Hell's Inner Circle Vol 1

Section 5

Prologue

Winter's bite has started nipping at students' noses. The holidays are in full swing with Thanksgiving in the rearview mirror and winter break around the corner. Two weeks! It is a great period to travel and spend time with family.

Even the Origin Club is getting ready for this break.

Markus will be traveling with his family to head to a larger family gathering on the East Coast but will return before Christmas.

Katherine didn't have any plans that required her to go anywhere. She planned to take it as easy as she could before returning to school.

Bolly was in the same boat as Katherine. Nothing planned and hoped to just take it east.

Rush seemed to be more absent than usual from club activities. Katherine reports that she hasn't seen him at work but that just means he could be sneaking in and out.

Part 1

Everyone is on the edge of their seats. It's the last few days before winter break begins. Only three more easy days before there are two weeks of freedom. Marie is keeping decorum of the club by requiring attendance these last three days. This will allow for any final communications before they break.

A familiar but foreign face arrives on the required Wednesday. Rush walks in carrying his bag to one of the chairs and taking a seat. Everyone else seemed pleased to see him. Markus was even the first to greet him, "There's the stranger!" Bolly looked up from her book to see him take the chair across from her.

Marie was sitting, pleased with herself, on the couch. Everyone was here! And this included an uninvited guest knocking at their door.

No one was expecting anyone else. Marie gave the order, "Come in!" The gentleman who walked through the door brought a weird sensation with him. Katherine, Bolly, and Markus all sat up with laser focus on this person.

Rush thought the mixing sensations were weird. He felt more relaxed as this person walked in but every hair on his arm stood up on end as though there was a predator near him. Marie showed no strong feelings one way or the other. She was the one he would base his reactions on.

This guy looked familiar to Rush like he had seen him before but only in passing. Literally! He ran into him as Markus was taking him to the clubroom a few weeks ago. That blonde hair and those blue eyes.

His clothing was nothing that would stand out. He looked like any other student wearing something casual but warmer for the weather. Long sleeves, thicker pants. Rush's eyes caught the cross necklace he wore and realized that's where the nervous feeling came from. He really was a devil, wasn't he?

He spoke softly but his voice echoed through the room with a soothing sound, "Hello Origin Club! I see you have a new face." He looked at Rush and had the same feeling Rush did. He had seen him before. He also remembered him from bumping into each other in the hallway. He ignored the others as he made his way across the room to meet this new person.

Rush sat there with his leg over the other until this person stopped. With a hand out he smiled, "My name is Horris. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Rush looked at his hand, then up to his face, then off to the side at Marie who seemed indifferent to the situation. Or maybe she was a bit miffed that she was snubbed. She was the one in charge so to be passed up for one of her subordinates would be considered insulting.

But Rush didn't want to be rude to their guest. He stood up to meet him face-to-face. Horris had a friendly smile. Rush kept a straight face as he took his hand. In a flash, Rush felt something. Just coming in to contact with this guy he could tell there was a lot more to him.