Between the Bleeding Willows (The Demon Hunters Series Book 1) (11 page)

My mouth fell open. “There are other clans?”

Casper nodded and smiled at my surprise. “The Demon Realm is broken into four parts. There’s a clan in each part.”

“Have you met any of them or battled with them?”

“I haven’t, personally.”

I looked down at my tattoo again, wondering who I was bonded to. “Do you know who you are bonded to?”

“Yeah, my Aunt Abby. She died in a battle several months ago, shortly after my tattoo ceremony.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I didn’t really know her, my mom wanted to keep me far away from the Demon Hunter life. I only met her at my tattoo ceremony, and then she left to head back to her own clan. My mom said that’s where my intuition comes from. See, my mom had the gift of premonition, but her sister, Aunt Abby, had intuition.”

“What’s the difference?”

“Premonition is the gift to see a future event…like a battle that is going to happen in a month, or our crops will get struck by lightning. Intuition is more immediate.”

“Like you dodging punches.”

“Exactly.”

“So where is your mom now?”

“In the Human Realm, living in an apartment on the south side of Chicago.” It was hard to imagine that Casper’s mom was living a normal mortal life while her son trained to fight demons. “What? Didn’t expect that answer?” I shook my head. “She never wanted to be a part of this. I found out she even took medicine to stop her premonitions. Tried to keep it all secret from me, but eventually I was drawn to it.”

“What do you mean?”

“When I turned sixteen, I started becoming obsessed with demonology. I checked out library books on it and researched online. I also took up Krav Maga; it’s a self-defense martial art. Some of the moves I learned are similar to what they teach here. Anyway, I started hanging out at the Blaylock Grove Cemetery. I ventured out there every free chance I had—just hangin’ out by the big willows. The school called my mom one day and said I hadn’t been showing up for classes. She knew right where to find me…under the willows in near the gate to the Demon Realm. She explained it all to me and told me that the decision to join the Clan or not was mine, and she apologized for hiding it from me.”

“And your dad?”

“Never knew him. Mom had a one night stand with some guy and…here I am.”

“Well I’m glad she did because you’re a pretty great guy.” He smiled at the compliment. “So if I was bonded to someone with powers, I might get their abilities?”

“Yes, it could happen, or it can mutate and create a whole other ability that has not been seen yet. Or maybe you wouldn’t get anything.”

“Interesting. Now I’m curious to find out who I’m bonded with.”

“Me too. Maybe we could ask Lena. She was the one caring for you in the med unit.”

“Good idea. But first I need a shower. Meet me back here in an hour.” Casper agreed and left to clean up.

I turned the water as hot as it went and stepped in, letting the heat unkink some of my overworked muscles. As I lathered with soap, I saw evidence of bruises up and down my shins and several on my forearms. Speckled with faint purple tender spots, I felt badass and so alive. After washing my hair and rinsing off, I dried off with the thin body towel that was neatly folded on a shelf. Pulling on a long tee and some leggings, I worked my fingers through my wet hair. There was a knock. Casper was fast even with showering! I opened the door. “Hey Casp…”

Killian filled the door frame. “Can I come in?”

“Um, yeah.” I went back to the mirror to tame my tresses. “Everything okay?”

“Well, that’s what I wanted to ask you. Are you okay, you know, from earlier?”

“What? Jackson kickin’ my butt? Yeah. Mostly it scared me. I’m not sure I ever want to experience that again.”

“Yeah, suckin’ air when your body refuses to let it in is no fun. But you learn and get better at knowing how to avoid that.” He looked at me, face turning serious. “Listen, something’s been on my mind for a while, and I need to get it off my chest.” He turned away from me and paced the floor while raking his hand through his hair.

“What is it?” This was it. The talk about the kiss. I knew it could go either way, be awkward and fall to pieces or it could be the next step for Killian and I.

“It’s just…seein’ you in the medic unit…I’m sorry for crossing you over and almost losing you.” He looked down and took some noticeable breaths. “I had no idea. I hope you believe me. I’d never intentionally hurt you. I thought it was your best chance at surviving. But you were so lifeless…” Lost in the memory, he couldn’t look at me. And although he spoke sincerely, this was not what I anticipated him saying.

Feeling disappointed, I walked over to him. He was at least six inches taller than me, and it was more noticeable in close proximity. If he wasn’t going to bring up the kiss, I would. “Killian, I—”

“Let me finish. Looks like we’ll be able to get you back home in a couple of days. Bad stuff is coming, and you’ll want to be far from it.” There was a knock at the door. Killian opened it to find a grinning Casper pale upon the sight of Killian.

“Killian, umm, hey. I was just coming to hang out with Cassidy.” My tattoo hummed and drew my eyes to it. Green like the other day. What the…? I looked at Killian, who was staring at his green-hued tattoo. Our eyes met briefly, and he quickly exited.

“Cassidy?” Casper asked.

“Did you see that? My tattoo was glowing green. And I swear Killian’s was doing the same.”

“I missed that. Are you feeling okay?”

“Yeah, why?”

“It’s just that our tats glow blue at times, especially when we are tapping into that magic, but I’ve never heard of it turning other colors. Just wondered if the sparring was a bit much and has you seein’ things.”

“No. I got some bruises, but my head is fine.”

Casper walked to the door. “Well, let’s go see Lena. Maybe she can check your head and tat when we ask her who you’re bonded to.”

As we walked to the medical unit, I looked at Casper. He was an attractive guy, tall, lean, muscled, and he had an awesome personality. I asked, “How come you don’t have a girlfriend?”

“What? Are you hitting on me?”

“Seriously, any girl would be lucky to have you. But no, I’m not hitting on you.”

“Damn.” There was a moment of uncomfortable silence. My mind raced, thinking of a way to not make him feel rejected. I’d thought it was clear we were just friends.

He glanced back at me, the corner of his mouth twisted up into a half smile, letting me know he was teasing me again. “Gotcha. But seriously, do you see many couples around here?”

“No, actually, I don’t…” I thought back to what he’d told me earlier.

“Two reasons: There’s the ban on marriage, like I told you. And second, I think we are all somehow related—could you imagine dating your sister or cousin? Weird and gross.”

“So, if no one in the Clan is married and if they want to get married, they can leave or go to another clan. How do you keep the population alive?”

“Most of us stay on our own. But there are a handful of us that find mates outside of the Clan and repopulate with them.”

“You mean with humans?”

“Yes.”

“So where are the mates? And where are these kids?”

“Many of the mates are here now. They blend in with all the others since they had to get tattooed to survive the crossover. But some stay in the Human Realm and raise their child there until they hit their late teens and feel the calling.” He turned and pointed a finger at my chest. “But you, my dear, are the first human to survive it without a Clan tattoo.”

“Mind-blowing. I wonder why I was able to cross without dying.”

“You are a mystery to all of us, Cassidy. Med unit, here we are.” He opened the door and let me pass through first.

Lena had graduated to crutches. “Cassidy, are you okay?”

“I am. How are you holding up?”

Lena pulled up the hem of her wrap skirt. Her bandage was soaked with various colors. “Looks like I need a bandage change.”

“Anything I can help with?” This woman cared for me until I had come to; it was the least I could do.

“Um, sure, an extra set of hands wouldn’t hurt.”

“Great, you first. Just tell me what to do.”

She started hobbling toward the washbasin.

“Lena, sit. Just tell us what you need and we’ll get it,” I said.

“Soap, towels, basin of water, and bandages. Are you sure you wanna do this? It’s kinda gross.”

“I’m sure. But you’ll need to coach us.”

Lena eased onto one of the beds and guided me through the process of changing her bandage while Casper ran a basin of fresh water over for rinsing the wound. The wound did not look good. It had signs of infection within the wound and the skin around it was hot and red, extending outside of a painted circle. Casper returned with the water. “Thanks, Casper. Lena, what’s with the circle?”

“Nothing. Now tape the bandage in place and go wash everything with the soap.” She pulled her skirt back over the fresh bandages and gathered her crutches. “Thank you, Cassidy. Now, what can I help you with? Surely you did not come down just to change my bandage.”

“Right. I actually wanted to ask if you could tell me whose blood you used for my tattoo.”

“Why?”

“Well, I’ve been feeling some strange sensations in the tattoo, and I’m trying to make sense of it.”

“Come here, let me have a look.”

I obeyed and took my turn on the exam table. Casper came over to my side and leaned against the table. It’s a shame that they couldn’t marry within the Clan because he was a nice-looking guy and fun to hang around. Lena could use someone like Casper to mellow her out and make her laugh.

“Let me see it.” I raised my sleeve. She gasped, her fingers gently caressing the bruises on my forearm. “What happened?”

“Oh, nothing, just sparring with Jackson.”

“Oh, that will do it.” She rubbed her long, thin, white fingers along the snake. “I don’t see any infection. It’s actually healed perfectly. Maybe it’s phantom pains from your injury?”

“What are those?”

“Well, usually it happens with people who have lost a limb. They feel pain in a part of their body that isn’t there anymore. You had a very deep cut on that arm. I mean it’s healed, but maybe, like the phantom pains, your brain remembers that injury and you’re getting residual feelings.”

“Do you have to do anything for it?” I pulled my sleeve down and hopped off the table.

“No. For now, when you feel the pain, look down at the wound and recognize that it is healed. Maybe that will be enough to calm the messages being sent around your brain.”

“Lena, I worked up a new tincture…” Angeline came floating into the med unit holding a glass with a strange orange liquid. “Oh, sorry.”

“It’s okay; we’re finished. Good day, Cassidy, Casper.” Lena turned her attention to Angeline, and they began speaking with intensity.

“Let’s go, Casper.” I pulled his arm and led him out of the unit.

“But we didn’t find out the answer.”

“I know. We’ll ask tomorrow. I don’t want to trouble her, and it can wait another day.”

“Okay. Hey, come to my room. I have a bunch of cool books to show you.”

“Sure.” There was nothing better to do, and I was curious to see what books he had in his collection. I wondered if anyone in the Clan wrote stories or if Casper’s books all came from the Human Realm. We walked down a ramp to a lower level that housed only personal quarters. Some of the room doors were open, so I peered inside. These rooms were smaller, a little over half the size of mine. “I had no idea a whole other level existed. This complex is huge.”

“You just don’t know about it because there’s nothing interesting to see down here. Just a bunch of sleep quarters for the soldiers. Here’s mine.” He stepped into one of the rooms. I half-expected it to be a pig sty, but Casper was quite neat and orderly. It helped that he did not have lots of junk to clutter his room. His books were neatly arranged on two shelves. Besides that, he had a bed, a cozy chair, and side table.

“Nice pad, Casper.”

“Thanks. Warriors get smaller rooms, but I don’t mind. It’s just a place to sleep.” He walked over to the bookshelves. “So the books are here. It’s an assortment. I really enjoy fantasy and sci-fi, but I have some horror and thriller mixed in there. Have you read any of these before?”

I read through the titles, many were popular titles. “I’ve read
The Talisman
,
Fahrenheit 451
,
Frankenstein
…”

“I love
Frankenstein
. How great is it to make the reader fall in love with the monster. It’s genius.” Casper glowed when talking about his books; it was adorable.

“Yes it is. Where did you get all of these?”

“I brought a lot of them over when I joined the Clan. But I’ve also bartered for books within the Clan.”

“Have you read them all?” He nodded and smiled. “Favorite?”

“
The Stranger
by Camus. Very dark and gets you thinking.”