Hunter: Cursed

Chapter Nineteen

Being nice to someone you really just want to ram your sword into is hard. Laughing and acting like everything is fine and you're totally okay with going along with some kind of, probably evil plan that you were set up to be a part of - again, is even harder. The looks my brother is giving me is only pissing me off further and as a platter of chicken, or some kind of bird, is set down on the table before us, I pray my laugh sounds genuine.

"No, no really you should, bee-have! No wait, bee-hive!" I tell Muz, who tilts his head back and lets out a laugh that would rival Santa's.

In different circumstances, I could almost like him. There is something a little odd about him that reminds me of Paytah - minus the whole, take you into my tent thing the werewolf likes to bring up.

"Now we feast!" Muz declares and the few 'warriors' that are seated with us happily dig into the buffet put on in our honour.

I don't know where this has all come from, or how many chambers this temple place actually has, but sometimes its easier not to question it. When you have two snake demons at home, a golden sword that belonged to some Egyptian god, and your occupation includes killing vampires, you learn not question everything odd that happens in your life.

"I'm starving." Logan mumbles beside me, helping himself too. "You eating?"

"Yeah, of course." I take some of the unidentified bird meat as he passes it over and the little drone bees fill our glasses with a sweet smelling red wine.

A happy chatter fills the room as we all eat, drink and generally be merry. I can't make myself relax, despite being positive we're not in any danger for as long as we play along. If I decided not to do what he wanted, or you know - kill him in the process, then I'm sure we'll be getting served up for dinner. Do bees eat people?

"I would love to know what is going through your mind right now." Drew asks from across the table.

"What?" I take a bit - definitely chicken, though how do you really know since everything always seem to taste like it anyway?

"You. You look a million miles away and real serious."

"Oh, just tired." I lie. "All that hiking and stuff, you know I'm lazy when it comes to doing all this stuff."

"I thought Zane beat that out of you." He laughs.

"He wishes." Logan adds, earning a swift quick under the table. He only winks at me in response.

It's not too long until we're shown to our rooms for the night. Again I try not to over think the fact there was actually fairly decent guest accommodation set up for us. Jordan sticks with us and I'm pretty sure he is just trying to avoid being paired up with Amelia, at least until he whispers something in my ear about Ailin. I ditch Logan and shove in front of Drew and Nigel, dragging Jordan with me.

"Family bonding time. Night all." I drop the cloth that we have as a door and we move to the other side of the room. "What did you say?"

"Ailin put a ban on this case, we shouldn't have been able to see it." Jordan tells me.

"But she sent us off?"

"I know, but what if it wasn't her? Amelia said they had been sent here to sort it out, because you know, thats their thing. Seeing us all here, she was really surprised and was about to make a call in to the Council when our entourage came to bring us here. She went to try calling in again before dinner, but none of their sat tech is working here."

"I don't want to freak you out, but I've been wondering if something was going on for a while. I think Cain is fucking with me again." Sighing, I try to think of my next move. I had everyone to think of, because this really could turn out badly for all of them if I didn't play along - which was exactly why they all came too. Why not just send my parents next time and make it a party?