Demon Hunters 1: Blood Sacrifice (Stand Alone Series) (Demon Hunters.) by Avril Sabine

much. She rocked back and forth and tried desperately not to have a complete break down.
    A sharp knock on the bathroom door caused fear to rush through her. She turned her head, her eyes glued to the door. She couldn’t move. You’re safe, you idiot. But her limbs remained frozen. Her body didn’t believe her.
    “Allie?” When she didn’t answer, Alex asked, “You want me to get Scarlett?”
    “No!” The word exploded from her.
    “I’ve put clothes in the room next door to the bathroom for you. I’ll be in the lounge room when you’re finished.”
    “Okay.” She waited. She strained her ears for the sound of footsteps, but heard none. Surely he wasn’t still out there. She rose shakily to her feet and turned on the shower. She kept sending glances towards the door.
    As soon as no more blood showed in the water around her feet, Alyssa turned off the taps and climbed out of the tub. She dried herself, wrapped her hair with the towel and pulled on the bathrobe. She caught a glimpse of her face in the mirror. Her fingers hesitantly touched the bruise from where the demon had struck her. She swallowed hard and looked away, her eyes falling on the closed door. She took one step towards it and froze. Annoyance rushed through her.
    You never used to jump at shadows, she reminded herself. That was before I knew they could jump out at me. Well it’s daylight now. The sun obviously scares away shadows. Only the mythical ones. Are you going to let them turn you into a cowering mess? What happened to the girl who was going to haunt Nathan? Are you a little rabbit?
    Alyssa groaned and closed her eyes. “Now I’m arguing with myself.” She shook her head and then had to steady the towel she nearly dislodged. “One step at a time.” She picked her boots up off the floor, grabbed her handbag and forced herself to open the bathroom door. The entrance hall was empty. She scurried to the door beside the bathroom and flung it open.
    A bedroom with the same colour scheme met her eyes. The only colours other than cream was a pale copper bedspread on the queen-sized bed and the warm tones of the two timber bedside cabinets and the duchess that stood against the wall near the door. As soon as she’d closed and locked the bedroom door, Alyssa picked up the clothes on the bed. Black jeans, black t-shirt, underwear and socks.
    As she dressed, she wondered who the clothes belonged to. Scarlett was slightly slimmer and a little taller than her so these clothes couldn’t be hers. Unless they were ones she used to fit. Then she recalled the other sixty or more people that frequented the house. She shrugged. The clothes could belong to anyone. She was just glad she didn’t have to wear her bloodstained ones. But then if these clothes belong to someone else, it brought to mind another question. She quickly towel dried her hair and then returned the towel to the bathroom, ignoring the mess she couldn’t face. She paused by the two boxes of shoes at the front door and reluctantly left her boots leaned up against one of them. As she slung the strap of her bag over her head and put one arm through it she stepped into the lounge room.
    “Why do you all wear black?”
    Alex rose to his feet and placed the hardcover book he was reading face down on the coffee table. “You’re looking a lot better. How do you feel?”
    “Okay.”
    “I’ll get you new bandaids.”
    Alyssa shook her head. “The cuts have stopped bleeding.”
    “Come and sit down and I’ll find you something to eat.”
    Alyssa stepped further into the room. “Why do you all wear black clothes?”
    Alex stared at her quietly for a moment. “They’re less likely to show up bloodstains.”
    “Oh.” Alex stepped forward to take her arm, but she pulled away. “I’m not an invalid.”
    “I know.”
    She strode to an armchair and sat on the edge of it as she glanced at the book on the coffee table. She froze, her breath drawn in sharply when she saw the picture of the