Hellbound Hearts

17. Let's Play

Before leaving the bookstore, I quickly explain the situation to Cody and ask him to close up for us. We jump into the car and head straight to where Kaja spotted the demon. It's a long drive—nearly an hour from home. The whole way, I silently pray that the demon doesn't manage to reach the fourth level. I'm not eager to face one today.

As we approach the area, we park a bit further away. I recognize another abandoned industrial site. The demons' preference for secluded places works to our advantage once again. I sense we're in for a nasty fight, so being away from bustling streets eases my anxiety a little.

"Nate, Elle, you two go over there, and I'll cover this area," Arthur briefly outlines the plan. "Kaja, keep an eye on the perimeter."

We all nod, ready to act.

"It's crucial we catch him in time. No crazy stunts, got it?" Arthur adds, raising an eyebrow at me.

Though I tend to act impulsively, I'm not reckless. I understand the gravity of the situation, so I accept his warning without argument and head toward one of the buildings with Eleonora. At the entrance, we exchange glances, and she gestures inside with a finger.

I nod and hurry upstairs, silently cursing each time I trip over stray stones or construction debris. I rush through a few corridors, passing empty, gray-walled rooms without doors. There isn't much space for the demon to hide, but the building is long, leaving us with plenty of ground to cover.

"He's not here," Arthur's voice crackles through the earpiece.

"The underground corridors are empty," Elle confirms after a moment.

"No movement outside," Kaja adds.

I dash to the next floor, hoping to find the demon there, but it's empty too. Frustrated, I turn around and spot a slightly ajar door out of the corner of my eye. Right, the roof. I slip into another staircase, and suddenly, I hear a thud.

I quicken my pace and soon emerge into the light. The rays of the setting sun irritate my eyes, so I shield them with my hand. Even so, I can still see the demon leaning over a collapsed victim.

"On the roof," I alert my colleagues.

My voice draws the demon's attention, and our eyes meet. His face, marred by ugly spots, twists into a grotesque smile. Middle-aged and unkempt, he tilts his head, his dark eyes burning with hatred and madness. He tenses but doesn't approach.

Anger flares, and I immediately charge toward him. He quickly realizes my intentions, baring his yellowed teeth as he closes the distance between us. I swing my fist, but he anticipates the move and ducks. I counter with a hard kick to his ankles, causing him to stumble. As he regains his footing, he straightens up and lands a punch to my stomach.

I slide back but catch myself, avoiding a fall. I take a moment to catch my breath, then lunge at him again. We're evenly matched for a while. Suddenly, I hear the door creak and notice Arthur and Eleonora running toward us.

I grab the demon's shoulders, doing my best to hold him in place. He hasn't noticed the newcomers, giving Arthur the chance to strike him from behind with a metal rod. The demon screams, staggers, and fresh blood splatters on the ground.

But he doesn't go down easily. With a powerful sweep, he knocks me aside. Pain shoots through my neck as I fall, but I quickly get up. Arthur and Elle take turns cornering him.

"Elle, check if the victim's alive!" I shout, remembering the unconscious man.

Eleonora steps away, but the demon's focus remains on us. I notice Arthur bleeding, though he doesn't seem fazed. We struggle against the demon, neither side gaining a quick victory, when suddenly something unexpected happens. The demon leaps away from us. Confused, we exchange glances and pause.

"Did you forget something?" he sneers, licking blood from his lower lip.

I glance around, and my body goes numb. Kaja. A scream echoes in the distance. The demon smirks and leaps off the roof before we can attack again. I turn to Arthur and Eleonora, seeing the horror on their pale faces.

Without hesitation, I rush to the edge and jump off. Although it's more than a two-meter drop, both demons and hunters can withstand greater falls. I land safely, look up, and my heart skips a beat. 

He's not alone.

Another demon stands nearby, his fingers tightly wrapped around Kaja's neck, a knife pressed against her. This new demon is starkly different. He's dressed in an expensive dark blue suit, with meticulously combed hair. At first glance, he seems normal, but there's a dark void in his blue eyes that sends shivers down my spine. A true third-level demon. 

It's a trap. 

I freeze, rooted in place. Any hasty action could cost Kaja her life. The blue-eyed demon smiles, tilting his head curiously.

"I didn't expect so many of you," he says, his deep, bone-chilling voice echoing.

"Let her go," I grit my teeth, but he isn't intimidated.

"Why should I? This is entertaining," he chuckles.

"Want some fun? Come here," I smile provocatively.

It works. The suited demon would never decline such an offer. He tosses Kaja onto a pile of construction debris and springs toward me, laughing menacingly.

"Let's play."

He demonstrates his strength, slamming me into the wall with a single swing. The wall cracks behind me, and concrete dust falls around me. I'm just grateful the sharp metal structure nearby didn't impale me.

As I catch my breath, Arthur engages in a serious fight with the demon. Eleonora pulls Kaja away from the chaos. This demon is unnervingly strong and agile; he likely reached the third level long ago.

With a swift punch, he hits Arthur's nose. Arthur drops to his knees, coughing up blood. The demon has a chance to keep attacking, but he steps back instead, wiping his bloodied fist on his jacket with a sinister smile. He raises his hand in a mock farewell.

"Sorry, no more time for this. But I promise we'll meet again," he says, then leaps away with inhuman speed.

No one has time to react. Eleonora and Kaja rush to help Arthur, who's bleeding heavily. As I slowly get up, a dreadful realization hits me. The man on the roof.

I sprint back to where I last saw him, bursting through the door with all my weight and coming to a halt. He's still lying there, but there's no hope—his neck is twisted almost completely to the side.

I squat beside him, passing my hand over his body. His soul is gone. One of the demons succeeded. A sigh of despair escapes me as grim thoughts settle in.

Something unimaginably terrible is happening. I've never seen demons working together before. The world as I know it is changing, and whether it can be stopped, I don't know.