Pray For Me, Then Kiss me

CHAPTER 5: The Hunters

They came on Sunday.

3 men in black coats. No shadows of their own. That’s how I knew. Real people cast shadows. These men didn’t.

Other Shadows. Sent to finish the job I didn’t. Sent to clean up their mistake.

Service was full. Old women with hats. Kids fidgeting. Elias was preaching about mercy, about second chances. His voice was steady but I could see the exhaustion in his shoulders.

One of them stood up mid-sermon. Tall. Scar across his throat. "Father Elias. We need to talk about the boy."

The whole church turned. 200 eyes on me in the back pew. Ash. Just Ash.

Elias didn’t look at me. His knuckles went white on the pulpit. "After service."

"No," the man said. Smiling like he already won. "Now. Before he kills more of us."

Gasps. A baby started crying. Elias gripped the pulpit harder. "Leave. This is a house of God."

"Or what? You’ll pray?" The man laughed. It sounded like ash. "Your gift is failing. We can smell it. The church is dark."

That’s when I stood up. My legs moved before my brain did.

"He’s not failing," I said. My voice echoed off the stone walls. "He’s saving."

All eyes on me. On the boy who smelled like ash and winter.

The hunter smiled. Teeth too sharp. "There he is. Took you long enough to show yourself."

Elias stepped down from the pulpit. Walked straight to me. Stood between me and them. Like a wall. Like a vow.

"Touch him," Elias said quietly. Deadly quiet. "And you’ll answer to God."

The hunter raised his hand. Black smoke curled from his fingers.

Elias grabbed my hand.

Light exploded. Gold and white.

And the hunter screamed. A sound that didn’t belong in a church.

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