Chapter 8
A few weeks had passed and Roan was still learning from the slayers. From today onwards she would be taking a driving test, which she was to pass in under two months. This was proving a challenge for Roan.
She was also getting frustrated because she couldn't start practising her powers with everyone around, but luckily it was full moon tonight and she would be using the basement to transform in. The bad thing was she was all on her own, but right now she valued her time alone and she would be ok.
She ran downstairs to find her driving instructor sitting in a black car waiting for her. She sighed and climbed into the drivers seat. 'This will be a piece of cake' she thought to herself. Stella said goodbye to her and watched her slowly begin her test. She then went inside to her office to finish a couple of reports, seeing as it was Sunday morning and a free day.
She was sat marking papers when there was a knock on the door.
"Come in." She called and in stepped Drew looking quite flustered.
"What's wrong Drew, you look like you've run a marathon!" Stella cried.
"I need to keep my fitness up so I had a run. Anyway I wanted to talk to you about something that crossed my mind when I was running."
Stella sat back in her chair ready to listen.
"It's about Roan. She has been doing so well and is brilliant at everything she has been doing, right?"
"Right."
"Well don't we owe it to her to get someone in to teach her some proper Breathing Spirit Powers? She needs to learn how to use them properly!"
Stella sighed and looked her son.
"Yes dear, she has been doing very well and is exceeding. Yes maybe we do owe it to her, but we can't give her that, not if she wants our plan to work. She will use this to her advantage because they will show her what she needs to do and she can get a proper good look."
"OK." Drew got up and went to the door.
"I still think she should learn something. It's killing her being trapped with us and I feel sorry for her." Drew said. "I bet she can't wait for the next full moon."
"I know, I know. Look Drew I know it's a Sunday, but we need to do some protecting of humans. There will be no recruiting or devouring tonight!" Stella spoke proudly. Drew rolled his eyes and left his mum to her work.
A couple of hours later Roan had finished her Driving lessons for that day and went into the training room to practise her small knife throwing. The blades were literally the width of her forefinger to her thumb, so they spun fast. She was unbelievably good at it and she wanted to try it blindfolded and see if it would work. She grabbed a black blindfold and picked three knives. She got the wooden targets to move around the room slowly at first. She turned in a full circle and suddenly threw one knife. It hit something with a bang and she turned throwing another and then her last. Quickly, she ripped off the blindfold and smiled as every two knifes had hit the red circle and the last had hit gold. She was very pleased with herself and she heard clapping from behind her as Will came in.
"Well done, you're more skilful then you look." He said applauding.
"Thanks, I think." She said. Will just laughed and came towards her.
"Why are you even here Roan though, you don't want to be." He said.
"Take my word for it Will, I have no choice." She answered pulling out all the knives and putting them away.
"All right, if you want to talk, come and find me." He said. She thanked him and she soon was on her way back up to her Aunties 'home'. She went straight to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of Weakness and she poured herself a glass. She tried to drink it slowly, but she couldn't. Her cravings got worse each day and she felt alone more then ever. She hated being a Hunter, but somehow she knew it was the right thing to do. The Four had better watch their backs.
When she was done she went down to the main meeting room, where her Aunt was getting ready to begin speaking.
"You're late Roan." Stella said as Roan sat down in between Drew and Aimee.
"Sorry I had some personal business to attend to and it couldn't wait." She said. Stella rolled her eyes and got straight down to business.
"Right Hunters, you lot here are our best and most skilled Hunters, one of you will be getting an important mission. This mission will need courage, bravery and intelligence." Stella began. "The three are a massive problem for us Hunters, but Number Two has been spotted and interrogated by another Hunter Team. Unfortunately, the boy got away, but they found out who he is, but wouldn't give any information away about his siblings. We do know that there is still no trace of the fourth." Everyone's eyes went wide at the thought of catching one of the three. They were like snakes, slippery in your grasp and one had been caught!
"Do you have a plan for this mission mum?" Drew asked.
"Yes as a matter of fact I do. This Hunter is going to find the Three and gain their trust. They will eventually will find the fourth and then whoever is chosen will eliminate them. Is that understood?" Stella asked. Everyone attending nodded. "Number Two is called Jake Braven. Remember that."
Everyone began to chat amongst themselves while Stella began to talk to Drew. Roan watched them carefully and listened in to their conversation using her hearing skills.
"I will tell her my plans for her with her session with me tomorrow morning." Stella said.
"Yeah it might be a good idea. Is she really ready for this though mum?" Drew asked.
"I think she is. All her life she has wanted to prove herself and this is her way of doing it. Anyway, she is the secret weapon, the clue's in the name." Stella said.
"Right everyone get out of here! I need the space!" She shouted at everyone and in one big rush they all tried to leave the room.
"Are you coming Roan?" Robin asked.
"I'll catch up, I just need to speak to Stella." She said. Her friends nodded and left without her. Roan went up to her cousin and Aunt then crossed her arms.
"What plan?" She asked.
"You overheard that?" Stella asked.
"Of course I did! I'm a Breathing Spirit remember! I can't learn how to use my powers, because you wont let me, so I have a right to use what I can."
Stella raised an eyebrow and began explaining her plan to Roan.
"Look Roan, because of what you are, we are going to use it to our advantage. We are going to disguise you in something like a mask, so you face can't be seen, even when someone is stood up close. We are going to make you known by Hunters and Breathing Spirits and feared by both. Your story will be made up of rumours. The Three will finally hear of you somehow and you can use it to get to them. We cannot give away which side you are on so you will have people to chase, including hunters. But right now don't worry about it." Stella said.
Roan rolled her eyes and headed to the door.
"Do you really think they will fall for that?" She asked as she slammed the door behind her. Actually she thought it was a great plan, she just didn't want to do it. It was unfair on her and this poor person she was having to kill, even though she had no idea who they are, where they are or how she would reach them. She stormed upstairs and went straight into the apartment and she banged the door shut and went straight to her room. She was tired, fed up and missing her parents terribly. She wanted them back and to be left alone. She hoped the Fourth would never be found, so the killing wouldn't be by her. As much as she didn't want the four to get together, this just felt plain wrong.
She came back down about an hour later and Aimee and Robin were stood outside one of the training room doors. Roan slapped her palm to her forehead as she realised what she had done.
"Guys I am so sorry, I just..."
"Don't bother explaining Roan you obviously have a lot more important things to do. Maybe that's why you didn't say goodbye back at home." Aimee said as she walked passed Roan.
"Is that what you think?" Roan asked as anger built up inside her. "My parents were kidnapped and probably are now dead and you are having a go at me, for not saying bye to you!" Roan shouted, tears forming in her eyes. Aimee was speechless.
"Roan, I'm sorry I didn't..." Aimee began.
"Don't bother Aimee, I don't want to hear it. I don't want to be here, I don't want to learn this and I definitely don't want to kill." Roan said. "So if you'll excuse me, I know when I'm not wanted."
Roan then left her friends standing there as she went into a training room. She picked up a sword and began to practise some movements and tricks with it. She got out a dummy and pretended it was the kidnapper of her parents, then her Aunt and then the darkness. Life was hard and complicated and she wanted to do something fun and worth while, and even her best friends couldn't be trusted. She felt so alone.
After a while she collapsed on the floor and lay on her back. The floor was cold to her shoulders and back as she lay and let the tears fall from the corners of her eyes to make little puddles next to her. It wasn't long before Drew came in.
"Roan? What's wrong?" He asked her as he sat down. She sat up and he put his arm round her.
"Everything." She sniffed. He smiled and squeezed her shoulder to comfort her.
"Tell me about it. Look go upstairs get yourself a drink and a snack and go and watch TV. What you need is to relax and stay calm." Drew told her. Roan nodded and Drew wiped her eyes before walking her back upstairs. She luckily passed no one as she made her way up. She fell onto the sofa and watched TV. Drew made up some Weakness and gave it to Roan. She gulped it down and he kindly gave her another which she savoured. She wanted more then this, but she had to stop herself.
After a few minutes Stella burst in and shut the door. She ran into her room and came out again holding a long necklace.
"What's up mum?" Drew asked.
"We are going on a mission tonight, practise for Roan and the others at that. This is your chance to prove yourself Roan, don't let us down." Stella said running back out again. Roan groaned and sat down and Drew laughed.
"They aren't that bad really aren't missions. They are quite exciting."
"That's easy for you to say! Your not killing your own species. This is wrong!" She complained. Drew put a hand on her shoulder.
"You can do this!" He said to her. She smiled at him and then went to her room to get ready.
Half an hour later as the sun began to set Roan and Drew met everyone outside by all the vans. Drew had sprayed a humane spray on her so no one would suss out who she was. It would hide her identity, so no one could accidentally find her and kill her. Everyone was given a tracker and Roan held her breath as she was scared the spray wouldn't work. But no one turned and looked at her so she was safe. They all climbed into three vans and set off for the woods. They were each given a hover board and a couple of silver knives each.
"This is a real mission everyone." Stella said from the front seat of her van into the radio. "You must be careful if you value your life. If you are devoured you will not be coming back to the Hunters quarters and I doubt you will even live. Good luck." She said with not much meaning in her voice. Roan swallowed and looked over at Aimee who smiled weakly at her. Roan quickly looked away as she was still annoyed about earlier.
They had seemed to pass lots of road works as they headed west. Roan was sick of hearing drills and car horns beeping. She was really tired and would have fallen asleep if they hadn't have come to a stop. They all climbed out of the vans and stared at a massive wood.
"You will all venture in here in pairs. You have exactly two hours to hunt down the Breathing Spirits. Be careful and don't forget this is a game even if it is a mission. The Hunter with the most kill wins!" Stella smiled. Drew and Roan instantly went together and so did Robin and Aimee. "Go!" Stella shouted and she followed Drew and Roan as she wanted to keep an eye on her niece.
Roan set off at a human speed so Drew could keep up. After a while she grabbed his hand and sped him along quicker. Stella followed on a hover board. They soon came to a halt and there in a small clearing sat a hunched figure. It was a man of late twenties. He was wearing a black cloak and black trousers. She couldn't see his top, but no doubt it was green or red as these were the colours traditional Breathing Spirits wore. Drew snuck up on him and the man never even turned around before Drew shoved a knife in his back. Roan winced and bit her lip as he showered into silver dust.
"The next one is yours." He said. She nodded and clutched a knife tightly in her hand until her knuckles turned a shade of ghostly white. She was terrified and angry. As if he could just murder like that without getting into trouble. It was sick and wrong.
Slowly, they went deeper into the heart of the woods and after about ten minutes Roan spotted someone. They had also seen her and they began to sprint away. Roan bit her lip and ran after her kill.
Stella and Drew followed her closely. Roan was faster then this changing human girl and she eventually caught up with her. She pounced on top of the girl who landed flat on her back. Roan grabbed her knife and looked at the girl straight in the eye.
"I'm sorry." Roan whispered before plunging the knife deep into the girls heavily breathing chest. The girl became a pile of dust under Roan's body. Roan looked up at the moon, which would be full tomorrow. She kept staring and staring at it, hoping she was forgiven, but she didn't have a choice. She knew she didn't.
When they got back the Hunters that went on the mission gathered in the main Training room.
"Well done all of you, I will you this to decide on the lucky winner of our biggest mission yet!" Stella smiled. The Hunters started excited whispers when Stella interrupted them all. "Before you all go, I still expect you all bright and early tomorrow."
She got moans and groans thrown at her as she left the room. Everyone then filed out. Roan and Drew followed when someone grabbed Roan's wrist. She turned to face the grabber. It was Aimee.
"What do you want?" Roan snapped.
"To say I'm sorry. It doesn't have to be like this!" she cried. Roan stared at her best friend. "How can I make it up to you?" She asked. Roan had a quick think.
"Take me out of this hell hole this weekend." She said.
"Deal!" Aimee laughed, more out of relief then anything.
"I'm sorry too Aimee. I completely forgot and I do feel bad about it..." Roan began.
"Don't worry about it." Robin said coming up behind Aimee. "Just don't forget this weekend." He winked. Roan smiled and she nodded.
"Come on Roan!" Drew called. Roan said goodbye and ran to Drew where he stood patiently waiting.