A Worthy Enemy (HunterxHunter)

Chapter 21: A Forbidden Moment

Illumi strolled down every hall, searching for Raine at the peak of his senses. Shadows blanketed each edge of the modern stilted walls and paintings as the penthouse continued to fall asleep. The chilling winds that crept the blinds almost reminded him of the mansion, where his family constantly lingered alone in their wakings. Music to his ears. Not even the voices from the kitchen were audible now, which meant they all must have been knocked out and Hisoka was occupied.

He rounded the last corner of the roof, expecting to find her sleeping body but found nothing but a black sky robbed of stars. Eventually, Illumi went inside and opened Raine's door, peeking inside. Her balcony door cracked open, leading back to the roof but he doubted that meant anything. He walked into the empty space, his attention first catching onto a dog bowl full of water, sitting comfortably by the screen door. He listened for subtle movements nearby within the trickle of silence.

"Do you actually drink water?" Illumi asked the ghostly ambiance. And as expected, Benny appeared, wistfully floating over his bowl. If the dog was surprised, it was only accompanied by his willingness to appear. The subtle shifts in temperature were something Illumi grew well accustomed to. During his torture sessions he was exposed to varied environments to improve his tolerance. From scorching hot deserts to arctic dry within the vaults of his basement. His skin now relapsed familiar spikes in the air. And this wolf's aura chilled a specific temperature, sharp of a faint chill.

Illumi spotted his appearing figure. "What? Do you forget I was the first to detect you in the jungle? Not her." The wolf's ears twitched as if he wasn't impressed. He sighed. "Nevermind. Where's Raine?"

The dog sat down and continued to stare at him in utter silence. Illumi crossed his arms and tapped his foot impatiently. Of course, he felt silly for asking. This was an untrained dog. Hardly able to call it a beast compared to his guard dog, Mike. "You need my training, I see, but I'm afraid I have no needles for animals on me." Illumi pointed to the door with his other hand behind his back. "Go find Raine and bring her here," he commanded.

Benny turned his nose to the door, then back to Illumi. The pointless communication was like talking to Raine, having no interest from her side served no reward to act. But Illumi secretly hoped that wouldn't be the case tonight. This was the only luck of the draw where she drank the poison, having heard countless bets between her and Nobunaga to set up a small trap to counter her foresight.

With the failed attempt, Benny laid down by his bowl and shut his eyes, slowly fading back into nothingness.

Illumi rubbed his temple realizing a needle wouldn't actually pin the dog. Perhaps he could pay his brother, Milluki, to create a device for him to control Benny. But Raine couldn't be far from him at the moment.

Then a sudden thud answered his thoughts. It came from the wall by the door. He took out a needle and checked the hall. There she was against the wall, holding her head. She crouched over, sliding her hand across the corridor as she made her way to her door. Her eyes beaded an antique red, faded and malnourished.

Illumi put his needle away. To his fortune, she was actually conscious. "You're telling me you tasted the poison from a sip and you still let it into your system?"

Raine perked her head up with weakened lips before she fell over. Illumi grunted, swiftly catching her within his arms. She shook her head.

"No, what?" He looked down at her tired eyes as he carried her into the room though she didn't gesture anything else.

He placed her on the edge of the bed and sat her up by holding up her shoulder. "Look," he crouched down to her eye level, "I'm to ask you a few questions and you are to find a way to answer truthfully. If not," he whipped out his silver needle again, and held it at her neck, "I will force it out of you myself. Try not to make things more difficult than it has to be."