Demons: A Hunter's Novel, Book 1 by Felicite Lilly

good P.I.
    I
couldn’t tell anyone about this. And thus, I was utterly alone. More alone now,
than ever. I’d never felt like a magical creature or supe. But, I had when Kai
had been in my room. I could only figure that Kai’s magic had awakened my own Fairy
magic.
    I
now had figured out what had blown up my house and had been telling Anie to
kill me: an Angel. It had to be. What other creature would wash peace over me
and be surrounded by blinding light. The Hunters knew nil about Angels. But why
kill me? Why not have her care for me, or awaken my Angel magic? Or maybe
whatever had been in my house had been a high up Demon? One that could trick
how I viewed them. It would have to have been Mastema himself. I had never met
the bastard but I would assume he would be something freaky like that.
    I’d
never been so lost before.
    And
I’d never wanted answers more.
    My
Father. I hoped I could control my features well enough for him not to see the discontent
in my eyes. I didn’t want to be this thing, this created tool, but somehow my Father
was involved. I just didn’t know how. Looks like all paths did lead to home. But
in my case, that wasn’t a good thing.

~XII~
    “Time to tell me the truth, To burden your mouth for what you say, No
pieces of paper in the way…”
    –Sara Bareilles, Between the Lines
    “Pretty
please with a cherry on top?” Asking Anie to take me to the Hunters HQ was not
easy.
    “No.
Your Father would love any excuse to get me ousted from any of the future
Council meetings.”
    “Listen,
I have to talk to him. It’s non-negotiable. He is the only one I can
talk to about getting back in with the Hunters.” I was lying to Anie, but it
was necessary. She didn’t need to be in anymore danger than she already was. I
was withholding because I needed to get into Headquarters to try and flush out
what my Father was up to.
    “No.
No fucking way. How many ways do you need me to say no until you understand?” I
had been pleading with her for a while.
    “I’ll
do anything.” Anie seemed to consider this and she seemed to like what she
found in that little head of hers. After a few minutes, she spoke.
    “I’ll
escort you on a few conditions.”
    Anie
had to take me. If she didn’t then I wouldn’t be allowed in the front door. I
knew my Father well enough to know that when he mandated something, it would be
followed, no questions asked. I was in Anie’s care so she had to be with me. Period.
And of course, Anie was going to have conditions. I didn’t blame her, I
wouldn’t have gone and been like: Okay, yeah, sure I will take you. No
problem. I’ll just piss off the head of the Hunters by just dropping you on his
doorstep, no questions asked.
    “Shoot.”
    “Don’t
tempt me.” Man, I must’ve really upset her. “One, you tell me everything about
what is said. I know that your Father will probably not want me in with you for
this little conference. So I want to know everything that is said. Capice?”
    “Absolutely.”
    “Two,
no more secrets, Laney. I want you to share everything with me from here on out.”
Oh, thank fuck she didn’t want retrospective information. I couldn’t share
everything I had learned previously. But I could keep her in the loop. Somewhat.
    I
put my fingers up like a good little girl scout, and said, “I promise.”
    “Well,
get your shit together so we can get this over with.” There was the Anie I knew
and loved.
    After
showing up at HQ and getting asked a thousand questions about why we were there,
we were allowed into the front door. We were then frisked by the guards, quite
thoroughly, and escorted to my Father’s white room, aka his waiting room. It
looked, smelled and felt like a hospital waiting room.
    I
had never had to wait before. I used to be the Hunter with free reign. The
daughter of the head Council member. But now I was treated like any other.
    Anie
kept making comments about how if it was just me I would have gotten through
with no