A flood of strange emotions flooded over me, but strangely, dread was absent. Here stood before me the man who could have and should have killed me, but here also stood the same man who had saved my life. The same man who spared the life of a close friend, and as far as I’m concerned, my own life. He stood in the center of the room, examining the small beds inconspicuously, as if I shouldn’t be surprised by his presence. His crucifix sent a cross-shaped shadow across the room from the window’s light.
He slowly turned his large frame towards me, and nodded in acknowledgment. “Well, hello there… Boss.”
I attempted my best to disguise my shock, “What’re you doing here Crusader?”
“Well…. The usual I suppose. God’s work. And please, call me Gavin would you?”
“Are you trying to make friends with me or something?” My hand slowly reached towards my sheath that was not there. I still hadn’t unpacked my bags.
“I suppose you could say that.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“You owe me, young man. First you try to kill me,” Gavin consciously ran his hand across a discolored scar across his throat, left there courtesy of me, “And then I consecutively saved your life twice.”
“I don’t owe you shit! You tried to kill me first!”
“I suppose that lays the record at two to one, then… Regardless, I’m not here to collect at this moment. I just want to protect my investment, until the proper time presents itself.”
“You don’t own me, Gavin…”
“Is that how you thank your guardian angel?” Gavin’s expression quickly changed from smarmy sarcasm to a sudden disbelief.
“Gavin…” Raiha’s voice muttered from behind me. I turned quickly to see her and Erica staring through the open doorway.
Before I could speak, or even blink, Raiha’s body had disappeared and shot past me like a bullet.
I began to utter words, “What the fu- “ but Erica had already leapt in front of me as I turned to confront Raiha.
“Do not get involved in this, Zen.” Looking past Erica’s shoulder, I saw that Raiha stood in an aggressive stance, her hand outstretched, holding a needle to Gavin’s throat while he stayed still and silent.
“But he’s not here to cause anything…” I tried to move past the bodily obstacle before me, but Erica grabbed my arm tightly, holding me still with surprising strength.
“You don’t understand, Zen. This goes beyond anything you think you know.” I was about to speak again when I heard Raiha’s voice mutter something softly through tears.
“I’ll kill you…”
