The Infernal Fury

Thirteen - Part Three

 Yeah he's definitely dead. The ground around him isn't darker by coincidence. Blood soaks into the dirt. There is so much that it scents the air. My tongue separates in my mouth. It's snakelike. Not quite taste, not quite smell. A receptor that recognises chemicals. I've spent so long withdrawn in my hideout that being in a new environment is overwhelming. It's difficult to separate all the different trace elements in the air. Though there's one thing for sure, the victim was an enchanter. It exudes from him. The closest thing I can liken it too is a sugary nectar, but this one is too sweet. It's sickly. I get closer. I need to find the scent of the killer, and nine times out of ten you find it on the body. Most need to get up close and personal to kill. My mouth opens. My eyes close. It's not hard to block out all my other senses. There's barely a noise to be heard. It's eery for a forest at night to be this quiet, right when all the animals should be coming alive. 

"Over here."

My eyes snap open; but there's no one, and the air provides nothing. No strong scents other than that from the body. That voice was so close. I should be able to scent them. My feet take a step back, away from what I heard. Sharpened bones pierce through the skin of my fingertips and extend my fingers by a couple of deadly inches. Not exactly claws, more like protruding poisonous bone spikes. A scratch from one of these will kill almost anything. 

"Who's there?" I shout.

I wait. Nothing. Not a peep. No movement. It's like being in a photograph, everything unnaturally still. It can't be Hades. That wasn't his voice and it sure isn't anywhere near as cold as when he's around. Sweat dampens the back of my neck. 

"Don't tell me you're shy now," I say, half to myself. 

I've never heard of anything that can mask a scent from a Fury. Not to say that it doesn't exist, but it'd definitely be a new one for me. A recording might explain it. But it sounded like they were right there. Right in front of me. I can't pick up on any plastic, or metal, or anything associated with speakers coming from anywhere around here except for some small items on the body. Probably a wallet or keys, but it could be a phone. It seems unlikely, but maybe that's it. Someone on the other end of a phone line who spoke out, or some weird voice memo playing. I don't really want to touch the body, but I should check. The crunch of twigs underfoot is the first sound to break the silence.  Even though I know I am the one that made the noise, the hairs on my arms stand on end. None of my senses are confirming it but there are eyes on me. I just know it. 

My eyes scan above, scour the branches for any sign of life, and with it I inhale. Deeply. Testing the air again. And this time, I notice it. It stops me in my tracks. It's not about what is there, it is about what isn't. The tree a few feet in front of me has a low hanging limb. It's solid, sturdy enough to support someone or something, and when I try to pull in from there... nothing. Not a whiff of anything. It's not right. It is dead space, and that simply doesn't happen. 

"Found you," I whisper, with my eyes locked on my empty target. 

It's as if he steps out from the shadows without moving, simply appears wearing a lazy smile. I have to admit he wears it well. He sits on the branch, casually leaning against the trunk, watching me watch him. He appears fairly human, but that certainly can't be the case. I don't know what he is, but surely a being able to cloak themselves like that is supernatural. 

"Well done," he says. 

He jumps, but it's a controlled fall. Lands so softly on his feet that if I hadn't have seen it I would have never known he moved. He's in some sort of snug, dark tactical gear. It's easy to tell that without it he's still the size of a beast. There's muscle on muscle right there. My fights are never about size, but there's an instinct telling me I shouldn't underestimate this guy. 

"Your handiwork?" I ask, with a wave towards the body between us. 

He nods, his smile grows to a grin and reveals a perfect set of white teeth between his lips. Well damn, isn't this a freebie. There's barely a hunt to be had, he's almost landed in my lap. 

"Why are you still here?" I ask. "You know what I am, right?"

This guy is literally staring death in the face, because that is what I am to him, and he actually has the audacity to laugh. He's so loud it seems to warm the stagnant air around us. 

"Yeah I do, Sweetheart," he says. "I was waiting for you."

That can't be good. 

"Actually thought you were gonna be here a lot faster," he continues. "Was starting to feel a bit stiff up there, so thanks for finally showing up."

You have got to be kidding me. I have never come across anyone that isn't at least half shaking in their boots to see a Fury, and this guy... this guy is actually sassing me for being tardy. 

"Is this, like, a suicide by Fury type thing? Because I am pretty sure there are easier ways to off yourself," I say. "Less painful too."

He takes a step towards me, and immediately I match his for one of my own back. I am not retreating, well, not really. I just need to size this up more before I make my move. Something isn't right. 

"Princess," he says. "I'll let you in on a little secret."

His hand comes up and cups half his mouth as if he were to whisper in my ear. 

"Out of the two of us, I'm not the one dying tonight," he says.

My eyebrows rise right up my face. It's the only movement I have time for. He lunges faster than I've ever seen.