Face the Dark (Hunters of the Dark #3)

by Dave Ferraro

  ***

  “I don’t know how I feel about this, Shanna,” Cameron said as he walked with her to the infirmary. “Serene is dangerous. What if she just takes hold of you in the dream? What if she takes advantage of the situation and kills you in there? You don’t know what that’ll do to you!”

  Shanna glanced over at him. “You’re not going to change my mind.”

  Cameron grabbed her hand and forced her to a stop. “Shanna, please. I don’t want to lose you over this. I mean, so what if you fall asleep? We’ll look for a way to get rid of this dream guy on our end, and you’ll be out before you know it.”

  “I don’t know if that’s realistic, Cameron.”

  Cameron watched her for a moment, then nodded. “Okay. It’s your decision, but I think it’s a mistake.”

  Shanna bit her lip. It may very well be a mistake, she realized. Putting her life into the hands of a demon and a siren didn’t seem like a smart idea, but if she didn’t, then where did that leave her? In a coma, in the best scenario.

  “I have to do it,” she told him in a soft voice as she pulled her hand free from him. “I hope you can respect that.”

  He watched her walk away, and didn’t try to stop her. She felt his eyes on her all the way to the infirmary door, but she refused to look back until she opened the door. And by then, he’d turned away and begun to walk in the opposite direction. She was a little disappointed that he wasn’t going to support her in this. She could use him while she did this. Even if he couldn’t do anything practical to help her, having him there would have comforted her at least.

  “Shanna?”

  Shanna turned and walked into the infirmary and forced a smile into place, a smile that became real when she saw that many of her friends were present. Jordan and Jade hovered near Rachel’s bed as Valor got the bed beside her ready, with an IV and a metal tray of various items, including a syringe holding a yellow liquid. Amelia, Krystal and Hunter sat at a table, looking over some books, as if something may be of use at the last minute. Even Brett stood in the corner, arms crossed, trying to look bored, although his nervous energy was apparent. He did not like the idea of Serene aiding them in this.

  “Are you ready?” Quinn asked softly from just inside the door.

  “Ready as I’ll ever be,” Shanna said with a sigh. “I just want to get this over with at this point.”

  She strode into the room and everybody turned to look at her with grave faces. She saw pity in many of their expressions, and realized that some of them didn’t think they would see her alive again. And she couldn’t blame them, with the shaky ground this plan had been formed on. But a few minutes later, Shanna found herself walking back down the hall to the room that housed Serene’s cell, taking deep breaths to calm herself. She was frightened. Frightened that Serene would betray her. Frightened that this plan wouldn’t work. Frightened that the siren would just say no to her offer. But she had to go ahead with this plan. It was their only option at this point.

  “Am I the only one with that one song stuck in my head?” Jade asked. “You know - ‘Mr. Sandman...give me a dream...’”

  “Shouldn’t you be with your other patient or something?” Brett muttered as Shanna opened the door to Serene’s cell.

  A hush fell over the group as Shanna strode into the room cautiously, followed closely by Brett, Quinn, Amelia and Jade.

  “I need to come,” Brett had insisted. “I just...need to.”

  Amelia and Quinn had insisted on coming along as well to keep the siren in check. Brett had armed himself with a very noticeable shotgun-like weapon that looked souped up for the space age. “Just in case,” he’d told Shanna with a wink and a grin.

  “I feel like I have to do this,” Shanna had told them initially. “If I want her to go into my dream with me, I have to have her trust. I need her permission, her friendship.”

  Shanna shivered at the dark lonely room and approached the thick plastic partition. She saw Serene on the corner of her bed, as she’d been since entering her prison, food untouched nearby.

  Jade slid a card through a slot in the door beside the plastic and the door opened with a loud hum. A green light went on above the door.

  Shanna took a breath to calm her nerves before venturing into a small room, as big as a closet, that would open up into Serene’s cell once the outer door had been secured.

  Serene had seemed like a nice person when they’d been in Greece. If it weren’t for her being what she was, they could have maybe become real friends. Krystal had said that she’d witnessed the girl trying to protect them all, that she wasn’t killing men like the others. Yet...how could they learn to trust something that had done what she had? Something that had a pile of human bones hidden away? That had allowed that to occur? That held the power to destroy a man with but a whisper?

  Without her powers, Serene seemed almost pathetic. She looked like she’d lost her child or her husband. But it was only a weapon she was without.

  And her home. And her friends.

  “Ready?” Jade asked.

  Shanna nodded and the door before her opened slowly into Serene’s cell. Stepping forward cautiously, Shanna sent Serene a wary glance, but the girl didn’t even stir.

  Swallowing thickly, Shanna closed the door behind her and tentatively made her way over to the bed and sat down on the far end of the mattress, looking over at the siren as if she might bite her.

  Shanna realized that acting like she was in danger wasn’t going to calm Serene’s nerves or earn any trust, so she forced herself to relax and scooted a little closer to the girl.

  “Serene? Serene, it’s Shanna. Can I...do you mind if we talk?”

  Serene didn’t look up.

  Shanna gathered her thoughts and looked around the room before settling her eyes back on Serene. “I know you’re scared here, away from Greece and your island home, away from your sisters. But...we’re not going to hurt you. We’re just trying to understand...what you are, who you are. You must realize that it’s difficult for us to feel empathy for something...” She paused before continuing, rewording herself. “For someone, who has done what you’ve done, but we’re trying, really trying, to understand.”

  Serene looked up suddenly and glared at her.

  Shanna bit her lip. “I know you don’t think I could understand such a thing, but my life was turned upside-down recently too. A friend of mine - my best friend - was killed. I had to leave the place I called home to come to a strange new place among new people. It’s an adjustment and it’s scary, but I promise you, we’re not going to harm you.”

  Serene looked over at the plastic wall where Jade, Brett, Amelia and Quinn gazed in. She took in the gun, their fear. Her eyes focused on Brett. She smiled.

  “Yes, your sisters have done some horrible things to us,” Shanna went on, “But not you. Krystal saw how you resisted them. We’re willing to give you a chance if you’re willing to give us one. I’ll tell it to you straight, since you deserve that much, okay? You’re mute. Without your voice, at best, you have your strength, your healing ability and your wings.”

  Serene looked up sharply and reached back to touch her shoulder blades. She shook her head.

  Shanna frowned. Not even her wings? Maybe they were connected to her voice somehow.

  “Even if you do have all that I’ve mentioned,” Shanna continued, “We are hunters. We can control one of you. You must realize that we can overtake you, especially if you only have your strength left. That’s why we’re willing to strike a deal with you.”

  Serene tilted her head to the side, her eyes focused intently on Shanna.

  “If you help us, we’ll let you have a certain amount of freedom. Granted, you won’t be allowed to leave the mansion, but anything’s better than this sad little cell, wouldn’t you agree?”

  Serene looked down for a moment before nodding.

  “Jade can install a beacon into your n
eck. It will keep track of your whereabouts. If you leave the area without an escort and permission, or try to dislodge it yourself, the beacon will release a very potent sedative. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”

  Serene nodded slowly.

  “Now, we’re willing to do this only if you agree to help us and not try anything stupid. No betrayals or you will be brought back and returned to your cell. Are we clear on the terms?”

  Another nod.

  “Good. Now this is what we need for you to do...”