The Thrill of Anarchy

Chapter Five

Before we went anywhere, I needed to shower; partly because I was filthy from last night's fight, and partly because I needed time to think. I didn't have any shampoo of my own, so I borrowed Cain's, figuring it was better to smell like a guy than like sweat. The water was lukewarm, and the bathroom smelled of mildew, but by the time I was finished, I felt ten times better. The pain in my muscles lessened to a dull ache and the water washed away the dried blood from my skin. I grabbed one of the scratchy grey towels from the rack and looked at myself in the mirror. Although it was fogged up with steam, I could tell something was off about the colour of my skin. Wiping away the steam, I studied the deep purple bruises that stretched from my chest t my stomach and wound their way around my lower back. Whichever way I stood; my injuries looked painful.

Curiosity got the better of me and I prodded one of the bruises. Never have I regretted a decision so quickly. I doubled over in pain and gasped sharply. I gripped the edge of the ink to stop myself from collapsing. Once the pain had subsided, I clawed myself back up using the metal taps as handholds. I glared at myself in the mirror and told myself to stop being such a baby and to go easy on the prodding next time.

With a huff, I pulled out some underwear, a pair of black denim jeans, and a grey vest top and put them on awkwardly, ignoring the pain I got when I lifted my arms up. Leaving my hair down, I chucked yesterday's clothes into the trash can next to the toilet. They were too damaged and bloody for me to consider wearing them again. Unfortunately, I only had one pair of canvas shoes, so I would have to make do with bloody ones for the time being. Luckily, there were black anyway, so the stains didn't show up too well.

Cain was sitting on the windowsill when I came out of the bathroom. He looked me over as I closed the door and gave an undefinable sniff before turning away.

"Something you'd like to say?" I asked as I dumped my bag by the door.

"It's just that..." Cain began, scratching his head awkwardly and avoiding my eyes. "Don't you think that those clothes are a little unsuitable for vampire hunting?"

I paused and tilted my head. I suppose my jeans were a little on the tight side, and my vest top was, well, a vest top. But I wasn't going to dress like a ninja in the heat just because it offered me slightly more protection. Most vampires weren't interested in attacking people's arms or legs, it was the neck they wanted. Besides, it was daytime; it didn't matter what I wore.

"What are you? A nun?" I returned, before joining him at the window, "I'm hunting vampires, not attending Sunday school."

Cain sniffed again and turned away; not before I caught sight of his blushing cheeks. I suppressed a smile. I liked getting under his skin.

"So, shall we make a start of this investigation thing?" I asked when a moment had passed.

"Okay," Cain said, he shifted his body away from mine slightly, squishing his large frame to the opposite end of the windowsill. "Where shall we start?"

"What was your brother's name?"

"His name was Reuben," Cain replied, his voice cracking slightly. I didn't know what it was like to lose a brother, but I could emphasise with the pain in his eyes.

I ran the name through my memory, "I've never met a Rueben Cain, so that can't be the connection."

Cain smiled as if he was reminiscing about some personal joke. I nervously itched the inside of my wrist and waited for him to answer.

"He didn't use the surname Cain; he used our mother's maiden name... Harmon."

That name felt vaguely familiar as if I heard someone use it around me. A flash of a face flickered through my mind, but I couldn't remember where I'd seen it. Growing up in the business, I'd met so many hunters. It was possible I'd met Rueben in childhood or been at a Council meeting with him, or even hunted a vampire with him. I frowned and delved deeper into my memories, trying to figure out a location or an event to connect the name to. I came up blank.