156 The Noise Before The Storm
Arad sat at the counter, watching several people walk in. “I never expected this much to rush,” He looked around the scene seemed strange. Most of the customers were couples seeking a private room or old men. He kept registering them till the brothel almost filled.
Thud! The door opened a woman walked in with a smile, “The remarks were right,” She looked at Arad.
Arad turned and looked at her face. She had wide hips and a thin waist, a large chest, and clear skin. Her voice seemed gentle, sweet, and calming. He paused for a moment, hearing his heartbeat, but it then calmed down as Mom screamed in his head. [She isn’t normal,]
Arad opened his void eyes and stared at her. Her body dripped with magic from head to toe. ^She’s our target. I thought it was an incubus.^
[Since the shop closed, I bet it was easier to find food as a succubus rather than an incubus. It must have shifted in the meantime.]
“I heard Abel opened again and that he has two striking men. I came to check out. The rumors seem to be true for one at least.”
The woman smiled, bending forward with her hands around her back. Her short black hair trailed with the wind coming from the window.
Arad glared at her, ^I should guide her to a place where I can smash her head in,^
Arad stood, “Please follow me,” He turned around and started walking. The woman followed him, “Are you taking me to Abel? You’re smart, or did he tell you to do this?”
“I’m only doing my job. Please relax and follow me, I will take care of everything.” Arad replied.
The woman kept staring at Arad’s wide back, large arms, and thick thighs. He stood like a steel wall, walking with heavy steps.
After a few steps, they reached the end of the hallway. No one should come here.
“Why are we stopping?” The woman asked, tilting her head.
SWOSH! Arad twisted his torso, turning at a blinding speed as his fist raced toward the woman’s face. ^Killing her as fast as possible is the safest way. A fight is bad since we’re in the middle of the city.^
CRACKLE! A lightning bolt flashed from the other side of the hallway. Abel flashed toward the scene as fast he could, “ARAD! STOP!” With his palm, he tried to stop Arad’s fist.
CRACK! Arad’s fist shattered Abel’s wrist, twisting his forearm.
Arad pulled his fist, and Abel recoiled back, “Don’t hit her, she isn’t the cubus.”
“What?” Arad gasped and the woman fell on her butt, gasping for air. Abel growled, glaring at her, “What brought you here sister!”
“I heard your business stopped so I can check on you,” The woman looked away. her hair shifting color to blond and her face morphing a bit.
Arad looked at them, “She was using magic,”
“Of course,” The woman growled, “You can’t have the lord’s daughter wandering around this place.”
Jack came rushing, his dagger drawn, “Is that her? She took you two down?” He jumped over a counter, swinging his dagger.
“Stop!” Abel managed to block the strike, and the two stared at each other. “Is she mind controlling you? Don’t worry,” SWOSH! CLACK! In a single swift move, Jack kicked Abel’s ankles, dropping him on his face as he swung again at the woman.
CLANG! Abel caught Jack’s dagger, “Stop, she’s his sister,”
It was then that Jack stopped attacking, “Is that so?” He looked around, “What is she doing around here?”
“I came to check on my brother, that’s all,” the woman sighed, healing Abel’s arm, “You seemed to be waiting for something.” She looked around.
“Yeah, a cubus,” Arad replied and Abel waved his head. ^Don’t tell her^ He screamed inside his head.
“A cubus?” Abel’s sister stood, “A succubus?”
“No, we were waiting for an incubus. But since you came covered in magic, we thought it shifted into a succubus.” Arad replied, looking at Abel. “We can’t hide it now,”
Abel’s sister stood, “In that case, why didn’t he tell me?” She glared at Abel.
“Listen Sara. Head back home. This place isn’t safe.” Abel stood.
“No, I’m not going anywhere. I can act as bait if you wanted a catch an incubus,” Sara smiled.
“No! That’s too dangerous!” Abel growled.
Arad shifted his head, “You wanted Aella to take a job you think is dangerous?”
“There is a difference between a woman who fought a dragon and a woman who scream seeing a cockroach. She won’t resist an incubus’s seduction.” Abel glared at Arad, “We need someone strong and with an iron will,”
CLING! CLING! The doorbell rang, “A customer, I will head back to the counter.” Arad rushed to see who came while Abel, Sara, and Jack looked at each other.
“You’re going back home,” Abel growled.
Jack looked at Abel, “It’s already late outside. She’s lucky she made it here unharmed, don’t risk sending her out alone,”
Abel scratched his head, Jack is right. “Fine, you stay here. But don’t show your face to any customer. Go sleep in my room, I will send you home tomorrow.”
Abel turned to head back.
“ABEL!” A woman screamed from the other side of the hallway. Thud! Abel rushed toward the room and kicked the door open. “Take him away!”
Abel rushed inside, grabbing the man by the hair and dragging him out. “Jack, throw him in the bath and send him out.”
Abel looked at the woman who curls into a ball holding her butt. “Are you okay? Did he try anything weird? Did he act strange?” Abel asked, suspecting the man might have been the incubus. But he was weak.
“No, he tried going in my back end even though I refused. Thanks for the help.” The woman stood with a smile.
Abel patted the woman’s head, “Go wash and come see me if it still hurt. I will heal you right away,” He helped the woman stand.
“Thanks. It would have been bad if he kept going,” She smiled, “Don’t worry, I will scream right away if someone acted strange.”
Abel walked out, seeing Jack walk out of the bath, “I threw him in, he should be out in a second. Is she okay?”𝙚𝙙𝙤𝒗𝒆𝒍．𝒄𝙤𝙢
“Thank god it was only someone trying to go overboard.” Abel sighed, sitting on a chair.
“Is every day like this?” Jack asked.
“Yes, but I’m too stressed thinking every small problem could be that cubus,” Abel closed his eyes. “We already lost one girl to him,”
“Brother, did something happen?” Sara came in.
“Nothing, I told you to go to sleep.” Abel pointed toward his room.
After a few seconds, the man walked out of the bath growling.
“Arad! Ban that old fart. If he came again feel free to kick him out,” Abel called, and the man started at him, “You’re banning me?”
“I don’t care. If the girl said no, it mean no.” Abel waved his hand to Arad.
Arad grabbed the man by his shirt and dragged him out, throwing him to the street. “Heard the boss, off you go,” Arad closed the door.
“Abel, were you sure about that? He didn’t pay us,” Arad looked at Abel with a confused face.
Abel looked at Jack, “He didn’t?”
Jack smiled as he pulled a small pouch, “He paid his price with damages as well.”
“I didn’t expect you can convince him to pay in such a short time,”
“Don’t mind the details,” Jack smiled, throwing the money to Arad so he can put it on the counter. “I will put this as a bonus in your payment. Make sure to catch everyone like this,”
Everyone went back to their work. Time flew and it became midnight. Arad sat on his counter, yawning from boredom. No one had come in the last hour.
“Do you think he will come tonight?” Arad sighed.
“No,” Jack shook his head, “He might show up tomorrow or the day after,”
“You’re right. Which criminal would come to his crime scene?” Arad sighed.
Jack looked away, “That might be,” He giggled, “Comming back make you less suspicious.”
“If it’s coming from you, it must be true.” Arad looked at the ceiling, [Your mother was once a thief. She used to visit the places she wanted to rob first as a guest to examine them. And then after she steals things to lift suspicion.]
^Was she caught?^
[Yeah. They caught her after twenty years and sentenced her to death by hanging.] Mom seemed to sigh. [They hanged her and then buried her corpse. But since she was pretending to be dead, she crawled out of the grave and started another life.]
^Which class, did Mother have?^
[She had fifty classes. A rogue thief was only one of them.]
^Wait you can have more…^ Ba-dump! Arad felt his heartbeat. His eyes shifted to the side. He saw Sara walk inside with a strange man wrapping his arm around her shoulder.
Ba-dump! He could hear his heartbeat again, ^Who is that man? A customer, yes, he can go inside,^