Page 36 of Huntress

“I don’t know anything about your species. I’ve never come across a wolfhound demon before,” she admitted. “I’ve met other canines, though. Wolves, coyotes, various dogs and such.”

“All dead, I’d assume. We’re alike in that way, I suppose. My kind hunts other hounds, dogs, wolves, and the like. If it sniffs around our territory and steals our food, it’s curtains for them.”

“That’s easy to believe. Your demon form is huge,” she observed. An annoyed look crossed his face.

“Will you stop with the small talk? And quit treating me like a child. I don’t need your coddling,” he snapped.

She huffed a quick breath, then smiled. “Sure. I can do that.”

He evaluated her, and for a fleeting moment he appeared about to speak, but he took another bite of his noodles instead. They finished their meager meal in silence, and when they finished, Elsie returned to the controls at the front window.

When the demon sat down in one of the more comfortable seats, she didn’t offer to show him how to work the recliner or ask if he wanted a blanket. She left him to his own devices. If he wanted something from her, he’d have to swallow his pride and ask.

He was so quiet she settled into the routine of checking their speed and location on the map, adjusting as needed. Elsie didn’t notice that he’d fallen asleep in the seat nearest to her until nearly an hour later. The demon was still crouched instead of sitting properly, his head resting against the window.

She studied his face freely for the first time. Even in his sleep he looked tense, nervous, and on his guard, as if the slightest sound would bring him to awareness. Even so, there was a softening around the edges of his eyes and mouth, making him look a little less like an asshole.

Elsie doubted he’d intentionally trusted her enough to fall asleep. It was probably a mixture of boredom, motion, and exhaustion, along with a second meal in a day taking the edge off the hunger pangs.

‘What’s your name?’ she questioned silently. She didn’t want her squad to get used to calling him Mutt, since it obviously irritated him.

Twelve hours later, her first shift driving the train was over. Trenton arrived exactly on time, appearing next to her with a cup of water and a plate with instant mashed potatoes and gravy with tinned vegetables.

“Doesn’t smell half bad. Thanks.”

“Yeah,” he replied, even more taciturn than usual.

Elsie accepted his offering, updated the log showing the shift change, and finally sat down, taking a seat across from the demon. He was still sleeping. Elsie stared at him while she ate her meal, thinking about whether she should wake him to eat. He clearly needed the rest, and it would help his wounds heal.

Finishing her food, she cleaned her plate, visited the toilet, and grabbed a protein bar on her way back. Setting it next to the demon, she took a light blanket from the overhead compartment and tossed it over him before grabbing one for herself. She justified it by considering it as self-care. If she anticipated the things he needed now, he wouldn’t have a reason to wake her up later.

When she took her seat and reclined it into a cot, she noticed that Trenton was watching everything she did. Maybe she shouldn’t have chosen the seat right next to the demon, subconsciously placing herself between him and everyone else.

“Why are you treating that thing like he’s breakable?” he asked, his eyes cold. “He’s perfectly capable of getting his own food when he wakes up.”

Elsie nodded in acknowledgment, though she took her time answering. He was certainly capable of feeding himself, if he were willing to speak to any of her squad to figure out where to find things, and she knew he wouldn’t. The stubborn mutt.

“He’s not easily broken,” she lied. That demon could experience a panic attack at any moment, and she didn’t know what all his triggers were yet. “It’s just… he’s surrounded by the people who kidnapped, beat, and enslaved him right now. I want him to learn that we’re not all like Clairemont. He needs to trust us, and we need to trust him.”

“Sounds like wishful thinking to me, Captain,” Trenton muttered. “I don’t think any of us will ever trust him, and I don’t think it’s fair of you to expect it of us. Also? You should probably be careful with the way you talk about him. I wouldn’t want you to be mistaken for a sympathizer.”

There it was. The thought on everyone’s mind. They were worried their captain would go soft and become a demon sympathizer. It was the worst accusation one could make against a human or hunter, and a guilty verdict usually ended in death.

Anger flared in her chest, but then confusion set in. Mutt had specifically been given with the intention that she get close to him. Mordane had to have foreseen something like this happening, so why the hell did he allow this “gift” to be given?

“I don’t have to be a sympathizer to feel bad about his circumstances. He’s never threatened a nest or harmed a human, he’s never even seen a human before. He’s done nothing wrong, but you guys think it’s okay to hand him back to the beastmaster for another round of torture? That’s pretty fucked up,” Elsie said.

Disbelief crossed Trenton’s handsome face before his brow creased in a frown.

“Is that what he told you? Has anyone other than the demon confirmed it?” Trenton asked disdainfully. “He’s playing with your emotions, Captain.”

“Morgan and I would know if he were lying. You have my reasons. I am not going to keep justifying my morals to you.”

Trenton looked away, giving in for now. Elsie didn’t kid herself into thinking it was over. She’d seen the hard, angry expression in his eyes before he’d turned away. But she couldn’t dictate her people’s thoughts and emotions.

If she had to bully every member of her squad into accepting her decision, she would. Trenton and the others didn’t have to like him. They didn’t even have to trust him; they just needed to show basic respect. She didn’t want to lose any of them to something out of her control, but damn it, she refused to condone what Clairemont was doing to those demons.

Elsie lay back and massaged her temples. Everything about this day sucked. She wanted nothing more than to go back in time and make it all disappear. She wouldn’t let a permanent rift form between her and her team over this or anything else; they were too important to her.