Haunted by the Immortals

Chapter 16

Cami

Late night, it was now. Finally, it was eight o'clock, and here I was still staring at myself in the mirror. I really had to work on my vanity issues. Pat was fine and dandy; she was humming to her herself as she went back and forth into the bathroom and out. I glanced at her, and she caught my eye and smiled crookedly, shrugging her shoulders as she disappeared into the bathroom once again. I shook my head, smiling a little and glared right back at my reflection.

This time, I was wearing a top from the neckline and low-cut pants, which were still pretty tight. I had pinned back my dark hair in a high ponytail, still probably going to come in my way whilst I fought.

This was it: the Big Fight. I didn't know who I was up against, but apparently the fifteen of us were going to be put into three groups of five. All I knew was that today was not a solo fight. No, this was as a pack; we were wolves tonight, fighting as a group and using each other to back-up.

Pat came gracefully towards me with a tight, black top covering her shoulder blades and her arms and a pair of pants that came so high up that her top, which was supposed to be a crop top, showing her belly and her piercing, was almost being covered up. I didn't know she had her bellybutton pierced.

"When did you do that?"

"What, my belly?"

I nodded, grabbing my jacket and sliding it around my arms.

"When I was being stupid," she replied. I was about to start, but she stopped me. "Oh, you meant how old I was. I was sixteen."

"Cool. I'd like mine done." When I could feel all the pain, like a human, I thought.

Her eyes beamed, "Oh, my, God, yes! I can take you and then afterwards we can go shopping, it'll be so much fun!"

I raised my eyebrows and replied, "Pat, focus, not right now."

She'd understood there was no need to explain, because we were late. "C'mon, we need to go, now." She pulled my arm out of the door, slamming it shut and placing the key in her boot. I didn't know how she was going to fight with a key in her shoe. "We can meet Dev and the rest inside." And by inside, she meant inside the Defense Department building.

We were relieved when we saw that eleven of the initiates were still waiting outside. We walked up to them, smiling at each and every one of them. It was only us now, it wouldn't take long to get to know each other and become friends with some. That was, if they weren't jealous. We said hello to Lara and Larry, and I gave them both a hug and a warm smile. They were talking about how Dr. Anders – their English teacher - was a total weirdo, (I was kind of relieved in a way that I'd overslept back in Dev's dorm with Nat and I didn't have to go through the agonizing pain of being taught by Dr. Anders.) when I noticed someone was watching me.

I tried to follow the person's eyes, but they were too fast for me. And finally, my vision rested on a boy standing with his back leant against the wall, his shoulders slouched, his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes cold and full of hatred, and that tattoo that ran across from the left side of his shoulder blade to his back and neck brought chills through my skin down to my bones. Xan Hagen.

I gulped a thick mash of pride, terror and darkness, and made my way towards him where he was gesturing me mutely for me to come. He grinned grimly as I stood just a few inches away from his body and glared up at him.

"Yo, Cami, you made it! I was starting to worry, you not gonna show. Cos, you know, the competition's too big."

I tightened my wrists into fists and shot out between gritted teeth. "What do you want, Xan?"