The Spirits' Guide

Chapter 8

The woman's sharp eyebrows rose slightly. With a slight light in her eyes, she asked, "How do you know this, Mr..."

"Pinson, Owen Pinson, ma'am. I know this as there has been a witch following me the past few days. Her name is Iris. I don't know where she is, but I know why she's been following me. Iris is a demon hunter. Demons have been after me. I'm asking the Venatores for protection for my mother and me against both the demons and the witch."

The woman paled as Owen told her Iris's name. She looked ready to vomit as he spoke.

Who was Iris? Why did she make such terrifying creatures and people pale at the sound of her voice and name?

"The witch's name is Iris?" She asked softly as she stared behind Owen.

"Yes, but I don't know who she is or where she's from." Owen told her, only just realizing his mistake of informing her of Iris's name. Still, he was sure that Iris would be able to handle herself and a few humans. The more protection he had, the better. It would turn out worse if he did not inform the Venatores of the witch before they linked her presence to him.

"I want all the Venatores we have to search the city for a blonde haired, green eyed girl. She is four-foot-eleven and very powerful. She is often accompanied by a large man of about six foot three. If she is spotted, do not engage until I give the order." The woman barked out orders to the man at the gate, her focus regained.

He leapt into a salute before he began speaking out the orders into the intercom. Owen could hear shouts and movement from both the building and outside during the guard's announcement.

Turning to Owen, she smiled, something he doubted she did often as it appeared twisted on her sinister face. Owen swallowed as he noticed a light in her eyes, a cold light that he never wanted to feel.

Slowly, Hathorne gestured to the building, "Would you like to come in, I would like to know more about how you got to meet Iris." Owen's gut began to scream at him. If he entered that building, he doubted he would come out the same.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but I have school. Can I ask that my mother is protected from the witch and demons?" He asked her, scared that he had made a huge mistake. He didn't think the woman would know Iris's name or anything about her.

The woman's smile vanished as she took Owen in. Leaning over to look Owen firmly in the eyes, she said, "You have my word. I would also like to know about these demons. Maybe we could have a chat at your home."

Owen nodded, not willing to tell her where he lived but felt sure she already knew or would soon. Slowly, she turned away from him and walked into the large building, appearing more and more sinister by the second. Owen wasted no time in hurrying to get to school.

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"So, you have proof that I'm a witch?" Iris condescendingly asked. Owen shrugged before he laughed, a little nervously.

"Oh, I never had proof. Nothing physical that could prove to the Venatores that you're a witch. I know you're Iris because you're here but... never mind," Owen said, guilt wrapping his heart and gut in its vile grip. Iris looked ready to hit Owen.

"How do you know I'm Iris, if being here is all you need to know? Never mind, what else did you do?" Iris asked, seeing through his nervousness.

"I didn't do anything else. I told you to meet me where we first met. And we met in the basketball court. There was no one else around, beyond that demon you keep as a friend." Owen told her. Iris clapped her hands in a slow applause.

"You're not as dull as I made you out to be," Iris said with a look that did not seem to agree with her words.

Stopping her claps, she asked, "So what more do you want to talk about?"

Owen chuckled, finally getting what he wanted. "I want you to tell me everything that's going on. What the hell was the screaming the other night, and I could have sworn I saw shadows outside my window last night."

Iris looked at one of the shadows, narrowing her eyes as though she caught someone listening. She turned back to Owen, green eyes focused on him.

"Two nights ago, a demon was sent to your house, I took care of it. The screaming was after I set it ablaze and interrogated it. Nothing much to tell. Last night, it was just some human burglar." Iris told Owen. Something was a little off about her but he just shrugged it away. As long as he was getting what he wanted, he didn't care.

"You know, I was a little nervous when you said you were sending another witch. I mean, one witch entering Aneria was dangerous, but two? Witches must have better stamina than humans if you can go nights and days without sleeping." Owen laughed as they began to walk out of the basketball court.

Iris gave him a strange look before she murmured, "Of course. Sending another witch was crazy."

"I know, right?" Owen chuckled.

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Bernice had noticed the hooded figure following her for a while. Turn after turn, the figure followed her. It couldn't be her, could it?

No, she would never use such a crude way of speaking to her. She wasn't an idiot. That just left the question as to who was following her.

Turning another corner, Bernice stopped. It was a walled alley. If she did not get moving now, she would be in deep trouble.

Turning back around, Bernice screamed. The hooded figure was just a hair's-breadth away. Quick as lightning, the hooded figure covered Bernice's mouth, silencing her screams.

"I should have known that it was more than a coincidence that the boy was curious about you," the hooded figure, a girl, said as she licked her lips.

Bernice raised her hand. The hooded girl leaned forward and whispered in Bernice's ear, "That won't work here. Goodbye, Bernice."

Bernice's eyes crossed as a blade was stabbed into her neck. The hooded girl let Bernice go as she turned away.

Bernice tried to shout at her assailant, but the blade had punctured her voice box and she was stuck making wet smacks.

The hooded figure, hearing Bernice's noises, turned around and smirked at her. Bernice froze. The smile widened on the hooded figure's face, her sea-glass eyes glinting in the lamplight.

The hooded figure watched as the mortal gave her last gurgled breath and dropped to the ground.

Whether Bernice was a human or a witch, the figure was now certain that Owen was so wrong for thinking the teenage girl a demon.