Coterie of Darkness

Chapter 6: Revaluation

"Beta group, clear up the docks. It's bad enough this shit is happening in the town." A group of four other demons nodded their heads in unison before walking off the side of the building heading towards the docks. "Team Charlie I want you in the woods. Check near the school and dorms and make sure nobody is unaccounted for." A second group of a couple demons and a shifter take off back towards school grounds. "Delta, check the housing districts." The slightly bigger group took off in different directions towards the town. "Connor, Rhea and Jacoub. With me." And with that Marian and the others headed off towards the main part of town.

The four of them split up and walked around different stores and wandered through different alleyways, cold air nipping at their skin causing goosebumps to rise on the surface. Marian's skin is bumpless, still feeling the strong heat from the docks a few nights ago, the burns still healing slowly despite healers working their hardest to cover it up. It itched like a bad bug bite on her skin, peeling and tearing at the skin's cells, sticking to the bandages wrapped tightly all over the burns.

"Boss, what happened here?" One of the guys from group Beta clicked into their earpieces, a silent whisper in their ears awaiting Marian's words, yet nothing came from her. "Boss?" Another guy from the same group called out to her, worry starting to form slightly in their voice.

"Just do your job." Her stern voice finally rang through their coms, a 'yes ma'am' responded in unison from the group as the line went quiet. The night was still young but dark enough to not get noticed too easily as they snooped around the town, looking in every abandoned or populated area.

Marian stopped by a few stores where she knew some of the owners and asked around about anything they had seen.

"There's nothin' I can tell ya i'm afraid boss." The older man spoke, scratching at his stubble. His eyes seemed to hang low on his face, clearly tired from long hours of work at his small corner store with delectable goods for all kinds, humans or monsters.

Marian sighed, running her hand through her messed up hair, wincing at the pain still present in her arm. "Alright. But the very moment you notice anything unnatural, notify me or Connor. Only us, and don't engage with anything unusual either." Marian spoke softly as the doorbell rang and a customer walked into the store. She shoved her hands deep into her thick coat pockets, leaning against the front desk, eyeing the person as they looked around and began to pick up some snacks before heading to them.

"This town is already pretty unusual as it is boss." He nodded his head at the younger customer and thanked him for paying for his snacks and to come again. The young man nodded his head in response and bid them goodbye before leaving.

"This is serious Marv" Marian pushed herself off the desk before grabbing a few snacks and started to head out the door. "Put it on my tab will ya!" She waved a hand behind her to the older man, the door banging shut behind her as she walked back out into the cool street. Marian unwrapped a lollipop and stuck it in her mouth and stuffed the rest of her sweets into her inside pocket of her jacket, before putting her hands back into the coat pockets and turning left.

Street lights flickered as she walked in the dark night, people fleeing into warm buildings and bars that flashed their neon lights at everyone, inviting them inside.

"Monty! Get back here!" Marian turned around to the shouting behind her before getting slammed to the ground by a big doberman dog. "Sorry! He does this sometimes." A sweet voice spoke down to Marian as she pushed away the doberman licking at her face.

"It's fine, don't worry about it." She spoke, laughing slightly before finally looking up. Hazel met brown, a warm heat reaching Marian's cheeks, a gentle and cool heat compared to the harsh warmth that burned at her skin. "Uh hey, do I know you from somewhere?" Her words shook slightly as the doberman was finally pulled off her, the strong dog licking at their owners hands, proud of breaking yet another leash.