Demon Hunter (Divine Justice 1) Read online

  Demon Hunter

  Book 1 in the Divine Justice series

  The demon population is growing out of control and vampires are mankind's best hope for survival.

  Divine Syndicate's top field agent, Anna, hits the streets with her partner to locate the master demon responsible for the increase in possessed humans. But finding the person won't be easy. The city is in a state of disarray with crime, poverty, and drug use at an all-time high. While Anna and her partner search for the master, they encounter more trouble than expected. As defenders of the human race, vampires want to save lives and exorcise the demons to send them back to Hell for good. Anna fears the worst is yet to come when demons aim to destroy the best protectors for all species. She'll stop at nothing to prevent evil from ruling on Earth.

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  Demon Hunter (Divine Justice, 1)

  ©Copyright 2017 Mary Abshire

  ISBN: 978-0-9986820-0-6

  Cover Art by Susan Garwood

  This is a work of fiction. Characters, names, and events are from the author's wild imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (such as electronic, mechanical, photocopying, printing, recording, scanning or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

  License Notes: This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.

  Warning

  This book contains language and violence.

  Chapter One

  May 14th

  Anna sat in the passenger seat of Glenn’s new Lexus, staring at the photograph of the thin twenty-three-year-old African American man with short bushy hair, a goatee, and two front gold teeth. He had a smirk on his face. The white part of one of his eyes showed a dark smudge. Humans always overlooked the blotch. It was a mug shot, after all, and they never came out well. Most supernatural creatures would know better. The spot wasn’t some random imperfection on the picture. It indicated something more.

  “And how did Rachel get a tip about this…Jamal?” she asked, looking at the name under the picture.

  Glenn continued to gaze out the windshield. He’d parked a block down from the nightclub to monitor the entrance. Other shops along the street had been boarded up or had bars over the windows and doors. Broken glass and beer bottles littered the alley near the club. The east side of Indianapolis had deteriorated over the last two decades. Most businesses had shut down. Crime and drugs had risen. The murder rate had increased too. Many had moved away and abandoned homes, leaving plenty of vacancies for squatters. The city had few funds to help and insensitive local leaders turned a blind eye. Needless to say, nice cars rarely stayed parked for long in the area. She couldn’t blame Glenn for being worried about his shiny new mode of transportation.

  “A vampire called the hotline and said he visits the club on occasion. He noticed Jamal talking to drug addicts and then leaving with them. He obtained Jamal’s name from overhearing a conversation between Jamal and a guy before they left together. The vamp said he didn’t get close enough to confirm if Jamal was possessed—”

  “You mean, a demon,” she corrected.

  Glenn rolled his eyes. “Same thing. Since the vamp had seen Jamal several times in the past two weeks leaving with addicts, the vamp suspected something wasn’t right.”

  Evil spirits who possessed humans were known as demons. Glenn, and other newbies a century old or less, preferred calling them possessed. Together, Glenn and Anna worked for the Divine Syndicate, an organization composed of vampires to save humans from demons and prevent them from taking over the human race. Supernatural creatures were susceptible to possession too, but only at their weakest point. Since it took less effort to possess a human, demons sought them out as hosts. They mostly preyed upon the feeble minded, drug addicts, hopeless, poor, desolate, ill, and dying. To get rid of the demons, DS agents had to exorcise them. Anna and her kind were immune to possession. Her soul had been cemented to her body when she’d died and it could only leave upon her permanent demise. Therefore, vamps were the best defenders of all species.

  Now, the reason why demons had been allowed on Earth remained unclear. Many speculated the almighty had put demons on Earth for all creatures to learn from, not to do wrong, but to become better and help others. Through mistakes, one acquires knowledge and advances. Some believed demons existed to instill fear in humans and to keep them believing in God. All of God’s original creations had been exterminated before Christ, so they had no evidence revealing why demons existed. The basis for them no longer mattered to Anna. Evil spirits belonged in Hell.

  “So, Rachel ran his name and found he had quite a record,” Anna said as she scanned over Jamal’s rap sheet on the right side of the file in her hands.

  The young adult had been arrested numerous times for theft, drugs, and traffic violations. But the maximum time he’d spent in prison had been nine months. The judge had released him for good behavior and because of jail overcrowding.

  “Yep, all signs seem to indicate he’s possessed, especially the mug shot,” Glenn said.

  Dark spots in the eyes were a big clue. Most people didn’t notice since the small blotches remained hidden the majority of the time. Demons could control them. The blemishes often appeared when demons wanted to show anger, strength, or cockiness. Anna suspected Jamal wanted to do the latter when he had his picture taken. When a human died with a demon inside, the black matter would disperse and shade the white part to gray. Humans always considered it part of normal decomposition since they had no other excuse for it. Of course, they couldn’t explain why this happened to some and not others.

  Anna closed the file and slid it under the seat where no one could see it. “Well, we’ve had other tips about the demon population growing. If this Jamal fellow is gathering people to bring more demons over or if he’s doing the job himself, then we need to stop him.”

  Glen removed his keys from the ignition. “How do you want to play this?”

  She zipped up her leather jacket, concealing her gun and dagger. Of course, she had other blades tucked within her knee-high boots she could access if she needed to. “We’ll go inside and look for him. You’ll cover the back exit and wait. If we don’t see him, we’ll stay a little while and mingle.”

  “And if you do find him?” Glenn asked.

  “I’ll be nice, maybe flirt a little and see if he wants to sell me some drugs or go out for a date. Maybe he won’t notice I’m a vampire with all the heat in the club.”

  “You flirt and date?”

  She smacked his arm with the back of her hand. “Quit trying to be funny and let’s go, unless you want to stay in this neighborhood and see if someone takes a liking to your car.”

  He said nothing and shoved his door open.

  Anna caught up to him in front of the vehicle. Unlike Glenn, she looked more like a club hopper than he did. She had tight black jeans and a black sweater under her jacket. She hated feeling cold all the time but it was a fact of life, or death in her case. Glenn had donned a regular pair of jeans and a plaid button-down top over a navy blue t-shirt. He had short brown hair, darker compared to her reddish-brown locks. His bangs fluttered in the
breeze when he walked. Even with her three-inch heeled boots, he stood taller than her by several inches.

  “Has Rachel mentioned she’d like to work in the field sometime?” he asked as they crossed the street.

  “No, she hasn’t.”

  “She told me she wants to.”

  Anna stepped up on the curb and came to a halt. “Did she ask you to tell me?”

  He slid his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. “You’ve been training her since the 1980s.”

  “So.” She crossed her arms.

  “You put me in the field within years after I’d turned.”

  “Times were different in the early 1930s. The world is more advanced, violent, and full of technology today. She’s a smart woman and I value her help in the office.”

  “She wants to do more than research and run errands. Besides, why train her to fight if you didn’t plan to put her in the field?”

  Anna shook her head and her ponytail swung behind her head. “I’ll think about it.” She started heading toward the club.

  Glenn strode next to her. “All I’m saying is you trained her like you trained me. Why not give her a chance?”

  “Like I said, I’ll think about it. Let’s focus on finding this Jamal first.”

  Anna intended to take Rachel on an assignment at some point, but Rachel’s skills and quick thinking in the office had helped Anna find demons. Although she’d hate to lose Rachel as a valuable source for information, there were plenty of others who could step up to the plate.

  The increase in the demon population over the last fifteen years concerned Anna too. As if she were a protective mother, Anna didn’t want Rachel to face a group of demons and freak out. The vamp fought well in training, but the rules of combat were different on the streets. Maybe she’d consider bringing Rachel with her in the field after Anna located the sources of the upsurge of demons and exorcised them.

  Reaching the entrance to the club, Anna opened the door. Loud hip-hop music screamed as she stepped inside. With her superior hearing, she attuned her focus to the other sounds in the room, such as heartbeats, laughs, voices, and clanks of glass. The scent of sweat, perfume, and body odors overwhelmed her and she switched off her sense of smell. It wouldn’t serve a purpose in a crowded room anyway.

  The long club had a bar in the front with guests crowding the counter. Men and women occupied the tables on the other side of the room. In the far back, people danced to the pulsing noise.

  Anna paused near the middle of the bar and scanned the area, except for the dance floor. Glenn brushed his elbow along her back as he passed her. Although the club had a high attendance, she managed to scan the faces and bodies quick enough. She spotted a man with Jamal’s build and hair length. He wore baggy denim pants and an oversized basketball jersey with no sleeves. A demon’s temperature always ran hotter than a normal human’s. A tattoo covered one of his shoulders. When he turned his head, she confirmed it was Jamal.

  Heading for the suspected demon standing at the bar, she unzipped her jacket half way. Her V-neck sweater would show enough flesh to entice, she hoped. On Jamal’s left, a man sat on a stool, talking to woman with dark locks. Jamal faced a young gal with blonde hair. Space was limited, but Anna didn’t need much to wedge between the backs of both men. And if the human looked at her, she could send him away with a quick mental push.

  She stopped behind the two men. The steady rhythm of their heartbeats sounded much better than the trash playing on the speakers. The blonde talking to Jamal kept twirling a strand of her hair. Anna didn’t have dyed hair or big boobs, but she knew how to flirt as much as any other woman.

  She squeezed between the bodies, brushing her chest against the stranger next to Jamal. When he turned and met her gaze she forced a command into his head, telling him to go dance. He downed the last of his drink before he left. The woman he’d been speaking with decided to follow.

  Anna claimed the man’s vacated seat and lifted her hand for the nearest bartender. He was a large fellow with hair so thin and fine he should’ve shaved it all off. A gold chain hung around his thick neck. His black t-shirt had the logo for the club on the front. He removed the glass before wiping the counter.

  “What can I get you?” he asked.

  “Two shots of patron please.” She fished her wallet from one of the pockets in her jacket.

  “Can I see some ID?”

  She opened her small billfold and revealed her driver’s license. The question hadn’t surprised her. Servers always carded her every time she ordered alcohol. She’d died when she’d been nineteen so her youthful look would never change.

  The bartender checked her identification before he clanked the glasses on the counter. Jamal shifted his attention her way. She smiled at him and he returned the greeting.

  “Thirsty?” she asked as the server poured the liquor into the glasses.

  “You buyin’?” Jamal asked.

  “If you’ll drink with me, sure. I need a drinking partner.”

  “I never refuse a pretty lady who pays,” Jamal said.

  She looked at the bartender. “Can I get two more please?” She put enough cash on the countertop for all four and a nice tip.

  Ignoring the blonde, Jamal twisted to face Anna. The gal didn’t seem to mind. In fact, she took the opportunity to walk away.

  “So what’s a pretty girl like you doing here?” Jamal asked as he took one of the shots. He downed it fast.

  “Oh, you know, I’m looking for a little action.” Anna tossed the liquor into her mouth. The fluid tasted horrible. She covered her lips with the back of her hand while she resisted spitting it out. Although alcohol affected humans, it didn’t do anything to vampires. She only consumed the nasty drink to give the appearance she was human.

  “Oh yeah?” He grinned and showed off his gold teeth while he raked his gaze down her.

  “Do you think I can find some kind of action here?”

  She lifted the second drink. Jamal took his and together they downed the liquor. She returned the glass to the counter and kept her hand on it. After Jamal set his drink down he placed his hand on top of hers.

  “I know where you can find some action,” he said, rubbing the top of her hand.

  Her gaze darted from his touch to his eyes. A dark blob swirled near the edge of one. Seeing it, she had no doubt a demon possessed him. She wondered if he would notice her icy flesh. If she moved away from him, he’d suspect something was wrong. She decided to continue to flirt. Maybe she’d get lucky and he wouldn’t recognize what she was.

  “Where might I find this action you speak of?” She widened her grin.

  His fingers stopped and the playful expression on his face slid away. He took a step back and bumped into a man behind him. His heart began to beat faster.

  “Something wrong?” she asked in an innocent tone.

  He sucked on his gold teeth and shook his head. “I know what you are.”

  “And what’s that?” She lowered her canines and inched her lip up enough for him to see.

  He shook his head again as he scanned the room. She wanted to leave in a quiet and peaceful manner, but demons were true to their nature. They were never diplomatic or cooperative at all.

  Before she could get her next words out, he shoved her. Anna fell against the person behind her while Jamal took off running to the back of the club. Without delay, she ran after him. He darted between bodies on the dance floor. Anna followed, but a large curvy woman with big breasts and a skin-tight red dress stepped in her way. Anna bumped into her.

  “Bitch,” the gal said.

  “Sorry.” Anna rolled around the gal to continue on her path after the demon.

  She hurried toward the exit and hoped Glenn would catch Jamal. Dodging between bodies, she reached the hall to the back. Frustration shot through her when she found Glenn on the floor, trying to get up. The door began to close. She paused and took his hand.

  “He shoved me,” Glenn said as she hefted h
im to his feet.

  “Me too.”

  She pushed the door open and took off after Jamal, listening to the patter of his feet. He couldn’t outrun them. The demon was in a human body. While the possessed had more strength and stamina than a normal human, vampires and werewolves were still far superior. Vampires sat at the top of the food chain and always have, which was why demons hated them so much.

  She turned the corner and Glenn caught up to her side. The distance between them and Jamal shortened. Jamal huffed and swung his arms, trying to speed up. His pants hung low, as if they were ready to slide down his legs. She stretched her arm to grab him. Reaching an alley, he turned and she missed catching him. She followed and with a few more strides, she slapped her hand on his shoulder.

  She came to a halt and yanked Jamal back while Glenn passed her by a few feet. Jamal crashed onto the pavement with a grunt. He scrambled to get back up. Anna grabbed one of his arms and then shoved him face first into the nearby building. His head thudded on the brick. When he turned around, he had a gash on his forehead. Blood leaked from it. The scent of the deep-red fluid reminded her she needed to quench her thirst later. Dazed, he stood there instead of trying to run. Not taking any chances he might flee again, she gripped his throat and pinned him to the wall. Darkness consumed his eyes.

  “Who is your master?” she asked.

  He pressed his hands against her chest and attempted to push her back. “What makes you think I’m not one?”

  “I’m not a fool. You’re a weakling. A master would’ve been able to fight back.”

  Glenn stood by with his hands on his hips. “We know you’re gathering people. Tell us who you’re taking them to.”

  Jamal laughed. She tightened her hold around his neck.

  “Bitch,” Jamal spat.

  She threw him to the ground. He coughed and struggled to breathe. When he lifted his head toward her, she punched him. A bone crunched on his face.