“Roc?” Abby steps to the side and turns to look over her shoulder, slightly amused by my enthusiasm. I run into Roc’s arms and give him a nice, big hug, happy to see him. During our embrace, we mutually rock back and forth, my head buried against his chest. “Roc!” I say after pulling away. “How have you been? It’s been forever.”
“It has,” he says calmly with a huge smile on his face. “Blaze and I—” he begins but cuts himself off. “I’m happy you’re safe.”
“What he means to say is that he kept me sane while I was searching for you,” Blaze interjects. “He also kept me alive. There were quite a few times where I bit off more than I could chew out in the field.”
“Well, I wasn’t going to say anything about that part.”
“You didn’t have to. It needed to be said.” I get the feeling that I’m missing something between Blaze and Roc, but I don’t push the subject. I know Blaze was searching for me, but that’s just about all I know. He hasn’t really opened up about it, not fully, at least.
“So, what brings you into town?” I ask, changing the subject. “Here to help, I’m assuming.”
“Yeah. I got the call last night and decided I can lend a hand. Blaze and Abby said they needed some help, and I wasn’t too far away. Plus, I haven’t seen you in a while, so of course I couldn’t miss the opportunity. Blaze told me about what happened to your father. My condolences.”
“It’s fine,” I lie. “He went down swinging…gave me another chance. Anything new on your end?”
“Lots.”
“He’s with Sonya now, for starters,” Blaze interjects.
“Can’t say that I’m surprised. I saw that one coming from a mile away.” I shrug.
“Really now?” Blaze asks with folded arms.
“Yup. Us girls have a way of knowing,” I say as glance over to Abby. She cosigns with a nod and a smirk. “See? Game recognizes game.”
“Damn, well you could have saved me the trouble and just told me.”
“There’s a method to the madness, Roc. If you think hunting’s complex, wait until you step into the inner workings of ritualistic behaviors of human mating.”
“Someone’s in a good mood,” Blaze quips.
“Just happy to see an old friend,” I say in response.
“And I’m happy to see you, too.” Roc’s smile widens, and I can’t help but do the same. He’s been helping us out for a long time, Blaze, myself, and my dad. I was so caught up with my own drama that I didn’t even sweat the fact that Roc must have been searching for me and an answer to what happened. I know Blaze was devastated, but I’m sure Roc was too.
“I’m sorry for what I put you through…both of you. You know that right?”
“Yeah, Sailor. We do,” Roc answers. “You had your reasons. We’re just happy that you’re back and that you’re on our side.”
“Me, too…but I mean it. I shouldn’t have done that. I…wasn’t thinking clearly. He was in my head and, yeah, I’m sorry for all of the pain I caused you two.”
“It’s okay,” Roc answers. Blaze doesn’t respond, but only because I’m sure I hurt him the most. He glances away from me, his eyes now focusing on the ground to find solace from my bluntness. I almost want to thank him for saving me, again, but I hold my tongue, not wanting to press the matter anymore than I already have. Blaze never really opened up to me about what he did when I was gone, but I know that during that time, it was rough. Two of the closest people he knew up and left him and never returned. In the bigger scheme of things, he’d already lost his family, and then, he’d lost us. The way things happened, literally put him through hell with no closure of any kind. I’m just happy that Roc did what he could to keep him sane. Losing everything like that can damage a person. Permanently.
“I’m thinking about talking to some of the survivors, like, letting them know what to expect and how to move forward. When Blaze found me, I was in captivity, so I know what they’re going through, to an extent, and I want to help.”
“That’s good. I talked to a few already, the ones that are willing to talk. Some of them have a ways to go before they begin to open up, again. Shock.”
“Some of them are messed up pretty bad, Ray. The survivors who’d been in captivity for longer are still trying to put together the pieces,” Blaze says. “A few of the monster hunters are trying to talk to them…anchor them…but it’s going to be a process. They’ve seen things. Lived through it, too. It takes a toll.”
“Yeah.” I nod soberly. “Abs, is there an immediate plan of action? Like a follow-up attack or anything like that? There are still other targets we can hit, yeah?”
“There are always more targets, but it goes back to what I mentioned before. They forced back our last attack, and they’re more cautious now due to what happened last night. I think our best bet is to play it safe to prevent causalities. We have guys running recon and whatnot. Once we establish some patterns and key players, we can strike more effectively, maybe pick a few off while they’re going through their routine.”
“So, we’re at a standstill?”
“Not quite. We’re just trying to beat them at their own game, and that requires patience.”
“There’s another reason why Roc’s here. There’s a case he’s been looking into and he might need our help,” Blaze says. “I plan on going with him as soon as things get settled over here.”
“Just you two?” I ask. I could say more, but I decide to not push it for the time being.
“Yeah. It doesn’t require an army for what we’re up against, plus everyone has their hands full over here. We really don’t want to take away from that.”
“Okay, that makes sense. So, what are you up against? More demons?”
“No,” Roc says. “At least, not directly. I’ve been following a trail of murders, only they don’t appear to be murders. Forensics are all saying it’s the same thing. Heart failure.”
“Okay?” I fold my arms and lean in, my curiosity, piqued. “So, what makes that supernatural? What’s the thing that connects it?”
“The evidence,” Abby says. “Or rather, the lack of it.”
“It isn’t blood magic?”
“No. If that were the case, it’d be easier. Roc showed me everything that he had, and there’s no way it can be blood magic. It’s definitely some kind of curse, but that’s all I’ve been able to scrounge up with everything going on.”
“A curse?”
“Yeah,” Roc answers me in Abby’s place. “Blaze and I dealt with something like this before, but it was blood magic.”
“…It was shortly after you disappeared,” Blaze says, filling in the gaps. He must have noticed the subtle change in my expression. “There was a witch who was targeting broken hearted people to manipulate. She used blood magic to essentially make them kill themselves in order to fulfill the requirements of the ritual.”
“She didn’t have to be near them, but the act was carried out all the same.”
“And they were aware of what they were doing, too. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough.”
“Damn.”
“They couldn’t stop it, and it left a tell…an insignia…something to solidify the exchange that had just transpired.”
“And these cases don’t have that.”
“Okay, Abs, so what do they have, or, don’t? You were about to say something but got segued.”
“Right. So, from what Roc showed me, there were eccentric items linked to each case. Like, items that didn’t belong…they were out of place.”
“Wait, guys.” Blaze sighs. “We shouldn’t be talking like this out in the open. If we’re going to do this, let’s do it somewhere else. I think we got a bit carried away with the reunion, but with the survivors and everything…”
“Yeah, agreed.” Abby nods. “Let’s take the conversation elsewhere. Follow me.” The four of us duck off into a room stationed far enough from the survivors so that we have our own privacy. “Okay, that’s better. So, what we’re dealing with
is an object, I think, but it isn’t as much an object, but rather, an energy.”
“A curse,” Blaze muses.
“Correct, and this curse transfers from person to person in the form of an eccentric item, which was what I was getting at before.”
“In the first case, all that we found was a bloody playing card from an old-school card game.” Roc pulls out his phone and pulls up a picture of the bloodied playing card next to the body.”
“I wouldn’t exactly call Kajata old, but I get your point. It does look out of place. Was the guy a fan?”
“No…no he wasn’t. I couldn’t find anything on him online that would lead me to think that. I even checked out a few of the trading card shops in the area to see if they knew the guy. No dice.”
“So, was it the playing card that killed him?” I ask Roc.
“No, not directly. But it was the only evidence that was on the scene. The crazy part was that it disappeared from storage after two days. I was skeptical until it happened again a few days later. It happened in the same city, but this time, there was a stuffed animal on the scene. A teddy bear with a missing eye. It was sitting upright a few inches away from the body.” Roc flicks across the screen on his phone and shows me the image while Blaze and Abby sit back, occupied by their thoughts. “There are a couple more cases that I managed to find. Same story. Different city. It’s been traveling, and it’s starting to seem like something that I may need help with.” Roc shows me more evidence, all of them with strange items accompanying the victim. “That’s why I called Blaze and Abby…I wanted to see if we can group think our way out of this.”
“Well, I think it’s simple. Show up to a case, get the item, and lock it down. If it’s in storage somewhere, steal it, and lock it down. You guys have containers to hold cursed objects in around here, right?”
“It’s a bit more complicated than that, but you’re on the right track,” Roc says.
“So, what am I missing?”
“Either the curse is intelligent, or someone is controlling it…inflicting it on key individuals, but again, Abby hasn’t been able to find any connections, and neither have I. I can’t find a motive as to why, if it were being orchestrated. The victims don’t hold any power or have any connections to one another. I’ve tried everything that I can, but there isn’t a bigger picture when it comes to the killings, which is unsettling.”
“What Roc is trying to say is that with no common thread linking the victims together, chances are that the curse is intelligent. It allows itself to manifest to people who it deems fit, if that makes sense.”
“It does, Abby. Thanks.” I nod.
“Regardless of what’s going on, we have to take it down. We’re all not strangers to the supernatural, and we know by definition, there’s always an exception to the rule. Cursed artifacts have been known to draw certain people to them when in close proximity. If this force is able to manifest an item based on the person it’s targeting, it’s safe to say that it’s a top priority now. While you were out, the three of us have been making contact with other monster hunters who are in our network. No one has anything on it that we don’t have, but we’re open to more information. Once the witch, or the curse itself, whatever, realizes that we’re after it, there’s no reason why it won’t come after us.”
“Which spells bad news for everyone. With everything going on recently, I wanted to let you guys know as soon as I could.”
“Reuniting over a paranormal plague isn’t a bad way to say hi. It’ll be like old times.”
“Yeah, for sure.”
“So, what’s the play?” Blaze asks with folded arms, his attention directed towards Abby and Roc. “Have you guys decided?”
“Yeah,” Abby answers for the both of them. “As much as it sucks, we’re going to wait it out. There’s too much at stake. With all of the survivors here, we don’t want to chance this thing spreading to them. Roc and I are going to be doing hourly updates on the police databases. We’re also going to have eyes on forums and social media to see if we can draw any conclusions.”
“So, we’re at its mercy?” I ask.
“No. We’re just playing it smart,” Roc fires back. “I was able to look a bit deeper into the case before this one…the one with the playing card. I claimed to be one of the store managers and got to do some digging. I have some ideas, but if I can confirm them, it’ll be a place to start. It’s nothing concrete yet, but waiting it out is the safest way to ensure that we limit what’s going on. It’s hard to track a killer without a motive or a preference. It makes it look like it’s random, but honestly, there’s no such thing in matters like this. We’re in the business of keeping as many people alive as we can against these things. Don’t forget that. Sometimes, that means being on the defensive. I think if we wait it out until the next attack, I can get in and pull some information before the proper authorities get involved.”
“Agreed,” Abby says with a sharp nod. “In the meantime, there’s work to do over here. We still have to take care of the survivors and get them up to speed. We’re lacking manpower. I’m considering calling up Mason, but I know he’s busy.”
“Mason?” I ask.
“Yeah,” Blaze says after he shifts his gaze my way. “He’s another hunter. A good one. He’s saved me and Abby more times than I can count. He’s a modern-day Hercules…or at least that’s what he’d want me to say.” He chuckles to himself. “Last time I spoke with him, he said he was in Florida handling witches. Blood magic.”
“Of course,” I say rolling my eyes.
“He knows to come here when he’s busy, and he’ll know to check-in when the time is right. Depending how he fares, he may not even be ready for a case like this. He went down there to meet with some of the locals, but if it’s as intense as he told me before he left, then he may need some time to recoup from his injuries. Hell, we took a beating, ourselves from last night.”
“Another reason why playing it safe is the right move,” Roc confirms.
“Okay, so since we have downtime, I figure I can talk to the survivors and see what I can do to help out.”
“Yeah,” Blaze says as he stands up from his chair. “Do that. Samantha and Janelle can use someone right about now.”
“I’ll talk to them, sure, and then I’ll talk to everyone else and stay out of the way while you guys work things out.”
“Okay. I’ll find you once we’re ready. I have some other things to tend to, but I’ll be around.” Blaze exits the room without saying another word, his heart clearly on something else. Ever since I’ve been back, he’s been acting strange. Burdened even. There’s a lot I don’t know about, and rightfully so. I distanced myself and he’s moved on to someone else, Abby. But then again, I’m not even sure that she knows what’s going on. Blaze’s gone cold, and I’m still obsessing over Vartal. And now, we have all these people to take care of and a curse that’s slowly starting to weave its way through the states that may or may not be following the tune of an unseen threat. Life’s great.
“Hey, guys...is Blaze doing okay? He seems pretty stressed right now?”
“You mean more than normal?” Roc asks. “Blaze’s always been one to worry. You know that. There’s just a lot on his plate. He’s been hunting virtually nonstop since the day you went missing, Sailor. The world didn’t stop when you fell off the grid. We’ve been fighting, and have fought all sorts of things. At one point, Blaze was even going it alone.”
“I first met Blaze in the middle of a black market while he was running a con.”
“A con?”
“Yeah. My men almost killed him, but he was good enough to keep the hostages safe, and keep himself alive while disposing any of the supernaturals that were operating at the site. My men took over the scene, but Blaze played an important role in evening out the playing field.”
“I…never knew he did that.”
“That’s only the start of it. Mason has tons of stories about Blaze. You would have never guessed t
hat they hated each other’s guts when they first met.”
“I know that Sphinx’s been on the forefront of everyone’s mind as of late, but Blaze’s actually had run-ins with it before he met Abby. He’s been busy, and honestly, I think he needs a break, but what else is new? We all do, and I’ve been trying to tell him for months.” He sighs. “He’s been doing a lot for everyone.”
“Yeah, I can tell…I was just worried about him a bit, that’s all.”
“We’re all doing our best to keep an eye on him, but it’s safe to say that this is who Blaze is now. A badass hunter with a million things to do.”
“I guess he really stepped up to the plate then, huh?”
“In a way you can say that, yes,” Abby confirms.
“Got it. Well, I’m going to go talk to the girls now. I’ll leave you two to figuring out what’s up with the curse. Text me if you need anything.”
“Will do,” Roc says. I don’t respond, but instead spin on my heel and make my way to the exit, leaving with more questions than I had when I first entered the room.
It turns out that Blaze was hit harder than I thought by my absence. I knew it would be hard, but I underestimated just how bad things would get for him. Or maybe, I didn’t really even care. I mean, I did, but did I really? Vartal was messing with my head and toying with my emotions. I knew what I was doing was wrong, but I don’t think I felt it as much as I would have if I were demon free. He loved me, and then he thought I was dead. He was alone…sure he had Roc, and later, Abby, but losing someone so close to you after losing everything else is tough. The months when I was gone must have been agonizing until he found his way. And…I…totally took him and everything he did for granted. I’m the biggest jerk on the planet. He even saved me from being a slave to Vartal, and it was through him that I was able to be rescued in the first place. Ever since I’ve been back, all I’ve ever done is take from him. And it’s crazy. I still want them to put everything to the side to help me actually believe that he’s gone. All of this wild stuff’s been happening, and I’m still as selfish as ever. Even as a friend he can do better than me. By doing what I did, I threw him back into the darkness and pretended that everything would be okay. I need to talk to Blaze and actually have a real conversation where I at least give him the chance to unpack what’s been on his mind. I owe him that. He saved my life, and I took everything he did for granted.
Sailor Ray and the Beginning of the End Page 6