Jess frowned as he noticed the walls of the cabin and realized every single inch of them was covered with intricate carvings that matched the figurines.
Suddenly he recalled the wood sculptures he'd seen in the convenience store.
The ice sculptures he'd seen in town.
Poor Zarek must have gone loco time and again from boredom during the months he was confined to this tiny shed.
Hell, Jess had a bigger garage at home. "I would say it's Zarek's attempt to maintain a shred of sanity while he's locked away up here.
"
Bjorn picked up a painted figurine that looked like a polar bear with its cubs. "These are incredible.
"
Syra nodded. "I've never seen anything like them. It hardly seems right that we kill someone who's had to live like this all these centuries.
"
Allen snorted. "It hardly seems right that he was allowed to live after he murdered everyone in the village he was charged with watching.
"
Otto passed an interesting look to the Squire. If Jess didn't know better, he'd suspect the man had second thoughts about killing Zarek.
Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) Their gazes locked.
Nope, no doubt. In fact, he suspected Otto might have been sent along for other reasons… as he had been.
"Well, guys, it's been fun," Bjorn said. "But my powers are waning from Jess and Syra and we still have a small matter of the Daimon migration to sort out. Anyone have any ideas why they would do this?
"
They all looked to Syra who was the oldest.
"What?" she asked.
"Have you ever seen or heard of anything like this?
"
She shook her head. "I've heard of Daimons teaming up. Back in the centuries before you guys were born, they used to have warrior Daimons. But no one has seen a Spathi in at least a millennium. All this beats me. It's a pity we can't reach Acheron. He might have more information."
Bjorn headed out of the cabin.
Jess pulled up the rear and looked back inside the shack one more time.
Damn. He felt real sorry for his friend and the life Zarek had been given.
He couldn't imagine being stuck out in the woods all alone in temperatures that ranged from forty below to ninety.
No wonder Ash took such pity on Zarek.
Six of the squires went to the SUVs and unloaded gasoline containers.
"What are you doing?" Jess asked suspiciously.
"Burning him out," a redheaded Squire said. "You want to hunt, you—
"
"Like hell!" Jess grabbed the container from the man's hand and slung it toward the woods. "This is all he has in the world. No way I'm going to let you take it from him.
"
Allen sneered at him. "He beat up that woman.
"
Jess narrowed his gaze. "You have yet to prove it to me.
"
Allen rolled his eyes, as if unable to understand how he could defend his friend. "If Zarek didn't do it?
Who did?
"
"I did.
"
Chapter 10
Jess looked up to see the biggest herd of Daimons he'd ever beheld in his life. There had to be at least
Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) forty head of them, but it was hard to count—especially since he didn't think they were all visible. His Dark-Hunter sense told him more were still in the woods, acting as standbys.
Some wore leather, some fur coats. Some were male and others female. But they had a few things in common. Blond hair, fangs, and that unnatural attractiveness that was ingrained in their species.
Even so, one glance was enough to identify their leader. It was a Daimon he'd met already while he'd been after Zarek. But instead of fleeing from him like most Daimons did, this one had runafter Zarek.
Pursuing Zarek even while they did.
The leader stood a head taller than the others and slightly ahead of them. Unlike the ones behind him, there was no fear in his gaze.
Only a raw, tangible determination. And a meanness that ran soul deep.
Syra let out a sound that was a cross between disbelief and humor. "What the hell is that?
"
The Daimon leader smiled. "I would say 'Your worst nightmare,' but I hate clichés.
"
"Marone, you're real.
"
Everyone on the "good" side turned to look at Otto, who stared at the leader as if he were looking at a
visitation from the Devil himself.
"You know this guy, Carvalleti?" Jess asked.
"I knowof him, anyway," he said, his tone deep and heavy. "My father used to tell me about the Daimon called Thanatos when I was a kid. We always thought he was making it up.
"
"Making up what?" Bjorn asked as he looked back in Thanatos's direction.
"Tales of a Dark-Hunter executioner called the Dayslayer. It's a story that's been handed down through my family for generations. Squire to Squire.
"
"And you're telling me this asshole is him?" Bjorn asked at the same time Syra said, "Dark-Hunter executioner?
"