The Hotel: Rise of the Werecat

Chapter 3 - Leader?

Chapter 3 - Leader?

Zara's first few days flew by. There was so much to do and learn it was exhausting, as soon as she came into her room at night she collapsed into her bed. Devil had been training with her whenever possible. It was so different from training with her Pride, Korina would be slow and careful giving each of her pupils her time and playing to their strengths. Whereas Devil was on the same level as Zara and gave her everything she had. They had fun while training and Devil seemed to be so pleased to have someone like Zara at the Hotel. But Devil was also mysterious, she had fire powers but she didn't smell like someone who had a minor mutation like flying or super speed. She smelt foreign and different. Like something Zara had never smelt before. Despite that Devil was already a master of her own powers and beat Zara to the ground just about every time they fought. Even when she was in cat form. Korina had told her that the werecat was the most powerful myth, she was believing that less and less every day.

Maxina was kind to her, as were Jayson and Harry not that she saw them too often. But still, the looming presence of Olivia and her group of friends pressed down on whatever fun Zara might have been having. There were few in the Hotel who trained to fight aside from those she had already met. It seemed that she was a needed member. Another warrior. But one day walking into the training level with Devil, Zara saw a goblin boy practising with his daggers. He was fast and fierce but there was a sadness behind it. Zara didn't need to ask this time, his eyes were the thing that gave it away. He had also lost something, or more likely; someone. The look before his eyes was very common here, Zara even saw it in her own relfection.

Everyday Zara would get into the lift and see L1000 and B1000. Curiosity would rise in her filling her very soul as she saw those faintly illuminated buttons. It would sparkle at her fingertips, they would beg her to quell them by pressing them against the cool metal. To visit the gods. What would she even say to the gods? Or would she just go there to look? How could she even be so sure that the gods were even up there? Could it be a trap for those who couldn't control their curiosity like the hallways and the doors of the bedroom level? She banished the thought from her mind every time. Though, she had done some exploring of the higher and lower levels. The lower levels were very dark and quickly the walls started to look like rock formations. There didn't seem to be too much set up in those levels except an extreme training obstacle course made from rock. But the scent of brimstone and a faint rasping sound made Zara want to get out of the basement levels very quickly.

The higher levels were the ones actually used and Zara found some very beautiful gardens in the levels above L100. She pressed L108 and came to a beautiful rose hedge garden similar to Alice in Wonderland if there were roses all colours of the rainbow in the Queen of Hearts' garden. Huge roses, purple, pink, orange, blue, green and bright yellows all bloomed together making the garden a huge rainbow. There were no walls to this level or roof, it was like a rose garden in the sky, huge fluffy clouds floated around it, a gorgeous light blue of the sky as it dipped away with the curve of the earth, they were even layers of cloud that sat beneath the ones caressing the edges of the garden. The scent was intense for Zara's cat nose but not unpleasant. She strolled over to one of the classic red roses and took in its beauty. The mysteries of her new home seemed infinite.

She heard a rustling in the garden. She turned sharply her senses prickling and her fangs elongating in her mouth. Behind a hedge, someone moved. Zara catching a glimpse of brown hair. She had been told that the only danger in the Hotel came from the monsters that leaked from the underworld and people's curiosity. That none of the vampires could enter the Hotel.

A smiling girl came out from behind the bushes. She was around Zara's age, tanned skin and a pure, innocent face. Her ears were pointed being shown off as her curly brown hair was tucked behind them. She was barefoot and wore only a simple dress.