Hounacier (Valducan Book 2) Read Online Free Page A

each wing. It opened ruby eyes and shrieked a piercing scream.
    Gunshots erupted as one of the officers fired his pistol, not caring about the crowd around him. Bloody holes popped open along the creature's skin then closed. The monster spun and hissed.
    Ulises charged.
    He swung the machete, but the beast sprung back with a flap. Leather wings ruffled as it swiped its claws. The old man ducked and spun to the side, Hounacier out before him.
    "Watch her." The teen's grip loosened and slid away. "Learn the steps."
    The beast lunged, snapping its jaws. Ulises lurched back, barely escaping the iron teeth, but one of the taloned wings raked his upper arm, splitting open a pair of long cuts down his bicep. The monster moved in. Ulises raised his wounded left arm, displaying his palm. The lidded tattoo opened wide, and the creature recoiled. Keeping the hand up, Ulises thrust Hounacier forward, but the beast flapped and hopped back, landing atop the painted pole.
    Remembering the heavy sawed-off at his hip, Malcolm drew it and aimed the gun in both hands. He pulled the trigger. It didn't move. He squeezed it harder until his finger hurt.
    Ulises ran forward and jumped, slicing the machete down into one of the beast's hooked feet. It screamed and fell backward, wings flailing. It hit the ground with a hard thump, nearly hitting the loa Erzulie. Snarling, it hobbled upright. It snapped its jaws as Ulises dove toward it. He ducked below the attack and hacked the blade into the crook of the monster's neck. Blood exploded from the wound. It thrashed, knocking the flat of a wing hard into Ulises, but he drove the blade up under its ribs.
    Brilliant purple and white fire burst from the wound at the creature's neck. It spread like lit gasoline across its body. Malcolm feared it might burn the old man, but Ulises didn't appear concerned about the flames. He wrenched the blade from the corpse and stood, straddling it. No smoke came from the fire. In fact, it didn't even seem to burn.
    Panting, Ulises turned and met Malcolm's horrified stare. Burning blood dripped from Hounacier's blade. Stepping over the hideous corpse, the tattooed priest approached. Blood from the wound at his arm ran down to his hand. He reached out and touched the end of Malcolm's still-extended gun, gently pushing it down and leaving a pair of red fingerprints.
    Ulises glanced down at the weapon. "The safety is still on."
    Releasing a breath, Malcolm let go of the trigger. His lips shook, struggling to form words. "What…what the fuck!"
    Ulises didn't react to the sudden outburst. "Do you believe, Malcolm Romero?"
    The loa all circled the flaming monster, cradling it. The young woman from the crowd pushed her way forward. Sobbing, she fell to her knees beside it.
    Malcolm sucked a breath, trying to calm himself. His heart still pounded in his ears. "What is that?"
    "A demon." Ulises glanced back. The loa had laid the crumpled monster on its back. Several were crying. "An asanbosam. Its soul is now burning away." He stared back at Malcolm. "Do you now believe?"
    Malcolm nodded.
    A smile curled at the side of the old man's lips. "Then I will teach you. I will make you a hunter."
    "What?"
    "I am old, Malcolm. I feel it. Someone must carry Hounacier. You are her groom, and I will teach you."
    A thousand questions whirled though Malcolm's head. He stared at the monster that everything he'd ever known told him shouldn't exist. The white-shirted officers unlocked the broken cuff from their prisoner's wrist. He embraced one of them, tears of joy running down his face. The fire along the demon's body had begun to fade, and with it, its grotesque features seemed to melt back into the body of the dead bald man.
    "Do you accept this offer, Malcolm?" Ulises asked.
    The teenage Papa Ghede looked up from the beastly corpse. His one eye met Malcolm's, and the boy smiled. In that moment, Malcolm realized the loa was real.
    "Do you accept?" the old man repeated.
    Malcolm felt himself