by Rose J. Bell
Rosa walked on the paved path to the door. It was a warm June day. The flowers were blooming, and the birds were singing. She could hear the fountain, which stood in the rear area of the garden.
She opened the iron door, greeted by a soothing chill. The lobby was huge. Black marble tiles covered the floor, as sunlight poured through the large windows that stretched from floor to ceiling. Two large staircases led to the first floor.
Nobody was in the lobby as it was training time. The training classes for the Hunter clan were tough, demanding, long, and painful. Rosa was glad to have everything behind her. She walked up the stairs to the third floor, where her uncle, the leader, had his room located.
She walked along the dark passage to the end and then knocked at the door. After a small “come in” echoed from the other side of the door, Rosa turned the knob and went inside.
Her uncle was sitting in his usual chair at a desk, deep in his paperwork. He turned around as Rosa entered the room. As always, he wore a suit. He rose to his feet and smiled when he saw Rosa, an action that was very rare for him.
“There’s my lovely niece,” he said, and hugged her. He only treated her like this when they were alone.
“Hello, Uncle Sergei,” she said, smiling.
He stepped out of her arms and looked at her with his big black eyes.
“Well, the injuries aren’t that bad. How is your chest?” he asked as he went back to his seat.
“Pretty good,” Rosa answered, and sat down on the chair next to his.
Sergei folded his arms across his chest. “Well, Rosa. Why are you here?”
Rosa took a deep breath. Sergei wouldn’t be happy about what she was going to say.
“Um ... Uncle Sergei. When I came to school today, I saw two Nephilim,” she told him. His face showed no emotion. “They are in my class.”
He nodded. “And did you kill them?” he asked.
Rosa swallowed. She wasn’t usually afraid of anything, but Sergei had shown his wrath enough that it made her fear him. He could be charming and nice, but also angry and violent.
“I haven’t done it, because ...”
Sergei’s face darkened and he didn’t give her the opportunity to finish. He stepped in front of her and grabbed her arm. His black eyes eyed her darkly.
“Rosa, do you really know what your job is?” he cut her off in a calm voice. No matter how angry he was, his voice was always calm—a calm that frightened her even more.
Rosa nodded. Her arm hurt like hell, but she did not fight against him – didn’t dare to fight against him.
“You are a hunter. This mark,” he took her wrist and pointed on it, “This mark shows you that you are a born hunter. Tell me why you did not kill our enemies immediately, though it’s your job?”
“Let me explain it, Uncle Sergei,” Rosa said to him, looking at him pleading. Her heart was pounding against her chest.
He watched her for a while in silence, then he let go of her arm and sat on his chair. His face was still angry. Rosa rubbed her arm lightly.
“Talk,” he ordered.
“I think they have a plan.”
Sergei frowned. “Why do you think so?”
“Uncle Sergei, think about it. Who would be stupid enough to run into the fire? They must have their reasons. If they have reasons, then they have a plan,” Rosa explained.
“And what do you think their plan is?”
“I don’t know. I have to find out, so I don't kill them, Uncle Sergei. I need to figure out what they are planning, so I need them alive.“
He was silent again for a while. Rosa was waiting for his answer. She hoped that he was satisfied with her reason for not killing the Nephilim.
Sergei sighed deeply. “You’re right, Rosa. This is a very good idea. They might really be up to something to try to harm us. I want you to find out what they intend.” Then he smiled at her.
“You are really the best hunter, Rosa. I’m very proud of you.”
She returned his smile. “Thank you, Uncle Sergei. That means a lot to me.”
He nodded and crossed his legs. “Okay. What is your plan than?”
“The two are friends. I’ll try to make friends with them, and after that I’ll find out their plan,” she explained.
“So they don’t know that you’re a hunter?”
She shook her head. “No, they don’t know. I hid my mark from them.”
“Good.”
Then they were silent for a while. Rosa had to create a plan on how she could get both to tell her why they were in Boston. She already knew that it would be very difficult to convince Jason. He was unlike his friend, so Rosa had to persuade Philip to tell her.
She would need to befriend Philip to gain any information. Rosa sighed inwardly. Hopefully, it would work.
“Certainly Mikhail would be very proud of you,” Sergei broke the silence and tore Rosa from her thoughts.
At the mention of her father's name, Rosa winced. The name had good and bad memories. Bad memories overpowered the good memories, as sadness, grief and anger rose in her. She felt her panic attack coming on as his name echoed in her head.
“You miss him, don’t you?” Sergei asked gently.
Rosa felt a burn behind her eyes. No, I will not cry, she told herself. She had cried enough.
“I miss him, too,” Sergei went on, without noticing what it did to Rosa. “He was a good person. He did not deserve a death like that.”
The burn behind her eyes increased. Rosa’s head throbbed, her shoulders were tense, and she tried to breathe slowly, but she didn’t succeed. She had to distract herself. She looked at her uncle, who was staring at her now, worried. Her throat constricted and a tremendous pressure weighed on her chest. Gray dots danced before her eyes.
Not again, Rosa groaned inwardly. Fear and horror struck over her as high waves of nausea ran through her.
She stood up abruptly. She had to get out of there, away from the pictures that appeared in front of her eyes.
“Uncle Sergei, I have to go,” said Rosa breathlessly. Without waiting for his answer, she rushed from the room. She ran down the stairs to the garden.
She hadn’t had a panic attack in ten years.
Now, she gasped for air and ran out. Rosa stopped in front of a tree and clung to it. She felt dizzy so she held on tighter.
Calm down, Rosa! Breathe slowly!
A slight breeze blew and dried the beads of sweat on her forehead. The fresh air helped her to calm down as gradually she began to see clearly. Her chest was still hurting, but she had relaxed. Angry with herself, she sat down on the ground and sighed. Why do I let myself lose control? It is just a name!
But Rosa knew better. It was more than a name. It was her father's name, who she had lost.
For a while, she just sat under the tree and listened to her now quiet breathing and the wind. She would have liked to fall asleep there, but she knew better, she did not have the time for sleep.
She sighed and stood. She knew what she had to do.
Rosa set off to Andrea, the alchemists.
“I hate you, Jason,” Philip said to Jason, and threw his school bag in the corner.
“Why?” Jason replied, and slumped down on the couch.
“Why do we need to go to school?” Philip asked and sat down across from him.
Jason leaned back and turned on the TV. He yawned. “We can get information.”
“How do you get information in a school?”
Jason looked at his friend. “It could be that one of the students is a hunter and he or she might know something about Jasmine,” he said with a tone that said Philip should have known this already.
Philip leaned back. He had put on his grim face. “But I hate being the nice guy.”
He and Jason had agreed that they would behave differently from their actual personalities. Philip could be very… mean.
“Do you think I like how I’m acting?” Joan asked.
Philip smirked. “As if
you don’t enjoy girls throwing themselves around your neck.”
“I do,” Jason chuckled.
“I think this Russian girl—Rosa—could be a hunter. She realized immediately that we’re Nephilim,” Philip interposed.
Jason nodded. He had also suspected this, but he wasn’t sure.
“We must look if she has a mark. Maybe she has information about Jasmine.”
Jason found it difficult to pronounce the name of his sister. Immediately, a deep sense of guilt and pain overcame him. Jason just missed his twin sister so much.
His eyes went to Jasmine’s photo on the dresser. The photo was from a few weeks before her abduction. She smiled at the camera—the smile that he always loved about her.
Jason was still amazed at how similar they were, though it really shouldn’t have since they were twins.
Sometimes it was a little scary. The golden eye color was something all Nephilim had, but they both had black curly hair. Jasmines’ hair felt like silk going down her back, and Jason had cut his short, but it was still clear his hair was curly. Then they shared the same high cheekbones and lips.
The difference between them as twins, were their characters. Jason and Jasmine were as different as they could be. Jasmine was reasonable, and took her job very seriously as a Nephilim. She never went against their father, doing everything he said. What Jason could not understand was how Jasmine was nice to humans. She respected them and treated them as if they were equal with the Nephilim.
Jason would never treat a human as he treated a Nephilim. Humans were nothing to him. They were on the earth to obey the archangels.
Jasmine was not like him, and he loved that about her—even if he couldn’t quite understand why she respected humans.
Philip noticed that his friend’s thoughts had wandered to his sister.
“Jason,” he said, looking at him. “We will find Jasmine. We have a lead that she´s here in Boston. We will search every corner of this city, and will not stop until we have found her. I’m here and will be until the end.”
Jason smiled gratefully at his friend. Although most of the time Philip was mean, he had a big heart and would do anything for his friends.
“I know, brother,” Jason replied.
Then he stood up. “I have to go out, Phil. I have to clear my head.”
Philip nodded. “Okay, but don’t bring a girl back home with you. It’s really disgusting to listen how you make out.”
Jason grinned. “Well, we just make out. What would you do if I had sex with a girl?”
Philip moaned. “I would burst into your room and interrupt your sex.”
“How?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. Maybe I throw myself on you.”
Jason laughed. “You’re aware that three of us wouldn’t fit in my bed.”
Philip smirked. “That’s fine. I’ll throw the girl out of bed, so you can’t have sex with each other.” Then his face brightened. “Or I’ll throw you out of bed and enjoy myself with your girlfriend. Oh yes, that would be a good revenge!”
Jason held out his middle finger. Philip laughed as Jason left the apartment and jogged down the stairs. He was glad Philip was with him. He helped him think about things other than Jasmine.
His mind drifted back to Rosa. If she were a hunter, perhaps she would know something about Jasmine.
Jason knew it would be hard to make her talk because she wasn’t like any other. Yes, she was pretty, and certainly smart, but she had something else in her. He noticed when he first saw her. She was dangerous. She could—Jason believed— hinder his plans to find Jasmine.
He had to be careful and learn whether Rosa was a hunter—or not.
Jason sighed and climbed into his car. He had much to do.
“Hi, Andrea,” Rosa said as she entered the room. Andrea, as always, was engrossed in her books. Andrea had long, straight hair that she always wore in a ponytail. She had a round, sweet face with big brown eyes. She was a little overweight, but that did not harm her beauty.
She turned around and smiled. “Oh, Rosa, it’s good to see you,” Andrea said as she slammed her book. Andrea worked for the hunter clan as an alchemist. She mixed all the potions used by the hunters—like the powder that made a human body vanish.
“What brings me the honor of your presence?” Andrea asked as she sat down on her bed. She pointed Rosa to sit as well. Andrea was a good friend, but Rosa didn’t see her often.
“Andrea, I need some magic potion so I can touch a Nephilim. You know, if I touch them, my gift is triggered,” Rosa explained to her.
Andrea frowned. “Why do you need it?”
Rosa told her about the Nephilim and her plan.
Andrea nodded. “I see. Let me look in the books.” Then she stood up and walked to her books.
“Something that cripples your gift,” Andrea deliberated aloud. She thoughtfully tapped her forehead with her finger. Her head popped up as she snapped her fingers. “I’ve got it!” Andrea called, standing up. She took a thick and old book in her hands and sat back down on the bed next to Rosa. She opened the book and flipped around in it.
“Andrea, would you please tell what do you have found?” Rosa asked.
“Wait,” Andrea replied and turned the pages. Then she stopped on a page and lean forward.
“And?” Rosa asked, raising her eyebrows.
Andrea looked at her. “I’m going to mix a paralysis spell.”
Rosa nodded. “Okay. And what will that cause?”
“I’ll modify the paralysis spell, so that it will only paralyze your gift. That means your gift will not trigger just by touching a Nephilim. The spell will paralyze it,” she explained.
“I see. And how will you do that?”
Andrea smiled. “You wouldn’t understand it, Rosa. It’s complicated.”
“You’re right. When can I get it?”
“Come back in a few hours. I think I will have it by then.”
Rosa nodded and stood up. “Thank you, Andrea.”
She stood up too. “That’s my job, Rosa.”
Rosa smiled. “I’ll see you later.”
“Okay.” Andrea shut her book.
Rosa left the room and walked towards Valerie’s room. She hoped that Valerie was there, because she had to discuss something very important with her. Rosa went up the stairs to first floor, and then turned to the right. Rosa stopped at the third door and knocked. She heard a faint “Come in” and opened the door. Valerie sat on her bed, flipping through a magazine
“Hey, Val,” Rosa greeted her and sat down on her bed.
“Hello there, Ice Princess! How are you? How are the wounds?” Valerie said, and she threw the magazine into the corner.
“The wounds are doing well. I need to discuss something with you,” Rosa said.
“Go ahead.”
Rosa scratched the back of her head, searched for the right words. It was not easy for her to talk about it, especially since she hadn’t done it before
“Rosa, I’m waiting,” Valerie said.
Rosa took a deep breath. “Okay. It’s about Matt,” Rosa began. Valerie knew Matt and thought he was really cute.
Valerie raised her eyebrows. “Keep talking.”
“He wanted to kiss me today,” Rosa continued.
Valerie’s eyes widened. “Really? How was it?”
Rosa looked at her uncertainly. “I haven’t kissed him.”
Valerie folded her arms across her chest. “And why not?”
Rosa shrugged. “I don’t know. I didn’t want to kiss him. Do you think he’s in love with me?”
Valerie nodded. “Of course he’s in love with you! Otherwise he wouldn’t even try to kiss you.”
“Are you sure?”
Valerie smiled. “Oh, yes, Rosa. I’m sure. Matt’s definitely in love with you.”
Rosa’s fears came true. That was not good. Matt was not allowed to be in love with her. She could not be with him, either.
Val
erie leaned forward, a smile on her lips. “Are you in love with him?” she asked curiously.
“I-I don’t know,” she admitted, and looked down.
“Okay. Then we’re going to do a love test,” said Valerie and clapped her hands.
Rosa looked at her puzzled. “Love test?”
“Yes, a test where you have to answer questions and then find out whether you’re in love.” Valerie replied.
“Isn’t this... I don’t know. Is that reliable?”
“We won’t make a common love test. We make the Valerie Love Test.” She grinned at Rosa.
Rosa couldn’t suppress a smile. “The Valerie Love Test? Since when do you have a Valerie Love Test?”
“Since now.”
“So, I’m your first tester?”
Valerie smiled and nodded. “Yes, you are. So, let us begin. How do you feel when you are next to him?”
“I feel safe.”
“Okay. What do you feel when he touches you?”
Rosa thought for a while. “I feel secure,” she answered finally.
“Do you feel any butterflies or a warm tingling sensation in your body?” Rosa shook her head.
Valerie sighed. “Rosa, I don’t need to ask further. You are not in love with Matt, but he is in love with you. “
“Oh no!” Rosa laid her face in her hands. “That’s not good! Not good! Not good!”
Valerie took her hands off her face and looked into her eyes.
“Why isn’t it good?” she wanted to know.
“Val, I’m a hunter. You know the drill,” Rosa said.
“This is a very tragic love story. Boy loves girl, but girl doesn’t reciprocated his love. On top of that, the boy could die because he loves the girl. This is as tragic as Romeo and Juliet.” Valerie sighed sadly. She had a weakness for tragic love stories.
Rosa lifted a brow. “Valerie, this is not a situation where jokes are appropriate.”
“Sorry.”
“What am I supposed to do now?” Rosa asked desperately.
“You have to tell him the truth,” said Valerie.
“What?”
“You’ll tell him the truth that you cannot be together with someone, and that you don’t love him.”
