Page 79 of Soulmarked

“You were a hunter?” I asked, looking between her and Sterling, trying to reconcile the meticulous analyst I knew with someone who had fought monsters.

“For eight years,” she said with a slight shrug, her posture shifting to something more confident, more battle-ready. “Started when my sister was taken by a wendigo. The official report said animal attack, but I knew better.”

She crossed her arms, her tone becoming more matter-of-fact. “After that, I tracked down every piece of lore I could find, taught myself to fight, and eventually connected with other hunters. You learn fast when your life depends on it.”

Sean shook his head, a hint of incredulity in his expression. “So you went from taking down monster nests to analyzing data for the feds? Talk about a career change.”

“Says the hunter who's partnered with a federal agent,” Alana shot back. “Life takes unexpected turns, Cullen.”

“So while I was fumbling around in the dark,” Sean said with a smirk, “you had your own personal backup team watching your back? Must be nice.”

Sterling cleared his throat. “When you joined CITD, I knew you'd need someone who understood both worlds. Someone who could provide information without raising flags in the system.”

“So all this time, when I thought I was hiding my research from you...” I began.

“I was supplementing it,” Alana finished with a knowing smile. “Making sure you had what you needed without knowing there was already a support system in place. Sterling thought it was better if you found your own way to the truth.”

“Why keep me in the dark?” I asked, a hint of anger creeping into my voice.

“Because knowing too much too soon gets people killed,” Sterling said bluntly, but his voice had lost some of its earlier harshness. “After what happened to your parents, we needed to let you come to terms with this world at your own pace. The mark you carry, it attracts attention. Not all of it friendly.”

Sean moved forward, rubbing a hand over his face. “Look, this family therapy session is touching and all, but can we get to the part where you tell us what the hell is going on? Preferably before whatever's trying to eat the world actually succeeds.”

Sterling nodded, his lips twitching at Sean's impatience as he gestured for Alana to continue while reaching back into the safe.

“O'Brien's research,” Alana spread the decoded pages across Sterling's desk, her movements efficient and practiced. “It wasn't just about Phoenix's experiments. He found evidence they're trying to summon specific entities. Princes of Hell.”

“Awesome,” Sean muttered, crossing his arms. “Because regular demons weren't enough of a headache. Let me guess, we get to clean up the mess with some rock salt, holy water, and a prayer?”

Sterling's expression tightened as he studied the pages, but his voice was gentler when he looked up at me. “Tell me about the demon you encountered. The one in the tunnels. What color were its eyes?”

The question seemed odd, but something in his tone made my skin crawl. “Bright blue,” I said, remembering that unnatural glow. “Like lightning trapped in ice.”

“Son of a bitch.” Sterling slammed his hand on the desk, but the anger wasn't directed at us. “That wasn't just any demon. That was Asmodeus, Prince of Wrath. And if he's already manifesting strongly enough to maintain physical form...”

“We're screwed?” Lex offered helpfully.

Sterling's face darkened as he leaned forward. “We're running out of time,” he said, the words heavy with certainty. Then his expression shifted, the hard edges softening as he looked at me directly. “Cade, there's something you need to know. About your parents. About me. And it's not going to be easy to hear.”

My chest tightened. “Sir?”

“I wasn't always CITD.” He met my eyes steadily, the gruff exterior falling away to reveal raw honesty. “Twenty years ago, I was Hallow. One of their best hunters, or so they told me. Until the night your parents died.”

The world tilted sideways. I gripped the edge of his desk, trying to stay upright as everything I thought I knew about my life rearranged itself. “You... what?”

“I knew Richard and Elizabeth,” Sterling continued, his voice gruff but gentle. “We worked together, tracking signs of demonic activity in the city. They were brilliant. Your father could spot patterns no one else saw, and your mother... she had a way of knowing things, sensing power that ordinary people couldn't perceive.”

“What do you mean? She could sense power?” My voice came out steadier than I felt, the floor beneath me suddenly less solid.

Sterling met my eyes directly. “She was a witch, Cade. A powerful one who turned hunter after seeing what darkness really existed in the world. She could trace supernatural energy to its source, feel disturbances that eluded our instruments.”

I shook my head, memories of my perfectly normal childhood home flashing through my mind. Tea parties and bedtime stories. Science experiments in the kitchen. No spells, no rituals, nothing remotely supernatural. “That's not possible. I would have known.”

“They kept it from you to protect you,” Sterling said quietly, all traces of his earlier harshness gone. “They wanted you to have a normal life, free from the dangers that followed her. That's why they left hunting behind when you were born. At least, they tried to.”

Sean moved closer to me, his presence steady and grounding. “Family secrets, huh? Join the club.” The quip was light, but his eyes were understanding.

“The night they died,” Sterling's voice caught slightly, “we'd found evidence that something big was coming. Something ancient. Your parents figured out Phoenix was involved, but we didn't know how deep it went.” He looked down at his hands. “I was supposed to be their backup that night. But I was delayed, following another lead. By the time I got there...”

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