Demons: A Hunter's Novel, Book 1 Read Online Free Page A

that every Hunter kept on their homes and only a Hunter
could etch it into a Hunter’s wall. It would allow Az to enter, anytime. It was
my branch to him.
    “My
symbol’s changed.”
    Of
course I knew that, he had moved up in the ranks. He drew it for me with his
blood on a blank piece of white paper. It was the only way a Demon could draw
their symbol for an outsider to know what it was. He handed it to me and I felt
as though my whole world was burning around me.
    Demons’
symbols are meant to be of darkness and pain. Az’s symbol before was a twisted circle
around a blade. Now his symbol was a circle cut in half with the same blade
lying between the two halves and the halves of the circle were filled with his
blood, so dark it looked black. The circle spoke of continuity and safety. Before
it had been twisted, it was still whole and not completely broken. Az’s circle had
been severed. No longer whole. No longer what it used to be. No longer what he
used to be.
    “Has
it ever.”
    Unless
I was misreading it – which I knew I wasn’t – he now sat at the right hand of
Mastema, also known as the Devil. Mastema was the original fallen Angel but had
twisted into something dark and raw. Just as my Az had.
    “You
did a number on me Laney. Just put my symbol up. Do this for me.”
    Az
knew with that little plea, I would give in immediately. All it took was do
this for me and I was his. I felt an overwhelming need to do what I could
for him when I could do it. And this I could definitely do.
    “Okay.”
    I
grabbed a notepad that had his name embossed on it with a glittering white ink
that looked like it was moving – apparently working so close with Mastema had
its perks – and wrote down my phone number. I handed it to him.
    I
wondered how good of an idea this was anymore. If he was this high up, how
could he not know what was going on? If he had tortured the lower Demons, and
they said it was coming from a higher up, which would have to be Mastema,
wouldn’t he have shared it with Az? I was up shit’s creek without a paddle and
there was a waterfall up ahead.
    I
tore the piece of paper off the notepad but hesitated handing over the small
slip with my number on it. He grabbed my hand with the paper in it, and ran
small circles with his thumb over my knuckles. I tried to pull my hand away
before I started to read anything into it. Az held my hand in place along with
the piece of paper.
    "Embossed
letterhead, with your name on it. Nice perk." I said. Azrael looked at me
confused.
    "You
can see my name on there?" He asked gesturing to the paper still being
held between our hands.
    "Uh,
yeah? Weird ink though." I said, as he continued to study me. "What's
wrong?"
    "It's
Demon magic. You shouldn't be able to see it. Not unless you are a Demon."
He said. I had a sinking feeling this had something to do with the entourage
following me.
    “Maybe
this isn’t such a good idea.”
    Call
me a coward but I was scared of dealing with what lay up ahead, mostly because
I couldn’t see what was coming. I would lose myself again, not that I was
afraid of that, but I was afraid I would have to walk away from him again. I
could never do that again.
    “Stop
over thinking this.” Az knew me well. “Just trust me.”
    “I
do.” I paused pulling my hand back, but leaving the paper in his hand. “I
better hit the road. Thanks for the heads up.” I said, avoiding his gaze.
    I
turned, fully meaning to leave without another word. I heard him let out a
heavy sigh.
    “Nothing’s
changed, Laney. My offer still stands.” His last words to me when we had our
huge blow out break up six months ago, as I stood almost identical to how I was
standing now, was I would give it all up, for you. They floated over my
torn heart again, without ever being spoken. Still trying to pull the broken
pieces back together.
     I
said the only words I could.
    “I
could never ask you to do that.” I shut the door behind me and heard something
being