Blood in the rain: Chronicles of the Hunter

Chapter 8

Chapter 8 – Believe it or Not, I Was Human Once Too

Harlee awoke with a start, nearly jumping from the bed. She looked down and saw she had been undressed and clothed in a wife beater and pajama bottoms. Harlee looked around the room she had slept in, the past several weeks and thought aloud.

"What the hell happened?" Harlee asked.

"I will begin by assuring you, it was not the boys who dressed you." Harlee snapped around and saw Almalexia, sitting in the corner.

"What are you doing here?" Harlee asked, a feline snarl to her voice.

"There is no need to get into all of that. I told your friend that I would look after you, while she got some rest. I am not here to cause you trouble." Almalexia spoke with an unnatural calm. Harlee sat back on the bed and tried to recall what happened.

"Are John and Father Matthew alright?" She asked.

"A little beaten and shaken is all. They are both up and about already. What do you remember?" The succubus asked. Harlee began to think, trying to reach back as far into that night as she could.

"Maxwell and I were following your tip. We..." She began to focus harder. "We saw some freaks...Maxwell said their names...Balthazar, Auriel. Then there was...Cilia!" Harlee jumped from the bed again, hurting her wounded arm.

"Harlee, please talk to me." Almalexia pleaded. Harlee could now sense that the woman was genuinely worried.

"You're right." Harlee said. "Maxwell told me I can't help her now, anyways." She spoke as she sat back and thought more.

"There was another woman. She looked at us and smiled."

"Did Maxwell say who she was?"

"No. He said he did not know. As soon as she smiled at him though, he began to double over, in crippling pain. After that, we were attacked and Maxwell...He turned into that...thing!" Harlee could already feel the terror swelling inside her.

"It's alright now, Harlee. That part is all over. Tell me what happened next."

"I don't even want to think about what I saw but after he started changing, we were shot at. He protected me and we ended up racing back here, through the sewers. That's when Father Matthew had me help, John grabbed a box and..." Harlee suddenly remembered what had happened as it rushed back, all at once.

"I grabbed Maxwell's heart!" She blurted out, feeling herself grow nauseous. Without hesitation, Almalexia handed Harlee a wastebasket, which she immediately began to fill with stomach bile. Harlee panted aggressively as she vomited several more times. Almalexia sat beside her and held back her hair, rubbing her back.

"There, there..." Almalexia cooed. "Just take it slow." Harlee breathed slowly and pulled her head from the wastebasket. "Here," the succubus said as she took the wastebasket from Harlee and set it aside. She next pointed to the glass of water on the bedside, which Harlee used to wash the taste from her mouth.

"Sorry," Harlee spoke as she used her shirt to dab her eyes.

"Think nothing of it. Matthew and John were the same way at first. Come to think of it, the only exception I know of was Kiefer."

"Who's Kiefer?" Harlee asked. Almalexia shook her head.

"I am sorry, forgive me. I should not have even mentioned the name. It is not my place, to speak on Maxwell's affairs."

"You said it is like this for everyone. Was it like this for you?"

"In all of the years, I have known Maxwell, it is safe to say that his heart is something, I have never possessed." Almalexia spoke in a tone filled with heartbreak. "I have never even seen his heart. I must admit, I am jealous, despite the consequences."