Heathen Series - Changed

Chapter 28

*** Raphael's Pov***

Raphael sat on a beam observing the training that took place below her. She had her eyes on each individual memorising their movements, skills and unique fighting styles. If she was going to survive she would have to be able to read them as if they were a part of her own body. She had her work cut out for her.
It was nearly time for their “special training” - the Killing Phase – which was actually just the exterminating of any unsuccessful experiment of both human and animal creatures alike; something the really looked forward to.
Just as she was about to jump down, the General stormed in with such force that the doors nearly exploded out of its hinges. They could all feel the rage that radiated off of him. It was truly something that could burn a hole in the sun itself if it had the choice. His face was redder than the apple she had in her hands and it looked like he was about to explode.

He looked around while they all kept their eyes on him; she could sense that he was searching for her.

‘Why do you constantly look for me?’

*** General's Pov***

“Attention!” he called he needed to see her; the sight of her would calm him down a bit.

He found her.

Raphael sat still with the apple in her hand and a bored expression on her face. She was definitely not interested in what he had to say while he was in his current emotional state. She took a bite of her apple and watched attentively as the group walked – strolled – into a straight line that would make mathematicians cry with envy; they clearly were not in the mood for his dramatics.

Too bad.

He paced up and down their line and looked like a ticking time bomb; hand designed by the devil himself.

She was here, but where?

He wanted her, and it took everything he had in him to stop him from finding her and taking her right then and there.

'Not yet. Breathe. Not yet.' he forcefully reminded himself.

“Where is Raphael?!” he boomed arrogantly.

The group remained silent. He could sense that they were getting irritated with the his temper and he took note that they had more time to bond and clearly had no intention of giving up anyone to the him in this current mood.
Even Temptress looked away, more out of jealousy than anything else. He knew what she was thinking. She was the General’s Right-Hand, not Raphael but she kept quiet none-the-less.

***

They knew her habits and how she enjoyed sitting and walking atop the beams of the ceiling; her place. They never questioned it and respected it as her special space; they each had their own “quirk” and wouldn’t like others judging or criticising it. They all had one place that they went to together to get away and to pretend to be normal and be happy in a way – all except Temptress who was not interested in that place and spent most of her time with the General or training to perfect her own style.

The General looked almost relieved to see that she was finally bonding with her fellow “teammates”. But at the same time, he looked outraged at the silence. He took a breath to calm down, it didn’t work well.

“Where is she, I have no time or patience for games.” he explained quickly.

Raphael jumped down from the beams with the ease of a feline and took her place at the end of the line next to Dash; who smiled up at her as she placed her left hand on her hip with the apple in her right hand. She took another bite and stared unimpressed at the General who took his time taking her in.