“You are okay, sweetie, your vitals look good. You must have fainted.” Looking at the man who helped her, Elsbeth starts to disagree. He gives a quick shake of his head telling her not to. “I will get you some water. Are you her family?” the nurse asks.
“No, just a friend,” Hunter responds.
“Thank you,” Elsbeth says, beginning to shake. “I have to go!” Sitting up slowly, she tries to stand, only to have the room spin again. Rushing forward, Alex steadies her with a hand on her elbow. Hunter sits her down.
“Okay, you just had a scare. Why don’t you sit for a minute?” Hunter tells her, pushing her back onto the cot. “Alex, go get Polly.”
Elsbeth watches closely as his son leaves. With a look of suspicion, she asks, “Who are you, and how do you know Polly?”
“I am Hunter. You must be Elsbeth. She has been bragging about you, and so have the women and children on the reservation. I am the medicine man here.”
She is relieved to know who he is. She sits up more slowly and waits for the room to stop spinning. Taking a moment to look at him, she thinks well, he is gorgeous. Long black hair to his shoulders, tall about five feet ten, thirty something age group. Light brown eyes, and a muscular frame.”
“That’s right; you were working with Polly this morning. I have been so busy I didn’t get a chance to meet you,” she continues saying. “Hunter, thank you for helping me.” Looking around nervously, she wraps her arms around herself trying to keep the fear and panic at bay.
“Elsbeth, you are safe with me. The Shadows will not come near you now.”
With a quick intake of breath, she asks, “You saw them, too?”
Nodding his head yes, “It is my curse and my blessing. You see, once I see them, I am bound to hunt and destroy them. I can wait until you are safe with your family.”
This beautiful young woman has been damaged; he can see it in her blue eyes. The fear she tries to fight down won today. They were hunting her and he wants to know why? “Can you tell me why they were after you? I counted four tracking you.”
Eyes wide, she shakes her head, exclaiming “FOUR! I only saw two. What makes you think you can protect me?” she asks as a tear slides down her cheek. Looking at him with hollow eyes, “Not even an angel could save me Hunter.”
Shocked, he looks at her as a loud ruckus erupts outside the tent. Jumping up, she looks for a way out, only to find Hunter standing in front of her as her family comes in followed by Alex.
Jake is the first to see the protective stance the Indian is holding. “Beth, are you alright?” he asks quietly.
The moment she hears Jakes voice, she runs around Hunter and starts to cry great heaving sobs. “They found me, Jake. We have to go now!” she tells him balling up his shirt in her fists.
“It’s alright now. We won’t leave you alone again, Beth.”
Backing out of his arms, shaking her head no, she looks at Ruby, Ronnie, and Polly behind them and tells them with panic in her eyes, “I can’t go back, I won’t survive it again!”
Not sure what to say, they all go quiet as a voice from behind has her turning. “Elsbeth, I can promise they will not survive this night.” Alex starts to protest, but his father holds up his hand, “I am required to hunt them, son.”
Rushing forward, fifteen year old Alex doesn’t care who hears him say, “Not four at once Dad!?”
Jake smiles at the protectiveness his son shows and reassures him, “He will not be alone. I will help.”
Ronnie steps forward, “As will I, no more hiding. It is time to protect our families and I am sick of being in the shadows!”
Elina watches from her shadow form, quietly tracking the demons here. They are stalking Elsbeth and she needs to know how they found her. With every step Elsbeth takes, the demons follow. One by one, they are drawn to her, attracted by the gold light that surrounds her soul. Unlike most, Elsbeth’s gold light is flashing. They make no move to take her this time, just follow as though being pulled along behind her. Elina watches Fascinated as smaller demons begin to follow.
Two men approach Elsbeth, sensing her danger. Their auras surround her protecting and shielding her. The protection of his shield blocks out Elsbeth’s light and one by one, the demons fade back to shadow. Surprised when Elsbeth falls, she follows close behind as they head to the medical tent. Elina stays back against the wall. Waiting to see who else is being tracked by the demons. She watches closely as they arrive. They are all clear. Time to get some answers Elina decides.
Fading back, she sends a pulse of energy hoping to attract a few demons to her. Cautiously she moves to the alley behind one of the buildings and waits. When the first demon appears, she smiles in the dark. Fading into the wall, she waits, sending another small pulse behind it. It turns slowly looking for the source, just as another shadow bigger than the first enters the alley. Slipping higher up the wall towards the roof, she sends a pulse of energy where she once stood. She watches as the smaller demon lunges toward the wall looking for the cause, while the larger demon lifts its head and pierces Elina with its red stare. He leaps, hissing at her, only to find to his surprise that she has vanished.
Coming up straight behind the smaller demon, Elina uses as little energy as possible and whispers in his
