Hunter Academy - Book 1

DOG DAY AFTERNOON

Leo

I did as Dane asked, and forwarded the article on to Corey. Now I'm just waiting for him to call me back to let me know if the site is reputable, or just nonsense. It's been about two hours when my phone rings. I check the caller ID, and it's Corey.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Leo. How's it going?"

"Good, man, you? How are things since, well, her?"

"Things are going back to normal after Kayli left. It hit Marc and Brandon pretty hard, but they finally realized that she never really loved us. That after we got her away from her dad, she just used us to get out of a bad situation and into a better one with Blake. Raven and I have each other, but it took the other guys some time. All Kevin did was say 'I told you so.'"

"Well that's good to hear. You all will find your one eventually. My brothers and I just did. Remember when I told you about that psychic in Kansas? Well, it turns out it wasn't a bunch of baloney. We ran into her one night when we had a rare night off. She was the bartender at the bar we went to. Man, she is something special, but now she's in trouble. She's got this demon after her. It's a pretty bad one, too. While this demon seems to feed off the fears of people while they are awake, it apparently can't touch her unless she is asleep. We helped her out with that part, but it's still out there killing people, getting stronger by the person. Please tell me this article is the real deal."

"I had to dig pretty deep to find out about the person who wrote it. Apparently, him and several of his colleagues are religious historians, specializing in demonology. They operate out of Wichita. I will forward you their address and phone number. I figured you would want to talk to them."

"You figured right. Thanks so much, Cor. We really appreciate it every time you do something for us. I know it isn't easy keeping our secret."

"It's easier than you think." He laughs. "You remember how I reacted when you had to tell me what I was getting myself into? Times that by five, and can guess what kind of reactions I would get if I shared the things that really happen in the world."

"That makes sense. Thanks again, man. Stay safe out there."

"You, too. And good luck with your bird." With that he hangs up. I'm usually the person who calls Corey when we need something, so we've gotten to know each other pretty well through the polite small talk we engage in. I was sorry to hear about their bird, but it seems they are better off. I wish them luck. Now to get this information to Dane so we can move forward with this case.

Jessica

The next morning I wake up more well rested than I have in weeks. I stretch and look at the alarm clock. Wow! It's almost noon. Even when I'm not having nightmares on a nightly basis, my body clock rarely lets me sleep past 9:30. I really do need to get a move on, though. I'm volunteering at KC Pet Project today. It's something I love to do. They took over for the KC Animal Shelter a few years ago, turning it in a no-kill shelter. They place thousands of animals every year with their forever homes. I get up and get ready for the day.

***

I pull in and park my car, locking it behind me. I love this place. I walk into the building and wave hello to Nancy behind the counter. When I first started volunteering, it was all the grunt work. Mucking out the kennels, changing litter boxes, and feeding the animals. A couple of years later, I get to do the fun stuff. Walking dogs, playing with cats, and training all the animals to get them ready to go home with the perfect family.

"Hey, Jessica! You'll never guess who got adopted today!" Nancy yells at me. I get excited. I love when the animals I care for get to leave this place. We make it a nice as we can, but it's still depressing.

"Who?" I query.

"Baloo," she says and I squeal in delight. Baloo was one I brought in myself. I was over by Memaw's and watched this silver car slow down and literally toss him out of their car and take off full speed. He was running after them for all he was worth. I whistled and he came right to me. I was crying as I bundled him into the car. How can people just dump their animals like trash? When I got him to KCPP, I could finally see what kind of condition he was in. Super emaciated, his collar growing into his neck, sores on his feet and bleeding from his belly. For all the abuse this poor baby went through, he has the sweetest spirit. He never attacked or bit anyone. Just lots of doggy kisses. I volunteered extra hours just so I could work with him. We got him cleaned up, his injuries fixed, and started on a healthy diet. It was clear he had been kept strictly outside, as he had no inside manners. I worked with him on potty training and the slight food aggression he had. I taught him all kinds of tricks. Sit, roll over, shake, and play dead. He's smart as a whip. Now he is a healthy, blue brindle pit bull. One of the most beautiful dogs I have ever seen. I start crying when she shows me the picture of him with his new family. I am so happy for him.

"Aww, honey," Nancy says, and pulls me in for a hug. I cry for another minute into her shoulder, before lifting my head up and wiping my face with my hands.

"I'm good now, Nance. Thanks. You know I live for days like this." I tell her with a huge smile on my face.