House of Slide: Hunter

by Juliann Whicker

  “Helen,” Camilla said from behind me. “If you wanted to know where he was going, you only had to ask me.”

  I froze as she put her hand on my shoulder.

  “I suppose he’ll be at the fantastic party you were telling me about.”

  “Of course,” she said, trilling as I turned to stare at her. She wanted to take me somewhere, but why? What was in it for her, and what chance did I have that it would lead me to my brother? How much risk did it involve? She wasn’t the same girl whose actions led to broken bones and detention. The games she played now would be life and death. She met my look levelly, allowing me to check her eyes for any signs of lying.

  “I suppose I have some time to spend with my oldest and dearest friend,” I said smiling at her. This was her territory. She would know the locations of local Hunters. One of them would have to tell me where I could find my brother.

  I followed her. Knowing that my distaste for letting her lead the way was highly irrational didn’t keep me from wishing I could turn around and take the back exit instead.

  “You should meet the rest of my family, you know, my brother.” Camilla threw the words at me over her shoulder while her hips swayed in the clinging gown. “Unfortunately, Jarvais spends all his time up at the House with his guests these days. There’s a girl that he’s Intending. She’s perfectly lovely.” The word perfect was accompanied by an icy tone that made my spine prickle.

  I tried to focus on the other customers in the bar, the way that they watched us with uncomfortable fascination as we passed towards the door instead of the dizziness and nausea that once again swarmed over me. How long had it been since I’d gotten a letter from him? I gritted my teeth and began counting my breaths. I had no business allowing thoughts like that. That part of my life was gone permanently, swallowed by the agony of being runed, of having my soul stripped bare while I trained. I was a member of Slide, most prestigious White House on the American Continent. There was nothing else, even my medical schooling was to serve Slide. I was there for the sole purpose of bringing my brother back home, back into the House where he belonged, where we needed him. I had no business allowing weakness like emotional pain cripple me. It didn’t matter that Jarvais, Son of Carve had an Intended.

  “She’s everything he’s ever wanted. Who knew he’d find true love in Romania. Such a backwards place, but apparently one shouldn’t judge because she truly is divine.”

  I ignored the bait. “Where are we going?”

  She glanced over her shoulder at me, showing her wide eyed innocence. “To the party of course, to find the Hotblood you’re looking for.”

  “Why do you want to help me?”

  She laughed, throwing her head back like she didn’t know how to do it without making it a performance that passersby stared at. “Helen, you’re too sweet. I don’t want to help you, I simply think it’s in everyone’s best interest if you complete your business as soon as possible. I’d hate for Jarvais to be embarrassed by an old romance when he’s finally found someone worthwhile.”

  Could that possibly be her actual motive? I wasn’t sure if I should be more humiliated, but I was still fighting nausea. “I see. Thank you so much for you timely intervention.” She wouldn’t explain herself; I just had to trust her. At least I’d pretend to trust her as long as she didn’t try to lead me out of the neutral territories.

  I took a deep breath of the damp air, trying to shake the residual sickness that the thought of Jarvais gave me.

  “Tell me more about this party.”

  She shrugged as she gave a sidelong glance and a coy smile at a man passing by who wore a tuxedo. He looked her over appreciatively, ignoring me. “It’s technically a Wild’s place, a cousin of mine, but he’s not really in the House so that makes him more fun. You’ll like him.” She cocked her head at me, her long blond hair cascading over her golden gown provocatively. “On second thought, maybe you won’t. Either way, you’ll see some Hotbloods. That much I can guarantee.”

  I followed my old ‘friend’, letting gusts of night air swirl around me, spinning my hair around my face, lessening the nausea and helping me focus. I wasn’t technically there on House business, not when my father had made it clear that Saturn had made his choice that he was free to act as he wished. He’d refused Grim’s offer to find Saturn, so I hadn’t asked. I’d simply followed my one lead without telling anyone. I had to try to save my brother if I could, even if it was from himself.

  Now I was in England, London, a place where I should be relatively safe from the machinations of the three competing Houses that dominated the city, but I was on my own without any actual experience, only training. It would be beyond stupid to be caught in Bliss, Harding, or Carve’s domain.

  “Where is your cousin’s house?” I asked, walking briskly beside her beneath the streetlamps. I had greater chances getting lost and wandering into forbidden territory in the dark. She seemed to move languidly, her dress glistening in the reflected light of the golden street lamps, but there was nothing slow about her pace. Camilla tilted her head back and looked up at the sky, like she was going to swallow the night. I didn’t try to see the stars in the city.

  “It’s in neutral territory,” she said to me, almost quietly. Her voice echoed strangely in the night while fog crept along the edges of the street, the fingers constantly trying to slip under my cuff or down my collar intrusively. I was tempted to raise a little wind to chase the fog away, but I settled for raising my lapels instead.

  “That’s convenient,” I replied, not bothering to put any kind of inflection in my voice. I took a step too quickly and felt my heel catch nearly making me fall.

  “Care-ful,” she sing-songed. “Cobblestones are so charming, don’t you think?”

  I limped until my ankle straightened out. The pain, the burning took the edge off my anger giving me more focus, more perspective. I stopped walking. I’d been following a map in my head and was almost certain I knew where I was, but the streets were so twisting and narrow I couldn’t be precise—something that Camilla probably knew.

  “Camilla,” I said, brushing my fingers against a brick wall, “I hate this. I haven’t seen you for so long, and now it’s almost like we’re strangers.” I swallowed any sarcasm that threatened to creep into my voice. “Let’s stop somewhere, a café or something and just talk.”

  She shrugged easily as she continued walking then swung around a banister and up some steps to a yellow front door. The night was quiet, only mildly filled with ordinary evening city sounds of traffic and distant laughter. Behind the quiet Brownstone was a Hotblood party?

  “What a great idea. We’ll have to meet tomorrow. Tonight,” she turned and gave me a smile I knew and feared. “Let’s find you a guy who can introduce you to a little more fun than you’re used to. I know that you’re not interested in the general men that are available to women of our social standing, but tonight, you can experiment with others.”

  I climbed the stairs while I gave her my coolest smile. “It would be senseless to leave without saying hello.”

  Camilla laughed—a trill that gave me chills. “It’ll be a party you’ll never forget.”