Demon Hunters (4 page)

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to help of course! What we talked
about, remember?”

“I know, but how did you know where I
lived?”

“Meaningless details. I came here so that we
could divest you from that demon of yours. Have you changed your
mind?”

“No. I haven’t.”

“I suggest we get started as soon as possible
then.”

The Ritual

Sam led me to his car. I wasn’t sure it was
his car, but it was the one he had a key for. As I got in, I
noticed a baby seat in the back with what looked like fresh blood
stains covering it.

“Where are we going?”

“Don’t worry about that. I have a special
place where I like to perform certain rites. A quiet little place
downtown where we won’t be disturbed, and for what we need to do,
we are going to need absolute silence.”

He drove with the headlights off. Careening
down dark, empty streets. I had lived in Los Angeles most of my
life, and I was seeing neighborhoods I hadn’t known existed. I had
a million questions nagging at me, but every time I looked to Sam,
they left me. I could only think of all the things he had done to
be there with me. The lives lost.

“You killed all those people.”

“What?”

“When you broke out.”

“Yes. I believe we’ve already discussed
this.”

“I know, but it’s really starting to hit me.
You took innocent lives like they were nothing. How could you do
that?” Sam looked over at me with a puzzled look on his face, as
though he was surprised I had even asked the question.

“You and I aren’t like them, Jake. We exist
on a different level. The fates of a few unremarkable souls are of
very little consequence in the face of our goals. You have been
burdened with a terrible curse and I see now that it is my
obligation to help you. Don’t let the little things distract
you.”

“Little things. Killing six innocent people
is a little thing?” I looked over at Sam and there was no reaction.
He just kept his eyes focused on the road and his expression was as
still as stone. My uneasiness with the whole affair was beginning
to grow, but I was seeing there wasn’t much chance of backing
out.

We finally reached the downtown area. As we
were driving along a particularly bumpy road, I could hear a
distinct thumping coming from the trunk.

“Don’t mind that.” I wasn’t well acquainted
with the sensation of fear, but that was the only way I could
describe how I felt. I had to be free, though. Anything and
everything was worth being free from the monstrosity that dwelled
in my soul. I didn’t much like how I had to go about it, but I
couldn’t worry about that. I was too close.

The car finally stopped in a parking lot of
a large building. It looked like some warehouse.

“Is this it?”

“My little home away from home, yes.”

“It looks condemned.”

“It has been. Come.” Sam headed toward the
building. The faint sound of the freeway nearby could be heard as
we got closer. I could also hear the flutter of helicopters in
surrounding neighborhoods. I looked around and saw one just a few
blocks away shining its light down on the buildings below.

“You sure no one is going to notice us
here?”

“No one comes around here anymore.” We
walked along the side of the building and found a small door on the
side. It was even darker. Sam pulled the door open and motioned for
me to enter. The inside was about as nice as the outside. The floor
was covered in dirt and dust, the walls were cracked, and the beams
holding the place up looked like they were about to break.

“How old is this place?”

“It was built in the forties. It used to be
a clothing warehouse but the city closed it down in eighty-three.
It’s been vacant since.”

“And no one comes out here anymore?”

“Everyone is all about the pretty new
buildings on the other side of the boulevard. I’m not sure if
they’ll even get around to demolishing this old wreck.” Sam began
lighting candles all along the floor. I could see a large pentagram
drawn on the floor. My blood began to heat up, but I knew it was
the demon.

“So, we’re just going to do this?”

“You’d like a glass of wine and some
foreplay first?”

“No. It’s just this is really
happening.”

“It’s what you wanted, isn’t it?”

“It is. I just never thought it would
happen.”

“It’s happening. Now, we need to get this
done as soon as possible. Take your place on the floor.”

“Wait!”

“What?” I noted a shade of irritation.

“Can we even do this now? Don’t we need to
wait for a certain night or cycle of the moon or something?”

“That won’t be required for this procedure.
You’ve got the demon and I am simply going to extract it. Now take
your place.”

“Okay. Where is my place?”

“Wow. You are really green, aren’t you? Just
lay down on the pentagram with your legs together and arms spread
wide.”

“You had all this ready?” I asked as I got
down on the floor.

“I’ve had that on the floor for years. Most
of what I do requires it so I just left it. Saves a lot of time.”
Sam turned to me. He held a large knife in his hand.

“What’s that?”

“The first part of this rite.” Sam knelt
beside me. He pinned my arm down and stabbed the knife into my arm,
drawing blood. It didn’t hurt, but I was a bit surprised.

“What’s that for?”

“We need to introduce you and the demon to
the circle,” Sam dripped my blood along the pentagram. “Every
ceremony is unique. There’s no room for any generality,” I looked
over and saw the cut begin to heal before my eyes. “You may miss
that.”

“Maybe.”

The light of the candles was flickering
along the walls, casting long shadows all across the room. I heard
no sounds from outside. Sam produced a book from a dark corner and
took his place before me. He began to speak. I felt a cool breeze
blow past me. I could hear the jingle of chains from high above. A
low moan started to permeate through the walls. Sam’s chanting grew
louder and louder. The breeze became more intense. I felt my skin
grow cold, but my blood was heating up. I felt an unbearable
burning tear through my body. My muscles tensed and I felt sharp
pains in my legs and arms.

“This doesn’t feel right!” I shouted, but
Sam persisted with his chants. A stabbing pain shot through my
chest. I clenched my hands tightly. I felt something come up from
my stomach and fill my mouth. My eyes burned and the sensation of a
thousand hooks clawing at my intestines came over me. I turned my
head away and my mouth opened and let loose a torrent of black
liquid. It poured out of me so fast I couldn’t control it. I felt
as though the bile was pushing out every organ in my body. My
stomach seized into my body and I grew stiff. A hard gust of cold
air blew through and extinguished the candles. Sam’s voice went
silent. I could only hear the gentle chatter of the chains high
above us. A soft orange light filled the room and I could hear a
low, heavy breath.

“Jake?”

“Yes.”

“You’re alive?”

“Yes.” I heard a loud, fleshy slap, like a
giant bare foot stomping against concrete. I tried to sit up, but
my torso seized up and I fell back. An inhuman growl rumbled from
the shadows. I struggled to turn on my side and I looked to where I
heard the growl come from. It was just darkness. I stared into the
blank void until I began to see it. Some sort of lumbering form
just beyond sight was lurking. Then, I saw two eyes, glowing low. I
felt the warmth of its breath as it shot past me.

“How do you feel?” Sam’s voice was coming
from seemingly nowhere.

“I feel empty.” The weight of the demon was
off of me, but what I used to feel inside, I could then feel
outside of my body. It was there; right before me. The pain began
to ease and I started to feel my legs again. I turned on my back
and felt my body unfold into a normal position. I got to my feet
with some effort. I looked around but the faint light of the candle
did not allow me to spot Sam, or the demon.

Suddenly, a loud, shrill bang of metal shook
the space. Dust came pouring down from above. Another loud bang and
shattered glass rained down just before me. The walls began to
shake and the floor became unsteady. I turned, but before I could
see anything, I felt something like knives brush against me. I fell
back and as I got my bearings, I realized I had three long slashes
across my chest. I looked up and a large, hulking form hung above
me from the ceiling, drool dripping from its mouth. Its eyes were
brighter. I heard the sound of large claws scratching against
metal. By instinct, I rolled away and as I did, something big and
heavy hit the floor and tore through it. I got up and still
couldn’t see Sam anywhere. A huge roar blared out and my ears began
to burn. I bolted for the door I had entered from and as I hit it,
it burst open.

I scrambled across the parking lot. I saw
Sam’s car sitting alone, but I ran past it and climbed over the
chain link fence that penned in the entire property. I kept running
until I put at least five blocks between me and the demon. I sat
down at a bus stop and I was able to calm down and that’s when I
could really feel the difference. It was quiet and I wasn’t hearing
any voices. My body felt at least a hundred pounds lighter. I
looked down and then noticed the three cuts along my chest had not
healed and the blood was spreading. I pulled my shirt together to
hide as much as I could and then I heard a roar in the direction I
had just been coming from. I got up and started running again, but
I failed to look ahead and I felt a car slide into my hips and I
tumbled forward. Cars screeched to sudden stops all around me, and
soon a crowd of onlookers surrounded me. I heard some guy
apologizing to me for not seeing me and several others asking if I
was all right. I tried to speak, but couldn’t find my breath. I
felt my eyes grow heavy and then I heard some guy notice my
bleeding scars and yelled out for someone to call nine one one.

Buyer Beware

I woke up some time later in a hospital bed
with bandages stretched across my chest. I looked around and it
seemed to be a busy night in the emergency room. My head was
spinning, but I felt my strength returning. I sat up and felt a
sharp sting all over my body. I saw my shirt, torn and tattered,
draped on a nearby chair.

“Take it easy.” A familiar voice said. I
turned and saw Ivar.

“What the Hell?”

“Don’t ask. It’s just what I do.” Ivar found
a chair and sat down before me.

“What are you doing here?”

“Some might argue that I’m saving your life.
How are you?”

“I’m fine. I am now one hundred percent
demon free.”

“Are you?”

“Yup. Sam did his Voodoo and this body is
clean.”

“Fascinating. No side effects?”

“Other than feeling great? No.”

“Those are some nasty scratches.”

“I guess I don’t heal as fast, but that’s
fine. I’ll just be more careful.”

“How’d you get them?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t see it.”

“It.”

“Yeah.” Ivar grabbed the curtain next to my
bed and pulled it closed.

“The demon.”

“I guess. It’s out of me and ruining someone
else’s life now.”

“You’re sure of that.”

“I guess.”

“And where’s Sam?”

“I didn’t see him. For all I know the demon
gobbled him up.”

“Doubtful.”

“Do you have something to say?”

“If Sam did to you what I think he did, you
are free from the demon, but not completely.”

“I’m pretty sure it’s gone.”

“Yes, but Sam was not the one who bonded it
to you originally. He was unable to fully sever the connection
between you both. Only the person who cursed you with the demon
would be able to do that.”

“I feel pretty separated.” Ivar’s eyes found
mine and I felt his gaze drill into me.

“Do you? You don’t feel some little tingle
in the back of your head, maybe?”

“A little headache. It’s nothing.”

“Did you have it before?”

“I don’t know. I wasn’t really conscious of
it.”

“Has it gotten worse?”

“Not by much. Are you going somewhere with
this?”

“The demon is still feeding off of your life
force. The longer it is free, the stronger it will become and the
stronger it gets, the weaker you get.”

A nurse pulled the curtain surrounding my
bed open. Ivar looked over his shoulder as the young woman went
about her duty. She set a small silver tray upon the small table
next to me. There were a couple rolls of gauze, some pills and
other medical tools. I became a little nervous until she picked up
the pills and looked over to me.

“Just a little something to take the edge
off.” She said.

“Thanks. About how much longer am I going to
be stuck here?”

“Not much longer, sir,” She then turned to
Ivar. “Are you a family member?”

“Uh, no.”

“Then I’m afraid you’ll have to leave
now.”

“It’s okay, nurse. He’s not bugging me.
Besides, I’m getting out soon, right?”

“Yes, but it is hospital procedure in all
cases. No non-family members after ten. Your friend can wait for
you in the lobby.”

“Very well. I’ll go. Think about what I told
you, Jake.”

“Yeah. Sure,” Ivar gave me one last
disapproving look and then lumbered out. The nurse closed the
curtain around me again and stood at the foot of my bed staring at
me oddly. “Was there something else? Papers to sign?”

“No. I just haven’t seen injuries like yours
in some time. What happened?”

“Uh, maybe later. When’s your shift over?”
She smiled wide for me.

“In a little while, but it may be too late
by then.”