I breathed in the muggy air of the old pub, its smell stinging my nostrils. Yet among the blend of fragrances and odors that clouded my senses, one in particular caught my attention. It was the reason I was here, that one scent, that dying call that led me here, the breath of the sinner.

I slowly let my glass slip from my fingers as my head pulled itself up from the bar counter. I could feel it now, and my eyes instinctively searched the room from the veil of my shades. My sight took in my surroundings, but only one object in particular caught my attention. It was a woman. She was tall, and thin, her lanky body only given its elegance by the long red hair that cascaded down her back. I could see the glistening red of her heels from the other end of the bar, and only did I see white by her earrings and the constant unveiling of her clear teeth with every laugh that left her rose lips. Her dress shone through the dim pub lighting from where it stayed on that rusty old bar stool. Ruby it glistened like her long fingernails that were now tapping rhythmically against the counter top. She was beautiful, but dark all the same.

I slowly pulled myself from the seat, its old screws whining with the release of pressure. The man beside of her quickly dismissed himself after speaking to her for the last time. Yet I couldn’t hear what he was saying, all of the sounds around me by now had mixed into an unrecognizable drone. I was here for one sole purpose, to dispose of the trash.

“Hey” She said casually as I sat myself by her side.

“I apologize for my intrusion on your conversation I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful you looked tonight.”

She raised her eyebrows her lips curving into a seductive smile “Why thank you” She leaned forwards over the bar purposefully showing skin, as her other hand snaked under the table top finding mine. “Is there anything I can get you tonight?” She whispered rhythmically.

I followed her actions leaning forward and mimicking her simple smile. “What are my options?” Her smile widened slightly showing the whites of her teeth.

“Anything you would like…but the special might cost you a bit extra.” She moved her hand to my coat pocket, and I felt her fingers wrap around a set of old bills before leaving, her hand bringing the money up to my face. I smiled in response, and she stood up slowly, bringing my arm with her as she began to move into one of the back rooms of the pub.

Her fingers wrapped around a tarnished doorknob and the room opened to her touch, yet as we entered together she forced me against the door and pressed the lock before kissing me furiously. I simply moved with the kiss until I felt her breath. This is what I had been waiting for.

I breathed in slowly, and took her breath away, her fingers freezing around my neck before she suddenly pulled back. I watched as she stumbled, dazed as her fingers reached for her throat, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and shock. Yet next she didn’t choke, she didn’t struggle, she merely collapsed. I reached my hand to my mouth and breathed out lightly, the breath was gray and I gently caught it in my hand. This was the breath of life, this was her soul.

“Daimen did you find another one?” I yawned slightly tilting my head back against the seat. It was a relief to be back at Conner’s house, that old human always had a neat arrangement of furniture, a great contrast of the filth downtown.

“What, you need it already?” Conner sighed loudly from his spot in the kitchen, removing a set of bowls and spoons from the cabinet “Daimen why do you keep doing this? I understand that you need the souls but why so frequently?” Conner dropped a thick wooden ladle into a large pot removing it with a steaming liquid.

“Conner you don’t have to be so worried over it, the woman was a prostitute anyway, she wasn’t going to do anything great in the world.” Conner shot me a glare as he filled two bowls with soup. “You don’t know that. What if she had kids that she was trying to earn money for?” I rolled my eyes from under the sun glassed leaning forward as he set both bowls down on the table, pulling out one of his sleek steel stools with black trimming.

“No I did my research, she had a husband that was a lawyer, and four kids that were very well kept. She was in it for pleasure, not necessarily the money.” Conner paused thoughtfully at this, one of his hands wrapping smoothly around a black salt shaker.

“Then where is it?” I moved my other hand into my pocket and removed a miniature glass jar, tossing it on the table. It rolled for a moment but even before it stopped at Conner’s fingertips, you could see that mass of glowing grey fighting to escape.

I whipped the tail of my black overcoat back behind my short crimson dress as I turned from the dark alley, the smoke winding behind me. I could feel the cool metal of the gun against my fingers and I knew he was close from the shadow that was tracing the street lights to my side. The bounce in my walk matched my clicking heels and I knew the thing would pay no heed to the gun that was hiding in my coat its eyes were fixed on the figure that I was showing so freely, those demons were blinded so easily by their lust.

I shook my head slowly, pursing my red lips as my auburn hair fell over my shoulder in fine curls. The last alley was coming, he would follow me this time.

“This is quite the dark soul, a prostitute was it?” I chuckled.

“Quite bad at as well.”

“Daimen!” I rolled my eyes.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Don’t worry I didn’t do anything, it was business, I got it.”

Conner took the jar in his hand carefully “Daimen you always need to be careful. What if you got into conflict with another Reaper?”

I stepped into the alley, and just as I felt the figure reach out their hand I pulled out my gun aiming it backwards, and pulled out the trigger.

“Conner, it’s the Reaper Hunters that I’m more concerned about.” He rolled his eyes, moving the glass jar carefully with his fingers.

“Yes, obviously.”