DEVIL HUNTER

CHAPTER 6

I wanted to head back home, but Zayne didn't. He kept complaining about how tired he was and how it would be easier to get a hotel. I hated hotels. They were expensive, and the thought of sheets that have been washed but still used bothered me. I knew Zayne wanted an excuse to tour the city; he liked doing things like that. The city was a lot busier than I expected it to be. Cars and taxis weaved through traffic, their headlights casting long shadows on the street. People hurried past, their faces illuminated by the flickering streetlights. Giant billboards and bar signs surrounded us as we made our way down the street.

"Alix, are you listening?"

I hadn't been listening to him; I drowned him out ten minutes ago. "What did you say?"

"Have I been talking to myself this whole time? I asked if you have a hotel in mind?" His every movement was accompanied by dramatic sighs and exaggerated gestures.

"I want to sleep in my bed."

Zayne groaned, "You're no fun. I won't take you to a tacky hole-in-the-wall. We're going to go to a nice hotel and relax. I have a luxury hotel already picked out."

The last thing I wanted to do was waste my breath debating with him. I rolled my eyes and told him fine as I followed him around the corner. I learned early that it wouldn't do me any good to argue with him. He was going to continue talking until I agreed.

"If we're lucky, we'll be able to catch another devil before we leave. I don't want to waste my time going home to return in a week."

Zayne didn't like working at all. It shocked me because I didn't understand why he was here. Why would he join the biggest and busiest organization if he didn't like working? "Why would you join the brotherhood if you don't like working? Anytime we have a mission, you complain about how easy it is and how it wastes your time. When you finally get a challenge, you say it's too much work."

"I didn't have a choice, and neither did you."

To become a part of this organization, you must survive something traumatic. I never got the chance to ask Zayne what it was he survived. "I had a choice; I either joined or died. I want to live a little longer if I can."

He glanced over his shoulder. " You're supposed to survive something traumatic to join. You didn't; Jin saved you."

My eyes widened in shock; my heart suddenly skipped a beat. "That's not."

"It's true," he smirked before I could finish. "You didn't think I knew, huh?" As if he could see the fear in my eyes, he smiled. "I won't tell anyone. I haven't yet, so why would I now?"

No one was supposed to know Jin saved me. He told the leader of the organization I fought off Azreal by myself. That was the only way he would let me join. If he knew the truth, he would kick me out, and I would have to protect myself.

I looked away, "I didn't know anything about devils. I would have been killed; I didn't stand a chance against them."

"You don't have to explain it to me. If I'm being honest, surviving the king of the devils is enough to join the brotherhood, regardless of whether Jin saved you or not."

I was glad he wasn't going to tell anyone. I was still trying to find my place here, and it was hard. Men didn't want me here, and they made it clear whenever they saw me. Even though Zayne got on my nerves, he wasn't unbearable to be around.

"If you don't mind me asking, what did you survive?"

"I don't really like to talk about it."

"You can tell me. I won't tell anyone."