I woke up with a splitting headache at the base of my skull. I sat up from my hard bed to find myself in a dark room. The little I could see of it came from a small light bulb that was almost burned out hanging bare from a chain in the ceiling. I pulled on the cord to see if it could become any brighter and found it only turned the bulb on and off. I clicked it back on and looked around the room. It had stone walls, wet from something, the door was made from steel bars with wood placed over them for privacy. I could barely see out of the small window to find it lead to another stone hallway. By the look and smell of everything I seemed to be underground. The whole place smelled damp and full of mildew.
A small tapping sound could be heard and I found that from a small crack in the ceiling came a drip. The room was bare except for a dresser and the cot I was now sitting on. I looked down at my self to find I was still wearing my swim suit from the community pool. I looked around and found that my purse was thrown under the cot. I immediately pulled out the werewolf box Caleb had given me. My Luna necklace I knew I had left at the pack house already, so they couldn’t take it and destroy it, just in case I got caught. I placed the werewolf box underneath the dresser planning on finding a more secure place for it.
I opened up the drawers to find everything the same. I pulled out one of each thing. I put on a matching black lace bra and underwear to find they fit me perfectly. They must have gotten my measurements from my Grand-Mama. I pulled on a black tank top before quickly sliding the hunter green v-neck down over it. I slipped on the black leather skinny jeans and two inch heel combat boots and topped it all off with a leather jacket that barely went past my boobs. The sleeves went down to my wrists and had snaps to attach some leather fingerless gloves to. The knuckles had silver studs attached to them.
I found some silver nail polish but after a moment decided not to put it on in case it was actual silver and would hurt a werewolf. I put on the belt and attached the pockets. If I am to be here I better act like I’ve given in so they will be kinder to me. Everything fit perfectly and I could move splendidly in them. I was a little warmer now in this cold damp place. I went to the door to find that there was no handle on the inside. I pushed on the door and nothing happened, it tried pulling on it by sticking my hand out the small window and still nothing. A sharp rap sounded and made me jump back. A familiar face peeked through the window, my face.
“Well I guess since you’ve decided to get dressed you can come out now.” Aretha said unlocking the door from the outside. “You start your training now Fence.”
“Let me go. I don’t want to be a Hunter.”
“Oh Vanessa, you don’t have a choice. Once you have finished with your training this week we will prepare you to be inducted by the end of the fortnight. Any later and your precious mate might find you. You will become a Hunter whether you like it or not Vanessa, and there is nothing you or your pack of mutts can do to get you out of it. Caleb hasn’t even given you the werewolf box yet and you are to give the Huntress one to me right now.” She said stomping into the room and ripping my purse off of my bed and holding it open. I reached my hand inside and pulled out the box with the oval around the flower. If I had known I would have given her the werewolf box and not worried about it until after I opened it, instead of hiding it. I have only one advantage right now and that is that no one knows I have the werewolf box.
I put the box into her outstretched hand as she smiled at me. “Good choice Fence. Have you finally decided to give in?”
“Well I can’t feel Caleb anymore, you killed him, that is the only explanation.” I bluffed hoping she would play along. “I want to kill the bastards that let me leave. They let me get kidnapped and let Caleb die. They are going to feel my wrath.” Aretha smiled a cruel heartless smile at me before she spoke again.
“Well he did try and get you back from me as I left. I couldn’t let him live. I told you he wasn’t good enough for us. He died at the hands of a girl not even half his size, and he didn’t even put up much of a fight.” I could tell she was lying which made it easier to hide that I wanted to kill her, but I did it with great difficulty.
“Well then, I guess I need to be more like you. Let’s go Aretha.” Every word felt like acid on my tongue, but I still managed to let an evil grimace to grace my lips. She lead me through the stone walled tunnels, past unassuming wooden doors with rusted metal handles that were open to show what looked to be old cells used as dormitories for up to two girls at a time, the only sounds being heard where the distant rhythmic grunting of individuals going through training exercises and the echoing footsteps of Aretha and I’s hurried walking.
We finally stopped outside of a large office. There were two voices drifting out of the slightly cracked open doors, one of which sounded old and familiar to me, the other younger and new. The former was the telling the latter that she didn’t want me to know who she was yet. It intrigued me, but I had to let go of that thought for now so I looked as furious as I needed to be to try and get out of here without being a huntress. Aretha knocked on the splintering wooden door as the light from inside flooded the dark tunnel. The younger voice spoke out to us to come in as Aretha pushed the door open further then she already had.
The office looked warmer then the tunnels outside, the wooden wall covering hiding the majority of the stone cell. Book cases surrounded the back wall of the office, books haphazardly placed on the shelves in no particular order. The light in the room seemed natural and as I looked up I noticed it was because a large grate stood above the whole room, made in such a way as to see outside and even have it open, but to keep any of the element’s from coming in. A plan immediately started forming in my head. The desk, obviously a special order one, had space for two people to sit at it with their chairs.
The younger lady, who we had no doubt heard speaking was sitting in a chair with her feet upon the table, her chair far enough back that she could see who was in the seat with its back facing us. Her blond hair was similar to that of Aretha’s but it seemed lightened by a few gray hairs, her outfit was similar to ours, except that she was only wearing a simple tank top.
“I have brought the girl, Grand Master.” Aretha spoke, addressing th blond woman.
“I am not blind Aretha, but you have done well. Leave us, for we need to speak with Vanessa alone.”
“But she is my Human.” Aretha started to protest.
“I said leave!” The Grand Master roared, frightening even myself as I jumped so hard that I fell backwards. She had jumped up and slammed her hands on the tables to lean towards us as she had spoken and before I knew it Aretha had left me with this terrifying woman.
“Calm down Aramina, you are scaring the poor girl.” The older voice sounded familiar, but in my terror I couldn’t pin point who she was.
“She deserves to be for being with that stupid dog.”
“That can wait until later. For now tell her what’s expected, and in a nice manner Aramina.”
“Fence, stand up you stupid, cry baby, dog lover.” I stood up immediately, afraid of what this woman could do to me. I decided to feign allegiance once again.
“What can I do to help kill the dogs that let my mate die, Grand Master.” Aramina back handed me across the face, a small cut going across my cheek now.
“You speak when I tell you to and not a moment before. That is the first rule around here Fence. Now why do you suddenly want to become a Huntress?”
“Aretha told me that when she dragged me from the community pool Caleb came rushing in to try and save me, but he was weak,” I spat out my disgust with each word. “Just like the rest of his pathetic race. Apparently Caleb didn’t even last five minutes against Aretha and he couldn’t get close to me. I blame his pack because they let him go in alone after all. They should have known better that a single wolf could never stand against a Huntress of any rank.” By the time I had finished speaking I had already worked my self into a frenzy as I paced back and forth in front of the Grand Master, who was now sitting on the edge of the desk, watching me intently. I stopped my pacing to look at the Grand Master who seemed to be holding back a laugh.
“Oh dear lord, I believe we have found your motivation at last. Imagine how much sooner we could have gotten you if we had just killed him as soon as we found out he had shifted and been named Alpha. You would have never known the stupid mutt was even your mate if we had.”
“Maybe you should have, then I wouldn’t be feeling so heart broken right now, then I wouldn’t have lost the best thing in my life.” I let all the hatred I had seep into my eyes, somehow making the Grand Master believe me.
“Don’t worry, Aretha will be commended for her great work in the field and you will both get to work on your training. We expect you both ready in two weeks when you will open up the Huntress box.” Aramina spoke, showing me the box with my supposed destiny inside.
“Of course, Grand Master.”
“And then in a month’s time, you and Aretha shall take your rightful place as Grand Master under the light of the solar eclipse. Under this moon, that my Human and I have taken our power from three times now, you shall gain more then enough power to take over your new role as the Grand Master, Empress of all the Huntresses. Powers such as reading people’s minds, controlling their bodies and even controlling their thoughts. None of these powers can be used against mere mortals though which is a pity, but it comes with a single upside.”
“All of that sounds appealing, but what is the upside to not using it against mortals, like myself?”
“You get invulnerability, youth, power. My human has managed to remain alive for more then a century since our bodies have been separate, but at a price. She is shown to be eighty to most people, a rather frail looking thing, I have all the youth. I look forty but I could look twenty if my human and I joined together again. You would be the same. The longer you stay in one body with your Huntress, then longer you live and the younger you look while doing it.” She said, giving me an eye wiggle as if this was the best selling point in the world, so I acted as such. Adding a sadistic smile to my face I spoke in a fascinated tone.
“Really? I could look like I’m twenty for the rest of my life? I wouldn’t have to go through old age?”
“Not even a bit of it.”
“Why would your human be stupid enough to give that up then?” I asked, sarcasm seeping through my tone to where she knew I was more curious then serious about insulting the other half of The Grand Master.
“She had her reasons, Fence.” Now go back to your room. Lunch is in an hour and you will begin your training afterwords. Any disobedience is not tolerated and you will be punished severely, got it Fence?”
“Yes Grand Master.”
“Good. Now go, I do not want to see you again, Dog-Lover.” I barely walked out of the room without punching Aramina’s face in for that last comment. I met up with Aretha a little ways down the hall and she lead me to my room, locking me in once more. Apparently I was not going to be trusted until I had proved myself. I could deal with that. It gave me a bit more time alone to plan my escape. Like hell I would become a Huntress.