True Villain (The Life Beyond: Book One)

prologue

Alexis Williams ducked a throwing knife flying past her and sticking to the wall. Her eyes flashed gold for a moment before returning to a deep green, a dark golden ring remaining around the iris. "Watch it, you almost hit me!" she laughed pulling out the throwing knife and holding it up to her friend. 

Dmitri laughed, "I was only checking your reflexes. I'd feel guilty for leaving the Agency if I knew you were slacking." Alexis rolled her eyes at her friend and elbowed him playfully. Smiling the two started walking out of the advanced combat training room.

"So where are you and Rose headed after this?" Alexis asked looking straight ahead. She ran a free hand through her long blonde hair, Dmitri shrugged. He had messy brown hair and rich blue eyes, a slight Russian accent, and was very tall. 

"Probably around Rose's village. I want to live a normal life so I am going to try to enroll in a high school that isn't too far from her."

"Do you think that's smart?" Alexis asked looking up at her friend. 

"I think I have better control of it with Rose's help."

Alexis nodded and the two kept walking, making small talk along the way to fill the silence. It wasn't that the two weren't close friends, Alexis was just terrible at good-byes. They had been part of the same team along with Rose, and Alexis's brother Jason. The four of them made one of the various special units of the Agency, a branch of the Department of Supernatural Law Enforcement, or DSLF, a government organization that is supposed to act as law enforcement for the supernatural community. The Agency was a private branch that performed covert operations for various government officials as well as wealthy corporations. Everybody from the Agency had some sort of talent or gift, this was mostly due to the fact that most members were either supernatural or scientifically enhanced. 

Dmitri for example was a creature from Greek mythology, though this would mean he is hundreds of years old by now, most mythological creatures reincarnate. Dmitri was known as the Nemean Lion, that is a lion that was slayed by Heracles but had an invincible pelt and claws that could rip through armor. Though Dmitri can't remember his past lives, sometimes he has night terrors about mixed memories, probably a side effect of being a reincarnating monster. During these nights he would often shift and lash out at anyone or anything around him, his transformations would be uncontrollable and dangerous which is why he had his own room that could be locked from the outside. 

For this reason Dmitri chose to retire from the Agency with Rose, who was the only one who can calm him down. Not due to her charm and personality,  it was Rose's own ability that helped her settle Dmitri during his night terrors. 

Alexis pushed the glass door ahead of them open, walking into a greenhouse. A slender woman with long curly black hair and a rich olive complexion was whispering to a griffin, calming the creature down and lulling it to sleep. 

"Did he have nightmares again?" Dmitri asked the female. 

"Yes, he doesn't seem to happy about us leaving. I think he may stop coming here for fresh food." she replied smiling sadly at the torn up remains of a mouse near her feet. This griffin was very small and probably the size of a labrador, its feathers were golden and slightly fluffy.

"How old is he Rose?" asked Alexis.

"I'd say he is about 10 years old. He is still very little, he won't get larger for a couple more years." Rose lovingly stroked the creature who was now curled up in her lap. It's lion tale flicking casually in the air. 

"Are you packed up?" Dmitri asked her, casually glazing over the greenhouse. 

"Yeah I suppose so." Rubbing the griffin Rose whispered to it softly, her melodic voice floating through the air and Alexis shifted away from Rose.