A Murder's Hunt Read online

  A Murder's Hunt

  By: Danica Taylor

  Copyright © 2017 by Danica Taylor

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Cover design by Germancreative

  First Edition

  To the aromantic community that fights every day

  for the recognition we deserve.

  Chapter 1

  Othloh had never been a beautiful city. It was rough around the edges with buildings that threatened to collapse. There was barely any sun and a permanent grey hue surrounded the city. Those who lived there weren’t much better. They were all cracked or broken in some way. Most of the people who found themselves in Othloh were criminals, gang leaders, or orphans.

  Hunter looked out the window of the Crow’s Nest and sighed. She drummed her fingers against the open book she had the open book she had on her lap and looked around, hoping something interesting would catch her eye. Tall bookshelves filled from head-to-toe surrounded her on every side. From where she was, she could see the other person in the bookstore with her.

  Scarlet Illaria, the only official employee of the old bookstore, was flipping through a large book with a cracked leather spine. Her faux-violet eyes looked vacant and her face was set in a grimace, as if something was bothering her. Her crimson red hair was pulled back into two short Dutch braids and her nails were painted a shade of pink Hunter couldn’t pronounce. But most striking of all was the lack of visible skin. Scarlet was almost completely covered in tattoos She blamed her addiction for tattoos on her girlfriend Josephine, Othloh’s most popular tattoo artist.

  The bell to the Crow’s Nest chimed and both Hunter and Scarlet looked up as two middle-aged men walked through the front door. They scanned the bookstore before they spotted Scarlet. Everyone recognized her instantly—who else in Othloh was tattooed from neck to toe?

  Hunter and Scarlet recognized them almost at the same time. While Scarlet plastered a polite smile on her face, Hunter backed further into the shadows of the bookshelves.

  The one leading was a tall male with light blonde hair and grey eyes. His nose was crooked, pointing to a lifetime of fighting, and his knuckles looked bruised. The second male was shorter, but only by a sliver. He had long light brown hair pulled back into a low bun and a scar from the corner of his lip up to the top of his cheekbone. He looked younger than the first man but was just as wide. His dark brown eyes spent more time scanning the old bookstore than they did looking at Scarlet.

  “Arsen, Kazimir,” Scarlet greeted as the tall, blonde-haired man approached her counter. “I’m surprised to see you two here. Did Weston demote you?” She teased as she closed her book and leaned against her open palm.

  “Ha ha,” Arsen said sarcastically as he glared at Scarlet. Hunter noticed some grey streaking through his blonde hair. “I’m here for your boss.”

  The Crow’s Nest had two kinds of customers. The first, history buffs and avid readers of old books, were rather rare. In a city like Othloh, which was so corrupt even the police didn’t bother anymore, most people didn’t wander into bookstores for fun. The second kind, which was much more common, were criminals looking to hire the services of the man who owned the Crow’s Nest.

  “He’s rather busy, you know,” Scarlet said sombrely, looking at Arsen through hooded lashes. “So many people to kill in this city.”

  Arsen sighed and pulled a large black feather from the inside of his worn leather jacket. He slapped it on the table and glared at Scarlet. “It’s important.”

  She smiled brightly, grabbed the black feather, and twirled it with her fingers. Hunter didn’t know when it had started, but anytime anyone wanted to hire her boss’s services, they’d give a black feather as passage.

  Scarlet continued to play with the feather as she looked at the two men. “I wonder what such high-ranking Minosea members are doing asking Lucian for favours?”

  Minosea was one of the four largest gangs in Othloh and dealt mainly with transportation. They were invaluable in keeping the fragile balance in the city intact. They also had a hand in the success of every other gang in the city.

  “That’s none of your business.” Arsen said as he leaned back and straightened his jacket. He looked over his shoulder at Kazimir, who’d wandered off and was browsing some old history books. “Kaz, get back here.” Arsen snapped. Kazimir shrugged and walked back to Arsen’s side.

  Scarlet smiled at the two men in front of her. “Well, it might be.” She said. She looked over their shoulders in Hunter’s direction, balancing herself on her toes so she could see Hunter’s faint outline. “Hunter, could you bring these two up to see Lucian?”

  Arsen and Kazimir’s heads whipped around at the mention of Hunter’s name, and they watched as she stood from her chair and quietly emerged from the shadows.

  Kazimir blinked a few times, as if not believing his eyes. “I didn’t even see you there at all…” he trailed off, whistling under his breath.

  Arsen grinned, his annoyance with Scarlet completely vanishing. “Of course not.” Arsen nodded to Hunter. “It’s been a while.”

  Hunter didn’t respond and brushed past the two Minosea members. “Follow me.” She said. She snagged the black feather as she passed Scarlet and continued walking, not bothering to check to make sure the two men were following her. Hunter walked up to a door behind Scarlet’s desk. It blended in almost seamlessly into the wall, and anyone who didn’t know of its existence would have a hard time finding it. She pressed a small black button beside the handle and waited a few seconds.

  She heard crackling before a voice came through the small speaker installed just beside the door. “Password, please.” The voice said teasingly.

  Hunter frowned and glared at the camera mounted on the wall. “Raphael, don’t be annoying. Let me in.”

  She heard laughter. “Come on! This is the only thing I’ve had to do all day. Humour me.”

  She sighed and crossed her arms. “Corvus oculum corvi non eruit.”

  A crow will not pull out the eye of another crow.

  “Thank you!” Raphael sang happily before she heard the door buzz and the lock click open.

  The saying was ironic, considering their line of work, but Hunter and everyone who worked for Lucian knew the meaning behind it, at least the way Lucian saw it. Never betray a client because it’s bad for business, regardless what the competition is paying.

  Unless, of course, you had a very good reason and a powerful group to back you up, Hunter thought as she mentally rolled her eyes.

  She pushed open the door and motioned for the other two to follow her up. The staircase was narrow and felt cramped. There were bright LED lights on each wall, illuminating the entire stairway. When Hunter arrived at the top of the stairs, she pressed her thumb against a keypad and waited for a few seconds before she heard a second lock click open. She twisted the handle and held the door open for Arsen and Kazimir.

  “Well, this is unnerving.” Kazimir said, grimacing as he looked around. The three of them were in a hallway with three doors and a single wall covered in mirrors while the other was made of grey brick. Hunter ignored Kazimir and walked toward the large wooden door at the end of the hall and knocked.

  “Come in.” A voice called from inside.

  Without looking behind her, Hunter pushed open the door and walked inside. “Lucian,” Hunter said as she placed the black feather on her boss’s desk, “we have visitors from Minosea.” She nodded toward the two men behind her. Arsen had to duck his head a little to avoid hitting the door frame.

  “Yes,” Lucian said as he motioned at the two empty seats in front of his desk. “Arsen and Kazimir, correct? What can I do for Weston today?”

  Lucian Crow didn’t look like an imposing man. It wasn’t until you stood in front of him and looked into his cold blue eyes that people realized they’d made a mistake. He was in his early seventies and carried around an elaborate wooden cane with a metal crow’s head as the handle. He had dark grey hair which spiked out on either side of his head while the top of his head was balding. His long, nimble fingers were loosely wrapped around his cane as he looked over the two Minosea members.

  Behind Lucian, almost lurking in the shadows of Lucian’s oversized bookshelf, was Jocco Xiao. His parents were Chinese immigrants who’d stumbled into Othloh by accident and found themselves quickly indebted to a brutal loan shark. To pay back the money his parents owed, Jocco started participating in underground fighting rings. He was good, too good, and eventually, he was worth more if he started losing. His parents tried to convince their son to start throwing his fights. Saying no meant certain death, and saying yes meant losing his pride. And, for better or for worse, Jocco figured his pride was worth dying for. Lucian had liked that. He’d liked it enough that he paid out Jocco’s debt and hired him as a permanent bodyguard.

  Arsen and Kazimir looked at each other before sitting down in the chairs. They didn’t seem very happy to be trapped in a room with
one retired killer and two active ones.

  Hunter didn’t know what it was, but there was something about this job she knew she wouldn’t like. But they hadn’t gotten anything for a few months and she’d go crazy if Lucian didn’t give her something to do soon. She hated being confined to the bookstore, waiting for the next rich man to come in with a black feather and a name.

  “Our boss, along with two other Crime Lords, would like to hire Occisor to do what they do best.” Arsen said casually, offering the old man a half-smile.

  “Who’s the target?” Lucian asked almost robotically. He looked at the two men in front of him with little interest as he waited for them to complete their request.

  Arsen and Kazimir shared another look and Hunter narrowed her eyes again. She was leaning against the door, standing behind the two Minosea members. Her arms were crossed, but her hands were balled into tight fists, making her knuckles look white despite her coffee-coloured skin. Their look didn’t reassure her, and something in her gut told her she was right to be wary of this job.

  “Kestrel Fulani.” Arsen said after a second of silence. No one in the room moved and none of their expressions changed, but she could just feel the tension and knew Lucian’s guard had gone way up. He arched an eyebrow and looked over the two men.

  “You want us to kill the leader of the Lorenzo Cartel,” Lucian asked slowly, eyeing the two Minosea members carefully, “one of the four major groups of this city?”

  “Well, technically our boss wants you to kill him.” Kazimir muttered, talking so quietly Hunter almost missed it.

  “Regardless,” Lucian said, waving his hand dismissively, “you’re asking me and my team to kill a Crime Lord. That could be very dangerous for the already fragile balance of this city. The other leaders could take it as a threat, or as a sign that we’ve chosen to work for a single organization. And despite how generous,” Lucian’s nose curled, as if the word left an acidic taste in his mouth, “Minosea has been to us in the past, I feel no desire to become Weston’s dog.”

  Kazimir was gripping the armrest of his chair tightly and his eyes kept looking around the room nervously. Arsen was more composed, but his eyes constantly shifted between Hunter and Jocco.

  “As I mentioned before, he has the support of the other two Crime Lords.” Arsen said, “Ever since Kestrel became one of them and was given a piece of Othloh to rule, he’s been slowly expanding into other territories, starting fights for no reason and stealing our routes without paying us the proper dues.” Arsen explained.

  “The Crime Lords are constantly at each other’s throats. And Kestrel’s been a Crime Lord for nearly five years. What’s so different now?” Lucian asked as he drummed his fingers over the crow’s head. The Lorenzo Cartel had once been minor drug pushers in the city, until Kestrel took over. He’d climbed through the ranks quickly, his competition either dying or disappearing mysteriously. Five years ago, he’d gained enough power in the underworld to earn the title of Crime Lord, and no one had been very happy about it. Kestrel was vicious, brutal, heartless, and, worst of all, very ambitious.

  “He’s going to start a war between the four groups if he’s not stopped. At least, that’s what the other Crime Lords are saying.” Arsen said. He sighed and cracked his knuckles with his thumb. “You guys are the peacekeepers, so do what you do best and set the balance right.”

  Lucian chuckled at the comment. Peacekeepers. It was a joke in Othloh. Lucian was always hired when someone’s enemy was gaining too much power, and the easiest way to stop something from growing was to cut it down at the source. Occisor kept the fragile balance from tipping, but at a price. No one in Othloh got anything for free.

  “I’ve heard your offer. I’ll be visiting your boss for more details if I choose to accept it.” Lucian waved his hand toward the door. “Jocco will see you out.”

  Jocco grunted and moved for the first time since Hunter had entered Lucian’s office. He uncrossed his arms and walked toward the door, waving Hunter out of the way.

  “And Jocco, please bring Scarlet up with you when you return.” Lucian added.

  Arsen didn’t seem too pleased to go, but Kazimir was out of his seat and eager to follow Jocco out of Lucian’s office. “Thank you for your time.” Arsen said, standing. He stopped in front of Hunter and gave her a familiar half-smile. “It was nice to see you. I’ll let Weston know you’re well.”

  Hunter chuckled and rolled her eyes. “I’m sure he won’t care.”

  Arsen laughed half-heartedly. “Cold as usual.” Without another word, he exited the room and followed his companion out the door.

  Lucian and Hunter were left alone in the room for a few minutes, neither one bothering to say anything. Eventually, the door opened again and Jocco, Scarlet, and the last member of Occisor crammed themselves into Lucian’s office.

  Raphael Castello grinned at Hunter when he walked in, his dark green eyes sparkling with excitement. He had tanned skin and his wavy brown hair was partially pulled back into a small ponytail while the rest of his hair was down. He was the last to enter and closed the door behind him before moving to stand beside Hunter.

  “Is everyone aware of what’s going on?” Lucian asked, looking at both Scarlet and Raphael.

  “I was listening in with the cameras I installed.” Raphael said.

  “I informed Scarlet on our way up here.” Jocco said as he moved around the room to reclaim his spot behind Lucian.

  “Good. What do you all think?” Lucian asked as he clasped his hands together and pressed them against his mouth.

  “It could be a really elaborate revenge plot.” Raphael offered half-heartedly, not even convinced of his own suggestion.

  “Weston’s probably pissed he has to depend on someone else to do it.” Hunter bit out, tracing the large black feather tattoo along her left forearm.

  “That’s true,” Lucian said. “Your brother has always been rather bloodthirsty.” His eyes shifted to meet Hunter’s hazel ones—eyes that were so similar to Weston’s—and held them. “What do you think is going on in his head?”

  She sighed loudly, pulling back her long bangs from in front of her face. “I don’t know.” She admitted before pushing herself off the wall and pacing in front of Lucian’s desk. “He’s been wanting to go after Kestrel for years but hadn’t bothered because as a Crime Lord, Kestrel was helping Weston’s business.” Hunter said. She stopped and threw her arms up in the air. “But it’s stupid! Why now?”

  “Well, that’s an easy question to answer.” Raphael said, grinning as he walked up to stand in front of Lucian’s desk, taking centre stage. “Arsen wasn’t lying. Kestrel’s been causing a lot of trouble recently, and a lot of the Lorenzo Cartel members think he’s got a hand in the previous leader’s” Raphael raised his hands and made quotation marks with his fingers, “accident.” He shrugged his shoulders and dropped his hands. “He’s kicking up more dirt than any other crime group has dared to since you started Occisor. And recently, Kestrel’s been taking territory from the other Crime Lords through bloody battles and underhanded tactics.”

  Lucian raised an eyebrow as he leaned back in his chair, his blue eyes looking at Raphael curiously. “What kind of tactics?”

  Raphael’s grin widened. “He got a few of his guys to slip highly addictive drugs into some of Charlie’s gambling dens and brothels, so the workers and even some customers got dependent and couldn’t function properly. When Kestrel’s crew came through, barely anyone was mentally or physically capable to beat them back.”

  “I heard of that,” Jocco said, crossing his arms and looking at Raphael. “Charlie was pissed.”

  “And apparently,” Raphael continued, his grin falling as his eyes darkened. Hunter watched as his fingers curled and uncurled. “Kestrel took some of the girls back with him, and not even my informants could figure out what happened to them.”

  Hunter shuddered even thinking about it and pushed the image out of her mind. Her hand itched to hold her knife, which was currently sheathed and clipped to her belt, but she kept her arms crossed instead.

  “And Charlie didn’t do anything?”