A Guide to Surviving Against Monsters

When the day of Nikolai rolled around, school was canceled for everyone. The students spent the day with their families, the hunters got to relax, and the teachers didn't have to worry.

Unfortunately, that meant I woke up and stared at my ceiling for half an hour without anything to do. Wendy had agreed to meet me for coffee at eleven, which was hours away. I went about my daily routine, finding myself making a cup of coffee in my kitchen with a towel around my neck to catch droplets from my hair when there was a knock on the door.

Running a hand through my hair, I did my best to cover my eye and walked toward the door. I was already dressed in all black and ready to meet Wendy in an hour, my bare feet silent on the hardwood floor of my apartment.

I didn't bother looking through the peephole. An unimpressed look was on my face as I yanked it open, eyes flicking upward.

"Oh. It's you."

Luca and I were nearly matching. His hair was damp, his clothes were all black, and he looked downright pissed.

However, his scoff was almost friendly.

Almost.

"Not even a hello, Emmalyn?"

"We both know that neither of us are the type."

"Fair point," he sighed. "I was here to see if you had anything planned for the day of Nikolai."

My eyebrows quirked upward. "Really?"

He nodded. "We're colleagues, and we're both alone," he told me, the slight flicker of sadness in his expression telling me not to pry. "No one would judge us for 'celebrating' together."

I snorted. "You have a point. However, I'm going to meet with someone for coffee so--"

"I'll just go then," he said immediately, head down as he began to turn away. I rolled my eyes, my superior speed kicking in as I grabbed the back of his black jacket.

"Dumbass," I muttered, "it's just with Wendy. You can come along, after all, we're colleagues with her, too."

He winced. "Bubbly healer lady probably doesn't like me that much."

I scoffed. "She puts up with me."

We met eyes, gazes locking. It was like I was staring in a mirror that showed me a reflection of myself, execpt it was the male version. The thought made me realize how much I didn't know about Luca, and how many secrets he probably had.

I had to physically stop myself from reaching for him, clamping my hands together behind my back.

Luca's eyes flicked to my arms, but he didn't address it. Instead, his eyes searched my face.

"If she can put up with you, I guess I have a chance..."

I smirked. "That's the spirit."

He rolled his eyes. "When do you leave?"

"After I get my coffee," I told him, stepping back and leaving the door open so he could walk in. Luca got the message, closing my front door as I wandered back to my kitchen. He trailed behind me, hovering in the doorway as I went back to waiting for my caffeine deliciousness.

"Aren't you going to get coffee there?"

"Yeah."

"So..."

"So?"

He frowned. "Two cups one after the other? That's terrible for your health."

I opened my mouth to counter his words when he snorted.

"I realize your health is probably perfect considering you're... You."

Physical health, sure.

Mental health? I'm a little fuzzy on that one.

I didn't bother answering. Luca already knew he was right. The extra caffeine would be nothing to me.

Still, he shook his head with a scoff as I brought the steaming cup to my lips. He even snorted when I hummed in satisfaction. I watched Luca fiddle with his damp, long hair, downing my coffee in half the time it would take for anyone normal.

Which shouldn't be a surprise. I was so far from normal.

"Good to go?"

He snapped to attention, straightening up and slipping his hands into his pockets. I put my mug in the kitchen sink, taking the towel from around my neck and rubbing it over my hair one last time before throwing it into the hallway leading to my bedroom. I used my fingers to brush the dark locks back over my eye, Luca watching the entire show silently.

"You know, you don't hide that eye that much..."

My eyebrows lifted, and I looked back at him. "What was that?"

"Whenever there's danger," Luca began, "you whip out your glowy-ness without hesitation. It's not much of a secret anymore."

I scoffed. It was his turn to look surprised.

"Am I wrong?"

"No," I shrugged, "but I think you're missing the point -- I'm assuming you drove here?"

He crossed his arms, following me through the apartment as I grabbed my jacket, wallet and etc. "Of course I drove here -- and what point am I missing here?"

I slipped into my jacket, fixing the collar before grabbing my shoes. If he drove, I didn't need my keys. "Then we're taking your car -- and the point is that I don't need to hide the glowing."

"That sounds fine -- but why hide your eye, then?"

We walked out, Luca hovering over my shoulder as I locked the door and headed down the stairs. "I wasn't going to take no as an answer -- I still have to hide the power, dumbass."

He stopped, reaching for my shoulder. I brushed his hand off before he could grab me, but I still stopped to look back at him.

"Yes?"

Luca squinted at me. "Why hide it?"

"Because people get the wrong idea," I answered. "Let them see the weirdness, they'll be confused and probably avoid me. But if they saw the power, they'll get greedy. Then, they'll want it for themselves."

My mind flashed to Parker. "They'll want to have it at their disposal as well, and they'll think it's all fun and rainbows."

"And it's not all fun and rainbows?"

I scowled.

"No. I hope no one ever does what I did."

"Really?" Luca asked softly.

I looked at my feet, gently touching the hair over my eye.

I scoffed.

"This isn't what people think it is, and I wish I could tell them the truth, but..."

The sound of skin ripping echoed in my ears and I winced.

"Emmalyn?"

I turned my back to Luca, storming down the stairs. Still, I finished the conversation.

He wanted to know, after all.

"The truth isn't what they want to hear."