A court of Night and Fire

A/N - exciting news!

The first chapter for my latest fic about Azriel is up!

It's called Chasing shadows and I would really appreciate it if you read it!

Thank you all for the support on this story!!

Here is the first few paragraphs of the first part. It's set on earth in this part but we meet Az in the second part which I may publish later on today - enjoy!

The rain made the roof wet, clouding the air. The wind pushed through it, rippling the air-borne water. I tracked my target carefully using the sight fixed to the rifle. My target was stood still, looking around. How fucking dumb are you? Yeah, look for threats whilst standing still out in the open. Jesus christ. I thought this one would at least give me a challenge. Sighing, I adjusted the gun to account for the weather and pulled the trigger, not even bothering to watch as the man fell down dead. Seriously though, who pays someone 20 grand to shoot what might as well have been a rabbit? No, wait, rabbits move. He was a sitting duck. Actually, less of a duck, more of a pigeon.

I strap the rifle to me once more and slide down a drainpipe to the floor, the rain making my descent much faster. "evening" comes a voice from across the alley, the source hidden by the shadows. Oh great. Let me tell you, if I get blood on me I'm going to be pissed. The rain will make the blood run and spread out. I won't even get a nice splatter pattern for my troubles. I slip the rifle from my back, leaning it against the wall. "what do you want?" I sigh, bored already. Really. In the movies you do get some variants of standard criminals - I mean sure, same basic plotline, but at least there are some original ideas. This? I get this every week.

I wait patiently as the person talking to me rattles off a list of threats or some shit. Why the fuck is he talking so much? Seriously dude, just jump me and get it over with. Nope, he's still talking. I roll my eyes, removing my gun and shooting the person closest to me, hidden by the mist that seems to be there for dramatic effect. Not that I don't enjoy a touch of dramatics. Hearing the shot, the surrounding attackers go for me, holding knives and guns. See? Wasn't so hard. I holster my gun and palm two knives, just as the first one reaches me. Pretty soon, all twelve people who attempted to jump me are lying on the floor, either unconscious or dead.

Whistling to myself, I set about cleaning my knives on their soaking clothes as I pick my way through the litter of bodies. "shit" I mutter, looking down. There's blood on my shirt. Stupid fuckers and their stupid blood. So inconsiderate. I pick up my rifle and walk back to my apartment, feeling the eyes of the people watching from the shadows. People should know better than to jump me, given that no one makes it out in one piece. But, somehow, their male egos overweigh any common sense.

As I walk back to my apartment, I dial my client of my phone, rain still pouring down. "All done for you" I say as soon as they pick up "did you have any problems?" "not at all. Thank you for your business" I say, hanging up. My clients pay everything in full as soon as I accept the job - I never fail. Tonight's little party was thanks to a lot of people wanting me dead, and even more people too stupid to realise that I won't be the one dying. I ride the lift to the top of the building where my apartment lies, giving the woman in the lift with me a grin. She feints. I laugh. I can't blame her, I suppose, I am in fact covered in blood. Smirking to myself, I discard my weapons on one of the sofas and change into clean clothes before sprawling across a sofa and to clean my blades.

I'd just finished when my phone vibrates from the kitchen. Groaning, I push myself to my feet. I answer it and a panicked voice sounds. "Hunter, I need your help!" Hunter is my sort of nick name. I recognise the voice as one of my more... skilled colleagues. I say colleague, but he works for me. "with what?" I mutter. I swear to god if he interrupted my time alone for something stupid or inconsequential, I will have his head. Maybe figuratively, maybe literally... who knows? "I'm trapped" he says, breathing heavily "they shot me" okay, if they've shot him, they must be somewhat decent. "and-" his sentence was cut short by his scream. I could hear the phone drop to the ground before another voice spoke. "we have him. He has your secrets. I will trade him for you, or else I will destroy your empire brick by brick"