by Mila Young
“I’m not from Terra.” He held his head high, as if having nothing to hide, and his admittance didn’t surprise me because it wasn’t the first time someone had snuck into Terra for help. And humans did the same all the time, leaving behind our land and entering others for various reasons like falling in love with a lion shifter, or at least that had happened to a bookshop owner back in town.
“Are the guardians after you?” I asked.
Bee gave me the told you look. But if you followed the rules, Terra was a safe place most of the time.
“No. There was a wolf. In fact, a pack chased me.”
“In Terra?” I asked, squeezing the towel into my fist and returning to wiping his wound. I dabbed a mixture of my pre-made antiseptic onto his injuries, and he didn’t grimace once.
“Nope. On wolf territory, in the Den. I was passing through and took a shortcut across their land and yours.” He paused and wiped his mouth. “But a vicious pack found me and hunted me. I barely escaped with my life before they ripped my pants off.”
Bee burst out laughing, her hand pressed over her stomach. “You sure it wasn’t a pack of she-wolves?”
He straightened himself. “Girls throw themselves at me all the time, so I’m guessing the wolves who attacked me instead of ravishing me were males.”
Holding back the giggle in my throat, I placed a bandage on his wounds and wrapped it around his waist, then tucked the loose ends in on each other. “There—”
A piercing hoot sounded somewhere outside, and my feet cemented to the ground.
“Fuck,” Bee said. “That’s the guardians.” She shoved a hand into Mr. No Pants’ shoulder. “You said they weren’t after you.”
His face blanched, and he leaped to his feet, towering over us, his top falling over his hips “They aren’t. But I have to go.”
“Wait, you’re still injured, and—”
He placed a hand to my mouth. “Hush.”
I pushed his arm away. “Excuse me, who do you think you are?”
“Is there a rear exit?” he asked, his voice low and carrying an air of panic.
Bee stood in the doorway. “Tell us what’s going on and we’ll let you leave.”
The man laughed deep and raw, almost terrifying. “Little girls, you cannot stand in my way. But I will leave you with a warning because you aided me. The wolves are at war amongst themselves. And one fight always spills over in other lands. I was attacked right on the Terra border.”
“But we’ve got wolfsbane dividing our land. That’ll keep the packs at bay,” I called out as he stormed away from me and lifted Bee out of the doorway as if she were a doll. He then sprinted faster than anyone his size should have been able to.
Santos entered the storeroom. “Where’d he go in such a rush?”
Bee and I exchanged glances as dread threaded through my chest. I glanced out through the front windows and spotted two guardians in uniform darting left. I sure hoped Mr. No Pants had escaped. It wasn’t the first time I’d seen them chase trespassers in Terra, and if I kept my head low, the guardians left me and my store alone. “Well, he wasn’t from Terra,” I said. “No wonder the guardians are after him.”
“He’s a looney.” Bee wove her arm around mine and guided me back into the main area. “You should consider a lock on the door and only let people in after you study them through the window.”
I nodded. She had a point, yet in the back of my mind, I couldn’t ignore Mr. No Pants’ warning. It wasn’t the first time the wolves had attempted to claim territory. They had entered our land before my time, and hundreds of innocent lives had been lost on both sides.
“Do you think the priestess knows about the wolf war?” I asked.
“For sure. Otherwise, what else would her job entail? Oh, right.” She cocked a brow. “Controlling all of us. Anyway, I should return home before the sun goes down. Do you have any wolfsbane?”
For those few seconds, Bee’s words didn’t register as I remained caught up in the whole wolves warring thing and the half-naked stranger at my store, who hadn’t even given us his name. Perhaps a lock on the door to protect us from crazy customers wasn’t such a bad suggestion.
Bee poked a finger into my arm. “Hello, Scarlet, are you with us?”
Shaking, I hurried to the counter and pushed aside the fabric underneath, concealing the dangerous ingredients. Wolfsbane was poisonous, and I kept it out of view. I plonked the jar on the table, but it was empty and there were a few specs of dust inside. “Well, that’s a problem.”
Bee gripped her waist. “I thought only I bought the stuff?”
I scratched my head, then remembered where it had gone, but Santos stole my words as he headed into the storage room, calling out his response. “Last week, you added it to the concoction to clean the bird poo off the windows.”
“Poo?” Bee paced to the door and back to my side. “But I need it this week. I’m hiking into the mountains to see a client. I assumed you had some.” She leaned closer and whispered. “My client claims to have a curse put on him, and I need wolfsbane to create a counter-spell.”
Bee practiced magic in secret and was known for her abilities outside of Terra. Here, the priestess would arrest her if she found out, so Bee often sought jobs in other territories for her services.
“Sorry, I’d been meaning to top up the supplies. I’m running out of a few other things too. When did you say you need it by?”
Santos reappeared with the bowl of hot water and bloody towel, heading to the front door to dump the contents outside.
“Tomorrow.” Bee twirled a red lock over her shoulder.
“Sweet bolts, that’s soon.” I hurried to open the front door to hold it for Santos.
“Real sorry, Scarlet. It’s just that I received the job this morning.”
Santos interrupted. “I can collect some.” His eyes were pleading, as he’d wanted to go out on a field excursion forever.
As much as I loved that he offered, I couldn’t let him go. “No, it’s all right. The plant’s dangerous, and I don’t want you getting harmed.” Plus, I found if I applied my magical touch on plants while still fresh, their intensity worked a treat in spells.
“If it’s too hard, I can ask my client if it’s all right if we delay the appointment,” Bee said, twisting hair around her finger, something she did whenever she was nervous. She and her father struggled financially, and her jobs kept them above the water. I didn’t want to cause them any more strain.
“You know I’d do anything for you,” I said.
She ran over and drew me into a tight hug, her citrus and vanilla perfume bathing me. “Thanks. And I’ve always got your back too.”
“Sure do!” I giggled, and Bee broke away.
“Okay, I’ve got to go. Dad’s finishing one of his new inventions, and I promised to be his assistant. See you tomorrow? I’ll come in the morning?” Bee asked.
“Nah, I’ll pop over to your place,” I suggested. “You’re always saying I spend too much time in the woods instead of society.” For the past week, I’d been preparing a paste for her dad, who suffered from joint aches, and planned to finish it tonight to surprise him tomorrow.
Bee hugged me once more and kissed my cheek. She whispered in my ear. “Penis.” With a giggle she picked up her satchel from the counter and strolled outside with a wave at Santos before vanishing down the dirt track through the woods.
Santos returned inside. “Yes, I’ll watch the place while you’re gone. And I promise I won’t make any tea pouches and only take orders if anyone needs one.”
“You know me too well.” I took my coat and bag from the back. Looked like I was making a last-minute trip into the woods. Yet trepidation sat on my shoulders, reminding me of Mr. No Pants’ words about the wolves at war. So I grabbed a new bottle of citrus bane mixed with water. The spray would deter any predator coming near me, and when sprayed in anyone’s eyes, it made them temporarily blind, giving me time to escape.
CONTINUE
READING…
Demon’s Mark
T.F. Walsh
As a half-demon, Cary has survived a lot… but this love thing might be her undoing.
Levi Walker, master demon hunter, is on a mission to find the demon bastard who killed his best friend. As he finally tracks down the beast, he’s suddenly distracted by the newest Argos recruit – the sexy vixen who also broke his heart – and the battle takes a deadly turn. Now with the recruit in the beast’s sights, both she and Levi are instantly marked for death.
If Cary Stone’s secret is revealed (she's a demon half-breed, after all), she'll be thrown straight into Hell. After a lifetime following her father’s advice – never let anyone get close, never stay too long in one city, and ALWAYS work alone – in the past year she’s broken all the rules.
Not only did she get a job-hunting demons, she also fell in love with the most badass hunter of them all. Oh and, if things weren’t interesting enough, she managed to grab the top spot on the hit list of the biggest mercenary in Hell. Yeah, shit just got real.
Click To Read Demon’s Mark
HELL UNLEASHED SERIES
Demon’s Fever
Demon’s Mark
Demon’s Magic
Continue The Hell Unleashed series.
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Demon’s Mark Excerpt
Cary Stone pushed herself through the crowd until she reached the edge of the dance floor, before releasing the breath she’d been holding onto. The techno track booming from the speakers reverberated through the wooden floor and traveled up her body. The sound only added to the headache already banging inside her skull. LED lights flashed over the bobbing heads of the dancers, splashing bright colors across the masses.
Focused on finding the enemy, she ignored the crushing pain and scanned the room. No silvery aura in sight. Damn, where’d the bastard go? If it was a jumper, she was in serious trouble, and the poor victim it possessed would be dead within days, if it wasn’t already too late to save them.
Her phone vibrated in her hand—a message from her employer, Argos Inc. She clicked it open and found a bounty notice for a jumper demon in her area.
“Already on top of it, boys,” she whispered under her breath. Working as a demon hunter for a clandestine organization that tracked down evil spirits who’d escaped hell meant she was on call 24/7. “It would have been nice to have the night off and enjoy Tasha’s birthday party.” Cary's bestie was celebrating here, in her home town of Ann Arbor, in a pub down the block. Cary had meant to only be a minute, getting some fresh air, when she sensed the jumper and chased after it.
Another thing she would have to make up to Tasha.
To Cary’s left, a set of steps led up to a platform that curved around the back of the dance floor. Underneath, a bar ran along the wall. She weaved her way up the stairs, sliding in between a muscle-head and a large-nosed guy who wiggled his eyebrows at her.
Not in this lifetime.
Upstairs, Cary scored a spot near the railing overlooking the dance floor. Below, people gyrated and swayed. This close to the ceiling, she could hear the giant strobe lights buzzing around her and see the smoke machine releasing waves of white fog. When the next song started, the crowd burst into cheers, and more people crammed into the undulating sea below. Nothing could get her to join them.
She glanced at the victim’s photo on her phone. A man in his late twenties, tanned complexion, large, round eyes, a bulbous nose, and jet-black hair. “Mediterranean descent,” the message said. “Last seen at the Ten Twenty Eight nightclub in downtown Ann Arbor, Michigan.” Yep, she was in the right spot, and suddenly nervous. Those freaky jumper demons were tough to take down alone. An icy chill crept over her as she remembered her last encounter with one; her broken rib had barely healed properly.
No one knew for certain how long jumpers possessed victims, but they blended in with their prey’s family and friends, bouncing from one person to the next over weeks or even months, devouring their souls.
Cary’s eyes focused on the darker corners of the club. Despite the alcohol and perspiration smells, the familiar sulfuric stink of a demon stung her nostrils. The jumper was still here.
Scrolling down the message, she saw the bounty being offered: ten thousand dollars! “Damn,” she said aloud. All thoughts of the jumper erased from her mind. “With that much money, I could finally get new wheels for the car, fix the pipes in the kitchen, and put the rest into my mortgage.” Argos usually paid her a couple of thousand per hit but because they sent all of the other local hunters the same information, she was lucky to capture two or three demons a month no matter how many she chased, and Argos didn't cover expenses, didn't offer health insurance. The target on her phone would be like winning the lottery.
At least a little one.
Someone cleared his throat behind her. “This ain’t my scene. Wanna hightail it out of here?”
She spun around to confront the douchebag with the big nose and froze when she realized who it was.
“Levi Walker,” she said, trying to sound distant. “You’re the last person I expected here.”
“You say that,” Levi said with a grin, “but then again, you know you’re on my turf.”
Cary tightened her grip on the cell. Six-foot-five inches of spanking hot demon hunter stared at her. As much as she’d told herself to rein it in, her pulse spiked. Built and tanned, Levi flashed that perfect smile like he was Santa Claus handing out candy, and every girl wanted his candy.
With a nonchalance that she’d practiced for the next time she bumped into him, she released a long breath, slipped her phone into her back pocket, and tucked her thumbs into the belt hoops of her jeans. “You know, if you avoid those lame pickup lines, it might work in your favor.” Before he could answer, she turned slowly back to face the crowd below.
A quick scan around them revealed no aura and gave Cary something to do other than mentally drooling over Levi.
He joined her at the railing, leaning in close and grinned so sinfully she bit her bottom lip until it hurt. Levi ran a hand through his shoulder-length hair, the kind that most guys couldn’t carry off. But on Levi, it transformed him into a God. Especially with that sharp jaw and chin—not to mention lips ready for the kissing.
“Sorry, Levi, I’m not falling for your charm,” Cary said. Not again, anyway. She ignored his smirk, the way his cheeks dimpled. “Several months ago, you stole my hit and claimed the demon stone I fought for. Is that your plan today?” Every soul-sucker left behind a stone after being vanquished, and her employer required them as evidence before paying out.
Levi’s stare fastened onto her as if she were a creamy, key-lime pie. Damn, she’d be his pie any day. Pull it together.
“Still holding a grudge? That was months ago. Come on, Cary, business is business, and hunters fight each other for contracts all the time. How was I to know Brent gave you a deadline to capture one as a job interview?” He waited but when she didn’t answer, he kept talking. “Okay, I fucked up. I thought we put that behind us?”
The temptation to tell him he was wrong bubbled up to the forefront of her mind. Last time she let him into her life, she fell hard, heart and all. But it only left her devastated. She thought he was the one, and she’d let herself believe it. That memory compacted in her chest, threatening to flood her with memories she’d tucked away.
“I almost lost my shot and was just lucky that Brent felt sorry for me, enough that he offered me a job. You knew I was pretty much homeless at the time, and everything rode on me getting the Argos job. It didn’t stop you from taking my demon.” And that wasn’t even the worst of it. She’d opened up to him, trusted him, which in hindsight was her fault. She was a demon offspring to a human mother, and if she intended to keep her head on her shoulders, she had to keep her distance and secret. Demon hunters like Levi, and cambions like her, couldn’t mix.
Levi cocked an eyebrow and sighed.
Sulfur prickled her nostrils again, so she scanned the area around them, then over her shoulder. No visual. She faced Levi again, who hadn’t backed away. “Excuse me,” she said. “I have to go.” The words tasted sour on her tongue, and every molecule in her body begged her to retract them.
When she tried to move past him, Levi stepped into her path, blocking it with his wide shoulders. People crowding onto either side of the second set of stairs trapped her in. Yet her insides crumbled at such close proximity with Levi. She knew what was coming next, but couldn’t move or push him away. Shit, a part of her missed him desperately, but another part screamed for her to shove him over the railing.
Levi leaned in closer, his seductive musk-and-leather aftershave urging her to give in. With his arms on either side of her, hands clasping the metal frame at her back, he leaned toward her, his stubble brushing against her cheek. “You vanished from my hotel room and never returned my calls. I’ve missed you.”
“Don’t—” Cary’s words flat-lined as Levi pulled back.
The corners of his mouth curled upward, his expression matching the same one he wore last time they shared a bed, when he was naked between her legs and about to slam into her. Tingles swarmed her insides. It had always been them, a blaze rippling through her until nothing else mattered, but the two of them. She daydreamed about letting herself go, unleashing all her pent up hunger for Levi, but to keep her secret, letting him in was out of the question. That was why a few months earlier she had left his hotel room and never returned. Distance was the answer.