Reapers

Chapter Twenty: Godly Research

Thane leaned against the wall and watched as Era walked out of the guest bedroom.  He bit the inside of his cheek.  There was nothing he wanted to do more than find a soul and send it back to Hell, go back to the simpleness of Demi-Reaper life and not what seemed to be a life of being something close to fugitives.

    “Thane?” Era said softly.

    He looked down at her and nodded, “I’m fine.” he said looking past her at Mo who, at least for the moment, seemed peaceful and stable.  He looked back at Era, her electric blue eyes were narrowed.  “What?” he asked defensively.

    “Don’t lie to me Thane.” she muttered, “Especially now.”

    Thane felt his face soften, “Alright then.  I’m worried.”

    “About?”

    Thane shrugged, “Everything?  Mo, Darcie and her visions, then there are the three Demi-Reapers hunting us and their parents who could kill us with one look.” he paused, “Era, we aren’t going to win this...whatever.  It’ll be a miracle if we can find our parents, but then what?  We go break them out?  I don’t want any of us to get killed, Era.”

“Neither do I.” she said firmly, “But Thane...we have to find them and rescue them.”

Thane frowned, “Why?”

He regretted the question as Era’s hand slapped across his face, “Because they’re our parents, you idiot!  Because without them we have nothing else!  I get you and Valcon don’t get along but for everyone else’s sake...” she looked down, the white streak in her hair covering one of her eyes.  “For my sake, Thane, please...they’re our parents and we need their help.”

Thane lightly touched where Era had slapped him, “I wasn’t saying we give up on them, Era.  I just needed to be reminded why we needed them in the first place instead of going after them ourselves.”

Era rolled her eyes, “You know why, idiot.” she muttered, “We need Reapers to fight Reapers.  Simple as that.”

“Simple?  Sounds really complicated.” Alex said from behind them.  

Thane saw Era look past him at Alex, “Private conversation, Alex.” Era said.

Alex nodded, “Right, I’ll leave you and your death brother to talk.” he said heading back into the kitchen to clean the rest of the Mo’s blood off the sink and counters.

Era sighed and looked back at him, he smiled trying his best to be supportive.  Alex wasn’t wrong, they were brother and sister; just not by blood.  Thane put a hand on her shoulder, “You should rest, Era.  I’ll explain to Alex what he needs to know and I’ll find out whatever I can about the Vlade Bellum on his end.”

Era gave a short laugh, “Alright...do I really look that tired?”

Thane nodded, “None of us slept at the hotel, Era, except maybe Mo.  There’s just too much chaos to relax, but for now I think we can take the risk.” he smiled softly, “Alex and I will guard the place.”

Era smiled, “Thanks Thane.” she said softly sitting down in one of the chairs besides the couch and Mo.  Within a minutes she was asleep.

Thane smiled, he leaned away from the wall and made his way into the kitchen.  Alex scrubbed at the blood in the sink; the counters were clean but the sink was another story.  Alex straighten and looked toward Thane, he looked up then down, surveying Thane.  

"You're covered in blood, you know." Alex said, a bloody wash cloth in his left hand.

Thane narrowed his eyes, "So are you."