Ares by Nikki Hall (best books to read all time TXT) 📕

It's always funny, how humans want to hunt the things that they don't understand. I've had that amusement for most of my life. I'm a Skinwalker, one of the last of my kind. That doesn't mean, though, that I'm going to go off and make more.
I guess it might be important to mention that I'm an assassin. It's the only work my people can find these days. I'm not like human ones, though. I kill the things that give you night terrors. I kill the demons, spirits, and even my own kind from time to time.
My name is Ares Daniella Phoenix, and I'm the only one in my clan left. The humans even took my sister, and for that not a single one will live.

I moved through the forest, my nose working to find the demon that I knew was here. I had to be honest, this wasn't my type of terrain. I didn't like the thick forests and plains that Texas had to offer. I was more of a bayou girl. My eyes searched the trees around me. I smelled the sulfuric, disgusting smell that demons gave off, so I knew I was close. Then, I smelled the humans. My eyes narrowed, and I let a growl escape me.
Their footsteps got closer to me, so I darted behind a tree. The first one I saw was maybe six feet tall, which only put him five inches taller than my five-foot-seven. His hair was cropped short, and his eyes were a shocking kind of green. He looked back at the guy behind him, who I'd put at six-three, taller than the other one. His hair was longer, and his eyes were more hazel.
"Well, I know that the demon's here," the taller one muttered. I could hear them, of course, but that's not important at the moment. The shorter one nodded. "I know, Sam, but without the Colt, we're basically screwed."
"I know," Sam admitted. "We can still exorcise it, Dean."
"And how do you plan on doing that?" I asked, stepping out from behind the tree. They looked shocked for a moment, then the one called Dean threw holy water on me. I laughed. "I'm not your enemy, boys," I said. "I'm after the same girl you are, so save your Holy water, okay?" Sam looked shocked, and I couldn't blame them. I was probably one of those breath-taking beauties that men like them died for. I knew I was pretty, but I didn't care for looks. I cared about my job as a Hunter.
"Who the hell are you?" Dean asked. Leave it to him to get to the point.
"I'm Ares," I said. "Like the two of you, from what I can see, I'm a Hunter."
"I'm Sam, and this is Dean," Sam said. I nodded. "Are you after Meg or her sister?" he asked.
"Meg means nothing to me," I growled. "I'm after Alexandria's hide. She killed my mom and sister, so she deserves to go to hell."
"Yeah. Alexandria's the one who's been killing truckers lately. They pick her up, she slits their throat. She's in a blond girl's body, so that why we're hoping to exorcise her."
"You think that'll stop her for long? She'll be back. Azazel will see to that." That gave the boys pause. Then, I remembered where I'd heard the names before. I felt like a total dumb ass, but I still looked them in the eyes. "You're John Winchester's boys, aren't you?" I asked.
"How'd you know?" Dean asked. I smiled and leaned against the tree, crossing my boot-clad feet at the ankles. "I met him once, and he told me about you. I worked with him on a case, actually," I said. "I make a note to know about my partners."
"So, you want our help on this? We're free," Sam said. I thought for a moment, then nodded. "I've got a place not too far from here," I said, walking to the edge of the forest to where my motorcycle was. "You can follow me or whatever. I honestly don't care." Yeah, I was being a jerk, but I didn't trust humans. The only other person that I'd worked with was a demi-god, so I trusted her. Her father was my namesake, to boot. They followed me out, but Dean said something in that moment that pissed me off. "You give us nay reason not to trust you, we'll kill you." I spun around and kicked him in the gut. Sam didn't move. "Let's get one thing straight," I growled. "Just because your father worked with me gives you no reason to treat me like shit. I will do as I please, and if you don't like it, kiss my ass."
Sam chuckled. "Dean, she's a Skinwalker," he said. Dean glared.
"Then we should kill her now," he said. He pulled out a silver knife, and I kicked it out of his hand. "You are a moron

," I said. "Do you think I would be a Hunter if I was still true to the Skinwalker ways? Sam, at least, gets it!" I moved away from him. "I don't need your help. I'll do this on my own." I spun away, but Sam touched my shoulder. "No, please, we need your

help." I looked at him. There was sincerity in his eyes, so I sighed and glared over at Dean, who was staring at the knife like it was a fungus. "I'll help," I said. "Only because I like you, Sam. If it weren't for you, Dean would be shit out of luck."
Dean's glare was not lost. I smiled and shrugged. "You hate me because I'm a Skinwalker, right? I hate you because you're a human. We're even."

When we got to the warehouse, Dean's eyes followed my every movement. I knew that he didn't trust me, but the feeling was sure as hell mutual. I didn't trust him, and I barely trusted Sam. I liked him, though, because he was willing to admit that he needed my help. Not many people will do that.
I moved over to a table, sitting in a chair. "Sit if you want," I said. "The chairs won't bite you." Sam sat first, then Dean reluctantly sat as well. "Look," I said. "Alexandria is one hell of an opponent. I've been on her trail for years, and she still evades me. Have you had any luck?"
"She's here, in Waco, that much we know," Sam said. "We smelled the sulfur in the forest, so we figured she was there." I shook my head. "No," I said. "The smell was old. She's been there, and she might go back, but I'm not sitting in those woods til she comes back. That's a waste of time. Besides, there's a local 'wolf problem."
"Werewolves?" Dean asked.
"Just one. His name is Marcus, and he used to be an ally of mine. Then he went rogue a few weeks ago. I've been after him ever since. I need help with him, though, since he knows all my methods."
"He doesn't know ours," Sam pointed out. I nodded and took a strip of beef jerky out of my jacket. "Yeah," I said. "That's why I've been looking for some Hunters to help me with him. You're the only ones who've offered." Sam nodded.
"Why hasn't anyone else taken you up on it?" Dean asked. He was being a little nicer to me, probably for his brother's sake. I shrugged. "How am I supposed to know?" I asked. "They probably don't want to go after a 'wolf that's as well known as Marcus is."
"Wait, you mean he's the Midnight Killer?" Dean said. "Dad told me about him a few days ago, when I last heard from him. Said that this 'wolf is smarter and faster than the others we've hunted."
"Yeah, that's him," I said. "He's always been like that. For a while, he helped me Hunt, but now he's just like the things I go after." Sam nodded. Part of me sensed that he understood, and maybe he did. Maybe he knew what it was like to lose someone in this so-called "job" like I did. I wanted to ask, but I instantly killed that idea. No way was I going down that road. Not here, not now.
"So," Dean said, killing my thought train. "Where should we start looking for him?"
"He usually hangs out near the bars in town. That's always the first place I'd ever look for him," I said. "He's got a minor drinking problem."
"I'll go check that out," Dean said. "Sam, you and Ares ask around, see if he's got any particulars in his victims." Sam and I both nodded. Dean sighed and left. Sam then turned to me. "Sorry about him," he said. "Dean doesn't trust anyone but me and Dad. It's not your fault."
"I'm used to it," I said. "No other Hunters have ever trusted me. Except for your dad and Bobby Singer."
"You know Bobby?" He was shocked. "He took care of us a lot when Dad was off hunting. He's like our father, you know?" I nodded. Bobby, the crabby old man, had become like a father to me as well.
"You have something other than the motorcycle, right?" Sam asked.