The Abaddon Den

Chapter 5 - Consequences

The air sparked across every molecule between Lei-selle and Tina. This electricity was intoxicating to her, unlike the nauseating languidness that came from any other Mixer's presence as they tried to dull her mental capacities. The clarity in the air around Tina was like swimming in a crystal-clear lake, the cool waters refreshing and calming. Of course, she knew it was only because Tina did not know how to utilise her powers, but she could not help but revel in this new experience.

They stared at each other, their breaths mingling in that clear, electrified space, brown eyes searching her obsidian mirrors. Lei-selle could clearly see Tina's slashes now. They were not only solid blue lines, most notable of Mixers, but a faint white wisp curled around it like a lost scarf clinging to a light pole on a windy day. She cocked her head to the side to observe it more and Tina threw her eyes to the ground, a bought of shyness eclipsing her own curiosity.

With a resolute grunt, Lei-selle pushed off the old, grey wall of the building and rose to her feet. "Since you have no questions, meet me on top the hill tonight, 3 a.m. I expect punctuality of my kin."

Without a glance over her shoulder, she kicked the dust off her feet in Tina's direction then entered the school building. Hybrids peered at her from every corner of the hall as she returned to the original scene of Tina's Cicatrix.

The nervous girl was a wonder to Lei-selle, like rediscovered land. She wondered what was so enchanting about the girl that she would decide to Claim her despite her Conscious-less history. Was it how she trembled at every sound and gesture? Maybe, it was the hesitancy in her voice causing her syllables to lurch here and there like travelling on an old train. Or, most probably, it was the prospect of sinking her claws into unblemished meat, akin to a vampiric obsession for virgin blood. Arriving at the lunch hall, she snatched her untouched bag off the cracked tiles and approached a small side-door to a discreet flight of stairs.

In the narrow hallway, Lei-selle was ambushed by a small and ragged bunch of Hybrids. A dark, burly boy in a starkly orange sweater shuffled in behind her, and a wiry Mixer with stringy blond hair traipsed in smugly before he slammed the door shut. The old lock was wobbled closed and a few steps ahead, a pair of Executioners rose from the rickety staircase beside her and made their way around the banister toward her.

Lei-selle bit her fingernails into her palm and a roughly shook her head to release herself from the trance the spaghetti-headed Mixer had put her under.

"Shitty Mixers," Lei-selle cursed. She would not have taken this rickety staircase back to class on any other day. "If you know what's good for you, you'll let me through," Lei-selle said to the Executioners before her, daggers serrating her words.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll hand over the weapon you killed Enilse with," the raggy blond screeched behind her.

"Over my dead body," Lei-selle said, and she dropped her lunch bag under the stairs. "Give me your names, so I know who to send to Lucifer."

"Gladly, I'm Kamera Gamtah," the Executioner on her right cracked his knuckles then gestured to the Executioner to her left, "this is my kin, Lito Concillable. And the Mixer behind you is Thal Tascenda."

"And the big guy in the tacky orange jacket?" Lei-selle found her centre of balance as she thumbed her razor out of her cardigan's sleeve.

"No one, just some human I picked up," Thal licked her lips. "Don't worry, I've taken all mental precautions," she said as she swirled her index finger beside her temple.

"You three are going to be sorry for-"

Before she could finish, a great weight slammed into her, knocking the razor out of her hand and the air from her lungs. The small blade skittered delicately beside her lunch box along with any oxygen she had. A heavy punch landed in her right side further suffocating her.