Venom

12: The Darkest Wishing Well

There is beauty in standing still, being frozen and unmoved by all that goes on around you. The tranquility, the feeling of time brushing up against you, but never truly being able to grasp onto you. 

There is danger in standing still, being frozen and unmoved by all that goes on around you. Unseeing of all that pass you by and unable to comprehend the words that people throw your way, swept up in time as it speeds by you uncaring if you are ready or not.

There is uncertainty and pain in the unknown, but there is also a reason behind moving forward. I simply need to find that reason.

To regain my will.

For the first time since I had awoken as myself, I was alone. As much as I could be in my room in the middle of the night, but awake and alone which was all that mattered to me. If I were to go outside I knew Venom would find his way to me, if I wandered the house Viper would creep out and during the sun's reign Harper followed me with questions and weary eyes.

I hadn't meant to awaken, but it was one of those moments where my body had felt finished, rest no longer necessary and my mind was startling clear. The ceiling, so tall and far away seemed further than usual in the darkness of the night. My fingertips moved side to side slowly, feeling the texture of the blanket, my hands were dry, making everything rougher. Or maybe I was the rough one and everything else was soft. I rolled over and slowly brought my arms around myself, my shoulders were cold. I pressed my fingertips closer to my skin until I was digging my nails into my shoulders. 

I stopped and let out a breath. And then another and another.

Through the cream curtain, nothing could be seen, but even so, I watched.

I watched until my eyes saw sunlight peeking through them and only then did I fall back asleep into a rest of memories. Of a moment when all I wanted to do was rest, to stop and sleep until I woke up elsewhere.

It was almost cruel that I would do just that.

*                 *                 *                  *

Washaway G.C (Great Capital) 1817

The sounds of weapons clashing and grunts rang out through the training arena. All around the dull color of mud and pale sand-colored the world, occasionally a spring of red here and there.

"If you fall, what shall you do?" Madam Vert called out, the normal drill of the day. The normal chant.

"Get back up." We called out in unison. 

"If you lose a limb or two, then what?" Marion kicked out, catching me in the shoulder sending me to the ground. The impact made me blink, but I rolled to the left, an ache starting on my shoulder as my weight agitated the new bruise.

"Get back up." There was a thud sound off where my head had just been moments ago, opening my legs I kicked out my left behind his knee, bringing in my right I aimed at his head.

"What if you lose your life?"  The bastard grinned as my boot connected to his face, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. Faster than I could lift my arm to cover my head he dragged the staff up and with a flick smacked me with the end. 

"Leave a clue."  Red greeted my sight for a moment before I felt his hand clamp around my ankle and squeeze, malicious intent in his grip.

"Very good. Dismissed." There was a collected moment of tension before everyone let out a breath. Marion narrowed his black eyes for a moment before tossing my leg away. I dropped my head with a grunt and laid on the ground.

My head, body, and soul ached, just trying to catch my breath felt like it required too much effort. There was a nasty sensation starting on the right side of my face, in between a sting and throb.

"You have terrible luck Debrouhs." A giddy voice called out to me, a moment later a shadow leaned over me. "How do you always manage to get paired up with Marion?"

Diane smiled down at me with sparkling brown eyes, short black hair covered in a fine layer of dust, but other than that it seemed as if she were the less injured party. Unlike myself. As usual, she wore her undershirt rather than the practice shirt we were told to wear, her forearms were a shade closer to the sun then the pale skin that poked out from under her collarbone.

"Luck." I reached out to take hold of the calloused hand she held out. Once on my feet I slumped over and put my hands on my knees to feel out my injuries. Blood trickled from down my cheek, a droplet hitting the dust-covered ground. It looked like another visit to the healing ward. 

"If you had any luck you wouldn't be here." She huffed. "If you were smart you wouldn't have got caught and him you wouldn't have irked him."  I lifted my head and glared at her. She gave me a cheeky smile.

"We both know I've done nothing-" I started.

"But take attention away from him." With a roll of her eyes, she cut me off, using her staff as a cane she leaned against it. "Him and anyone who wants to go into house five."

"He can have it if he wants it," I mumbled, straightening myself out and walking past her. All around us, people remained on the ground like I had or leaned against the old crumbling walls of the training arena. "I would gratefully give it to him."

Making quick I walked over to the water and splashed some on my face and quickly washed my hands. Shaking my head I felt my short curls bounce around, pink water fell down my shirt and onto the ground. This would have to do for the moment. Resisting the urge to run my fingers through my hair now that it was wet was hard, but knowing what it would look like once it dried made it a bit easier.

"Which is why he enjoys these public beatings." She added helpfully. Following behind me we made our way to the food hall. Everyone was tired enough to drag their feet but fast enough to shove and push to the front. I caught plenty of elbows. Not all accidental.

It was a plane enough building for us filled with the basic needs for us, multiple tables and benches, on the far left wall there was a line up of provided food and plating along with the cursed utensils that returned any damaged if used for anything other than eating. The walls were made of sand-colored bricks, the ceiling monumentally high, candle lighting running down the walls. There were two doors and four watchers spread throughout.

"I've nothing to say on that matter."  Lining up behind someone I crossed my arms over my chest and stared at the sweaty back in front of me, dust yellow shirt clinging to a broad back.

We all wore the same brown pants and old creme boots that were so filthy they matched our pants. The men received yellow shirts that would turn paler throughout use, while the women received long scratchy shirts one color away from being called a hay sack. It was the magic uniform color, that distinguished us. The Crime Casters. Or as I liked to say, the 'Council Dolls'. None of us here had a say on what we did for the day. We had all lost that right and only those who showed promise, could reclaim what they had lost. 

"Oh look, Drois is getting summoned." Someone called out a few feet in front of us, some turned to look in the direction the speaker had been looking in, others barely blinked. With a sigh, I looked over. I was never a pretty sight, but It was something I could never bring myself to ignore.

Standing in front of his plate, the man I'm assuming was Drois, was staring down wide-eyed at his food, his hands fisted at the table as the muscles on his back scrunched up and tightened, looked painful from where I stood. Looking him over I caught the color of the chain wrapped around his throat like another layer of skin and winced. Blue. That was Kauvauhs signature. As his face turned red, slowly, like tendrils of vines, water seeped through the ground and climbed up his legs until his pants began to darken as water soaked through, higher and higher they climbed, wrapping around him until he was submerged in water. As his face began to darken to an alarming purple he was finally allowed to take in a breath. Just as the water shot up over his head and down his throat. 

I felt my own throat close up as he gurgled and coughed, body twitching but unmoving by the water wrapped around him like a stone. Then with a violent jerk, his form turned murky, clear and the water sank to the ground. He would reappear where his Overlord called him. Behind me, Diane nudged me forward. Without pause, I grabbed a plate and hastily piled on the day-old bread and sad excuse of food. While Diane readied her plate I looked at the two doors that made the entrance and exits of the room and made a choice that I hoped was correct. 

When she had her plate I walked with her back to the door we had just come from, making sure to avoid walking near the table. Some called out Diane's name with warm tones, others right out ignored or glared at me. I made sure to not linger on specific eyes or else things would go from tense to bloody fairly quick. That's how things worked around here. No one was allowed to fight all out, but there were a few exceptions for a handful of people here and they took those exceptions very ...acceptingly. Being invited into the fifth house was a dangerous privilege for those who thrived on power and violence. For others, it was a heavier, more extravagant pair of chains. 

I was not as liked as my friend. Once close to the entrance I sat down at the far end of the table and began stuffing my food into my mouth without pause, looking around every now and then. I was sitting with my back to everyone, facing the entrance. While I didn't necessarily trust them, they weren't the ones I was on guard for. There was only one person that I feared here and that was only because I was half sure that they didn't want me dead no matter how many times they almost killed me. He hadn't come for me for some time, meaning he would soon and the very thought made me feel anxious.

"Sheesh, if I didn't know that only the worst of us were put under Kauvauhs rule, I would have felt bad for the man." Diane muttered, breaking her bread in half. "I'm glad all the people I killed had it coming."

I paused mid-chew to glance at her before looking back down and continuing.

As the property of the Council all of us were marked in some way or another, depending on the coven we were placed under, or rather the Overlord we belonged to. Some had colored chains that sank into the skin around the throat, others had specific shapes or lettering behind their ears. Whatever the mark, it was how everyone knew who they belonged to. It was also the leash that made us obey. The worst went to the most malicious, regardless of the crime, each Overlord had a signature summoning that we could neither ignore nor reject. There were eight Overlords, eight houses of criminals and a whole system where we were both expendable and a rarity. The Councill didn't keep prisoners, they kept weapons. We were in the polishing stages. Only the best weapons got to leave the jewelry box after all.

When the door burst open, for a moment my heart dropped with dread before I caught sight of dull and dirty shirts. I swallowed the food that seemed to have frozen going down my throat. The food had no taste to me. Mealtimes were more stressful for me than training with Madam Vert. Out there we knew who we were fighting, in here attacks came out of nowhere and by the time people were separated, someone else had been accidentally stepped on to death. Stomped, kicked, stabbed, choked, twisted, torn apart. Really, any of those words were more accurate than 'stepped on'. But even that wasn't what made my nerves jump during mealtime. Here, I had a handful of problems, but my biggest one was the trigger of them all. Who liked to summon me in the most inappropriate sense.

"If Diane of Decay says it is cruel than it must be so." A smooth accented voice said sitting beside me swiftly, planting both elbows on the table and their head on their hands. I stiffened up before catching sight of orange hair and a defining scar.

"I never drowned someone," Diane said with a hint of defensiveness in her voice, eyes narrowing slightly. Beside me, Sihden threw her head back without care and laughed loudly.

"Drowning them in despair counts Miss Diane." Larger frame leaning forward, she grinned, sharpened white teeth a contrast to her dark complexion, her scar stretching taunt where her lips turned upward. "If you are ever so lucky to kill again, remember to wash the stench of death from you." 

My foot began to bounce, up and down, underneath the table. Diane snorted and nodded.

"Har har, the stench of death. Yes, I know, because that's how I was caught." Shaking her head she began to eat, a signal that she would be ignoring Sihden for a while.  

"Quiet the mark." Sihden said, turning to face me. There was less amusement in her voice when she spoke to me, but no hint of hostility. I liked Sihden, she was blunt and rarely tried to start unreasonable fights. Unlike the others, she didn't pick on me to get a reaction. I appreciated the momentary break that came when she was around. 

No one angered her. No one.

"Marion." I confessed in a whisper just in case the devil's helper himself might appear. I stared at the wooden door, willing it to remain shut. I knew Marion was somewhere in the room, but as long as I could slip out without another show, I would be fine tomorrow.

"Ah, the mountain man." She hummed. "Try as I might, I can not land him in the ring. Do you think he avoids me?" 

Finally finished I turned to look her way while I finished chewing my food. Sihden was the largest woman of all of us women here, as well as the wildest one. Bright orange hair that usually brushed the floor when she sat, matching thick brows and fire red eyes, a few shades darker than myself she was eye-catching. She was bulkier, but her height made it even, not that she cared. Even without all of that, slightly tilted, she had a red scar that ran from within her hair, down her face and ended just barely under her square jaw. She said she got it was from the first orge she used as an ingredient. For food. Not a spell. 

If Marion had any self-preservation, then he should be. She would beat him to a pulp and have him as soup.

"No, but I will let him know next time that you wish to take him on. I'm sure he will look forward to it." I promised honestly. She would be doing me a favor if she got rid of him. Not that my peace would last for long with him gone. There is always a Marion or someone like him around the corner.

"If you get to fight him, don't cause a mess like last time, please." Diane said with a mouthful of food, some flew out and landed on the table. No one paid it any mind. "Everyone who had to fight near that mess came out a mess."

"I did not mean to break the tiny man's head, I fell and he was under me. Squash, like berry under boot." Lifting one hand up she slapped the other on top, emphasizing the squash part. Wide red eyes looked back and forth between us, almost innocent by sight, her mouth was slightly parted. She truly did look apologetic. Her expression made my lips curl upward, but I still shook my head.

"If we weren't who we are and if your laugh hadn't been as loud, we might have believed you." I pointed out, grabbing the pitcher of water and pouring myself some. I let out a breath simply because it somehow made the water feel colder going down my throat. "You have a very distinctive laugh."  A very proud one too.

I had finished eating, uninterrupted, which meant I could go bandage my wound and if luck were on my side, I could have a day of rest without drama. It was rare that I would get days off, but miracles did happen every now and then. Even for the damned. My foot relaxed, enough so that the bouncing was almost none existent. The food in my stomach settled wonderfully despite not having much flavor, but that didn't matter anymore. As long as I was full, then if my luck took a turn for the worst, I wouldn't have to fight as hard. I hated being hungry in this place. 

"Was I not supposed to laugh at berry man? He was no challenge." Sihden huffed, grabbing her hair she pushed it all over her right shoulder. It really was pretty. "If I had remained quiet no one would have known of his loss." 

"You mean your win?" 

"Now that you bring it up, I did win, did I not?" 

As the two of them began their back and forth I excused myself to take care of my wound. Being closer to the door meant I didn't have to look back at all the eyes I could feel on me. I was reaching for the door handle when a voice stopped me. 

"Where are you going?" Came a cultivated, sharp voice. My hand fisted and dropped. With a shaky breath, I turned to look over my shoulder at the group of five behind me. Scanning them I saw they had all gathered slightly behind me. Two women and three men. 

The most striking of them all had hair as light as a sunrise, the rare pink that was the first to morph into burning red that fell to her back in soft waves. Slender and long-legged she would have been the outstanding beauty with small features and heart-shaped face, full lips and an innocent air about her that would lead all men to do her bidding. Had we been outside, but here? Here, Fier did not have to hide her cruel streak and so that innocent air turned cold, those small features seemed taunting and those nurturing green eyes were ever watching. Always knowing and never forgetting. 

Beside her stood her cousin and accomplice, Roziel, looking elsewhere but facing as the others were with his hands tucked into his pockets, lean figure slightly hunched forward. His hair was dark at the tips but a shade closer to Sihden's orange than to Fier's pink. He had an oblong face with wickedly pointed black brows that made it seem as if he were in a bad temper all the time and a beauty mark right under his right eye in the shape of a heart. Easily bored, he wasn't much of a bother unless Fier coxed him into trouble and only then would he become a bloodhound without mercy. 

On the other side of the lineup glaring at me with a mixture of distaste and obvious dislike was Bree, purple jewel-like eyes hard. She had a particular look to her, not too pretty, not plane enough, but a presence like no other. At barely five-two, she took on anyone without much hesitation. Wildly cut hair on the right side while the left tumbled over her shoulder in uneven lengths and shades of blue and purple, a long nose that had a triangular shape to it, a slightly rounded face with prominent cheekbones. 

On her right stood Lokier, the tallest of the group but the least muscular of the three men. The uniform was loose on him, but he carried it in an elegant way if possible. Dark skinned with eyes a shade lighter than hazel he wore aa monocle on the right side where a prominent burn mark took over half of his face the side of my palm. He had shortly trimmed pear colored hair on the side, longer on top, the tips turned a deep yellow. He had a wide nose and full lips, the rough skin around his right eye would have been a disfigurement on anyone else but on him, it did the opposite. He had a long face with a square jaw, he had a calculative air to him that he did little to try and hide, which was fine since I knew that when he wasn't observing he became obsessive in his watch. What he lacked in physical strength he made up in focus.

And in the middle of the group obsidian black eyes stared me down, shoulder-length black hair that was longer in the back but remained neatly braided down to his waist. Matching the smooth but cold voice to its owner his features sharp and attractive, but did nothing to conceal the danger behind the man. Taller than me by a foot his overall physical frame was wider as well, muscular arms crossed over his chest. His skin was an exotic combination between a tone lighter to mine but yet darker at the same time, it was as if the sun lived within him. The most striking thing about him was the natural shade of indigo that outlined around his almond eyes, the mark of a rare breed of magician. Nokx. 

The only five to attain an invitation to the fifth house for having outstanding, strange, magical skills or abilities that had managed to intrigue an Overlord enough to get them to pay special care and provide a sense of privilege to those lucky enough to be brought into the fifth house. They stayed together, they dominated together and have survived here the longest because they proved to have promise. And then there was me. The sixth member that refused to interact with them was under the direct authority of the only Overlord that wielded a strange amount of influence but no power, that has to train separately and thus far has managed to catch the attention of all other Overlords and cause a rift between them and their ticket out of here.

"Where are you off too?" Nokx repeated, eyes narrowing slightly. Around us everyone quieted down, eyes gleaming with excitement. 

"Healers Hall." I tilted my head a bit as if to point out my head wound. Ignoring me he just continued to stare.

"Pathetic." Bree whispered loudly. She didn't have to say much to explain. Everyone knew that those of house five should be the best, regardless of who the opponent was. I didn't take offense to it. Perhaps if I continued to fail I would be left alone. Mocking murmurs started. 

"I suppose." With a small smile, I turned and bolted before any more could be said. Eyes stared a hole into my back.

"There has to be something else." Lokier's rough voice spoke behind me. He probably knew I would hear this since he didn't try to keep his voice down. "She's got to be doing something other than fighting."

"Oh there's something-" A bored drawl started before cutting off moments before the door shut behind me.

With a relieved breath of escaping a possible mess behind me I marched on and away from a future problem. Although the sun was beginning to set, it was still startingly humid as I walked down the dirt path, even the trees didn't provide much help. 

There weren't many people out and about, the clearing had a couple of people sitting on the ground and a small group talking near the old pillars. There were five buildings that made up this secluded section of our world. The males and females sleeping courters, all of the watchers and instructors slept there depending on their gender. The Meal hall, the healing ward, and the last building. Everywhere else was open fields, rivers, dry land and if you survived any ludicrous escape plan, the outer world. No one escaped. No one tried. Because no one ever survived. 

They make sure that's the first lesson they give. They ask for three volunteers and then show us what happens when you try to ignore a summon, leave the boundary line or try to harm an instructor or watcher. After the first two, the third was unnecessary but of course, criminals need to be shown that actions have consequences so we all had to watch. I remember thinking one specific thing as I watched skin split open and bone come out, break open and cover that same flesh like armor. But skin without bone can not stand, so we all had to watch as it slipped down in wet puddles. Someone had made a spell that reversed the structure of the human body, intestines, heart, all organs spilling where there was not enough bone to hold it together, spilling out and erupting where it was pricked by the newly broken bone. All the while the volunteer groaned and wheezed, reaching out with weak structured hands and fingers that swayed with the wind or simply drooped. 

'Whoever came up with this had to be sick and twisted beyond measurable belief.'

I was quick to the healing ward, even more so to find the healers to busy to deal with a minor wound. Taking what I needed I walked over to the mirror hanging in the hall and began tying the wrap around my head. The pressure as it got tighter stung the wound for a moment, the herbs reacting instantly. When I was done I tugged at some of the curls that stuck out awkwardly, patting them down as they fluffed about. I stared at myself for a moment. 

I had grown fairly quickly in this place, my face was longer, no longer that of a child or a girl entering womanhood. People always say that eyes can tell the true age of someone, but looking into my shaded eyes all I could see where the dark circles under them, the healing of scab wounds on her throat, a steady build rather than the smaller one she had first walked in with. Looking down I stared at my hands, wiggling the fingers and feeling at the callouses. Shaking my head clear of useless thought I turned around and made my way out of the building. There was no need to think of things that could have been or would have been when I was barely surviving what was happening. The girl in the mirror needed more attention than the girl in her memories.

I caught sight of him immediately on making the turn back to the cafeteria. I had been hopping Marion wouldn't resort to accosting me. I was not surprised to be wrong. It was too late to turn back now, he had clearly been waiting for me and I was the only one walking down the path. If I turned from him now he would undoubtedly follow or wait for a better opportunity. As far as I knew, this was as good as I was going to let it get for him.

Sihden called him 'Mountian Man', not because he had anything to do with the mountains but because he was as big and strong as one. As far as judging a book by its cover went, he fit the bill for criminal. Petulant scowl always in place, small scars that made his unkept short black beard patchy, little to no top hair growth and crooked nose that came with a matching smile. Marion was older than me by at least ten summers, but that didn't stop him from beating anyone who he thought posed a threat to him in some way. Me? I earned his attention when I refused to react to any ill actions thrown my way. Then I gained his full ire when he heard who my Overlord was.

I stopped at a safe distance. No need for this to turn physical. I noted that the wound on his mouth had spread out like a nasty rash. 

"Where did you go?" From his appearance, most would think that his voice would be gruff, accented even. He had a croaking voice, probably from the nasty scar that marked his throat from one end of his ear to the other.

"This scratch wasn't going to treat itself." I tilted my head to the side, clasping my hands behind my back and rocked on my feet. He stared at me unblinking.

"You sure you did not go elsewhere?" He pushed, leaning forward a bit. 

"There aren't many places to travel to around here Marion." I pointed out carefully. 

There was a moment where his face flushed red, a vein around his forehead popping out as he held his breath, jaw clenched tight before he let out a breath and shook his head.

"You stole my spot. If you hadn't of showed-" I tuned him out at this point but made sure to stare him in the eyes to make it seem as if I were still tuned in. It was always the same thing with him.

You stole what was mine. Fifth house. So close. Die or find a way to get me in. 

Anyone who wanted out wanted in. I who got in wanted out. I had been here half a year and already knew that if I ever got out of this place, the Mykela that would leave would not be me. Whoever that was, whatever was left of who I had been at least.

"Bitch!"

"Yes?" I asked tuning back in. He froze, before his face turned red once more, whatever he had been saying must have been different for once because his hands had been waving around the place like a mad man.

Oh. That was the wrong response. I took a step back when he took one forward. He took another, this one quicker, a malicious gleam that I recognized the only warning I needed. I did what I did best. 

I bolted.

Heavy footsteps thudded behind me as he made hasty to catch up to me, my momentary head start about to shrink in seconds. Putting a bit more force into my pushes I leaned forward dangerously, making my footing a bit unstable, but it gave me a bit more space between me and the mad man. Racing down the path I had taken before I noted a few people coming from out of the Meal hall. Perfect. I made a dash around the next bend to head in the direction of the back door of the Meal hall so I could lose him in the crowd when I  got the warning sensation of a large body about to make contact in front of me.

Before I could fix my footing to run around whoever it was Nokx appeared in my line of sight. He had begun to turn his head in my direction when I lunged with my left leg just far enough away from him so that when I let momentum take hold of me as I fell, rolled on the ground and s stepped out roughly with my right hard enough to feel it climb up my leg. Once I felt the solid ground under me, I pushed off again, leaving behind a just of wind with my speed. Out of my preferable vision, I caught the color pink and green. The sound of a body hitting another met my ears.

"How did she-"

Oh, for a moment I had forgotten about Marion. 

"How did he not-"

Ignoring the curiosity to peek behind me I kept running, slowing a bit when I made it to the back door. For once no one seemed to care about me as everyone began to pour out the front door, excited whispers urging others to move faster. Panting a bit I pushed my self forward until I was swarmed by people on either side. Taking the moment to catch my breath I strolled along a little more casually, walked out the door with the others and slipped out of the crowd at a normal pace in case Marion had gotten away from Nokx.

Unlikely, but at the moment, not my problem. 

"They are fighting outside!" Someone shouted, multiple people, huddled and pushed, those who had been walking away from the show, ran past me to ogle.

"No, Marion's taking a thrashing."

As I said, not my problem. I wasn't the only one walking away from the fight so I didn't stick out. Not everyone here was filled with blood lust.

"Does Nokx look angry to you?" That specific voice floated out to me from among the many.

"Is he not always?" He seemed more callous then someone who simply got angry. 

"Crush the Mountain Man!" And there was Sihden. I'm sure if I turned I could spot her nearest to the front, where blood was sure to splatter those who got too close.

"No, there's something-" 

My only warning was the sudden light that flashed so bright behind me that it forced my shadow to move from behind me to the front. It was soundless, but the hairs on my airs all stood at the same time as if reacting to an unknown sound. 

There was only one reason for a light appearing so suddenly in a warded area. A summoning from an Overlord, but a light this bright must me mean that they were all summoned. And if they were summoned...then I would-

Damn. 

I knew it was true the moment I felt a tug from my neck, like skin being pinched. In a blink, I was no longer outside but within the fifth house.

Damn. Damn.Damn. Anxiety and dream began to fill me at once. 

Darkness greeted me at once, like standing inside of a large well, cold stone surrounded me, dirt under my boots flying as I spun around. As expected he stood behind me. Settled on a simple wooden chair he smiled at me, large smoke-filled grey eyes eerily accurate. He swung his bare feet, the long white robe dangling where it ran long, draped over his small childish frame without care it was held together with the silver chains that wrapped around his waist and pinned down by the emblem designed broach that stated who he was. Short lavender-blue hair was cut just above his eyes in a straight line, the straight strands shining almost white under the magenta-colored window that I could never really find. 

Overlord Gaviel. My summoner. 

"Gaviel." I greeted tensely. Beside me, my hands opened and closed. He didn't look away from my face but I knew he caught sight of the movement, but I couldn't force myself to stay still in his presence.

" Have you enjoyed your time off?" He asked impishly, the young child's voice sounding almost short of shy. I stared at him. He was up to something. He was always up to something, but there was something else.

"Very much. Thank you." I thanked him, not sure what he wanted, but not trying to put him in a foul mood. He was not a child, not really, but he behaved like one when things did not go his way.

"Aren't you going to ask why I haven't called upon you yet?" He pouted, crossing his slim arms over his chest and huffed. "You should, I really want to tell you." 

"Would you be kind enough to tell me the reason for my lack of practice recently?" I asked flatly. A smile made its way to his face as he seemingly exploded with excitement and chatter.

"Finally! Oh Mykela, you have no idea how hard I've worked to get the necessary pieces for our next experiment. You know better than most how hard we've worked to polish your gift, but it wasn't until our last success," I flinched at the words he threw uncaringly. " that I realized that it's certainly time to move onto a different broach of topic. You've mastered magicians and you're on the verge of handling the hybrids, but I've found a solution to our struggling." He clapped joyously, his little legs kicking out happily.

The more he spoke the heavier I felt, anxiety blooming into ice that made my chest feel as if it went on forever rather than what it really was. I said nothing and simply waited. All I could do was wait. Not seeming content with my response he stilled and tilted his head. 

"Rejoice Mykela, today is a day of triumph. If you overcome this, you will truly become powerful in all forms and purposes." He said matter of fact, placing his hands on either side to grip at the chair. I glanced at his hands as they tightened. 

"What is my trial?" 

It was the right question. I knew because as soon as he heard, his mouth closed as a slow grin began to crawl up his face, the sound of rubber stretching greeted my ears. I forced myself not to recoil. That horrid sound. It always meant bad things for me. When he stopped grinning the sound stopped. He lifted a hand to covered his mouth, giggling a bit when he dropped his hand his mouth was back to normal. 

"Today's experiment will be a little different." He jumped down from his chair away from me and into the dark. "Follow along."

Doing so I trailed after Gaviel in the dark. That's the thing about the fifth house. No one invited in knows where to go without an Overlords guidance. To us it all appears to be a darkened well, seeing no further than the length of one's own hand unless given permission too. No one gets out without an Overlords permission. 

"In order to collect all of the necessary pieces I needed to go to a few friends and ask for favors. Of course, they all complied, but there was a condition in order for this to be done." Gaveil explained, a haughty tone in his voice. 

"No one would deny you the chance to experiment." 

"Very true." He concurred with a nod of his head. "My results are always one of a kind."

Overlord Gaveil had been the answer to my first question. He had been the one to set the spells keeping the prisoners in line and the staff well protected. His experiments were the reason although he had little power, his requests and thoughts were taken seriously. When people treated him as an ally, he shared his findings with all and provided all sorts of magical findings, but when he felt snubbed or belittled, like a child he let his anger known. But unlike a child, he had wiped out half of the councils' army force within three days. They called it Gaveil's Warning. Because that's what it had been. A three-day warning. Guaranteed a spot on the council, all he had to do was wait for when it would be time to take it.

"Think nothing much of it really, they simply wanted to watch."

His words ended when all eyes landed on me. Gaviel who had been standing in front of me took three steps to the right and disappeared. I could suddenly feel a cold wall behind me were moments ago, there had been nothing. Slowly stepping forward, my sight cleared until I stood in the very center of the room. 

I was surrounded by the Overlords and those who worked for them I assume. Below them sat Bree, Nokx, Roziel, Fier, and Lokier. Each had a similar look of aloofness, uncaring air about them, but as someone was was in the same boat I could tell by the tightening of their lip and the sharp eyes that they knew something was about to happen and they weren't too sure where they fit in. Which was a dangerous notion when your life was at stake.

If I had been in their position I suppose I too would be uneasy. But I had known Gaviel would do this one day, he had a knack for showing off every chance he got, but when we had our privet 'sessions' nothing was perfect enough for him to show off. So he kept quiet about any and all 'progress' as he liked to call his experimental stages. I called it a blight on my soul. No one really knew what my gift was outside of the Council members that given me my verdict and Gaviel who was in charge of me. Only he had been mad enough to see the potential in my gift. Mad, but not blind I thought with resignation. Turning away from the five that would have been brought by their Overlords for what must be a comparison of power, I focused on what mattered. Survival.  

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to a new beginning of my experiment. I am sure many of you have heard that I have taken quite a liking to Mykela and with good reason. You see she is an extraordinary girl." Gaviel's voice was dismembered, echoing around, switching from a child to something a bit older with an edge to it. "She posses a gift far rarer than most comprehend."

No one said anything as he spoke but I could feel their eyes as if they were fingers grabbing onto me, holding tight with greedy hands that wanted to pull me apart to see what the mystery was about.  Staring straight ahead I focused on a particular spot where I saw only darkness, shadows clinging to a spot in front of me. There was a cloaking spell in front of me, I couldn't hear or see anything coming from that direction, but there must be something hidden. 

"We live in a world where knowing your enemy is as important as knowing your allies, but what if you had the power to become either, think as they do, act as they do and gain the same power they possess?" He paused, giddiness making his voice quiver. "But of course words are not enough to show you the potential in her and so I want you all to see what I have seen."

SNAP!

I was wrong. I was very, very wrong. The cloaking spell hadn't been placed in front of me, it had been placed all around me. Turning slowly I began my count and took them all in, heart beating as I realized Gaveil's intentions. Perhaps he truly did want to kill me this time. 

In front of me stood a large man covered in taters of old rags and grime covering from head to toe, he was barefoot, hunched as he snarled at me with bared canines and filthy claws protruding from his fingertips,  muscles scrunching and tensing. Shifting and preparing under his skin for his chance. On my right, there was a man who a slim man in no worse or better conditions, long black hair tumbled down around his shoulders and past his thin collar bones. He had dark shadows under his eyes, skin a pale sickly color, but what stood out the most where the black veins that moved around his throat, the quickly dilating black pupils and the fangs that poked from out of his mouth. He stood very still, but the way he held his hands behind his back made me nervous. Behind me, a muscular woman with scaled green skin and a long tail stared at me with the distinctive eyes that marked her kind from her kin passed behind me, mouth snaping sharply with her razer sharp teeth. On my left there stood another woman, this one had no definitive features that told me what she could be but the keen way she stared at me made it feel as if I had more to be wary about then the others. 

Magicians do not associate with beasts. It simply wasn't done. My hands fisted, trembling. I kept a careful stance, ready to move if any of them jumped out. I would only be able to avoid one. He was mad, this was unlike any of the other experiments we had done. I would...I couldn't...

"Werewolf. Vampire. Lizardwoman and a mystery. We all know that beasts are beneath us, but it would be unwise to not know our enemy." Stepping from behind the werewolf Gavriel smiled at me, his face the perfect mask of innocence. " Only those who overcome their struggle can ask for their freedom and so I have promised them all that, Mykela. If they kill you, they get to go home to their families. A new beginning. Happily ever after." He pointed up with a finger.

Risking my neck I looked up and caught sight of various amounts of people sitting above them all, looking down. It was as if they stood on glass. Women, children, men, elderly.  All looked at me with different expressions. Some hostile, hatred, anger and even pity. They were all wearing tattered clothing, slim faces, and tired stances. They had probably been through quite the ordeal when being brought here to witness something that was little more than a game to those in charge in the room. Looking back down I nodded slowly.

"I see." I said softly. "And if I live?" 

He stared at me, odd eyes, smoke swirling within them. His smile never left his face, but for someone with the face of a child, it was anything but child-like looking back at me. 

"You get nothing."

"Hmm."

The answer was easy. Die. But letting it happen was harder. I didn't want to die. I didn't have much for myself, but I had one wish. 

One wish I simply had to live for, regardless of what I had to live through. Looking back up I looked at the faces of all the people who stood above me. Then I looked off to the side of where the blank faces Overlords sat, watching, waiting. Then I looked down at their pawns, so much like myself. Bree looked bothered but looked back unsympathetically. Nokx, as always, had a blank look on his face as he stared intensely. Roziel, did not look bored for once, but he looked anything but pleased. Fier seemed curious, green eyes taking in the people that surrounded me. Lokier was staring at Gaviel with an odd expression, brow furrowed as he mulled over something. Probably trying to figure out why this was all going on and why they had to be witnesses today. Perhaps I would be the example for showing lackluster results. I would not see things in my favor if I had been sitting where they were at the moment.

"They have all been warned to not fight each other, you are their only target, but do not fret, I know your limitation, so this is what we shall do. You will only have to fight one on one with them." Stepping back into the shadow that had once covered him, Gaviel disappeared. There was an ambiguous sensation to his words. "I will be watching along with my friends of course, but to start off I do believe we need a warm-up. I heard the most interesting thing today." 

Now that Gaveil was gone the ones around me seemed to be getting anxious, with so many movements I was beginning to feel closed in. I did not like that sensation. 

"Aren't you going to ask me what I heard today Mykela?" Gaviel asked, irritation making his words sharp. Without looking around to find his place I spoke, used to this game.

"Would you be kind enough to tell me what it is that you heard today Gaviel?" 

"Since you asked so nicely I will oblige your curiosity. You see, I don't particularly care what goes on outside of my business, butI've heard that you've been rather submissive outside of the fifth house." He tsked. "That simply can not go on Mykela, you represent me you know. So for our warm-up, we will be setting that situation straight." 

"Step forward." Someones gravely voice barked out, I half looked over my shoulder in their direction but the stony faces remained, leaving me clueless as to who could have spoken. And then he came into view and I remembered that it didn't necessarily matter. 

Face nearly unrecognizable because of the swelling and discolored bruises that seemed ready split open, Marion limped forward. One of his eyes was firmly shut, but the other looked on at me with as much abhorrence as I'm sure he was able to carry without hurting himself. Well, Nokx certainly gave him a good beating in the short amount of time he had him for. 

"Woah, your tutee sure did him some serious damage Maxlius. You should heal him so we can all watch something interesting." There was a pause. "No one likes a thrown fight." 

That was clearly directed at me. 

"You are such a schemer, but very well." He replied, his voice modulative, resounding through space. Mumbling quickly, Marions physical aspect seemed to improve as the minutes passed. Slowly he straightened up until he stood fully erect, rolling his shoulders back as he turned his head either which way. Wiggling his fingers he looked down at them and then up at me.

"And while you are at it, you might as well remove the lock on him."  Gaviels voice turned into honey. "How about it Marion, you win this fight and I may just let you take her place. I'll even keep her lock on. Doesn't that sound nice."  He pushed, the offer persuasive. 

Looking in the direction of his voice I found him looking in at Marion, but the moment I looked his way one of his eyes turned towards me. The edge of his mouth pulling up, the sound of rubber stretching. Then it was as if it had never happened. 

I see. This was also my punishment. Sighing I looked away. Avoiding conflict had simply landed me in a worse position. I should learn to read my leaves better. This was clearly not a better future. Marion looked ecstatic. As in, he no doubts, was in full agreement to finally claim the position he so often accused me of stealing. 

"Agreed." Was all he said grinning at me with malevolence I recognized. I pursed my lips.

"Very well Gaviel. Marion, win, not kill. If she fails to beat you then I suppose she wasn't much, to begin with." Maxlius drawled a hint of exasperation in his voice. Someone let out a purposely loud sigh. Female from the sharp notes in the air.

"Understood my Overlord." No sooner had the words left his mouth did the main course challengers all take a step back and out of sight, sound or sensation and it was just me and Marion. Two flaming bands appeared around his wrists, flickering bright red before they turned a pale black that just as quickly as it came it disappeared. There was a moment where Marion held still before there came a soft pulse from him and a soft glow came about his body as power surged forward and back into its original place.

While he powered up stood on the tips of my toes and dropped. Stood on my toes and dropped. I repeated this a couple of times before arching my back a bit until I felt a small satisfying crack.

"Seems like I'll be taking my rightful place from you now," Marion called out, no doubt taunting me. 

"Seems so," I answered. "Do you mind tell me what your power is?" 

"Did she seriously just ask him outright?" I heard Bree choke out.

"What? Want to know how much pain I'm going to put you through?" Marion laughed, taking a swaggering step forward. "If you must know-"

"Don't tell her."  Gaviel called out amused. A scowl had begun to form on my face before I could help it. I took in a deep breath before clearing my face of any expression. He was such a pain. "She'll use it to her advantage. You'd best not underestimate her." 

Marion stilled and looked from Gaviel to me, a suspicious look on his face now. I blinked. With a newfound hesitation, but the same cockiness that he carried when he realized I would be his sparring partner, he ran at me. With each step that he took all of my disadvantages leap forward to mind.

The first and most important was that this fight would be revealing to those who watched me and would have to handle me thereafter. The second was not knowing what it was that he could do, it meant risking a serious injury. The third and far most important to me was how utterly disrespectful Gaviel had been on cutting off the easiest way for me to figure out what Marion's power had been. I really did dislike him. I had fought Marion enough times to know that he would start with a straight forward punch with maximum speed and force, but he always made sure to be aware of his surroundings. He wasn't an idiot, but neither was I. The Marion I had fought against was different from the Marion with his powers back. I suppose he would either end this quickly to show his superiority or he would drag it out. 

I focused as soon as his foot landed with such a force in front of me that the very vibration of the ground traveled up my boot. Spikes and needles traveled up my body like being pushed into a body of ice water, it was such a shock that my limb weakened, my eyes widened as pressure forced air out of my lungs and down I went. I didn't get far before his knee came up and smashed into my chest, a nasty sound left my mouth. Still filled with weakened limbs that trembled, as I began to try and force air down the airway he spun and kicked me, knocking my body with such a force that I rolled and tumbled before crashing into the cold wall.

As I collected my breath, forcing the displaced air back in I heard Marion go off about weakness and what not. Wiggling my toes in my boot I flexed my muscles and continued to force air into my body I began to stand. Placing a palm on the wall I stood with my back to him and stood on the tips of my toes and then dropped. Taking in a deep breath, tightening my core I turned and focused. And released the breath painstakingly slow until my chest felt so hollow that I could almost feel my heartbeat. 

Now I knew what his power was. I suppose the inner glowing should have been a clue. He opened his eyes at me as his arms opened wide as if to say 'come to me.' Very well. His left leg tensed before he began to lift it, about to take a step in my direction. Electic power made the veins running down his arms and face light up, like a beacon in the dark. His power allowed him to shock his opponent, like lightning hitting a tree he set them on fire from the inside out and with his physical strength, he stole their breaths and forced them into submission. It really was the perfect power for someone like him. 

And now I knew what was needed to be done. Clenching my teeth in a painstaking grind I began to release my breath. I lifted my left leg back, placed my foot on the wall, lifted my hands and with a perfect lung, pushed myself into a cartwheel. But instead of continuing the roll and kicking him in the face as would have been no doubt satisfying I let my body drop with a heavy thud that sent dust and pebbles flying up just as his left boot came down a step closer, right next to my head and arm.

Instantly my whole body lit up with painful pins and needles, a liquid fire burning within my stomach as if my organs had been cooked. Now fully hit from his power, I halted my breath and acted.

Turning to face his foot I threw my right arm behind his leg, pulling my lower half up I reached out with left and wrapped my hand around his left ankle. Rolling right I pulled him down next to me and kicked both legs together on the side of his neck and heard the perfectly planned sound of his head cracking against the ground with my added force. Not one to gloat I rolled away from him and stood. I released my breath. 

He rolled, both hands on the ground before looking up at me from on his knees. The look on his face was amusing. 

"I've beat you." He whispered on the verge of disbelief. A giggle filled the room, adding fire to the flame as Marion rushed to stand, hands fisting up.

"I've let you. I do not particularly enjoy unnecessary fighting, but I know some egos need to establish dominance to feel better about-" He ran at me with madness in his eyes.

I mean really, it's as if he had no self-control. 

I took a breath and held it as I began to take rapid backward steps, knowing for the moment that nothing but the wall would be there to greet me. I stopped once I felt the coldness greet my back. 

Without pause he threw a fast punch straight for my head, tilting my head I felt the spray of rubble flew out. He pulled his arm out just as the other shot out to strike where my head had just been but I dopped to a crouch and glanced up at him with large eyes. The vein on his face throbbed as he loomed over me. With a spit flying out of his mouth he lifted his right leg as if to knee me in the face like he liked to do. That's the thing about fighting men larger than me. 

It was far to easy to slip through their legs. Lunging forward and twisting I pulled my legs close to my chest once my whole torse had been out and shot them back out just as quickly as soon as I saw his black start to flex to turn. With my right leg, I made sure he wouldn't be able to slam his foot back down to manage any sort of balance when I kicked my left foot behind his left knee, naturally, he folded back. I lunged forward and warped my bicep around his neck and tucked my head under my shoulder and brought my right hand straight and locked it around my wrist just as his hands reached for my head. 

I would never have the strength to choke him out or at the moment I wouldn't have the tolerance to put up with it. He yanked at my hair trying to dislodge me, his words garbled as I squeezed at his throat, but not enough to completely block his airway. Continuing the yanking he released a tremendous amount of power flow through me, left hand dropped behind him and near my open rib cage he began to punch at me, each hit filled with electricity. I hissed out a breath and then stopped when the pain began to sharpen. My body was beginning to heat up dangerously fast, my mind becoming foggy in some places.

I twisted my right hand and bent my wrist so that my palm slid behind his head and rocked forward and began to smash his head into the wall. After the second strike he seemed to understand that I wasn't trying to choke him out but rather knock him unconscious, this redoubled his efforts to escape. He flexed his back trying to dislodge me but when I held stead he began trying to stand. I was running out air. I slammed his head in hard with a determined mindset on the wall one last time before he managed to righten his footing and pushed off the wall and let his weight or rather mine, speed our descend. As we fell I calculated my next move.

I didn't move he would use his weight o pin me down and no doubt electrocute me. I couldn't scramble off of his back because of his grip on my hair so I used that to my advantage and released my overall hold over his neck and instead gripped at the hand firmly gripping my hair, turned and with collected legs kicked right and used that new momentum to pull myself up and in front of him. Hair twisted and yanked at my scalp in an interesting way. Moments before we hit the ground I brought my knees to my chest and balled up, put a hand over his mouth and forehead and shoved hard.

His head was the first thing that hit the ground, along with all of my additional weight. There was a moment where I twisted my head a bit to see if it had worked, not being able to turn fully because of the awkward way I had landed across his chest and then his hand dropped from my hair like dead weight, taking my headwrap along with it. I knew he was truly out when all the aches, pins and needle feelings slowly began to fade away. Now that was done I rolled away from him and stood.

Releasing my breath I grunted at the full-body pain I would now be forced to put up with. Breathing hurt my delicate organs. Lifting my hand I looked at my hands and grimaced at what appeared to be burn marks and almost charred skin. I probably looked like Lokiers burn scar. I didn't look his way, it would be rude and tell sign of what I was thinking. 

"Next?" I asked, looking in Gaviel's way. He was standing, his hands on the rails in front of his, fingers gripping so tightly that his knuckles were bone white. They watched his teeth that flashed me from all the way down here. 

Woosh

Quickly looking over my shoulder in case anyone appeared, I realized Marion's unconscious body had simply vanished. Well, at least I won't have to step on him now. Or use him as a shield. That would be unseemly.

"And now for the main attraction." Immediately the back of my neck felt cold and then there was a tug as if I had been pinched, but by the weight, I felt lifted off my shoulder and the clearing within my I knew what the sensation was. At once my body felt lighter, better than ever, my mind sharp.

"Did you heal her?"  A low voice asked I would have thought them to be male if not for the soft tone. Looking over I saw a woman with a high black bun and beautiful hair adornments, her eyes were coated in red markings that made her yellow eyes pop.

"No, she did that herself." Gaviel sat back down but he couldn't seem to sit completely still as he rocked back and forth in his seat.

"But how? Does she possess healing magic that requires no words?" Another voice asked from across me, a man with dark orange hair and a long beared, one eye green and the other black. Ah, him I recognized as Overlord Juliuz. 

"No, that isn't the case." He corrected. "And as to how? Well, because she wanted to."  

"Speak clearly Gaviel. Please." He asked with a sigh and a shake of his head. 

"You'll just have to watch if you want to understand." He answered mysteriously. Juliuz turned back to look at me with an annoyed but accepting look. He must be used to this. I almost pitied the guy. The thought made me huff.

"Very well. Now," There was a deviousness, almost flinty sense to his words even as he spoke calmly. "time for your one on one matches."

And then they all stepped out with collared chains around their necks. At once they all broke and shattered into sparkling blue pieces that shot up, forward and around Gaviels outstretched hand. At once they all began circling me but I couldn't move from my furious position. Fire, unlike the one Marion, had put me through licked at my insides, my blood boiled as I stared up at him full of spite. That conniving fall of-

"Careful Mykela," He said slowly, swinging the chains in a circle as he laid his head on his hand and stared at me with a tilted head. "you look angry. We both know what happens when you're angry so do try to calm down. Or maybe not, I do quite like you either way. Win for me, okay?" He smiled charmingly, both eyes closing for a moment before he opened them and smirk took place.

I should have seen this coming really. One on one. What he had really meant was me fighting one on one, at the same time. No matter how I looked at it, I was at a disadvantage. Four against one was not an ideal match. Scanning around me in alarm I ignored who would be the biggest threat because at the moment they all stood on equal ground. 

Lizardwoman....Lizardwoman...Lizard..there on my left. I made sure to not face her fully or the others would think I would want to target her first and aim for my bareback, but then again they would do that anyway. I didn't have enough time.

The sound of her tail swishing back and forth behind her, at once her hands lifted on either side of her, claws extending. What I needed now wasn't the claws or teeth. Looking for her eyes in the dark, I found the pale green and golden eyes with flecks of blue. Reptilian eyes stared ahead unblinkingly, her jaw dropped to reveal small but jagged rows of teeth, from entirely covering her forehead to trailing down her jaw and thickening as her vital points, bumps and tightly pulled shapes trailing down her arms like protection. 

Staring into her eyes I cleared my thoughts, my being, emptied my essence and pulled. Now that I had a better idea as to what I did, I knew it was really latching onto someone, and stealing their essence for myself but this would be a first. And I would have to make it a fast one. My mind morphed and collapsed on itself as a new sense of purpose filled me, my eyes stung as a new world of muted colors or different shades of red and pink. Before I could fully transition I felt a blow come from behind my back. Long claws ranked down my back with such a force that I flew forward and into the swinging arm of the vampire, I felt something give in my chest as soon as my body made contact with his rock-like arm.

Skin tightened and tingled as it came together. My fingers shook as the sensation of my nails being pushed out began. I had a strong urge to grip onto something, to hold still. 

I didn't have time to feel the torn sensation coming from my back or the pining sensation that made my heart feel as if it was restricted before I heard the wolf begin to lunge for my face, claws spreading in his paws. I rolled right, my head snapped back, a crack revering throughout the room as my nose broke. A high pitched noise escaped me as I rasped out a breath, fresh blood flying away from my mouth before tailing down. A metallic taste quickly morphed into a unique taste of salt and something soft. I ran my tongue over my mouth, feeling smaller, spikey teeth. I could feel the blood in my veins at once begin to slow, my fingertips and toes growing colder as my temperature began to lower.

There was no actual sound but pressure from above that made my ears twitch had me looking up as a scaly foot want to crush my head in. My arms snapped up at once to take hold of her foot and twisted it as soon as I had a firm scaly grasp. My biceps filled with newfound strength flipped her away from me, nearly dodging the tail that followed right after like a third limb. She crashed into someone taking them down, just as the werewolf used them as stepping stone and lunged at me with a snarl. Swinging my arms back towards me I braced my palms against his furry stomach, claws dug into my shoulders but sliding down my knew hardened skin. The sensation felt that of blades running down leather. Not deep enough to tear, but enough to call it damaged. I tilted and shoved him against the wall just as I felt someone wrap a hand around my ankle and drag me.

"Why does she look like that?" 

"Could she be a hybrid, perhaps?"

Without a clear direction in which I could roll to I tightened my core and curled in and with my free leg puled in, launched it back out in direction of whoever had a hand on me. At the last moment, my captive leg dropped as the dodged the blow, but I didn't let that stop me from bringing my hands over and behind me and pushing of the ground and back to my feet. My body was stronger, but this speed was not up to par. Annoyance and pain flickered for front for a moment. Damn. Perhaps I had chosen the wrong person-

I braced as someone tackled me from the left side, an arm hooking thought my own and digging thin long claws into my sides as soon as a knee came up behind my own, jabbing at the easily triggered joint. As I flinched back and tried to righten myself, a hand slide across my back, an arm coming over me as if in a friendly embrace.

"Oh, my."

 His hand wrapped around my jaw, nails breaking and splitting at the unforgiving and well-protected skin. With a wrench that would have no doubt tore my naturally weakened neck muscle had I been in my normal state, the vampire bit at my jugular and began to jerk in all directions to pull my skin loose. It was hell, but the lizard's skin didn't give. I jerked, putting effort into breaking out of this hold, but as soon as I felt the werewolves jaw lock around my left calf and sink into the softer flesh, where scales were weakest I screamed.

Instead of trying to twist my neck away from the vampire I reached around his face and gabbed my fingers into his mouth as soon as he went fro a different location of my neck. Curling my fingers I gabbed my claws into the roof of his mouth and pushed up until a gurgling sound came out of him and he pulled his face away. From behind me the same sensation of pressure came and the Lizardwoman I recognized at once as her signature. I swung my free leg and turned my torso left, forcing the vampire to follow suit if he refused to release me. This small shift, the smallest change, cause the explosive foot that was meant to, no doubt, pulverize my back or at least rip through my stomach, sent the vampire flying off of me. He pulled me back a moment after the actual impact, but his hold had loosened enough for me to lift my left leg and slam it full force into the wolf's snout. I tried to be as accurate as possible, but I felt as if I scraped off the first layer of my own skin with the force. Terrified voices screamed from above me 

Bone snapped back as skin and blood split apart under my boot. I didn't have to look down to feel the wet splatter that sprayed on my bottom leg. Jagged teeth slid out and scraped down with whatever little force he had left. There was no sound that came from him to let me know the degree of pain he had just experienced, but the wet huffs, the clumped drips that hit the ground, I would be surprised if he lived. Which is why he would be the first to go. Wolves had the low ground covered and were too good at sneaking into the right attacking position when the others failed. 

We both crashed to the wall with such force that we bounced off of it and into the ground, chunks of the wall coming off along with us. Scuttling away from the vampire before he reached out I hurried to my feet and ran. The werewolf laid on the ground, not dead, but slowly healing, dark eyes flickering as he trained his gaze on me as I ran past him. The mysterious female with no special markings stepped out, a sly twinkle about the expression on her face but a dull look within her eyes. Instinct took over, something warning me about this woman as I stepped out and changed my direction. At once I could hear fast approaching movement behind me.

In turning away from that woman I ran in the direction of the Lizerdwoman, which was fine. I had learned quickly that protective skin was not worth slower reflexes. Why take a hit when avoiding them was much more favorable. 

She didn't go for a swing this time or even a kick, crouching low and widening her stance she charged forward with large steps that thundered the ground with her weight and strength. I could vaguely see dents in the ground behind her from the force she had used to propel herself forward. Just as she took the lung and began to widen her arms I sprang up, my hands dropped down on top of her head to keep her in place as I used her shoulders and jumped once more, this time, landing on the wall and scaling it. Murmuring and laughter rang out.

"She truly is something spectacular!" 

"Oh you simply must hand her over to me if she survives this Gabiel." 

Climbing higher and higher I used my claws to ascend, for once glad for the uneven surface and old bricks. It was easy to pull myself up, natural even, but harder to rotate my body in a vertical position once I was high enough, my boots not the same as clawed feet. I was proven correct when I heard the clip-clip of a fast-moving body. Taking a risk I peaked back and paled at the dramatical difference in speed between me and the Lizardwoman, she, after all, had a tail aiding her. Redoubling my efforts I dug my fingers into the wall until I felt it give in like stale cheese, rubble flying out with my messy tactic and raining down on those unable to join above. Without pausing this game of chase I looked for the vampire down bellow and grinned when I caught his dark gaze. The timing would be tricky, my mind and body would have to corporate, but it would have to do.

Feeling like a bird flying around its unsuspecting prey with an enemy nearby I made sure not to lose eye contact as I moved about. My mind expanded, black tendrils of darkness pulling me in with an unexpected allure. As I slipped into this new me, a violent shiver rocked through me, a piercing pain shooting to the forefront of my mind as what I recognized as the calming mindset of the lizard woman dissolved like mist and I connected to an instinctive predator. Just like my mind shift, my body followed suit, eyes tingling before the world returned to a more familiar if not sharper sense of color, skin smoothing from scales into a harder flesh, my gums pulsed and throbbed as small teeth grew and shifted into normal ones with the exception of the who fangs that poked out of my mouth. Before I completely lost the last advantage of my nails I scanned for the werewolf. As I began to slow I knew she would close the distance in mere seconds. A terrible sensation began at the back of my tongue, as if dry air was beginning to scrape against it, the sensation traveling down.

"She's changed again."

Once spotted, I launched myself off the wall, arms held out in front of me as I bared my new fangs and snarled at him. Fully healed he snarled back, his rumbling throughout his whole body, saliva dripping from his own fangs as he took the challenge and leapt at me. We tipped backward as soon as we slammed together, I wrapped my legs around his middle and tightened my thighs as we tumbled to the ground. He whimpered for a moment, squirming before ranking his claws down my face, slicing through my skin, instantly it burned and I entered a blinded rage triggered by pain and anger. My heartbeat skipped a beat twice and then slowed, pulsing so slow that it was anything but human.

 A deafening scream left me as I took hold of his muzzle and squeezed until bone, blood, and fur covered my hand like sticky tar. He removed a hand from my face and dug them into my hands, but I refused to let go. My throat burned, not a thirst per se, but an uncomfortable feeling of dryness that ran from my throat and lingered in my veins like sand against an open wound. Agitation. Slapping his paw out of my face and cooping with how it made his claws scrape against the fresh wounds I plunged my joined thin claws into his chest and at the sensation of that small but powerful organ, the thin layer of flesh giving out to the force of something stronger, a warmer liquid coating my finger, only then did I separate my fingers and yanked them out of his chest with a steady hand. A flow of blood, like a fountain, surged out into the air with a beautiful eloquence that I felt were only for my eyes to see. I was transfixed on it, the contrast of red against this grimy room, the tufts of fur that flew behind it. I couldn't help it, I laughed, a deranged grin taking place as I licked my fingers and leaped off of the corpse.

From above, it sounded as if children wept, and a haunted widows howl that was stunningly haunting, my enhanced hearing not one faulty note in the saddening melody. The exact moment of heartbreak, it was vile, the elation that it brought me to know that I caused such sounds and got to hear the effect of such action.

Turning around I found the vampire and woman standing still a little far off, the lizard woman, still perched on the wall. Well, that's not fun. I rubbed my fingers together at the wet sensation. My face stung and dripped, red as well, but as special as when others bleed, but still the reminder of my pain made me tilt my head and rock side to side. Here I was again. Hurt for the entertainment of others. Bitter resentment caused me to glance up at Gavriel. 

"Perhaps I should have warned her that Vampires are emotional creatures triggered by negativity and blood." He said casually as if I weren't watching him, weren't even there. "But it's so rare for her to show them that I simply could not resist myself."

I glared at him in scorn, my lips curling to bare my fangs. From the corner of my eye, someone with brightly covered hair moved forward but was pulled back.

"The look in those eyes..." Someone began, slowly, fascination and something else brewing. "it's quite intense." 

Looking away from them I glanced up at the spectating families. So many faces. I didn't linger on them for long. I felt the shift in the remaining three at once. The vampire and mystery spreading out to surround me. The lizard woman slowly climbing down, but not coming off of the wall just yet as she studied me. Looking around me I looked at the vampire and pursed my lips, brows coming down. He looked back at me with a new hint of weariness, but no lack of conviction. The woman...she still gave no telling signs, but now there was a tightness around her eyes. The look in her eyes wasn't fear, nor was it anything challenging, the closest name I could think of was understanding. I did not like that look.

I looked to the ground at the dead wolf's corpse and blinked. He hadn't gotten the chance to heal his face, so it was profoundly unrecognizable. His blood was splattered in a telling direction, a puddle under his head, fresh blood pouring from out of the wound in his chest, flattening his fur where it touched until he was drenched. If they weren't going to attack this time, then this dance would be one me. 

"It is extremely rude to hesitate when working on a planned murder."  I mused, a honey tone unlike my usual voice coming out. It was surprising considering my throat demanded a cure. 

She was too slow, by the time she had begun a backward scuttle I had already pierced her nearly invulnerable armor, but I had become her for a moment as so I knew all of her weak spots as if they were my own. Plunging my nails into her lower back on either side of her spine I yanked her off the wall and balled my hands as I threw her. She flew and towards the woman who managed to take a half step away but was clipped in the shoulder by the lizard woman's tail, I dropped the chunks of thick meat that I had held onto as I moved. I ran at the vampire as the lizard woman flew through the air, using her as a cover, and swung at him when we were face to face.

He was a nimble one, his overall reaction was to tilt his head back and sidestep. There wasn't much of a height difference between us. As I watched him move, his long hair flowing behind him, a second after his movements. Opening my fist I began to attack with an open palm, strike without sequence, up, down and in repeated spots, where he was no longer near. Near misses. He threw his elbow out and jerked his hand out, fingers straight as he swiped, I spun closer into his personal space and threw my own elbow back without a glance. I caught sight of something interesting as I scanned those two around us. A small stinging webbed beneath my right ear, as his nails glided over my skin, for a moment we stood face to face before we continued to move around each other like a well-arranged dance. 

Swinging with such determination that I twisted my upper half away from where I had predicted he was targeting that I was completely caught off guard when mid-motion downward motion his hand balled up and smacked me in the face.

"Ouch."

 The blow was staggering, spreading from my nose and bring tears to my eyes. I didn't get to brace for the follow up that came when he pulled his hand away and did it again. Snarling caused the injury to worsen but I couldn't help it, my fingers tips throbbed. I took a step back as blood dripped down my chin and throat. I licked my lips and shook my head and dropped to a crouch. He mimicked my stance.

I pushed off of my feet and ran at him, he charged at me as well, the sound of us pushing off reverberated. Each step I took was planned, times and perfected and I dropped and slide right past him stomped my right foot down and with a curl flew at the Lizardwoamn that had been flaring at me from behind him with a furious expression, dark blood dripping behind her and coloring her tail a shade darker than green. My sudden shift in target caught her off guard, even when her eyes had been on me she hadn't been focused on my she had been looking for an opening. Looming on the outsides of our fight like a shark.

I landed on her, plunging my fingers into her eyes and let my body fly over hers, I perched on her back and slid down and began to rib and claw at the open wounds. Flesh, blood, and chips of bone flew behind me as I threw it all out. Her tail thrashed underneath me, her arms bending to try and remove me, her claws so good for climbing were weaker than the werewolves, the barely broke first skin. She bucked and twisted, turned and screamed until finally she dropped to her knees and fell forward. There was a momentary throbbing at my temples, a flash of emotion and then it was swallowed by glee and the chuckles that escaped from my throat. I brought my hands to my mouth and licked, humming at the taste. Plain, but soothing to the back of my throat.

I stood and stretched, lifting my arms over my head as I lifted to the tips of my toes and dropped and repeated the motion once more, bouncing.

"There's something off." The sound of fabric rustling, movement. "I wonder, could she have-"

"She's two more to go. Do not celebrate just yet." 

I began jogging in place and looked between the remaining two, my face aching, back slick with a mixture of sweat and blood. There was a nasty pang coming from my scalp, flesh and hair dangling. I pulled it off and flung it at the vampire. Two, but which one. The vampire was fast and a harder opponent, but the other...she had watched me and waited when she tried to take me down. Scanning her head to toe I realized she was practically unscathed despite not having any outstanding traits, perhaps that in itself was outstanding. I dropped to a squat and bounced, feeling a slight strain on my right knee. 

I began to count rhythm in my head, rocking my head for a moment. Standing back up abruptly I went on the tips of my toes and spun, arms lifted in front of me as I clasped my hands and pointed out my elbows, took a step out and spun. Faster and faster I began to step out and twirl, the world became two blurs. The woman removed her self from the wall standing in the middle and I twirled past her, sensing that he was now back in my sights the vampire male pushed his hair out of his face and turned to face me, crouched. Nearing him I speed up and right before I reached him I twisted my hips, leaped and kicked out.

He dodged my foot, turning his head away and taking hold of my foot and yanked me to him. Letting him hold my weight I swung my free leg back and clipped him in the face as both legs straightened behind me, forcing me to face the ground. I dropped my head down, curled inward and with both hands fisted, brought them down on in between his legs. His hold vanished as both wallops forcing him to take a stumble back. Not one to miss a moment, I landed on my forearms, half planking I shoved off the ground with my left arm, opening my self as I swiped his feet from under him mid stumble.  

She came up from my right, swiping my arm from under me, the force weak, but considering it was my only pillar of support I crashed onto my shoulder just as her weight dropped on my throat, knee first. I choked, from the sudden cut off and surprise. Reacting on instinct to removed the blocage I swung up full force, plunging my hands into something soft and yanked, not caring what it was as long as she came from off of me. Something squishy and moist throbbed in my hand, I let go at the sound of a pained gasp. With my other hand I shoved her off, she went down without resistance. I scrambled to my feet and prepared for the vampire.

Only that, he wasn't watching me. In fact, as far as I could tell, I didn't exist anymore. Black pupils were dilating at a crazed speed, fangs dropping longer than normal as he salivated, huffing out. 

Through the link that bonded us, me to him, I felt as if oil began to cover me from head to toe. Coating my mind without intent or intention, simply appearing. Somewhere deep within me, something trembled. 

I watched him for a moment before looking in the direction he was so captivated by. She wasn't dead yet, her eyes were wide-eyed as she stared ahead of her, her lips moved but no sound came from her, slumped on her side. My eyes trailed down to her side rib where her heart practically stuck out. Trickles of blood flowed down her dirtied shirt, dripping onto the ground. I sniffed and entered a frenzy the likes of which I never knew was possible. 

Want. I want it. I want it.

My mouth watered as a daze and fog thickened within my mind, instincts telling me to drink, drink and never stop. Tantalizing, different from the others, the blood that poured from her was like a chain pulling around my neck. My stomach tightened, but I felt as if nothing was within my body, veins dry as my heart began beating faster and faster until its presence could not be ignored. Unthinkingly I began to make my way to her body when chills took hold of me, something telling me to duck. I dropped like a rock.

Mine. Mine.

And avoided a possible decapitation as the rabid vampire flew over me with such force that he clumsily crashed into the wall and stang back up, wild-eyed, teeth snapping in warning to back off. I snarled back and took a step closer to the body, he did the same as we began to circle each other. When he looked down at her body and licked his lips, a longing look flashing, I jumped over her, wrapped my arms around him in a bear hung and bent backward, flinging him down headfirst near the blood.

Mine. Mine. MINE.

He broke out of the hold and reached for her instead of me, climbing over me. I grabbed onto his leg and jerked him back down with all my strength. He had begun to glide down my body and as he did I grabbed onto his hair and rolled, pinning his shoulders down with my thighs. He hissed and raised his hands, bucking his hips up to throw me forward. So I let him. He was quick to flip up, head still trapped between my legs, my hands gripping his hair tight enough to maneuver his face upward. I screamed at the claws that were shredding into my back but refused to release him. He looked into my eyes and snarled.

I shoved my hand into his mouth, scraping my skin on his teeth, up to the wrist and plunged my claws into the roof of his mouth. Eyes wide he redoubled his thrashing and clawing, the sound of something of mine splattering and hitting the ground was followed by an empty sensation. I snarled in pain, tears falling from my eyes and I gripped his hair tighter with one hand and with the other that was in the mouth began to pull upwards while tightening my legs around his lower half. 

"What do you want for her Gavriel?"

With a final pain-filled roar I pulled, the sound of flesh coming undone and muscle ripping filled the room. I fell backward into something that was most definitely mine. Muscles screamed, there was something missing from my back, I was drenched from head to toe in blood that was both mine and wasn't. Breathing was taxing, but as it came down it simply agitated my throat, rasping against me like glass. Multiple claw marks, chunks of skin and muscle missing throughout, a couple of bite marks, a possible dislocated rib. All that pain and I still clawed my way to the alluring smell of her blood. Dragging myself over her body I didn't even think twice before biting into her neck.

Flavour, salty and something filling. It was different from beast blood. More addictive, I pulled her closer and I sat on my knees. I stopped for a moment when something else fell and dripped behind me. Now that I wouldn't need to fight anymore I let my body do what it wanted to do whenever I was hurt, no matter the form. Heal. I dove back into her neck and drank, feeling as my wounds throb, becoming ore prominent for a moment before a bearable sting began as skin mended, pulled and tugged. There was a slow dragging sound from behind me as empty sensation slowly disappeared.

"Did her organs j-just climb back inside of her." A disbelieving voice croaked. I lifted my head and breathed out loudly, blood dripped from my mouth. I looked down at the mystery and realized it wasn't much of one. 

Werewolf. Vampire. Lizard woman. Human. I rubbed at my fingers, slick with blood. She hadn't had any outstanding qualities, but knew her limits and used the opening that she could to her advantage. Humans were like that, fragile and willed with shrewdness. But how had a human ended up in a place like this? I thought they were supposed to be in hiding and so extremely hard to find.

Terrible luck. I was the only thing that made sense. I looked up, past the spectators and to the families. All I saw was a glass floor painted in red. I glanced over at Gavriel, the proud smile on his face. The freakish smile back in place, hollow eyes looking down. I ignored everyone else and looked back down. I caught sight of the five in their lower positions and tilted my head. Noxk was standing, nearly leaning over the rails, his hands gripping it with crushing force. Bree looked as pale as a ghost, Fier was looking anywhere but at me and Roziel stared with a mixture of terror and fascination. Lokier had his head turned upwards, looking at Gaviel with a blank look, but the skin around his monocle was taut.

I looked around me at the carnage and began to shake. My arms tightening over her body as voices began to murmur and speak. Excitement, fascination, promises, and interchanges.

Blood, fur, bodies and pain. I dropped my head, my mind filled with thoughts and musky ideas. I felt intoxicated. I probably was, I didn't care though. There was a freedom in being out of control.

When there was nothing left in the human I dropped her, took a couple of steps back and crouched. Then I ran and began to scald the wall, thin but strong nails digging into stone. My fingernail beds began to bleed because of the weight of pulling myself up, but it didn't matter. I shoot up faster with strength, leaving bloody handprints on the wall as I went.

"Leash your pet, she seems to have forgotten her place Gaviel." Someone with a commanding voice said across from me. 

SNAP!

Shooting from out of him those blue mist-like sparks chains shot out at me and wrapped around my torso, ankles, wrists, and neck. I halted halfway. Chains leaving me mid-air as they attached themselves to all sides around me.

"You'll have to forgive her for me Malive, she's not in the right state of mind at the moment. Human blood tends to do that to vampires. I just wanted to know how successful of a change she would manage." He leaned over the rail and scanned me head to toe. "I never imagined it would be this successful. Isn't she wonderful!"

I glared at him and he smiled back. Then I stared with fierce focus, feeling the link faster than with the beasts. Chains began to tremble as my eyes glittered and paled, I began to pull at my arms. His own narrowed before I felt a violent tug on the back of my neck, like a sharp pinch. 

"She still has much to learn and perefect. She is not in the right state of mind, but not quite insane yet." He whispered eyes narrowed to slits as his hair slowly lengthened and his face stretched along with his body, that horrible, horrible sound triggering my forefront conscious face into place. "No, not yet."

I looked away from him as I hung there, I refused to look down so I simply stared straight ahead. 

There's freedom in losing control, but there are also consequences. There was no small normality for me, I knew that when I glanced back over at the five and knew that from here on out if I weren't being watched, I'd be challenged or worse. I was an oddity in a world of bizarre. Somewhere out in the world, I'm sure that there were people who killed what they feared, but here? Here, what you feared you controlled. 

I wish I feared freedom as much as I feared losing control. 

With freedom, I could be anywhere else but here. I closed my eyes and tried to shut out the sounds and words, the possibilities of all the paths I would be forced to take and the eyes that stared at me, that took me apart and chained me to them. I wished to open my eyes and be elsewhere.

Somewhere else.

I just wanted to be somewhere else.

Anywhere else would do.

*             *                 *               *

I opened my eyes, light spilling into the room and onto the bed. Sunlight laid in bed with me,  curled up beside me where it did not reach. Bring a hand from under the comforter I laid it in the sun and wiggled my fingers, feeling the soft warmth. I sat up and leaned against the headboard for a moment, basking in on the silence for a moment. Birds chirped outside, their wings flapping about as they got into a comfortable position. 

 With a good stretch, I made my way to the bathroom and showered in the luxurious shower. As water rained down on me, I placed my head on the wall and simply felt the water droplets trailed down my body, it was calming and something I didn't get to do very often but as I had spent the entire night pondering and thinking I realized that things couldn't continue like this. It hasn't just been Viper's words that had shifted something within me, but rather this situation was unlike the previous ones. We were closer, the possibility of returning almost within our hands and yet... I wasn't sure about the uncertainty that filled my stomach, turbulent. 

I had always wanted to return, this wasn't my world and if I had to die again I would like to do so in a place that I had been born in, that was as close to the happiest memories I had. I was sick of this repetitive process of desolation and hopelessness. I assume that the siblings were along with the plan because out of us three, those two belonged here less than I did. There was just something about them being in a world where humans outnumbered the magicial that made them seem stranger than all. Even in my world, they had been an anomaly. 

But even if we did return, what would we return too? Who would I return to? I didn't know how the time difference between then and now worked. I had always known that there was a possibility that if we somehow managed a way back I could be returning to absolutely nothing and no one. Then there was the matters of my unfinished business. It was easier to plan for things when they weren't within your reach, but the closer they got, the more you realized that being ready wasn't the issue. Reasoning was.

I had long ago forgotten my reason for all of this and yet at the same time, I knew why. Was it drive? Motivation? Or an overall lack of belief that things would truly better for me for once? I couldn't even deny it to myself anymore. Even when I had been in my worst of moments, I had strived for something. Clung to something that would give me strength and reason to continue to fight until I could learn to trust in myself. But that woman was gone and in her place was someone who had gotten little results done, who for all intent and purposes was stuck in a tunnel without light or sense of direction. 

Shutting off the water I wrapped a towel around me and went to change into some waist-high indigo-colored pants that were wide at the bottom, a white turtle neck long sleeve and a dark lavender vest that closed around my collar with a straight square frame, golden buttons down the right side. Unwrapping the towel from around my hair I combed it out and then sectioning off the side of my hair I braided down from my temple back and then combed the rest back and put it into a high ponytail. After brushing my teeth, I went down for breakfast, the sound of my flats barely sounding. 

I frowned and paused. Then I listened. Besides the birds chirping outside and Harper's deep snoring, it was quiet. Suspiciously so. At this time of day, Viper was usually going around with loud music and dancing with some type of fancy beverage in her hand, humming along. Venom...well I wasn't sure what he did. I tried to avoid him as much as possible but still. Going down the wide glass staircase I looked around and down, even though I knew I wouldn't be catching sight of her. 

Once in the state of the art kitchen that no one really wanted to clean up, I opened the gigantic fridge that was stocked full of any possible craving and yet still managed to remain relatively healthy. Rummaging I began to pull out various fruits and chucked them into one bowl, then I got granola and mixed it into yogurt. Debating for a moment I went back and pulled out bacon and eggs. Prep time was annoying, but it was a delicious breakfast. 

Harper wouldn't be up for another four hours, something about anything before eight being unholy. For once I didn't feel the need to go back to my room or go outside. Once I was done cleaning I leaned against the counter and glanced out the window. I crossed my arms over my chest, fingers drumming repeatedly. My foot began to bounce, I peered over to the digital clock over the oven. Seven forty-eight AM. 

An idea came to mind at once and rather ponder it over I went for it, for once not seeking out something with reason. Going with the flow. I could do that. With a momentary newfound goal set, I headed out for the garage. The walk was longer than expected since I had never really explored the house, but I just followed the smell of oil and metal. Fifteen minutes later I was on the road cruising. 

The property was large and vast enough that just from the house to the gate took me five minutes. I had memorized the code for unlocking the gate, not because I had to but because things like that were hard for me not to memorize. I didn't turn on the radio, knowing nothing that would be playing on radio stations would be satisfactory. I drove by greenery and tall trees, large homes and the occasional fancy car parked on the road.  I knew I was getting closer to a populated area when the streets got denser, and it went from the occasional handful of people strolling to multiple bunches and then swarms. At first, I was confused as to why so many people were out and about but upon paying closer attention I realized they weren't simply strolling, but rather speeding through in a hurry. The backpacks and tired expressions made me realize I was probably near a school.

I ended up parking the car a few blocks off and with a quick look around, got out and began to explore. Every time I regained my memories, it was always weird to look at things I had grown up with, with old eyes, that hadn't grown up with these things. I compared more often than not and while the technological advances here could be seen as the magic back home, I always felt a pang of sadness whenever I wondered about the new advances and trends going on. It was around the third block, waiting for a green light, that I spotted a library. Venom had one in the in house, but there was something about public libraries, an essence to it that a home library could not duplicate.

Heading that way, once I entered I was surprised by the air of familiarity that surrounded me despite never having set a foot in the building before. There were only a few people in here besides the staff, all adults minding their own business as they studied or read books in corners and tables. A young woman at the front desk saw me enter and gave me a small smile before looking back into her computer monitor and picking up a stack of books beside her. I put my hands into my pockets and roamed the bookcases, no particular genre in mind. It wasn't necessarily quiet but I knew I was relaxing. 

I browsed around historical fantasy, ignoring the mystery at my back, not needing more questions at the moment. Even if they were fictional. I tilted my head to the side, hands behind my back as my hair swung behind me. Instantly a cramp began on the back of my neck and spread out, it was an awkward position but made reading the side titles easier. I would pull out a couple and read their summaries, tracing the spine of the book. Someone entered the aisle, a hesitant step when they saw someone else, but a much more relaxed one after a second of deliberation. I stepped closer to the shelf in front of me in case they decided to walk past.

"You're new here." A friendly low voice said a few steps down. I straightened up and looked over at the speaker.

Straight black hair cut shorter on the sides that fell over his wide forehead in curtain bangs that ended a bit under his brows, warm ivory skin that was visually well taken care of without any blemishes, inwardly slanted eyes with a straight nose that flared out and a perfect cupid's bow. He wasn't as tall as me, but he was slightly bulkier, with a definite well-taken care form. He wore a baby blue button-down shirt whit a white undershirt that poked out from out top, dark wash jeans and converse. I saw no name tag, but there was a comfortable way about him that made me think he saw this as his territory. If not a worker than perhaps he was a local. He looked to be around early to mid-twenties, a bright look in his dark brown eyes. He was facing the bookshelf behind me, a hand out as he pulled out a book, but his face was turned in my direction.

" I suppose so." I nodded slowly, about to turn back when he spoke again.

"If you're looking for a specific book I can help." He said turning around to face me but keeping his distance. "I know where most things are here."

"You work here?" 

"No, but I've come here nearly every morning for three years. I'm Mark by the way, not a creep. Just putting it out there." He exclaimed suddenly, flashing a sheepish smile, showing off his nice smile. I returned his smile. 

"Mykela." 

"That's a fitting name," His ears turned red at the tips, but he continued. "you're both very pretty, I mean." He complimented. I glanced at the bookshelf next to me, a very ominous air growing about.

"Thank you very much." I turned back and put the book in my hand onto the shelf. 

"I know this is a bit sudden, but I was wondering if you had time, maybe you would like to grab a cup of coffee or something. No, where far, of course, there's actually a new cafe that just opened up ar-" 

"I appreciate the sentiment, but I'm going to have to decline your invitation." His face fell at my words but he slowly nodded, a resigned look about his face. He stood there for a moment before he gave me a smile, no less lacking then the first one he gave.

"I understand. Well, I hope to see you around Mykela." He turned back and began to walk back down from where he had come from. He turned to look over his shoulder. "Hope you have a nice-"

He didn't bump into him or anything, he simply froze as Venom loomed over him with such a force of presence that I saw Mark begin to outright tremble. There was no malice or anger coming off of him, but there was almost a pulsing and oppressive air about him. I was impressed with Mark's fortitude to be able to stand there.

And then he looked up to see what triggered him to stop moving. He wore a nearly transparent white cotton hood that fell to his mid-thigh, low enough to pass his collar bone and revealing that he hand no undershirt from the amount of skin shown, on top of that a satin opened blazer, a size bigger than his frame that had pearls running down the arm of the sleeves and his shoulder blades. His white slacks were casual, not jeans but made of some type of material that reminded me of what people wore to picnics or beaches, the bottom folded slightly over his ankles. He wore white leather dress loafers with a silver tip. He wore the hoodie up, the shape more cloak like than a modern hoodie, slightly disheveled strands poked out over his face and out of the hood. On his hands, he wore white gloves as usual but ended mid palm, I noted a pair of shades in one hand. That made me peak back up.

What emotion Venom wasn't showing on his blank expression and stance, he made up for in the way he pinned down Mark in place with his eyes. More vibrant than I recall, the shined and shimmered, darker flecks swirling slowly as his pupil slowly dilated. It wasn't a glare, it wasn't even the look of a predator that had caught its hunted prey. This look was feral, macabre and calculating. It was the last part that made me fist my hands beside me, there was no lack of control or forthcoming hatred that came from him, but that look...was anything but human. The way he looked down at the human male, steady, unblinking and predatory, the chilled expression he wore that didn't drop as he stared.

 It was moments like these that the difference between being human and pretending, where I remembered that the form he took on as not his real one. There was no man behind the beast or animal instincts which overcame man. This was a monster that watched, waited and mimicked because it could, but when it didn't mimic...it hunted and killed. 

He took a step forward. Books dropped to the ground as Mark turned and fled without a backward glance, his heart thumping loudly as he went. Venom's eyes didn't lose focus, he took another step and then another, following the human.

I grabbed onto his sleeve, he stopped but he didn't move his gaze, tracking movements that were far gone from the building.  

"Venom." I said clipped, tugging at his sleeve when he didn't respond. I stared at him for a moment, recalling Viper's words. I dropped my hand and sighed. I wasn't going to ask and I honestly didn't see the gain in asking him, but now was a good time as any in trying something new. "What are you bothered by?"

He went ridged and then slowly turned to look over at me, eyes narrowed as he glowered at me, but the brightness in his golden eyes was slowly dimming. No longer as intense as before, but no less predatory. He didn't say anything for a moment so for a moment I thought about walking away now that the effort had been put out there.

"You don't truly care, but you asked anyway. Why?" He asked, leaning in slowly and maneuvering his body closer to mine until my back hit the bookshelf.

"Does it matter?" I could have easily told him I was adjusting my behavior accordingly, but it rubbed me the wrong way to tell him I was going to be as respectful as I could. He would say something smart, he always had some sort of come back and already annoyance bubbled.

"Yes." He hissed at once, leaning in closer to my personal space. Someone walked by and picked up the books on the ground. I looked over just as a woman looked up, about to put the books in their respective place undoubtedly.

"Oh, um..." She looked back and forth between me and Venom who had not moved an inch and still stared a hole into my face. I gave her a polite smile, slide from against the bookshelf and made my way out, He followed, closely behind, but once outside he walked beside me and slid his shades back onto his face. 

"Is there a specific place in mind?" He asked leaning in to whisper closer to my ear so that the people we walked passed didn't have the chance to hear his voice.

"No, I merely wish to walk." The aroma of fresh bread and coffee made me inhale deeply.

We received a few lingering stares, but I knew he stood out more than I did on any given day so I paid them no mind. I wasn't surprised when he walked in the direction of the car and opened his hands for the keys so I tossed them to him and continued to walk. There was a moment's pause where I think he sighed before catching back up to me. We walked on for a while in silence until we found a park and I simply sat under a tree and watched the parents play with toddlers and others run around in an effort to better their lives. 

"About Viper-"

"Where was she? She wasn't in the house this morning." A warm breeze went past as I pulled my legs closer to my chest and sat in a moment of tranquility. I knew there were things I could be doing, preparing, but it felt like it was all I ever did and worried about. 

"She was reflecting elsewhere." I looked over at him, wrapping my arms over my knees and planting my chin ontop and observed him. He sat with his long legs out in front of him, hands behind his back, face the opposite way from where I was, his hoodie blocking what little was visible so I couldn't guess what look he would have. But he sounded unbothered, which I took as a good sign that the siblings hadn't fought seriously. Not that I was really worried. They could take care of themselves without the help of one another. "My sister must have said something rude to you and for that, I apologize, as well as any physical distress she put you through."

"It's fine." His head jerked over to look at me.

"You're taking this calmly." He scanned my face looking for something. "Why?" 

"I've never asked but why do you always state that when, if, we break the curse, that you'll stick around?"

"Because I know you." He said simply, but his tone implied something which raised my hackles. I lifted my head pierced him with a fierce stare.

"You don't know me and if it's a friend you want, then I'm sure there are more agreeable people out there who would be delighted to befriend you."

"As I said before, I know you." He replied softly, tilting his face towards me, something flashing in his eyes. Sensing an argument rising on the horizon I took in a breath and looked away. He did not know me. We spent time together, but we did not know each other.  

"You have yet to answer my question, you are acting...something akin to nice." 

"What are you displeased? What are you, a masochist?" His lips quirked up into a lopsided smile, fangs poking out as his eyes danced in amusement, a white brow raising.

"Wouldn't that make you my master in that scenario?" I opened my mouth and then snapped it shut and closed my eyes before I tried again. He blinked innocently at me a patient look to him. If anyone was patient here I was betting my money on me. 

"Venom."

"Mykela."

"Thank you." At the shock that flashed over his face, pale silver scales suddenly popping up underneath his eyes, flashing over his nose and disappearing just as quickly before he composed himself. Partially, he turned to fully face me, sitting on his knees with both hands on his thighs as he looked down at me intensely a look I somewhat recognized but could never name whenever he wore it. He said nothing and simply stared, I knew he was waiting. I looked him in the eyes.

"Thank you for staying by my side all this time despite everything that I've said or done." I was going to add more but as he slowly started to lean forward and an almost manic look grew, my back tensed as I felt myself being surrounded, submerged almost, by him, even with the solid knowledge that he was in fact in front of me physically. But I knew not to ignore my instincts with him. "However, I don't want you to misunderstand the relationship between-"

"I can wait, I am very good at that." He whispered, the corners of his mouth lifting as if recalling something hilarious. Something stroked my back at the same time that heavy pressure landed on the door between him and all that I was. 

"Don't you have a mate or something waiting for you somewhere?" I tilted back but straightened my back when what felt like cold air traveled up my back. I peeked down, fog encircled up, coming from Venom. I glared back up to the insatiable bastard. Give him a stick and he wants a whole damn tree.

"My kind don't have mates." He informed swiftly. "We choose."

"Choose someone else."

"But I know you."

"You don't know me."

"I could know you even better if-" He moved out of the way from my fist and laughed. At once all the fog began to retreat back into him, slithering down my back in a chilling way until it disappeared completely.

I scanned around to see if the fool had caught anyone's attention and found two joggers huddling together and motioning over to us. I pursed my lips and stood up without another word, making my way out of the park. looking back I saw that he was following with his hands in his pockets, a small smile on his face. A few people halted mid-step as he walked by or outright stared, a few men even did double-takes with raised brows. For a moment I felt like warning them not to fall for a pretty face but there would be no point to that. 

*     *    *

When we got back to the house it wasn't until after lunch when I felt a pull, that I knew Venom had left the property. I found it strange since he had followed me earlier when I left but didn't give it much thought. Besides, I could hear Viper sulking around the house. When I had bumped into her earlier I had expected her to be hostile, perhaps annoyed that I had been a key point in a disagreement with her brother but she had merely raised her glass bottle and said 'cheers to a newborn conscious'. I had no idea what she meant but I simply made my way out of the room.

I found Harper just as she left her bedroom and smiled. She had straightened her dip-dyed black and purple hair, it ended just above the mid-chest level and instead of pajamas or sweats she wore an off the shoulder lose pale pink sweater with boyfriend jeans and flip flops. She jumped when she realized I was behind her, hitting the wall and nearly slipping.

"Yo, a warning, would be like, really nice." She hinted at dramatically, looking around as if there were people who would pop out and agree with her. She adjusted her glasses once before straightening up and walking over to me and interlinking our arms. 

"May I ask why you look so dressed up today?"

"All I can say is it's hard being around you New York Fashion Week, Vogue cover, I woke up like this my ass beauties and not feel like a senior two days before the results to finals come out." She said all in one breath sassily. That was very specific. Pondering her words, I tried to see from her point of view and cringed. Pretty things were usually a dangerous distraction.

"You shouldn't feel the need to compare yourself to us, especially those two. Those aren't even their real forms-"

"Ok, but then like, what's your excuse?" She cut me off without a pause her tone coming out dry, I blinked, ranking my mind for an answer. I felt stumped. 

"..."   

"Exactly." She argued, making a hand gesture with her free hand.

"Thank you for the compliment, but you are just as lovely." Heat spread around my cheeks as we walked on. 

"Lovely, well that's a first one for the books." Glancing over she had the most adorable expression. It was a mixture of excitement and glee, a huge smile over her face as her eyes gleamed. Young, was all I could think at that moment. With a shake of my head, I lead her to the room of choice.

Roughly three hours later I was staring at the not so adorable expression on her face. I gritted my teeth in annoyance but nodded. This was something new, I had more to gain then I had to lose. I knew it was a logical decision despite my personal feelings, but I had to shove those to the side, even if just for a moment. I would try it once. I could manage to do it once. Harper glanced down and made a face.

"I'll go get him." She jogged out of the room.

I shut out everything around me and simply focused on breathing, my stomach clenching tight as I breathed out. I was somewhat in better control when I heard footsteps approach. One pair.

Oh, that's right. He wasn't in the house. The relief that flooded me would have made me feel guilty if I had liked Harper's suggestion even a little bit. She walked in with a perplexed expression. 

"Viper said he's not in. Something about going to go checking out a book." She frowned, brows furrowed as she brought her hand to her chin. "Why would he need to go check out a book?  doesn't he have a huge library in the house? Hmm, might be a fancy book." 

What? 

"She said he went to go return a book?" I asked slowly. An uneasy feeling filling me to the brim until I felt like I had rocks sitting in my stomach. 

We had been in a library earlier, sure, but that didn't necessarily mean anything...and then I recalled the inhumane, calculating look as he stared at the human male. What was his name? Mike? No Mark. It couldn't be that. I knew Venom was...peculiar, when it came to me but he wouldn't go through distasteful means over a human male. It was illogical and no rational man-

Shit.

Harper had been speaking while I weighed my thoughts, so when I ran out of the room she was taken by surprise and called after me, but I didn't have time to explain or apologize for being rude. I founder her in the movie room, laying on a couch in silk black pajamas and a blanket. There was popcorn all over the floor as she reached down to scoop it out of the bucket and into her mouth, in her other hand a glass of something that smelled strongly of alcohol but was bright blue on top and green on the bottom. She was in the middle of watching something on Netflix, some sort of animation when I burst in. She didn't even bother to look my way.

"He told you he went to go check out a book?" I questioned, my hands closing and opening every now and then.

"Yup." she answered with a mouthful, eyes scanning the subtitles.

"What did his mood feel like to you? Did he seem upset perhaps?" I was anxious, I knew it from the buzzing that seemed to go on in my chest, but I wasn't quite sure where it was coming from. Well, there was a possible life at risk. 

"Murderous." She corrected calmly.

"And you let him go?!" The words flew from my mouth without thought as I looked at her with an almost ironic sense of disbelief. She snorted.

"I was not about to step in front of him in a mood, I'm already sitting on the time-out bench." 

I stared at her for a moment before lifting a hand to my face and walking out. She would clearly be no help as whatever her brother did was either perfectly natural or not something she wanted to involve herself in unless necessary. He had left hours ago and even if I left now I would only be able to track him, which would not be at all helpful if the one in need of protection couldn't be found first. Mark was either dead or Venom really had gone somewhere to check out a book and this was all one big misunderstanding from my part. 

I would have to wait until he returned to see if Venom had behaved like man or monster. I wouldn't waste my time wishing for the better.

My wishes always came true in the worst of ways.

////AN///

*Dabs*

I have to be honest and say that Mykela is a pretty complex character in my head which is why I probably procrastinate writing, my characters are real for me so if I saw this chick knocking on my door Id skedaddle. Yall not readyyyyy. I feel like I have to look under the surface of things and question everything I know when writing her. 

Just wanna remind everyone to take care of themselves and shower, yes shower, get up form your sixteen-hour, three am lunch snack time and shower. Not to mention that now is a really good time to do things you've been procrastinating on. *She says with first-hand knowledge.*

Shout out to people at stores, hospitals, drop offs and the people updating the mangas I read with a feverish obsession. Not all heros wear their underwar on the outside.

Don't forget to;

COMMENT

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IS IT HUNGER OR DOES IT JUST LOOK CHEWABLE? *raised eye brow*