The screams in the girls voice weren't really the girl's. They were the ghost's, who was possessing her. I'd just set fire to the ghost's bones in order to rid this world of it. The ghost had been using the girl to commit murders against those who had wronged the person in life.

As the ghost faded, the girl came back to herself. Her eyes settled on me, and confusion took over her features.

"Who are you?"

"Nikolai. But you can call me Nik. Do you know who you are?"

"My name is Amy."

"Alright, Amy, do you remember anything from the past week?"

"No. No, I don't. It's all black."

"That's a good thing. You wouldn't want to remember. Do you remember where you live?"

"Yes. Nik, what's happened to me?"

"Nothing you want to know. Just be satisfied with the fact that you and your family are safe."

"Okay."

"Come with me. I'll take you home."

"Thank you."

I pointed towards the road that had led me here, which was easily seen under a full moon. My plain, boring grey Ford was parked on the curb.

While Amy waited in the car, I recovered the grave, grabbed my pistol from the ground nearby, making sure safety was on, and stuffed it in the back of my jeans, making sure the handle was covered by my shirt.

Silently as possible, I got in the car and drove back to the little Kentucky town. Amy gave me silent directions by pointing, and got out without a word. It was time for me to go back home. But, being nearly midnight, I chose to go get a snack first.

Jane's Cafe sounded decent enough, so I pulled in there. The car to the left of mine was a hunter's green nineteen seventy-four Firebird with black racing stripes. Sweet ride. I was jealous, especially when I compared it to my Ford.

Inside, there were a few single people sitting at laptops or texting. A family of five was sitting in a booth, but the kids were all tired and pretty quiet. Two people sat at the bar, and there were only two staff members around.

I chose a seat in a corner, away from the family of five, whose toddler was now crying, and a couple tables over from a mysterious guy, staring at me.

He looked to be about eighteen, with messy brown hair, faded blue eyes, and slightly angular features. He was well muscled, fairly fit looking, and like he probably played varsity football in high school. He was wearing black combat boots, blue jeans, a white shirt and a black trench coat. A mysterious stranger indeed. And kind of creepy, with him staring at me like that.

He caught my eye and smiled, knowing I'd been looking at him. I gave him a half smirk before getting into my backpack and pulling out my laptop. Small by most standards, which is how it fit in my bag, but light and perfect for me.

While I waited for my laptop to boot up, a waitress came by.

"What can I get you...sir?" At least she'd hesitated. Most people thought I was a guy on sight. Short hair doesn't automatically make a person a boy. I'm a girl.

I decided not to say anything about it this time and ordered two cannolis, one chocolate, one butterscotch.

"Also, what kinds of hot tea do you have?"

"English black tea, Moroccan Mint green tea, and Strawberry Cream white tea."

"I'll take the green tea, please."

She left with my order just as my laptop finished booting.

"You know, you could have told her you're a girl," the guy who'd been staring said.

"And how would you know whether I'm a boy or girl?"

"Your eyes. Boys that wear eyeliner don't wear that much."

"And is that all you can judge me on?"

"No. Your order. It's very feminine."

"I have a sweet tooth."

"What's your name then?"

"Shouldn't I ask you? After all, you're the one who's been staring at me."

"Christopher."

"Nice to meet you, Christopher. I'm Nikolai. Most people back home call me Nik."

"Where's home?"

"None of your business."

"I can hear your accent. Foreign. European, probably. British?"

"No."

"Further East. Belgian?"

"No."

"Are you really Romanian?"

"No."

"You wouldn't tell me even if I did guess it, would you?"

"That's right, Christopher. Did your parents ever warn you about strangers?"

"They did, but if it's someone around my age, I don't normally bother."

"And how old would you say I am?"

"Seventeen?"

"I'll be eighteen in April."

"That's still five months off."

I didn't reply. I was busy searching for work. It was time for a new case. Besides, I didn't want to have to stick around here too long with Christopher asking questions.

"How old do you think I am?"

"Eighteen?"

"Nineteen in March."

My order came and I continued surfing the web, munching on the chocolate cannoli.

"So, Nikolai, what are you looking for?"

"Work."

"Yikes."

"I've always been pretty good at finding work. This time won't be much different."

"How many times have you been fired?"

"Never. My employment is always on a temporary basis."

"You're a holiday worker?"

"Something like that."

"At least tell me if I'm right about you being a girl."

"You're right. Although either way, you shouldn't make assumptions."

I had grey eyes that constantly changed colors to anything but red. Messy black hair and blue bangs in a Korean boys hairstyle. Angular features and slightly pointed ears that gave me an elvish type appearance. A small, skinny frame, lean muscle, and really small boobs. I was wearing plain black jeans, a long sleeved black shirt with the shoulders cut out, a black leather jacket over that, black socks, and a pair of grey and green Gucci basketball shoes that were so comfortable I occasionally accidentally wore them to bed.

"Sorry."

"Not really."

"Yeah."

When my tea had cooled a bit, I gulped it down. The waitress came and refilled it for me. I continued searching for a job.

"Any luck yet?"

"Not yet."

I glanced up and noticed Christopher also had a laptop out, though his was bigger.

"What are you doing, anyways?"

"Same thing you are, honestly."

"What kind of work do you do?"

"Same type of stuff as you."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

Wouldn't that be the day?

I clicked on a possible case in Texas. That was only farther from my home in Romania, but I'd come to the United States for a reason.

Apparently in El Paso, there'd been a couple of incidences involving a bridge where supposedly a girl was hitchhiking. She was normally picked up by young boys, and the boys were never seen again.

I closed out and put my laptop away, drank my tea, picked up my cannoli, and walked up to the bar.

"Do you know a place I could stay the night? I have a long drive tomorrow."

"You can try the motel. It's just around the corner."

"Thank you."

I was almost out the door when Christopher spoke up from the two person booth he was sitting in, leaning against the wall.

"You could stay and chat for a while."

"Stay and chat with you? The creepy guy in a trench coat that's been staring at me for a while?"

"I only stare because I think we have something in common."

"I really doubt that."

"Why so determined? Come, just stay until one. You're leaving tomorrow anyways."

One o'clock was only twenty minutes away.

"Alright, let's talk. But I'm not entitled to anything after twenty minutes."

"Of course."

Christopher said nothing for a few minutes, just stared at my eyes.

"Would you cut it out? You said you wanted to talk."

"Alright. Have you ever seen anything strange?"

"Of course."

"Like what?"

"Nothing a normal person like you could understand."

Christopher glanced around at the few people remaining in the cafe before grabbing my arm and dragging me after him outside.

I yanked my hand away only after realizing he had all of his belongings with him as well.

"You aren't taking me anywhere."

"Well let's start with what you've seen."

"If you're so like me, then you'll know."

"I'm a hunter, too, Nikolai."

His words stopped me from running to my car and driving to the motel to get some restless sleep.

"That case down in El Paso? I've only been a hunter for a few months, and I've seen a couple of ghosts, but this, this is different."

"Well, I've been a hunter since I was fifteen, and I've come to the point where any case could be a new type of creature, or something I've already fought."

"Smart."

"Besides the fact that we're both hunters, is there anything else you'd like to talk about?"

"I'm staying at the same motel is you, and I'm driving down to El Paso tomorrow."

"Good for you."

"Well, I was wondering if you'd like to go with me?"

"I have my own car, thanks. How did you know I was a hunter?"

"The wild look in your eyes, and the way you chose a seat where you could see everything, but you were still protected at your back."

"The answer is still no. I've always worked alone, and I've never had connections with people around me. Not since I became a hunter."

"Why did you become a hunter? What happened?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"Oh, I was just trying to exorcise a ghost that was hanging around my house. I didn't like her very much."

"Funny."

"It's the truth. So what's your story?"

"My family was killed. Parents, my little twelve year old brother, my baby eight year old sister, and my boyfriend, who'd happened to be at the house waiting for me to get home. All killed on my fifteenth birthday by a demon before I got home from school."

"How do you know it was a demon?"

"Sulfur. Besides the blood and gore all over the first story of the house, sulfur was everywhere, even upstairs. The demon was looking for me, but killed everyone I loved instead."

"You were pretty close with that other guy, huh?"

"Don't pull the jealousy card. We just met."

Christopher leaned against the Firebird, crossing his arms over his chest and giving me a stony look.

"What?" I asked, exasperated.

He shook his head, an angry smirk tilting the corners of his lips as he laughed hollowly.

"You don't even realize…"

"Don't realize what?"

"Nothin. So, Nikolai, ready to go?"

"I have my own car. I guess I'll see you in El Paso."

"I think you'll see me sooner than that."

"Oh yeah? Like when?"

"In your dreams," he retorted with a wink, before getting in the Firebird and leaving. His laughter rang in my ears.