Page 59 of Soulmarked

“Didn't think I needed hunter backup for what looked like corporate murder.” The mark pulsed cold against my chest as we reached the front door. Deep gouges ran through the solid oak, like something with impossible claws had torn its way inside. “Starting to think I was wrong about that.”

We moved in sync, weapons drawn, falling into a rhythm we probably should have discussed but somehow just knew. The interior was dark except for strange patterns of light thrown by dozens of scattered salt lines and silver crosses, attempts at protection that clearly hadn't been enough.

The metallic tang of blood hit us at the top of the stairs. Diana's bedroom door hung askew on broken hinges, and beyond...

“Jesus.” The word came out barely above a whisper.

Diana Sullivan lay crumpled beside an ornate mirror, surrounded by scattered salt and silver that had failed to save her. The cause of death was obvious, the same bloodless grey pallor that had marked her husband's corpse. But the expression frozen on her face spoke of terrors beyond simple death.

Movement flickered in the broken mirror, just for a moment, but enough to make both our heads snap up. Through the shattered glass, something dark and fluid disappeared over the building's edge.

“Contact!” Sean was already moving, hunter's instincts taking over. “East side, heading for the roof!”

We burst through the fire escape door just in time to see a figure drop into the alley below, its landing too smooth, too controlled for anything human. It flowed through shadows like water finding the path of least resistance, each movement a mockery of natural physics.

“CITD! Stop!” I shouted, though some part of me knew federal authority meant nothing to whatever this was. My gun barked twice, rounds that should have dropped any normal target. The figure didn't even flinch.

“Regular bullets won't work on that thing!” Sean vaulted a dumpster beside me, his own shot going wide as our quarry cut through a maze of abandoned scaffolding. “Need something with more bite!”

We chased it down 5th Avenue, past startled pedestrians whose eyes seemed to slide right off the supernatural pursuit happening in their midst. The thing moved like mercury through the city streets, flowing around obstacles that should have stopped anything solid.

“Down!” Sean tackled me as the thing suddenly reversed direction, moving faster than thought. Claws carved furrows in the pavement where we'd been standing. The stench of sulfur filled the air.

I rolled to my feet, squeezing off three more shots. Silver rounds this time. The bullets passed through it like it was made of smoke, leaving brief holes that closed like water.

“Fecking hell!” Sean's blade sang through the air, drawing a line of black ichor that seemed to evaporate before hitting the ground. “Nothing's sticking!”

The thing laughed and launched itself through evening traffic. Cars swerved wildly, horns blaring as drivers responded to danger they couldn't quite process. It was playing with us now.

“Any bright ideas?” I vaulted the hood of a taxi, feeling the mark pulse colder with each step closer to our prey. “Because I'm running out of ammunition that doesn't work!”

Sean's grin was fierce in the streetlight. “Aye, might have something special for our friend.” He pulled something from his jacket, bullets that seemed to glow faintly in the growing dark. “Holy oil infused. Bit more bite than your fancy silver.”

The thing led us on a desperate chase across Manhattan's rooftops, each impossible leap carrying it further from natural law.

I lined up a shot, compensating for movement that didn't follow normal rules. The bullet caught it mid-leap, and for a moment, everything stopped.

It hung suspended between buildings, its human disguise peeling away like burning paper. Darkness leaked from the wound, not blood but something older, something that moved with terrible purpose. Then it dropped, hitting the alley below with a sound like reality tearing.

We found it trying to crawl away, its form flickering between human and demon.

“Last chance,” Sean growled, silver edge drawing a line of black ichor. “What are they planning?”

Its laugh was like glass breaking underwater. “The marked one thinks he can stop what's coming? The Prince will...”

Sean's blade ended whatever it was about to say. Black smoke poured from its eyes and mouth, carrying harmonics that mademy teeth ache. The cloud writhed like a living thing, trying to maintain cohesion, but whatever Sean had done was forcing it down, down into cracks in the pavement that suddenly looked deeper than they should be.

“What the hell?” I shoved Sean back, fury rising hot and sharp. “It was about to tell us something! About whatever's really happening...”

“It was going to tell us what it wanted us to hear,” Sean cut in, his voice steady despite my anger. “Demons lie, Cade. They twist truth into weapons, feed you just enough reality to make their poison go down smooth.”

“You don't know that! This could have been...”

“Could have been what?” His hand found my shoulder, grip firm but not unkind. “Could have given us information that wouldn't drive us mad? That wouldn't cost more than it was worth? Trust me on this. I've seen what happens when you let them talk too long.”

The fight drained out of me as I watched the body dissolve into grey powder. He was right, of course he was right. But that didn't make the frustration any easier to swallow.

“Come on,” Sean said quietly. “We need to get back to the house. Make sure nothing else came through while we were chasing this one.”

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