Demons Among Us

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Kei had to concede Peter's point, even though he had never been bothered much by the weather. Hunters were impervious to any but the most extreme temperatures. There weren't even goosebumps on his skin, though it was probably no more than 55 degrees out. Colder when the wraith was taken into account.



Kei could see it hovering there, just behind Peter, now viewing them both with interest. It was like watching a panther stalk its prey, only panthers were easier to deal with. Oddly enough, it wasn't Kei's presence but Peter's that kept the mass from attacking. At present, the wraith thought Kei just another human, though strangely dry of the usually delicious negative emotions it was used to.



Kei didn't move, though his eyes followed the wraith as it circled them both. His muscles tensed slightly, not so much from fear, but because he knew he'd have to act suddenly. At present, he was weighing his options, and that clear laugh in his ears wasn't helping. Hopefully, the thing still didn't know what he was. If his fool of a roommate didn't get back to the safety of the house, every dark thing in a hundred miles would know a Hunter was there.



"I cam looking for you." he decided, wondering how Peter couldn't see the wraith. "Something out here didn't feel right, and I've learned to trust my gut."



Carefully, he advanced toward the blond, keeping a wary eye on both his roommate and the wraith. The latter would attack once it got bored of its little game. Wraiths had a habit of winding certain humans up to a frenzy of terror before going in for the kill.



"Maybe where you grew up was safe at night, but even little towns like this have dark corners." The Hunter's casual demeanor was gone for the moment, replaced by a watchful intensity. He tilted his head a little to one side, as though gesturing toward something. "Come on- let's get back to the house, yeah?"



(I leave it to you whether or not Kai is forced to fight the wraith XD If he does, he'll have to reveal his true form. Though maybe Peter will be able to repel it enough, I'm not sure. But I'm leaving that decision to you! The wraith might not think they're worth the effort because Kai doesn't have much to 'feed' on. His negativity isn't coming from normal human fear of the wraith, but worry for his roommate and the mission being blown.)
 
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Peter, though perhaps ignorant, was at least not a complete idiot. While Kei's odd behavior had him suspicious, he could take a hint when it was given-- and Kei wasn't exactly being subtle. Rather than questioning how his room mate had been ahead of him, and on foot to boot, when he claimed to have gone looking for him, he nodded. If only because he suddenly had the feeling that something bad was about to happen. "Alright." he said, his eyes drifting up over Kei's shoulder, though they didn't focus on the wraith. It remained unseen by him, though it did move the moment his eyes landed on it.

It moved with lightning speed, moving to strike the blond-- if only to attempt and spook him. Instead, the shadowy mass hit a wall as hard as concrete, throwing it back with a brilliant flash of blue light. The near by street light burst overhead, making Peter flinch, throwing one hand over his head as sparks showered down on them. He turned on his heel, looking back to where the shade had been thrown, though his eyes darted around aimlessly-- unable to see it.

He'd felt it though. Like someone walked over his grave, a chill had massively run up his spine.

It had known better! It had been a trap! A tricky, vile human pretending to be ignorant to it's presence. The wraith drew itself up, giving off a tangible darkness. Peter had just pissed it off-- and entirely unintentionally. "We should go." The blond looked back to Kei, grabbing his room mates wrist to pull him into a running start.

Kei has gotten used to the annoying buzz whenever peter held on top the rosary-- but he had never been touched by peter while he held it. It was a unique, nearly mind numbing sensation that hit him like ton of bricks. Bricks, mind you, made out of feathers. It was like a pillow had wrapped around him, like a protective cushioning. The buzzing stopped-- he could no longer hear it-- instead replaced by a constant tingle of a fine, old power running over the surface of his skin.
 
(For the record, I don't think Peter's an idiot! Kei's just a bit of a snob, and he's worried about his roomie, so there's that XD



The wraith could chase them and Kei has to do battle with it and reveal himself to Peter. What think you? Peter would be able to see Kei's magic, since he has powers of his own, but he also might not think it came from Kei, but the street lamp.)



Kei's arm shot out, lightning-quick, not even thinking about whether or not he should, but that Peter was in danger. But before his magic could even make that vital connection between mind, fingers and outside space, something else had snapped into place before Peter. Kei hadn't done it, though the electric blue was like his own magic, so perhaps there was another Hunter nearby. Reinforcements sent by Iris, perhaps? Possible, though no one leaped into the fray, so perhaps they were staying under the radar, too.

Kei didn't waste another second thinking about it. As the shade was stunned momentarily, he murmured something under his breath, drawing a faint line in the air near Peter's head as the blond turned to look back. A much stronger shield this time, though it would only last a few minutes at most. It was all he could manage without shedding his human form completely. Right now, Kei's main priority was getting his roommate back to the house, and he was glad to see they were both in agreement on that score.



Kei let himself be dragged away, and kept his pace at Peter's level, unwilling to stray from his side even without the need to stay undercover. He could feel the wraith gathering itself, preparing to barrel after them, enraged. Yet, at the same instant Peter's fingers closed around his wrist, Kei became aware of another feeling. He was so startled by it that he almost tripped over the curb as they both pelted back toward home. The Hunter had never felt anything quite like it before; a lightness of body, a smooth, electrical charge, all enveloping him at once. This was not his doing, and that was as far as he got in figuring the new conundrum out. There wasn't time for it. Even with this strange new power he could sense the wraith on them, practically breathing down their necks.



"This way!" he shouted to the blond, pulling him sharply to the right. There was a short alleyway that would cut a few precious moments off their escape time. It might also cause their pursuer to lose momentum, even for a few seconds. The one good thing about wraiths becoming so large and powerful was that it also made them a little slower. Even so, they were frighteningly fast, and neither young man could afford to stumble now.
 
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Peter made the barrier. Sorry on my phone atm
 
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(I wasn't sure about that because it was blue and Kei's magic is blue XD Let me change that real quick)
 
(OK, changed it! Kei will learn the truth at the latest when he contacts Iris again and learns she didn't send anyone in. And no worries! I wasn't sure, only because of the barrier's color. kei will have plenty of time to show off later XD)
 
"Did I miss something?" Peter hurried after his roommate, releasing his grip to stay in stride. Kei heard his huffing, his breath hard and deep but not labored. The blind felt the fire burning in his legs as he pushed onward, His shin took the side of a metal storm drain the wrong way, bringing a swear from his lips, hoping for a moment on one foot before regaining his composure.

They cleared the allyway, the chilled air starting to sting the Floridians lungs.

(Your call on the powers, but peter can't see them, he can't even see his own. Thus thr marks on his head.)
 
(Oh, that's right! He'd be able to see them if his mind hadn't been blocked? The wraith certainly will, but it might still think Peter was responsible. Yay for misunderstandings!)

Kei didn't bother answering, the loss in momentum drawing all his attention. He was half-tempted to just sling Peter over his shoulder and put on full speed. Probably not the best way to hide his identity, but at this point things were getting too close.

"Peter!" he growled, grabbing the blond and giving his arm a tug before releasing him again and letting him run on his own. Kei was having no problem with running or breathing, but he could hear his roommate draw breath with more and more difficulty. At the same time, his Hunter's senses felt the wraith closing in behind them, only momentarily confused by the sheer amount of emotion from both sides as they passed through the narrow alley. Kei made a sharp turn once more, staying in stride with Peter. Before them, the space between houses opened, and he could see their house just 100 yards away. They were so close! If he could just get the blond inside…

Suddenly, the black mass put on a burst of speed, gathering itself to attack them both head-on. Kei was forced to turn, mid-step, placing himself between Peter and the thing before it swallowed them both whole.

"Keep running!" he shouted to the blond. Still not daring to let down his full disguise, Kei's hand whipped outward, palm facing the wraith. In the split-second before impact, lines of blue magic spread down his arm from where it was focused in the palm of his hand, criss-crossing his skin in an elegant pattern. In one eye there glowed a flicker of electric blue, faint like the magical pattern on his arm. He was still hiding his power, though keeping his true nature down for long while tapping into it was difficult. As the wraith was thrown back once more, he felt the strain and gritted his teeth, sucking in air as the blue lines retracted back into his palm. The force of the shock, while not as strong as when he was in full power, still rattled windows, and sent low-frequency vibrations hurtling through the asphalt.

The whole thing happened in a moment, but it was enough to buy them some time. If Peter had been watching, rather than running, he couldn't have missed the bright glare. Kei hoped not. He turned, preparing to pelt after his roommate, and hoped whoever had helped them before would get their act together. The wraith should have been taken care of by now!
 
(OOC: Yup. ^_^)

Peter was a physically fit man. He could run long distances alright, and sprinting didn't usually hinder him so much-- but by the time he made it to the door, the blond was gagging on a dry mouth. A mix of the dry air, adrenaline and a massive headache now setting in rendered him a mess trying to open the door.

When he felt a throbbing in the air, he looked back, seeing Kei still facing the alleyway with an arm out. What was he doing? Now that he thought about it-- what was HE doing? Running through the streets at someone else say so and thrown into a panic by a bursting light bulb? He waited for his room mate to be most of the way there before opening the door, allowing them both to enter the house together.

Without a second thought, Peter flipped the lights on in the house, illuminating the kitchen. He was wide awake now-- though he wished he could say he wasn't. He'd torn open his leg on the storm drain back in the ally way, and the headache threatened to bring him down hard. He locked the front door, let out a "Shew" and sank down to the floor, covering his eyes with one hand. Still panting, but slowly regaining his breath, he addressed Kei. "Enough of a haunted house experience for you?"
 
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"Yeah, I'm good." Kei leaned against the door for a moment, panting, but only because he forced himself to do so. In his human form he had to fake quiet a few behaviors that didn't come naturally to a Hunter. Hunters could get out of breath, they could get tired, but it took a LOT more than a quick run down an alley.

Speaking of… Opening his eyes and looking down, he saw the bright red blood standing out against Peter's pale skin, and frowned. "I'll get the first-aid kit." That would give him time to send a quick message to Iris. The whole thing had teetered on the edge of disaster, and he wasn't happy about it. Hopefully HQ would send someone out to deal with the wraith before it figured out what Kei was, or went after Peter again, both seeming likely.

Kei returned with the first-aid kit in short order and began to tend Peter's injury without a second thought. The Hunter's lips were pressed together in a thin line, a sure indication he was perturbed. The presence of such a powerful wraith would have been enough on its own; usually, they were wispy little things that caused minor mischief. That one must have been gathering strength for years with nothing to stop it. Was this town completely bankrupt in the morality department?

That wasn't his only question. He'd just seen Peter in action, sort of, and owed Iris a more detailed description of it later. Only in the brief moments when he shed part of his human form did he start to see Peter as the wraith saw him, bright and glowing like a sunbeam. That, and the way he'd felt when Peter grabbed his wrist, kept nagging at Kei's mind, but of course he couldn't just ask.

'Say, about the glowing and stuff. Wanna explain that? Are you magical?' Oh yes, that would go off very well. Kei was still wondering if Peter had seen him use his powers, but that was an entirely different kettle of fish.

"Any other injuries I should know about?' he asked, pouring more peroxide over the laceration. "I hope you've had tetanus shots or you're pretty screwed."
 
Peter simply nodded as Kei offered to grab the first aid kit. Now that it was mentioned, his leg began to burn at the pain from the cut. It was clean, but deep.

"Please-- it isn't the first time I cut myself on a storm drain." Peter said, though did grimace as Kei helped him. He kept his eyes closed and head tilted back, though unwrapped the rosary from his wrist, letting it crumple to the floor beside him harmlessly. "I'm here by instating a new rule-- no horror flicks before bed." He said, attempting to lighten the mood.

He hesitated before opening his eyes again, looking at Kei. "So," he started carefully. "If you came outside to look for me, after I left, how did you get ahead of me?"

Kei's phone buzzed. A message from Isis telling him she was in route to the town at that very moment.

Peter frowned at his room mate, his eyes betraying his poker face. He was confused, and a little apprehensive. Rightfully so, perhaps, though odd none the less. He wasn't afraid. Well, not of Kei's answer anyway.
 
"No more horror flicks or storm-drains. Got it." Kei did smirk a bit at that. He rather liked Peter's ability to handle things. Too often in the past he'd been saddled with whiners who fainted at the sight of blood. Peter just took what came and didn't bawl his brains out.

The cut was long and deep enough that Kei felt a little gauze was necessary. As he wrapped it around Peter's leg, the inevitable questioning started. Kei had been thinking of answers already, and so was able to speak with reasonable calmness. Plus, he was used to having to lie through his teeth.

"Shortcut. That's how I knew about the alley we used to come back." It was plausible enough if Peter didn't do a thorough timed comparison or anything. Kei finished tying the gauze then checked his phone. Iris was coming- good.

"Huh….aunt's coming over this morning. I'd probably better shower." Since Peter would likely encounter her at some point anyway, the ruse had to start at once.

Kei packed away the first aid kit, then stood up, holding his hand out to Peter. "That should do it. You going to be ok?" Peter still looked pale and rattled, as well he would. Even if he didn't see the wraith it would still affect him.
 
Peter doubted the validity of his room mates answer, but chose not to question him further. He had learned over the years that if you might not like the answer-- it was best not to ask. Besides, there was no need to push a point the other man didn't seem willing to budge on.

When Kei glanced at his phone and mentioned his aunt, Peter raised an eyebrow. "Where is she coming from that she's messaging you at..." he glanced at his watch. "4:45 in the morning?" He accepted the hand up and tested his weight on his leg, satisfied with the patch up job. "I'll be fine." he assured Kei, kneeling down to once more pick up his rosary. "I'll put some neosporin on it later if need be."

The blond seemed to roll with the punches rather well, though clearly he was head shy of admitting anything supernatural was really there. He had shifted topics earlier when discussing his home town and didn't question Kei on something most people would flat out interrogate him over. He had a good head on his shoulders. He didn't even realize how lucky the both of them were for that. If he had over reacted, or refused to listen to Kei earlier, they both could have been hurt-- or worse. And while he didn't know that, he had to agree with Kei's earlier statement-- he'd learned to trust his gut.

Sure, running from a shattering street light might have been silly-- but if that's all he was accused of, so be it. His room mate had run too, and it was convention to blame the horror movie for an over active imagination, as opposed to questioning the fabric of reality as he knew it.
 
Kei knew Peter wanted to question him further about the alleyway, and the fact that he let it go, and furthermore didn't start in on all the 'spooky stuff' made him easily Kei's favorite roommate ever. In spite of his constantly having to lie because of his true nature, Kei would rather avoid it whenever possible.

Peter had also proved that he was intelligent enough and quick on his feet. Kei knew very well how badly things could have gone if Peter had been like the average college-student; somewhat stupid and easily spooked. Perhaps Kei had to deal with too many humans that fit that description, being used for undercover missions quite often among that age-group. Peter was definitely a cut above the rest.

In a strange way, Kei even had the idea that they could have made a good team if the blond ever learned to use his abilities. Now there was an interesting thought; Kei, the loner, who had trouble even bonding with other Hunters, fighting the supernatural with a human. It would certainly raise questions about Peter's personality back at HQ.

"My aunt's coming back from Redburn, and she's an extreme early bird. She forgets the rest of us aren't usually up at ungodly hours." Kei tucked the first aid kit under his arm and headed for the bathroom, though he still kept an eye on his roommate, who seemed alright on his feet. Peter apparently wanted to go back to normal and pretend nothing out of the ordinary had happened, which was fine with Kei. For now. Eventually he was going to have to delve, but now didn't seem like the right time.

Kei took a quick shower, glad of the excuse to be alone and think. He had a lot of things to compartmentalize and having to pay attention to another person was distracting. Not that he didn't care about others, Kei had just never been the best at socializing. He was glad Peter could brush things off with relative ease, and wasn't whinging about a little cut.

Still, Kei wondered about the long-term effects the wraith attack would have on his roommate. Probably none, given the fact that it hadn't actually made contact with him, but Kei would still keep an eye out. He was still trying to figure out who had forced the wraith back that first time. If it was another Hunter they'd get an earful from him for not keeping on its tail. Though there was that little voice in the back of his mind that said it wasn't another Hunter, but Peter himself. That was possible, but having never dealt with an exorcist before he couldn't be sure. There was that thing when Peter touched his arm, though….

When Kei emerged fifteen minutes later, drying his hair off, he was still pondering the night's events. He could see the sky just starting to turn faded blue outside the kitchen window and knew that Iris would be there fairly soon. His eyes scanned the room, looking for Peter, just to make sure he was still alright.
 
Peter was laying on his bed again, though now fully dressed for the day. His blond hair was pinned up in a messy but tight pony, indicating he needed a hair cut, while reading one of his books again-- ear buds in place, head bobbing slightly, every so often turning a page. He was perfectly content putting the nights bizarre and frightening events behind him and moving forward.

And he had classes soon. 8 AM was his first class of the day and he would be running around campus till sundown, listening to lectures and taking notes. It was going to be a long day, and he saw no harm in getting some pleasure reading in while he could. Detective novels made him think-- usually figuring out their end well before it happened-- and yet always kept him on the edge of his seat, curious to find out if he had guessed right. It was almost like a game he played. Read, guess, check. The endings he guessed incorrectly were almost always his favorite.

He glanced up over the edge of his book, feeling Kei's eyes on him and blinked, pulling one ear bud out. "Huh?" He asked, thinking he must have missed his room mate saying something with the way he was looking at him.

---

Iris sat, watching the clock as the plane moved across the sky. She was bothered by this form of travel. It wasn't very efficient in her opinion, but it was the best she could do while maintaining a cover herself. It would only be another hour or so before she landed.

Kei's reports had caught her interest since he first mentioned the possible exorcist. Finally she had gotten it cleared for her to go assist him, if for no other reason than to identify the man as a fraud or the real deal. The conversation hadn't been an easy one either. Others wanted to see what Kei could do. He was a half breed after all-- and this was supposed to be his first real big solo case. She'd had to justify her going and promised not to interfere with his work... Which, she was sure, he would not be happy to hear.

She tapped her foot in the air out of sheer annoyance. It had been ages since she'd had a good run in the field herself. Honestly, she envied her charge. This was a great opportunity for him-- and with a wraith running around, a good time to check and see what this Peter person was capable of. It had struck her as odd that they had no record of the man. Nothing on file that matched up to what Kei had claimed he learned. No exorcisms gone wrong in recent history in Florida. No mind blocks had been put up-- at least by them-- in over thirty years. And certainly, they had thought for sure, all the exorcists had died off.

Kei had stepped into a mine field and found gold. It was going to take some careful moving to dig it all up.
 
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Kei blinked a little, then shook his head. He'd been worrying over someone specifically….strange. "Just wondering if you'd like a big breakfast. I decided to make some waffles since I found a waffle maker under the sink." After their experience, they could both use a pick-me-up. Anyway, his 'aunt' was coming, so it seemed like something he should do to keep up appearances. Hunters and their ilk still needed to eat, just not as much or as often. Even Kei, the half-breed, could go for almost a month without eating and only feel a bit run-down. Eating was a mostly human convention, though Hunters often loved food for its own sake, rather than because they needed any. Kei hoped Iris liked waffles.

The Hunter had a nervous energy that wouldn't go away, and kept tugging at teh towel that he'd slung over his bare shoulders once his hair was dry enough. Secretly, he had mixed feelings about having Iris come in to the case. Kei was not thrilled at having to call for backup, and still didn't want it to come to that. At the moment, Iris was just there on a consultation basis, which he preferred. She had experience with things Kei hadn't encountered before, and while he could conceivably keep sending reports, sometimes there was no substitute for first-hand observation. It wasn't so much the wraith's existence, or even how strong it was, as the fact that now it knew Peter was "special", and possibly Kei as well. The Hunter would rather have expert advice on-site than risk lives by being stubbornly independent. He'd learned the hard way that kind of attitude wasn't going to help anyone.

At the same time, however, the Hunter wasn't thrilled at having to call for back-up at all, in any form. He had a certain streak of intense pride, probably because of his half-breed status, and having to work harder than anyone else in the department. Kei knew he'd get flack for having to bring iris in so soon, but no one expected the case to bust wide like this. He hoped to just get some insight and advice, then take care of everything himself like he preferred….like he'd planned. That hadn't panned out very well so far, had it? If it meant Peter's safety, and the town's, and maybe more answers to his questions…Kei would just have to live with humiliation and soldier on, like always.

(Short reply, but mostly waiting for Iris to get there. Lots of juicy stuff going on now!)
 
Peter nodded. "Sounds good to me." he said sitting upright and abandoning his book back on the end table. "Do you want me to cook though? You look like you're nerves are still shot." He offered, noticing the worried expression on his roommates face. Even if he hid it well, he was usually stoic-- so any real emotion stood out like a soar thumb. He assumed it had to do with the odd experience they had just had, but wondered if it had to do with his aunt?

Kei had mentioned his Aunt a few times now, and seemed to call her on a regular basis. He wasn't sure, but figured he was likely raised by his aunt. It wasn't uncommon for that to happen now-a-days. If she was showing up to make sure he had settled in properly, it struck him as a relationship shared more between mother and son than nephew and aunt.

He stood up and swore, having apparently forgotten about his injured leg up until the point when he put all his weight on it. He muttered something about 'death to storm drains'.
 
Kei chuckled at Peter's muttered comment, not at his pain. "I think you'd better keep your weight off that for now. Anyway, I'm fine, just tired." Compared to a human, he was rather collected. Hunters didn't feel fear the same way humans did, or so easily. Kei was concerned, but not frayed at the edges.

"I'll bring a plate in here if you want." he added, pushing away from the door frame. Kei had a habit of leaning in door frames, arms crossed. It made him look nonchalant. Peter had seen through it to the Hunter's increased stress-levels, though. Peter seemed to be more observant than the average college student. Interesting.

Leaving Peter to it, he turned back around and headed for the teeny kitchen, mixing batter for blueberry waffles. Hopefully his handler would like them. Kei wondered what Iris would say when she met Peter? Kei was extremely curious; the blond had piqued his interest almost at once, and he wanted answers. He'd have to wait for Iris to come, though. She should have more answers for him, he hoped.

As Kei got to the fifth waffle, and was just finishing the eggs and bacon, he felt someone approach the house. The Hunter's body went still, and he turned the heat off the stove, moving slowly out from behind the counter. A knock sounded on the door just as he recognized what he was feeling. The Hunter moved swiftly to the door, seeing iris on the other side through the peep-hole. Kei smiled and opened the door.

"'Aunt' Iris."
 
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