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What a waste of time.
Spearfish Canyon loomed in front of me, lit by the moon hanging lazily above the pine trees. Usually, it was nothing more than a slow moving creek, but the recent rains had flooded the canyon until it rushed like a raging river through the National Forest. I peered over the bank at the water, about twenty feet below. Nothing was getting past that tonight. It might be better to call it a night and resume the demon hunting tomorrow.
The muffled sound of feet padding through the forest caught my attention. Demons. Now we were cooking.
I lowered down into a crouch, my fingers tracing the cold metal of my dagger. The semi-darkness of the forest kept me hidden. With one flick of the wrist, I could take out anything that popped out of the line of trees. My knife throws were getting much better. All I had to do was wait.
A shadow stepped out from the ridge of trees. Tall and lean, it paused just short of the moonlight. My fingers itched to throw the dagger. But before I got the chance, a second shadow joined it. It stood just as tall, with broad shoulders and long arms.
I cursed under my breath. So far, I’d been lucky enough to come across single demons in the woods. Fighting two big ones might be pushing my skills. Still, if I didn’t push myself, I’d never get better.
Forgetting about the dagger, my fingers closed around the gun I’d pilfered last week. I’d managed to avoid using it up until now. Guns were loud and drew unwanted attention. But if I had to face two demons, I’d rather have the speed of silver-coated bullets behind my assault.
I trained the weapon on the second shadow, aiming for the chest. One shot to the heart was all I needed. Then, it would be one on one. Good odds.
I liked the idea.
My finger pulled the trigger ever so slightly. Then, a slightly shrill version of Raquel’s voice entered my head. Squeeze, don’t pull the trigger, Lizzy. She’d been so excited about learning to shoot. Every day, she ran over all the details of shooting with me. I relaxed my grip and then squeezed the trigger, waiting for the kick of the gun.
The shadows stepped forward into the moonlight and my heart nearly stopped. In the pale cool light of the night stood Gabe and Luke. But it was too late. The trigger sprung back and the gun went off.
Bang!
Luckily for Gabe, I was still a terrible shot. The bullet whizzed over his head to the left and into the dark forest. He ducked and yanked a dagger from his boot, a scowl ingrained on his lips.
I screeched and threw the gun down the bank of the Spearfish Canyon as if it’d turned into molten lava. My heart was beating rapidly, threatening to disengage from my vessels and drop to the bottom of my stomach.
I clasped a hand to my chest and panted. “Why’d you scare me like that?”
“Lizzy?” Gabe’s mouth fell open when he realized it was me. “What are you talking about? You’re the one who nearly blew my head off.”
Shaking my head, I hid my trembling hands behind my back. “I wouldn’t have done that if you weren’t sneaking around in the dark. What are you doing out here?”
Quick, I told myself. Try to think of an excuse for being out here. Nothing was coming to mind. They wouldn’t buy a midnight stroll. I was busted for sure.
“We were looking for you,” Luke said in a throaty voice. He had a sword in his hand and a wicked ax tied to his belt. “We thought we’d come up on a demon trail. Instead, we find you. Mind telling us why you’re out here? I’d like to hear it from my own daughter’s mouth why she found it necessary to sneak off into the forest night after night and put herself in danger.”
I winced at the steely tone in Luke’s voice. Raquel must’ve cracked. I should’ve known she wouldn’t be able to keep the secret much longer.
“I’m training.” Pushing my chin up high, I pursed my lips. No reason to lie now. Time to come clean. “No one wants to train me, I’ll do it myself. I’ve been getting so strong, so fast. You’d never b
elieve it.”
“Oh, I believe it.” Luke glanced at Gabe. Even in the moonlight, I could see the disappointment in his face. It stung like a million bee stings. “You are, after all, my daughter. But I am also deeply frustrated by your lack of obedience. How many times must I make it clear to you that you are a danger to yourself and others without control?”
The impact of his words caused me to take an involuntary step backwards. Tears sprang to the corners of my eyes. Luke was the only family I had left. I didn’t want him to hate me.
“I’m trying to learn control.” My voice felt small and whiny to my ears. “Don’t you see? I’m trying to become a proper Nephilim.”
“There’s more to a Nephilim than killing demons,” Gabe snapped. He put both his hands behind his head and groaned. “Lizzy, can’t you see? This isn’t helping. You have to focus on learning control or else your powers will consume you. Even Nephilim children know that.”
So now I was no better than a child? The idea stung, especially coming from Gabe. I could take it when my long lost father treated me like a child. But Gabe? I’d rather take on a dozen demons at once.
“I can’t...I won’t.” The words wouldn’t come to me. Anger flushed through my veins, tinting my vision red. All this talk about control and no one was actually teaching me how to do it. Frustration poured into my voice. “You don’t understand! I’m trying my best here.”
“Lizzy...”
Gabe’s hushed tone caught my attention. He was staring at my arms. Looking down, I saw the same glow as before, leaking through my pores. In the semi-darkness of the forest, they appeared like a hundred tiny stars on my arms. Pain rippled through my skin. Fiery heat accompanied every star and burned my flesh.
