3. Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Rhett
W e wait impatiently for our next hunt. We’re in front of a discreet warehouse located in the middle of nowhere. The job we do requires us to always remain unseen. No one knows who we are, that we exist, and most importantly, no one knows we work for the Arcana Society. They are the original demons on earth.
We’re part of a small unit that does the dirty work for them while their hands remain clean. The Council technically policed the supernatural community in the human realm, and I say technically because not everyone followed their rule. The Arcana Society watched them make a fool out of themselves from behind the scenes. The once-mighty Council, a power and authority, has since been reduced to nothing more than a memory.
We’ve pledged our loyalty to the Arcana Society. Our allegiance to them remains unbroken, and their word is our command. We’re bound, not merely by duty, but by a shared history and the lingering echoes of the oath we swore.
As a Dreamweaver Demon, I have the power to manipulate dreams and warp reality. It’s why the Arcana Society recruited me for my special abilities. When hunting the supernatural, I can turn a target’s mind against them by bringing their worst nightmares to life. While trapped in the terrifying illusions I construct, my prey is rendered helpless, unable to distinguish waking from sleep. I can keep them paralyzed in panicked delusions long enough to capture them.
Or, if needed, I can also make a target believe their deepest pleasures are coming true, lulling them into complacency. The dreams I weave feel completely real while under my spell. I’m unmatched when it comes to navigating the realm of the subconscious. I can walk the border between dreams and reality, molding each to my advantage. My victims’ minds become weapons used against them.
As a Dreamweaver, I’m highly valued by the Arcana Society for my unusual abilities, but it’s a lonely gift that sets me apart from others. Only my best friend Killian can truly understand the isolation of being so different. Whereas I manipulate dreams and construct illusions while targets are awake, Killian has the power to infiltrate sleeping minds as a Specter Demon. Once a victim has drifted off, Killian can subtly enter their subconscious dreamscape and alter it however he pleases. He shapes nightmares or soothing visions, warping the dreamer’s reality while they’re helpless in slumber’s embrace.
We make the perfect team, able to attack from both fronts. No one can hide from us across the veils of perception. Our complementary abilities are why the Arcana Society recruited us together. Alone, we each have powerful gifts, but combined, we’re unstoppable. We’ve got the best record of bringing in the worst of the worst—second only to the Iron Beast Pack. When they worked for the Council, they brought in more supes than everyone combined, but we’re planning to beat their record.
I find myself casually reclined against the cool hood of the car, the rough texture of the vehicle pressing into my back. A slight breeze whips through the air, carrying with it the faint scent of gasoline. In contrast to the exterior stillness, inside the vehicle, is a different story. Killian, ever the charmer, is deep in a heated conversation, his voice lowered to a seductive murmur. A woman’s name escapes his lips, her laughter echoing through the phone pressed tight against his ear. An amused grin crosses my face; his reputation as a flirtatious supernatural precedes him, but his reckless romantic endeavors never seem to deter him from his duties. His focus is divided between our mission and the call that has his attention. He knows damn well he doesn’t have the time to be with a woman with the type of job we have.
Killian opens the door and gets out of the car. I look back at him just as he’s hanging up the phone. He looks human but he’s definitely not. Killian’s golden-brown skin is adorned with tattoos on his arms. His right eyebrow is pierced, adding to his rugged appearance, and a shimmer of white hair frames his features. We both have infused tattoos to help us hide our true, demonic nature. We can change our form at will. The Supe Unit keeps track of people who have tattoos like ours. This way, they can keep track of the supes living in this realm.
“Hey, Rhett. Do you think they’ll ever send us to Hawaii? I’ve been dying for a vacation.” Leaning nonchalantly against the sleek black sedan, Killian peers at his cell, a playful smile dancing on his lips. Probably texting someone else.
Our work doesn’t give us many days off. We’re only able to explore the location we’re sent to after our job is done, and that’s usually only for a day or two before we get called for another task.
I grab my phone from my pocket and stare at my reflection. My eyes turn bronze with a tint of yellow. When I use my powers, I’ve been told that’s the color they change to. Like Killian, I also have a demon form, but my dark brown skin remains the same in both forms.
A black sedan with bright headlights pulls up right in front of us, and I put my phone back in my pocket. We both stand a little straighter. Because of the nature of our job, we’re always on high alert. The back door opens, and a pair of polished white shoes hit the ground before the man closes his door and steps into sight.
“Gentlemen.” The man in a white suit greets us. We’ve only met three agents from the Arcana Society, and these fuckers are always in a pristine suit. They always look friendly—they’re anything but.
“What’s the next job, Tanner?” Killian asks, already getting bored with the fake niceties.
Tanner’s posture is rigid, exuding an air of unspoken authority as his polished shoes dig into the gravel. His grin widens, showing those sharp, pointed teeth, and he gets right to the point. “Your job is to investigate if there’s a Succubus running loose.”
Did I hear this correctly? I turn to Killian, and he lifts one pierced brow in confusion. I guess he heard the same thing.
“They’ve been wiped out,” I say, crossing my arms, but I’m intrigued by the possibility that there might still be one roaming around.
“So we thought. I need you guys to check it out and report back to me immediately.” He stares straight into our eyes, demonstrating his dominance. If we really wanted to, we could spring our nightmares on him. Unfortunately, we’re bound to the Arcana by magic, and we can’t hurt any of them without severe consequences, not even their lackeys.
“There was a body found which showed signs of accelerated decay, but the FBI Unit got to it first and burned it already.” Yeah, the FBI Unit doesn’t listen to anyone in the Arcana. They do whatever they want. They’re one of the branches that doesn’t listen to the almighty society. “We have someone on the ground inside their unit who leaked their internal report. The body indicated a Succubus kill, but those dumb fucks didn’t even notice.”
“You think they missed the signs or they’re covering it up?” Killian asks, his focus on the man in front of us.
“We have no reason to think it’s foul play, but that’s why we need both of you to check it out.”
If I had any doubts before about us being the best hunters, I don’t anymore. “Should we kill—”
“No,” he answers immediately, cutting me off. I hate being interrupted, but I let him continue. “If you find a Succubus, we want her alive.”
He hands us each a file and we open it, but there’s only one page in it with the location of where we need to go.
Los Angeles.
Well, that sucks for Killian. Maybe next time he’ll get to see Hawaii. There’s no other information or pictures to help us identify this person.
“Report back with any news immediately. This case is sensitive.” His gaze hardens as he addresses us, his voice a deliberate rumble that echoes with the weight of his words.
Aren’t they all? I want to roll my eyes.
There’s a gleam in Killian’s eye. He has already forgotten how he’d hoped to get an assignment in Hawaii. Now, he can’t wait to see if the reports might hold some truth to them. Truth be told, I’m really curious about this assignment too. I mean a Succubus would be the catch of the century.
This is my favorite part of the job. I lick my lips, excitement running through my body. We’re going hunting for a Succubus.