Page 111 of Huntress

“Putting your things where they belong.” Perrie whipped open the door and went to Morgan and Saint’s room, barging in without knocking. The witch stopped in her tracks, getting bowled over by Elsie, who was right on her heels.

Saint had just finished pulling up his boxers when she set eyes on him. Morgan wasn’t in the room, and they’d caught the demon getting dressed. His head tilted curiously, looking first at the witch, then at Elsie.

Perrie recovered her wits, stormed in, and threw Elsie’s bag onto Morgan’s bed. She snatched up Morgan’s things, then glared daggers at the confused wolfhound demon before storming back out.

“You can stay with him, since it’s where you’re obviously more comfortable. You need to figure out where your loyalties lie, Captain.” Perrie stomped into the other room and shut the door with a sharp click.

“Can I at least have my pajamas?” Elsie said to the door. “They’re in the–”

The door opened, and the clothes flew at Elsie’s face before it shut again.

“Seems like it went well,” Saint joked when she returned. He’d put on a black T-shirt and sat on his bed, looking up at her expectantly. “You can’t make an entrance like that and not tell me what happened.”

“Look away,” she ordered. He turned toward the wall obediently, and she changed into her soft pajama pants and a tank top.

Elsie sat on the end of her new bed, staring down at her blood-stained clothes that reeked of smoke and toxic gas. Marley would have demanded she shower after exposure to it, complaining that Elsie was going to ruin her complexion. She tossed the clothes onto the floor and flopped onto the bed. She’d take care of it in the morning.

“I’m losing my squad.”

“Is that why you let her bully you? You’re not losing them. They don’t trust me, and they’re worried about you. And they have good reasons for both. I plan on stealing you away from them at the first opportunity.”

Elsie turned her head to look at him. “Is it considered stealing if I go willingly?”

The next day, Elsie had a change of heart and required her people to attend the funeral, with strict orders to behave respectfully. They wore their best clothes, meaning clean uniforms for Perrie and Morgan, and a black dress Riven had bought in town. Saint wore dark jeans and the same black T-shirt from the night before, while Elsie wore long black pants with a dark purple top.

The humans carrying the salamander demon’s body in a pine casket led the procession out of the village. They walked for twenty minutes through the forest before coming upon a graveyard.

Elsie made her people walk at the back of the line, giving the villagers their space. She didn’t want to disrespect their traditions, and in spite of Anne’s invitation, Elsie wasn’t sure if the killers of the child being buried were honestly welcome.

The funeral was short and bitter. Anne stood in front of the crowd and said a few words, and after the casket was lowered, the villagers each offered a flower.

“They’re burying him among their own people,” Morgan muttered loud enough for their group to hear without it reaching the humans.

After the burial, Anne approached them.

“It is tradition that you stay here for the remainder of the week. Our gift to the visiting clan members, in thanks for the burden you must bear in taking a life to protect others. A short period of freedom is not much, but it is what we have to offer,” she said.

“Tradition?” Elsie mused, thinking of Albright. He would have been the last hunter captain to have visited seven years ago. The wily old coot. She’d have to falsify documents to get away with it, and she’d have to convince Perrie and Morgan to corroborate the story.

She glanced at the witch and the sniper. Extended exposure to these people and their ways would be good for them. Besides, the rest of her squad wouldn’t be returning to the compound for quite a while.

“We’ll accept your offer,” she decided, choosing not to think deeper about it when the creases near Anne’s eyes softened in relief.

They spent the next five days exploring, eating their fill of delicious food, and helping the locals. Elsie helped harvest strawberries, and Perrie helped set a water wheel that would provide electricity.

Elsie required them to convene each day for breakfast; otherwise, they were free to do what they wanted. She watched Perrie and Morgan soften a little each day as they relaxed into the town’s vibe.

She spent her days in peace, and her nights wandering the forest with her demon for hours before tucking into a bed right next to his. The air between them was charged, but Elsie ignored it. She wouldn’t act on her growing desire to get closer to him, at least not until she was confident it was what she wanted, and not just because their bond was influencing her emotions.

When her boots and sneakers were finished, she went to fetch them before dragging Perrie and Riven out clothes shopping.

A raccoon demon walked into the clothier when they were trying on outfits, and Perrie stopped what she was doing to stare. The demon had a head of thick, dark gray hair, topped by the softest, furriest little triangle ears. Her tail was massively fluffy and striped like a bandit. The dark skin around the tips of her eyes was adorned with little jewels, making the raccoon mask look like a glamorous makeup routine.

“Mrs. FrogTree! It’s so nice to see you again,” the shopkeeper greeted the woman warmly. She sat the demon across from Elsie, then brought out cookies and tea that hadn't been offered to the hunters. Once the demon was content, the shopkeeper nearly fell over herself to fetch some clothes she’d tailored, then helped the demon try them on in one of the two dressing rooms.

Riven and Elsie carried on their conversation while the witch ducked into the other room with a disgruntled scowl to change back into her own clothes.

When the raccoon demon came out in well-cut pants that accentuated her curves in all the right places and a flowy top in a soft green that complemented her complexion, Elsie patted her fingers together in quiet, appreciative applause.