“Stay in formation.” Jordan ordered.

I could make a shot, but not with the others in the way. Although if one of them ended up accidentally hit they should know it’s all part of the job.

We crowded together and it suddenly became obvious how deep the Demon had taken us in to the abandoned tunnels.

Guns raised I stood back to back with Jordan and Kris and Marcus did the same. This is my favorite feeling; the adrenaline and pure anticipation made my fingertip tingle against the trigger.

All I need is one misstep.

Come on.

I saw the blur, whipped around and fired. My gun resting on Jordan’s shoulder.

The Demon screeched and Jordan yelled. “I had it Riley. Stay in formation!” She pushed me back.

She’s almost as aggressive as me. I pushed back against her and ran to the point of impact. The puddle of thick hot blood sizzling on the damp ground.

Damp? Shit, the canal!

The Demon hissed at me, it’s short muzzle wrinkled above its nose and it fell headfirst in to the water.

Oh no, I’m not letting my kill escape.

I reached forward and grabbed its leg. Its body already changing to better suit the water, its legs and thin tail melding together to form a thick, strong, finned tail. A great perk about the Militia were the chemicals they pumped into us. Making me more aware, faster, and potentially stronger than a Demon.

Judging by the length of its tail, this Demon was young and wasn’t difficult to pull from the water. It slid towards the team, and Jordan aimed her gun at its chest. We didn’t have to be Hunters to know a Demons weak point. The diamond shaped stone resting in the center of their chest, right over the sternum sat their weakness. Once broken, the Demon dies. Without breaking it they were impossible to kill, no matter how weak or injured they became in a fight, they would just heal the next time they fed.

“Are you okay?” Jordan broke protocol and removed her eyes from the target.

It only took a second for the Demon to jump up from the floor and rip off Jordan’s helmet. The metal edges scrapped her face, leaving small cuts from being torn off its hinges.

The Demons hands opened up vertically on its palm. Glowing orange tubes reached out, like some underwater creature, and licked at the open cuts on Jordan’s face.

We all fired at it, but while it had access to human blood, it just healed every hit before it could count. Rushing in to an obviously dangerous situation was also against protocol, but I couldn’t just stand by. I had to try. Kris and Marcus followed training. One lost soldier wasn’t worth two or more dead.

Jordan pushed and kicked against the Demon, but it held tight against her skull. I could hear it cracking over her screams. I leapt at the Demons back, but being short, I could only grab it around the waist. This was pointless, the Demon didn’t even acknowledge my presence. It was too focused on its meal.

Perfect.

I forced myself between the two of them, pressed the muzzle of my gun against the orange-gray gem and pulled the trigger.