#wtfthefuck

          The last one had been boring. Easy. Gave up without much fight which, really, was a good thing. Left more than ample time for the next and it’s not like he got paid based on time taken, but routine extractions got to be… well… routine after a while. Give him a fighter. Give him a reason to use the skills he’d perfected and practiced since he was a kid. Give him someone fun.

          Reed flicked his cigarette out into the rain from where he was huddled under the back doorway. He didn’t smoke usually, but someone had offered a cigarette and his hands were already the devil’s play-thing, so what was he supposed to do when they were idle? Yoga?

          Someone was shouting inside. Angry, not scared. Good. Maybe he’d fight. The door flew open and bumped him out of the way. Made him get rain on his shirt. Black, tight, long sleeves so all he’d have to wash after was his hands. Magic was harder with gloves on, so hands stayed bare.

          “Watch where you’re going, Jo,” Reed mumbled as he tugged the door open for them.

          “Your next one is waiting,” Jo said, pointedly ignoring his warning.

          He watched as they carried the unconscious body of his last… client to a pickup truck. Not much blood, there’d hardly be any bruises. Maybe some scarring on his lungs if they ever cracked him open, but nobody could see that from the outside.

          Reed wedged his foot in the doorway. “Who’s next?”

          “Werewolf. Adam something.”

          “Really?”

          “Yep.” They tossed the man carelessly into the bed of the truck.

          “We never get wolves. What’d he do?”

          Jo arched a brow as they popped the truck door open.

          “Yeah, need-to-know basis, and you didn’t need to know. Got it.” Reed yanked the metal door open again and went back inside. He took a steadying breath and walked the hall. Stretched his neck, leaning his head side to side. Clenched his fists and splayed his fingers at his hips, sharp sparks dancing between his fingertips. The wolf stuck in the room was shouting obscenities that nobody was paying much attention to. Certainly not the bulky staff member guarding the door. Reed had never bothered to learn his name. He’d be gone soon enough, arrested or dead.

          “Camera recording in there?” Reed asked, rolling his shoulders.

          Muscle-head nodded. “He’s pissed.”

          Reed smirked, stopped in front of the door. “Wouldn’t you be?”

          Muscle-head nodded again, brows raised slightly, considering.

          “What’s my end goal with this one?” He ran his fingers through his cropped copper hair. Easier to focus if you don’t have fire in your eyes, the coven always said. “Confession? Info?”

          “Make him suffer.”

          Oh, fuck yes.

          “Wait, no, confession. But make him suffer.” Muscle-head pulled a slip of paper from his pocket as the man inside the room screamed something about tearing them all to shreds. “This is a hire by…” He frowned. “Hunters. Colton family. They think he killed half the team. You collude with hunters now?”

          “Show me the money and I’ll give you an answer.” Reed held his hand out and Muscle-head slapped a heavy stack of hundreds into his palm. It was a little less than he usually worked for. Reed pursed his lips.

          “End goal is either confession or termination. You get the other two thirds when it’s done.”

           Better. “Yes, yes I do collude with hunters now. Shit,” Reed chuckled and weaved his fingers together, stretching his palms out in front of him, “show me enough money and I’d collude with Satan himself.”

           “You don’t believe in Satan,” Muscle-head said, opening the door.

           “But you do.” Reed winked and let the door shut behind him.

           The half-shifted wolf, Adam, snarled at him. Tugged on the thick ropes binding him to a chair nailed to the floor. He looked well-put together. Probably worked a desk job. “COME ON! GIVE ME ALL YOU GOT!”

           Alright.

           Reed took five steps forward, wrapped his left hand firmly around the back of Adam’s neck and dug his right thumb into his eye socket. Curled his fingers around the eye and pulled, felt the tear of muscle and optical nerve.

           Now that’s a scream.

           He tossed the eyeball into a corner, bent at the hips and slapped his hands on Adam’s thighs. Leaned heavily on him. Inspected his work from inches away. “How was that?”

           “Fuck you,” Adam spat between sobs.

           “Hm.” Reed stood straight and sighed. Clenched his fist, let fire burst around it. Aimed a jab at Adam’s ribs, threw all his weight into it. Two pops under the muscle and a burst of red, scorched blisters blossomed across his skin. Reed pulled back and shook his hand out, eyeing the source of burnt-flesh stench five inches below the poor sap’s nipple. “How’re you holding up, Adam?”

           “Go t – ” Adam gasped in a breath, sucking blood into his mouth off his upper lip that leaked down from where his eye used to be.

          Reed made a mental note to check later if a half-shifted wolf’s eye stayed yellow after being ripped from its socket. With a flick of the wrist, a blade flew from the table to Reed’s hand.

          “Go to hell, witch.”

           “Please. That’s where I grew up.” He drew a thick slice into Adam’s shoulder. “Talk now?”

           Adam spat at Reed’s face, splatter of blood mixing with his freckles.

           Reed pushed the blade deep into Adam’s bicep. Thought maybe he felt it grind against bone on its way out. “Now?”

           Adam dropped his chin to his chest and growled, baring his fangs to the floor.

           Reed smiled and tilted his head. “You’re fun.” Four more clean lines on the same shoulder. “So, did you kill the Colton guy’s team?”

           “You’re working with hunters?”

           “Is that a confession?”

           “Traitor.”

           “They pay well. You gunna talk?”

           “I’ll pay my way out.” Adam’s chest heaved and he wriggled against the ropes. Maybe he wasn’t quite the fighter Reed had hoped. “How much are they paying you?”

           “More than you can afford to double, if you’re asking, which is what it would cost to get out of here.” Reed leaned against his thighs again. “So, you’re stuck with me. Last chance before this gets fun. Want to talk?”

           “Please – ”

           “Confess?”

           Adam clenched his jaw and squeezed his eyes shut. Blood oozed out from the empty socket.

           “Your call.” Reed shrugged and stretched the fingers on his right hand, leaning his weight on Adam’s left leg. Silver sparks snapped around his fingertips. Squeeze his heart? Kill a kidney? Imitate late stage aconite poisoning. Like fire and acid under your skin for a human, worse for a wolf.