The hunters started moving. Thane focused on the pile of dust, just like he'd been ordered. One by one, the rest left the area, until it was just him and Dale. His team leader was walking around, checking the ground for any potentially dropped clavum or sign they'd been there. Except for the trampled grass, there was nothing.
"You got in there fast," Dale finally said.
"Pretty sure we were all trying to do the same thing," Thane assured him.
"Yeah, but the rest of them aren't trying to make up for letting one get away." Dale looked up as if daring Thane to deny it.
Thane kicked the next lump of dust a little harder. "Yeah, so I fucking hate that the bitch got out the window. Do you blame me?"
"I'm just glad we didn't lose you," Dale told him. "I also don't want this redemption bullshit to be what gets you killed, so pull your head out of your ass."
"I had him," Thane snapped. "He was taking us down, and I knew I could get a good shot if I came in from below and to the side. It worked, so why am I in shit this time?"
Dale's response seemed to be about a different subject. "People are talking about your family again."
"Trust me," Thane said, "I know. Laird blindsided me yesterday, deciding to ride with me when I went to pick up lunch so we could talk about it."
"And?" Dale asked.
"My little brother was a pussy, ok? Long before he turned eighteen, he was a puss. We all know what happened to him. He refused to stake the demon, so he took the stake instead."
"And your mother?" Dale asked.
Thane focused on putting his clavum back into the loop on his belt. "Yeah. I was twelve. All I remember was that she was possessed. I remember Dad beating the shit out of all three of us for crying when she died. Back then, I didn't get it. All I knew was that my mom was gone. Now, I know that what happened was better than the alternative. I'm also going to make sure that whatever weakness let one get into her is never going to happen to me."
"That's all I needed to know," Dale assured him. "Because you seemed pretty damned sure that this boy was the same one as the dead kid back there."
"Because I was looking at the body for signs that it had been killed by a demon," Thane explained. "Punctures on the neck, sunken skin, things like that. Kinda don't want to be blindsided by a second one, you know?"
Dale reached over and patted Thane's shoulder as he turned them both back to where the SUVs were parked. "This was just a minor demon, newly released. We got it before it could do more than break a kid's nose and cheek. Priests intercepted the 9-1-1 call, and we moved fast enough."
"Makes me wonder if they get stronger the longer they're out, or if the strength comes from their time in Hell," Thane mumbled, mostly to himself.
Because the dead kid and the demon he'd staked fit with what they'd said about his mother. Her body hadn't dissolved, but the demon had been sent to Hell. And yet, with his mom, there still hadn't been the rush of a true death. He would've remembered that. This newly released demon had let off the wave of energy. It had been strong enough to knock a priest to his knees.
"Does it make a difference how they get strong?" Dale asked.
Thane shook his head. "Probably not, but I wonder if knowing would help us be more prepared. We might just be the grunts of the Church's defenses, but not dying is pretty high up there on my list."
"Then I'll ask," Dale promised.
"It almost feels like they level up or something," Thane said. "Some of these things come out with more power than I'd expect. Like that one. The death of it rocked the priests. Others have supposedly been around for a while, but they don't hit as hard when they die."
Dale's head snapped over. "Can you feel the deaths?"
"Can't you?" Thane asked.
"No," Dale said. "I can feel that there's a change in air pressure, but not what you're talking about. That sounds like the way the priests describe the power of Hell."
"Shit," Thane grumbled. "Then forget I said anything, Dale."
"What else are you keeping to yourself?" Dale asked.
Thane just sighed. "I'm not trying to keep anything. I just want to not cause problems, kill demons, and collect my paycheck at the end of the week so I can hit a bar, pick up some easy women, and pretend to be normal for a bit. That's it. My brother's the one who worries about all of this. I just go where I'm pointed."
"And you've killed more demons than anyone else on my team," Dale countered. "Trying to earn your own team or something?"
"I have no interest in getting stuck with a group of kids who can't even drink and think their clavum look like butt plugs," Thane assured him. "No offense, but you can enjoy all the glory. I'm just here to get a little revenge for the forces that fucked up my life."