Slayer Traits First Year

2

It felt like my body wasn't mine.

My fingers flexed nonstop while my hands shook so violently, they looked like pale blurs. My legs felt heavy and numb, my body a great weight on brittle bones. It felt like the slightest movement on my locked knees would cause my whole body to shatter into a million pieces. I've never been this tired before. Hiding my restlessness just made me feel worse. What would they do if they knew...?

I couldn't let them know. I wouldn't.

Down below, on the Main Ground of the Rose House, the Hunters bustled across the floor. The sound of their rough, deep, and strong voices was amplified by the high ceiling, booming around the hall like thunderclouds ready to unleash a great storm. I felt like an outsider, observing from the top of the grand staircase, watching as the five desks spread out across the floor crowd with people, either receiving missions from the Taskers or getting Party details, submitting reports or gathering information. To the left of the staircase, an extremely loud group of Hunters just surfaced from the lower stairwell, returning from the Armory. And from the right, one or two Hunters exited the upper stairwell that trailed up to the infirmary. Everything seemed normal, like any other day.

Except, the air felt heavier than usual. A charge filled the atmosphere, and the slightest spark would set the Hunters off. By now, everyone and their mother must know what happened at the Fair House. Such a blatant attack on what is considered the Slayer House would have everyone on edge and riled up. The fact that Dad was there would make it worse. The fact that I had been attacked...well that wouldn't matter at all. Not to the Hunters, in any case.

I felt lost, standing at the top of the stairs by myself. I should've waited in Carsen's office for Dad to come back, but the quietness reminded me of that silence the Monster hid underneath. Silence among chaos was terrifying. So, I sought out the chaos. I wanted to immerse myself amongst the Hunters, get lost in the sounds of their voices, and drown in their Energy...

...that was just asking for trouble, though. The kind of trouble that would scar a heart forever.

I should've waited for Dad.

I clung to the balustrade as I gingerly stepped down. Even though my body healed continuously, a dull ache settled in my shoulder. My pride hurt just as much. But I'd bide my time and hold my tongue because I had a plan to get to the Academy. At the moment, I was delayed because of all these damn stairs, but when I reached the bottom – oh, boy, no one would know what hit them––

A Hunter purposely knocked my shoulder as he passed me on the staircase. Pain raced across my muscles, but I wouldn't let it show on my face. I didn't even glare at him as he wanted. Instead, I let go of the railing, marched downstairs, biting the inside of my cheek as each step felt like a hammer slamming on every sore spot of my bruised body. When I reached the bottom, a tidal wave of disapproving glares, dirty leers, and smug smirks greeted me. I was used to this. I squared my shoulders and was about to march towards the exit when an arm wrapped around my waist and tugged me off to the side and right into Dale's chest.

"Leaving so soon, Slayer?" he teased, his arm skimming down my waist to my hips before I pushed him away and right into Larry.

"Personal space, Hunter. Heard of it?" I made sure I stood tall and didn't falter under their hungry glares. They were desperate to drive through and pull apart any crack and fault they found in me.

Larry, Dale, Simon, and Colt all shared a smug smile before they circled me. One would think that because I'd trained with them and beaten them would get me some respect, but it got me nothing but catcalls and the promise to 'show me a good time.' I thought that maybe they'd be kind to me because I was a member of the Slayer Family. They were nice to East and Andrew. It didn't take me long to figure out why they were nice to the Sons of the Slayer Family.