Angel Hunter

Chapter 8: Hunter

The news spread like wildfire in summer. Everyone knew Michael and the Nephilim were keeping watch over a hunter girl. No one knew much about her, even the Nephilim. Michael was careful to keep a watch on her, he was constantly hovering the first few days, until she was healed enough. She wanted to train again. She needed to do something. Aislinn finally broke away from her guards and found the archery range. She grabbed as many arrows as she could and a rather strong now. She shoved arrows into a quiver and then took a deep breath. She whipped arrows out faster than any still in the range had ever seen. She shot one after another, all the arrows hitting Bulls-eye. She stalked forward, yanked the arrows and moved back, shooting faster and faster. She kept shooting until she had no arrows and five of the targets were full of bristling arrows. She stopped and felt her shoulders relax for the first time in days. She whirled, surprised to realize she had an audience. Many different naturals stood among them. She spotted Michael's irritated face and winced.
"Oh, I am so dead." A few chuckled, when Michael got close enough and she winced. He looked irritated and she looked confused. He sighed and brushed his fingers over her side, they can away wet with blood.
"Oh. Oops?"
"Oops?" He echoed, growling. He sat her down and peeled off her shirt and pulled up her tank top up.
The second he touched her skin, Angel runes wrote themselves down her shoulder blade. The collective intake of breath was noteworthy. The glyphs had appeared right next to the fading Hunter mark on her back. Several took a few steps away. And then they realized how faint it was becoming. She was not a hunter anymore. And what's more, the angel runes on her skin told them that she had angel blood. And the star on her jaw told them something else. She was angel-kissed. She fidgeted slightly as he unwrapped and then brushed his fingers across her wounds. He jumped when a boy knelt next to them, a faerie girl standing close by. He brushed away Michael's fingers, and at his touch her wounds closed over, healing completely, some scarring over, others leaving faint marks or just nothing behind. He looked up at Aislinn. She gasped, recognizing him.
"I know you. Both of you." She was looking at the faerie girl now.
"Yes, you met us when you were younger. Saved our lives. I'm Benjamin, this is..."
"Amerlee. I remember, I saw you. You said they were possessing me."
"I did say that. Still, you picked up your bow and shot at two hunters. You took us with you and his us away, you did it with several others until the hunters called for a retreat. They took you with them, knocked you out." Michael's expression was angry.
"Salem?" He asked shortly and the two nodded. He sighed tiredly then. "She had a Black Thorn Curse, I removed it earlier. It had to be recast several times, she kept breaking it." The hush that fell over their audience at that announcement told Aislinn that it was much more serious to use that particular curse than she'd realized. Michael finished, having checked all her injuries to make sure they were healed, they were. Aislinn pulled her own shirt back down and stood to replace the equipment she'd borrowed. She came back to find Michael discussing with four very tall, very intimidating men who literally reeked of power. These men were important. Aislinn approached, unsure. Michael held out a hand to her and she took it. The others looked to her, curiosity and emotionless expressions on their faces.
"Aislinn, this is Damien, Vampire Prince, Kane, Royal Alpha prince, Aiden, high demon and Scott, high warlock and war Mage."
"Um, hi?" That forced a grin from Kane and Scott. Damien smirked, but Aiden merely tilted his head, seemingly curious as to her words.
"It's good to finally meet you. I and some of the others were wondering if you wouldn't be opposed to helping us a little with a project."
"What kind of project?" She asked, slight suspicion creeping into her voice. Aiden smiled slightly at that.
"What Kane is trying to ask is if you'd help us train to fight hunters and help us better prepare for an attack if one were to happen."
"Of course." She said emphatically, looking almost insulted that they might think otherwise. They all grinned and held out their hands to shake. Aiden shook her hand and promptly turned to leave. Scott shook her hand warmly, gave her a smile and walked away. Damien kissed the back of her hand before leaving and then she found herself being yanked into a hug. Kane squeezed her so tight she couldn't breathe.
"Okay Wolfy! Can't breathe!" He let her go with a sheepish smile. Michael shook his head, silently chuckling. She walked beside him back to the school and to their living quarters.