Soul Ripper

seven

"Your shorts are too short," Anastasia replied tonelessly, putting in her other earring. "At least I came prepared."

She moved the skirt slit to the side, revealing Diego's knife tucked into a black lacy garter.

"That's unnecessary. Nothing is going to happen at this party," Five said, rolling his eyes at her theatrics.

Five blinked Anastasia and himself into the party while Diego and Lila snuck in through an open window. Five took a flute of champagne off one of the hors d'oeuvres platters. Anastasia glowered at the back of his head, hoping his skull would explode and brain matter would splatter all over the room. She double-stepped to catch up to him.

Anastasia jogged up the stairs Five had started up and pulled him down to her step. "Must you have alcohol in your system?"

"Would you shut it? It was just champagne," Five hissed, narrowing his eyebrows.

Anastasia rolled her eyes as he turned around and continued up the staircase. She followed him down the second-floor hall, pressing their ears to each door, listening for men's voices. Finally, at the end of the hall, Five blinked them into a tiny coat closet.They shifted uncomfortably, trying not to make sound. Five's breath stuck to Anastasia's skin.

"Why did you have to drag me into this stinky-ass closet with you when I could be dancing and eating hors d'oeuvres?" Anastasia whispered.

"So you wouldn't run away," Five replied sharply, keeping his voice low.

"Do you ever think about why I might run away from this bullshit?" Anastasia asked.

"Shut up," Five hissed.

"Because if you don't think, you should start," she finished.

"Do you have to be a bitch all the time?" Five spat.

"Yeah, it's kind of a full-time job."

Their bickering was interrupted by the sudden silence from the room. Five and Anastasia held their breath as Reginald stepped closer to the closet, whipping his cane at the shudders and looking in. Five blinked them out of the closet and into the hall just in time.

A tall blond man towered over Five with violence in his eyes. Five turned to face the man, receiving a firm punch to the jaw. Five fell onto his chest.

Anastasia was confronted by another blond man, slightly shorter than his brother, who charged at her. Anastasia went for the man's legs but was elbowed in her neck. She phased through the man, sending shivers down his spine.

Five got up and prepared to throw his punches. Five blinked behind the man attacking him, and Roundhouse kicked the man's back. He was outsized but not outwitted.

Diego raced up the stairs, finding his brother and Anastasia fighting off two enormous Swedish men. He noticed the third go for Anastasia. Diego leapt onto the third Swede's back, trying to bring him to his knees or strangle him.

Anastasia and the Swede bumped forearms back and forth down the hall. She struck the man's side, turning to grab his neck. Anastasia kicked up for momentum, heaved the man over her shoulder and slammed him to the ground. She held her foot to the man's windpipe until he went unconscious.

Five fought off the first Swede brother until he threw the man out the window. The Swede fell onto his back, breaking it fatally. Five went to help Diego disarm the third Swede, but Lila had already gone to help, knocking the man senseless within seconds.

Panting, the four leaned up against walls. Five looked out the window into the warm Texas night. He saw his father leaving the house with who he could only presume to be Reginald's wife.