“You’re soft. Weak. You’ve been victimizing the puny humans for so long, you’re not used to someone who can fight back.” The voice was all Hanta now, and I felt myself get...bigger. That’s the only way I can describe it. I wasn’t physically bigger—my being filled out to its greatest potential. That’s the best way to explain it. It’s as if we walk around only seventy, seventy-five perfect our true size, but with the Hanta, when I squared my shoulders and brought myself up to my full size of five-ten, it was as if I was six-six. It was both bizarre and exhilarating.
“He…he said you would not kill us without compunction, that female humans do not kill as easily as males.”
“Well now, that might be true of straight females, but for lesbians? You got bad intel, motherfucker. We’re the top motherfucking dogs of the dog pound.”
He surprised me by turning and running, so I returned my attention to No Neck, who propelled himself toward me like a raging bull.
I barely cracked Fouet in time to slice right through him. He exploded before he reached me. Guts went everywhere, and for a moment, I had a hard time seeing through the blood and gunk. But once I wiped my face,
I took off after Simon, who was very fast.
But not fast enough.
I had the Hanta advantage—I ran much faster than I did when I was me, and I was on him before he could climb the cyclone fence.
“Running away? Really? What would the Brotherhood say if they knew you acted so cowardly? You don’t deserve this life or any other.”
My demon voice was gravelly and deep but tinged with a bit of humor. It was enjoying this.
Simon faced me, his back against the fence. “You don’t have to kill me. I...I can be of use to you.”
I cocked my head at him. “Seriously? How so?”
“I know...I know who has your girlfriend.”
I lowered my weapons. “My girlfriend?”
“Rushalyn Holbrook. The ghost. I know who has her and where she is.”
“If you’re lying, I’m going to feed you your dick for breakfast and will follow up with your balls for lunch. Who has Rush?”
“You have to swear you won’t kill me.”
I tilted my head from side to side as if considering this. “Really? Living means that much to you?”
He blinked several times. “I like living in this human world. There’s a lot for us to do.”
I sighed. “Fine. I swear. Who has my ghost?”
“Same guy who is with your little sister.”
“Go on.”
“He was sent to destroy the legacy.”
“My family.” It was my voice again.
He shook his head. “Your family is inconsequential. He is to destroy the Hanta. Your family will just be collateral damage.”
There was that phrase again. “I see. Why hasn’t he already killed my sister?”
“It isn’t your sister he wants. You have the Hanta. He’s just using her to draw you in and keep you in check.”
I held the sword up to his Adam’s apple. “Is he the one responsible for my parents’ accident?”
He shook his head, his eyes wide with fear. I found it fascinating that he wasn’t even attempting to attack me. Why then, had he come? “I don’t know. That came from higher level demons. I...I don’t know enough about it.”
“Above your pay grade, eh? So why in the hell did they send you, you pathetic excuse for a demon?” The voice was back, and I seethed with anger and disdain for Simon.
“I was to help Azeroth with the setting. He’s the one moving the pieces around.”
I leaned forward, propelled now by the Hanta. “The...setting? Like the setting for the accident?”
Simon shrugged. “They...they should have been able to kill you. I...I don’t think they realized you had access to the weapons because...because of what you did to Zojin. You did not use a weapon.”
“I didn’t have to. Now, how do I free Rush?”
Simon shook his head. “Balil has her. He’s a duplo—you kill him in this world, he will be able to destroy your girlfriend. If you save your girlfriend, he will kill your sister.”
“A duplo,” I said, as if I knew what one was.
“A higher level demon. You can’t kill both of them without losing either your girlfriend or your sister. Azeroth has you checkmated by using a duplo, Balil.”
“I see.” I sheathed my sword, but I kept Fouet out. “And all of this is just to kill me.”
Simon shook his head. “You are also inconsequential. Legacies such as yours are centuries old. Each generation, the Hanta becomes stronger than the last, so you can imagine how strong yours is.”
I nodded, stepping away. “So it’s kill or be killed, is it?”
Simon looked at his shoes as if they held the answer. “Once you become stronger, wiser, you will be most difficult to destroy. The demons coming after you now know there is but a small window to kill you before you become too strong. We will keep coming.”
“Even after I’ve killed three and beat the shit out of a fourth?”
He looked up at me now. “Letting Zojin live was a mistake. It shows you control the Hanta more than the Hanta controls you. It was an act of mercy the Hanta does not possess. By allowing Zojin to live, regardless of the reasons, you showed a human vulnerability.”
“So basically, I should kill you as well.”
Simon held his hands out in front of him. “No! You swore. Besides, I am nothing who can harm you.”
I nodded. “Very well then, I suppose I have what I need from you.” I started to walk away when I felt that familiar honey sensation, and I knew I could not stop it.
Whipping around, Fouet flew in an arc that cut Simon in half from his right shoulder to his left hip bone. I stood over him, my chest heaving.
“You...swore,” he gurgled.
“Now that depends on your perception, dumb ass. You asked me if I swear. I answered in the affirmative. I swear. So, fuck you, you fucking fuck. Inconsequential? Collateral damage? Human vulnerability? My family has been kicking your sack of shit asses for centuries. Centuries, motherfucker!”
Turning on my heel, I started back toward my car just as he imploded.
Apparently, Hanta’s word meant jack shit.
****
Denny skipped breakfast and drove straight to Ames Walker’s.
“Do you ever look at the ti—” He stopped when he got a good look at Denny. “Get in here.” Ames pulled her inside and led the way to the kitchen, where he put his standard pot of coffee before handing her a moist towel. “What the hell happened to you?” He held his hand up. “I know what happened. I thought I told you—”
“I know what you said, but they’re after me, Ames. They sent three goons after me, I didn’t go looking for it.”
He looked long and hard at her before nodding. “What’s going on?”
“The sent a duplo to use Rush and Pure as bait to draw me into the game.”
His eyebrows shot up in surprise. “A duplo? Jesus H. How do you know?”
Denny told him what happened that morning.
“Wait. Wait. You took on three demons and don’t even have one scratch?”
Denny put her weapons on the counter. “I have a good teacher…and…well…my Hanta is pretty fucking kick ass. I need that holster for these yesterday.”
Licking his lips, Ames ran his hand through his hair as he walked around Denny, surveying her. “It’s already made. Two, to be exact, but Goldy…even with these victories, you’re not...I don’t mean to offend, but you’re not even close to being ready to take on a duplo.”
“My Hanta is centuries old, Ames. I may be a novice at this, but it’s not. The feeling that flows over me when Hanta comes to life is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. I feel like I can move mountains. I am unafraid, I am powerful, I—”
Ames slammed his hand on top of hers. “You are a rookie. Be careful, Goldy, of falling in love with those sensations. It is the devil’s elixir
that is as addicting as it is intoxicating, and it has destroyed many a hunter.”
“Addicting? I sure as hell am not addicted to the danger having this thing inside me puts me in.”
Ames poured two cups of coffee and pulled out a cast iron skillet. “It absolutely is addicting and it can crush your spirit. Think about it. No fear, an inordinate amount of strength, amazing weapons, feeling invulnerable...yeah. It’s destroyed many a hunter. Read Convissor’s book on Deadly Demons. It details what happens to hunters who feed their Hantas too much and too often.”
Denny wrapped both hands around the mug. “What happens?”
Ames cracked some eggs into a bowl and whipped them up. “The Hanta gets too strong. The wrong Hanta at the wrong time and it takes over. The possession is no different than a possession by a regular demon. Once you lose control, regaining it becomes incredibly difficult. The hunter becomes the hunted.”
Denny blinked. “Possessed? How can I be any more possessed than I already am?”
Ames poured the eggs into the skillet. “Trust me. You can. The unwillingness to release the strength and power of the Hanta is no different than the addict being unwilling to let go of the needle or pipe. They are co-conspirators, so to speak, with the Hanta having the advantage.”
“So is there a way to get back once a hunter has gone off the reservation?”
“There are a couple of ways, but we can discuss this later. I need you to be aware of your actions when the Hanta steps in. Be careful about doing anything you wouldn’t normally do in any given situation. Don’t give it free reign. Don’t let it control you, because it will try. They always try. They cannot ever be completely trusted. They are not your friends.”
Denny immediately thought of the Hanta not keeping its word. “I have no plans on letting my Hanta take over. I like my life just fine.”
“Good. You must keep that in mind always. That power...feels incredible. Don’t let it control you.” Ames stirred the scrambled eggs before popping two English muffins into the toaster. “Have you noticed that you are seldom hungry?”
“What I notice is you’re always feeding me.”
Ames chuckled. “There’s a reason for that. Answer the question.”
Denny thought about her half-eaten steak at the Steakhouse and the way she just seemed to pick at her food. “I guess I haven’t been. No. I take a few bites of something, and then I feel full.”
“That’s why. The Hanta’s hunger can never be greater than your own. You have to take better care of yourself, Goldy. You must care for your corporeal self or the spiritual aspect will take over. Trust me. You don’t know how hard it is to put that genie back in the bottle.” Ames tossed a handful of grated cheese in with the eggs before chopping up a large tomato and tossing it into the skillet.
“How many of us have you taught?”
“You’re my tenth.”
“How many are still alive?”
His hesitation told her all she needed to know. “That many, eh?”
“Well, it depends on your definition of alive. If you do what I tell you to, you’ll be safer. There is no such thing as safe in your life any more. That word is relative now.”
“Ames, as much as I need training, I can’t sit around waiting for them to hurt Pure or Rush. I don’t really have the kind of time this obviously needs for me to become proficient.”
After spooning the scrambled eggs onto a plate, he put a dollop of sour cream on top and pushed it over to her. “Let me ask you this. Why do you think they haven’t killed Pure already?”
Denny stared down at the eggs. They both looked and smelled delicious but she’d lost her appetite.
Hanta hunger.
She grabbed her fork and shoved three large bites into her mouth. “I’ve been wondering that myself.”
“And?”
“Leverage? She’s some sort of hostage? Come on, Ames, I’m totally new to this game. I don’t want to play guessing games. Just tell me.”
Ames set a banana next to her plate. “Killing your sister must not be the goal or they would have already. They clearly want something from you first. It’s the reason you’re not already dead and your family isn’t wiped out.”
“Isn’t that reason because I opened a can of whoop ass on them? Aren’t they really after the Hanta?” Denny ate two more forkfuls.
“Hate to burst your bubble, hon, but no one takes on three demons right out of the gate and walks away with barely a scratch. No, these things want something from you and are going to use your sister or Rush to obtain it. Those thugs were just testing your mettle.”
“So basically, they were the scrimmage team?”
Ames nodded. “Pretty much.” He leaned forward. “I had hoped to have more time before throwing you up against a Goliath, but it would appear I have no choice.”
Ames walked to the table and returned with an old, leather bound book. “Legacy hunters have far more responsibilities than regular hunters. Only legacies have lairs filled with books about demons, demonology, and hunting. Everything in there is vital to our success in defeating them. Only legacies have the kind of power flowing through your spirit. Have you...noticed anything in particular about the Black Book?”
“You mean other than the fact that it is written in blood?”
“Those books are the links that keep the legacy hunters alive. Each time a legacy kills a demon, they must write down who, how, when and where, using their blood or the blood from the dead demon. Because of the properties of demon blood, once the information is written in the book, all other legacy hunters will have access to it in their own books, no matter how far away. This shared information keeps them all safer, but this only applies to legacy hunters.”
Denny pushed her empty plate away. “That explains all the different writing. There’s this one hunter in New Orleans…Peyton. He seems to be really good at hunting and killing. I thought it would help to read that book first.”
“Right. The book is a compendium of all demon deaths throughout the history of your legacy as well as the legacy of others. It’s a way to communicate and share information.”
“That’s wild.”
“The legacy books go back to the thirteenth century. They are divided into two sections; one is your legacy, which you’ll find if you open the book from the front. If you turn the book upside down and open it from the back, you’ll be able to read about other legacy kills.”
The puzzle became clearer to Denny as she peeled the banana, a light bulb popping in her mind. “Ohhh, now I get it. They don’t want me. They want the book.”
Ames nodded. “Let’s face it, Goldy. Your sister would already be dead if they wanted her dead. That boyfriend of hers has had plenty of opportunity to take a shot at her. She’s alive because they plan on using her to get whatever it is they want...and yeah, I think they want the book.”
“Why didn’t you say anything before?”
Ames wiped his hands on a towel. “I don’t know you that well, Goldy. How could I know that you wouldn’t just roll over and give them what they want in order to save your sister? I’ve remained alive by being cautious and suspicious. Even though you are your mother’s kid, I still have precautions in place. The supernatural world is not the place to put one’s trust or faith. I needed to see what you were made of first.”
Denny nodded. “Understood.”
“Good. So, the way I see it is they see their chance to simultaneously grab your book, take out a Hanta Raya, and destroy the Silver Legacy line of hunters all at one time.”
“Well, that’s not going to happen.”
Ames nodded. “No, it is not, but you need to be able to protect the book, your lair, and your family. You can’t be everywhere at once so you need to have a support system in place for when this thing becomes a battle. They will force you to enter the lair and hand them the book. They cannot get the book unless it is given to them.”
“So they need me alive to get the book. I wondered why they didn’
t just pull out a gun and shoot me.”
“Exactly. Did they have a weapon?”
Denny nodded. “Not as cool as mine, but yeah, one had a cylinder.”
Ames pushed her banana toward her. “Shooting you may kill you, but not the Hanta. Just like with your weapon—without a special weapon, the demon stays alive. But you have to believe me, Goldy, if they’d wanted you dead, you would be. Don’t get cocky. Don’t become overconfident. You are too new to just walk out into the world with two weapons and start kicking ass. I understand your Hanta is powerful, but—”
“I get it, Ames. They’ve let me live because they want the book. They are not going to get it.”
He nodded. “It’s the only thing you have that they want. Well…that and your life.”
“And what happens if they get it? The book, I mean.”
Ames rinsed Denny’s plate and put it in the dishwasher. “They get their hands on a legacy book and they have a map to all of the hunters. They’ll follow the blood and a war will begin between hunters and hunted—a war that will cost thousands of human casualties and collateral damage.”
“Oh shit.”
“Yeah. Should that ever happen, a lot of innocent humans will die, not to mention hunters and possessed alike. That’s why the lairs are always hidden, always hard to get into, and always require that any book removed from the lair immediately return.”
“I saw that. I tried to take one out.”
“No, no, you mustn’t ever do that. It is the wisdom and the knowledge contained within that gives each lair its power.”
“Then how would I ever be able to give them what they want if I can’t take any book out.”
Ames sipped his coffee, his eyes never leaving Denny’s face. “That’s just it. They would need to know where your lair is, have you open it, and then destroy you and your Hanta. Once your Hanta is dead, they would have access to all of the books in your library.”
Denny suddenly felt sick to her stomach. “Oh my god. That’s why they took her.” She slid off her stool and grabbed her weapons. “That’s why they took Rush. She knows about the room. She knows where my lair is.”
Ames shook his head. “I’m afraid I don’t know enough about ghosts and spirits to know what all they can do to her to get her to cough it up.” Ames studied Denny a minute. “You going somewhere?”
Demon Hunter Page 25