Demon Hunters 1: Blood Sacrifice (Stand Alone Series) (Demon Hunters.) (9 page)

“Alyssa.”

She opened her eyes. Her heart raced at the sound of her name whispered. Looking up she saw Alex crouched beside her. She took a shuddering breath and closed her eyes for a second. When she opened them, she felt a little more in control. Sitting up, she stretched. She frowned when she saw Riley and Scarlett by the church door, their backpacks on, the sword case in Riley’s hand.

“Time to go.” Alex pressed his fingers to her lips when she opened her mouth to speak. “Shh.” He nodded towards where Nathan lay on his side, his eyes closed, his knife beside him.

Alyssa packed up her gear and followed Alex outside to where Riley and Scarlett hurried to the car. As soon as they were far enough from the church, Alyssa asked, “Where are we going now?”

“Up the coast. Blake has an apartment only a few hours from here. We’ll sleep there for a bit and figure out where to go next. We can’t stay around here.”

Alyssa stopped in mid stride as her hand touched the small of her back. “Where is it? What’ve you done with my gun?”

“In your backpack.”

Alyssa slipped her hand inside and ignored the hurt expression on Alex’s face. She felt relieved when she found the cold metal. “Sorry.”

“Forget it.” Alex looked away, his expression closed again.

“I have to work today.”

“Find someone to replace you.”

“Just like that? You think people will drop what they’re doing and take over my job for me and then return it when this is over?”

“I’m not fighting with you. If you don’t know someone who can take over, ring and quit. You can’t go to work if you want to live.”

Alyssa hurried ahead of Alex. She fumbled in her backpack for her phone. As soon as she was in the car, she dialled Erin.

“Sleeping,” Erin mumbled.

“Can you do me a favour?”

“What? Allie? Where are you? What are you doing ringing at this hour? Don’t you know what time it is?”

“I changed my mind about Cairns. But I’m a long way from home. Do you think you can fill in for me at work until I get back? Might take me a couple of weeks. I know you’re working weekends, but you did say you wished you could get more hours.”

“Where are you? What happened to Cairns?”

“Erin! Focus.”

“Sure. I’ll save your butt. Again. You owe me though.”

“You have no idea.”

“Then how about you tell me so I have one.”

“I can’t right now. Look, I’ve got to go. I need to keep some credit on my phone.”

“Call your parents, Allie. They’re driving me nuts. And they’ve got my parents on my back.”

“Sorry. I just don’t know what to say to them.”

“Yeah well, think of something. And tell them to quit ringing me.”

“Sorry, Erin. When I get more credit on my phone I’ll call my parents and talk to them.”

“Promise?”

“Sure. I promise.”

“Okay. Hey, you’ll never believe who I thought I saw yesterday.”

Alyssa hoped Erin wasn’t going to make it a guessing game. “Who?”

“Nathan. I mean, I didn’t get that good a look at him, but I swear it was him.”

Alyssa’s heart seemed to stop and she closed her eyes as she tried to hold back the fear that threatened to swamp her. “You sure?”

“Nope, not really. Why?”

What could she say without having to explain far too much and panic Erin? “It wasn’t important.”

“Okay. You going to tell me anything of what’s been happening?”

“No.”

“Then I’m going back to sleep. No human should be awake at this hour. I’d throw something at you if you were here.”

“Bye, Erin.”

“Mmmm.”

Alyssa turned to Riley. “Erin saw Nathan.”

“It doesn’t matter. We’ve got people watching over her.” Riley grinned momentarily. “Her own guardian angels.”

Alyssa couldn’t return his grin. “She’ll be okay? And my parents?”

“Yes. And speaking of your parents.” Riley gave her a card. “Call your parents. Didn’t you promise your friend you’d call when you had more credit for your phone.”

“That’s cheating.”

Riley grinned. “So? Give them a call. They must be out of their mind with worry.”

Alyssa reluctantly took the card. “We’re not close like your family.”

“They deserve a call.”

“They’ll yell at me and carry on.”

Riley shrugged. “That’s their problem. Not yours. No need to take it on board.”

“What do you think you are? My shrink?” Alyssa glanced towards Scarlett who laughed. “He’s not, is he?”

“Not yet. He’s still at uni,” Scarlett said.

“You don’t think I spend all my time fighting demons, do you?”

Alyssa stared at Riley in disbelief. “But a shrink?”

Riley shrugged. “I find people fascinating. Now quit stalling. Call your parents.”

“It’s too early. They’ll be asleep,” Alyssa protested.

“That might be the best time to ring them. Catch them off guard.”

“I don’t know, Riley.”

Riley shrugged again. “Might not be as inclined to yell at you.”

Alyssa stared at the card. “I’ll ring them after breakfast.”

“Guess our next stop is a servo with a restaurant. And we’ll need fuel before we get to Blake’s,” Alex said.

Alyssa glared at him. The last thing she wanted to do was ring her parents. Her days were bad enough without the extra trauma.

Alyssa wished she’d rung her parents while they were at the service station. She’d been so busy putting the chore off she’d forgotten she’d have an audience in the car. Scarlet was on her small laptop, Alex drove as usual and Riley read a magazine he’d bought during their stop. A financial magazine. It was the last sort of magazine she’d expected him to buy, let alone read.

She stared at her phone. She’d left it on after ringing Erin and not once had her mother tried to ring. She looked at how much charge was left on her phone and smiled. If she was lucky, she wouldn’t be able to talk long before the battery went flat.

She dialled her home number and waited for someone to answer.

“Hello?”

“Mum.”

Silence stretched out, before Grace spoke again. “Come home, Alyssa.”

“I’m sorry, Mum.”

“Running from problems doesn’t solve them.”

“I know. But not being listened to doesn’t help either.”

“Is that what all this is about?”

“Not exactly.”

“Then what is it?”

“I didn’t want to have to walk out like that. But I’m not a child. I know I have to live by your rules while I’m in your home, so maybe that’s the solution.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“That living at home might not be the best option for me.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Alyssa. You can’t afford to move out of home. Not and go to uni as well.”

“Then maybe that’s the rest of the solution.”

“You’re going to uni, and that’s final.”

“See, that’s the problem, Mum. No discussion. You tell me to do something and I’m expected to immediately jump to it. I’m not a child.”

“You’re our child. Of course we want the best for you. And while you’re-”

“But that’s it. I’m obviously not under your roof. Am I?”

“Where are you?”

“I’m not even in the same city as you.” Well, she wouldn’t be shortly.

“Where are you? And how did you get there?”

Alyssa laughed bitterly. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“Try me.”

“Well, I hooked up with some religious nuts who think they can guard my soul and want me to learn the Lord’s Prayer. They think it’ll be good for me to know it.”

“Don’t get smart with me, Alyssa.”

Alyssa laughed again. “I said you wouldn’t believe me.” She saw Riley shake his head out of the corner of her eye. “Here, you can talk to one of them. This is Riley, Mum.” She shoved the phone at Riley with a grin.

“Hello, ma’am.” There was a pause as Riley listened. “No.” Another pause. “We’re going on a religious retreat.”

Alyssa giggled and ignored the glare Riley sent her. She wished she’d thought to put her phone on speaker mode. Or that she had the guts to press her ear to the phone to hear the other end of the conversation.

“She’s eighteen. She doesn’t need parental permission to go on the retreat… you’re welcome to do that, but the police will say the same… she chose to join us of her own free will… no, we’re not a cult, we’re part of a mainstream-” Riley’s words were interrupted and he shook his head as he listened. “You can talk to our priest if you want… of course he wouldn’t… twenty… no, there’ll be separate sleeping accommodation… we don’t believe in pre-marital sex.”

Alyssa smothered her laughter with her hands.

“My cousin… She’s nineteen… Scarlett… It’s a family name, ma’am… Grace… no, of course not…yes… I’ll encourage her to ring once a day… I don’t know what the coverage will be like… I’ll look out for her like she’s my own sister… it’s Allie’s choice, but I do understand-” Again his words ended abruptly. “I’m sorry you feel that way… I have to go now… I’m sorry, but-” he sighed as his words were cut off. “I’m sorry… bye.” Riley ended the call and handed the phone to Alyssa who continued to grin. “You’re lucky I believe in forgiveness.”

Alyssa burst out laughing. The first time in what felt like years.

“Alex! Pay attention to the road,” Scarlett said sharply.

Alyssa turned her phone off. “I won’t be able to ring her every day. My battery’s nearly flat.”

“Then we’ll get a car charger for it,” Riley said.

“Great.” Alyssa returned the phone to one of the outside pouches of her backpack and pulled her book out. She flicked through until she found the last words she recalled reading before she’d fallen asleep in the church.

They pulled up in front of a block of flats a couple of streets back from the beach. Alex unplugged the phone from the car charger they’d stopped to buy earlier and handed it to Alyssa. She reluctantly took it.

“So good to get out of the car.” Scarlett threw her door open and hopped out, her backpack over one shoulder. Riley and Alex quickly followed her example.

Alyssa continued to sit in the car, even when Alex opened her door. She glanced up as he moved to stand near her. One arm rested across the top of the car door and his shadow fell on her.

“It can’t be too comfortable sitting in there.”

Alyssa sighed. “You didn’t even ring him to say we’re coming. What if he’s not home?”

“He works nights. He’s probably in bed.”

“Alex, that’s worse. We can’t drag him out of bed.”

“He’s family.”

“I thought you said he was out of the family business.”

“Yeah, but not being a demon hunter doesn’t mean you’ve left the family. Come on, Alyssa. It’s hot out here.”

Alyssa pushed him out of the way. They still wore their long sleeved black shirts. She guessed it’d be cruel to make them stand in the heat after all they’d done for her. She followed Scarlett and Riley as they climbed a set of stairs.

Scarlett rapped on the door, waited a few seconds and knocked louder.

“I’m coming. No need to knock the door down,” an irate voice called from inside.

Alyssa gasped when the door opened. The arm that held the door caught her eyes. A demon mark travelled all the way to the elbow. The mark had been tattooed to make it look like barbed wire was wrapped around the arm. She finally managed to drag her eyes from the arm to see the owner of it staring at her. Blue eyes, a sharp contrast to the dark hair and tanned skin. It wasn’t until then she realised the man was only wearing a pair of shorts sitting low on his hips.

“You look terrible, Blake. The scruffy look doesn’t suit you. Get a haircut and have a shave.” Scarlett pushed past her cousin to step inside.

Blake ignored her, his eyes on Alyssa. He grabbed her left arm and turned it so he could look at her wrist. He dropped it instantly. Next he snagged the crimson lock of hair and ran it through his fingers.

Alyssa nearly stopped breathing under the intense scrutiny. She took a deep breath when Blake turned to face Scarlett.

“Get out.”

“Aw Blake, don’t be like that.” Scarlett pulled a chair out from the table and dropped onto it. “We hardly ever get to see you.”

“Take your demon touched and get out of here.”

Riley stepped inside the apartment and glanced around. “We just need to use your spare room for the day.”

“I don’t have anything to do with demons,” Blake said.

“Really?” Riley moved away from the window ledge he’d run his fingers over. “You salt your ledges for fun do you?”

Scarlett leapt from her chair. “You don’t! You have better ways to fight them than that, Blake.”

“Don’t lecture me, Scarlett.” Blake turned back to the doorway and met Alyssa’s eyes. “Get inside. And shut the door. I don’t what the neighbours knowing my business.”

Alyssa stepped inside. Alex followed her. She glanced around the compact apartment. A counter was all that separated the lounge room and kitchen. The kitchen was barely large enough for the square table and four chairs and the lounge room looked crowded with a sofa, television and bookcase.

“So who are you?” Blake demanded.

“Alyssa. Allie.”

“Leave her be, Blake.” Alex stepped in front of her.

Blake looked between Alyssa and Alex. “I wouldn’t have thought her your type.”

“That’s enough, Blake.” Scarlett grabbed Blake by the arm so he’d be forced to look at her. “We need a few hours rest then we’ll be out of your way.”

“Get a room somewhere then.”

“Blake-”

Blake rounded on Riley. “Don’t start on me, little brother. I’ve made my choices. Don’t interfere with them. Do you think I want to lose someone else to them?”

“Not hunting them doesn’t make them stop existing.”

“Yeah, but chasing them isn’t going to make your life any longer, Ry.”

“Avoiding them won’t make your life any safer. Otherwise you wouldn’t have salt across the entrances.”

“Yeah well, that’s my problem. I refuse to watch someone else I love die.” He turned towards Alyssa, “And if you were smart, you wouldn’t hang around with them either.”

“She hasn’t got a choice. She’s demon bait,” Riley said.

“What the-”

“Enough you two. Blake, we just need somewhere to crash for the day. We’ll be out of here before dark. We’re not asking you to help us hunt demons. We only need somewhere safe to sleep,” Scarlett said.

“You’re out of here before that demon’s on the move again. You get yourself killed, I don’t want to see it. I have more than enough nightmares to pick from each night without adding that to the selection.”

Riley held up his hands. “That’s fine. We’ll take off about four. That should give us time to find sanctuary for the night.”

“Not one minute later,” Blake warned.

“That’ll be enough time to rest,” Riley said.

Blake waved towards the three closed doors that were on Alyssa’s right. “Make yourself at home.” He strode towards the kettle sitting on the kitchen bench, checked the water level then turned it on. He grabbed the salt sitting out beside it and threw it towards Riley, who caught it. “Fix my window ledge and the door. I need more sleep.”

“It’s daylight.” Alyssa frowned.

“She doesn’t know much, does she?” Blake asked of no one in particular.

“I don’t like being talked about like I’m not here.” Alyssa’s hands went to her hips and she glared at Blake.

Blake shrugged. “I don’t like being dragged out of bed when I’ve only had a few hours sleep. Get over it.” He grabbed a cup and spoon from a draining rack filled with clean crockery.

“They don’t tell me anything, so how am I meant to know anything?” Alyssa demanded.

“Not my problem.” Blake grabbed a jar of coffee and milk from the fridge. “And don’t expect me to wait on you. You want a drink, get it yourself.” He left everything on the bench and stalked to the sofa as he took a sip of his coffee.

“Bathroom and bed for me.” Riley strode towards the middle door.

“Don’t know where you all expect to fit,” Blake muttered.

“Can she have your room?” Scarlett waved towards Alyssa.

“Don’t like her much, do you?” Blake asked Scarlett.

“It’d be unchristian to hate someone,” Scarlett said.

“I didn’t say you hated her.” Blake sipped his coffee. “Who cares. Take over the joint. I’ll use the sofa. Just get out of my hair so I can get back to sleep.”

Riley came out of the bathroom and went into the door towards the rear of the apartment. Scarlett made her way into the bathroom next. Riley poked his head out of the bedroom door.

“There’s only two single beds in here, Blake.”

“Swag in the wardrobe.”

“Thanks.” Riley shut the door again.

Silence descended over the room until Scarlett came out of the bathroom. “Wake me at four, Blake.”

“Three-thirty. You’re out the door at four.”

Scarlett grinned. “To the second, huh?”

“Don’t push it, cousin.”

Scarlett didn’t bother answering. She disappeared inside the room Riley had entered.

“Alyssa?” Alex gestured towards the bathroom.

She nodded and quickly went in and shut the door. She dropped her backpack on the floor and looked around the cramped room. She closed her eyes, refusing to think of the last cramped bathroom she’d been in. She opened her eyes again and focused on the differences. The small chipped mirror above the basin, the skinny linen cupboard that was slightly warped from the moisture, the old fashioned toilet with its single flush and the tiled shower.

She quickly used the bathroom and finished with cleaning off the makeup she’d applied at the service station they’d stopped at for breakfast. She stared at her face where the bruise had once been. The skin was clear. Her eyes dropped to her arms and she ran a finger over a pink line on her left arm. Next her finger gingerly touched her lip. Healed. A shudder went through her as she remembered Retribution’s blood spraying her when she’d stabbed him.

Pushing thoughts of demons from her mind, she opened the door. Blake and Alex fell silent. She wondered what they were talking about. She might be getting paranoid, but she had a feeling they’d discussed her.

“Door on your left.” Alex moved forward.

“Thanks for letting us stay.” Alyssa moved out of the way so Alex could use the bathroom.

“I don’t think I had much choice.” Blake strode towards the door Alex had indicated. He swung it open and grabbed one of the pillows off the rumpled bed.

“I can use the sofa.” Alyssa looked up at Blake as he stood beside her.

Blake shook his head. He reached out and lifted her crimson lock of hair and let it drift from his fingers. “In there’s the safest place for demon bait.”

“Why?”

Blake tossed his pillow across the room to the couch before he held up his left arm. “This is like a neon sign letting all the demons wandering around know I’m here. I’ve made protecting my bedroom a priority.”

Alyssa reached out to touch the demon mark. Her fingers never made contact. Blake grabbed her by the wrist with his right hand as he dropped his left. His eyes met hers. “Have you heard about the downside of curiosity, Allie Cat?”

Alyssa’s mouth went dry as she continued to stare up at him.

Blake let go of her suddenly and stepped away. “Get some sleep.”

Alyssa licked her lips, and swallowed shakily. “Scarlett’s wrong. The scruffy look does suit you.” Before her lips had finished curving into a smile, she’d closed the door. She grinned at the second of surprise she’d seen on Blake’s face. A pity we aren’t staying longer than the day, she thought as she moved towards the rumpled bed. It’d been ages since she’d met someone who made her blood warm just by looking at them.

She dropped the backpack on the floor and removed her boots. She lay across the queen-sized bed, pulled the remaining pillow to her and snuggled into it. The dark curtains kept most of the light out. She rolled onto her stomach. The bed was comfortable and smelled faintly of Blake. Alyssa tried to close her eyes. She rolled onto her back and watched the ceiling fan spin lazily. The room was small. A built-in wardrobe at the foot of the bed, a small bookcase crammed with books on one wall and two bedside cabinets. She rolled onto her side. Then the other.

She turned on the lamp as she rose from the bed and paced in the narrow space. She continued her pacing even when she heard a door open, the sound of low voices and then the door shut again.

A sharp rap on her door and it swung open. Blake stood in the doorway. “Lie down and go to sleep. You’re keeping everyone awake.”

“I can’t.”

“You can and will. Alex won’t sleep while he thinks you need someone to watch over you.”

“Do I need someone to watch over me while I sleep?”

“No. It’s safe here. No minor demon can enter.”

“But that’s the problem. It isn’t a minor demon.” Alyssa walked towards Blake, stopping just in front of him. “Can you keep the powerful ones out?”

“I don’t have to. It’s daytime. Go to sleep and stop playing games.”

“Games! You think this is a game? I could die tonight!”

Blake stepped into the room and shut the door so Alyssa was forced to take a step back. “Keep your voice down. People are trying to sleep.”

“Yeah, well aren’t they lucky.”

“They’re doing their best to keep you alive. Show some consideration.”

“Excuse me if I don’t fall to my knees in gratitude. I’ve been preoccupied lately. I have this little problem of seeing blood and demons every time I close my eyes. Hell! I don’t even need to close them.”

When Alyssa would have turned away from Blake, he grabbed her shoulder and stepped in close. “You don’t know what nightmares are yet, Allie Cat.”

“And you do?”

“Do you know how old someone in my family usually is when they get marks as long as mine? Forty to fifty years old. And I have them at twenty-two. Twenty-two! I had them before I’d turned twenty-one. Do you want me to tell you what it takes to get them that fast? You want me to tell you every little gory detail? I can tell you all about blood.”

Alyssa placed a hand against Blake’s bare chest. “Blake, I-”

“Spare me.” It was his turn to move away.

Alyssa took a couple of steps and placed her hand on his back. “I-” she stepped back hurriedly as Blake spun to face her, his eyes blazing.

“Back off, Allie.”

“It wasn’t my choice to come here. I don’t know how you got those marks. No one tells me anything.”

“Let’s just say the one I was supposed to protect didn’t make it.”

Alyssa’s eyes widened and she started to tremble.

“Aw hell. I’m sorry, Allie Cat.” Blake wrapped his arms around her. He pressed her head to his chest.

Alyssa closed her eyes, the beat of his heart in her ears. Another shudder went through her and his hand started to make lazy movements across her back. She didn’t find them comforting, but they did make her feel alive. She lifted her head and rose on tiptoes. Her lips met his. For a few seconds Blake returned her kiss before he pushed her from him.

“You’re more dangerous than demons, Allie.”

Alyssa shook her head and took a step forward.

“No. I live by my family’s beliefs.” Blake held up his left arm and laughed harshly. “How can I do otherwise?”

“What’s that supposed to mean? I don’t know your family’s beliefs.” Alyssa ran her hand along the mark. “Why barbed wire?”

“Call it my rebellion against the family business. I can’t go back to fighting demons unless I want these tattoos to be as crimson as your hair.” He dropped his arm, his right hand capturing hers. “What are you trying to do?”

“I thought that’d be obvious. I could be dead before morning.”

“Then I’d think you’d be taking a little better care of your soul.”

“I don’t believe in your religious crap.”

“I do. It’s not going to happen, Allie.”

“Why?”

“Because we don’t believe in sex outside the bonds of marriage.”