A Guide to Surviving Against Monsters

Even after the mutant did a number on me, Theo was unable to keep up as I flew through the forest. My newly-healed body ached, but managed to handle the pressure well, pushing me toward the rune that had been activated.

You can imagine how pissed I was when I saw the others sitting in the bus, completely fine.

I nearly the ripped the door off its hinges as I stormed inside, my hair poofed up as I clenched my fists, glaring at the hunters and students inside. Mateo was barely able to keep himself from laughing as I drew a sai knife, prepared to whoop ass.

"Who the hell activated a rune when there's no emergency?!"

"Malekai--"

I stomped up to where he was sitting and smacked him upside the head.

"--thought it would be a good idea because it would make you rush back."

For that reason alone, I hit him a second time, this time flicking his forehead.

"We didn't know where you two went!" He protested, holding up his hands as a flimsy defense. "We needed you to come back so we can report to the Headmaster."

I scowled. "I was hunting another mutant, dumbass. I would've been back in no time. Setting off an emergency come-rescue-me signal was not the way to get me back."

Malekai shyly winked at me from behind his hands. "I mean, it got you back..."

I slipped the sai back into my sleeve, giving him a false sense of hope, before lifting my hand to bop him in the nose.

Two hands wrapped around my forearm.

"What's done is done. Let's focus on the important part -- the fact that Sasora, the fourteenth demon, is in the city," Luca grumbled from behind me. I huffed, shaking him off, and threw myself into the seat at the back of the bus.

To my surprise, he followed.

"Piss off."

"You knew about Sasora."

"Yeah, so what? Theo already yelled at me, Luca."

He scoffed. "That man probably doesn't know the meaning of 'raising your voice.'"

I raised my eyebrows, turning my head to face the window. It was the closest I could get to putting my back to him.

You guys don't even hunt demons, I thought, so why care about one? The demons are my jurisdiction.

"I know what you're thinking."

I gritted my teeth, glaring at him over my shoulder. "Leave me alone, Luca."

"I've hunted demons."

What?

Demons haven't been around for a while, and even when they were a frequent problem, only specially-trained squads hunted them. Before I came around, as a weapon to counteract demons, squads of ten went out to kill them one at a time.

"Does the name Lucas Sunhigh ring a bell?"

My eyes widened, and my breath caught. It was a good thing we sat in the back, otherwise the others would've been freaking out.

Lucas Sunhigh was a name that belonged to two people; the original Mr. Sunhigh and his son, Lucas Sunhigh junior/the second. The two came from a family of esteemed hunters, like the Foxit family, and many of them were on those very specialized teams meant for hunting demons in ten-man squads.

"Luca," I breathed, "Lucas."

He rolled his eyes. "Nice to meet you."

I got over my amazement quick enough, twisting to face him. "Why didn't you tell us when we first met?"

His eyebrow raised. "Why didn't you explain the story behind the fire?"

I pursed my lips. "The two are very different, Lucas."

I watched as his face dropped into a deadly glare, his hand wrapping around my wrist. He squeezed, giving just enough pressure so that it felt like he was about to break the joint.

"My name is Luca," he snarled, his mouth right next to my ear. "You should know damn well that the skeletons should stay in the closet, Foxit."

"You lost your family too," I commented, wrenching my wrist out of his grip. Flames dotted the skin, healing the beginning of a fracture.

He said nothing, turning his face away from me.

Sorry, Luca.

I pity you, I really do.

But those squads that hunted demons...

They had a twenty percent success rate.

If they were lucky, they came back alive. If they were given a miracle, they sent the demon back to Hell.

You're still no match for Sasora.

The Headmaster was too calm for the current situation. Our team had rushed back to the Academy, ignoring Michaelson, and immediately stormed the office. Wendy gave a report of what happened, glancing at me every so often. Everyone knew I was the one who should've given the report, but I stayed silent.

I'd just tell him before I went out to hunt Sasora.

Eventually Michaelson joined us, listening to our encounter with Sasora and the two mutants. Theo was happy to report that the monsters were dead, with Wendy commenting on how I'd stopped the demoness.

"Well, Foxit," the Headmaster smiled, his eyes cold and unforgiving. "What's your call?"

This was why he was calm.

He knew I'd kill Sasora in due time. He and his precious school had nothing to worry about.

I sneered mentally, leaning on one hip.

"I'll start my hunt Monday," I told him. "So I'll be away for a few days. Is that alright, sir?"

His steely smile twitched. "Monday? Why not right now, Foxit?"

I smirked.

"I've got plans for tomorrow. Surely Sasora can wait."

A dark glee flooded my systems. A demoness could kill the entire Academy within the span of six hours if she felt like it -- and the Headmaster knew that. Except Sasora probably would be laying low for now, since I'd roughed her up with divine flames, which were poison to demons. However, the Headmaster didn't know that, so he probably thought that she could destroy everything he owned by the time I got around to hunting her.

But there was only one of me in the entire world, and I was a free woman. Our contract stated that I protected the Academy -- there was nothing about me having to hunt a demoness.

This hunt would be on my terms.

"Ms. Foxit--Emmalyn, you must understand, a demon could--"

I ignored him, pushing through the team. I had been at the front, which meant I had to wiggle my way through the crowd of students and hunters to get to the door. Just for good measure, I made sure to chuck a knife over my shoulder, the blade embedding itself in the Headmaster's expensive desk, skewering a tiny note that said, monday, asshole.

Once I finally reached the doors, I held up the middle finger over my shoulder and slammed them shut behind me.