a strange name.” She observed despite herself.
“It’s more of an occupation. It means hunter.” Jaegar began to more closely regard the human.
“Are you a hunter?” There was no judgement from Samantha as she asked this.
“Kind of. Drink?” Jaegar was non-committal and raised his hand for a glass from the bartender. It was promptly brought to him and the bartender was again, dismissed.
Oh thank you, Jaegar.” Samantha gushed with gratitude as Jaegar poured her a glass of the wine. Once done, Jaegar looked at her. To many, his icy blue eyes would denote danger with their inhuman intensity but to Samantha, it was encouraging.
“Now, tell me all about yourself and I will listen.” With that, Jaegar settled back into his chair, as if into a better position to listen to her.
Samantha told Jaegar her life story. She started with her childhood when she had lived on a farm and how she moved to the city to escape poverty. She had dreamed of being successful and rich and over the years that passed in the city, living in urban poverty, she came to realise that she had been much better off where she began. Her regret piled on top of her daily rejections by people she tried to make friends with, from jobs she tried to apply to and also the never ending ‘hopelessness cycle’ that she found herself in. She knew if she ate fresh food and breathed fresh air, she would feel happier but she did not have enough money for good food. She was now trapped in the city because she could never raise enough money to move home and so, the cycle continued. To nullify this pain, she was prescribed drugs to help her sleep, drugs to help her wake up and drugs to stop her from feeling pain. The ‘kicker’ as she said, was that they stopped her from feeling anything at all, so she felt that she was living the life of an already dead person.
As she spoke about her troubled life, Jaegar would sip his drink and occasionally nod in affirmation. By the time the bottle emptied though, Jaegar made moves as if to leave. Sensing the change in his attention, she thanked him for his company and for his time.
“We are not friends but if you would like to meet here next week at the same time, I would be happy to listen to you again.”
“Thank you Jaegar. I'll be here. Seven o'clock! You know, you’re a lot nicer than you let on.”
“Your choice of topic interest me.”
“Maybe but you are kind.”
“No, it had just occurred to me that I don’t speak with people, either.”
Samantha left the pub waving at the door as she left.
Jaegar sat for a moment further, before settling the account with the barman and leaving. As he stepped out into the crisp night air, he noticed a female further up, walking solemnly in the other direction. Instinctively, he knew her. He knew her by the way she moved before he even scrutinised her more closely to identify her. She was the Portent who had demanded his help and he had astoundingly, given it.
Jaegar put that memory quickly out of his mind before briskly walking in the other direction to her. He decided that he would take the long way home that night to avoid any further interactions.
Chapter 3 – A Holiday
“Of course you were successful.” Rìghfuil, The Blood King stated rather than asked as Jaegar strode into the throne room. The room was cold, large, drafty and unwelcoming. To Jaegar, it was home.
“Of course.” Jaegar gave a half smile as a response to the confidence bestowed upon him. “By now, assuming he was found when they came to clear the rubbish, the Police would be looking for a killer who wielded a hand knife.
“I want you to know that I appreciate your work Jaegar. I think of you as my own son. I hope you know that.”
“You surprise me.”
“Surely not?” Rìghfuil’s smile was as large as his booming voice. He was not overweight but he was certainly solid, although well muscled and tall. Everything about him was large. His body, his voice, his gestures, even his clothing. He had a green velvet cape that was so long it dragged behind him on the floor. His face was round and full and although it could have appeared kind, his features were twisted and tinged with his dark thoughts.
“Well perhaps not surprise that you feel that way, more surprise that you say it.” Jaegar now leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his attention focused on The Blood King.
“You made a joke a while back. You said you would like a holiday.”
“I was being sardonic. I was merely commenting on my circumstances.” Irritation crossed Jaegar’s usually passive face.
“Yes but it started me thinking.”
“Rìghfuil, please understand that my use of irony is to be taken with a grain of salt.”
“You came to me as an infant. You have been in my service ever since. Never once have you complained or failed me.”
“What about the debacle with the Portents snatching that soul back from us?” Jaegar snarled more to himself that at Rìghfuil.
“That!” Rìghfuil laughed. “That was their mistake. We were just damage control.”
“It was entirely ridiculous. I’ve never heard of such a thing happening.” The tone Jaegar was using denoted his complete disapproval. It had haunted him so, that incident. The soul who had escaped its death and consequently had confused the immortals. Jaegar had felt that he had failed himself and his King and Jaegar, never failed. What haunted him more than this though, was the Portent he had seen at the debacle. Her eyes had begged for him to help. He had felt confused, compelled, obliged, yet willing. What was the most strange thing of all, was that, he had felt.
“The Portent who caused it is doing time as a Reaper. Somewhat amusing outcome no?”
“Neither here nor there.” Jaegar waved a hand dismissively.
“This brings me to my conclusion.”
“Which is?”
“That you take a holiday.”
“Rìghfuil no. I may have had a lapse in judgement but I do not need a holiday.” Jaegar spoke through gritted teeth.
“You did not have a lapse in judgement. I was never concerned about that matter. What concerns me is that you have lived here for your entire life and only leave here to kill and then, you return. That’s not much of a life Jaegar.”
“Well it’s not entirely true. I sat in a bar this very evening and spoke with a human, no less.” There was a slight haughty edge to Jaegar’s tone.
“Well it can’t have been for long. I didn’t send you out that long ago.” was Rìghfuil’s gruff response.
In fact, it had only been a few hours so Rìghfuil was correct. It was also the first time that Jaegar had ever socialised with a human in such a way, so it was not a very
