Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock. The sound echoed through the house like a human heart, each minute passing agonisingly slow. The house was quiet except for the ticking and Finley could almost imagine that she was alone. But she knew better than to believe that.
For as long as she could remember, Finley had known about the monsters. Even before it had been revealed to the rest of the world she had known. The things that went bump in the night and terrified the dreams of children were real.
Vampires with their pale skin, red eyes and murderous tendencies stalked the streets and clubs after dark.
Werewolves with their rough feral faces and the razor sharp teeth that could tear the flesh off your body in a second waited in bars and woods for their prey to walk past.
Fairies with their cunning perfect appearances that lured unsuspecting victims into an endless game with no way out.
Warlocks waiting with their spells and curses for the next clueless pretty girl to walk by after a few too many drinks.
And the monstrous demons with their pitless eyes and unnaturally long talons who snatched people as they slept and devoured their souls.
It was easy for Finely to see them all as monsters. It was easy for her to label them as vicious creatures. She'd seen far too much for her to think otherwise. She'd been a Huntress for a few years now, dedicating her life to hunt down and kill any monster that broke the law. Her job was simple: Hunt and Kill.
Finley did not feel bad or guilty over what she did. Killing had become second nature to her and the thirst for vengence was always on her mind. Her journey as a Huntress had begun three years ago when her older brother, Aiden, had been murdered by a dark creature known by the name of Arlin Shade. All Finley knew about him was that he was a wanted criminal, known for the countless vicious acts that he'd committed. Secretly she was hunting him down to avenge the death of her brother. But while she waited to find him she spent the rest of the time hunting down others that were guilty.
She could distantly hear the creaks and groans of the hallway as her next bounty approached. She was lying down in one of the bedrooms, the springs from the old mattress digging into her back. The room was covered in dust and spider webs after being abandoned for who knew how long. She could only imagine the reasons for the previous owners to have left. The cracked yellow paint on the wall was peeling and the roof had stains of mould that gave the whole room a musty smell.
Finley closed her eyes, her hand tightening on the hilt of the dagger that hid in the side of her leather jacket. Her hands were clammy with sweat from the summer heat that hung heavy in the air. She took a deep breath, instantly regretting it as the foul smell of burning filled her nose. The demon was close.
The door creaked as it opened, scratching along the wooden floor. Her heart began to race like the beat of a drum. She kept her eyes closed doing her best to act like she was asleep. But she'd never been very good at acting. She heard the demon as it neared and felt the cold air that came with it. She shuddered slightly, the hair on the back of her neck standing on edge. She squeezed the dagger hilt harder ready to pounce at the right moment.
In a second the demon was on her, its talons digging into the skin on her shoulders. She winced before springing into action. Her eyes flew open settling on the shape in front of her. Its jagged spine twisted at an unnatural angle. Its form was smoky but Finley could see the charred bones of the demons body. The long talons of its claws were sharp and slicked with black slimy liquid. Its dark black holes for eyes stared down at her with a fierceness that make her cringe back with hesitation for only a second. It lunged towards her, teeth exposed like pincers as it aimed to sink its teeth into her throat. She fumbled with the dagger in her clammy hands and she gasped as its burning saliva dripped from its mouth charring her skin. She slashed upward the blade connecting with its chest and it screamed an awful sound like nails being dragged down a chalkboard. Finley stabbed it again in the chest and watched as the demon began to bleed, acid blood dripping onto her throat. It burned and sizzled against her skin and she fought the urge to scream out. The demon began to die, its form turning to dust and disappearing into ash.
Finley got up groaning as she looked down at her jacket that had almost disintegrated from the demons blood. She swore under her breath before wiping the blade clean against the edge of the mattress. She heard the footsteps coming before she saw them enter the room and so she wasn't surprised.
"For a moment I thought you were going to need some assistance," Tate smirked, spinning his blade in his hand.
Finley looked up, raising an eyebrow at him. "Have I ever needed assistance?"
Harley smiled her blonde hair slicked back in a tight ponytail that hung down her back. "She has a point, Tate."
Tate shook his head, amusement in his gaze. His dark brown eyes always seemed to sparkle in the heat of battle and today was no exception. Although Tate was older than Finley by three years he treated her as an equal never questioning her actions. Tate had become like an older brother for Finley, mentoring and training her in how to fight. She knew that he was proud of her especially in moments like this where she'd taken down a demon by herself.
Finley sighed, "Great now I need to buy a new jacket."
She shrugged the jacket off, tossing it onto the ground. Harley grabbed her arm, looping it through her own and smiled.
"Don't worry Hun, I'll get you a new one," she said her baby pink lipstick shinning as she smiled.
Harley was also older than Finley was by two years but they were still the best of friends. Harley was always kind and modest despite her stunning looks and addictive personality. She was your typical beach babe blonde. Beautiful luscious straight hair that always seemed just the right colour. Pretty blue eyes that shone like diamonds. Angular cheekbones and perfectly shaped eyebrows. A tanned complexion with hardly any freckles and a slim body with lovely long legs and full chest that guys would die for. She was beyond beautiful and Finley often found herself fascinated by how someone so pretty could be so kind.
Together the three of them hunted and killed monsters. Tate would get the assignments from an unknown source and they would hunt them down at night.They were both family and friends and Finley couldn't imagine her life without them.
Tate strode forward his muscular form looking more god like than ever as he moved. "We should get back, after all you have school tomorrow."
Finley groaned loudly with annoyance. She hated school especially because there was no point in her going. She already knew exactly what she would be doing for the rest of her life. School was irrelevant. "Don't remind me," she said deflating a little as they headed out of the house, "Senior year is going to blow."
Harley giggled, "It can't be all bad. Besides only one more year and then your free."
Finley nodded brightening ever so slightly. Harley was right. Only one more year and she was free.
~
The car whipped into the carpark with a screech, almost skidding on the dirt road on the way in. Sunville High loomed up in front of them, the white bricked buildings with blue trims looking old and worn down. Finley exhaled, her mind thinking about how she'd rather be anywhere else. She straightened her blue tie which hung under the white ironed shirt. "Come on, Finley. Harley and I need to get to uni," Tate said tapping his finger impatiently against the steering wheel.
Finley glanced out the tinted window at the passing students, all dressed in the same horrible uniform. The hot summer air hit her as soon as she opened the door and by the time she reached the main courtyard she was sweating. First day of senior year and she was already regretting getting out of bed.
She sat in silence in the courtyard watching some of her classmates walking past. The tall athletic jocks with their arms wrapped around skinny slutty girls who wore a little too much makeup. The nerdy guys glued to the screens of their laptops and the drama girls who seemed to always be dancing and singing. Every year was the same and every year only increased Finley's hatred of the school. Unlike some of the other schools in the district, Sunville High was a human only school. No supernatural creatures allowed. It was a safe school for humans but Finley couldn't help but feel that it would be a hell of a lot more interesting in a school with vampires and werewolves. At least the fights would be interesting.
But there was some benefits to being in an all humans school. At least they had a class in self defense. Since the supernatural creatures had been exposed to the world, fight training had been essential. It was the only class that Finley actually enjoyed. In fact, she excelled in it.
The bell sounded in the courtyard signaling that classes were beginning. Finley moaned in annoyance before standing up and heading towards first period, English. The english teacher, Mrs Ross, was a plump woman with frizzy black hair and old fashioned 70s style glasses that sat on the edge of her pointed nose. She had an awful scratchy voice that she accredited to a vocal box injury that she'd gotten as a child. At least that was the story she told anyway. She ushered everyone inside wobbling as she walked through the door. Her chubby fingers grabbed the chalk before setting it against the board and beginning to write. The cursive handwriting flowed out elegantly in a perfect straight line.
The classroom door flew open and everyone's eyes looked over. The figure in the doorway was tall, at least a foot taller than Finley was. His dark hair was swept over out of his face, sitting soft and luscious on his head. His sharp jawline reminded Finley of an actor in a film she'd seen although she couldn't remember his name. His green eyes held a glint of rebelliousness and amusement as he surveyed the classroom. He had a strong build but Finley could tell that he was no where near as buff as Tate was. Still, he was attractive and nice to look at despite his annoying sarcasm and snarky comments. He was fashionably late, as usual. Kade Williams, the bad boy, strolled into class without a care in the world. "How ya goin' Miss? Did you have a good holiday without me?" He asked a crooked smirk on his face.
Mrs Ross didn't look impressed to see him and didn't bother turning around. "Take a seat Mr Williams. You're late."
He slid into a desk at the side of the room, "Didn't want to ruin my grand entrance."
Mrs Ross turned, rolling her eyes before addressing the rest of the class. "Welcome back everyone. I hope you're all looking forward to your last year. Remember that your results will affect your future so it is important that you attend all of your classes and keep up with your studies." She paused scanning the crowd before continuing. "This semester we are going to look at the work of William Shakespeare and complete a few very interesting assignments."
Finley glanced down at her book already tired of hearing their teachers voice. Yuck, Shakespeare again. She didn't know how many times they'd studied him but it felt like a million. Regardless she didn't have a choice. She was going to have to stick it out for the rest of the year.
After English, Maths and Art which seemed to take way too long it was finally time for self defense. Finley's enthusiasm spiked as she practically skipped to the sports hall. She'd already changed into her black knee length leggings and a plain black tanktop. She was ready to fight.
Upon entering the hall, she saw that the mats were already set up and many of the other students were already stretching. She joined them pulling her knee up to her chest to stretch the muscle out. She scanned some of the other girls in her class and frowned. Their fluorescent crop tops and bike shorts did not look like something you would wear to train in. But Finley knew that for the other girls, it was just an excuse to gawk at the guys as they flexed their muscles. It was pathetic to say the least. They would be useless in a real fight.
Finley's attention was drawn away from them as Kade walked in, still managing to look badass in his gym shorts. He caught her looking and flashed her a cheesy grin and she looked away. She didn't have the time or the effort to put up with his flirting especially now. The gym teacher walked in looking as much like a high school jock as the others in her class. "Alright everyone, pair up."
Everyone around her rushed to find a partner and by the time she took a step she realized that there was only one person left. She was not impressed. Kade smirked at her looking like he wanted to laugh as he stopped in front of her. "Looks like its you and me sweetheart," he grinned.
"Alright to begin, just start with a bit of free sparring. Remember the aim is to get your partner on the ground," the coach barked out.
Finley glanced over at Kade and sighed. He was the last person she wanted to fight, especially because she couldn't fight to the best of her ability. That was the one rule that Tate had given her. Don't draw attention to yourself. Finley had done pretty well flying under the radar for most of her schooling life but this class was a lot harder. She raised her hands up and he followed before they launched into action.
They circled each other, Finley consciously watching for where he stepped and how he moved. He jumped forward flinging a punch in her direction that she blocked with ease. He seemed to be enjoying it a little too much. "Looks like you know what you're doing, Finn," he said an edge of sarcasm in his voice.
She smiled at him, "You would too if you weren't so caught up in flirting with every slutty girl that walks past."
He raised an eyebrow at her, his grin widening. "Someone's jealous."
She shook her head, letting her guard down for one second giving him a chance to hit her in the arm. The punch was only light and for a moment she considered that he was holding back too. But then he moved forward again and she was ready.
She punched him in the side where he'd left a gap between his arm and his body. She didn't hesitate to hit him with a bit of force. He grunted more in surprise then pain. "You like it rough, do ya?"
She could feel her anger rising, his comments getting on her nerves. She struck him again connecting with the side of his arm as he blocked it. He hit back getting her in her shoulder which still ached from the demons blood from the previous night. She winced slightly before coming back with equal force. "What's wrong Finn ya look a little mad?"
She didn't know what it was about him that irritated her so much. She wanted to punch him full force just to shut him up but knew that she couldn't without drawing unwanted attention. But she also knew that her patience was running out and if he didn't stop she was going to snap.
He launched towards her with poor form and a small stance making it easy for her to dodge him and uppercut him in the chest. He gasped, the wind knocked out of him for a moment. She could see the frustration in his gaze. There was one thing that Kade didn't like and that was losing. "Everyone thinks you're the pathetic loser with no friends but they pity you just because your brother died. It's sad when you think about it."
Finley could put up with taunting and bitching but the one thing she wouldn't tolerate was saying bad things about her brother. Her patience fell and she lost it, attacking him with all her strength. She lunged at him hitting him in the side of the face and then the chest. He stumbled backwards, his footing lost and she swept her leg out knocking his out from under him. He fell hard and landed on the mat with a thud. He groaned and she could tell that the fall had hurt him.
Her anger left and was replaced by guilt. He started to get to his feet and she saw a flash of regret in his eyes as he stood. He knew he'd taken it too far. She spun on her heel and stormed off not waiting for an apology. He was an asshole and she didn't want to waste anymore of her time on him.
As she left the hall, the bell rang confirming that it was time to go home. Tate and Harley were waiting for her in the car. She got in without a word. "How was your day?" Harley asked.
"Just drive, I just want to go home," Finley said crossing her arms over her chest. She was ready for the night to begin and even more ready for their next assignment.
~
The moon was half hidden behind a wave of fluffy clouds that looked a little too spooky in the night sky. The summer nights air was not as cool as Finley would have liked. She followed Tate and Harley out of the car and towards the entrance to the nightclub. The flashing sign hung across the entrance blinking at intervals. The line to enter the club was long and Finley could already see the mixture of humans and supernatural creatures. The fairies with their delicate facial features, sparkled in their sequined tops and dresses. Vampires hung nearby, looking pasty white in the flickering lights. A couple of warlocks mingled with the humans performing a couple of petty magic tricks. The rough biker looking werewolves stood as far away from the vampires as they could get, their tattoos and piercings giving their true nature away. They were so obvious to Finley that her eyes were automatically drawn to them.
The line began to move, relatively quickly as they joined the end. Tate had an arm wrapped around Harley's shoulder as they huddled together. They'd been dating for a while now and Finley couldn't deny the fact that they were a cute couple. Harley was wearing a skin tight red dress, defining her curvy hips. Her blonde hair was hanging down around her face which was covered in perfectly applied makeup. Tate was dressed in dark jeans, a blue shirt and a leather jacket over the top. His brown hair was casual but the whole look didn't disappoint. He still looked deadly to Finley. But then again, her opinion was biased.
Finley had borrowed a dress from Harley, a black one with a low back. She wore heeled boots, although she would have preferred her combat one. Her face had makeup on it but no where near as nice as Harley's looked. Still the black eyeliner made her grey- blue eyes look more pronounced. She had daggers stashed in the side of her boots and one against her right thigh. They were not here to party. They were here on a mission. Finley grabbed her brown curls together and quickly tied her hair up. She preferred it up while she was fighting.
They moved closer to the front of the line, her eyes scanning the crowd for their bounty. Tonight they were hunting a vampire, guilty of kidnapping and then killing multiple humans. She couldn't see him yet but she knew he would be here. Tate touched her on the arm and she turned to face him as he spoke. "Remember to be careful tonight, he's dangerous. If you find him, come and get us first."
Finley knew he was only worried about her and trying to be careful but she still didn't appreciate being lectured. "I'm always careful Tate."
"I wouldn't say that. Remember the werewolf incident?" He said with a questioning glare on his face. Harley giggled clearly remembering the incident.
Finley could picture it in her mind. She'd made one mistake that had almost cost her, her life. She'd lost her temper and almost been ripped apart by a werewolf. She frowned, "That was one time and besides, I ended up catching him anyway."
They moved forward, the bouncer glancing at their ID's before gesturing them inside. Finley moved forward first, Tate and Harley closely behind. The flashing strobe lights danced around the room in waves. The smoke machines blew smoke out across the dance floor creating an eerie atmosphere. The beat of the music thumped through Finley's chest awakening the part of her that always urged to dance. She smiled, excitement building in her chest.
"Finley," Tate yelled over the music, "Start scouting the room out. We'll meet back at the bar in half an hour."
She nodded before turning around and plunging into the dance floor. She moved through the people who seemed to sway and twirl with a fierceness that amazed her. They looked like animals being hypnotized by the compelling music.
Suddenly a hand touched her and she flung around in a panic ready to act if she needed to. Her eyes settled on beautiful green ones and she was too shocked to speak. "Finley? What are you doing here?" Kade asked looking just as shocked as she felt. For a second she froze her mind whirling over why he was there before she found her voice.
"What are you doing here?" She asked ignoring his question. How was she supposed to explain this to him? He seemed stunned, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. His bad boy façade returned and he smirked at her. "Just having a good time," He answered the edge of his words slurring.
She sighed, of course he was drunk. Her eyes glanced past him, as a dark figure caught her attention. The figure moved across the floor as if he was floating, the dark hood hiding his features. But Finley's sharp senses knew that the person she was looking at was not human. The blood stained hood, said as much. She glanced back at Kade who was blabbering about her outfit. "You look good."
She grabbed his shoulders forcing him to look at her, "Listen Kade I can't talk right now. I'll see you at school." She pushed past him not bothering to wait for an answer. But suddenly he was in front of her again, holding out a hand to stop her in her tracks.
"Wait," He said, his eyes no longer looking like he was drunk. She wondered if he was making the whole thing up. "I wanted to apologize for before. I shouldn't have brought up your brother. It was wrong."
She stared at him in amazement. If there was one thing she knew about Kade, it was that he never apologized. Once again she stood frozen, unable to comprehend his words before snapping back into action. "Thanks. Anyway I've got to go. See you later." She thought she saw a flicker of disappointment in his eyes but it was gone in a second, his sarcasm returning.
"I get it, you've got places to be, people to see," he mumbled. She pushed past him and headed deeper into the crowd, aware that his eyes were watching her as she walked away. The crowd was remarkably thicker the further she went and her eyes desperately searched for the hooded figure as he disappeared into the crowd. She could just see him at the other side of the room, moving slowly. She pushed through the mass of bodies in front of her. She was sweating from being in such a cramped space and by the time she got through the dance floor, she needed a drink.
She took a deep breath, breathing in the smell of perfume mixed with alcohol and scrunched her nose up. She'd never like the smell of alcohol and in the cramped nightclub her senses were overwhelmed. She moved forward towards the figure doing her best to look seductive as she went. She'd practiced walking in heels for these exact moments. She needed to get close to him and the only way to do that was to play the victim. As she got closer, he turned, his red eyes resting on her. A cruel grin spread across his face as he beckoned her over.
Finley stopped in front of him, flashing a toothy smile. "Hey, there," She said battering her eyelashes at him. He took a step towards her and she could see the red stain on his lips from his previous meal. Her stomach turned and she felt nauseous but she kept the charade going. "I couldn't help but notice you from across the room."
He smiled at her, "Well my dear, you've come to the right place. I'm surprised I didn't see you earlier. How do you feel about going somewhere a little more private?"
Finley's grin increased. They always took the bait. "I was just thinking the same thing." She took his arm and pulled him after her and towards the storage room. As she walked, she glanced around for Tate and Harley but they were no where in sight. She took a deep breath as she reached the door, clasping the cool metal handle in her hand. Looks like she was going to have to do this by herself. She glanced over her shoulder at his cunning gaze before turning the handle and pulling him inside.