Demon Huntress

But if it didn't matter, why did the second phone call, two weeks ago today, keep replaying over and over in her head?

"Well, Ren fu, what is your answer?"

She looked over at her parents, who were busy serving guests in their backyard—the annual spring barbecue they hosted for the clinic staff they worked with. As Sensor demons, her parents were ter'taceo, demons who lived and worked in the human world, and none were the wiser. Life in the earthly realm came at a price for their particular species, though; every six months they were forced to return to the underground demon realm, Sheoul, and endure a painful, two-week-long regeneration ritual.

"I've thought about your offer," she said in a hushed voice, "and the answer is no. You can't pay me enough to do what you want."

"I'd urge you to reconsider."

"Never."

"Never say never, doctor." Insane laughter crackled over the airwaves. The bastard hung up, leaving her shaking and feeling ill.

"Ren fu, darling, you don't look well."

Startled by her mother's voice, Ren fu yelped and spun around. "It's nothing. Work issue."

"Must be some work issue." Her mother, whose human name was Zhen, handed Ren fu the drink in her hand. "Looks like you could use this more than I can."

Ren fu had practically inhaled the c.o.c.ktail, even though she rarely drank alcohol. Too much liquor negated the effect of the protective spells she'd had tattooed on her body in order to control her demon half. She'd stopped after that one drink, but now, as she searched her parents' house, hoping they were here despite the bloody evidence to the contrary, she thought about breaking into their wet bar and drinking everything they had. Right now, letting out her inner demon might not be a bad thing.

She saved her old room for last, the one her parents kept exactly as she'd left it when she moved out almost five years ago to attend medical school—two years early, thanks to her parents' militant homeschooling that had put her ahead of schedule in college. They'd always hoped she'd come back home to live after graduation as many Namtar demon offspring did until they'd been mated off by their parents. But Ren fu wasn't a Namtar demon, and while she loved the family that had adopted her instead of killing her as an infant, she'd needed her own space to discover who she was and where she truly belonged.

She also had no d.e.s.i.r.e to suffer an arranged mating.

Her room, decorated in black, crimson, and blue, had driven her mom nuts, which had pretty much been the point. Rebellious from the start, Ren fu had probably, on several occasions over the course of her twenty-four years, made her parents regret their decision to raise her. But they'd also loved her, and she had no doubts about that. Her mom never once let her go to bed without a good night hug, and her father had set aside the third Saturday of every month to take her someplace special, just the two of them. Knowing she'd need to blend in, they'd provided her with a very normal human childhood that included church, sleepovers, and camping. As long as she avoided the securely locked bas.e.m.e.nt, she could almost pretend she—and they—were human.

Though she didn't expect to find anything, she searched her bedroom and found exactly what she'd expected. Nothing. The Ghouls really had nabbed her parents, the sons of bitches. She moved toward the door. Halted as she passed the dresser.

No.

But she had to. She'd avoided this for far too long.

Heart pounding, she opened the top drawer and fumbled around until her fingers found the thin photo album duct-taped to the underside of the top. She removed it, her hands shaking so badly that she nearly dropped the small leather-bound book.

She almost didn't open it. The thing felt heavier than it was, the phantom weight of memories that should have been but never were.

God, she was such a drama queen.

Disgusted with herself, she opened the book and flipped through the two dozen pictures. All of people who didn't know they'd been captured on film. All taken at a distance.

All of Shu lan and the Hunter's now-dead mom.