by D. N. Hoxa
“You’re staying here?”
“Yeah. My sister has things to do, and she’s always traveling so the Elders thought it’d be best if I moved to this Base while she worked.” Kate looked down at her hands as she spoke, which could only mean that she wasn't fond of the idea.
“What about your parents?”
She hesitated for a few seconds before she answered. “Mom passed away a year ago. Dad kinda…sorta left after that.” She moved her hands like she wanted to rip her fingers apart.
And I wanted to slap myself. I shouldn't have gone there. She looked so fragile that I wanted to tell her to sit down. Definitely not a good condition to be in to start training immediately.
“I think you should wait for the new training room, Kate.”
She gave me a weak smile. “Don’t worry. I can handle it.”
I wasn’t going to let her get away with it, but I didn't get a chance to say anything else because Jack simply appeared behind Kate. With Aaron right behind.
“Well, hello, there,” Jack said with what I think was supposed to be his seductive voice. He was staring at Kate like she was something to eat, which was saying something since vampires didn't like to drink supernatural blood. “Care to introduce us, Star?”
Kate’s cheeks turned bright red.
“Yeah, Kate, this is Jerkface, I mean Jack. Jack this is my...Kate.” Ugh. Was I going to say my friend?
Ground swallow me, please!
“Delighted,” Jack said, offering his hand. “Any friend of Stinkmouth, I mean Star, is a friend of mine.” He brought Kate’s hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. She froze for a second eyeing Jack suspiciously and immediately pulled her hand away.
“Stinkmouth? Really, Jack? Is that the best you got?” I said to the vampire, only half kidding, and turned to leave. They all followed me since we were going to the same place. “I really think you should wait, Kate.” But Kate didn’t get the chance to reply.
“Don’t even get me started on the bests, girl,” Jack called from behind me.
“I'm not! I am not getting you started!” I called back, cursing myself for starting with him. He didn't know when to stop. Still, it was better than catching him looking at me with suspicion and curiosity all the time, like he’d been doing for the last four days.
“Oh, but you already did.” Jack grinned and Aaron laughed, and I melted a little, but instead of acknowledging it, I concentrated on Jack. “Let’s see,” he said, his finger tapping his chin. “Oh, here’s a good one. Asshat.”
“Lame,” I said, holding back a smile.
“How about Jamoke?”
“When did you use that? The fifties?” I mocked.
“Damn,” Jack said, scratching his forehead. He was very amusing. “How about Shitbird? Or Assbag? Or Fucktard?” It was impossible not to laugh.
“You’re impossible,” I said, wiping the remaining smile off my face as I opened the door to the training room. Everybody was already there, and I turned on the Trainer/Bitch mode immediately. They really couldn't afford to see me smile—and I say that in a completely non-egoistical way.
I mumbled a good morning as I made my way to the arsenal wall, intending to start with little knives that day. They weren't quite there yet, but I was leaving in two days and I wanted them to at least know the basics about using knives. They’d all said they knew how, just like they did about fighting. Turned out they had no idea.
I took two small knives in my hands and stood in front of them.
“As soon as you warm up, I want each of you to take two small knives like these,” I showed them my knives, “and we will start with throwing. Take your positions.”
I went for mine. Aaron was waiting for me where we always trained—the place that had been Jack’s for the last three days. He was watching me expectantly, but I wasn't going to make his day. He was probably making fun of me right that second.
I turned to Kate, who was waiting by my chair, feeling uncomfortable and looking around like she was lost. For a second, I felt like someone else was using her skin. No way in hell was I going to believe that the Kate, our high school It Girl, the ultimate flirt, the bitch of all bitches, felt uncomfortable in a room full of men. But I knew better than anyone how drastically people could change. I reluctantly accepted that she would start training, and I admitted that she was going to need special care.
“Kate,” I called, and she jumped like I’d physically touched her, “you’ll train with him.” I pointed at Aaron without looking. Kate nodded eagerly and started walking toward me.
“I will train with our new friend, Asswipe,” Jack jumped in. Like hell!
“No,” I said too quickly, but I didn't care. “You’re training with me.”
The devilish look in his eyes made me want to kick him in the teeth. He wasn't going to let go.
“No, I’m training with Kate. I have enough experience to treat her...nicely, considering that she is a beginner.”
I returned his mischievous grin. “I am here to say how she needs or doesn't need to be trained, Asshat. She’s not training with you.” Everyone was turning to look at us mow.
“Now that’s stealing my word right there, Miss My-Way-or-No-Way. And I'm holding you to it,” Jack said with his finger pointed at my face and turned, ignoring me before he took Kate by the arm. She looked so helpless that I wanted to run to her, but Jack had already put her in front of him and started to give her tips on how to stand. I literally wanted to rip his head off. Or just torture him with some silver knives.
Instead, I took a deep breath to relieve the shaking of my body and reluctantly went to take my place. Aaron was waiting for me, half smiling.
“I’m not going to bite, Star.”
His words sent shivers down my spine for a reason I didn't even want to allow near my head. I finally looked him in the eye, and of course, my heart skipped a beat.
“I’d like to see you try.” He grinned. This was all probably very amusing to him. I wanted to clear things up before we started, so I stepped closer to him, never looking away from his eyes. “I told you to stay the fuck away from me, and I meant it.” The grin immediately left his face. “I will ask you to say as little as you possible can while we train today. And, please, for your own good” I said, though it didn’t sound like a pleading, “do not push me.”
He looked like I’d slapped him, which I would probably do at some point during training. For now, I smiled my evil smile for him. If he thought he could fool me twice, he had the wrong girl. I turned back to my place feeling a little better about myself. Now I just had to follow through with everything I said. What I didn't know was how hard that was going to be.
The first half hour went by and I found myself reliving every touch—well, hit—I gave him and every hit he gave me. It was as if I felt the touch of his skin more than I felt the pain of the hits on my body. His eyes reflected determination, and sometimes sadness, sometimes even anger, but I didn’t dare read anything into the things his body said.
Kate was doing good. Jack had indeed been a better partner for her. He was attracted to her, like the pervert that he was, but that helped him be as patient as he needed to be when dealing with a beginner. She was actually faster than I expected her to be and not at all clumsy like she looked. She just needed muscle—a lot of muscle on her body.
Finally, when everyone started sweating, I stopped them. “Grab your knives and line up against the wall.” I waited for them to do as I asked. “What you need to know about weapons is that they can control you just as easily as you can control them. Your attention will make all the difference, guys. Right now, I need you to feel the texture of your knives on your hands and familiarize yourselves with them. Try to use them as an additional part of your body.”
The now familiar faces concentrated on their knives, trying to put my words to practice. It was going to be hard, especially with the little time we had, but it was better than not training at all.
“The knife
leaves your hand while you exhale. It will keep you focused, and it will help you rest your weight on your wrists. Raise your arm and take aim on the wall in front of you.”
“So we just hit the wall?” Naomi asked.
“Yes. Paint a picture of a person you really, really hate,” I said, and my eyes found Aaron’s involuntarily, “in the wooden wall and take your aim. Calm your nerves and inhale deeply.” Each set of eyes was pinned to the wall across from them. Except for Kate. She was watching me with her lips parted like she was trying to solve a very complicated math equation.
I kept her gaze, unsure of what to do until she realized I was watching her and turned to the wall. Jack said something to her, and she nodded, narrowing her eyes as she concentrated on the target she was picturing in her mind. Jack kept whispering instructions to her, and I mentally thanked him for saving me from a few very awkward moments. I had to figure out how to behave around her.
And then, there was Aaron. He had his hands in his pockets, leaning back with one foot up pressed again the wall behind him. And he was watching me. A shiver ran down my spine, and my heart started to go crazy the next second, fighting to get out of my rib cage like it was imprisoned there. Why? Because he was fucking eating me up with his eyes.
How dare he watch me like that, like he was dehydrated and I was the only drop of water left in the whole world, like he had seen no light in decades and I was the sun he was seeing for the first time! Like a freaking vampire looks at a human after not having fed for a year.
I felt wanted. I knew I was staring, but I couldn’t help it. Everyone in the room became a blurry background. I wanted to break his nose as much as I wanted to undress him.
Someone knocked on the door behind me.
Thank God for small miracles!
I practically ran to it and disappeared outside when I met the wide eyes of a boy whose face I knew from the kitchen. He couldn’t be more than seventeen years old. My senses told me that he was a warlock, and his magic was that of light, but it was raw and unpredictable still. It desperately needed to be refined and once it was, he was going to be one hell of a warlock. The power coming from him was very strong. Which made the fear in his eyes that much more ridiculous. Didn’t he know how powerful he was? Or that he would be one hell of an opponent in a fight?
“I-I-I…” he stuttered.
I closed the door behind me, needing the distance from the…room.
“Hi. What’s your name?” I asked the boy as politely as I could. I even smiled at him a little. He looked up at me for a second and blushed bright scarlet.
“Ralf.”
“Come again, please? I couldn’t hear you.” I pushed with the same polite voice. He raised his head enough to say his name and looked down again. “Hi, Ralf. I’m Star.”
He nodded once and shrugged like he wanted to say I know and then seemed to think it was okay to stand straight, so he looked up. “I was sent to—” he started, but I stopped him.
“I have a problem, Ralf.” He stopped speaking immediately. “See, an annoying vampire, who you probably know by the name of Jack, is making my life a living hell with the names he finds for me.” A shadow of a smile appeared on his face and his brows rose. “Problem is, I’ve run out of comebacks. I can’t think of anything to say back at him, and I was wondering if you can give me a tip?”
A full on smile took over his face. “Some of my favorites are Brainfart, Toothface, since his face is square like a tooth, and of course bloodsmeegle, if you’re into Lord of the Rings,” he said in almost one breath.
“Are you kidding me? I love Lord of the Rings!” I said, and his eyes shone. Literally. He no longer looked like he wanted to run away from me on all fours. Mission accomplished, so I turned back to why he was there. “You wanted to tell me something.”
Ralf nodded. “Yes, Kyahen sent word. He has invited you to the Winter Ball tonight.” My mouth fell slightly open. A ball? “Mr. Hart will give you the details. I was just sent here to give you the heads-up.”
I narrowed my brows. “Mr. Hart?” Who the hell was that?
“Yes, Thomas Hart.” Oh. How the hell had I not known Aaron’s last name? Did he know mine? Probably.
“Thanks, Ralf,” I said, and with a nod and a huge smile, Ralf waved and ran down the hallway.
Yes! I shouted in my mind. This was great. Kyahen was the fey, the Unseelie fey who took care of and kept tabs on unofficial RR fairies—under the orders of Grandmother, of course. They said she trusted him, even though he was Unseelie. I couldn’t care less what kind of a sup he was. He had power. He wanted to meet me. Just like Edison. So far, the shifter leader hadn’t provided me with any information, but I was sure I was going to need something from him sooner or later.
Another ally brought me more hope and a little more positivity. Grandmother had made him invite me to the Winter Ball, so now it was up to me to convince him to give me full access to his information and to fully cooperate with me when needed. Of course, Grandmother could always make him, just like Arlion could make Edison, but help given forcibly always backfired, whereas help given willingly was priceless.
All of the sudden, a funny thought occurred to me and made my stomach turn.
What will I wear? I have nothing in the Base. And it's tonight!
I'd heard of the Winter and Summer Balls of the fey, but never did I ever imagine that I’d actually get to be part of one. They held them annually, and I was pretty sure that only fairies were invited. Awesome ego boost, that invitation. It was held in the Otherworld—how Earthlings referred to the Land of the Fairies—but since Kyahen was organizing this, I doubted it would be held in the Seelie or Unseelie Castles.
The door opened behind me, and Aaron’s sneaky, mysterious energy washed over me before I had the chance to turn my senses off. I immediately turned my face back to expressionless and faced him.
“Good news?” he asked with his hand still on the doorknob, blocking the entrance.
Blood rushed to my ears. “Were you eavesdropping on my conversation?” Had he heard my pathetic attempts to make small talk with the warlock? Why, oh, why do I always end up in such awkward situations?
“Of course not,” he said, narrowing his brows as if he were offended. I eyed him suspiciously. I could never tell with him.
“Then how would you know about the good news?”
“Lucky guess?” Like I was ever going to buy such bullshit. I rolled my eyes. but he continued as if I’d believed him. “So I was right? We have good news?”
I stepped forward, and luckily he made way for me to enter the room again. Everyone was still training, each throwing their two knives before walking to pick them up and repeat the process. The wood had cracked from floor to ceiling somewhere in the middle, and I didn’t have to look to know that that part was right across from Mike. He was grinning like an idiot as he watched me watch the crack and holes in the wood, realizing he’d impressed me. He was the best so far. Even better than Jack. I made a mental note to put Mike with him that night in training. It was going to be fun to watch.
I went for my chair and my small bottle of water, and Aaron stayed right behind me.
“So what is it?”
“Kyahen wants to meet tonight.”
I could see the smile spreading on his face from the corner of my eye. “That’s awesome,” he said. Then: “Wait, you’re not going to pick a fight with him, too, are you?” He was only half joking.
At another time, I would have turned to him rolling my eyes and maybe even tell him my plan, but that wasn’t one of those times. I was in the process of the most important mission of my life: ignoring him. It was hard, but I wasn’t a quitter. I would see the end of it.
"Not likely,” I mumbled. The guy was a fairy. Fairies didn’t get impressed by a show of physical strength.
“Wait," Aaron said again, a funny look on his face. "Tonight's the Winter Ball." I shrugged. "You're invited to the ball?!”See? Told you it was a big deal.
But I still had no idea what I was going to wear.
"Hell..." he whispered, and his voice trailed off.
I’d dealt with a fairy only once in my life as the Council’s assassin, and he hadn’t been nearly as important as Kyahen was—definitely not a former fairy Queen’s right arm. I was going to have to be very careful. All I knew about fey politics, I’d either read in books or heard from others. Fey couldn’t lie to you, at least not to your face—and that’s exactly where their biggest strength was, because people took that to heart and believed in everything a fairy said. In reality, the fey were masters at dancing around the truth. Millennia of not being able to tell a lie will force you to learn how to survive and go around it, and that was their biggest advantage. They also hated iron. They were extremely full of themselves and lacked emotion. They were achingly beautiful to look at, and they could seduce you with their eyes only. They called the magic they used glamour, and it was either sun and nature, or coldness and ice, depending if they were Seelie or Unseelie.
What I had to do was show Kyahen respect, and at the same time, show him that I could handle myself in a fight. The fey didn’t appreciate shows of physical strength. If I was going to get him to respect me, I was going to have to do so with words and magic, or essence, or whatever my power was.
With a little luck, I was going to be just fine. Unfortunately for me, I was feeling very out of luck lately.
14
——————————
After training, I made my way to the kitchen, thankful for some alone time.
And then Kate came running after me.
“Star, wait!” she called and was already out of breath when she reached me. It was weird to watch her try and catch her breath with one hand on her chest and another on her hips. Seriously. She used to be the Captain of our school’s cheerleading team, for God’s sake.
“I…we…my sister wants to see you, and…” but she wasn't going to get anywhere with talking for the next five minutes so I just nodded.
