++ Nightmares ++

{Twenty Two}

*Super quick note: Please forgive me for the month(s) long waiting!*
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Incubus' POV

I stood beside the car, peering over the long distant at the gathered Hunters. Their faces were stony, expressionless, but portrayed anger. I opened my mouth and sucked in cold air, ready to shout something stupid and sarcastic at the Hunters to get them more mad. But, instead, another voice filled the air, snapping my attention toward the speaker rather than the crowd that glared needles at me.

"Help me! Help me!" A hopeless Anna emerged from the other side of the car, flailing her arms and screaming. She didn't look over at me and began to walk toward the line of Hunters. "He's trying to kidnap me and drag me down to Hell -"

"Oh, please!" I cut her off, my tone of voice offended. "I was planning on carrying you there. Wouldn't want those tiny feet of yours to burn and melt to the bone when they came into contact with Hell's soil, hmm?"

"I -" Anna stuttered, looking back at me from where she stood frozen in front of the car, her hands still up in the air. I grinned at her but turned toward the Hunters who looked at each other in curiosity and confusion. I laughed. What type of demon is he? I bet they were wondering.

The idiot kind. Julian sparked to life suddenly. His annoyance, his uncertainty and his anger radiated throughout his body.

You know I'm the fun kind. I said, grinning more widely. I like to have fun. . .

By what? Killing people? Kidnapping poor, helpless teenage girls who still have a full life ahead of them? Julian snapped and I laughed aloud again, at his sudden surge of defiance and bravery. Will he be snapping at me when I'm walking among the bloodied bodies of his friends? I don't think so. . .

Yes. I answered without emotion in my internal voice. My answer was so straight forward, Julian shut up. When I snapped back into the physical world, I noticed Anna was no longer in front of the car. Instead, she was at the centre of a group of consoling Hunters.

"Think you've escaped me now, have you?" I called out over the low murmuring of the Hunters. The rest of them were still standing in a line, gazing at me as if I was something from Hell. Oh wait - I was.

The small group of Hunters that were speaking to Anna stopped, turning to look at me with angry stares. Anna stepped forward, looking at me across the space with defiance in her eyes. What is it with humans being so cowardly and weak at the time of punishment, but so bold and gloating when they think they've got everything? Because they don't have everything. They only have souls - which are such delicate, easily erasable things.

"Yes, I have!" She yelled, easing her chin in what looked liked false bravery. Once I reached her, she would be back to cowering and shaking like a leaf. "The Hunters will protect me and bring back Julian from where he is locked up inside his own body!"

"Pathetic isn't it?" I asked and saw the faces of the Hunters change, to uncertainty - for a fleeting moment - before they turned back to normal. Leisurely, I walked, taking purposeful steps forward. As I walked by the drivers side, I saw Alastor frozen in the seat, staring straight ahead at the Hunters with unblinking eyes and a straight face.

I walked to the front of the car, my movements like those of a stealthy predator. And I was exactly that.

As I walked across the bright, hot lights of the headlights, my shadow was cast upon the Hunters, long, immensely dark, hiding them in darkness for a quick second before I walked on. They gasped and I smiled, tight lipped and devilish. I loved the feeling of fear and it had been so long since I've gained a living off of it. I hadn't taken a sweet dream in so long - and this would be nothing like a dream for them - but for me, it would be just as good as the moment I made Anna melt in my arms. She was so weak.