*~*~*
I wanted to rip open the door and run for my life, but I couldn't. My knees wobbled, my lungs seized, my heart pounded like my brother Seth's drums, and a series of cold chills played tag on my spine. And you don't want to know about my stomach. Trust me. Too much information doesn't begin to cover it.
But sooner than I would’ve expected, my racing brain calmed. A serene acceptance washed through my mind and I knew, absolutely, positively, with no question of doubt, that whoever Warwick James might be, he'd spoken the truth. I was a born and bred Demon Hunter.
I slipped sideways away from the door and leaned against the peeling paint of an interior wall. One by one my pieces parts returned to normal until I found the strength to speak.
"I'm a demon hunter." A simple statement of fact, and once the words were out, I straightened away from the wall, stronger and more sure of myself than I'd ever been in my life. I made eye contact with Wick and nodded. "I'm a demon hunter."
Concern fled from his face and he smiled like a proud father presented with his first-born. "Yes, Miss Erickson. You are a demon hunter, and I am your guardian."
A small frown pulled at my eyebrows. "Why would a demon hunter need a guardian? Besides, I already have a father and six brothers."
"True, but can they teach you to fight? Can they see demons? Can they watch your back while you learn the skills you'll need to survive?"
I chewed my lower lip and prowled the room, keeping my new awareness centered on Wick. "You can see demons? You can train me?"
"I can and I will. That is my purpose: to find demon hunters and protect them while I train them to protect mankind."
"I'm missing something here. If you can see demons and already know how to fight, why do you need me?"
He pivoted slowly on the spot, keeping me squarely in the center of his vision despite my pacing. "I'm not a demon hunter, Miss Erickson. I don't have your, shall we say built-in radar? I can fight them and make a nuisance of myself, but I cannot kill them. That power is reserved for your kind." He bowed his head in acknowledgement of my superior abilities.
"I will be your mentor and trainer, but you, Miss Erickson, are the demon hunter."
I stopped pacing, faced him, and planted my fists on my hips. "What is this place? Why did you bring me here?"
He held out his arms and completed a slow circle. "This is my new business, a martial arts academy. I will teach Tae Kwon Do, Karate, Judo, and Kendo. You will learn a blend of all of them while developing your own unique style."
"Doesn't look like much," I muttered.
He threw back his head and laughed so loud the room echoed with his mirth. When the explosion of sound died back, he wiped his eyes and said, "Give me a chance, Miss Erickson. Madame Simone and I have barely had time to set our plans in motion. She only confirmed your burgeoning power on Saturday night. I think I've done well to find a Main Street location on such short notice."
My eyes widened and my jaw dropped. "Madame Simone? Do you mean that wacko fortune teller from the carnival?"
"Language, Miss Erickson. Madame Simone is a gifted psychic. She and I have been with the carnival for years. The perfect cover for traveling around the country checking up on families that might possibly produce a demon hunter. Now that we've found you, we will settle in Longmont and other members of our clan will make the rounds." He shook his head. "Possibles are far too few these days."
I filed that comment away for future consideration and wandered back to the door. "Okay. So let's assume I buy this crazy story," I said, all too aware of the lie implied. I believed him and he knew it. How could I not? Even now I sensed three demonic entities roaming Longmont's peaceful streets ... and they were just the ones in range of my newly awakened weird-o-meter. "What do you expect me to do?"
He strode to the door, reached for the knob and opened it for me with a small bow. "I expect you to assimilate your new knowledge. Rest tonight. Think about what you’ve learned, and come back tomorrow ready to begin your training."
I stared at him for a moment and then stepped out into the late August sunshine. "I've got to meet my brother."
"I'll look for you around ten," he said, joining me on the sidewalk. He glanced up and down the street before continuing, "I'll shadow you back to your brother. For your own safety, go straight home and stay there. The home of a hunter is sacrosanct. You will always be safe there, as will anyone else within its walls. Be vigilant, Miss Erickson. You are now aware of demons; they are also aware of you."
With that cheery thought, I headed north to meet Jamie, Warwick James following at a discreet distance.