Demon Hunters: The Prequel (2 page)

"You sure about that?" Grant was a bit more hot headed. His anger boiled up easily, and it took everything he had not to let it all out. Moderating himself wasn't as easy as it looked. Incidents like going easy on that kid were few and far between.

"Dude, isn't that what it always is? Why the hell else would I think it was anything else?" Sometimes the both of them forgot that they ran a Motorcycle Club, and that they weren't just brothers in arms fucking around and arguing with one another.

"Our M.C. has been gaining recognition. You don't think it could be another gang trying to get one over on us?" Grant reminded him of what was at stake.

"Even if it is, we are getting a reputation for a reason. You think they won't back down if we just... put a little pressure on?"

He had a point.

"What are you suggesting?"

"Why don't you and Eliza go down town tomorrow, try to figure out who is selling. I can't imagine it wouldn't take you more than a couple of... contacts. Let him know, gently this time, the kind of town we are running. Hopefully they will get the hint.

"And if they don't?"

"If they don't... then we up our game and bring a different kind of pressure."

Grant knew exactly the kind of pressure Book was talking about. It was his first choice for handling anyone trying to deal in their territory, but if he wanted them to take it easy first, he would follow orders.

***

"I'm not sure what you mean. Meth, here?" Grant could tell that Jimmy wasn’t letting on to what he knew, but he was the only lead he had. Jimmy had been in and out of rehab, and when they first came to town he was the one that they had to work with to get clean, get out, or get dead.

He chose to get clean, but by the pockmarks on his face it looked like that wasn't still the case. He had to have been back on that shit for at least a month to have those kinds of scabs.

"Don't fuckin' lie to me, Jimmy," Eliza seethed. She had an even short temper than Grant. She was cold and calculating, until that temper got set off, and then all hell always found a way to break loose.

It was what Grant loved about working with her. Together with Book the three of them made the perfect unit. Too bad he hadn't been a part of it since he took over his position as an Alpha.

Eliza may not have been an official member of the club, since that was reserved for the men, but she was the unofficial third in command, and it made her powerfully dangerous.

"I ain't lyin, I really don't know what you’re talking about."

She reached over and grabbed him, throwing him into the brick wall on the side of the grocery store. They had scooped him up asking people for handouts as they came out with their groceries.

Hyde didn't usually have panhandlers.

She batted her eyes at him and grabbed a hold of his hand. "One last time."

"Look, I can't t-talk. You don't understand..."

With a crack she bent back his finger to a position that wasn't natural. Only a doctor would be able to put it back into place.

He screamed out, but Grant wasn't concerned about who saw. Everyone knew who they were, knew the muscles that they had. No one would fuck with the Demon Hunters.

"Care to try again, or do you want me to go down through the fingers until there aren't any left, and I have to resort to... other appendages." She showed her teeth as she grinned, looking more cat-like than human.

"N-no. I'll t-talk, just don't break anymore. Please." He paused and then looked at the two of them. "It's this guy, name's Fritz. He ain't... ain't normal, man. Tried to warn him about sellin' here. He just laughed. Laughed like it doesn't matter that the Demons are here, you know? Scared the shit out of me, but it was too much of a temptation to say no. You know that, right? I woulda said no, if I could. Hell, it's why I decided to stay livin' in Hyde. I'm better off without being able to get any crank. I know that." He was rambling, overcome by the pain, fear and drugs coursing through his veins.

She bent the finger back again, eliciting another scream.

"Thought I'd help you out. Doctors are expensive." She chuckled as she pushed away from him, leaving him there. "Get yourself cleaned up, Jimmy. No one wants a man who has all those nasty pockmarks. That advice is free." She walked away.

"Where do you find him?" Grant asked, rolling his eyes. She made him look like he had all the composure of a saint.

"I... I get my shit down near the river, man. Sometimes it is Fritz, sometimes it is another guy."

"When is your next buy?"

"Tonight, why?"

"Skip it, if you know what's good for you. You won't be getting that shit in Hyde anymore, you got it?" Grant was gruff as he stared Jimmy down who just nodded, then turned and shuffled off.

If only dealing with Fritz would be that easy. Grant had a pretty good idea of who he was, and it seemed like convincing him to quit dealing was going to be harder than they first had thought.

***

Dusk was just starting to settle as Eliza and Grant pulled up to the riverside docks. It wasn't much, just an old depot for coal and lumber transport from years ago. Before trucks. A lot of kids like to hang out there and tag the buildings. No humans tonight, though. Only Shifters, including Grant and Eliza.

Grant could smell him as soon as he pulled off his helmet. Another Shifter. Another Panther. His senses were all firing at once, but he knew that the Shifter could sense them just as easily as he had been able to identify this trespasser.

Grant hoped off his bike and immediately rushed in the direction of the Shifter that he didn't recognize. Eliza was right behind him, following him closely as they tried to get the drop on the interloper.

When he finally spotted him he realized exactly who he was. Hit real name was Simon Fritz, and he was from a rival M.C. Once he had tried to join the Demons but couldn’t hack the initiation trials.

"I wondered how long it would take you to figure it out." Fritz spat.

"Gotta say, I'm not surprised. You always seemed the type."

"You and your Alpha just lack vision."

"Gotta say, wasn't a smart move, trying to come into our territory. You know that isn't going to work, Fritz." Eliza was always a bit too bold.

"I don't think you understand what is happening here, little girl. I am going to do whatever the hell I want, and your stupid little pride isn't going to stop me. The people of Hyde want them some crystal, and I'm here to give it to them." Before he could finish grinning Eliza's fist was in his face. She had never been one to keep her composure through an insult.

The fight was on. The big burly man took a swing at Eliza before Grant could even give him a good comeback, not that they were his style anyways. Fritz gave her one good punch before Grant got into it, with a nice left hook and a great kidney punch all but doubling him over. Add to that Eliza's flurry of blows and the poor sap didn't stand a chance. He was on the ground by the time Eliza was done with him.

"I think you'll want to take heed, Fritz. That shit won't sell here. I'm only leaving you alive so that you can tell your President. Next time you won't be so damn lucky."

Grant spit next to his head and walked away, sure that he got the message. Hopefully that was all that needed to be done, but he doubted it. Shifters invading territory was very serious. He made a mental note to send out a group to parley with his M.C. group. Maybe they would work out an accord of some sort. Maybe.

***

"I'll send two out to their club. Hopefully we can reach an understanding. Did you rough him up real bad?" Book didn't really care how roughed up he was. All he cared about was getting his message across, no matter the consequences. He took a long drag of his cigar and looked him over.

"I have some other news, Grant. Something that could change everything we've been working for." He looked him over. "You know that one, the one I could sense? The one I told you about? She's almost ready, Grant. My guys’ve been tailin' her for a while."

"You sure she's a recruit?" He had never heard of a recruit possessing that kind of power before, hell he had barely heard of anyone in a long line of shifters with that kind of power.

"I dunno, Grant. Powers like that, if she ain't a legacy, I would be awfully surprised." He smiled, "Which is why I want you to go look in on her. She don't gotta know you are there, Grant. But you need to see the woman for yourself, every bit of fire you could imagine. Would make a good mate, if you know what I mean."

“You know how I feel about mating women. Especially when they don’t know what’s comin’.” He wouldn’t take away their freedom, not without consent.

“Ain’t up to you, kid. You gotta put the club first. You gotta put the pride first. She is more than just a pretty face. I promise you. You need to go see what I am talking about, brother. You got it?” It wasn’t a request, it was an order. He had no choice.

She was going to be his mate.

"Yeah, I got you, man. I'll check her out, see if I can feel that power too."

"Hey, keep her at an arm’s length. Don't let her see you until we are ready. You got that?"

"Yeah I got it."

"Don't take a bike. We don't need the attention." Book was right, the best way to do this was in his Shifter form.

***

Grant could smell her before he could see her, the light scent of cinnamon mixing with a rustic bouquet of cedar. It was a melody to his senses. Book said she would be at the library, so he waited beside it, his Shifter form blending in with the surrounding forest. He could just barely see the entrance, but he sensed her long before he ever saw her, and it made him salivate.

As soon as he saw her eyes, he knew she was the one. The little tint of glow was in them. Book was right. She was so close to turning, at the next full moon she would shift. What was her name? Brynn... no, Briana.

Briana came down the stairs in a rush, her hair flying about until she recognized something, someone and stopped. He could see the man that was approaching her, close in age, but much more bedraggled looking.

"Zane, what the hell do you want?" He was surprised that she wasn't more refined. Feisty was good, it was exactly what he liked.

"Look, sis..."

"I'm not your sister. We shared one foster home three years ago. That doesn't make me anyone to you."

"Oh come on, don't be like that. I always thought of you as a sister."

She rolled her eyes. "What do you need, Zane?"

"Well, you see, I know you got that job at the library and everything, so I was wonderin' if you could, you know… Spot me couple hundred? I don't want my lady to get kicked out." He was lying. Grant could smell it from his place in the woods, could hear it in his voice.

"You know I'm not buying your shit, Zane. Get out of here. Do not bother me again."

"But..."

"No." Her tone was so firm that he could almost feel the Alpha power flooding it. She knew exactly what she was saying, and exactly what she was doing.

"You stupid bitch." Zane suddenly lunged towards Briana and grabbed her. Grant had to plant his feet in the ground. He wanted to go there, to save this strong woman before he even met her.

He didn't need to though. He should have known better. She had the upper hand before Zane even realized what was going on. A quick tug and reversal and his arm was in a position that was just right for a good break.

"I said, get the fuck out of here! Do you understand? I won't ask you again." She threw him away with superior strength.

"Fine, whatever, you freak." Zane shrugged off the move and walked away.

That girl could handle herself, but Zane would never bother her again. He would see to it.

In the meantime, he needed to plan out how he was going to get this feisty beauty to trust him. To fall for him.

It was what was best for the pack.