Face the Dark (Hunters of the Dark #3) Page 7

  Chapter Three

  Brett paced nervously in front of a thick metal door in the mansion on the ground floor. Inside was Serene, a siren they’d taken back to Lime Bay with them, to study and learn from. Having her so close made him twitchy, though. Like he could never let his guard down, knowing what she was capable of. He was a little fearful that at any moment, he would look up and she would be there, staring back at him. But of course that couldn’t happen. Hunter had gone over the safety protocols several times. There wasn’t any way for her to get out even if she could turn into vapor. Which…who knew?

  He stopped and sighed, tried to shake off his unease as fellow hunter Rachel Thyme walked by.

  Rachel sent him a questioning look, but didn’t keep her eyes on him for very long. She pretended to find something fascinating in the other doors she passed.

  Brett frowned as she disappeared around a corner. He realized that nobody here probably liked him in particular aside from Jordan. He was pretty much friendless. He needed friends, as much as he hated to admit it. Rachel and him had hit it off really well at first, but she rather suddenly turned cold toward him, and for no good reason that he could see. He didn’t get Rachel. He didn’t get women.

  “Are you alright, Brett?”

  Brett jumped as he found Krystal standing next to him all of a sudden. Krystal was a fourteen-year-old girl whom the scholars had introduced to them in Greece. She was in their care so they could guide her as she came into her powers as a necromancer. She didn’t look too scary currently, in her bright blue shirt with rainbow sleeves, with a headband in her hair that had cat ears on it, but she could do some pretty freaky stuff when she put her mind to it. Things he’d witnessed first-hand in Greece. After returning to Lime Bay, Valor had decided her education could continue with Hunter here, where she had the protection of the hunters. A decision that Krystal had been very happy with.

  Brett blinked, then looked back at the door in front of him, recalling his reason for being there. A fresh wave of horror rolled over him, his heart leaped into his throat. Could he do this?

  “The siren?” Krystal prodded, pushing back a strand of stray hair that had fallen over her eyes. “They were pretty scary, huh? But Hunter said that without her voice, she can’t do much. Can’t conjure claws, make that white light…she’s pretty much human now.” She looked at him sideways. “But I’m still not going to be able to sleep well knowing that she’s here.”

  Brett nodded, his mouth dry.

  “Do you…want to go see her with me?” Krystal asked. “It would…help me feel better, confronting her like this.”

  Brett sent her an incredulous look, understanding crossing over his features. He shrugged nonchalantly. “Sure…if it will help.”

  Krystal nodded and quickly moved forward to enter the code into the door, which gave way after a green light lit overhead.

  Brett immediately shrank back and suppressed a shudder as the room lay open to him. He spotted the thick plastic across the room that would be the only barrier between the siren and them. It seemed so flimsy. Could Valor really be certain that they were safe here? Hadn’t she seen the strength of these things on the island?

  Krystal walked across the bare room to the two lone chairs that sat before the plastic cell. She gazed in to see Serene huddled in a corner of her small bed, seemingly lost in thought.

  Brett inched his way over to where Krystal stood and peeked in at Serene, immediately stepping back a little ways. She seemed like such a slip of a thing. She could hardly weigh ninety pounds. But she was a monster. A monster in the guise of a beautiful Asian girl with long flowing black hair, silky as her deceptively beautiful voice. Well, when she’d had a voice.

  “Huh,” Krystal whispered, fascinated. “Isn’t that crazy? She looks more scared of us right now than we are of her.”

  Brett silently looked at the creature that had been haunting his thoughts all day. Could she be right? Was this monster really afraid? “More than likely, she’s trying to figure out how to escape,” he muttered.

  Krystal smiled to herself as she noted Brett standing tall again. He was staring into the cell with a contemplative look.

  Serene suddenly looked up at them, like she’d just noticed their presence. She quickly looked away.

  “Can she hear us?” Brett breathed.

  Krystal shrugged. “Does it matter?”

  “I...” Brett frowned. “I guess not. She can’t hurt us.” He felt an enormous pressure escape from his lungs and throat. He felt like the fearful, tight feeling that had invaded his chest months ago at The Crimson Rope gala had just evaporated from his body. He had no reason to be afraid here. This creature was locked away where she could do no harm. She could taunt him, leer at him, curse him - but she couldn’t harm him. And for the moment, she seemed content to just pout in a corner like a naughty child who’d been caught in the act. He imagined Lupe having the same reaction and reminded himself that they were just scared girls. He was a hunter. He killed giants with his bare hands. Sure, he may get a little bruised from time to time, but he was still alive. He came out triumphant more often than not.

  “Feel better?” Krystal prodded, putting a hand on Brett’s shoulder.

  “Much better,” he admitted.

  Krystal nodded and glanced back over at Serene as the siren shifted on the bed.

  “She really is scared, isn’t she?” Brett whispered.

  “Yeah, I think she is.” Krystal looked around the small room before focusing back on Brett. “I think I can sleep much better now, having done this. Are you ready to go?”

  Brett shook his head. “No. But you go on. I’ll be fine here.”

  Smiling, Krystal gave his shoulder a squeeze before she left him alone with his fears.