Maiden of Midnight

The Rusty Tin is Ordeallan’s favorite bar. It was also Ordeallan’s only bar. The bar was situated on Ordeallan’s west side, in a desolate field of churned mud. It could be described as a wooden shack that had been nailed hastily together, and stood on stilts. The stilts did nothing against the stench of the mud, or when, in summer, the rain made the mud rise and squish between the cracks in the boards. But apart from that, the Rusty Tin was a fairly nice place, if you knew how to navigate drunken crowds and hide expertly on occasion. I would be lying if I said that I didn’t spend at least an hour there daily. The rusted tin that gave the bar its name hung on a string, ready to be filled with tip money. I approached, the smell of roasting meat and opened kegs of stale wine drifted out to me. I pushed the door open, and raised my head, daring people to meet my gaze. Nobody did. I made my way to the bar unhindered, snatching a chair from a man who was departing, and snatching his purse as I did.

“Watcha havin’ love?” the bartender, a wizened old man with grey-streaked black hair, and forearms bigger than my waist, grumbled as he poured a serving of wine into a wooden cup and slid it across the bench to a young man.

“Nothing you can serve me.” I grumbled, opening the purse and counting the coins in there- barely anything. Certainly not enough for a drink. My Demon Lord grinned in delight at the back of my mind. The old man leant across the counter as he finally looked up, noticing my presence, and the presence of others in the bar. Was he going to kick me out because others were here? I usually didn’t walk in until everyone else was gone, and he was more than happy to ignore my… condition if it meant he made more money. But with others around, and their hushed whispers acknowledging that they knew what I was, and what they would think of the bartender if I remained, I doubted I would be allowed to stay.

“I don’t allow your type in me bar, so scamper.”

I slammed my gloved palms on the counter, making a group of people across the room jump at the noise. The young man on my side gave me a curious glance, as if he was watching an interesting show. Well, he was: Me.

“Look, I’m in a foul mood. If you really want to push my buttons tonight, I’ll meet you out the back to settle this. If you’re smart, which I really hope you are, you’ll rethink what you just said, and deal with my presence for the night, got it?” I was the Maiden of Midnight, the Destroyer of Destroyers, and the shadow under every bed. I would stand down to nobody, and my heart rate spiked in fury as the man mumbled, “I aint fightin’ no girl.”

I scoffed.

“You soft, old man? Or just afraid to lose?” The conversations across the bar lowered to a whisper, eagerly awaiting what would happen next, and the man just shook his head, and shuffled over to another waiting customer. The young man now gave me his full attention, even turning in his chair to watch me, and I growled low in my throat. His eyes averted back to his drink, and I smirked triumphantly until I realised he was only thinking over something, his eyes gleaming as a sly smile crept onto his face. He turned back to me, even going so far as to slide his chair closer, as if we were friends. I had no friends. I walked alone, and I intended to keep it that way.

“That was pretty brave of you, disobeying the bar’s rules,” he said, flashing two sharp fangs.

“You’re a Vampire.” I ignored his other words, and he nodded, revealing silver eyes. Part Fae as well, then.

‘It astonishes me as to how quickly people are to reveal their heritage. Do they not plan to be attacked?’ The Septem Peccatis sighed in the back of my mind, and I blocked him out as the Vampire said, “You’re Destiny, aren’t you? I’ve heard quite a good deal about you.”

“Oh? And where did you hear these things?” my presence in Ordeallan, and the work I completed, was hardly unknown, but I preferred to keep things, things such as my name, downwind, and remain hidden. Today had been a mistake, going to the Academy, but I needed to check something important, and the only way to get it was to go straight to the senior library. If only I had kept my nose out of the boys’ business, and not bothered stealing him the book.

“Well, one hears these things when living in a town such as Ordeallan… Seth sends his thanks.” He tossed a book onto the table, and I frowned at the title, flipping it down so its title was out of sight.

“I’m Jason.” I didn’t care about his name- and he shouldn’t have guessed mine. People had died doing lesser things than that. Didn’t he understand the danger he was in?

‘This isn’t looking good for you.’ Fine, I would play along only to get rid of Jason. I had wanted to spend tonight alone, anyway. Well, as alone as I could get.

“Seth is the boy with the blonde hair and blue eyes?” I asked what I had already catalogued in my perfect memory, and Jason nodded, confirming me.

“Yes, the boy who saved your life.”

‘And the boy who has been on your mind ever since you met him.’

‘Shut up.’ His words annoyed me because they were true- and it was this, along with the strange sense of fascination I felt towards our encounter this afternoon, that had put me in a foul mood to begin with. I took the book, sliding it into my satchel, and a waitress walked past with a cup of blood on a tray. I felt my lips part, my teeth elongating into those of an animal. Sharp and deadly. Claws peeked at the tops of my gloves, threatening to rip the material, and Jason frowned at my lack of control. He snatched my wrist in a lightning fast movement, lifting my glove and pinching the skin on the underside of my wrist. The skin stuck up for a moment before slowly lowering. A sure-fire sign of dehydration.

“How long has it been since you last fed on blood?”

“Five years.” I admitted immediately, compelled by his eyes, and Jason’s frown deepened.

“Why don’t you buy blood? Or hunt for it?” I closed my eyes, forcing my teeth and claws to shrink back to a normal size.

“One, I don’t have enough money for blood, and it’s too suspicious to buy. Two.” I stared at another waitress until they passed, and then said, “Two, I don’t risk execution. Not anymore.” I lied smoothly, and Jason’s lips tugged up at the corners. He saw through my lie, clearly, but he didn’t seem inclined to call me out on it as he waved his hand for another drink.

“How about I buy you a drink?” he offered. The bartender subtly shook his head at the Vampire. His prejudices had to be exceptionally bad, then, if he wasn’t even going to take the money.

“I don’t take charity,” I growled, getting ready to stand. Had he really thought I’d let him buy me a drink?

“How about I pay you for doing me a job?” his words interested me enough that I took my seat again.

“Depends on what type.” I had worked plenty of ‘jobs’. I had been an Assassin once, and I had also once earnt enough to buy myself a small property, before a rival had burnt it to the ground in a failed attempt to kill me. I now resided wherever I could, jumping from house to house quicker than my enemies could track me. And I had a lot of enemies.

“I need you to run a letter, a very important letter, to a very good friend of mine.”

I was going to be a messenger? Was it worth my time? I had bigger, better jobs I could do- offers I could take. It depended on how much he was willing to pay.

“How much?” I asked, and Jason dumped a purse full of coins onto the counter, which I snatched, weighing it in my palm. The weight suggested a month’s worth of pay sat in this little velvet purse. What letter could possibly warrant such a huge payment? Unless the Vampire was playing some sort of power game by throwing his money around? It was something I would do.

“You get the rest when the letter is delivered.” He pressed a cream-colored envelope into my other hand. I curled my lip, scowling deeply at the purse. Definitely a power game, then. Or a joke of some kind. Nobody would pay this much for a single letter.

“I haven’t agreed to anything.”

“You have now. And Night-Hunter, if I hear you’ve stolen anything or read the letter, I will personally ruin you.” He slammed an engraved dagger, MY dagger, onto the bench, the symbol for the Night-Hunters, a group of elite assassins and thieves, flashing against the dark wood.

He stood, dropping his pay for the drinks onto the bench, and said, “Deliver the letter to my friend Darcie. No one but him and yourself may touch the letter, and only he may read it. I’m sure you’ll find him. Tomorrow night, you’ll get the other half of your money. But only if the letter is delivered.”

He left before I could demand how he had managed to snatch my dagger, which I had safely tucked into my belt. My heart fluttered in anticipation as I noticed the letter. So, the Vampire was serious? Whatever little horror this letter contained, it was worth a lot of money, and the pay tucked into my blue satchel was more than enough to entice me to deliver it. I stood, the letter pressed against the purse. I made my way to the door, wondering how the Vampire would be able to pay me the other half if he didn’t know where I lived, or how he would know if I read the letter… And how he could ‘ruin’ me. The sound of fabric rustling, and the almost unnoticeable brush of fingers against my satchel had me spinning, grabbing my pickpockets’ wrist, and his other hand afterwards, knocking the dagger he had brought up to my face onto the floor. The bartender’s face fell, and I snarled until he darted into the back of the bar. At least I knew who had hired my opponent.

“Didn’t your mother teach you that it’s rude to steal?” I purred at my pickpocket, who stood stock still, their cloak over their face. Another Night-Hunter? An amateur, if I could hear them.

“Destiny Delance, you must be out of practice if you didn’t sense my approach. Is your Lord getting old?” I considered it. Perhaps he WAS getting a bit rusty. Or I was just dangerously distracted by the boys’ blue eyes and silky blonde hai- What was wrong with me tonight?

“Shut it puny mortal. My Demonic-being meets every standard required of someone in her position, and more.” The Septem Peccatis boasted, and I shivered as his power surged through me, adding strength where my dehydration had drained it- feeding me with fresh energy. My palms tingled, begging me to remove the gloves and unleash Hell on my attacker, but I held back, the gaze of the startled bars occupants reminding me that we were not alone, and what fate would await me should I traverse this particular path again. “Oh? And what position is that? Assassin? Night-Hunter? Demon plaything? Or Messenger?” the nasally voice of Raymondo Eduardo Junior snorted, and I flipped his cloak back, finding myself within inches of him, running my gloved fingers across his shoulder before removing one glove, digging my black fingers into his thin shirt. Demon plaything? How old was he? Two?

“Jealous Ray?” I whispered, grinning in feral delight as I ran a fingernail down his cheek, dragging a terrified whimper from his throat, which he hastily covered with a cough. Only Ray was stupid enough to try and pickpocket me, and get caught doing it. He shouldn’t be in the Night-Hunters, and after tonight, he wouldn’t be in anything- including the living.

“And why would I be jealous of a mere letter deliverer? I have much more important jobs. Given to me by my father!” he cried arrogantly, and I laughed. Did he think me a fool? His father wasn’t a part of the Night-Hunters. He couldn’t be given jobs by him. Only by Reece, or people who chose to hire him. And who would hire someone who looked like him, when they could have someone who looked like me?

I studied my black fingers, pondering whether it was worth facing execution if it meant I could kill him.

‘Quit toying around, and end him already! One scratch from your poisoned fingers will be enough to make him delirious, and then Reece will take care of him.’

‘I’m not going into Blood-Lust tonight.’ Besides, he wasn’t worth my time- or my poison. He could choke on his dinner, for all I cared.

Like all beings possessed by a Demon Lord, I suffered from Blood-Lust; a momentary lapse of judgement. Blood-Lust is when a Demonic-being feels threatened, and their Demon Lord takes over, causing them to kill and drain everything around them until they feel the threat has ceased. I had wiped out entire fighting units, when they had threatened me with execution, and gagged me.

‘Blood-Lust has nothing to do with killing the arrogant fool. One swipe from your nails, and its done.’

‘You and I both know that if I kill him, these people will try to kill me. Which will result in Blood-Lust.’

“If you’re so amazing, why am I Reece’s go-to Assassin?” I quipped, and he stammered to find an answer, his cheeks turning red with fury. Or he was thinking too much.

“Because- Because… You’re expendable!” he finally blurted, his blue eyes widening as I dug a nail into his pale cheek just hard enough to hurt.

“No, it’s because I’m stronger than you. Reece might not want to admit it to poor, precious little you, but you and I both know it’s true. And if you ever try to kill me again, you’ll…” I paused for dramatic emphasis before finishing, “regret it to say the least.” I pushed away from him, tossing his dagger into his hands, and left the bar, listening as the silence evaporated, and panicked conversations began…

*

The streets of Ordeallan were beginning to lighten, the night coming to an end, and I knew I would have to source out a hiding place before the sun could rise. But I also had to get more information on Jason before I could deliver this letter, not to mention track down Darcie. The only person who would have that information, and could give it to me freely, was the Night-Hunters leader, Reece.

My footsteps echoed in my own ears, and I wondered if there were any other Night-Hunters nearby. Only the best of us could hear each other’s footsteps. A step behind me, and the sound of a broken cobble-stone shifting in its position, had me moving quicker, heading towards a narrow alleyway that backed onto the wall that surrounded and protected Ordeallan from the Demons outside of it. The footsteps followed me, but I kept walking. If it was an Assassin of some type, they were untrained- easy pickings. Could Ray have come back for a second round?

He wouldn’t walk away alive if he did.

‘I sense a Demon nearby.’

‘What type of Demon?’

‘An Unknowable.’ Unknowable’s could be any type of Demon, and tonight, I wasn’t in the mood for games.

‘This is not the time to be a smart-ass. What type of Demon?’ I ground out, ducking into the alleyway. The footsteps hesitated, and then continued slower, warily.

‘The only Demons that have legs are Stethnas or Rattlers. My guess is that it’s a Rattler.’

‘How many?’ A Rattler would be all too easy to deal with, but why send such an easy Demon? The lesser Demon had some nerve tracking me. Couldn’t the brainless thing sense my power?

‘One.’

‘Too easy.’ I purred, and the Septem Peccatis laughed darkly, its claws digging into the violenter side of my brain. I grabbed my dagger, twisting the hilt until a small compartment opened, revealing a tightly coiled whip. I pulled it out, closing the compartment, and cracked the whip once, small spikes snapping out along its length. It had cost a pretty coin for this weapon- or at least it would have, had I not stolen it from the Academy storeroom.

‘A Demon killing whip. Impressive, but it can be used against you.’

‘Any weapon can be used against its owner.’ I pointed out, tucking my dagger back into my belt. The alleyway was empty, but as I heard a musical rattling noise in the street beyond, I moved forward slowly, listening so hard my ears hurt as I tracked the Demon across the street. It was unseen, but I could hear it on the street, and I held my whip ready as a sense of unease began to unfurl like a budding flower in my gut.

‘Behind you!’ I swung just as a sharp tail hit me across the gut, pushing all air from my lungs, and sending me flying into the nearest wall. I fell to the ground, my head spinning and my lungs gasping, and the whip useless at my side.

‘I thought you said it was a Rattler!’

‘Its power felt like a Rattler!’

‘This is a Streaker!’ A Streaker Demon was one of the most powerful Demons out there, a deadly killing machine. Unlike the nude-person-running-through-a-field version of the word, the Demon was far too difficult to kill. I felt its hot breath across my back, and I pushed from the wall, skinning my knees as I ducked around the Demon, scraping my knees against its invisible scales as I did. My knees were skinned completely, revealing the bone-white armor that all Demons had, protecting their blood and vital organs. The Streaker roared, knocking me back, and appeared before my eyes, towering over the houses before me.

“Oh you have got to be kidding me…” it brought a tail crashing down, ready to crush me. I ran, jumping for the nearest wall, and tearing my gloves as I dug my claws into it, scrabbling up the wall. I leapt from roof to roof, heading towards the Night-Hunter entrance. A spike, flung from its tail, buried in my shoulder. I toppled over, sliding down the tiled roof of the building I was on, and falling to the ground below, where I heard the loud ‘CRACK!’ of my armor. I bit back a scream of pain, and tried to fumble to my feet. The sound of the Streaker, its black scales growing ever more visible with the rising sun- The sun! One of its nine tails flew across my stomach, and I heard my armor groaning beneath the weight. I brought my arm up, the whip sinking into its scales, and rebounding off harmlessly.

“Son of a-!”

Two more tails pinned my arms, and the Demon leant over me, its pupils shifting as it sensed my Demon Lord’s power. It was confused, its nostrils widening as it sniffed at me. My power was too large for my body, and it was wondering what I was. Perhaps that was the only thing stopping it from biting my head off my neck.

‘Let me take control.’

‘NO!’ I could handle this! I was strong enough, I was-

‘Let me-’

The tail across my stomach pressed down harder, the Demon having made up its mind. I felt a spike digging into the area where my liver would have been. This was how I was going to die. Beneath the many tails of a filthy Demon. I felt my eyes shifting, and suddenly, the Demonic-being was under my control, her panic rendering her mind’s defenses useless against my own power. The Streaker above practically reeled back as I slipped her, MY, hand from beneath the Demons tail, and ripped her glove off, pressing my black fingers to the ground. I felt the power of Hell run down my arm, and escape into the ground, shaking the earth as a red glow spread, and the pathways cracked, revealing a gaping chasm. The Streaker, unbalanced, slithered back a few metres, releasing me, and I gouged a simple line in the earth, pointing towards the Demon. The chasm shifted, and the Streaker fell to its doom below, the chasm closing and swallowing the beast for eternity.

I stood- and immediately fell back down again, my entire body screaming with pain. The sun was rising, its light creeping towards me. I pulled myself along the ground until I fell onto the soft grass of the well-tended lawn of the Night-Hunter house. I ran my finger across the grass, staining it with my blood as I pressed the button that unlocked the door, and they swung open on the other side of the lawn. I could hear the yelling voices of other Night-Hunters, some of them confused over the open doors, but lack of person behind them, and as the sun touched my leg, sending a rash of blisters up, two people, Marriatta and Novella, came running out, grabbing my arms and dragging me into the house. How embarrassing. The doors closed with a heavy ‘BANG!’. I gasped in pain as Novella ran a hand over my body, feeling for wounds.

And there were plenty of them.

“What happened?” Marriatta, her sister, demanded as Novella yelled for others to fetch Reece from whatever rock he had crawled under to sleep the day away.

“A Streaker happened,” I forced through my gritted teeth, and they gave their own gasps.

“You defeated it?” Novella whispered. I nodded.

“Of course, I did.”

“I believe I defeated it, not you.”

“Shut it, Demon,” Novella snapped as Reece, two guards flanking him, approached. He put a hand on Novella’s shoulder. I allowed my eyes to close, listening to their brief discussion.

“What happened here?” he asked, his voice as deep as the oceans of Karmona.

“She says it was a Streaker attack.” She made it sound like she didn’t believe me, but I knew Novella. She was my best friend… Or at least as friendly as Night-Hunters could be with each other.

“And her injuries?”

“Severe enough that she couldn’t bring herself into the house, despite the sun that was beginning to burn her.” Novella was one of our healers, and while she was well-trained in the injuries of battle, she still consulted with Reece before dealing with a patient. She had to. Reece was the leader, the decision-maker.

“How many injuries has she sustained, what are the injuries and how long until she’s back on her feet? She’s one of the best, Novella.” Obviously, I was. How could I not be?

‘You seem rather arrogant for someone who just had their ass handed to them.’

‘I was doing fine.’

“I know that, Sir. She’s acquired four cracks in her armor, one of which is pressing against her inner ribcage, a minor concussion, severe internal bleeding, and a sun rash. With injuries like these… it could be months before she can even walk around a room again, let alone fight. With the proper attention, I’d say a month before she’s back on her feet. Maybe two.” Months?! I had jobs to complete, people to hunt down and blackmail… Letters to deliver. I couldn’t wait months!

I drew in a raspy breath, which felt like breathing in water, and suddenly I was turning, coughing up black blood until I felt empty, like no blood was left in my veins at all.

“Fetch me a Shaman! Novella, take her into the living-room, clear the table and put her on it! Marriatta, clear the room of people!”

I heard them rush to do it. Novella asked, “Can you walk?”

“Of course,” I coughed, wiping my mouth as I struggled to my feet, and immediately fell back down. Reece picked me up, carrying me swiftly passed the oak doors of the dining room, and placing me on the table there. I felt Novella remove my cloak, and the doors to the room shut heavily, sealing us in the room, and reminding me of another, from another city.

“Somebody requested a Shaman?” a familiar voice called out, and I groaned. It was Jason.

“Yes, one of my best was attacked by a Streaker Demon. She’s received multiple injuries.”

“Name? Age? Gender?” he sighed, a bag appearing across his shoulder, no doubt full of all sorts of medical horrors. Why was he here? Shamans were usually female Fae? Unless there weren’t any available?

“Destiny Delance. Fifteen. Female.” Way to give away all my information.

“Right… Destiny is on an errand for me.”

I pulled the letter from my pocket, and dropped it onto the floor.

“I was on my way to do it before I got attacked.” I said.

Jason sighed heavily. “Did you read the letter?”

“No.” I bit out, trying to straighten my back, which I could feel was twisted badly, and praying that the pain I could feel deep in my gut were only torn muscles, and not a popped organ.

“Did anyone else read the letter?”

“No! We’ve got bigger problems to deal with than your letter, right now!” I didn’t disobey orders… most of the time.

“So why did the Streaker hunt you down?” he challenged, and I only shook my head, the pain making me dizzy. His questions were not helping me, and I could feel the room spinning wildly. I groaned, and the Septem Peccatis took pity on me as Jason began to raise his eyebrows suspiciously. My Demon Lord stated, “Because Demons are attracted to power, and my Demonic-being IS power.”

“I see.” Jason must have walked over, because I could feel his hands gently flip me, and press firmly against the back of my head. I moaned in pain, seeing brightly coloured blotches across my vision, Jason clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth in thought.

“The concussion doesn’t require any attention. She’ll be disorientated for a while, but nothing to worry about.” I felt his hands press against my back, and suddenly, the back of my dress was torn down the seam from my neck to my lower back, revealing my tattoo. I opened my mouth to complain, until I felt his hand press down against my spine, and I screamed instead. It was like fire was biting into me. I could have put a dagger in my own heart to stop the pain that tore into me now. I heard Novella moan in disgust and horror, Marriatta moving to throw up on the other side of the room, and the pain slowly faded, replaced by a tingling, pins-and-needles feeling, and then nothing but a dull ache, like a bruise being pressed on.

“You must have fallen from quite a height. It takes quite a fall to bend a Demonic-beings’ spine that way,” he said amusedly. I snarled, wishing I could throttle him then and there.

“Will she be able to walk?” Reece asked, and I sent a quick prayer up to the Heavens. Night-Hunters who were useless were usually killed off. If I couldn’t walk, Reece would just be rid of me.

“Of course. Thank the Heavens, or whatever you people worship, that possessed Demonic-beings have fluid spines that allow them to transform into their Demonic side. Her spine was merely… twisted the wrong way. Something I have already fixed. As for the cracks in her armor, a good sleep and some fresh blood will fix them right up. Had she taken blood recently, she would have healed instantly, and been strong enough to defeat the Streaker Demon in seconds. The sun rash will heal over time. If you can’t get blood, I can find a volunteer to donate some. I suggest that she come with me, where I can monitor her easily. It will cost you a great deal less as well.”

“Very well. But I want Novella and Marriatta to scout the entire area before she goes anywhere.”

“Of course,” Jason bowed deeply at the waist and motioned for the two girls to follow him.

Reece sat on a chair and groaned as I rolled myself over, staring at the ceiling morbidly.

“Why do you always get yourself into dangerous situations?” he asked me.

“Because danger loves me,” I mumbled around the drying blood in my mouth.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t feed off my own blood.

“Danger is why you nearly died. Destiny, you’re one of our best. The business you drag in is enough to keep us going for years, but you seem to be on the brink of destruction. I think the Night-Hunters might not be the right path for you.”

“What?” I sat up, immediately wincing.

“I’m thinking of releasing you from the Night-Hunters.”

“No,” I said firmly.

“Yes. It’s only temporary,” he held his hands out in defense as I snarled, fighting the urge to slap him.

“You need to take a break before you get yourself killed.”

“Screw off! I’ve been fine!”

Jason returned, and I felt a sharp pinch on my upper arm, a warmth spreading along the area.

Within seconds, my head felt fuzzy, like it was full of cotton, and the edges of my vision went blurry.

“No, you haven’t been. Which is why I’m sending you to Darcie’s house, where you will attend the Academy to regain your strength, and to hopefully learn something about not taking unnecessary risks.”

The Academy? I was NOT going to waste time there. I had jobs to do!

“Nn…” my refusal disintegrated into a slur of sound, and I felt myself being lifted my Jason. I couldn’t move enough to fight back, despite the Septem Peccatis’ shrieks of protest.

*

I woke up to the feeling of a soft, warm blanket pulled up to my chin, and the sound of a fire crackling in a fireplace. I opened my eyes, looking around the room, which was decorated in warm brown tones, and a dark wood floor. To my left was a fireplace, and a desk and chair beside it, with a rug in front of it. To my right was another, comfier chair, a bookshelf, a bay window piled with pillows and blankets, and a second rug. The bay window was covered by shutters on the outside, no light other than the fireplace to be seen in the room. The chair was occupied with a sleeping form, and my dress, which had been resewn, cloak, gloves and boots were placed neatly atop a clothes chest at the foot of the bed. I pulled the blanket off my body, sighing in relief when I realised that I had been redressed in a white shirt that was far too big on me, and a pair of white leggings. I attempted to sit up, blinking away the dizziness that followed.

“Careful, you’re still working the BloodIron out of your system,” an exhausted voice said from the chair, and I turned.

“Seth?” I had to be imagining his voice, right? There was no way I could be in his house… But a part of me fervently hoped I was, while the other half shied away from it and hissed in disgust.

“I was just as surprised, believe me. I didn’t realize you were a Night-Hunter. Or a Demonic-being,” he shrugged, and I collapsed back onto the bed.

“Who dressed me?” I demanded. He flinched at my loud tone. If it had been Jason, or this mysterious Darcie, I would tear the house apart.

“Not me, so don’t worry about that. Mira, a friend of mine, did. She lent you the pants, and the shirt is courtesy of me, since Adriel refused to give you one of hers,” it hadn’t even occurred to me that Seth could have done it. I was startled at the thought.

“Who is Mira?”

“Mira is a Wraith-Nephilim hybrid, and Adriel is a Korathian. So is Emmett, her older brother.”

“How many are in this house?” I could hear multiple voices, one, light and sweet, and a second female, sour and grumpy, who replied to the first girl. Somewhere deeper in the house, two more males were speaking, one of their tones deeper than the other, and I heard a young child and a mother nearby as well. My heart twinged slightly at the sound of them, and then faded away, pushed to the back of my mind.

“About eight of us. But only six of us live here permanently. Two are visitors, my mother and my baby sister.”

“I can hear them talking,” I groaned, letting my head drop back onto the pillow. I hadn’t slept in a bed this comfy for years. Or any bed at all. I usually just slept on the ground, or hay during the winter, if I was lucky enough to find any.

“I can tell them to be quieter, if you want?”

“No, no, I’m okay… What did you say I was working out of my system?” I already knew, but I wanted to keep talking to this mysterious boy.

“BloodIron. It renders Demonic-beings’ powers useless, and it knocks out any who are weaker than usual. Your injuries meant you passed out pretty much instantly.”

“How-How long have I been out?” Why the Hell was I STAMMERING? I was not some love-sick school girl. I was a Demonic-being. I didn’t need, or want, anybody.

“About two days. It took Jason a while to get you here, since the sun was up, but he managed it. Darcie nearly had a fit.”

“I was supposed to deliver a letter to him.”

“He got it, don’t worry.”

“What was it about?” I felt like someone else was talking through me, my voice sounding tinny in my ears, like I was yelling down a pipe. Jason hadn’t said ASKING about the letter was against the rules, only reading it- which I wasn’t.

“An approaching festival,” Seth stood, picking up a small chain from my pile of clothes, my silver locket hanging on the end of it.

“You got quite violent when Mira tried to take this off you. What is it?” A locket. What else could it be?

“A locket with a bit of braided hair from both my parents, and from my sister. My mother gave it to me before she abandoned me as a toddler on the Night-Hunter steps. My father was going to kill me, because I was getting too powerful to handle,” as was the case with most Demonic-beings, their Demonic parent was afraid of the power their offspring might have inherited, and wanted to be rid of them as soon as possible. We were a hated ‘type’, as the bartender had put it.

“What were their names?” he asked gently, placing the locket back into the folds of my dress.

“I don’t know.”

He walked past, grabbing a fire poker, and pushed a few extra logs onto the fire. He stared at it in silence, as if he was thinking, and he finally ran a hand through his messy blonde hair.

“Are you hungry?”

I nodded. He sat on the edge of the bed, holding his wrist out.

“Jason said you needed blood. I volunteered.”

“Have I already taken blood from you?” I was horrified that I would do such a thing, but he shook his head, putting an end to my panic.

“No, I decided to wait until you woke up to offer.”

“I haven’t taken blood in years,” and I didn’t intend to start now- not with this boy, anyway. I already felt… intrigued, by him. Taking blood from him would only add to that intrigue. Not to mention I’d kill him, and despite the intrigue that I felt towards him, I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it. Perhaps I should kill him, if only to banish the intrigue.

“I know. Have you ever had a volunteer?”

“No, it’s usually too painful for people to dare,” I said, hoping to scare him from the idea.

“How painful?”

“You’ll probably cry. Maybe scream. It’s why I don’t take blood anymore,” a lie, but it was a valid excuse. I didn’t take blood for an entirely different reason, and it wasn’t because it hurt people. No, I was fine with that, but the consequences of being caught were too high for even me to risk.

“Even if I offered?”

“Especially if you offered. You have no idea what you’re offering to me.”

“A few pints of blood,” he grinned. I rolled my eyes, punching his arm hard enough to bruise.

“Yes, but if I lost control, you wouldn’t be able to fight me off. You’d be offering me your life.”

‘Tempting idea.’ It was, but it would cause more trouble than it was worth.

“You won’t lose control,” he said firmly. I shook my head. I would. I had before.

‘No, you won’t. Take some of his blood.’

“I did last time. I massacred a whole fighting unit. I was ten years old the last time I hunted through this city.”

“You killed people.” It wasn’t a question, but I nodded anyway.

“Yes.”

“Do you regret it?”

“Sometimes.”

“No,” He did not shy away from the more Demonic voice that escaped my lips, but only moved closer. I gulped, wishing I could move back even the tiniest bit, because I could smell the blood beneath his skin, and it was driving me insane. I had never smelt blood like that before, and it was definitely attracting my attention. All of it.

“My offer still stands,” he held his wrist out, and I pressed my lips together as my teeth grew.

“It will help you heal faster. Don’t worry about me, you’re in control,” Seth pressed his wrist against my lips, and I felt the pulse beneath his skin. It was steady. Not a single sign of fear in his eyes.

“It will hurt,” I warned again. Why did he want to help me?

“I know.”

“For a while afterwards, it will hurt.” Please, just let him move back before I did something stupid. I didn’t want to hurt him. I didn’t-

“I know.” I felt my lips part, and he moved his wrist closer. His jaw was set stubbornly, but I could smell the fear beginning to emanate off him as he realised just how large my teeth were compared to his wrist. I pushed it away, disgusted that I had been tempted.

“I don’t need it.”

The door cracked open, letting more light into the room. I blinked as my eyes adjusted to the new light, and a figure came into view.

“Seth, Emmett has requested your presence downstairs. Ah, I see our guest has awoken. Jason has blood for you. Fresh from a wild animal,” I still wasn’t taking it. Animal blood was disgusting, and it tasted like dirt. I might as well lick a rock.

I waited until Seth bowed and left, closing the door quietly behind him.

“I don’t drink blood anymore.”

“Well, you should. I know that your kind rely on blood as a food source. What have you eaten instead?”

“Fell meat,” I flashed my teeth, and the man strode over, dumping his sword on the chair in the corner. I glanced at it once, and then ignored it. It wouldn’t be a threat to me.

“And you get it from where?”

“I hunt it.”

“Outside the walls?”

“No, in the houses. Of course I hunt it outside the walls!” I spat sarcastically. How thick was this person? I wanted Seth back, and I was annoyed enough to be near murderous that this stranger with the familiar eyes had interrupted. I cringed inwardly at the thought. Why was I so annoyed? Hadn’t I just been wishing he would leave? If anything, it had been a good thing we were interrupted. Fell beasts, or Dracofelata’s, were ten-foot-tall killing machines that rivalled the Streaker Demons in pure bloodthirsty-ness. They had purple fur on top, which framed their leathery wings, and blue-grey scales beneath. Killing them was difficult, since their scales acted in much the same way as my own, when I had them. They protected their organs.

“How do you get outside the city? It’s forbidden to leave unless you have business in another town, or you’re a Demon-Hunter. Which, taking in your position, I doubt you are.”

“Who are you, anyway?” I demanded. The man raised an eyebrow at my challenging tone, or maybe it was the fact I had dodged his question.

“Darcie O’Connor, at your service, M’lady,” he bowed deeply, his nose practically touching his waist, and I growled, my lip curling ferally.

“Don’t patronize me. I have no title.” Another lie.

“Up until recently, you were a Night-Hunter. One of their best, I’ve been told. What was your title there?” I hid my shock as best I could, lifting my chin higher. Why would Reece tell this man about the Night-Hunters?

‘Maiden of Midnight,’ I thought, but only shook my head.

“The Night-Hunters do not use titles,” I lied.

“And now you’re lying to me as well. First, you dodge my questions, and now you lie. I also heard you were supposed to deliver a letter to me?” Did he know that Seth had told me?

Obviously not, because why would he ask if he did?

“That’s true,” I admit. There was no point lying about that- he knew anyway.

“What was in it?” he baited. I rolled my eyes. Why did everybody think I wanted to read the damned thing?

“I have no idea. I was under strict orders not to read it.”

He bared his teeth at my words in a dangerous grin.

“I didn’t take you for one who followed orders.”

“I’m not. I didn’t get the chance to read it before I was attacked. Is it just my imagination, or am I getting interrogated?”

“I don’t like hosting Demons in general. Let alone ones I don’t know. If you’re going to stay here, I need to know more about you.” No, he didn’t. He wanted to know.

“So I’m not imagining it then. I am getting interrogated. Unbelievable. I’d have expected more from a- wait, what did you say your last name was?” A thought suddenly occurred to me, and he raised an eyebrow.

“O’Connor. I was a Demon-Slayer, the highest title you can earn at the Academy. Perhaps you heard my name ther-”

“Shut up, I’m thinking.” He rocked back on his feet, his face an image of shock as I bit my bottom lip in thought, and I remembered that I was not supposed to swear. It was considered rude in public. Not that I cared, but social etiquette was important to these people.

“Reece O’Connor… You’re brothers. My leader is your older brother?” That explained how he knew about my position in the Night-Hunters, then.

“Yes. That’s how he knew I lived here. Why he thought I’d host one of his little servants, I won’t ever know, but you’re here,” his growing anger, and the nearby sword coated in Demon blood, was beginning to grate on my already bruised nerves. I stood, pulling my boots on, tying the laces violently.

“And leaving,” I pointed out. I stepped towards the door, and he moved in synchronicity, blocking my path.

“No, you’re not. I was paid to host you here until you healed. Which, I heard from my brother, will take two months at the very least. Which means you’re stuck here.”

I moved without a thought, delivering a kick to his chest that had him stumbling to the side, and I lifted my chin high as he swore, gasping for air to fill his now empty lungs.

“Not a chance. You can’t keep me here. Oh, and you’ll probably have a nasty bruise. I suggest putting a warm-” before I could step out the door, he stuck his own foot out in a move meant to trip me, which I leapt over easily with a hiss of pain. I ran, bolting down the hall, sliding around the corner, nearly killing myself as I leapt over the stairs, jarring my battered ribcage. I landed on the ground below, and pulled the front door open, ready to bolt into the pouring rain, before running straight into a hard chest.

“Running away already? Where’s Darcie?” Jason held me by the forearm as he hauled me inside towards a small room under the stairs. I dug my feet into the expensive wood, leaving two deep scratches. Good. I hoped they’d have to fork out a whole lot of money to fix it.

“Darcie is currently tending to a bruise,” I barked, “as you will be too.” I brought my foot upwards, only to have him grab me by the ankle, swinging me over his shoulder.

“Put me down!”

“Not a chance, princess.” I heard the door open, and I was thrown inside. The walls were laced with iron, a metal that burnt Demons. I delivered a kick to the door that had the room, and my ears, ringing.

“If you don’t let me out, I’ll bring the house to the ground!”

“A fine warning. Be a good girl and wait there while I look for Darcie. The cell is built to hold your kind, so quit kicking things before you break another bone.”

I placed my hand against the door, hearing the sound of my burning flesh, and allowed the power I kept tightly bound to leak through, cracking the iron and splitting the door in half, the iron falling as a light shower of rust. I stuck my head out, scanning the room before I started creeping towards the front door. I made it two feet before a female figure, her brown hair floating around her head as if she was underwater, landed on top of me, perching atop my chest as she pinned me to the ground. I dug my nails into her arm, drawing blood, and she yelped.

“Ow! Did you just try to poison me?!” she gawked. I struggled as she lifted me with ease, holding me a foot above the ground, and she stared at me with jade-green eyes.

“You’re pretty strong for a kid,” she grinned.

“You’re no older than me!” I retorted. She rolled her eyes.

“I’m a Wraith. I age a lot slower than you do.”

“You’re only part Wraith,” I pointed out, “If you were full Wraith, your skin would be completely white, like bleached parchment, but it has a slightly warm tone to it. I’d guess you were half Wraith, half Nephilim.”

“And you’re a Demonic-being.”

“More Demonic than anything, I would stand to say.”

“Who is your Demon Lord?” she asked curiously, and I sighed. If I told her, it would only cause more problems. If I avoided an answer, it would be suspicious.

“A pain in my ass, that’s what.”

She grinned in amusement.

“Epic. I’m Mira.”

“Destiny,” I ground out. Talking was keeping the pain at bay. I was beginning to regret my decision to run.

“Well Destiny, if I lower you to the ground, are you going to run away again?”

“Most definitely,” Seth muttered from the stairs. Another male, who I presumed was Emmett, stood at his side.

‘What an odd collection of people.’

‘Like you’re not?’

Emmett had silver-white hair, and blue eyes. He was taller than Seth, and had a larger, stronger build, but seemed around the same age as Mira and I. Perhaps older, but I doubted it.

“I’m guessing you’re the new girl.” He walked towards the stairs, Seth at his heels, just as a girl with the same features as his, albeit more feminine, poked her head around the corner of the bannister. This must have been Adriel.

“Oh, she’s awake.” Well, Adriel was a brat, then. Lovely.

“You don’t sound too pleased about that,” I pressed my lips together in a thin, polite smile as she shook her head.

“I’m not. I was hoping you wouldn’t wake up,” she said blatantly. I raised my eyebrows. Most people didn’t dare talk to me like that.

“Adriel, be nice!” Emmett scolded his younger sister, and a tall boy with midnight black hair walked in through the open front door. He paused at the gathering of people in the living-room, turned, and walked out, mumbling about the full moon and its effects on the household. Nobody commented, and it seemed I was the only one who noticed him as he slinked off, disappearing in the street. How odd. Seth stepped forward, motioning for Mira to put me down. I rubbed at my bruised arm, trying to get the blood flowing again.

“Darcie is fine, by the way,” Emmett told me, not at all concerned by his leader’s attacker being free again.

“He’s not our leader. He’s a friend,” Seth mumbled. I looked at him.

“How did you know I was thinking that?”

“A wild guess,” he shrugged as Darcie emerged, Jason writing in a notebook at his side. I counted the strokes he made across the page, and smiled. He was writing about me.

“I see you’ve all made friends with our newest addition to the family. Hopefully she didn’t hurt any of you.” Jason glanced at me as Mira giggled, spotting my glare as I flexed my fingers.

Why hadn’t the poison worked on her?

‘Wraiths can withstand certain poisons,’ the Septem Peccatis explained, and I sighed through my nose.

‘That makes things harder for us.’

‘For you. I have no part in the circus act you’re currently running.’

‘Circus?’

‘Forget about it. I forget your knowledge of the Korathian world is limited.’

‘Is that a dig at me, or are you just feeling sour tonight?’

‘You got us thrown into this nut house. Forgive me if my patience with your antics is low today.’

“Destiny, were you listening?” Jason asked, and I looked at him. I had been staring at Seth, or rather, in his general direction, as I conversed with my Demon Lord. He was blushing awkwardly. I felt my own blood creep into my cheeks, and I lowered my head to the ground.

“Nope.”

Emmett laughed, and Jason repeated himself, “Are you armed?”

“Ask Mira. She’s the one who changed me apparently.” My lack of weapons was somewhat unnerving, I had grown up with a weapon in my hand, had learnt to use one before I even learnt how to walk, but judging by Darcie’s wince as he finally sat down, I was more than capable enough of bringing them down without one.

“I took her weapons. They’ve been stored away,” Mira said, glancing towards the top of the stairs. I made a mental note to retrieve my weapons later, and lifted my head as Jason shifted on his feet.

“Any hidden weapons, Destiny?” Jason asked. I held up my hands, wiggling my fingers.

“Plenty.”

“Put them on the table.”

“I can’t. They’re a part of me,” I declared poetically. Jason rolled his eyes. I looked around the room, and realised that they had subtly surrounded me, with one of them on either side of me.

“I don’t think you can be sentimental with weapons. Put them on the table.”

It was my turn to roll my eyes.

“I’m not being sentimental.”

“Put them on the table, or I’ll put an iron chain on you.” I snarled at the threat, and sighed.

‘Show them.’ I demanded to my Demon Lord, who grinned in delight at the opportunity to show off. If I revealed this part of me, perhaps they would take more caution when they threatened me in future.

Shifting was easy enough, the gasp the others made as I dropped to all fours, scales replacing my skin, claws replacing my fingers, was music to my ears. My eyes shifted, red veins and pupils forming on top of the black, and I growled, stalking towards Seth on all fours. What attracted my Demonic-being to this mortal? Was it the blood he held, or something deeper?

‘That’s enough.’ Her voice echoed at the back of my mind, and I bared my teeth in a sort of ghoulish grin. Seth shifted from one foot to the other and I coiled up, readying to pounce- I fell onto the floor mid-leap, just as Emmett grabbed my ankle.

“As I said, I can’t remove my weapons. I AM a weapon,” I panted, a layer of sweat breaking out over my body.

“It takes a lot of effort to keep him in line, doesn’t it?” Seth asked me. I nodded.

“She doesn’t keep me in line. I can take over whenever I like, such is the nature of our agreement. I keep out of the way most of the time, but I’m always there. Should I choose to kill you all, I can and will.”

“Why haven’t you taken over? Don’t most Demons take over on their Demonic-being’s tenth birthday?”

“I have larger plans for her. I do not usually take Demonic-beings, and when I do, I choose carefully. This girl was much, much braver than her sibling. She did not cry when she stared me down, unlike her sister.”

“Plans such as?” Darcie asked. Jason was noting the entire encounter, and I didn’t have the energy to fight the Demon back as he said, “You’ll have to wait and see, Demon-Slayer.”

“Or I could kill you now,” he threatened. I laughed.

“Go ahead. I can always take another Demonic-being.”

“Don’t,” Seth said as Darcie came to tower over me, sword raised. He lifted his head to stare at him.

“Why? She’s dangerous, and uncontrollable.”

“She’s not! She can be trained, can’t she?” Seth pleaded, and I wondered what was rousing him to save my life. It wasn’t like I was his friend or anything. I was still thinking over whether it was worth the effort to kill and rob them all.

“She’s not a dog, Seth,” Jason said gently from the corner.

“She can’t be trained to play nice and not bite. There’s a reason why Demonic-beings die on their tenth. She had long outlived her expiry date.” I wasn’t a tin of food! By Lilith’s beauty, they could at least pretend to be nice. Like I was.

“There must be a reason for that! If the Septem Peccatis really can take over whenever he wants, then why hasn’t he?”

I turned towards them, my eyes widening. He knew too much. He had to die, then.

“How did you know it was the Septem Peccatis?”

“Your phased form matches the book you gave me,” Seth said quietly. I frowned as Darcie hissed. This wasn’t going well for me.

“The Septem Peccatis truly is your Demon Lord?” Darcie asked, and I nodded. He raised his sword again, and I flinched back into Seth’s arms. He stepped in front of me, shielding me, and I hid a grin. Now I had a willing shield.

‘Ever the damsel in distress, you are.’

“She’s dangerous, Seth! The Septem Peccatis is bad news! Very bad news! And what’s worse, he said he had bigger plans. We have to stop them.”

“Killing her won’t stop those plans! He’d only get a new Demonic-being, and try again!”

“Then we hunt that one down, and kill it too.”

I watched in interest as they argued back and forth, my eyes flicking to Mira, who was slowly stepping forwards, her fingers nimbly stealing Darcie’s sword. He didn’t notice as Seth continued, “If the Septem Peccatis has a plan, then we stop it with her, not by killing her. Give her a chance.”

“I did, and she kicked me in the gut,” Darcie growled.

“In all due respect, you weren’t letting me leave the room. It was self-defense,” I griped, and received two growls from Jason and Darcie in return.

“What’s his plan?” Jason asked me. I shrugged.

“I don’t know. If I did, I’d have stopped it long ago.”

“Even if it meant ending your own life?” Darcie determined.

“What is it with you and death?” I quipped angrily, stomping my foot on the ground. Seth coughed to hide a laugh, and I glared at him for a split second before turning back to Darcie.

“I’ve seen enough of your kind to know how you work. It was your kind that killed my sister,” he spat. I blinked, the only surprise I would deem to show for them. My kind were bloodthirsty on the best days, but how did a Demon-Slayer manage to get killed? Unless his sister hadn’t been a Demon-Slayer? Or she’d just been bad at her job.

“Not all of us are evil!” I growled, and he turned away. Well… I was, but it wouldn’t help me by telling him that.

“You were about to disembowel Seth!”

“That wasn’t me!”

“It looked like you,” Adriel smirked, leaning against the wall. I didn’t bother looking at her. I’d come up with better insults in my sleep.

“Adriel, be quiet. You don’t even know what happened,” Emmett argued.

“Have a vote then. If more of us would rather kill her, and be done with it, then that’s what happens. With no arguments.” Jason shot a look towards Seth at that, “But if you’d rather she stay alive, and maybe even share a room with you, then we won’t kill her.”

“I’m right here. If you’re going to kill me, then do it. Don’t put me on trial like I’m a criminal,” I hissed, staring Jason down as he glanced at me curiously.

“You’re one of the Night-Hunters. What are they, if not criminals?” Darcie piped up.

“Your brother is the leader of the Night-Hunters. Does that make him a criminal too? Or are family members excluded?” I shot back, rising to my feet. He stood over me still, but I refused to back down as Emmett called, “Burn!”

“All in favour of killing her?” Jason called. Only two raised their hands- Darcie and Adriel.

“All in favour of giving her a chance?” Fools. The lot of them!

Mira, Emmett and Seth raised their hands. Adriel snorted and stormed out angrily.

“If you’re so willing to keep her, would you share a room with her?”

None of them hesitated in their response, and I bit back a smile as Seth suddenly took my hand and squeezed it. My happiness was ruined, however, when a familiar scream echoed out, making me ears prick upwards. I heard my own scream in my ears as a jolt of pain ran up my spine. Novella was a Fae, and her power? A deadly scream… that was used only if she was close to dying.

I pushed past the others before any of them could move, and threw the front door open…

*

“NOVELLA!” I screamed, my eyes scanning every alleyway as I bolted down the street, the scent of blood catching my attention.

“Des…” a broken voice whispered in the darkness, and I spun around.

“Where are you?”

“H-Here… Don’t come! He’s looking for you!”

“Who? Who is looking for me?” I begged, trying to follow her voice. The scent of blood turned into visible droplets, and then long streaks of it, leading down the street. There was enough blood here to kill a Faery.

“I don’t know his name… He came to the Night-Hunter house, demanding to see you. Reece said you were gone, you’d left earlier that day, but he didn’t know where. He attacked Reece, and then started searching the house for you. He didn’t believe us when we yelled that you were long gone! He tried to get Marriatta! I got the others away, but he got a hold of me. He says you have a bargain to uphold with him!”

“What did he look like?”

“I couldn’t see! It was dark in the house, and he blindfolded me!” She was frantic, her voice full of hysterics. But between each word, a rattle of a breath, and then silence.

“Where are you, Novella?”

“I don’t know! I’m still blindfolded. He moved across the rooftops, Destiny!” She descended into a fit of coughing. I started running, following the sound as best I could. But each street seemed to double the sound, and then relay it back to me. And the blood led down every street. This person didn’t want me to find her.

“Novella, I need to find you!” My voice echoed, and this time, no reply came. The air became very heavy, and I watched in horror as the trail disappeared, the scent of blood fading away.

Novella was dead… But she couldn’t be! Novella was… untouchable. I fell to my knees heavily, placing my hand on the ground. I’d find something. I had too! Thin, curling ribbons of red power stretched away from me, making the stone glow as if Hell itself dwelled beneath. I sent that power outwards, searching for Novella’s life, and cursing myself for not thinking of it before. I found nothing. The ribbons curled back, forming into words that would be seen from the rooftops, and I commanded them to scorch the stones, burning the message into them. It was both a warning, and a challenge.