The thing should have been scared of him.
Austin dropped into a crouch at the center of the shattered intersection.
It sounded again. The scrape of claws on concrete. Heavy- footed enough that it couldn’t be an animal, but too cumbersome to be human. Closer. Three streets over. Two.
He should have been paralyzed with dread. Should have hidden in shadows and prayed to whatever gods were left that whatever monster was hunting wished he was someone else.
Instead he curled his fingers tighter around the rusted blade in his hands and pressed its weight into his palm.
The knife had seen better days. He’d used it to open cans of food and cut wires with it. Once he even used it to pry the nails from a dead man’s fingers so he didn’t get dragged screaming out of a basement. Held like this, it never made him feel safe. Couldn’t possibly make him feel safe now.
But his hand was still.
Blue light flickered in the corner of his eye.
[Predator’ s Sense activated.]
[Hostile organism detected: 168 meters.]
[Demonic signature confirmed.]
Austin stared at his wrist until the feed dimmed.
"What did you say it was?"
The cold voice echoed in his skull.
[Analysis requires visual contact or biological sample.]
"Cheers." He shouldered his bag and tucked the knife into his waistband. "Predator’s Sense."
[Assessment: host sarcasm detected.]
He wanted to smile. Laugh even. Neither should be possible out here. In the dead street where he stood surrounded by shattered glass and silence it felt too loud to chuckle.
But he did.
The thing ripped into view around the corner of the building.
Skinny legs carrying it fast. Too wide in the shoulders to fit through any doorway it didn’t break through. Claws sharp enough they left grooves behind in the concrete as it slammed to a halt in front of Austin.
Black fur covered most of its body, patches missing around legs and stomach to reveal slick red muscle underneath. Mouth opened wide, jaw snapping back past the creature’s ears to reveal row after row of needle teeth.
Four red eyes fixed on him.
It sniffed the air, nostrils flaring in disgust at the reek of dead demon to his back before it pivoted back around to face Austin.
It wouldn’t charge. It knew he’d changed.
Austin felt his heart kick faster but it wasn’t fear. Hungry again. That hungry he’d felt when DEVOUR first made its presence known clawed its way back in his chest, primal as it demanded to be fed.
Eat.
[Target identified: Lesser Gore- Hound.]
[Estimated physical threat: moderate.]
[Potential consumable traits: vitality, kinetic strength, enhanced olfaction.]
[Recommendation: preserve heart, neural stem, and forelimb tissue.]
The Gore- Hound dropped its head, letting out a guttural growl.
Austin yanked the knife from his waistband. "Yo’ hear that. Don’ mess up the good stuff."
Muscles rippled beneath pitch black fur as the demon sprung forward.
In one swift motion it hurdled the street, claws unsheathed and jaws parted. Austin saw it coming the moment its feet left the ground. Instinct. He knew what the monster was going to do before his mind registered what was happening. Left shoulder of the Gore- Hound dipped...
He stepped to the side.
Claws sliced nothing but air. He shoved the knife upward, digging his fingers into either side of the blade and burying it halfway through the demon’s jaw where System had marked a seam in its throat.
The Gore- Hound snarled, slapping him across the face with a massive paw and slamming him hard into the aluminum doors of an old delivery truck.
[Impact trauma detected. Damage level: minor.]
Austin rolled onto his feet. Bones should have been cracking underneath his ribs and arms. Instead warmth spread through his muscles and pain melted away. Blinking it out, he rose to his feet.
It circled him slowly, bloody muzzle sniffing at the knife in Austin’s grip.
"You know what that was supposed to do, right?" Austin growled.
[Demonically inherited anatomy prevents mortality.]
Austin lunged in.
[Dysfunctional expectation: organisms of the host’s species routinely succumb to serious trauma.]
It dropped its head and glared up through bloodshot eyes. Teeth clenched so tight, whiskers dipped white from grinding them together.
"Kill you."
[Correction: the host’ s first strike was not delivered with sufficient force.]
The demon bounced backward. Reflex. Austin closed the distance in three long strides and punched the creature square in the jaw.
The Gore- Hound grunted, snatching its head back with hands that shook. One of its horns snagged on Austin’s belt loop and it stumbled drunkenly to the side.
Hands came at Austin’s throat, claws sliding dull against his jacket.
He kicked out, snapping the demon’s knee hard beneath its hip.
It winced, ripping its hands away to catch itself. Pain was a surprise. Human. Left his chest exposed as muscles in the Gore- Hound’s wrist twitched with unaffected adrenaline.
Austin punched straight through its gut.
Groaning, the creature fell to hands and knees as Austin circled. One hook punched into its back, yanking the knife free.
Heart pumped black blood through already crushed arteries as Austin plunged the knife inward.
Hard.
Knuckle deep.
One last hit.
Thorax broke under Austin’s hands like water.
The Gore- Hound screamed, enough humanity in its lungs to sound eerily familiar as it twisted in his grip.
[Dysfunctional protocol: hostile organism is still displaying signs of life.]
[Danger level: imminent.]
Devour was still there. Waiting.
Warm.
Alive.
[DEVOUR is available.]
He yanked the knife free.
Heart still glossed red, battered and scraped open around Austin’s fist.
Austin swallowed. Right through the still- pumping organ.
Warmth bloomed through his veins. Pride. Easy.
He wiped blood off his hands on his pants.
[Demon heart ingested.]
[Demonic trait assimilated: strength.]
"Motherfuckers gonna hear about this." Austin tucked the knife into his waistband.
Feet crunched under his boots as something scrambled across the street.
Four blood-red eyes.
Four towering Gore- Hounds poured into the street from behind a crumbling subway grate.
Austin wiped his mouth, watching in the dim streetlight as pack scents mingled and overwhelmed his own.
Pack was survival. Five to one if they attacked together.
Austin punched the knife back into his belt, testing his wrists. Stronger.
"Come on then."
Hounds exploded from the stairwell, disembodied roars echoing off crumbling brick as the alpha stalked in circles, nostrils flaring against Austin’s scent and the hacked- open demon carcass beneath his boots.
"You want to kill me!?" Austin yelled. They charged in a united front and he intercepted their jump with the crook of his elbow, cracking the alpha’s head hard against glass before spinning around with all the force he could muster. Fist smashed into knife handle and he twisted upward, slamming the blade into the back of the creature’s throat.
The alpha screamed twice before seizing. Gore- Hounds behind it skidded to a stop inches from Austin’s boots.
His legs gave out.
It took everything in him not to slam his hands into the throat he’d just slit and watch the black blood spill free.
His hands shook.
The remaining three hounds screamed, mouth screeching black sparks and the largest one writhing in his grip.
Alpha growled at his feet.
Austin smashed his heel into its neck, crushing cartilage before slamming half a skyscraper scrap through its eye socket.
The last one scrambled backwards on hands and knees before bolting full speed back into the alley.
Austin dropped his other hand.
"Run. Go. Tell them everything you learned."
[System recommendation: engaging hostile entity further will result in increased risk.]
"They won’ fuckin’ listen." He licked his lips, bile rising in his throat. "Not if I take’em all down with my hands."
It dashed around the corner, hulking form obscured by blackened windows as Austin kicked the corpse of the alpha he’d just murdered. Hole punched through its skull and neck roped like marionette from where Austin’s foot sat.
"You don’ need to lie anymore." He kicked again, watching tendon tear free from muscle.
Darkness unfurled beneath a crushed sedan like wings. Silhouette blossomed into something feminine.
Taller than most people Austin remembered.
Void painted across her like clothing as shadow clung to every curve. Horns wreathed her temples like gilded branches and she wore a sleeveless gown weaved from nightmares themselves. Eyes- violet and burning- drilled into him.
[System warning. Unknown entity detected: adult succubus- shadow weaver hybrid. Security threat: critical.]
"You’re beautiful," Austin murmured.
"A wolf deserved no such praise," she hummed, taking a step closer.
"Name."
"Veyra. And yourself?"
"Austin."
"Curious." Veyra took another step closer, nostrils flaring as she inhaled Austin’s scent. Warm. Human. "You ingested abyssal matter and survived. Then you murdered one of these- whatever they are- and attracted the rest of its pack to this very spot." She tilted her head to the side. "Tell me you’ve been watching us."
Her presence was warm. Seductive. She brushed up against Austin and he wanted nothing more than to pull her against him, sink deep into that abyss and lose himself to something terrifyingly beautiful.
Austin resisted. "What are you doing here?"
"You." She pointed a pale fingertip at him. Darkness pooled underneath. Tempting. She inhaled sharply, eyes hooded like hers. "Are you weapon to be wielded, mistake to be rectified, or future threat every demon lord city seeks to erase?"
"What happens if I am all three?"
Veyra chuckled. Dangerous sound. Tooth sucking against her teeth as she leaned in closer. Closer still until she was breathing down his throat. "Then I will watch with great interest."
She held out a hand, palm facing up. "Should you be so foolish as to touch me physically, Austin, I will not grant that permission." Veyra’s smile was cruel as midnight. "But take my shadow essence and you will know where every demon contract lays. Every territorial border."
"What do you want from me?"
"I will show you." She offered a shadow kissed smirk. "Everything."
"No."
"I-" She paused, smooth intimidating grin plastered across bloodless cheeks. "Show me what you want from me first."
That’s when he saw it. Black horns stained crimson where she’d pressed her forehead against the wall.
"You wish to make a contract?"
Austin reached out, clutching her hand with his own.
Void crushed their fingers together. Burning. Beautiful.
She leaned in close. Closer.
Austin caught her by the back of the neck, forcing her mouth down onto his.
Light erupted between them.
World melted away behind violet edged shadows as they crashed together with nothing but vacant street behind them.
Eyes hooded. Veyra made some sort of needy sound and grinded down harshly, tangling her fingers through his hair.
She pulled away first, violet eyes bright as her translucent skin. "You didn’t have to."
"I could stop any time." Austin smirked.
"Nah." She kissed him again, softer this time and streetlights winked out behind them. When she pulled away there was pale violet bleeding down his wrist.
[VOLUNTARY shadow- essence contract established.]
[A newly acquired trait: Shadow Scent.]
[A newly unlocked function: Contract Perception.]
"You just made every dangerous demon in a five block radius aware someone touched you," she rasped against his jaw, fingers dragging down his throat.
Gunfire echoed down downtown streets, rumbling off crumbling obsidian towers and shattering empty windowsills all around them. Something dark fluttered across Veyra’s eyes and faded leaving only emptiness.
"A Bloodhound." She whispered, looking over her shoulder. Cold like death. "Malrec’ s enforcer."
Oh fuck.
He knew enough about demons to know that spelled trouble.
Exorciser.
Austin felt sick to his stomach. "Where can I find him?"
She laughed quietly, backing away into darkness. "You’ re going to have learn quite a few things first, Austin"
"What if I hate them?"
"You." She smirked, fading back into black until only her fingers were left in his grasp. "Break them."
He was alone at the center of the street again.
Dirty palms stained with demon blood. Alive thanks to some crazy freak of a woman who was probably going to stab him in the back the second he turned away.
Gunfire again.
From downtown this time.
Austin smirked.
"System."
Pointing down the street towards downtown district. "Where’ s the closest demon territory?"
[I’ve calculated all available routes. Chance of survival: 12.3%.]
Footsteps sounded behind him.
Austin started walking.
"Guess that’ s good enough."
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