“Demons killed your friend and you want revenge,” he says. “I would have done the same.”
“I have to do this,” I tell him. “I have to stop waiting and face them.”
His eyes meet mine and his jaw tenses. “You don’t have to do it alone.” He takes my hand, and not too far away, a Pricolici howls. “What was that flash of light?”
“I killed a Pricolici, and it kind of exploded.”
“That’s…that’s awesome,” Ethan tells me. The Pricolici howls again. “It’s coming closer. We need to be ready.”
The rain starts to come down harder, making it even more difficult to hear what’s lurking around us. Suddenly, something jumps out of the shadows, growling. It moves too fast to be the one we heard howling in the distance. They’re starting to surround us.
Ethan draws his gun, aiming it at the demon. The Pricolici is silver and would have been beautiful save for the fact that it’s pure evil and wants nothing other than to bring me to its demon master. It sniffs the air in front of Ethan and moves on, teeth bared, towards me. Slimy drool drips from its yellowed fangs.
Ethan puts his arm out to block me from harm and fires his gun three times. The thing collapses. I let out a ragged breath and take Ethan’s extended hand. More eerie howls echo throughout the silence.
“We’re being surrounded,” I exclaim in a state of panic. Ethan turns away from me.
“Keep your back to mine. We can see better that way.”
“Okay,” I say weakly. I take a deep breath and swallow my fear.
A huge gray shape gallops toward me. I hold up my hand right as it lunges, and a shield of fire surrounds me, just long enough to push the Pricolici away.
Angry, it slowly circles us, and lightning flashes again. It’s tall, maybe a few inches taller than Hunter. Its long legs end in huge talon-like paws. Its dark eyes drill into mine. It moves its gaze to Ethan, snarls, and then lunges.
Ethan fires his gun, the shot echoing throughout the stormy forest. It isn’t enough to stop the Pricolici. The demon soars through the air, landing on top of Ethan. Ethan staggers back, right into me. I’m shoved forward and fall hard on my knees, sliding on the muddy ground.
I frantically scramble to get up without cutting myself on the dagger’s sharp blade. Wet hair falls into my eyes, and I can’t see. Strangled growls come from deep within the Pricolici. I push my hair back to see Ethan struggling to hold it away from him.
A dark shadow moves through the forest, whooshing right past me. I scramble to my feet, and my fingers slip as I try to tighten my hold on the dagger. It falls to the ground, thudding in the soft mud, and I bring my hand up, fingers soaked from the rain, and fail to summon the fire.
The dark shadow surrounds Ethan, but instead of attacking him, it knocks the Pricolici off and snaps its neck. Suddenly, the shadow creature lurches forward in my direction and then reshapes itself.
“Hunter,” I exclaim, eyes going wide. My German Shepherd stands before me, golden eyes locking with mine. "You…” I start, mind going back to a page in the Book of Shadows about familiars. They are spirits who take the form of an animal that has some sort of significance to their master but aren’t actually corporeal beings.
Hunter inches forward, and in that moment, I know it to be true. He’s my familiar, and suddenly, it all makes sense. The way he just showed up. Why he’s so well behaved. How he just always seems to know when I’m in a bad mood or need cheering up.
We’ve been bonded since the day he walked into my life, and he’s been waiting patiently ever since for me to come to this very conclusion.
“Anora!” Ethan yells, and I tear my eyes away from Hunter, though somehow, we’re still connected. I pick up the dagger, and another Pricolici races over. Hunter lets me know there’s one more coming up behind us.
“Get it,” I tell him and raise my dagger. The Pricolici goes for Ethan, who’s still on the ground. He brings his gun up and shoots the demon right in the chest, but the thing keeps coming. Blood pours from its wounds, only slowing it down a little. The dagger grows hot in my hands, and I bring it down into the Pricolici’s back.
Another explosion leaves us covered in smoldering demon parts. Ethan sits up enough to wrap an arm around me and grabs his gun.
“Duck!” he yells and pulls me into his lap. I lower my head. The shot rings in my ears. I twist and see another Pricolici limping away. We scramble up and Hunter comes over, turning into the shadow-creature that is his true form, and then shifting into the familiar shape of a dog.