Malevolent

A Special Breed

"You have got to be kidding me" Maddie yelled

"Think about this, Maddie. Do you know anything about your mother?"

"I–I do" Maddie said, but even as she said it, she felt her world crumbling around her. The only things she knew about her mother were the snippets her dad let loose at very few intervals. She knew her mother's date of birth and name: Mal Herodia Shay, and that her mother had died shortly after her birth, but nothing else. Not even the birthplace of her mother.

"No you don't, only the things your father chose to tell you. Your mother is a Greater Demon, Maddie. And she has been killing mortals all over New York. We need to find her and take her down."

The tears that had been threatening to drop finally did, and Maddie curled in on herself, hugging her legs tight "I don't know what to believe anymore. I have a mother?"

"Yes, Maddie, you do"

"Can you excuse me? I need some time to process this, please"

"I understand" Cassie smiled and left the room.

It was all like a nightmare. Maddie couldn't believe there was a whole new layer to her life that was kept secret from her for fifteen years. What's more, she had a mother who was supposedly a serial killer. Still thinking about how much her life had changed, she drifted into a fitful sleep.

****

"How could you bring a mortal into our house? This is preposterous! She could find out what we are! She–"

"Mom, she's not a mortal. She's part demon, as far as Jason, Ethan and I can tell."

"Your brothers know about this too? Cassiopeia–"

"Mom, aren't we sworn to protect every person that comes in contact with us?"

"But she's a mortal! What would the Caucus say if they hear about this? And I thought I told you to drop this issue. I want her out of my house today"

"The Caucus won't hear anything, please. Trust me. I'll handle this, mom. I promise"

"Cassiopeia! Do not try me"

Maddie stirred and the voices stopped their whispering. She opened her eyes and found Cassie at the other end of the room, next to an older woman. Same blonde hair and grey eyes, though the older woman was tall and her expression was forbidding.

She sat up "I'm sorry–"

"No, Maddie it's okay" Cassie said.

Her mother, however, sized Maddie up with an expression of cold distaste and spoke pointedly to Cassie "I will send Jason in soon to scrutinize her" and walked out of the room.

"Is that your mum?"

"Yes. Don't pay attention to her, she'll come around"

Minutes later, Jason walked into the room "I was asked to check out the mortal. For rabies or measles, I don't know"

"Jason, can you be civil for once?" Cassie snapped.

"Not to her, no."Jason said, one eyebrow raised "What am I supposed to do?"

"Mum said you should try to read her mind, see if she's telling the truth about not knowing she's part demon"

"I am telling the truth" Maddie cut in "What, you think if I was actually a demon I wouldn't have attacked you guys?"

"That's not it, Maddie" Cassie said.

"Alright, mortal." Jason said, sitting on the bed and looking into her eyes "Look into my eyes. Don't break eye contact"

Maddie locked eyes with Jason. It was hard to look away from his green eyes.

Jason squinted, still not breaking eye contact "What.." He cupped her face with one of hands and turned it this way and that. The hands were cold and felt rough and pitted with the scars of battles. Still looking at her eyes, he dropped his hands. His expression had turned from insolent amusement to surprise.

"Is something supposed to happen?" Maddie asked no one in particular.

Ignoring her for the second time, Jason looked at Cassiopeia.

"Jason," Cassie said "What's wrong?"

"I have never not been able to read someone's mind"

"So, you can't access her mind?"

"Yes, it's like there's a block. When I try to read it, it's blank, like a sheet of paper"

Moments passed, moments where Jason and Cassie kept staring at each other and Maddie kept wondering if something was wrong.

"I think," Cassie said finally, not breaking eye contact with her brother "That we need to call in the Sword Sisters"

*****

Maddie felt like she had slept enough for two lifetimes. Prising her eyes open from another fitful sleep, she groaned and sat up. The room in which she was kept was bloody with the light of sunset. Across the room, turning a switchblade in his hands, the light colouring his long blonde locks red, stood Jason.

"So," He said "Who kissed Sleeping Beauty awake?"

Maddie groaned, rubbing her head. Her joints felt sore, and her mouth tasted like ashes.

"You've been sleeping so long I thought you'd just die from there. Also, you drool in your sleep"

"Wow," She replied sarcastically "Thanks"

"My pleasure," Jason said, his eyes glinting with mischief.

Maddie stared at him "I feel like I've met you before." She said, casting her mind back.

"No you've not." Jason scoffed, dismissing her comments with a wave of his switchblade. "You're just delirious"

Her eyes widened "I'm not delirious. It is you, the boy at the bookstore, with the sword. Who were you trying to murder that day?"

"It's not a murder. I was after a demon, but if you insist you could call it 'murder'" Jason said, then after a moment's silence, added "Your dad's house that Cassie told me to check out?"

"Yeah, is my dad okay? Where is he? Was he kidnapped"

"I'm guessing yes, because there was no trace of him in and around the house. The furniture was intact, though. Too intact for a kidnapping scene. Demons sure do clean up after themselves."

Maddie stared at the white blanket on her laps. The image swam before her eyes "Oh, dad..."

"Which is why we are more convinced than ever that you're connected to Aosoth. Because if your mother is Aosoth, that means that your dad is Aosoth's husband"

"But...is it really possible for a demon and a mortal to..."

"Yes, Maddie. Hunters come from a long line of other Hunters, but the first of us spawned from the ichor of Angels and the poison of demons, mixed and given to Man to drink. This came to be because there was a time when demons invaded the earth, when the destruction of the world as we know it was imminent, and our three patron Angels: Michael, Gabriel and Raziel, saw the need to procreate a special breed of people, armed with the strength of Angels, the versatility and persistence of demons, and the humanity of, well, humans, to protect the earth from the influence of the forces of darkness. On rare occasions, a mortal frolicks with the occasional demon, and situations like you happen" He paused.

"I understand it all, I mean I understand the fact that there are demons in world and you Hunter guys are mandated to rid the world of them, but what I don't get is why my dad kept all of this from me. It is so unfair"

"Parents are unfair, Maddie. It's why I got pestilential Cassiopeia as a twin sister"

"Cassie's ok. She's the only person not treating me like a vermin" Maddie replied pointedly, eyeing Jason "Why were you so nasty to me?"

Jason considered this for a few seconds "I've never met someone who defied my abilities so powerfully. It kind of set me off balance, and the only way I could lash out is by being nasty."

Maddie's stomach rumbled, and she remembered that she'd not eaten anything in four days.

Jason looked at her "Oh. I should get you some food. Cassie made spaghetti. I should warn you, she makes mean food" He moved to the door. Before opening the door, he paused and looked at her again.

"And I ought to tell you, the Sword Sisters are coming to examine you later today"

"Who are the Sword Sisters?"

Jason smirked "You'll see"