Long Time No See

Long Time No See

 

Adam watched them through the rain, picking out two familiar figures moving though the crowd. He brushed a strand of hair away from his face and pulled up the hood of his jacket, leaning forward to get a better view of the crowded streets. Daniel leaned forward and tapped his shoulder. He gestured toward the street below and raised his eyebrows, clearly anxious to begin the hunt. Adam shook his head and waved him back. Too many people,he thought,  wait. Daniel growled the sound rising from deep in his chest. Adam shot him a warning glance even as the figures below stopped, their heads snapping up as they caught the sound.

 

“Damm it Daniel.  Rafe said surveillance only. We’re not here to fight.”

 

“Where’s the fun in that?” Daniel answered.

 

 “If you go down there now the whole street will see you. “ He hissed through clenched teeth. “Do you want to expose us?”

 

A rush of air was his only answer. Adam swore under his breath. It was no use arguing now; once the Avatar was released it focused solely on the hunt. He moved back slightly to make room for the colossal wingspan as the Avatar stretched and loosened his muscles. It turned its head and regarded Adam with cat like eyes. “Well met Adam.”

 

Adam inclined his head. “Well met Bale.”

 

Bale smiled faintly before jumping into the rain swept air. Thank God for the rain, Adam thought, the humans were all hurrying home, their heads bent against the elements.  Too preoccupied to notice what had just landed in their midst. Cursing he launched himself off the roof. He landed silently in the square below, his black clothing blending in perfectly with the shadows. The two demons reached for their weapons, even as Adam unsheathed his own sword.

 

“Now that’s more like it.” Bale laughed, the muscles in his arms and neck tensing as he sprang forward, knocking the demon to the ground hard enough that the breath could be heard leaving his lungs as he slammed into the concrete. He screamed in agony as the blade was ripped from his hand where it landed with a wet smack on the tarmac, bloodless fingers still clenched round the hilt.

 

Drawing a knife from his boot, Adam took a step forward.“Want to join your friend?”  He asked. The demon looked over to his companion’s body and the pool of blood that was seeping from his mangled wrist. As he watched Bale lowered his head and ripped out his throat. With a strangled yell, he dropped his weapon and disappeared into the crowded streets.

 

Adam pushed back his hood and glanced round the empty alley. Something didn’t feel right. It had been too easy. There was something else here he was sure of it, an almost familiar presence. He almost got a sense of it before it slipped away, tantalisingly elusive.

 

Out of the corner of his eye he saw something move. Before he had a chance to react, he was knocked off his feet, the blade skittering out of reach. The creature moved forward and stood over him, ready to deliver a killer blow. Adam kicked out and caught it squarely in the knee, just managing to roll out of its way as it fell heavily, a howl of rage tearing from its throat. It lunged toward him again, all trace of glamour gone, teeth snapping inches from his face and razor sharp claws raking across his chest. Adam swung out and punched the demon squarely in the head, knocking it back a few steps. It recovered quickly, spinning on its heel and kicking him squarely in the face, breaking his nose and sending blood spraying across the ground.

 

“Long time no see Adam ” It said, seeming to almost chew on the words, its voice low and rasping. .

 

“Vincent, what hole did you crawl out of?”

 

 Vincent grinned and lunged forward again, shoving him violently in the chest. Glass shattered as he went sailing through a window, landing with a soft moan of pain among a pile of rubble on the floor of an abandoned warehouse.

 

“You should have killed me instead of sending me back to the Pit.” Vincent lowered his full weight onto the man’s chest, enjoying the sound of his ribs cracking one by one.

 

“Get off me and I’ll be glad to correct my mistake.”

 

Vincent laughed, revealing razor sharp fangs. “I think not. I will enjoy killing you” 

 

Adam closed his eyes and whispered a silent prayer. Suddenly the pressure pinning him to the ground eased a blinding flash exploded through the room, leaving imprints even behind his eyelids.

 

“Are you hurt?” Bale asked, extending his hand. Adam clasped his fingers gratefully and pulled himself to his feet. A wave of nausea swept over him and he staggered against the wall.

 

“What happened?”

 

“The demon that attacked you is gone. He will not be returning.”

 

No s**t Adam thought, glancing at the charred pile of ash next to his foot. Bale really had a gift for understatement.  His vision clearing slightly Adam looked over at the Avatar. He was twisted to one side inspecting a thin red line down his chest.

 

“Are you okay?” He echoed the Avatars own question. Bale looked up with a slightly annoyed expression.

 

“It is merely a scratch. I should not have let them get so close. “He straightened up and drew his wings around himself. “You no longer need me. Until next time.”

 

Adam nodded weakly and leaned back against the wall. The rain was heavier now, pounding against his skin like a living thing. He shut his eyes and let it soak him, washing away the blood and debris that clung to his clothes, how long he stood like that he didn’t know but he was snapped out of his reverie by the laughter of a group of girls leaving the bar opposite.

 

“Nice fight.” Daniel grinned, rubbing the back of his neck.

 

“Yeah. Shame you missed it.” Adam rubbed a hand over his chest, wincing slightly as his ribs began to realign. By tomorrow he would be left with nothing more than a bruise as reminder of this encounter and with concentration he could speed up the process even further. Daniel stooped to retrieve his fallen sword and handed it back hilt first. As Adam’s fingers closed around the handle he realised it was wet with blood.

 

“You’re bleeding.”

 

Frowning Daniel unzipped his jacket. His shirt was slashed from collar to hem and dark with fresh blood. The scratch on Bale’s torso had become a gaping wound, exposing the muscle and sinew beneath his skin. Daniel stared incredulously at his chest and crashed to his knees.

 

“Daniel!” Adam barley caught his friend before he hit the ground. “Hang in there buddy. It’s gonna be okay.”

 

Daniel smiled weakly, bloody foam collecting on his lips. “Liar. “

 

Adam fumbled in his pocket for his blackberry. He shouted out a few short commands before hanging up and dragging Daniel further into the shadows. The streets were beginning to fill with people celebrating the start of the weekend. Music and the smell of fast food wafted toward him as he cradled his friend in his arms.

 

He sat like that until they found him, rocking back and forth over Daniels still form.

 

The car ride back to the Enclave passed in a blur. There was some talk of him seeing a doctor; he was in shock they said, possibly hypothermic. That conversation had ended pretty quickly when he’d slammed the poor guy up against the wall for trying to take his pulse. Things got messy after that.

 

“Hold him down, hold him.”

 

A needle pierced his arm and he sank gratefully into darkness.