with Fiona all the time, I still looked out for her as much as I could. And now she’s the one looking out for me.
I reach down to the small charm around Eva’s neck and touch it with the tip of my finger, instantly jerking my hand back at the shock of pain and the hiss of my finger. The metal part of the charm burns. It’s not the first time I’ve tried to touch it. Whatever this charm is, it’s designed to keep Eva safe from demons. Demons like me. I have to remind her to keep it on.
I don’t care what the internet says, demons are dangerous.
The rest stop where we’ve parked has several long semis all lined up next to a few RVs. We’re only a few hundred miles out from our final destination. Tomorrow we’ll reach the university in Florida where Mom went to school. I hope we can find her professor, and I hope they can help us figure things out. Help me. Because I’m not hungry anymore—after the fire, the bus driver...
I shiver and pull my sleeping bag around me like a shawl. Now that I know what it takes to satisfy my hunger, I’m terrified.
I reach out and touch Eva’s necklace again. My finger burns, and I stick it in my mouth to ease the pain. I wish that the hurt was more brutal, more vicious. Because I’m not hungry now, but I’m not sure if this pain is enough to deter me—to keep Eva safe—when I’m full-on starving.
Vanquish (Hunter Sisters 3)
About The Author
Eliza Nolan
Eliza Nolan was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She lived in Charleston, South Carolina for a few years, after which she returned to icy Minnesota—where she now lives with her two unruly cats in a house smaller than your closet.
Books By This Author
Sisters (Hunter Sisters 1)
Hunger (Hunter Sisters 2)
Vanquish (Hunter Sisters 3) - Out August 29, 2020
Phoenix Awakens (Phoenix I)
From the Ashes (Phoenix II)
Fire Within (Phoenix III)