Retaliation: the beginning

Chapter 49: "seeking the truth"

Shane parked the car in the driveway where the porch light was left on, a welcome sight after hours on the road. The tension in his shoulders released and he could finally let go of the steering wheel, he could almost physically feel the weight of Kim's eyes upon him at his little sigh of relief.

The girl looked pointedly at the house and then back at him, a single eyebrow lifting. "Did Clay tell you what's in there?"

Shane shook his head glancing at his phone to make sure he didn't get another message.

Kim closed her eyes for a second "Why do I feel like there's something going on behind our backs?" She sighed.

"If there is Clay would've told us."

"Really?" Kimberly quickly replied. "Haven't you noticed that ever since this guy showed up Clay hasn't been himself?"

Maybe Shane was aware of it, the way his nostrils flared and he shifted slightly in his seat, leaning closer to the door even as he scowled fiercely, not saying a word, annoyance clearly written on his face with deep frowning lines.

He didn't want to think that his mentor was a liar.

"Look, Shane I know you're devoted to him but don't act like nothing is-"

"Kimberly just stop!" The grating rasp from lack of use and weariness in his voice just dared her to defy him, because Shane felt like he has been pushed and pulled by his own emotions and the events and he was right on the edge of a massive blow up. The volatility he felt simmering away inside him felt dangerously out of control.

"I'm not having this conversation." The younger man determinedly ignoring her got out of the vehicle.

Cursing Kim followed, more worried than pissed off at the way Shane refuse to acknowledge reality.

Pale skin under the porch light came into sight, as Shane reached to open the front door.

"Finally!" Isaac came from the backyard, he was bleeding from his hand "I was starting to think that Clay went back to sleep and forgot about me."

"What is it that you need help with?"

"Come." Isaac answered walking backwards "Watch your steps."

Shane frowned stretching his neck to see behind the wall, the first thing his eyes saw was a dark substance all over the backyard.

"Demon blood?" he whispered as he avoided stepping on it.

Kimberly in the other hand wasn't afraid of touching it, feeling the substance between her fingers she turned to the huntsman. "Not just any demon, it's the seer isn't it?"

"Yup" Isaac replied making his way towards her. "Here, keep watch." He handed her a shotgun and led her over to the door, Shane tagged along reluctantly.

"Stand there, perfect!" the man said flashing a dazzling smile at the two confused hunters. "Now, if any suspicious looking fellow shows up don't be afraid to shoot." He started to move toward the door when Shane caught his arm.

"I'm coming in with you." He said firmly.

"You don't have-"

"I'm coming in," Shane cut him off, bitterness had him smiling. "Unless you have something to hide. Do you?"

The huntsman's smile dropped "Fine, but don't blame me if you get traumatized." He said as he got inside.

Shane swallowed, turned to look at his sister one more time then followed.

The kitchen was a mess, broken glass everywhere. With every step the glass cracked under his feet, Shane looked around.

There was someone behind the counter.

"Who's there?" he called out holding his dagger behind his back, ready to attack.

"Don't bother, she's unconscious." Isaac said, he grabbed a kitchen knife from the ground.

Shane's frown deepened "What happened here?"

"This is the seer's summer house, a getaway from hunters' radar." Isaac sat in the corner of the kitchen while he looked at the seer's battered, wounded and lifeless body lying on the ground. "I have a werewolf friend who picked up her scent."

"Why?"

"You know, your cousin is in my house," He said playing with the knife between his fingers "I heard him have a very disturbing conversation with my son..." he paused, patiently waited for something to happen, the seer's eyes opened, pitch black like a couple of onyx stones. "Years of loving and caring, memories of all our happiness together gone! vanished the moment we stepped out of this miserable town!" he told him, his voice got louder with every word "I already lost Marah, I don't want to lose him too."

Shane stood patient, biting back the words that sit heavily on his tongue and didn't offer anything because he can tell that as the huntsman was recalling his past that he wouldn't listen or believe anything he could say to him. Comfort was not what he was seeking and reassurances will only hurt and trying to assign the blame to the only person responsible to ease the guilt will only cause damage while he was in this frame of mind.

The huntsman stood up and walked towards to her, he smiled madly and whispered to her ear. "Tell me, who took away his memories and why?"

Upon hearing what Isaac had said, the seer tried to talk but mumble words have instead spurted out of her mouth.

"What did she say?" Shane crouched next to her.

The huntsman sighed "She's summoning demons, she's been doing this for the past two hours." annoyance gleamed in his eyes, he reached his limits of patience the knife in his hand was now planted in the seers shoulder as she screamed for mercy. "Talk!"

"Are you insane?! This is a breach of the accords," Shane hissed, mind running quickly through the number of violations he just broke. "You're a huntsman you're supposed to know that! How'd you pass the exam?!"

Irritated at being disturbed, Isaac arched a brow at the sarcastic tone that normally he'd appreciate.

But right now, he didn't want to hear it.

"Listen kid, I asked you to stay outside but you didn't." Isaac passed him a grudging grimace "Now, deal with it."