Blade institute: the unseen prophecy

3

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As night falls, we prepare for the mission. I've been assigned to a nightclub, where we're hunting a demon named Sophia, easily identifiable by the scar on her right eye. My team for the night includes Ethan, Sam, Roger, and, much to my dismay, the new guy, Rian.

I slip into my outfit for the night—tight leather pants and a skimpy leather top that shows just enough cleavage, laced up the front. My hair is still curled from earlier, so I only add a bit more makeup to complete the look. As I'm finishing up, I see Rian approaching. We make eye contact, and he stops, his gaze traveling slowly over me, lingering on my cleavage before meeting my eyes. He raises an eyebrow, then looks down at the blades laid out before us.

I grab a small blade, my fingers brushing the cool metal as I slip it between my cleavage, making sure to do it slowly, deliberately, without breaking eye contact with Rian. A flutter of butterflies stirs in my stomach as he watches, his gaze lingering just a second too long. I'm used to being looked at—being assessed, even admired—but there's something different about the way Rian's eyes travel over me, something I can't quite put my finger on. It's unsettling, and yet, it makes me want to push back, to see if I can crack that cool exterior of his.

Rian's expression doesn't falter, but I see the way his eyes narrow slightly, like he's trying to figure me out, like he's sizing up an opponent. Finally, he breaks the silence, his voice low and edged with curiosity. "What's your name?"

I lift an eyebrow, matching his cool tone as I look him up and down, mirroring the way he just did with me. "Evangeline," I reply, keeping my voice steady and uninterested, as if I hadn't just felt that strange tension between us.

He nods slightly, his expression unreadable. "Ever heard anything about what pink eyes mean?" His tone is still curious, but there's something more there—something I can't quite place. It's like he knows something I don't, and it makes me bristle.

"What do you mean?" I respond, unable to keep the surprise out of my voice. Of all the things I expected him to say, this wasn't it.

Rian tilts his head slightly, as if considering whether to tell me more. "Your parents never told you?" he presses, his tone still calm, but with an undercurrent of something that almost feels like... pity? No, not pity. Something else.

The mention of my parents brings a bitter taste to my mouth. I think of my mother—selfish, a drunk, never telling me anything useful, just taking and taking until I had nothing left to give. I shake my head, trying to keep my voice neutral. "No."

Rian raises his eyebrows again, like he's surprised, or maybe disappointed. But before I can ask what the hell he's talking about, he turns and walks away without another word, leaving me standing there, puzzled and more than a little annoyed. What a weird thing to say, I think, frustration gnawing at me. I hate feeling like I'm in the dark, especially about something that seems so personal.

I don't have much time to dwell on it, though. "Evangeline!" I hear Ethan's voice cutting through my thoughts. I turn to see him grabbing his blades, his usual smirk in place as he quickly secures them in his clothes. "You ready?"

I nod, though my mind is still spinning from Rian's cryptic question. As I walk over to Ethan, I try to push the strange interaction with Rian out of my mind, but it's like a splinter lodged in my brain, impossible to ignore.

Ethan, of course, notices my distracted state immediately. "Hey, you okay?" he asks, his voice dropping a notch as he looks at me more closely. "You look like you just saw a ghost... or Rian, which is basically the same thing."

I can't help but laugh at that, though it's more out of relief that Ethan's here to bring some normalcy back. "Yeah, I'm fine," I say, trying to brush it off. "Just... Rian's weird, right?"

Ethan raises an eyebrow, glancing over at where Rian's disappeared. "Weird? The guy's a walking mystery novel. Seriously, what's his deal? Does he think brooding is a personality?"

"Apparently," I snort, feeling some of the tension ease out of me. "He just asked me something really... odd."

Ethan leans in, clearly intrigued. "Oh? Do tell. Did he ask for your number? Because if he did, I might have to step up my game."

I roll my eyes, giving him a light shove. "Please, as if. He asked if I knew what pink eyes meant."

Ethan blinks, clearly caught off guard. "Pink eyes? Like, conjunctivitis?"

I burst out laughing, the ridiculousness of the situation hitting me all at once. "No, you idiot. My pink eyes. He was being all cryptic about it, like it was some big secret."

Ethan's smile fades a little, replaced by a thoughtful frown. "That's... odd. Did he say anything else?"

I shake my head. "Nope. Just walked away like he dropped some huge bombshell and didn't feel like explaining it."

"Typical," Ethan mutters, glancing in Rian's direction again. "Well, whatever it is, it's probably just his way of messing with you. Maybe he's trying to get under your skin."

"He's doing a damn good job of it," I admit, feeling a flicker of irritation. I don't like the idea of Rian trying to mess with me, of him getting in my head like this.

Ethan smirks, nudging me playfully. "Don't let him. Besides, if he gets too annoying, we can always sic Sam on him. She's been dying to knock him down a peg since he got here."

I grin at the thought. "Tempting, but I think I'll handle this one on my own. No need to unleash the Sam just yet."

"Fair enough," Ethan chuckles. "But seriously, V, if he gives you any more trouble, let me know. I've got your back."

"Thanks," I say, genuinely appreciating his support. "But I think I can handle one brooding, mysterious recruit."

Ethan grins. "That's the spirit. Now let's go take out some demons. After all, nothing cures a weird conversation like a good old-fashioned hunt."

As we head out to join the others, I can't help but glance over my shoulder at where Rian disappeared. He might be a mystery, but I'm not about to let him throw me off my game. Whatever his deal is, I'll figure it out. But for now, I've got demons to hunt—and that's something I know how to handle.