Nothing Left To Fear

11

Christian keeps the barbegazi in the same piece of fortified old basement as Dean keeps Farfarello. He likes to tell the unwary Hunters it just up and followed him home one day. It's actually an object lesson that even the most innocuous objects given the chance will rip your throat out.

It cost more than a pretty penny on the black market, grown in captivity but is still fierce with three rows of tiny needle teeth. He feeds it on offcuts of meat, offal and left overs from Ellen's kitchen. It knows his name, calls him Kree-sss-jin, but he's not nearly stupid enough to get close enough to risk his fingers.

Dean suggests he should smash the little fucker's head in with a hammer. There are many reasons why they keep him, he's good for disposing of bodies being one. That he scares the children, of which there are about six about the camp, is another, because through fear they learn to be resourceful.

The last is the reason that Campbell bought him. He reminds Hunters that just because a thing hasn't been seen in the States doesn't mean it's extinct and they don't need to know how to hunt it.

Dean is obsessed with the hunt for demons but most of their army isn't that strong, that determined or that lost; mostly they will hunt Barbegazi and Fleder and city dwelling Pseudorats.

Campbell teaches them as much as he can, how to recognise one, how to recognise it's trail, it's spoor, and the best way to kill it. The rest of it his army has no use for, but it is recorded, listed, kept forever for those who do need it, like which materials can be scavenged from what for those who practise Al-kamiya, and which can be used as allies if necessary.

Christian however is fascinated by the Barbegazi. "You have a pet angel," he taunts Dean as he feeds it.

Dean answers, "yes, but you have a pet rock, I thought that went out before we were born."

Christian calls him a jerk, it's fondly mocking.

Dean punches him in the face. Behind him the Barbegazi makes a high pitched hihihi noise that suggests it's laughing at him. Christian, nursing his jaw as his cousin walks away throws the last of the bacon rind at it before wondering what was the trigger this time.