Dungeon Trials: Half Fae Hunter, #3

Chapter One

HUNKERED DOWN IN THE long grass, I ignored the tickling sensation as the blades rubbed against my arms. Even kneeling, I was still taller than Rudy. My bearded sidekick had taken his tall green velvet hat off. He clutched it to his chest as he squinted through the stalks. Can you see it, lad? he whispered.

I turned my attention back to the blob that I could just make out a few hundred yards away. The critter seemed to be resting now, but that wouldn’t last much longer. It’s right over there, I replied just as quietly and pointed.

Squinting in the darkness, the leprechaun saw the monster we’d been sent to investigate. Ah, there it is. These beasties are dangerous, but they can’t keep their destruction going for long. Patches of grass had been scorched black, but not by fire. Whatever these things were, they could emit electricity directly from their bodies when they felt threatened.

Several strange creatures had been spotted a few hours ago and had been reported to the authorities. A husband and wife had been found electrocuted to death next to the corpse of a dog-like creature. It looked like they’d hit the beast and had climbed out to investigate it. Another hound had zapped them in retaliation for killing its packmate, or so we suspected.

Their deaths had been reported to the SCU by the local cops. Instead of sending the delectable Helene McCready with us on this mission, Maurice Redburn had sent one of his male agents. Agent Chan was currently paired up with Harley. The pair were a few hundred yards to our right. Pru and Asha were over to our left. Leroy was directly across from us. The ghost was an expert at hiding himself. Even I had trouble finding him when he didn’t want to be seen.

The Supernatural Crimes Units were still learning about the things that had once been thought of as myths. My team had been manipulated into helping them because four of us weren’t human. Five if we included Brillina. The brownie came with me everywhere, but she never showed herself when strangers were around. She would remain out of sight until Agent Chan departed.

It still irked me that we’d become pawns of the new Master Archivist. She treated us like her employees even though I refused to accept the payment she’d tried to foist onto me. Taking her money would cement her control over us.  The only reason I followed her orders was because I knew she would send her minions to kill my team if I didn’t. I still didn’t know what Sheridan Harwood was, but I knew deep down that she was evil to the core.

It’s waking up again, Rudy said, nudging me in the side when he sensed my attention had drifted inwards.

What is that thing? I asked.

He shrugged his narrow shoulders. I’ve never seen its like before, he replied. It’s one of those new types of monsters that have been cropping up all over the world.

Well then, let’s go and see if we can kill it, I proposed, then stood up. Cursing beneath his breath, the leprechaun clapped his hat back on his unruly red hair, then hurried through the long grass after me. He was only two feet tall, so he had to trot to keep up with me as I sauntered towards the creature.

Up close, I saw it looked a bit like a bulldog. It had stubby legs and short dark brown fur, but its body was almost round. Orange eyes focused on me and it opened its mouth to growl warningly. Its teeth were crooked, jagged and looked sharp. They were also stained with blood and had a few clumps of meat caught between them. I saw the mangled skeleton of a small animal lying beside it. From its charred fur, the beast had stunned it with an electrical charge before eating it. It was an efficient, if disturbing, way of cooking a meal.

Rising to its feet, the hound-like animal issued a noise that sounded like a strangled bark. Normally, I wasn’t a fan of killing dogs, but these things had already proven to be deadly to humans. If left unchecked, they could run amok and do untold damage.

I don’t think the beastie likes us much, Rudy said nervously as sparks began to emanate from the monster. It stood a foot taller than him and he hid behind my legs, using me as a shield.

I looked around, but couldn’t see any of the other creatures that had come through the portal. Even standing a few yards away, the hound was almost undetectable to my senses. Only when it unleashed its electrical defenses could I sense it. The strange magic swelled even before a bright white bolt of energy streaked towards us. We dodged it, moving in opposite directions and I pulled the machete that was strapped to my right thigh. Darting in, I swung at the beast and neatly lopped its head off. The electricity it had charged up fizzled away to nothing. Well, that was easy, I said in surprise, holding the machete away from me so the blood didn’t drip onto my jeans.

Directly after that statement, savage howls rent the air. They came from all around us as the beasts that had been hidden from my fae senses made themselves known. While we’d been scoping out the creature, the rest of the pack had been spying on us in return.

You spoke too soon, lad, Rudy said wryly.

Cut them down! Harley shouted, then he and Agent Chan began shooting their assault rifles at two monsters that were barreling towards them. Bright white sparks lit up the darkness, signaling where the creatures were and making it easier for us to target them.

Pru cast a spell at a trio of hounds that were racing towards her and Asha. It stunned them into immobility, allowing the two girls to go to work. Asha knew better than to use plants to kill and fired her handgun at the beasts. Apparently, it was bad karma for a dryad to take a life, but nothing bad had happened to her in the two weeks since she’d killed an incubus. We were all waiting for doom to fall, but she’d managed to evade disaster so far.

Rudy flicked sticky globs of glue at a pack of five beasts that were charging towards us. Leprechauns couldn’t kill either, but he was effective at slowing our enemies down. He let out a curse and jittered in place for a few seconds when he wasn’t nimble enough to avoid a spike of electricity that arced towards him. Feck me, he muttered, steam rising from his beard, then flicked what looked like a thick web at the offending creature. The beast let out a puzzled sound when it suddenly became coated in the white substance. That’ll show him, Rudy said in satisfaction.

It wasn’t wise to get close to these things, so I wiped my dripping machete with a rag I kept in my pocket, then sheathed it. My trusty Colt was a familiar weight in my hand when I drew it. With five headshots, I put the monsters down, but more were coming. Pru erected a shield to block the electrical pulses that arced towards her and Asha. While she held the barrier in place, the dryad holstered her gun. Asha picked up the flamethrower that had been lying at her feet and set the animals aflame. Shrill barks and howls sounded as they turned to run, fleeing from the range of her flames. Asha had been working on her aim and pulled the Glock again to shoot at them. I took a few of them down for her and she gave me a grateful look. Pru quickly used another spell to put the small grassfire out before it could spread.

Leroy zoomed forward in full poltergeist form. Dark shadows writhed around the phantom as he used his bare hands to rip his foes apart. He let out chuckles of enjoyment as their blood splattered everywhere. Seeing two of the beasts about to leap at Harley, he used the veil to shift himself closer and caught them both by their stubby tails. Spinning in a circle, he opened a small rift in the veil and sent them flying into the lightless nothingness of the Deadworld.

Now, that’s a neat trick, Rudy said in surprise as the veil closed itself again. We’d never seen a lone ghost open a rift in the veil between worlds like that before. Usually, they just used it to shift locations within their haunting place. Stepping through it completely invariably spelled doom for the unwary phantom.

Jonah and Winston are going to be even more jealous of him when they hear about this, I said. None of the ghosts had met Leroy Lacrosse yet. It would be interesting to see their reactions once they did.

Jake! Asha shouted and pointed behind me.

I turned to see a final hound racing towards me. It leaped at me, fully charged with power. Acting on my instincts, I caught it by the throat, then clenched my teeth when its electricity poured into me. Every inch of my body felt like it was on fire, but my own strange magic welled up to envelop the animal. The beast turned blindingly white as its defenses kicked into their highest gear. Rudy wisely teleported himself to safety a moment before the animal detonated. My magic swamped the huge blast of electricity, confining it to within a few yards of me.

When the brightness faded, I was standing in a small, scorched crater. My clothes had become tattered ruins and my skin was black and red from electrical burns. The pain faded as my body rapidly healed itself.

Are you all right, boss? Harley called out. I turned to see my team and Agent Chan staring at me in shock.

I’m fine, I replied with a wry grin. But my clothes are a write off.

Do you ever wear underwear? Pru asked, primly looking away from my mostly naked state.

Only when I have to, darlin’, I replied with a wink.

Is it over? Agent Chan asked shakily. He was of Asian descent, with close cropped black hair and brown eyes. He was short, stocky and fit.

It’s over, Rudy confirmed when no more of the beasts turned up.

I have to report in to Agent Redburn, Chan said and strode off towards where we’d parked our vehicles.

He’s so warm and friendly, Harley said sarcastically after the agent was out of earshot.

He’s no Agent McCready, that’s for sure, Leroy said with a grin at me. He’d shed his poltergeist form and was back to his normal appearance, if a purple pimp suit, matching fedora and bright peacock feather in the band could be classed as normal. As far as I knew, he was the only bound ghost who could change to his evil alter ego and back at will.

I smiled in agreement, but remained silent. The lovely Helene McCready and I had spent a pleasurable time in the back of her SUV, but we weren’t going to repeat the performance again. Her boss would surely fire her if he ever found out about it.

Chapter Two

RUDY USED HIS ABILITY to steal items and handed me a change of clothes from the duffel bag I’d left in our hotel. I pulled on the cargo pants and t-shirt, glad my boots had survived the blast. I ran a hand through my hair to find it had grown back as well. It was getting long enough to curl around my ears and would need to be trimmed soon. My stubble had grown back as well and made a rasping noise against my palm.

Don’t worry, boss honky, Leroy said with a smirk. You’re still as pretty as ever.

I slanted the ghost a look, but he ignored me. It was still a mystery how he could calm himself down after turning into a poltergeist. No other ghost could revert back as quickly as he could. Usually, it took them hours or sometimes days to return to normal, depending on how strong their rage had been. Some of my fae energy had been mixed into the ring that he was bound to, which had altered his abilities. He was a lot stronger than any other spirit I’d met so far.

Harley took his cell phone out and started taking photos of the dead critters. He was our self-appointed tech guy. While he was doing that, I called Brandon Cooper, the Archivist who lived closest to our base.

Jake? Brandon asked in a groggy voice. I realized it was after midnight and that I’d woken him up. Is something wrong? he asked, becoming more alert by the second.

Nope, sorry I woke you. I didn’t realize it was so late.

It’s fine, the Archivist said. You can call me anytime you need my help. Assuming you actually need my assistance? It came out sounding like a question.

We’ve just run into a bunch of dog-like things that we’ve never seen before, I told him and gave him a quick description of the beasts. Can you run that information through your program and see if these things are new?

Of course, he replied. I heard the rustling of sheets as he climbed out of bed. Can you ask Harley to send me whatever information he’s gathered? he asked as he searched his dresser for clothes.

Will do, I replied. There’s no urgency. It can wait until morning.

I’m up now, so I might as well run the search, he replied, then smothered a yawn with his hand. I’ll get back to you once I have an answer.

We hung up and I turned to see Harley take a final photo of the remains of the beast that had tried to blow me up. Brandon wants you to send him the information you’ve gathered about these things, I told him.

Harley nodded and took a small notepad and pen out of a pocket of his black cargo pants. He tended to wear the uniform of a black t-shirt, cargo pants, SWAT style boots and a Kevlar vest that he’d worn when working for the Alpha Team. The SCU wore almost the exact same outfits. Harley was the only survivor of Spencer Von Hades’ elite team of employees. Most had died during a battle in the demon’s mansion. Their leader had died at my hands. Only a few had survived and we’d recently discovered Sheridan Harwood had sent her lackeys to wipe them out. It was another threat she held over us that she could snuff the young hunter’s life out whenever she chose.

We walked back to our vehicles to see Agent Chan had just finished giving his boss his report. Agent Redburn has ordered me to return to Devil’s Peak immediately since our mission is over, he said.

Aw, and we were just getting to know the guy, Leroy said with mock sorrow. Pru hadn’t bothered to cast the spell that would allow the agent to communicate with the ghost.

That’s fine, I said, glad to see the back of him. I hated having Redburn’s spies trailing along with us on our missions, but there wasn’t much I could do to stop it. He climbed into his black SUV, then drove off without waving goodbye.

Now that he’s gone, we should check the portal these beasties came through, Rudy suggested.

Why? Asha asked. The portals are always the same. Not that we’d investigated the portals during our missions so far.

I have a hunch this one isn’t, the leprechaun said. I can feel it nearby and it seems different somehow. I want to take a quick look at it.

His magic was more attuned to the portals than mine was. It wasn’t until we were within a couple of hundred yards of the doorway that I felt it. He was right, I noticed when I was close enough to sense the thing. It did feel different from the others, but I couldn’t explain how or why. Does it look different to you? I asked when it came into sight.

The color is slightly different, Rudy confirmed, squinting at the glimmering structure only those with supernatural abilities could see.

Do you want me to take a look through it? Leroy offered. As a spirit, he had a better chance of being able to view the other side without being seen. Not all fae creatures could see phantoms.

Go ahead, I invited, hooking my thumbs through my belt loops.

Harley took the time to jot down notes about our encounter with the hounds while the details were still fresh in his mind. Asha walked over to a tree and put her hand on it to communicate with it in silence. Pru checked her purse, which clanked with a number of vials. She’d made a lot of potions and I wasn’t sure what they were all for. At least she hadn’t had to use a healing potion on Harley this time. We’d escaped from our battle unscathed, except for my clothes that was.

Leroy floated over to the iridescent portal and stuck his head through it. He jerked it back almost immediately. Toto, I don’t think that’s Kansas over there anymore, he said.

Rudy and I exchanged a look, then walked over to join him. All three of us stuck our heads through the doorway. Straight away, I knew the portal didn’t lead to the fae realms. Wherever it was, the air smelled dank and musty, like a swamp. Trees obscured our view and low shrubs would make it hard to navigate the forest without becoming caught up in them. None of the vegetation looked even remotely familiar. Puddles of stagnant water pooled on the ground here and there. We could see a pathway that had been made by short, round beasts between the puddles. It led directly to the portal. The path was ancient and had been used recently. I could smell the hounds strongly and knew this was definitely where they’d come from.

Hands grabbed us and yanked us back before we were ready for it. Leroy drifted back through as well to see what was going on. What did you do that for? Rudy grumbled, straightening his green velvet suit in annoyance at being startled.

Asha said something was wrong with the portal, Pru replied. She and Harley had pulled us back out.

What did you see? I asked the dryad.

She pointed at the edge of the doorway. It started flashing strangely, she explained.

We all turned to look at it and I saw what she meant. The colors were shifting rapidly, speeding up even as we looked. It flashed a few more times, then stabilized into the normal multicolored shade we were used to seeing.

Without needing to be asked, Leroy stuck his head through it again. He withdrew it after a few seconds. Now, that’s just weird, he said, scratching his chin. It looks like the fae lands again.

Rudy and I stepped forward to see for ourselves, but Asha hung back. The trees in the Unseelie realm were her enemies. They’d been twisted with the evil that had seeped into the land and dryads were considered their foes. It only took us a few seconds to verify Leroy was right when we took a look. Somehow, the portal had temporarily changed