After a big breakfast at my favourite cafe, we make our way to the pack house which isn't too far from Logan's place. A sinking feeling hits my stomach as it looks like every man and his dog is waiting for us.

Literally.

The werewolves in this area must be rather cozy with the wolf shifters as I quickly counted at least ten wolves prowling around the people watching us. I don't like anything to do with any of this, and the thought that we may very well be walking into a trap crosses my mind. A flicker of doubt about Logan also comes along, but while all of this seems wrong, I don't think I've made a mistake by trusting him.

"Are they always this friendly?" I whisper, getting out of Logan's car.

"I'm a Tracker, and you're a Hunter. Do you blame them for being on edge?"

He had a point. We were typically solitary predators, unlike our pack loving friends. Whatever arrangement he has in place probably didn't involve having a backup of his own.

"Follow my lead and go with what I say. Trust me." Logan orders, and I instantly pull away as he takes my hand. "That would be following my lead."

"Holding your hand is-"

"Do it." He grabs my hand roughly, and so I squeeze his hard while smiling innocently, as he scowls down at me.

We head up the driveway towards the waiting crowd. All eyes are on me as they know Logan and the only thing they know about me is what I am. One of the wolves trots over cautiously, and we stop walking as it sniffs my legs. Instantly its ears drop flat, and its hackles bristle along its grey spine.

"Calm down Wolf. I'm not here to cause trouble." Ignoring the tug on my hand to keep walking, I stare at the animal, and it doesn't appreciate it.

Lesson one in dealing with animals. No fear. It growls, and a few others come close, ready to defend their pack mate.

"You just love making friends where ever you go," Logan mutters under his breath, looking towards the silent crowd and approaching wolves.

Shutting him up, the wolf seems to relax, and I step away as it walks against my legs before going back to the others. My jeans have a thick layer of hair on them now, and I move to brush it off. "Seriously?"

"Let it go, come on. Just try to pretend to like me and act like someone other people can like?" Logan grabs my arm and starts to drag me towards the house.

Still, no one says anything, not even a hello or a wave. The feeling that we're walking into a trap or at least a horror movie only increases with every step. All we needed now was a cornfield and some children to appear with glowing eyes. If they did appear, I'm willing to sacrifice Logan to get away.

The house is at least three levels high, so less house more mansion or judging by the brickwork, castle. Once inside, a giant hall greets us. It's almost like a ballroom or something out of a fantasy novel with tapestries of wolves and monsters lining the walls. Despite the more modern appearance outside, it's like the further we walk in the more time rewinds until we turn left and into a meeting room. A large wooden table fills the centre of the space, and sure enough against the back wall, there is an actual throne.

Whoever does their woodwork has some skill.

Dark red velvet curtains cover the windows and the chandeliers that offer a dim light to the room hang above the table. They are far from the more modern, crystal elegance I usually see. They looked old, like right out the 17th century and movement by the throne alerts me to the fact we are not alone.

The scratch of a nail on the wooden flooring makes me spin around, and three wolves run in from outside to take place around the room. I'm surprised they didn't bring in the newspaper to drop at the Alpha's feet as she comes in to sit on her oversized chair. Superiority complex much?

"Whatever you're thinking, don't say it," Logan whispers to me as we walk down to stand before her.

"How do you know what I'm thinking?"

"The unimpressed look all over your face for starters, and the fact you seem to speak fluent sarcasm."

"Wow Loges, you know me so well!" I gush, mocking him, and he nearly crushes my hand as he squeezes mine now.

The Alpha coughs and looking in her direction we're now in front of her. She is older than I had expected, and Logan bows his head slightly. Don't remember that being any textbook.

"Logan, who is this girl?"

"Alpha Selene, this is Elise," he pauses, "Bunting."

"Ah, I thought there was something familiar about you." She moves her hands over the curve of the armrests, not hiding her claws as they dance over the surface.

She suits the position, I'd almost expect her to be wearing the crown jewels in the way she acted, or yelling 'off with her head'. Her grey hair was braided in an updo, and the more I take in of it all, I'm confident the doorway was a portal back in time.

"Another Bunting. How interesting." She purrs, and one of the wolves moves to her side. "What do you want, girl?"

"It's Elise, not girl." Her eyebrow raises as a tiny smirk plays on her lips. "My brother Jordan was supposed to meet with you, but from what I've heard he never turned up. I'm hoping you'll know why he was coming here?"

"You want my help-" Her golden eyes latched onto mine, "girl?"

I pulled my hand away from Logan's sure he would break it if he kept squeezing it how he was.

"Not if you keep calling me girl."

"Logan, you dare bring such a creature into my home?" Her lip curls with disgust as she looks me over.

"Creature? Lady, you're the one that howls at the moon once a month!"

"She isn't always like this." He looks at me and sighs, "She is actually. The sooner we help her, the sooner she goes."

"Help? At the moment she is lucky I haven't thrown her to the wolves!" The Alpha snaps hostilely.

"Oh, that's funny. Cause of you guys?" I point at one of the wolves sitting around her thrown and they all glare back at me.

The alpha raised her head slightly, inhaling deeply and I glanced at Logan who was only looking at the Alpha.

"Ah, that explains it."

Tilting my head slightly, I'm the one looking confused now. "Explains what?"

"His scent is all over you. As it stands, a friend of Logan is a friend of ours." Selene nods, though her sudden turn around makes me nervous. The gathering in the room all understands her command as she mutters under her breath. "Even if she is rude."

"Friend?" My mouth drops at what she is implying causing a few sniggers to come from behind us.

With a small flick of her hand, the wolves and pack leave until it is just the three of us and the overgrown lapdog by her side. Instantly Logan's arm is around my shoulders, and while I want to shrug it off, I don't. Follow my lead he said, trust me he said. I guess he forgot to mention the part where I'm supposed to be in a relationship with him.

"Oh, friend." I wink at her before forcing a smile in his direction. "Guess that cats out of the bag."

Logan goes tense as I glare at him now.

"Logan, leave us." Having the werewolf tell the Tracker what to do had me shaking my head and after opening his mouth a few times, he lets me go and obediently exits the room. "Good kid that one. Break his heart, and you have a pack to answer to."

She believes that we're together?

Stupid werewolf, yet to give Logan some credit his plan worked, and he gave me an into the pack. Hopefully, she would now co-operate only I'm not sure what's about to happen as once the door shuts behind Logan, Selene's whole demeanour changes. Whereas before each word was said so nobly, it was now as common as the next person. Standing up, she took off her cape that had been concealing white cotton pants and a pale pink blouse. The row of pearls around her neck made the perfect accessory to her ensemble, and I half expected her to suggest we go yachting.

"I've been expecting a Bunting, but not you." Her attitude would rival my own, and I bit my tongue from snapping back.

"Sorry to disappoint."

Selene gives a tiny shrug as if this all beneath her and it's such an inconvenience to have to deal with me instead of Jordan. She sits at the table, motioning for me to take a seat too.

"Love what you did with the place, it's all very-"

"Don't patronise me. I will tell you what I can, and that is all. Your brother came seeking refuge. The fae he was after heard he had found their location, so they moved on. When he got there, they left a few of their friends to wait for him and somehow he got away alive."

"I was told he never made it here." Maybe Paula hadn't been as open as I thought.

"Good, that's what I wanted people to think. He is certainly living up to the family name. I have a feeling he will do great things within our world. Like your ancestor, Jordan is a man of change. A way forward for all of us."

She sat there looking as smug as my Father did when he handed me the college rejection letter.

"Well since you sound like a such a fan, do you know where Jordan is now?"

"Maybe I do, girl."

"I have a name." I narrow my eyes at her, unsure what her game here is exactly.

"You don't deserve it." She crossed her arms over her chest, and I mimicked her actions, something she doesn't fail to notice.

"Bitch," I mumble under my breath.

"I demand respect!" Standing the wolf that stayed by the throne came closer, growling with a warning.

"You don't deserve it." I throw her words back at her, feeling as though I was now arguing with my parents, well grandparents considering how old she looked.

Her rage fills the room; only she doesn't bite back as my parents would have and an awkward silence stretches on between us until I reluctantly give in first.

"Fine. Think what you want about me, but I only want to help my brother. I need to know he is alive." I hate that I've just offered her a glimpse of weakness.

There was no hiding or faking my emotions now, and the feeling of disappointment began to creep back in. I was at another dead end.

"He came to me on a Wednesday night, two maybe three weeks ago. There were some lesser demons in the fae's cave, but it was an Apophyt he was left trying to escape. Friday morning he was gone, and not even our best defenders could pick up his scent. That night, the creature arrived, and I haven't seen or heard from Jordan since. I know he was still going after the coven."

It took me a second to process what she said, the first part being that it was only weeks ago she had seen Jordan; days would have been better, but at least it wasn't months. The second was the demon she mentioned, and a new feeling of dread took over.

"An Apophyt?" I fell against the table, resisting the urge to bang my head against it.

Those things weren't supposed to exist outside the worst case scenario books in the library at the Academy. They were an extinct species, rarely, well more like never seen in this world. There had been one though, recent enough for The Council we are controlled by to have a folder kept available on them as a warning. In our first year History of Demonology class, the teachers liked to act like they were a missing sign of the apocalypse. So what did that mean for one to be around now?

"What's wrong, are you not a Hunter, girl?" Selene taunted.

"What happened to it when it got here? Did it hurt any of your pack?" I asked genuinely concerned and ignored her comment.

An Apophyt was not something to be easily defeated. It made an Anaconda comparable to a bunny, as this was an overgrown snake that did more than strangle you. They could spit poison, grow spikes on their tail, and a whole bunch of nasty things. Apophyt's, like other summoned demons, were also controlled by the ones that did the summoning. So whoever brought it here, did so with the orders to hunt down my sibling.

Just what had Jordan got himself involved with?

Looking up at the Alpha, she surprised me by smiling. "No, Elise. My pack were unharmed. It was after your brother's blood, not my pack, not me. Maybe, you could use it to your advantage?"

"Use what?" I didn't understand, and I didn't like the sly look on her face now.

"The Apophyt."

"How? Until it wants to get found, it's impossible!" I sat back in the chair, feeling way out of my depth.

I'd need to find some willing witch or fae to help try to track it, but I had nothing to go on. I also didn't have a lot of supernatural contacts I could call on for a favour. Maybe Dad did, but that would involve going back home and then I thought of Logan. He'd been helpful so far, but could I keep pushing our new friendship and ask even more from him?

"Elise, nothing is impossible, even the word says I'm possible." She says with that superiority back in her tone.

"I don't understand?" What did she know that I didn't?

I watched her put on her cape, the wolves returning to their positions as Big Al came through the door with Logan. Again she was transformed into the woman of stone, and her face went blank. The few that followed the pair all seemed to look at me differently. A good different, I think.

"I hope she didn't cause you too much trouble Alpha?" Logan greeted, again bowing.

"Stop kissing ass, Logan. Are you helping her?" That took us both by surprise as we looked at each other.

"Kind of."

"Yes or no," Selene demanded

He looked over at me again, and I shrugged, not sure where this was going. If he wanted an out, this was his chance to take it.

"Yes," Logan tells her.

"Take them both to the Apophyt." She ordered, and Big Al grunted in response.

So that was her secret. This time when I look at Logan, he is, and I leave my chair to go and stand in front of her.

"You have it here?"

I don't know how she did it, though earlier when she said they were unharmed and used the distraction of it looking for my brother to their advantage, I thought she meant they killed it. If it was here, alive, well this day just got a hell of a lot worse, and Logan did not need to get involved in this.

"Of course we have it. We weren't about to let it hunt your brother after offering him refuge!" Selene snapped.

"I go alone then," I tell her. "This isn't Logan's fight or business."

"You don't think I can handle it?" He challenged.

"Do you even know what it is?" I yell back at him, wondering if only Hunters got the full doom and gloom tales of the monsters. If he did know what it was, I'm confident he wouldn't be so quick to volunteer.

"Can it be any worse than you?"

"Get them both out of here. I've heard enough!" Selene interrupts.

Big Al picks me up, his shoulder digging into my stomach. Strangely, Logan merely follows us, and we go back the way came in only now we go through a door by one of the canopies hanging off the wall. It takes us down a set of stairs, and I give up trying to get the giant to put me down as it hardly seems to bother him. With his free hand, Big Al manages to get open all the locks on the doors that we have to go through and on the second level he finally puts me down. Thankfully Logan stopped me from falling on my ass as he didn't do it with much care.

"You should go back," I tell Logan, giving one more chance to get out of here.

"If you can do it, I can do it." He puffed out his chest slightly and at least in the barely there lighting he missed me rolling my eyes.

"It's in there." Big Al mumbled, unlocking the final door and the chain fell to the floor with a clang that had us both jumping.

"Cheers Big Fella." I patted his chest, ignoring his growl and looked at Logan as I put my hand on the doorknob. "Well, you deal with animals right? I guess this kind of comes under your area of expertise."

"Then why haven't I heard of it before?" He asked, stupidly following me into the room.

To my delight, a rack of weapons was by the door making me think the pack is the kind that didn't shy away from torturing their captives. Grabbing a few things, I threw Logan a machete and a smaller hunters knife. I couldn't quite remember everything about these creatures, and what I could wasn't good including the critical fact that they were hard to kill.

"Maybe snake shifting demons don't fall in the same category as other shifters?" I shrug, leaving the weapons and carrying on down the hall.

"Snake?" He asked weakly.

Even in the dark, I could see the sweat break out over his brow.

Amateur.

"Yeah, something to do with their Ancient Egypt beginnings. You know how the gods could never keep it in their pants, this underworld snake thing Apep, Apop, I forget, well he got frisky with some other demon and blah blah, I don't pay enough attention to things, but apparently more than you do, this new thing is born, and we call it an Apophyt!"

I didn't hesitate in kicking down the door, and the stench of death and decay was nearly as bad as the Thai food in Logan's fridge.

"What is that?" Logan hesitated from going further.

"Death. They're from the underworld."

The light globe in the back corner of the room was flickering rather annoyingly and seeing two switches against the damp stone wall I turned on the other one. This lit the place up as if someone had opened a window at midday though I regretted that as we saw the creature in the corner.

"You're the Hunter. This is all yours!" Logan choked out, turning to go back out the door.

The black-headed reptile slowly uncurls itself as it takes the shape of rather short, snake-skinned dwarf. It must go to the same hairdresser as Medusa as the small snakeheads all hiss and spit in our direction. I hadn't seen one of these in person before, the images in books were blurry or drawings, and it's true form only got a mention as they always attack as a snake.

"Where are your Masters?" I ask, trying to keep calm and also remember if they understood human languages.

"Hunterrrrrr." It moans, and the snakes start to lash out, as if they could be free of the skull there were attached to.

It's then the creature turns around, giving us the first look of its face. The snakehead looks strange on the little body, almost as if it ran out of space when growing so it only partly formed. Big, round, black eyes stare at us blankly while its mouth opens into a toothless grin. A flicker of red tongue emerges and I'm not sure if it's from the face, the smell or a mixture of everything about the demon, but I feel my breakfast rising from the pit of my stomach.

"What the fuck is that!" Logan gasps, frozen in place the stump of a face angle in his direction.

Again, that long red tongue slithers out, testing the air before fangs appear at the top of the Apophyt mouth. It hisses at Logan, ignoring me as it makes a move to charge. It doesn't get to go very far as I pull out a throwing star hidden within my boot, and I manage to slice off three of the hair snakes. The creature hisses in pain, as boneless limbs flop around at its side and the cut off sections release a high pitch scream as they disintegrate.

"Where did your masters go?" I ask a little more firmly now and get its attention once more.

"Maybe you shouldn't piss it off?" Logan suggests from where he has moved to the opposite corner.

"Should I become friends with it instead, add it to my Christmas card list?" I snap at him as the creature sways, looking between us both.

"Sure your brother is missing? Hell, I'd fake a disappearance to get away from you!"

Turning his way, I only glare at him. "No one asked you to be here, go home Logan and leave me the hell alone!"

"You wouldn't be here if not for me!" He snapped back.

"I would have worked it out. You-"

"Ah, Bunting?" He pointed behind me and looking back, clearly, the demon didn't want to wait around while we had a domestic dispute.

It had shifted into its full snake form, the neck swaying as it extended to its full height which was taller than me. Once again its tongue tastes the air and looking up at it, I wished I could remember what the easiest way to kill it was.

"Hunter. S-s-same blood."

"Yeah, that's right. Do you think you can find the same blood?"

Maybe being kind to this thing could help me make a deal with it to either find it's Master or Jordan. It was the only lead I had, yet before I could blink its tail was wrapped around my legs and hips as it dragged me against its side. If it started to tighten up any more than it already was, I was going to be in for some pain. Egyptian origins, was never human, could only be summoned from another realm and then I saw Logan creeping along the wall to stand behind it. He nods, and I hope he knows what he is doing.

I stop moving altogether, no longer even trying to fight and free myself. Under the scales, I could feel the muscles already clench and tighten as it constricted around me. I hold my hands up in surrender and make a little prayer that this will work.

"I am a loyal servant to the one mighty god Apep! Lord of the darkness, Apep protects those who worship him!"

The Apophyt stopped moving. It's head, minus the mini-snakes, lowering down until it was right in front of me. I kept my eyes on the concrete below, refusing to make eye contact. Clearly, someone was still loyal to their grandsire.

"S-s-say it again."

"Yeah right." I look up in time to duck, my arms covering my head as Logan springs forward.

With the machete raised, he takes a swipe and the blade slices partway through its neck. Its body is thrown backwards, knocking Logan out of the way and as I go to fall, I manage to reach up enough to grab the handle. With a grunt of effort, I pull the blade out and then strike again. Vile black blood spurted out from the body as the head fell with a thud. Like a possessed hose, the body squirmed and flailed about, while Logan was quick to return and help me escape the coiled body. We back away to the open door and watch my only lead to Jordan shrivel up as the hair creatures had until nothing was left.

Except for the head.

The once lifeless shape began to change, and the wound closed up, wiggling as a tail sprouted and from the mouth of the demon, a new and much, much smaller snake slithered out. Neither of us moved as it came towards us and without thinking, I put my hand out, and the reptile curled itself around my arm like it was the most natural place for it to be. We stared at each other for a moment, a feeling of acceptance passing between us.

"Holy shit. What just happened?" Logan moved over to the deflated carcass, before coming to look at the creature that seemed content to stay where it was on my arm.

"I remember why they're so hard to kill now. You can't. Fire helps, but you'd have to do it when they're like this little guy. If you were to cut them, new ones are created from their flesh, except when it's with the head, and then just one is left instead." I rub its tiny black head, and the snake doesn't seem to care, if anything, I think it likes it.

"What are you going to do with it? Should we look for some matches?" He keeps out of reach as I extend my arm for him to look at the snake.

Chucking my new friend into a fire pit doesn't seem entirely possible now. As if he can read my thoughts, he climbs up higher and tighter, staring at me silently yet I can almost imagine him begging me not to do that. So long as he doesn't decide to strangle me within the next five minutes, I don't see why we would have to do that. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it at all, but I wasn't staying here while trying to decide.

"Leave it at your place to catch the mice," I tell Logan, heading back up the stairs.

"No chance!" He calls, following.

"Scared of a snake?"

"No!"

He so is.

Leaving the dungeon behind, I find the Alpha and pack gathered in the hall. We slowly walk out, unsure what's going on and as they all notice the python wrapped around my arm, they back away.

"Thanks for that Selene, but it was another dead end," I watch her, not missing the surprised look on her face. Didn't she want us coming out from down there?

"Good luck in finding your brother Elise." She answers curtly, her eyes not leaving the snake that seems just as interested in her.

I don't bother answering her and moving through the crowd start towards the car. Logan is still talking to her, but I'm done with these mutts and leave. In a few seconds, he's running to catch up and keeps close at my side. I don't miss the way he looks over his shoulder a couple of times either.

"So what did you do to make her like you?" Logan asks curiously, as we head back to his place.

"No idea."

We drive the rest of the way in silence. By now the snake blood has dried, and I stink. I'm not even going to try washing my clothes as everything is just getting thrown out. The thought of a hot shower and being clean makes me smile, so as we go inside, I make sure I get to go first again.

"Here, hold my snake."

Logan nearly drops the little guy as after I unwrap it from my arm, and place it carefully against his chest.

"What are you doing?" He asks, fumbling with the snake who is trying to reach out to me.

"Showering." I move fast so he can't even try to stop me.

As I get to the bedroom though, I'm instantly alert. Pulling out a small dagger I kept from the pack, I hold it defensively as I open the door and with Logan coming up behind me I brace myself for whatever is waiting. I don't expect to find a woman, in her revealing lingerie, to be on his bed. She doesn't expect me either at seeing the knife, screams.

"Who are you?" She yells, and now the shock has worn off, I can't believe women come in here willingly.

Instead of answering her, I laugh and turn to find Logan still trying to juggle the very active snake in his hands. I hear him mumble something under his breath as he enters, but decide to stay out of whatever this all was.

"Visitor, Logan!" I grab my things and go into the ensuite, the sound of their argument following me in.

I make sure I scrub extra hard knowing I slept in that bed last night and god knows who else did the night before. The thought makes me shudder and finally coming out, the girl has left, and my snake is in a pillowcase. He doesn't look happy from the way it's moving around on the bed beside Logan.

"Don't let me stop your fun." I tease.

"She does that sometimes, but I thought it was over. I had no idea-"Logan's cheeks pink a little, and I try not to laugh. "She's gone anyway."

"Why is Alfie in a pillowcase?"

"You named the demon snake Alfie?"

"What would you call him?" I ask, getting him out of his cotton prison.

"Dead?"

"Funny. Alfie is not going to end up barbequed."

"Did you forget what he came from already? He's a demon Elise, demon. You don't name them Alfie and carry them around like the newest fashion accessory!" Logan and Alfie glare at each other, before Alfie, hisses. "See!"

"How would you like to be shoved in a bag? I wouldn't blame him if he attacked you right now."

"It's a Demon, Elise!"

I let Alfie move around my neck, his small body resting either side of my shoulders and I pray Logan isn't about to get what he needs to throw a big, I told you so, in my face. So far so good and grabbing my phone, I quickly connect to the network we use for jobs, research and everything else, to look up the Apophyt. The information is scarce, and Logan leaves me to it to take a shower as well. This time I leave some hot water, and he comes out in a better mood than last night.

"So, am I setting up a bonfire in the backyard?" He asks, sitting beside us only to quickly back off as Alfie takes a swipe at him.

I already love this snake.

"Well, his brain functions similar to ours. He isn't an animal, despite what he may look like, so you saying you want to fry him is something he is going to understand." I point out as Alfie tries again to strike at Logan. "He won't be able to change into that dwarf thing for a while yet either and it's rumoured that if you kill one of them and claim the offspring, you will be its Master."

"What?" He reaches for my phone, moving quick enough that Alfie misses his next chance to strike. "You're kidding. So he's like, your pet demon now?"

"I think so," I nod, nudging Alfie with my nose as he comes across my face to hide in my hair. "Did not see that part coming."

It did help explain why I felt the need to pick him up. I claimed him as mine by doing that and now look at us; Elise and Alfie, Hunter and Demon, crime-fighting duo. I bet we could even have our own TV Show.

"Anyway, thanks for the shower and your ah, help today!" I get and grab my things.

"What are you doing?" Logan follows me down the hall as I sling my bag over my shoulder.

"What do you mean?"

"Are you going somewhere?" He asks like he genuinely doesn't know.

Considering he tells me every five minutes I'm horrible to be around, and I don't understand why he now doesn't seem to realise that I'm leaving.

"Well yeah, I'm done here. The pack turned into another dead end, and you can get your girl back now."

Getting to my bike, I put my backpack on correctly and pull out my helmet from the side bag while he stands on the verandah unusually quiet.

"You can't just, leave?"

"I thought you'd be thrilled to have me out of your hair. Thanks for everything but Alfie doesn't like you, so it's never going to work out between us if that's what you were hoping for." I wink and put on my helmet before starting the bike.

"At least stay tonight. I can help you." He sounds so positive about that, and I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing.

I don't need any distractions and Logan has the potential to be a big one. Helpful or not. With a final look his way, I can see he is trying to work out if I am bluffing or going and as the snake slips under my jacket, I feel it coil around my arm. Alfie is enough company for now, and with a salute, I start off out of his driveway and onto the street. Whatever he is saying is unclear over the engine, and I don't care enough to stop and listen to him either.