Blaire’s scream thrust me back to reality. My eyes widened as the door exploded off its hinges. A swarm of tree golems invaded the cabin. Moving swiftly, they circled our position in an ever-tightening band of approaching death.
I turned Hellseeker away from the incoming attackers and leveled my pistol at the cauldron. Vibrations rattled the floor and the Blackmore Witch’s shriek of dismay reverberated through the cabin. Judging by her reaction, she knew what I was going to do.
About time this bitch realized just who she was messing with.
My lips twisted into a dark grin as I aimed my magical gun at the cauldron and fired.
Hellseeker’s bullet slammed into the iron cauldron, and for a beat, all the glyphs lit up with a fiery red light. The air hummed with supernatural power as a series of cracks webbed the pot’s surface. Then the cauldron shattered—and so did the circle of tree golems around us.
Outside, the Blackmore Witch’s wail of dismay died down, her deadly reign over the forest broken. The temperature was still below freezing in the cabin, but the world already felt like a warmer place.
CHAPTER THREE
THE FOREST HAD lost most of its menacing quality when we made our way back to my car. The unnatural gloom had lifted, sunlight once again shining through the foliage. The sound of chirping birds filled the air. Even the trees looked healthier and less stunted by the choking vines that had thrived in the unholy aura of the witch’s cabin. With the dark spell shattered, the world was reverting back to normal.
The same couldn’t be said for Blaire. We didn’t speak as we walked, both of us too exhausted for small talk. The poor girl kept stealing furtive glances back and forth, as if each new sound from the forest were fraught with danger. I didn’t judge her. She’d experienced horrors beyond the imagination of most people.
I had parked my black Equus Bass 770 about half a mile away, in one of the dirt spaces near the trailhead. The jet-black, two-door modern-day muscle car sported a supercharged 640 HP V8, could reach top speeds of 200 mph and boasted a 0-to-60 miles-per-hour time of 3.4 seconds. The vehicle channeled the beauty and ferocious power of the legendary muscle cars of the ‘60s and ‘70s, drawing inspiration from the old Ford Mustang fastback and the Dodge Challenger. This baby would make even Batman or James Bond jealous.
Blaire shot me a panicked look when I opened the passenger door.
“It’s alright,” I said. “I’m just giving you a lift to nearest police station.” The words seemed to ease her concerns somewhat, and she reluctantly took a seat in my car. I had saved her life, but I was still a stranger to her. A stranger who battled nightmares. Not exactly the type of guy you’d want to go on a joyride with.
I slipped behind the wheel. A number of wards and protective sigils had been etched across the vehicle’s tinted windows. Any supernatural entity trying to breach my wheels would be in store for a nasty surprise. My gut told me we were in the clear, but you never know. The forces of darkness have a way of catching even the most seasoned monster hunter off guard.
I started the engine and eyed Blaire. “I know you’ve been through hell and back, but you’re safe now. I promise.”
My words failed to ease the tension from her body. I couldn’t blame her for not trusting me. I wasn’t exactly a knight in shining armor. Battling demons took its toll in more ways than one, and in me the cracks were showing. Let’s just say I didn’t look like someone you’d want to run into in a dark alley—or a brightly lit street, for that matter.
My beard gave me an intimidating quality, which was further enhanced by my well-worn, tattered trench coat. Heavy bags usually lined my eyes, and my smile lines appeared deeply etched in the milky gray daylight. I was twenty-six going on forty. My brown hair showed signs of white, especially in the sideburns, and I guessed that my little dance with the Blackmore Witch added a few more silver strands to my growing collection. Quick monster hunter fact: melatonin levels are affected when supernatural entities try to skin you alive. Who knew?
I popped open the glove compartment, pulled out one of the best multivitamins on the market and washed down three of them with a piss-warm Red Bull. I offered some to Blaire as if they were breath mints. She gratefully accepted. Smart girl. We were both depleted.
I put the car in drive and focused on the trip ahead. It took less than half an hour of winding forest roads to reach the nearest town. My destination was a rustic three-story brick building fronted by lush trees. This police station shared little with the squalid urban counterparts I normally frequented.