The Partner

Chapter 17

Anvy and Caul search the property for the black altar. It takes looking through multiple houses before she gets any reading whatsoever on any dark magic. She doesn't know why she can sense it. Maybe it's because the altar is trapping a fellow haunt. The power leads them towards one house that looks abandoned. Anvy can tell they've taken too much time looking for this. The others have definitely started fighting with the shifters, and Kenai...she can't think about what that means for him. He can handle himself in a fight, but they're werewolves for Christ's sake.

Caul must notice her worry as they search the house. "Hey, Kenai's gonna be okay. He's a smart little guy. He'll come up with a plan."

They come to a door that she feels power emanating behind. She sighs. "Yeah, but I feel like after what he said to me, he's gonna feel like playing hero or martyr."

He smiles. "Have a little faith, wraith."

"Okay, demon." She points to the door. "It's coming from behind here."

Caul opens the door to a bedroom with a tousled bed, a dresser with the drawers halfway opened and empty, and a closed closet. Anvy feels the power pulsating from the closet. She pushes it open and what she sees makes her gasp. Inside the closet is the black altar, but it's worse than she expected. It's on a table with weird markings all over the top of it. The markings form a circle and at each mark is a candle. The candles are new, but there's wax all over the table meaning someone has been here to change them. There is a skull on the table looking human or humanoid along with animal feathers, different types of flowers and herbs, and black powder in a bag. There's also jars of blood scattered across the table.

Caul joins her by the closet with a cringe on his face. "What is all of this stuff for?"

"The spell. All of this holds the chained reaper." Anvy explains.

He scans the table, looking over everything. "So how do we break the spell?"

"We destroy the altar." She replies.

Caul grins and rubs his hands together giddily. "Alright, one destroyed altar coming right up." He takes a step forward.

"-Anvy! What are you doing here?" Someone interrupts.

Anvy and Caul turn to find Vane standing in the doorway of the bedroom. "Vane." She sighs sadly. So it's true. Vane really is the reaper behind this.

Caul fists his hands at his sides. "The jig is up, dude. We've got you."

Confusion fills Vane's gray eyes and he frowns. "What jig? What are you talking about?"

"Come on, Vane. We know you're the one who chained a reaper. We found your altar here and we're gonna destroy it. Turn yourself in. Make this easier on yourself." Anvy pleads.

He shakes his head. "Anvy, what the fuck are you saying? What chained reaper? What altar? Do you mean that satanic-looking shit behind you?" He points.

The demon starts to slowly make his way towards the reaper. "Look, we know it's you, dude. We found the assassin you hired and found your credit card off the burner phone you bought. We also have witnesses placing you here frequently and now we found a fucking black altar here. It's not looking too good. What do you think the Council will think of all this?"

"Of all what? You two are talking in circles like you know something I don't. I didn't do anything, Anvy." He says.

She narrows her eyes at him. If he's faking this, Vane should have been an actor. He's doing an amazing job and almost convincing her. Almost. "Vane, if you didn't do it, then why are you here?"

"I have strict orders to follow you from-."

"-Hold it right there, Vane." Sheam and two other reapers fill the doorway behind Vane.