Exorcist Servant: Demon Hunter

John took another sip of his coffee, rubbing his sore eyes from staring at the computer screen for so long.Fortunately, most of the records are now digitized. If the center was first established in the 70s, researchers would have to consult the original or poorly transferred copies.Now, even rare medieval texts kept in the Vatican are being scanned and uploaded to international databases.

He kept searching for content about vampires.Even with the strictest keywords, he can get a list as long as his arm - and each of them is useless.

Psychics has only just begun to be approved and scientifically researched.The earliest research began in the seventeenth century, and even then, it was still two-thirds based on superstition and one-third based on actual observation.Before the Enlightenment, non-human spirits were referred to in treaties as demons, angels, and even demigods due to the author's cultural bias.Any observation of their behavior is inevitably distorted by religious teachings.

There is no authoritative record that non-human spirits are powerful enough to summon undead, let alone hunt other spirits.On the other hand, in countless serious folklore, these walking blood-sucking corpses can only be defeated by trapping them in their coffins in a certain way-such as traditional stakes-or by beheading, removing All vital organs were removed and burned to death.In other words, it is to make the corpse lose the possibility of being sojourned.

Considering that these methods would kill Caleb, and likely just force ash into another body, they're really useless.

Killing the possessed person is a last resort.Some agents thought it was inevitable, but he dismissed it as a failure.Of course, after the [-]-day period, no matter whether the host is a greedy Faust or a passive victim, there is no possibility of salvation after [-] days. At that time, they will start to use various means to prey on human beings, and public safety must come first.

But he doesn't like it.The incident at the brothel, which Sean had lightly downplayed, had kept him awake for months.Damn it, human victims are miserable enough, lying in filthy beds, their life force sucked out, dying... It would be lucky if they could die quickly.

Those succubi are even worse.They used to be women, even girls, until some stupid pimp thought they could grow their business by owning a house full of irresistible whores.He beat and intimidated the women into agreeing to a summons.

It was too late when John arrived: their bodies had been deformed, their consciousness had died, and there was nothing left but hunger and lust.Together they came upon him, beautiful and terrifying, ready to tear him apart with bloody claws.Either kill them or be killed by them.

At least the pimp was their first victim.

He couldn't let this happen to Caleb.A violent, angry Caleb, who despises everyone, human and non-human spirits alike.

Caleb has incredible willpower, but Hui is incredibly powerful.Why didn't he just push Caleb out and take control from the start?Does he just not want to do that?

Is this an option?

hell.Everything was simple until he walked into the abandoned house.

Sean would say it was still easy, and if John thought it was complicated, it could only mean he was out of his head, or out of his wits.or both.

"Look, model students also have things they can't handle, right?"

John was startled and looked up.Agent Tiffany Ward was leaning casually by the door of his office, examining her nails in a deliberate manner—he couldn't be fooled by this feigned indifference.Her dark hair was pulled back in intricate braids and her makeup accentuated her flawless brown skin.The suit she was wearing was probably worth his year's salary.Correction - that skirt alone is probably worth that much.

Like himself and Sean, Tiffany went to a state school for psychics.Unlike them, she doesn't live in a dormitory and is picked up by a luxury car every day.She has wealth, beauty and talent.

It's a pity that he lacks personality charm alone.

"I don't understand what you mean." He leaned back in his chair, trying to look more relaxed.

Tiffany put on a condescending face and looked from her nails to his. "Kania kept it a secret, but word got out. Her favored lieutenant failed, defeated by a surprise inhuman spirit."

His face was hot and his heart was beating faster.No one will know about the abandoned house, the whole thing is a secret.

How did Tiffany know?

He forced a smile and said, "Someone seems to be meddling in his own business."

She smiled back at him sweetly. "You failed to exorcise the spirit. Don't be so sad, Starkweather—everyone has a time like that. By the way, what was it about? Wendigo? Orcs?"

John's hands were clenched into fists under the table, though he wasn't sure if he was so angry because of the leak, or because people thought he hadn't exorcised a commonplace inhuman spirit.And he certainly couldn't defend himself without revealing the secrets.

"Don't you have anything serious to do, Agent Ward?" he asked stiffly.

Her smile became vicious. "Hurry up so soon? I'm sorry. I'll leave you here to think about it for a while. Everyone feels sorry too."

She walked away, the heels of her shoes clicking on the tiles, and the distant laughter burned like fire in his ears.

The phone on his desk rang—an internal call.Anyone else want to make fun of him?Gritting his teeth, he grabbed the phone. "Hello?" he growled.

"Agent Starkweather," damn.It's Kania. "Report to my office." Click.

As if today wasn't bad enough.

***

Caleb held his breath for a moment.God, Melanie is fine.He didn't hurt her too deeply when he - in the ash - bit her.

He gestured vigorously at her, and she shook her head, then nodded to the street behind her.When he shook his head in reply, she hesitated, looking around worriedly.

He exhaled an unconsciously held breath as she walked through the garden.He opened the door and mustered up the courage to get as close to the barrier as possible.The chalk lines on the porch are protected from the rain by the eaves.

What if he asked Melanie to wipe them off?

She hurried down the brick path, then stopped suddenly when she saw the ward. "Caleb?" she asked uncertainly.

Just hearing her voice put him at ease, though he also saw the bandage bulging under her sleeve. "Melanie! Oh God, I'm so glad you're okay." Tears burned his eyes, and he blinked hard to hold them back. "You're all right, right?"

"I'm fine," she swallowed convulsively, her eyes wandering between him and the ward, sparks rippling around the ward as he approached, but he didn't think she could see. "We got a doctor from a dark clinic to treat us so the freaks couldn't find us in the medical records. You didn't—didn't tell them anything about us, did you?"

"Of course not!" He didn't know what else to say, heck, he didn't even know who she was referring to when she said "we", couldn't be sure.

Her lips were pursed, and her eyes were full of worry. "You can't tell them anything, Caleb, lives are at stake."

What the hell was Melanie getting into? "I just said that we went with some of your friends. If you didn't call the police on your mobile phone, I wouldn't even mention you."

"I know you won't, other people worry about it, but..." She shook her head. "Damn it, Caleb, when I saw you fall...you lay there like that, I thought I was going to lose—lose you, like I lost Ben."

Depend on.He blinked quickly, suppressing the urge to cry. "It's okay, I'm fine."

"I was praying the entire time I was doing CPR on you. I thought God answered my prayers when you sat up, but then..."

"I bit you." He would never forgive himself.forever.

"I thought she was attacking us." The protest was defensive, but wasn't it also tinged with shame? "I don't understand."

Caleb kept smiling, trying to pretend Ash didn't even exist. "I can't express how happy I am to see you. How did you find me?"

"Let's get out of the house and... find a place to heal my wounds." She looked nervously away from his face.Caleb couldn't contain his shame. "Dave came back after a while, watching from a distance while the wands went about their business. When you and that agent left, he followed you here."

"Stuckweather didn't notice?" He was a federal agent.

Melanie shrugged. "Dave is a professional, former NSA agent."

"Oh." Come to think of it, Starkweather's demons wouldn't be following him in some nondescript car anyway, and he probably never thought about checking the wheel marks.

Melanie returned her gaze to him, and then looked down at the barrier. "Why are you here? The exorcist exorcised the demon, didn't he?"

He didn't want to answer her.Don't want to say it out loud, let's face it.

"I don't understand you. Whether you mention me or not, I am real."

"No." He said quietly.

Her eyes widened with fear, and she took a step back. "Leyland says the demon still has you, but I don't want to believe it. Oh my God."

"It's not like that," he retorted vehemently. "I swear, I'm still in control, and Starkweather—the exorcist—he's trying to help. Nothing's changed, I'm still Caleb."

"Shut up!" she yelled, and slowly backed away, as if he was going to attack at any moment. "I, I will not listen to your lies, devil!"

"Melanie, don't—"

"Get off me! Satan!" she screamed, before turning and running down the trail.

"Melanie!" he called after her, but it was no use.

She has disappeared.