The Hunt (12 page)

Payne locked eyes with her. ‘I can hardly imagine
what it was like for you, discovering the existence of demons with no one to guide you. I had years of instruction before my first battle with a dark one. Even then I did not face it alone.’

‘I’m not alone either,’ Eve pointed out.

‘She has us,’ Jess added.

‘Is the Order big? How many members?’ Luke asked.

‘It’s much smaller than it once was. In our early days everyone believed in demons. People understood us … appreciated us. When someone with the ability to sense demons was discovered, they were directed to us,’ Payne said. ‘Now … believers are far fewer. Warriors with the talent and training to battle a demon are even rarer than that. I’m sure if our numbers were greater we would have been aware of you and your abilities,’ he told Eve. ‘One of us would have been by your side when you faced your first demon.’

Things might have been so different if she’d had more information, information this Order could perhaps have given her. She’d smelled wood-smoke the first time she met Mal, but it hadn’t rung any warning bells. She’d had to figure out for herself that demons and the scent came together.

Eve’s muscles tensed as she realized there was a slight scent of it in the air. ‘Do you smell that? The
wood-smoke. I smell it when I’m near demons,’ Eve quickly explained to Payne, willing to trust him with that much information. She had so many questions she wanted to ask him.

‘I don’t smell anything,’ Luke answered. Jess and Payne shook their heads. Was smelling demons something only Eve could do too?

‘I think I smelled it in the courtyard when we were fighting too,’ Eve told Payne. ‘I’m just remembering. I was so focused on killing you I didn’t take it in right there.’

‘Is it possible you’re being followed by a dark one?’ Payne asked. ‘Maybe that’s why I was drawn towards you. Was and am, in fact.’

Eve took a step closer to Payne. ‘I think it’s coming from you!’ she exclaimed.

‘He’s a demon?’ Luke burst out.

‘But he was in the church too,’ Jess pointed out.

Eve took one more tentative step nearer to Payne. ‘It’s definitely you.’ Payne stayed absolutely still and Eve moved right up beside him. ‘It’s from here,’ she said, lightly touching his back.

Payne slowly and carefully took out his sword. ‘From this?’ He held it out to her, careful to keep the blade pointed away.

Eve leaned down and sniffed, then looked up at him. ‘Yes.’

‘The details of how the swords came to be aren’t fully known,’ Payne told her, ‘but there are stories that they were tempered in pools of demon blood. Maybe that’s what you’re smelling. Of course, the sword has killed many demons too.’

‘The smell makes me feel like I’m about to be attacked,’ Eve admitted.

‘That fear is not necessarily a bad thing,’ he told her. ‘It can be a kind of warning system. When a demon is near, it’s like I’m a fish on a line.’

‘Ouch,’ Jess said.

‘Yeah,’ Eve agreed.

‘But it gives me an advance warning,’ Payne told them. ‘It has saved my life more than once. I felt the pull only moments before a woman, a woman whose beauty had blinded me to her true nature, transformed into the demon Apep, a huge snake with a head of flint that was impervious to my sword.’

He was taken in by a demon who looked like a hot woman. Maybe he would understand how part of me wanted to kiss Mal, even when I knew what he was
, Eve thought. Luke and Jess were the best, absolutely the best. But there were some things about demons they’d
probably never be able to really get in a gut way, the way Payne said he did.

‘Was that the worst demon you’ve had to face down?’ Luke asked.

Payne ran his finger down a long scar that ran along the side of his throat and disappeared under the collar of his coat. His hideous trench coat now looked even worse, thanks to the scorch marks from Eve’s lightning bolts.
It’s actually almost like a knight’s armour
, she thought.

‘No. Not the worst. Not nearly the worst,’ Payne answered. ‘But each demon I have faced has made me stronger. Even the one that gave me this.’ He touched the scar again. ‘That was the demon Ronove. He considered it his duty to take the souls of the old. He came for my grandmother.’

Eve’s chest tightened.

‘I was the veteran of many battles, yet—’

A long, high scream interrupted Payne. The scream was followed by a dog baying. Both sounds came from the direction of the woods on the other side of Medway Lane.

‘You stay here, all of you,’ Payne ordered. ‘Please,’ he added, before he turned and raced for the woods.

‘Should we go after him?’ Eve asked.

Luke hesitated. ‘It sounded like he could take care of himself.’

‘Especially with that sword,’ Jess added.

‘But you saw the scar. It’s not like he can’t be hurt. Or killed,’ Eve said. The little hairs on the back of her neck stood up as a second scream ripped though the air.

‘That’s Vic!’ Jess shouted. ‘We’re going!’ She spun round and took off, running into the woods.

‘This is crazy! How could she know it’s Vic from those screams?’ Luke asked as he and Eve raced after Jess.

‘They’re both on the cheerleading squad. They’re always screaming and squealing together,’ Eve said. ‘The sound Victoria made when she got promoted to head cheerleader? It was at least as loud as what we just heard.’ She lengthened her stride. ‘Jess, would you please wait?’ she yelled.

Jess didn’t slow down. Not until she reached a clearing not far into the woods. Then she slammed to a stop so fast that Eve almost ran into her. ‘Oh, God, Evie,’ Jess cried.

Eve followed Jess’s transfixed gaze and saw Victoria running across the clearing. A huge dog was chasing her, and Payne wasn’t far behind it.

The demon. There was something wrong about its gait. When Eve realized why the creature was moving in such an unnatural way it felt like a punch to the solar plexus. It had huge claws, blade-sharp claws shaped like scythes, on all four feet.

‘Vic, over here!’ Luke shouted.

Victoria veered towards his voice, and the demon turned after her. Eve saw that the claws weren’t the only atrocity. Like Jess had said, the demon had a face that was almost human, but warped, with a nose that was nearly non-existent. Against the sides of its head were the pointed ears of a bat. Its small eyes glowed red and held an intelligence that took Eve’s breath away. It grinned, revealing insanely long, sharp teeth of a rotted-looking dingy yellow. It was enjoying itself.

The creature brayed again, white foam flying from its lips, then it stopped and tilted its head back, sniffing.
Did it just realize we’re here?
Eve wondered as Payne slowly circled in front of the demon dog.

Victoria kept running towards them. ‘Come on, Vic!’ Jess yelled.

Eve could hear Victoria’s harsh breaths. She was going to reach them. She was halfway there. The demon dog hadn’t moved. Could it recognize
the power in Eve? Was it afraid? It had stopped before Payne took his position in front of it.

There was a rustling in the undergrowth not far from Luke and two more of the demons burst into the clearing!

Eve felt as if her stomach had dropped to her knees. There were more of the creatures? The cheerleaders had seen only one. How many were there?

The two dogs went after Vic, blocking her way to Eve and the others. Payne and the first dog were still facing off not far behind her.

Vic froze. ‘Nice dogs. Nice, nice dogs.’ Her voice was shaking so violently that it was hard to make out the words. It was clear she was trying to remain motionless, but her body was trembling too, quivering with terror.

Those are not nice dogs
, Eve thought, horrified.
Those are demon dogs, and they’re going to rip Vic apart
.

Luke took off towards Victoria, Eve and Jess beside him. He tried to formulate some kind of plan. Maybe he could distract at least a couple of the dog-things and give Eve a chance to blast them with her power.

He scanned the ground for a rock. Anything he could use to stop the demons from attacking Vic before Payne or Eve could deal with them. He didn’t see a thing. He had a vial of holy water that he’d brought from the church, thinking it could be useful, but he wasn’t close enough to use it. He glanced at Eve. She was still too far to blast. They weren’t going to be in time.

But Payne was faster than Luke would have thought possible. He threw his body between Victoria and the two demon dogs in front of her. The first demon was on his heels. Payne swept his sword out in front of him. ‘Back!’ he shouted, and his voice was like thunder.

All three demon dogs growled, but when the first one backed up a few paces the others did too.

Luke stumbled to a stop. He stuck out an arm to stop Eve and Jess as well. What was the right move here? He was afraid that if they kept running, one of the demon dogs might get spooked and launch an attack on Payne.

‘Maybe if we move slowly …’ Eve said, as if she could read his mind.

Luke took one step, and Payne spotted him.

‘Stay back, you three!’ he ordered.

Luke hesitated. The first demon backed up another step, angling itself towards Vic, while the other dogs continued to face Payne. The first demon dog dropped into a crouch.

‘It’s going to pounce,’ Eve gasped.

‘Payne!’ Luke shouted. ‘Look out! To your left!’

Too late. The muscles of the demon dog’s back legs tensed, and a moment later the dog was airborne, its gruesome mouth wide open, ready to slash its knifeteeth into Vic’s throat.

Again Payne moved with lightning speed, shoving Victoria backwards with one hand as he twisted his body towards the attacking demon, swinging his sword towards its neck.

Jess sprinted towards Vic, Eve and Luke on her heels. Luke heard a yelp of pain, and out of the corner of his eye he saw the first demon dog fall to the ground, blood spurting from its shoulder. Payne had managed to wound it.

Luke felt a burst of relief, but it lasted for only a second. Payne was wounded too. Blood gushed from his throat, and he pressed one hand against the deep, ragged bite mark.

Jess circled behind Payne and the dogs, so Luke followed her.

But Eve veered away from them, running straight towards one of the other demons. She skidded to a stop and threw out both hands. It didn’t look as if she had much strength though. Luke couldn’t really watch, since he was focusing on Jess and Vic, but at full power Eve’s lightning bolts would have lit up the entire clearing. Instead there was only a brief flicker of light, a short crackling sound.

Jess reached Vic first. She hauled her to her feet and pulled her towards the woods.

That was the best thing she could do, Luke realized. ‘Get her up in a tree. You too!’ he shouted after them.

‘Run, Luke!’ Eve cried. ‘I’ve got almost nothing left. I’ll try to hold them off.’

Like he was going to leave her alone with the demons. Payne had collapsed on the ground. He might even be dead.

‘Go for the one Payne stabbed!’ Luke urged. It was already injured, at least, although it had regained its feet. Eve turned and shoved her hands towards the first demon dog. At the same time, Luke whipped out the bottle of holy water and flung the contents at the demon.

The demon dog yowled and skittered away. It stared at Eve, eyes narrowed, lip pulled back over its teeth. Luke had no holy water left. Eve couldn’t have much juice. But the demon didn’t risk attacking them.

‘I don’t forget,’ it told Eve, and its voice was as much snarl as speech.

Eve stumbled backwards in shock, and Luke caught her to keep her from falling. He could hardly believe it had spoken at all. But its head was that of a demon, not a dog.

The injured demon turned and trotted away, limping. The other two demon dogs followed it. Eve could smell the scent of wood-smoke on them all.

‘Oh my God,’ Eve gasped. ‘Just oh my God.’

‘Payne,’ Luke said.

Eve pulled in a deep breath and hurried over to the
fallen demon hunter. She and Luke both dropped to their knees beside him. He wheezed with every lungful of air he drew in but managed to raise one arm and point after the retreating demon dogs.

‘Wargs,’ he managed to choke out, just as Jess rejoined them.

‘What?’ Eve asked, leaning close to Payne. ‘What did you say, Payne?’

‘Wargs.’ The word came out in a hissing whisper. Eve looked at Luke. ‘I didn’t understand him.’

Luke hadn’t either. ‘Payne, one more time. I know it’s important. What are you telling us?’

Payne didn’t answer. Instead he reached out and nudged his sword towards Luke. Luke’s chest tightened as he looked at it, but he stood and picked up the weapon. It was heavier than he had expected, and the demon faces on the hilt felt alien in his hand. Payne continued to stare at him. ‘I think he wants you to put it on,’ Eve said. She turned to Jess. ‘Help me take off the sheath. It’s strapped to his back.’

The girls unbuckled the sheath and slid it out from under Payne as gently as they could. Luke could see by Payne’s face that they were hurting him, but he made no sound of pain or protest.

‘Take off your jacket,’ Eve said.

Luke obeyed. He felt the way he sometimes had as an acolyte for his father, lighting the candles as the service began. He felt as if he were taking part in something deeply holy.

Eve stood and assisted Luke in strapping the sheath to his back. Luke looked down at Payne as he raised the sword and slid it home.

Payne gave a small nod of approval, then let out a long, rasping breath. Luke saw the moment the life slipped away from the man, saw his eyes go blank.

The sword felt powerful pressed against his spine, like it was a part of him already. Luke hoped he could live up to the rare weapon, and to the rare man who had given it to him.

‘He’s dead.’ Eve stared down at Payne. The blood from the ragged bite of the demon dog had stopped gushing. His eyes had turned to big glassy marbles, all the life gone from them.

Eve knelt down beside Payne again. She’d never been this close to a dead body. She hadn’t seen the demon dogs’ other victims after they were killed. Seeing Payne lying there made everything so much more real.