Reapers - Thirteen Brothers

XXXXII - The Hunt

"Vlad asked me to do this, you know," Pierre whined, his thin lips puckering a bit as we danced. The mannerism reminded me a bit of Vladimir. "It's not that you're not attractive and all but I'm not really good at dancing. I don't want to embarrass myself in front of everyone."

I heaved a sigh. It felt odd dancing with someone shorter than me. "Don't worry. You're not alone. No idea how he does it but Vlad's good at that—making people do things against their will," I said purposively patting his left arm to see if he would flinch in pain. But Pierre didn't even move a muscle. Just as Vladimir had predicted.

When I found the boy master looking at me from our cabal's table, I discreetly shook my head. He nodded back. One down, four more to go.

After Rajinder—a brown-skinned, long-haired, tall young man in a gold and white tunic, Cyrus and Darius came, arguing who should go first. The intruder wasn't one of the twins either. My hunch that Cairo was the one we were looking for was growing stronger. As I circled the dance floor with Darius... or Cyrus, (not sure) I stared down The First at every chance possible like saying Let's get this over with. My feet throbbed like hell, actually. I could use a break, but that didn't seem possible with Max, Joaquim and Hector in the lineup.

Max was hard to crack. I tried to ask him many times who among Pilgrim Reaper's three familiars negotiated with him for the scroll but he kept pulling the I-am-a-businessman alibi. Joaquim or Jack as he liked to be called, on the other hand, was already dead drunk as I had guessed so we couldn't do more than lurch back and forth across the hall. Good thing his familiars were too kind as to carry the guy back to their spot before he passed out.

"There are rumors about you, Aramis Rayne," Hector said looking at me as he would to scrutinize a specimen. Something about this guy made me exceptionally anxious. Perhaps it was the wild look about his bloodshot eyes. That I hadn't notice him blink for the last ten minutes. Or the permanent amused façade. Creepy dude.

"What rumors?"

The grin on Hector's face widened, revealing a set of pearl-white teeth so perfect it was almost unnatural. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. Not all of my brothers know about it. Oh, but I do. Alessandra Clandestine was one of a kind. I bet it took Cairo some hundred years to get over the loss of his most prized familiar. Poor bloke." He didn't sound sympathetic at all.

My eyes widened. "Cairo?"

"Oh," he chuckled loudly as he made me twirl. When we were face to face again, his round eyes were already boring into mine. "Don't tell me Little Vince didn't tell you about it? Oh, yes! She was Cairo's familiar. Interesting woman. Can do a hell lot of things other familiars can't. For one, she could open Spirit Doors without incantations."

I purposively watched my steps. No one outside our cabal knew I could open Doors. Not even the intruder. That might be my trump card... my last hope so I decided to keep it a secret.

"And her scythe. Really exceptional. You know, Aramis, I was thinking maybe you have inherited a little something from her," Hector mused, not paying any attention that we were totally off the music. "It's been about a couple of hundred years since I've been into Soul research. The Ethereals, I'm partially responsible for their existence. Fascinating creatures they have become. So, you see, I'd be delighted to have a chance to examine you."

I instantly backed away from him. Examine me? Like an experiment?

Reacting quickly, Hector caught my hand. "Don't be afraid. I mean no harm."

"I want to go back to my master, if you don't mind," I said firmly so I wouldn't look weak. When he didn't yield, I tried to yank my hand back. "It has been... nice dancing with—"