Reaper of Souls (Alastor)

5

Tw: Language, sexual references, violence, blood.

This story is not my usual 'green flag' relationship showcase. This will get dark and is not for the faint of heart. This is your warning.

Alastor tilted his head at the banner hung above the entrance to the hotel. It was a good idea, he supposed, but the banner was ugly. Charlie had Husk make it when she assigned everyone tasks, and Husk was clearly no artist.

He was clearly not a writer either, based on the messy handwriting sprawled across the banner.

"What do you think?" Charlie asked as she stood by his side.

Alastor beamed down at her. "It's marvellous! You were right; this will attract so many more guests!"

Come here.

That was what the banner said.

It was frightening with red ink, but perhaps Alastor was the only one who saw it as horrifying. Maybe guests actually would want to visit the hotel after seeing the welcome sign.

"I'm not the only one who thinks that banner looks like someone was fuckin' murdered on it, right?" Angel cocked a hip out. "I mean, why'd we choose the colour red?"

Husk huffed and swigged from a bottle. "I'm not a fucking artist!"

"I'm sure there's some blind sinner out there who will stumble into the hotel!" Alastor confidently said. "Or we could go around blinding people?"

"We're not doing that," Vaggie firmly said.

Alastor shrugged. "We'll see."

"No one is blinding anyone!" Vaggie shouted, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Got that?"

"But what if they ask very nicely and say please?" Alastor sassily asked. "I would hate to say no to someone with such manners."

"What if their eyesight is horrible and I just finish the job?" Angel questioned.

"I don't know why I'm still here," Nyla muttered next to Vaggie. "You're all insane."

"And you aren't?" Alastor raised an eyebrow. "You sleep hanging from the ceiling."

"Because it's fun!" Nyla argued. 

Alastor gave her a patronizing smile and leaned forward on his cane. "And killing isn't? Why, my dear, you've yet to learn the greatest joys!"

Nyla squinted at him. "I don't want to sleep across the hall from you anymore."

"Nonsense!" Alastor grinned. "How else am I supposed to wake you in the middle of the night to go and hunt down the Soul Reaper? 

"You could knock on my door like a normal person instead of just barging in?" Nyla suggested. "Have you thought of that yet?"

"Where's Nifty?" Charlie suddenly asked.

"I haven't seen her," Nyla said, looking around.

Alastor's smile faded slightly. "We'll find her."

"What if she's dead?" Nyla whispered to Alastor. His eye twitched, and she smiled victoriously. "What if someone killed her? Imagine her little head out in an alleyway..."

"I'll find her," Alastor announced, walking away at a fast pace away from her.

"Did I hear you say something about him barging into your room in the middle of the night?" Angel asked, watching Alastor storm away. "That's fuckin' creepy."

"He's weird," Nyla agreed. 

"I found Nifty!" Alastor declared. Nifty was at his heels, sprinting to keep up with him. "She was stuck in the toilet!"