Dusk

I

Taking deep, slow breaths, Orion slowly drew back the arrow as it's nock sat perfectly on the bow string. Peeking through the sight window, she exhaled and released. The arrow sliced through the air, perfectly landing in the center of the bulls-eye. Internally critiquing herself, she mindlessly reached behind her back to adjust another arrow.

Unimpressed with her form she continued to practice. Mentally scolding herself again and again. She was trained to never be satisfied as there will always be room for improvement. Within seconds, at least 4 more arrows flew. Her arm doing the tedious chore of reaching, setting it in place, drawing it back, and releasing. She did it until she was out of arrows, allowing her gut instincts to ensure each arrow landed exactly where she intended it to. After the last arrow sliced through the air she took a step back knowing she perfectly calculated how it was going to land.

Slowly walking towards the target, pulling the bow string back, she put an arm through and let it secure around her body. Her attention on the target she just impaled with multiple silver tipped arrows.

As expected all the arrows landed inside the red bulls-eye, and as she aimed for the last arrow split the first one in half.

Inside her head she could hear her parent's voice, "good form but keep working at it Ry."

Their voices burned into her memory.

The thought of them making her decide to call them when she headed back to her apartment: curious as to how their mission was developing.

She snatched the arrows and the shredded piece of paper off the tree before walking towards her small backpack, only to stuff everything she needed inside to go back to her temporary home.

She was familiar with this forest and it made her feel safe, especially since she already set up a few traps surrounding her home. After surveying that the vampires in the area tend to stay involved in the city rather than the woods, statistically they were safe enough to not feel uneasy. 

Flicking her wrist, her smart watch lit up. The screen was interactive and acted as an access point to her computer at home. She was able to check security cameras that are posted in and around her apartment.

After making sure nothing was wrong she began jogging back.

The busy sounds of city life could be heard as she exited the forest. Sliding between an alleyway a street came into view, remaining impassive she looked around. Luckily she knew exactly where she was. Tall, narrow buildings stood right beside one another with little to no room in between. Apartments and other establishments lined the busy streets, and one of the buildings held her home.

After a few minutes of walking and fiddling with her watch, her apartment complex was in view.

Not the safest or cleanest place but it worked for her.

This "job" requires her to never actually settle down, she is constantly moving. Although settling down meant something else to her parents. They were already arranging her marriage, trying to keep their impeccable bloodline ongoing. The thought of marriage alone she hated because she equated it with the loss of her independence, yet her parents were the ones to choose the man she will be with forever.

Cringing at the countless arguments about marriage and her personal views on love. Those views basically encapsulate the idea that it doesn't exist.

Well at least not for her.

She never could imagine giving herself to one person and being committed solely to them. The endless amount of books and movies written around the strange concept just made her more skeptical of whether or not it was even real. Her parents seemed in love, regardless of their arranged coupling but that was not always the case in fact it never happens like that. Another component in her training was body language, and she found it particularly useful at council meetings. Majority of the heads of families were distant with one another and strictly professional.