Insidious(43)

“What about all the Mages? If they’re really as powerful as you claim, then wouldn’t they have already taken over by now?” I asked, uneasy. “I mean, they’ve had hundreds of years.”

“There hasn’t been a Mage for over two centuries,” said Mr. Reynolds. “You may have heard of what most would refer to as the ‘18th-Century Vampire Controversy.’ A Mage is said to have had the ability of telekinesis, along with resurrection, among many other talents. And they could just as easily infect a Changeling. Hysteria broke out all across Europe as people reported reanimated corpses terrorizing towns and cities. It wasn’t until a renowned physician by the name of Gerhard van Swieten investigated the claims that the epidemic finally ended. He concluded it was nothing more than fear and inane superstition that drove the hysteria. What the books leave out was the fact that he was a Reaper. Under the guise of night, he and his men led a crusade to eradicate all Mages stalking the whole of the continent. By the end of the 1700s, all existence of these so-called vampires had been wiped out.”

“So, are any of you Changelings?” I asked.

Everyone went rigid.

Mr. Reynolds finally shook his head. “We don’t fight alongside Changelings. Don’t get me wrong, they’re just as capable as Purebloods when it comes to killing Hellhounds, but…”

“You’re a liability no less,” finished another man. “The last thing we want is for a Changeling to be turned into a Hellhound with the knowledge of where to find all of us. They’ll bring Hell with them and slaughter us all.”

“So, you can bring people back from the dead, but you don’t have any relationships with them? Not even a loved one?”

“We prefer not to sustain close friendships with Changelings, for security sake. And Reapers know better than to mate with someone outside of their order,” said Russell. He stole a hardened glance over at Adam, and it stung. Had that been why Mr. Reynolds warned me about dating his son when I moved to town? Is that why Adam had pushed me away? Because I wasn’t a Reaper?

“We’ve strayed off topic,” said Mr. Reynolds. “The point here is, we need to be more vigilant than ever. Demonic activity in these parts has increased greatly over the past few weeks, and we need to know why. Kat, do you remember who resurrected you?”

I shook my head.

“Shame.” Mr. Reynolds tucked Reese’s blade back into his jacket.

“What difference would that make?”

“Well, for all we know, there’s a rogue Reaper out there, making Changelings without our knowledge. Anyone who’s brought back is now a target for demonic infection. We could be overrun by a new army of Hellhounds and not even know it until it comes to our doorstep.” Mr. Reynolds ran his hands through his hair, ruffling up the thick mass. “We all have to be diligent from here on out. Any sign of a Hellhound, report it to me.”

I opened my mouth, but Reese threw me a warning look. “What?” I mouthed.

He shook his head ever so slightly.

“How do you spot one of these things if it hasn’t gone full-on Wolfman on you?” I asked instead.

“Unfortunately, they’re not easy to spot. Unlike demons inhabiting a human vessel, Hellhounds don’t have obvious telltale signs, like black eyes. If it’s someone you know, you’ll probably notice a change in their personality. They’re generally charming, to lure in their victims, but they’re incapable of displaying any real emotions other than rage. Crying is impossible.”

“Charming, void of feeling, and murderous,” I pondered. “So basically Patrick Bateman meets Hannibal Lecter. Lovely.”

“Folklore concerning both the Werewolf and Vampire are reasonably accurate depictions to that of a Hellhound. A member of the infected will bear bite marks from when he or she was attacked, most likely on the side of their neck, but it can be anywhere. They’ll also be branded with a pentagram on the back of their neck as a mark of their master,” confirmed Adam. “Crucifixes make Hellhounds agitated, but only holy water and silver hurts them. And you can only kill a Hellhound by either decapitating them or piercing their heart with a silver blade blessed by a member of the clergy. If you think you’re being followed, try taking shelter in a church. Neither Hellhounds nor demons can step foot on holy grounds.

“Why don’t Hellhounds just go after regular human beings?” I asked. “They were once part-Reaper, so they’d have the same abilities. Wouldn’t it be easier to just kill a human, bring them back to life, and then bite them?”