Exorcise the Past

Rainbows of colour passed below the young dark haired boy perched upon a tree branch. From his vantage point he could see the annual Pride Parade while remaining hidden from prying eyes. If by chance someone caught a glimpse of him, they would think they saw merely a shadow. Maybe that was true, perhaps he was just a shadow, like those he used to hunt. The joyful parade continued beneath him unaffected by his brooding. The festive spirit overwhelmed his senses causing his head to spin. His mind drifted back to a year ago when he had been swept up with those celebrating down below. Michael had dragged him along, claiming he needed a break from the case they had been working on. Tears threatened to fall at the thought of his former assistant. It was his fault he was here alone. His own stupid mistake had killed Michael. He, the great Casper Servanté, had been outsmarted by a simple spectre.

A sudden chill ran up his spine, breaking his dark thoughts. It was a feeling that used to be as familiar as breathing. Instinctively his body tensed and his senses heightened. He studied the parade below. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The people happily celebrated oblivious to Casper's discomfort. Silently he prayed that it was nothing, that it was just an uneasy feeling normal people felt. Deep down he knew it was not.

There! He zoned in on a young woman wobbling slightly as if drunk. She reached into her purse. Casper groaned before leaping out of his tree and fighting his way through the crowd. Surprised onlookers panicked at the sudden appearance of the eighteen year old cloaked in black. Bursting through the crowd, he tackled the woman to the ground. The pistol she pulled out of her purse fell from her hand and clattered loudly on the pavement. Witnesses screamed, but their screams were fortunately drowned out by the festive atmosphere. Casper quickly grabbed his athame from inside his jacket, wincing as the blade burned his hand. Hastily began to draw a circle around himself and the woman. The woman struggled for a few seconds. Without warning she fell unconscious, before he could finished the circle. Casper mentally cursed, he was definitely out of practice. He heard the click of a gun behind him. "Drop the knife, and put your hands where I can see them." With a groan Casper dropped the athame and put his hands up.
"You're making a mistake officer and for future reference that is an athame, not a knife," Casper hissed as the officer forced his hands behind his back.
"Doesn't matter what it is, you were going to use it to harm that woman," the officer snapped back, jerking Casper round to face him after securing cuffs on his wrists. Casper's retort died in his throat as he looked into the officer's striking blue eyes. Casper blinked a few times, thankful his eyes were hidden by sunglasses. He was being arrested by Liam Elton, the attractive junior detective he had crossed paths with on numerous cases. Unlike the other detectives, Liam did not believe in spirits and demons, and thought that exorcists were nothing more than charlatans. Liam knelt down to pick up the athame. "I wouldn't touch that," Casper warned. Liam rolled his eyes and grabbed the athame. He recoiled as if it had burned him. "I warned you," Casper said dryly.
"What was that?"
"I told you. It's an athame, only those marked can hold it without pain."
"What are you? Some kind of homophobic freak?" Liam growled.
"No, I'm a..." he drifted off, not sure what to say. Turning his head away, accidentally revealed the Mark of the Exorcists, a seven pointed star encircling the Eye of Horus, tattooed on his neck.
"Exorcist," Liam hissed under his breath. Casper tensed. Liam tore off Casper's sunglasses and beanie causing his black hair to tumble across his face. "Casper Servanté, I heard you'd vanished after Michael Roberts' death."
"I retired."
"I see, so that's why you're here, tackling women and waving freaky knives around."
Casper tried to explain. "She was possessed, but the spirit escaped before I could capture it. So if you could please release me so I can go capture the spirit and..."
Liam interrupted. "You're insane."
"She had a gun," Casper snapped defensively. His eye caught a glow moving through the crowd. "Over there," Casper gestured with his head. Liam glanced over where Casper had indicated, but could not see the glow. Casper cursed, forgetting his gift prevented him from swearing, meaning all that came out was strangled noise. "Please give me ten minutes and I promise I'll be back. People will get hurt if you don't," Casper pleaded. Liam eyed him suspiciously.
"I'm coming with you. I don't believe you, but others on the force do," Liam decided after a moment's hesitation. Casper wanted to protest, fearful history would repeat, but instead he nodded, knowing he had no choice. Liam unlocked the handcuffs. Casper grabbed his athame, grimacing at the contact, and headed in the direction he had seen the glow. Liam following behind him.