Part 2

*Warnings: dark pics, wordy*

“Is this how you normally meet women? Bursting in bathrooms while they’re butt naked and putting bullets in people’s head?” Crystal was embarrassed that they stranger saw her nude and that he killed the demon that attacked her.

“Well that’s a funny way to thank someone,” He responded with a thick southern accent that she found oddly attractive. “I guess I should have let it kill you then?” He continued.
“No, no…I appreciate it. I’m just not used to being saved or having random guys see me naked.”
“Ah, don’t worry about it. You got a nice body.” If looks could kill he would have died several times over from the angry scowl Crystal gave him. “Sorry, sorry. Name’s Jason. Might as well become properly acquainted right?” He extended his hand to shake hers.
“Crystal...” she hesitantly accepted the gesture and shook his. “How did you know that I was in trouble?”
“I had been following that demon for a few weeks now. It went on a rampage killing about thirty people. Somehow it was evading me up until recently and I was able to track it here.”
“Demon?” Crystal played dumb.
“Oh, don’t act like you didn’t know. You’re a hunter. That specific type of demon will only go after hunters. What you do that pissed it off?”
“Probably because I killed its friend a few days ago” she walked over to the dresser to find some clothes. “It’s been on my trail ever since and I guess I got sloppy. Now turn around so I can change clothes. I’ll know if you look too.”

….
“Staying here’s probably not a wise thing to do. You know more are soon to come.” Jason warned.

“Yeah, just as I was starting to get comfortable.”
“That reminds me.” Jason now had a worried look plastered on his face. “You down happen to own a red Jeep, do you?”

….
“You aren’t serious!!!” Crystal yelled as she viewed what used to be her vehicle. It was beyond repairs. “My baby! I wish I knew how to bring it back to life so I could kill it again!” she always took pride in her Jeep.

Jason remained silent while Crystal fussed about her vehicle. He didn’t mind it; hearing her complain almost reminded him of his brother.
“Hey Earth to Jason,” she snapped her fingers in his face breaking him out of his almost trance like state. “something on your mind, you haven’t said a word.”
“Oh, its nothing.” Crystal knew there was something he wasn’t telling, but they had only just met and she wasn’t about to pry.



She went back to examine the damage on her Jeep. “Yes indeed.” Jason smirked at her figure.
“Keep staring and I’m going to cut your eyes out.” Crystal barked without looking at him. She could feel his eyes traveling her body.
He had to laugh. It was soon, but he liked her. Something about her presence put him at ease. As he continued to admire her frame his phone rang. “Jason, where are you?” The sweet voice of his old friend, Maria brought a bigger smile to his face instantly.

“Right outside of Memphis. What’s up?”
“Oh perfect. There’s something strange going on up here in Flat Woods. A lot of mysterious murders are happening and people turning against each other. I think we have some serious demonic activity.”
“Sweet, I’ll check it out!” Jason loved going on hunts. It was something he excelled at. Not to mention the women that often wanted to show their gratitude for him saving their lives. “Hey sweet thang,” He spoke to Crystal “There’s some commotion going on about a hundred miles from here, care to join?”
Crystal didn’t see any other option at the moment. She no longer had a car and the people she usually worked with were hundreds of miles away. “Alright, but don’t try anything funny.”
….

She had no idea what she was doing. It wasn’t uncommon for demons to impersonate hunters so they could lure others in and kill them. One thing she learned since becoming a hunter was that no one is as they seem.
“So Jason, how long have you been a hunter?” She asked. She was tired of listening to Pearl Jam and felt getting to know him was important.
He turned the radio off and replied, “Oh bout ten years now. You can say its part of the family business.”
“Family…” She sullenly repeated the word.
Noticing her change in attitude, Jason spoke again. “You have any family?”
“I did. They’re all gone now. Mom, dad, little sister.” The memory of her family was a painful one. Before all of this, life seemed to be perfect. Good job, steady boyfriend, a loving family. In just one night everything had been stripped from her. Unable to live in San Antonio, Texas where she grew up, she packed the needed items and traveled around hunting the creatures that made her life the way it was now. “How about you, mr?”
Jason didn’t reply right away. Even though his story was nowhere near as sad as Crystals it was still painful. “My dad was a hunter up till her was almost mauled to death, and then my mom made him quit. They live out in Missouri but travel often. I also have a younger brother. He’s gone missing though. No one’s seen or heard from him in almost a year. So along with hunting I’m also looking for him. He was also a hunter so I know he has to be alive…”
Silence soon befell the two again. Crystal felt a slight hint of jealousy towards him for having a family. She longed to hear her sister’s playful giggle or her father’s thunderous laugh. Why did things have to change?
….
Crystal didn’t know she had fallen asleep until Jason gently tapped her on the shoulder.

“Rise and shine beautiful. We’re here.” ‘Here’ was a very small very American looking town. Tennessee was one of her favorite states to visit. The people were always so friendly. This time was obviously different.

As they got out the car a cold light rain started to fall. “C’mon, there’s someone we need to see” He grabbed her hand tugging her along.

“First day here and you’ve already nabbed a woman, huh Jason?” A heavy set middle aged woman loudly laughed.
Jason could feel Crystal growing tense and quickly spoke before she could. “This is Crystal, Maria. She’s also a hunter.”
“Is that so? You’re far too cute to be a hunter.”
Crystal gave Maria her best fake laugh and smile. ‘First she thinks I’m some groupie, and then she thinks I’m too cute for my job?’
“So Maria what do we know?”

“All of this started after a guy name Roderick Perry was found dead a few weeks ago. A real prick he was. Police found his body in the old graveyard up town. When they performed the autopsy they found out all his internal organs had been…melted. I’m shocked that he wasn’t leaking from every orifice.”
“Any idea who did it?” Crystal was intrigued. Never before had she been on such a case.
“Rumor has it that his step daughter had something to do with it. She and her mother have been missing for a week now though. The police are so caught up with the rest of the town they haven’t focused on her. I bet if she’s dealt with all this mess would be resolved. Here’s her address.” Maria slid a piece of paper with scribbling on it over to Jason. “Now you take care of my baby, Crystal.” She winked then disappeared behind a door.

“Her baby?” Crystal teased. Jason didn’t look the type to like bigger women.
“She’s just messing around and I know what you’re thinking. I only have one response: more cushion for the pushin’!”
The both of them burst out laughing. There was an unmistakable chemistry between them.
….

The Perry residence was located on the outskirts of town.
“Home sweet home.” Crystal frowned as they pulled into the dirt driveway. Every window had been boarded up; tall unkempt grass and garbage littered the front yard. It was the poster child for a haunted house.
An intense feeling of excitement overwhelmed Jason the closer he got to the house. Hunting gave his otherwise pointless life a meaning. It gave him purpose. Crystal on the other hand was very uneasy. Something was different about this case. It was going to be the one to test her.
“You keep an eye out for anything while I break down this door.” Jason said to Crystal. She didn’t like taking orders from some man she hardly knew, but work was work.

“You hear that Jason?”
“Hear what?” He grunted a response as he kicked the door.
“There it goes again.” From a distance she could hear the faint sound of footsteps in the grass. Instinct told her to pull out her specially made gun. She pointed it in the direction where the sounds where coming from at the same time something lunged at her.