Sailor Ray and the Beginning of the End Read online

  I walk down the hall, visibly shaking my head as I pass the other hunters and survivors. I have my own shit I need to deal with, but apparently, I have a bad habit of neglecting the ones I care about. Hopefully what I’m about to do makes up for it, at least a little bit.

  I continue to walk down the hall, casually peering into rooms and scanning the halls until I find Janelle and Samantha. Samantha’s resting on her cot while Janelle is sitting in a chair, picking at the top of her fingernail with her thumb.

  “Mind if I come in?” I ask after tapping the inside of the doorframe.

  “Sure,” Janelle answers with no inflection. I take a seat in front of her, giving her and Samantha a comfortable amount of space. Both of them are cleaned up now, but the trauma they endured still manifests in other ways. It’s hard to explain, but you can virtually feel the quiet storm of emotions circulating in the air.

  “…I just wanted to pop in and make sure you two were doing okay. I’m Sailor, by the way. I know we met before, but with everything that was going on I—”

  “I remember who you are,” she answers, cutting me off. “Thanks for saving me.” Janelle’s hand runs down and traces over the scars the demons carved into her arm and marked her for life. ‘Example.’

  “It’s no problem. The second I saw Samantha; I knew I had to save her and everyone else that was there. It was the right thing to do. It’s part of what makes us human and not like them. I felt for her…everyone. It wasn’t too long ago that I was captured. It wasn’t the first time, but it was the worst time. It was by a group of demons. They were trying to possess me.”

  “I saw that happen before in that place. They possessed a few of us right off the bat and held it over our heads. They used our loved ones as leverage. Who would rebel or try to run away when the person you care about is still trapped in that…hell?”

  “Demons hardly play fair, and when they’re on the ropes, they’ll do almost anything to ensure that they make it out alive.”

  “I believe it,” Janelle answers. “They were soulless. The very definition of it. At least with a serial killer or a psycho you can mess with their minds and try to play their weaknesses to your advantage, but with demons, there wasn’t any escaping it. Any of it. What they said was absolute, and if you disobeyed them, they made you suffer in the worst way. Nothing was off limits. It just depended on how they felt on that particular day. I did it anyway because I knew what the alternative was. I’d heard about Sphinx from a friend of mine. Not Samantha, another one. He was into the party scene, but he died from an overdose. It was Sphinx, of course. We were close…so making the same thing that put my friend into the grave wasn’t something I wanted to do. My hatred intensified when I realized that the stuff wasn’t natural…that demons were literally overseeing production. How crazy is that?” She scoffs. “They were running a fucking traffic ring right under everyone’s noses, and the people who did know didn’t give two shits about everyone that was being held against their will. Does the government know about this? Is there a war on the supernatural, too?”

  “We’re not sure, but the general consensus is no. Everyone that you see here are just ordinary people who chose to fight for their own reasons.”

  “I…want to fight. I know I can barely stand, but what they did to me…what they did to everyone…they violated us…stripped us of our freedom. I don’t want anyone else to feel the way I felt. They tortured me. You saw the marks. I clung to life as hard as I could because I wanted to make sure that I could be there for Samantha, but there was another reason. I wanted to survive so that I can kill every last one of those things that did this to us in the first place.”

  “So you want to be like us?”

  “I do,” Janelle answers with no remorse. “I do, and I know what that means. After a certain point, I was prepared to die every day. I had no way to keep track of the days, but I knew towards nightfall, all I heard were screams until it was my turn.” She raises her forearm up to me, revealing the series of cuts along her arm in more vivid detail. “Example. That’s what I was to them. When they pushed, I pushed back. There were others too, but they didn’t make it. I know I can probably get this somewhat fixed, but honestly, I think I’m going to keep it as a reminder...” she says as she lowers her arm back onto her knee. “I was an example then, and I want to be one now. I want to be an example of why you shouldn’t mess with humans. Tell me what I need to know so that I can be like you.”

  It feels like an eternity ago, but I can still recall when Blaze had the same proposition back when we first met. He had that same look in his eyes. A quiet determination personified by a burning intensity that pierces the soul. She’s serious, and if her story lines up, she’s been thinking about her decision for more than just a day.

  “I’ll tell you what you need to know to be safe, but there’s a lot that goes into being a monster hunter besides killing demons. They aren’t the only thing that’s out there, for starters. The world’s bigger than you know. Vampires exist, for example. Witches are a thing, too. Werewolves, as well…and those stories you hear on occasion about paranormal objects and places, they may not all be lies. What I’m trying to say is, everything that we do has a strategy because you can’t treat every entity as the same. There’s research, planning, training. All of that goes into the mix and even then, the casualty rate is absurdly high. Mistakes happen. Sometimes the enemy gets the upper hand. People die. A lot. I’m not saying it to scare you, but I’m just trying to let you know what the path holds. It’s not glorious by any means. And to be honest, it takes a toll.”

  “But, it’s worth it, right?”

  “Yeah…it is. One hundred percent. The good that you’re able to do makes it totally worth it, but the cost of this line of work can be too high for a lot of people. A good bit of us are in this because we have nothing left to lose. We’re rolling stones. Drifters. It’s easier that way. No attachments. If a demon got a hold of us or something else, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. I know you said you wanted to hunt, but if things don’t work out, you have to consider that you’re leaving a lot behind. You have family, right?”

  “I do, but don’t you?”

  “No, I don’t. Not really. I have friends, sure, good ones, but I’m an only child, and I lost both my parents.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “It’s nothing to apologize for. It wasn’t your fault. My father died because of demons. We were on a hunt and demons got the upper hand. His sacrifice gave me a fighting chance… He taught me everything I know.”

  “And your mother? She hunted these things, too?”

  “No. She didn’t. She was just a casualty. My father wanted revenge, so he began to hunt the supernatural in hopes of tracking my mom’s killer. I found out about what he was doing, and I wanted to help, so he told me everything. He died trying to avenge her. If you really want to be a monster hunter, we have tons of resources, but it isn’t a happy life by any means. Blaze, the guy I was with when we rescued you, had no idea the supernatural existed until vampires attacked his family. They bit them, but didn’t kill them. Blaze took it upon himself to hunt them down and kill them in order to preserve the memory of who they once were.”

  “There’s no cure for being a vampire?”

  “No. Once you’re bit, you’re one of them. Same goes with werewolves. I’m not trying to say all of this to dissuade you. It’s a noble cause, and without people like us, the supernatural would run rampant. It’s just that there’s a fine line between knowing how to protect yourself against these things versus actively hunting them. Does that make sense?”

  “Yeah, it does.”

  “Good. I just want to make sure you know where the line stands before you cross it… Either way, I’m on your side, and so is the community.”

  “Thanks.”

  “I’m going to be doing a presentation or something really soon that covers the basics of monster hunting. You’re more than welcome to come through. It’ll be
a good starting point. Blaze is working on getting everything set up.”

  “Am I?”

  “See?” I say without looking behind me. “Speak of the devil.”

  “We’ve started to gather some of the survivors in the conference room. They’ll be ready for you soon.”

  “Cool.” I finally turn to face him and see that he’s a lot calmer than before. It’s nice, but I know it’s a front. With everything going on, he can’t be running around with worry written across his face. The survivors look up to him. If he seemed unsure of himself, all it would do is cause a ripple effect and tank their morale, which is low enough as it is.

  “A good bit of them are still being treated, but I think you should still have a full house. Some of the hunters are setting up more chairs.”

  “Great. When should I be there?”

  “As soon as you can. Everyone has questions…we’ve been doing our best to answer them, but I think this’ll be a good way to cover everything and then some.”

  “Yeah…I agree.”

  “I was thinking maybe I can help you, too. I can have a second room or something…we can split them up and cover different things and switch.”

  “No. It’s fine. I got it. Go help Roc and Abby with that other thing. They need you.”

  “You sure?”

  “I can handle this. I slay demons, Blaze. I think I can talk to a room full of people who need my help.” I lethargically wave my hand, shooing him away. “Go. Let the crew setting up know that I’m on my way.”

  “Roger.” Blaze backs out of the doorframe and into the hall before spinning on his heel to give the update to the other hunters.

  “He seems like a solid guy,” Janelle says once he leaves.

  “Yeah, he’s a good leader. He’s come a long way,” I say with a smile. “Hardly that guy I saved way back when… Well, okay. As I’m sure you’ve heard. I’ve got to go. You should come out. I think you’ll learn something.”

  “I will. Samantha’s still resting, so I’ll go for the both of us. She lost a lot of fluids, but I think she’ll be okay. This drip you guys have her hooked up to should handle that, right?”

  “Yeah. She’ll be on her feet in no time. Until then, it’s best that she rests. If you weren’t so determined, I’d say the same for you.”

  “I’ve rested enough. When I close my eyes, all I see is nightmares.”

  “They go away in time,” I lie. “Trust me. It gets better.”

  After I left Janelle and Samantha’s room I did exactly what I set out on doing. Dozens of people had been affected by the supernatural, and they needed answers—and I tried my best to give it to them. I started off with a simple explanation of who we are and what we do. After that, I began to unveil some of the particulars like why we were there that night to save them and the role that the supernatural plays in our world. From there, I went over the basics of the most common monsters and provided general guidelines to dealing with the supernatural. I also covered topics pertaining to individual monsters and told them what was true and what was Hollywood. When I opened the floor for questions, I was asked to demonstrate proper knife technique and show off my weapons. Part of the talk I gave touched on the history of the runes that we use and how we use them to protect ourselves. Of course, after my explanation, there were requests for the knives we used in short-range combat. One of the hunters said they’d find a way to swing it. I wasn’t sure if Blaze’s crew had thirty plus daggers in storage or something, but they made it work. Upon further questioning, the hunter who shadowed me while I spoke confirmed that each of the survivors would be getting one once they made it back to their homes. A parting gift of sorts.

  Something of interest that struck me as odd was that Janelle’s questions were borderline provocative. I understood that she was angry—and rightfully so—but it was almost like she wanted to hit up a demon stronghold and try to plow through them. I understand where she’s coming from, but the way she went about it was unhinged. She wouldn’t make it two feet in demon territory. She’d die, along with anyone else who wanted to follow her. I had to shut her down once things got too heated. Janelle’s anger would have gotten them all killed…the ones who weren’t already traumatized by the surrealness of it all. The whole situation took a turn for the worst, but I couldn’t be mad at her. She was like all of us at one point in our journey. Restless. Angry. Heartbroken. It’s like the trifecta for bad decision making. The despair that comes from being on the wrong side of a hunt can make you feel things that you didn’t even know were possible. So, no. I didn’t blame her, but I was afraid for her wellbeing. It’s a dangerous road, and once you start, there’s no turning back.

  I spent the rest of the day working one-on-one with some of the survivors, giving Janelle the space she needed while also allowing the other hunters to monitor her from afar. We didn’t expect for this to happen—having all of these survivors—so Blaze and Abby’s crew was shorthanded and needed all of the help they could get. I didn’t mind. It felt good to be doing good considering all of the luck I’ve had in the past, plus, it gave me a chance to keep my mind off Vartal and the uncertainty I had regarding his whereabouts. My dad always taught me to trust my instincts, but I’m not sure if my instincts are shot because of what I experienced in our time together.

  The pressure surrounding that judgement call is the whole focal point of my dilemma. Am I dreading a ghost or should I be prepared for the return of a demon?

  “Sailor?” a familiar voice calls out to me. Blaze. I turn around, stopping what I’m doing to investigate. He seems tense. Worried even. “You didn’t answer your phone. Did you get my texts?” I pull my phone out of my pocket and see an assortment of missed calls and texts.

  “Sorry, I got so carried away with everything going on that I forgot to switch my phone off silent.”

  “It’s no problem, but check it out when you get the chance.”

  “Yeah, will do.” Blaze fades back from behind the doorframe, but I know that he isn’t quite gone. Knowing him, he’s waiting on me. I didn’t get a chance to read what he sent me, but given what’s going on, it’s a safe bet to say that we’ve had some developments on the killings Roc told us about earlier today. Appearances are everything, and for the sake of saving face, he didn’t want to seem pressed in front of someone who just escaped a near death experience.

  “Is everything okay?” the survivor asks, her wrinkled face stricken with worry.

  “Everything’s fine. I just forgot to do something and can’t let the boss man down. I have to go now, but I’ll send someone your way to look after you and answer any other questions you may have. Sound good?” I don’t give her a chance to answer. Instead, I make my way to the exit where I find Blaze leaning against the wall, arms folded and his eyes emptily gazing at the ground.

  “All good?” he asks after lifting his head.

  “All good.” Blaze points to direct one of the hunters floating between rooms to the room that I just left. I still don’t get how he rose up the ranks so quickly with these new guys.

  He must have put on one hell of a show. How many demons did he have to kill to get to where he is now?

  “Cool, let’s walk.” Blaze begins to strut down the hall, and I have to put in a decent effort to maintain his pace. What the hell is going on? He leads me back to the room where we originally met a few hours ago. The only thing that’s different is that we’re down two bodies. Abby and Roc are gone.

  “So, what’s new?” I ask after taking my seat. “Is anyone in trouble?” I almost wish I didn’t say that, in fear of the worst.

  “No trouble, no. It’s not that. Abby and Roc found another lead a few hours ago. Just as they suspected, whatever it is, it’s moving closer to us. They went out to investigate and pick up on whatever clues they can.”

  “And how did that go?”

  “It’s going. I don’t want to get in their way, so I’m on standby. You are, too. Last time I spoke with Roc, they were narrowing down an act
ive perimeter of where the witch would be hiding.”

  “A witch? So, that’s who’s behind it…”

  “Yeah, Abby was able to get access to the security feeds on the same strip that the most recent death occurred on. She was able to nail a person of interest, but the cameras weren’t the best quality.”

  “What about the other deaths? Was she able to tie the witch to those incidents as well?”

  “Not necessarily, but they’re working on it. Check your phone. I sent you an image of what they were able to come up with.”

  I comply with Blaze’s request and fish out my phone. Once I open his message, I see a photo of a hooded man in an alley.

  “This is all we got?” I ask, not hiding my emotions. “This dude can be anybody. We’re profiling now?”

  “Not in the slightest. Roc was able to take the image and send it to people of interest involving the case to see if they saw someone with similar features. It’s a crappy picture, but we made due.”

  “Okay, so what else is new? Do we have a motive? What connects all these guys together, and why is he making his way here?”

  “Good questions. We don’t know his motives, but I think he’s coming here because of Sphinx. It’s the only thing that’s different these days. We’ve been at war with everyone and everything involved with it, so he could have some skin in the game somehow. Him killing on his way to us could be him powering up. The motives aren’t clear yet, but as you know, it’s common practice for witches to use the energy of others for their spells and rituals.”

  “Right, like with blood magic...do they think that’s what he is?”

  “Not sure, but they’re sure as hell preparing for one. They’re usually bad news.”

  “Yeah.”

  “What really sucks is that we’re always going to be one step behind until we can find a motive. We’re usually able to get ahead of these guys and stop them before they can strike again, but in this case, we’re stuck playing a perpetual game of catch up.”