Two Hunters and A Plan

Sharla raised an eyebrow. “For real? That’s the big bad to end all big bads?”

He nodded, “That's what they say.”

“That’s a terrible name.”

“Well I didn’t make it up, that’s just what they call her.”

“Who are 'they' in this case? Cause seriously that’s a dumb name and 'they' should feel silly.”

Cam rubbed his temples, and Sharla grinned. He always did that when she bugged him.

“I don’t know,” he said. “Why does it matter?”

“Well if this girl is so scary that an Inquisitor is hunting her then she should have a cool name.”

“Like what?”

“Like Ashoka the World Eater...”

“That sounds like a scary pornstar.”

“How about Larisha the Devourer...”

“So does that.”

“Or Illyria the...”

“These are all terrible names. Also I think that last one has been used already.”

“Whatever,” she scoffed. “I’m just saying that it’s a very non-threatening name, very sixteen and emo.”

“Experience there?”

“It was a phase," she said quickly. "A brief one.”

He couldn’t help but smile as he finished his drink.

“See,” she said. “I’m already helping.”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” he muttered.

“Oh yes you do,” she said leaning forward and trying to meet his gaze. “I haven't seen you smile all week, you’ve been acting all dark and weird. You know if you were stressed out you should have just told me...”

“Please not this again,” he grumbled.

“I’d have found a quicker way to help you relax.”

“I’m stealing a smoke.”

“Well hopefully not too quick,” she said, “But it would be way more fun for both us than all your brooding.”

“It’s not gonna happen Sharla, sorry to disappoint. And I wasn't brooding."

“Fine,” she said, unable to keep from grinning. “But the offer stands. I’m just glad you’re feeling better. Having you off your game is...weird...I guess.”

“I’m sorry I worried you.” He said. “But you have to understand that I'm operating on rumors and spooky stories instead of hard facts, which is not something I'm used to. Inquisitors weren't supposed to exist; yet here we are. And what's worse is that if an Inquisitor is hunting something, then that something is supposedly so horrible, so powerful, that the planet itself is literally rejecting its presence. The Girl With the Dead Eyes is supposedly just that. A creature so bad its a blight on the Earth.”

 Sharla sighed and lit up another cigarette. “We'll figure something out Cam," she said, for the first time feeling like she needed to be strong for him. It was a feeling she wasn't used to, but one she certainly didn't mind. "We always figure something out, and we always come out okay, this one is no different.”

He nodded and sent a quick smile her way. “To be honest I've been debating if we should even get involved at all. As far as I'm concerned the two super monsters can go kill each other and save us the trouble, but I don't like this going on so close to us while we operate completely in the dark. But tomorrow night that will change.”

“We have a plan?”

He nodded. “We’ll go meet a friend of mine; I think he can help us out. He’s on shift tomorrow night.”

“On shift...wait, does this mean we’re going to that awful restaurant with the tacky decorations and the gross food?”

He smiled. “Oh yes, I know it's your favourite. Who says I don’t know how to show a girl a good time?”

“That place is disgusting, and I hate fast food.” she said with a pout. “Can’t we meet him somewhere else?”

When he shook his head, she sighed heavily and glared at him. “I'm withdrawing my earlier offer. And I'm going back to bed.”

She made a show of standing up and stomping down the hall to her room, but she still couldn’t help but smile. The Cam she knew seemed to be back.

When he heard her door click closed he allowed himself a smile of his own. Even with two of the worst possible monsters out there in the night, she knew just what to say to make him feel like things may just work out.