Fallen

Chapter Fifty Four

Blaine

I sat in the driver's seat, drumming my fingers lightly on the top of the steering wheel and trying not to let my nerves get the better of me. I knew that I shouldn't be here, but I had the reassurance that Anna was being looked after safely by someone I'd trusted with my life many times. It was only one hunt, I told myself. Then I would stop.

I adjusted the scarf wrapped around my mouth and pulled the hoodie further over my face as I eyed up my victim leaning against a wall the other side of the carpark.

I sunk further down into my seat when the broad figure glanced up in my general direction. I was reminded of the promise I made to protect Anna at all costs. The guilt of doing this was making my chest tight, but quickly shook my head before I could dwell on it and focused on the job at hand. As I glanced back up to watch the creature through the windscreen, I noticed he had gone. I cursed under my breath and scanned the area around me to find the Demon I wanted.

After a few seconds my eyes latched onto the tall shadow dash across the carpark towards the exit. I allowed time to graze my fingers over the gun tucked into my hoodie pocket before scrambling out of the car and following him onto the streets.

*****

I shadowed the Demon for a short time, keeping up to match his speed as he paced down the street, knocking shoulders with a few night-time walkers. The urge to shoot him right here and now was overwhelming. I had been tracking him for so long and now I could finish what he started. The usual adrenaline began to kick in. My heart rate rose and my hands began to shake, not with nerves but with knowing that I might finally get revenge for what he did.

I pictured him as the Demon who killed Kieran. My excitement was replaced by seething anger and I let out a heavy breath. The Demon flinched at the noise and stopped in his tracks. I thought quickly and darted into the nearest alleyway to press myself to the dingy wall. My developed hearing abilities picked up the man taking a few steps towards the alleyway before sparing me and continuing to walk away. I knew my victim was now aware that someone was following him. I had to make this one quick. Pulling the scarf back up to cover my nose, I darted out of the alleyway and made my final attempt to kill the Demon.

I scanned the area once again as the figure disappeared down a street consisting of a few lamp posts and several run-down buildings, much of them old shops and squatters' houses. I seized the moment and caught up with my victim. In one fell swoop, I had spun him around and shoved him up against the nearest wall. My senses were screaming at me, telling me this was the exact man I was looking for.

"Hi," the man spoke casually.

I met his gaze. It was one that I recognised. His dark hair and even darker eyes were all too familiar. I'd met him once. He had a hold of Anna and wore a sick grin on his face as he watched me being beaten to the ground in a dark club.

"It's nice to see you again, Blaine," Corrin taunted. "I almost didn't recognise you without your face being all fucked up."

"You did it," I stated. "You killed Maria."

Corrin grinned. "You finally worked it out. How did you find me?"

The confirmation only made it harder to concentrate on the task at hand. Ever since I'd found the black tar-like substance on the living room floor beside Maria, I swore that I'd find out who had taken her innocent life. Having old friends back at the D.I. had always been helpful. They tested the substance and was able to locate where the Demon was. I was surprised to find that he was still in the area, but it made my job easier. Tonight he was so close that my senses picked him up so I crept out of bed and went after him.

"You don't get to ask the questions," I spat.

Corrin glared at me. Before I knew it, he grabbed my shirt and spun us around. I grunted as I hit against the brick wall. "You killed one of our own, so we had to show you what it was like," he spat.

I squirmed in his grip when he delivered a rough punch to my face. Then again and again, each one hurting more than the last. Blood dripped from my mouth and off of my chin. Then, I was hit in the gut before grabbing his fist in my hand. Corrin tried punching me with his spare fist until I kneed him in the stomach and kicked him to the ground.

"You couldn't kill us so you had to go for an innocent woman," I said as I stood over him. "You're all a bunch of fucking cowards."

"She was guilty by association," he argued, clutching his body.

I was suddenly on my knees over him, fisting his shirt in both my hands. "She didn't deserve to die!"

"And my brother did?! You humans are all the same. You're always the victims."

I shook my head. "Not anymore."

Corrin's grin returned. "So what, you're going to kill me now?"

I shoved him harder against the ground, taking all my anger and disgust out onto him. The thought that I had previously been around the same monster that killed Maria without knowing it made my skin crawl. I'd looked him dead in the eye all those weeks ago blissfully unaware that I was going to face him again tonight. I wanted to kill him, but the fear of the consequences niggled away at my mind. His group, Jackson's group, had taken revenge before and it was likely that they'd do it again. This explained Jackson's particular interest in Anna. All of it was an act of sick vengeance. We killed one of them in Brazil and Maria was the consequence of that. The question was did I have the strength to make sure that they never hurt us again?

Corrin started to laugh at my noticeable hesitance. It hurt my ego. He was taunting me, thinking I was too weak and too scared to kill him. I tore out the gun from my hoodie pocket and pressed the barrel of the gun directly over his heart. He looked down at my specialised weapon and then back up to me. His smile fell.

"You wouldn't," he challenged.

I smiled. "Watch me."

Instantly his face morphed into something evil as he cried out into my face. His eyes turned black and his body grew in height and strength. Before he had a chance to defend himself, I pulled the trigger. The Demon's noises were cut short by the fire in his heart, rendering it impossible for him to make a sound. Corrin writhed in pain against under me before dissolving into dust. His remains fell to the floor and scattered across the dirty pavement. I stared down at what used to be a Demon before leaving the cool night breeze to whisk away what was left of him. The afterthoughts snuck in, but I promised Anna that I would protect her with my life. And that was what I was going to do.