by Elle Grace
“Well, one of the things Lance had him working on was a computer program. It was supposed to cut through all of the security firewalls that your records were behind so that they could find out where you were and bring you here.” She explained.
“Oh.” I said. Unsure of what else to say. Words failed me. I was not happy about being at the Inperium, but I certainly did not view it as Mike’s fault that I was there. After all you do not blame the inventor or maker of the gun when someone gets shot.
“What happened to you? You look god awful!” Sam came bounding into the room. Their hair was now glaringly pink. “Do you like the new hair?”
“It’s certainly bright.” I replied.
“I love it hun!” Doe exclaimed, playing with it.
“You all look like someone died. Why are we all so miserable?” Sam asked.
“Rory, knows about Mike.” Doe informed her quietly. Sam swore. James and Mike walked in the room right on cue talking low. Mike saw me and stopped dead in his tracks.
“I forgot my books.” He explained to James. “I’ll be back in a minute.” He turned to go back out of the room.
“Stop!” I shouted and he did as he was told. I stepped over to him. “Mike, I know about what you did.”
“You do? Who told?” He looked worried and angry at the other faces in the room.
“It doesn’t matter who told. What does matter is that I don’t care about it. You did what you had to do to survive and you didn’t know what that meant in terms of me being forced to come here. Honestly, it is impressive that you wrote a program to find me, when you think about it.” I smiled at him reassuringly.
“So, you don’t hate me?” He asked carefully.
“No.” I stated. “Now please stop running away from me.”
“Okay.” He nodded.
“Good.” I placed a hand on his shoulder and felt him relax.
We walked over to the others who were all chatting about their training and about how one of the other human recruits had received a broken nose from Doe after making comments about her rear. She certainly was a firecracker.
“You handled that well.” James whispered to me as the others were talking.
“There was nothing to handle. He didn’t do anything wrong.” I replied.
“Still. I admire how you dealt with it.” James smiled at me. “I really am glad you are here.”
“Thanks.” I blushed again. I was beginning to think my cheeks were permanently scarlet.
“Who is playing poker?” Sam asked, breaking us from our quiet conversation.
“Only if there is vodka involved!” I said and everyone laughed.
I was beginning to feel like one of the team.
16
Colt
1am 8th September 2020
“Can we talk?” I shook Aurora awake.
“It’s 1am.” She groaned as she looked at her watch. She looked beautiful lying there. I felt my heart begin to race looking at her.
“I couldn’t sleep.” I stated.
“So, you thought you would wake somebody else up? Like a one up, all up, type of situation?” She jeered quietly. “What do you want?” She was cranky with me. It was the middle of the night and honestly after the way I had hurt her in training I was not surprised she did not want to talk to me.
“I wanted to apologise.” He said.
“Ok cool, thanks.” She said coldly and turned away from me.
“Don’t you want to know what for?” I asked.
“Well I don’t think it takes a genius considering my arm is still in a sling.” She responded.
“I suppose not.” I murmured. “I will let you get back to sleep.” I knew I sounded defeated as I went to leave.
“It’s pretty obvious you are only sorry I got hurt.” She mumbled. “You would have continued being nasty to me if I hadn’t.”
“I wasn’t being nasty in the session before you got hurt, was I?” I sighed at him.
“No.” She answered thinking. “I don’t remember anything specific.”
“Well I’m sorry for that too.” My tone was not as apologetic as I wanted it to be.
“Okay.” She said cold, it was clear she did not believe me. I could not blame her.
“No actually, I’m sorry for more than that.” I sat on the side of her bed.
“Oh, like?” She tilted her head to the side and tucked her hair behind her ear.
“For a few things. Mostly for the way you have been treated since you got here by me. I have been terrible to you and I don’t even know why.” I confessed.
“Don’t worry about it.” She said going to turn away.
“But I do.”
“Colt, don’t take this the wrong way but it’s all too little too late.”
“Okay.” I felt dejected.
“Okay.” She repeated.
I decided it was time to give up and leave but a thought held me back.
“I just seem to want to protect you.” I let it slip and gauged her reaction.
“I don’t mean to sound awful, but I just don’t need to be protected by a man. I have to find my own way here and be strong by myself, not because there is someone shadowing me doing that for me.” She explained. I just looked at her for a moment.
“I get that.” I could understand what she was trying to say. “I just needed you to know that I never meant to make you feel like I was against you.”
“I don’t.” She said honestly. She narrowed her eyes and frowned at me, sensing there was more going on. “What aren’t you telling me?” Aurora questioned me.
“Nothing.” I answered too quickly.
“Goodnight then Colt.” Aurora said and we stood for a beat looking at each other. Something was being left unsaid. I wanted to leave but I had one more thing to say.
“You asked me why I hate you.”
“So?” She asked.
“I don’t honestly hate you.” I said. “I just don’t know how to be around you.”
“That makes no sense.” She replied.
“It doesn’t make sense to me either. I can’t get that kiss out of my head.” I confessed it and instantly wanted to take it back.
“Are you kidding?” She looked mad. “You only kissed me to get me here, so don’t start acting like it meant something. You need to figure your own crap out and leave me out of it.” She was mad. I had been insulting to her about that kiss. In trying to cover up my feelings I had clearly hurt hers.
“Okay. Goodnight Aurora.” I said as I turned and left.
17
Aurora
7am 8th September 2020
“I’m nervous.” I finally said it out loud as everyone left the room. James remaining tying his shoelaces. He looked at me for a moment.
“I think we all are, and we have been here a few months training. You’ve had like three days.” He shrugged.
“I suppose.” I muttered. James got up and sat on the bed next to me.
“I would be more worried if you weren’t nervous. Anyway, you are trying with us today so you can see you have nothing to worry about.” He tried to reassure me. “None of us know what we are doing anyway.” He smiled and put his own around my shoulders given me a sideways hug.
“Was it strange coming here?” I asked him.
“From my home kingdom you mean?” He frowned.
I nodded and he thought for a moment.
“Sorry if it is too intrusive.” I added.
“No, it isn’t. Well it is strange because it is different, and I was not sure what to expect. My father has a lot of respect for the Inperium as an organisation, so I think my view of the place was a little bit skewed before I got here. He was always meant to come here and do some service time but his father who was king at the time died unexpectedly and my father took over the throne early.” He said.
“Will you rule your country some day?” I wanted to know everything about James.
“No definitely not. I am the second son and my older brother
has three sons of his own, so they are all in line before me.” He answered.
“Did you want to rule?”
“No.” He answered strong.
“I see.” I paused for a moment.
“It is too much pressure and decision; I’m just not cut out for it.” He answered filling the silence. “You ask a lot of questions.” He smiled.
“Sorry.” I mumbled.
“No, don’t be. I like it.” He stood up. “So, Miss Hart what about you? How are you feeling about this place now?”
“I mean I’m still not the biggest fan…”
“Understandable.” He added.
“And I have had more broken bones here than I have had all my life.” I shook my wide.
“I feel like there is a but in there somewhere.” A grin appeared.
“But…” I exaggerated the word. “I feel like I have met some cool people and found out some stuff about myself that maybe I was always missing and never realised it.”
He nodded and just looked at me.
“That’s pretty deep for 7am on a Tuesday.” He laughed and I joined in, feeling my worries for the day slip away.
18
Aurora
8am 8th September 2020
I walked into the gym I had been training with Colt in and felt like rabbit amongst a pack of wolves. The other hybrids all stood up against the wall watching the human recruits. The humans rallied around Lance, being intimidating and play fighting with each other. They looked like any single one of them had the same muscle mass of all of us combined. Lance stood out, lanky and thin.
“Are you joining us today, mutt?” He asked walking up to me.
“Yes, it seems so.” I answered quietly.
“That is brave the day before your trial. Hoping to get out of it by being too injured, are you?” He asked looking me up and down.
“I’m sure I will be fine.” I spat.
“I asked her to join us.” Colt placed his hand on Lance’s shoulder threatening as he turned him around. Colt made Lance look even weedier. I noticed Colt had no shirt on and it was the first time I had really appreciated his toned muscular physique. I wanted to reach out and feel the muscles on his chest, but I held myself back and shook it off. A moment of weakness.
“Welcome all.” He said. “Today is the final session before your trials and tests tomorrow. We are going to treat it like a warmup for tomorrow. A little bit of practice combat, a little bit of physical exercise and then you guys can go and get some rest. There is not much more we can teach you now that will improve your performance tomorrow.” He said and I gulped. I felt like I knew nothing.
“Let’s play winner takes it all.” Lance suggested. “You know as a warmup.”
“Fine then.” Colt shook his head, clearly, he was not a fan of the idea, but he had to give into Lance. “Pick someone.”
“Aurora.” Lance smirked.
“Someone else.” Colt snapped.
“No, it will be good for the mutt to see what she will be up against in her trial.” Lance argued and Colt shrugged.
“Fine.” He waved him off. “Who is going to fight her?”
Lance looked around and picked the four most burly looking people.
“You need five.” Colt corrected.
“I’m going to go.” Lance sneered. “In fact, I will go first. In the box mutt!” He barked at me and I obliged unsure as to what was going on. “Come on girly, show us what you got. Winner takes all.”
“What are the rules?” I asked.
“I have picked a team and you fight each opponent until you are the last one standing. If you beat five you win. To win a fight all you have to do is get them outside of the box.” He informed me, pointing at the lines. It seemed simple enough. “The winner takes it all!” He laughed.
“What do you mean winner takes all?” I questioned, knowing the prize was not being injured.
“Well I’m going to win, so I can take whatever I want.” Lance sneered and I knew what he meant.
“Lance don’t be vile.” Colt said aloof. “She’s a mutt, anyway, why would you want to?”
“How did she taste when you kissed her?” Lance jeered and part of room laughed. I did not dare to look at James.
“Like crap.” Colt muttered.
They both laughed and I wanted to sink into the floor although I suspected Colt’s laughter was not genuine. I just wished he did not act that way around Lance, after all the conversations and apologies it felt like a betrayal. Doe gave me a sympathetic look.
Lance stepped to join me in the box and as a whistle blew, I threw a high kick his way and sent him flying straight out of the box and halfway across the floor. I was completely unsure as to how I did it. The move and the power behind it were completely foreign to me. It had just been instinctual. Everyone watched me with their mouth wide open. Colt frowned at me but hid a small smirk. Lance got to his feet swearing and muttering. He shouted orders at the human recruits and the next guy riled himself up to get into the box, he had seen what I did to Lance, so he was more prepared. As he entered, he swung several punches at me. I quickly realised he was big and slow. I figured I could keep dodging his hits until he grew tired. I stepped out of the way of one particularly forceful punch and he stumbled forward and flat on his face straight out of the box. Lance shrieked at him and ordered the next person in. This time it was a female. She was quick on her feet and knocked me to the floor quickly. I hit the ground hard.
“Get up!” Colt barked at me. I did as I was told and shakily got to my feet.
The second I was up she smacked me straight in the nose and I fell backwards, blood exploding out of my face. I could only watch as Colt walked out of the gym door.
It all went dark.
I came to, minutes later. Tristan knelt beside me.
“Hi Rory.” He said gently. I moved to sit up and he helped me. My head throbbed and I could see blood on my shirt from my nose. “You took quite a hit.”
“I think I’m okay.” I squinted a little hoping my headache would subside.
“Can we get on?” Lance was being impatient. “We have a lot to do today.”
Tristan looked at me and I nodded. He helped me to my feet.
“Just take it steady, okay?” He added and I nodded in agreement. “I will pop by later with some healing tonic for you, so you are all fixed up for tomorrow.” He smiled and I thanked him. The other hybrids rallied around me.
Tristan walked away from me and stormed over to Colt. Anger in his eyes.
“Why did you let him do that to her, Colt?” Tristan shouted at him. I think he probably did not want us to hear but he was just too angry to actually care.
“She needs to learn, and I had no choice.”
“Learn what? That she is here to be a punch bag or to amuse you and Lance?” He shouted; we were all listening.
“It doesn’t amuse me.” Colt mumbled.
“In two days, I have had to treat her for more injuries more than most of the other recruits put together. So, I suggest you stop getting her hurt. Else I will start doing the same to you and you aren’t a Mult so no quick healing magic for you!” Tristan finished his telling off.
“Okay.” Colt muttered and went to walk away.
“No not okay, treat her better. She is still one of the team no matter how much you hate her breeding. You have been spending too much time with that git.” He pointed at Lance and then he turned and left. Colt stared at me from across the room. Sadness and guilt in his eyes.
19
Aurora
6am 9th September 2020
I was stood in front of the mirror dressed in my new attire and honestly, I felt nervous, but the uniform I was wearing seemed to be able to hide my fear. I smoothed down the dark scarlet camisole, it clung to my curves. The uniform certainly extenuated my figure. My hair and makeup looked good too. Doe had helped me after we were told to make ourselves look presentable for the board.
“Are you ready?” Colt asked, h
e knocked at the dorm door and entered the room. I was on my own. The others had all be told to meet outside. I was glad of the moment of peace to clear my head.
“As ready as I will ever be.” I sighed again. He looked me up and down pausing for a moment.
“You…erm…look… good.” He said awkwardly, trying to make me feel better. I knew he was just trying to reassure me without trying to give me the wrong impression. “Thanks.” I was equally as awkward; I was not sure how to be around him.
“Come on, we have to go.” He opened the door for me. We walked down the stairs and out of the building where the others had gathered.
“I have to go join the others for the procession Aurora, will you be ok?” He asked. I frowned at his sudden change in attitude towards me.
“What procession?” I was confused.
“It’s tradition.” He murmured and rolled his eyes. “You just need to wait here and follow with the other candidates.” I nodded.
William appeared from around the corner. His hands clasped behind his back and his poise strong. He wore his usual old-style Victorian style clothing. It really did age him. Tristan followed behind him. I was beginning to question Tristan’s role at the organisation. He seemed to be involved in a lot of things.
“My, my, my you all scrub up so well.” He said to all of us. “Aurora you look much better than the mess you were the other day, you honestly looked like a street urchin.” He grasped my arm and pulled me away slightly. “There’s some people here to see you, I need them to be invested in this project my dear and a lot of them are here specifically to watch your performance. They were more than keen to hear of your progress after they found out that we had located you. Now Tristan I think it is time you went up and introduced yourself to the board and took a seat. We are looking to begin promptly.” William physically dismissed Tristan with a flourish of his hand and I rolled my eyes at the pretentiousness. Tristan nodded and moved quickly out of the way, he glanced at me and gave me a look that both told me what he thought of William and wished me luck. “Now Aurora, I’m looking for a good show in there. I need these people to be impressed. If you can give it a little bit of theatrical value that would be fantastic.” He patted me on the shoulder it felt slightly patronizing and not very genuine before he strode off down the gravel. I was not even sure what he meant by theatrical value. A small group of people marched towards us. A single drum beat the step that they walked. It was like a death march. As they passed us, we seemed to join them and continued the march through the gardens to what seemed like the centre of the campus. I walked at the back confused by it all. In front of us sat an arch way. I could see the gardens the other side through it. I raised an eyebrow. There was a raised platform to the left of it which was decked out with chairs and older people. The other side, William stood on a platform, looking prideful. The arch itself was very interesting. It looked like it was made of a slightly opaque crystal or a rare marble. I had never seen anything like it before. It was covered in symbols.
