Hunter Academy

Chapter 18: I'm fine

I don't know how to feel. Whenever I think of her in a certain way my heart feels a bit heavy and I get a little...anxious? Being an emotional wreck does not suit me but I can't stop thinking of last nights events.

I woke up with a feeling of dread in my heart. I didn't want to face her. I mean just looking at her made me feel...weird. Thinking of her makes my heart drum with a painful beat. I don't want to feel this, I don't want to feel her. The pain it brings is unbearable, I don't know why. I'm surprised as tears fall down my cheeks. I don't know what's happening to me.

I sense her behind me and I quickly make a dash for the bathroom. I catch a glimpse of her and and a dull shock goes through my heart (as what I can describe it). With my back against the door, I slide to the ground and cradle my knees. I'm silently crying, I don't want her to hear me, although I know she can feel my pain and I know she's slowly consuming those feelings. I know she can't help it, that's what demons do anyways. I doubt she understands why I'm crying. Just thinking of her brings a pain through my heart, I hate it. I hate it so much...she's basically my sister! I have to suppress these awful feelings, and I will. I have to do it for me, so I can become more powerful.

I will, I must.

Whatever, I can deal with anything. As the great saying goes, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I stop crying and I dry my face. I open the door and see a pair of purple eyes staring back at me. Another dull shock goes through me. I take a couple seconds to look at her face. Her pale skin, her beautiful hair, and her purple eyes that seem as if they could tear me apart.

Stop.

"Good morning Lilith." I say as I move past her and into the changing closet. My skin on my back doesn't feel as tight as yesterday, but it's still uncomfortable. I roll my shoulders trying to stretch the skin. I begin to put on my combat clothes again, we have familiar testing today. Act like everything is just fine. I repeat to myself over and over again.

"Good morning."

I came out and grabbed Lucifer from the sword stand. I quickly dashed past her "Get dressed." She nodded and went to get dressed. When she came out she had her combat clothes on and her hair up in a ponytail.

She looked...hot.

Stop.

She came towards me and before I could get away, she hugged me. I didn't know what to do.

"I'm sorry, Celia. I should have told you but...I couldn't...I was too weak." She said.

"How long has it been since you've had a soul?" I asked.

"5 months or so. That's the longest I've ever gone. I usually...consume a soul once a month so I can keep up my strength." 5 months and she's this powerful??

She looked at my face "No eyepatch today?"

"I decided it would be best not too, it'll just get shredded again. I'll glamour it."

"Alright."

She still looked guilty. I understood. Starving for a demon was actual torture for them. She had been in pain for a while now. I couldn't condone that. I leaned into the embrace. Her hair...smelled of lilac today. I moved further down into her neck. Rosemary.

I sighed into her. "Celia!" I heard whisper. I felt her hands trembling. I shouldn't...but...just for a minute. I kissed her neck and I felt her gasp. Her hands were suddenly on me, holding me tight.

Stop. You have to focus.

I broke the embrace, a little embarrassed. I saw Lilith's face and saw that she was a light pink. I looked further down and saw that there was a mark on her neck where I kissed her. I felt myself flush slightly. I averted my gaze to  the clock. It seemed as if we were late... Shit! We were five minutes late. I quickly made a portal and I walked through, not waiting to see if Lilith would follow. I thought of going outside, and I ended up at the Familiar testing grounds outside (it's an outside field and track but it was converted). I felt Lilith pop up behind me and I closed the portal.

I looked around and saw that the testing was well under way. Shit. I walked passed the attendant and told them my name and my familiars name.

"You're Celia?" She asked with a look of astonishment crossing her face.

"Yes. Now can you give us the sheets to sign please?" I was in a hurry, they were going to call us any minute now.

"What did you say your familiars name was?" She asked.

"Lilith Sn-Morningstar. Lilith Morningstar." I said.

Her eyes suddenly locked on Lilith. Her eyes narrowed and her whole demeanor changed. I instantly tensed up, ready for a fight. I certainly hoped for a fight, I needed to release some...unwanted energy. I needed to clear my head.

She stood up and was suddenly behind Lilith. So fast. I could hardly register her. She must be a Pixie or another vampire hunter. I unsheathed Lucifer and pointed it at her "Would you be so kind as to get away from her? That's too close for comfort, I'm afraid." I said in a nonchalant manner, but my insides were screaming at me to attack, to get her away from Lilith.

She eyed Lucifer and backed away. She looked at Lilith and said "You're an abomination." She looked at me "You as well." She spit at Lilith and walked away. I stood there, stunned. I rolled my shoulders again, my back was prickling. What had I done? Was I rude? I shook away those thoughts, it was obviously because of my blood and Lilith's power. I don't understand how Lilith could have been an abomination...she was just a pure demon. I looked at Lilith but she wasn't paying attention. She was looking at her hands, an emotion I had never seen from her on her face. She was whispering something, but I only caught "how did she know?" More questions, no answers.

I walked up and signed myself in as well as Lilith. I can't help what I am, and neither could she. I turned around "Are you coming?" I asked Lilith, but she didn't seem to hear. She seemed as if she was trying to compose herself. I came towards her and hugged her "I'll take care of her. And you're definitely not an abomination Lilith." I took her face in my hands and kissed her forehead. She looked stunned but seemed to gather enough composure to look like her regular self.

I suddenly remembered we were around a ton of other familiars. Some stared at me and I grinned sheepishly, technically a familiar would do that. I had to be more careful or they might find out about us.

There is no us. A voice laughed.

That's right, me and Lilith weren't anything anyways, so it wouldn't matter.  I looked around and saw a bunch of other familiars encouraging each other in similar ways.

But to me Lilith's more than just a familiar, she's the truth. She's everything.

I had to focus. What better way to focus than to distract? I looked around and saw no one that seemed a major threat to us, but you could never know. I quickly studied everyone's strength and weaknesses. One familiar pair had a hard time communicating, and another pair was treating their familiar like a slave.

I evaluated more familiars until I saw a woman coming up and placing the sparing partners on a board. I quickly went up and looked for our names.

"Seline...Felicia...Alexander..." I whispered to myself.

"Ah! Celia and Lilith Morningstar against...". No. I looked at Lilith. This couldn't be happening.

Lilith suddenly looked alarmed "What's wrong? Who is it?"

"It's...Elizabeth." I said.

That's right, we were going against Elizabeth Nicago.

Word Count: 1386~