Glass clinked against glass, and Victoria added the second inferno to the first. It went down easier this time, and she set the glass back on the bar with an air of conquest.
Cora nodded approvingly. "A right fine toast. Seeing as how you is just a green horn, it really ain't no small feat that we made it through with what little trouble we had. There was a few times there that I wasn't so sure we would."
"Nonsense," Victoria said. Her head felt loose on her shoulders. "I'm not half as bad as all that. I killed the vampire in the barn all on my own, after all."
"Sure, while I was off whipping the other two. You ain't proved yourself as a hunter until you bag yourself at least a half-dozen of them critters. Why, Ben and I had us hellhounds and Satanists all on our first job."
"Your first job?"
Cora nodded. "Wasn't quite as bad as some of the ones we had, but it still wasn't none too easy. Had to fix a whole coven of witches that had got it in their heads to summon up a hellhound from the world below."
"Seems like a harsh introduction to the trade," Victoria said.
"Ain't no easy way to get into this sort of work," Cora said. "Only reason Ben and I took it up is because we was living off the charity of the Church at the time. Priest there asked us if we wouldn't mind helping him sort them witches out, seeing as how Ben used to be a soldier and all. We felt like we should do what we could to repay him for letting us sleep on his floor, so we agreed.
"Once we had that mess sorted out, the priest asked us if we wouldn't mind doing it regular for the Church and others as needed help with critters. Didn't see any reason not to, so we went ahead and said yes. Best decision of our lives, I reckon. Still, it ain't nearly so dramatic as your story. Parents killed, running halfway around the world to find an old coot, and getting yourself caught up with an Indian witch. Now that's a right fine way to start a career."
"In case you've forgotten, I do not seek a job in this particular line of work."
"Shame, that," Cora said. "If you got yourself enough time to practice, you might not be half-bad at it. World could always use another one of me around, and the pay ain't nothing to sneeze at, neither."
"Money is hardly enough incentive to risk life and limb like that," Victoria said. "In any case, I suppose I should retire for the evening. It's been a rather trying day."
The hunter nodded. "Might close up early my own self. Bob ain't going to be none too happy about it, but he can go hang himself. I'm so beat, I can barely keep myself upright."
"Until the morrow, then," Victoria said. She pushed the empty glass toward the hunter.
"Yes, ma'am," Cora replied. "Don't forget to put them wards out, or you're liable to wake up a vampire your own self."
TWELVE
The shapes of her mother and her husband swam through her vision, their voices faint and far away. She shook her head. They were not there. They had rejoined the Great Cycle, their souls finding new bodies to dwell in. She knew this. The phantoms she saw were only tricks of her mind.
The woman pushed them away. They brought nothing but sorrow and longing, and she could not use those feelings. She needed the anger, the hatred. Those were easy enough to find; they lived very close to her heart. She called upon them now to lend her courage to do what must be done. Even in their burning embrace, she was still afraid. Afraid of the ruined walls and ancient stone that surrounded her. Afraid of the spirits that walked in this place. Afraid of the old woman who brought her here.
Her companion stood before her, back stooped with many years, scratching symbols into the dirt with an old branch. The woman watched her with a mixture of fascination and dread. The darkness that clung to the crone's robes was thick and black, but the power she wielded was palpable. With such power, the woman could take revenge on the men who killed the ones she loved most. She could stop them from hurting the Dine for all time.
A faint shout echoed from behind her. Turning to look, she