Adi had more time to study than he thought. Kenelm bored of the night fights and retired with his entourage. That’s when Adi took an opportunity to sleep in the back of the car. Duke woke him up by knocking on the window.

“Did you sleep well?” Duke smiled as Adi stepped out the car.

“It’s fucking freezing out here,” muttered Adi as he drew his coat more about him. “I am not going to enter that pit. There’s no way I have a chance to survive anything that they put me up against.”

Duke wasn’t amused by Adi’s complaints. “You have a better physic than the majority of those your age. I have little doubt that you will be fine.”

Adi frowned all the harder. “I don’t want to die!”

“While you are here, you are a jiangshi-”

“I didn’t agree to that!”

“And you need to behave like one,” continued Duke. “You feel neither cold nor hot, and you do not state that you have no desire to die. It is, ‘I do not wish to die, again.’ Now, attempt to assert your complaints again, but play the role properly this time.”

Adi reached into the car and dug out a pistol. He completely disregarded gun safety rules by shaking it at Duke. “I am going to kill you.”

“A jiangshi would not use a gun,” replied Duke calmly. “... Did you always have that with you?”

“It’s Varlulala’s. I didn’t like the idea of her waking up there with a gun. She’d probably try to wave it around and get shot.” Adi double checked that the safety was on before he tucked it into the back of his pants.

“Yes, that’s…” Duke mulled over Verlsa’s situation. “... That was perhaps a wise idea.”

“Any idea who I am fighting yet?”

“The house has agreed with your stance that you will outright die if placed within the pit,” replied Duke. This had Adi sighing with relief. “They are allowing Kenelm to use the arena pending that he finds his own fighter to challenge you. We are currently waiting for Enid to return from personal business.”

Adi put on a jacket. He didn’t care if he needed to show more skin, he was cold. “And what exactly is Enid?”

“A werewolf.”

“My uncle was torn up by werewolves!” Adi shrieked while flailing his arms about.

“We already established that it was the inugami who had done that.”

“That doesn’t make me less afraid of werewolves!” Adi hissed through his teeth in order to calm himself. “And when am I going to die?”

Duke leaned against the car. “Unknown. Kenelm is still planning his escape, but Enid is a local. She has several demon connections in the area and drifts between them for odd jobs.” He gave a nod as Janice began to walk up to the car. “You shouldn’t out in the cold like this.”

Janice immediately set to straightening up Adi’s jacket, even as he batted her hands away from him. “You really shouldn’t be here, Adi. I know these people. They’re dangerous. If they find out you’re a human, they’re going to sell you off to the highest bidder and literally eat you or something worse!”

“I don’t want to be here either, but I don't have a choice. Duke has some sort of stupid and overly complicated plan to hunt this mage down, and that’s apparently the plan we are going to go with.”

“Stay close to me though.” Janice attempted to put her hand on Adi’s shoulder, only to pout as he slapped it away. “I really can protect you. I promise.”

Whenever he looked at Janice, Adi felt tired. A part of him felt broken down. “I don’t want to talk about this,” he said. “I’m going to get something to eat and I’ll be back later.” Duke immediately reached for the car handle. “I’m just going to hit up a drive-thru and be right back. I don’t need an escort for everything.”

“Your external phone battery is charged?” Duke was offended by Adi’s glare. “It would be a hindrance if your phone were to die.”

“Yeah, but my own death wouldn’t be a hindrance at all.” Adi glared all the harder as Duke went for the door again. “I go eat, you try to get the information. Have Janice help you or something. Try to get me out of that fight. I don’t care how it’s done, but I’m starving.”

He shooed the others away and drove off to get himself a burger. Then he parked someplace where he could stare at Mt. Rainier. Maybe he should go out skiing when all of this was over. That would give enough time for Janice and Verlsa to get out of his house. They better take Duke with them as well.

Adi was done.

He was done with things trying to kill him, with dealing with people always giving him orders, and with his family legacy. Especially with the family legacy. Fuck the pride of the Wulfert clan. They were cheats and murderers. That was all that was left for his family to claim.

Maybe he should sell his grandfather’s house and move north. There wasn’t a point in being here anymore. He didn’t even want to get a job with his stepfather anymore. Adi wanted to do something for himself, he just didn’t know what that was yet. Maybe he’d put that degree of his to use, or he’d go to Vancouver and try to get a job with a production company. That sounded like fun.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

It was around noon by the time he returned. When Duke asked him what took so long, he made up some excuse about getting lost. Duke didn’t believe him at all but didn’t question it further than that. He asked Adi to get into the pit and sat down at a table nearby. Kenelm sat next to him, alongside a nervous Janice and an absent-minded Tinnlie.

“Enid stated that she would need a moment.” Kenelm rested his chin in his palm and stared up at the screen with a bored expression. “I sincerely hope that the hunt for us cools down soon so that we may leave.”

Tinnlie perked up at the idea. “We should go south, where it’s nice and warm! We could see Hollywood! Or Disneyland!”

“We should return to Europe, my dear,” cooed Kenelm. “We need to reevaluate our investments and see where to go from there.” Tinnlie pouted. “It will be marvelous. Have I ever led you astray in the past?”

“... No,” she said with a frown.

“Then get us some drinks, my dear. Nothing too strong, since the sun is supposedly still out. Not that we would know since we are imprisoned in this dark and dreadful prison!” Kenelm glanced as a shirtless woman as she walked past, and scoffed loudly.

Duke shook his head as Tinnlie asked him if he needed a glass of elixir. “Your presence does wonders to lighten the environment.”

"And what will you be doing once we leave?" Kenelm looked over to Duke next with curiosity glinting behind his eyes. "I would think it wise for you to pack a jar of dirt so that you may come with us. Jiangshi are no longer bound to the confines of the birth of their lands. Set forth and see the world."

Duke knew it was a ploy. Kenelm would no doubt attempt to make more jiangshi, and he would need one in order to make sure the process would go well. "I would think that the harmonizer would be a more valued member than myself."

"Nonsense. That man was all business and no fun. You, my friend, are attuned to the finer things of life. You understand pleasure because the sensation of it has been ripped away from you. I think you would make an interesting traveling companion because of that."

Kenelm's lifestyle no doubt consisted of life and death business ventures followed by alcohol and orgies. That wasn't the sort of fun Duke desired when he was alive, nor was it now that he was dead. What he wanted... What did he want? Verlsa was leaving soon. Adi should be freed of his presence as well since Adi was right about him being a burden.

Perhaps it wouldn't be bad to stay in Washington. There was always the risk of running into someone who knew him, but he didn't like to go outside much. Maybe he would continue to work for DH. It was a way of survival. Pastor would keep him fed, but he didn't know if that would be stepping on Windi's deal. He was certain that he didn't consume the soul or flesh. There was a chance that they could both get their fill from the same person.

... And it would be people that they were eating. People like the misguided Atticus Wulfert, who had all the confidence of a raging bull and the intelligence of one too on the day they met. Innocents who happen to be misinformed.

It left a bad taste in his mouth.

"I will linger in the area for a time longer," replied Duke. He then glanced over to Janice. "You would make for a better companion than I."

"Janice is easily replaceable. Succubuses can be found around any corner as long as you can provide a big enough meal." Kenelm leaned forward on the table, still staring at Duke hungrily. "I desire companions that can offer me more."

"I will have to decline your offer. This area provides for me, and I will continue to provide for it to the best of my abilities.” Duke became focused on the television screen, partially ignoring Kenelm’s half-hearted protests.

Adi was on the screen. He had gone pale as Enid entered the pit. She was tightening on a set of gloves that had long claws protruding from the knuckles. Her face was apathetic, not caring much either way on how this was going to turn out.

“My god,” muttered Duke. “He is going to die.” Janice reached under the table and clutched onto his hand tightly. “By which I mean, die again, because he certainly is a jiangshi.”

Kenelm nodded with a sigh. “I will forever be indebted to you for located this boy, Duke. We can’t have him wandering about and tracing this mess back to us, not after all of the work we have put in to avoid the whole sordid affair.” He waved his hand in an attempt to get Duke to sit after he had stood up. “You can make new friends. There’s no need to fret about.”

“How could you!” Janice stood up and slapped Kenelm across the face. He looked up, stunned that she would dare strike out at him. “You can’t treat someone like that!”

He had no idea what she was angry at. “They’re humans. There are literally billions of the little insects. Ridding the world of one or two is nothing, and nothing is exactly what that highly attractive pest is.”

Janice stood there fuming. She didn’t say anything but ran towards the pit instead. Kenelm wasn’t amused by this turn of events either, despite it being random. He went back to apathetically watching the screen. Witnessing the butchering of such a weak individual wasn’t much fun either, but it was better than dealing with a bitter woman.

“Succubuses can be found around any corner,” he repeated in a quiet whisper to himself.

“Indeed,” muttered Duke as he continued to glance between the pit and the television.

Adi was slowly walking backward. He addressed Enid in a calm tone. “You don’t have to do this.”

Enid took a step forward and took a fighting stance. “I have my orders.”

“Fuck your orders! I know you don’t want to do this!” Adi outstretched his hands. “We don’t have to fight anymore!” He took a surprised step back as Janice jumped down into the pit. “I have this handled.”

“Let me protect you!” Shouted Janice back. “I know I haven’t been the best girlfriend-”

“Ex-girlfriend!” Corrected Adi.

“That doesn’t matter! I am Firstborn! I’m not going to let this hairy mithryn bitch lay a finger on you!” The veins on her right arm bulged out, turning her skin a deep red. Her fingers burst into blood covered claws. She took a low and defensive position between Adi and Enid.

Enid let out a low growl. “Is fighting the only option for you?” Janice nodded. “Bring it, whore.”

Before either woman could attack, Enid flew backward as a bullet hit her in the center of the chest. Even as she fell into a crumpled heap, Adi kept his gun raised. He was trembling and struggled to keep his breathing steady.

Janice looked up towards the edge of the pit. Kenelm had walked over and was now leaning over. His face held a dark and furious expression. Unsurprisingly, Duke was nowhere to be seen. She nearly jumped out of her skin as Adi fired his gun into Enid again. The werewolf was still trying to stand up.

She ran to Adi and grabbed his wrist. “I’m getting you out of here!”

“Wait!”

“There’s no time!” She pulled him towards the door, overpowering him in the process. Kicking it open, she continued to run, doing everything she could to keep Adi safe.