Immortal. (Book One) ✔️

Chapter Thirty One - Karmen Schwartz.

Chapter Thirty-One -

Karmen Schwartz.

Part One

"Well, that wasn't the warm welcome I was expecting..."

The demon hunters all stood there open-mouthed, not daring to speak in fear something insulting would fall out. They blinked rarely and Kirstie even dropped her water bottle on the floor with a loud clatter that echoed through the main room.

"I know you were probably expecting Letitia, but don't worry, she will be here soon. She just stayed behind to help clear all the tables away." The black-haired woman in front of them said, only to get no reply. "I am aware that having someone new here as your leader may be...strange, maybe even a little intimidating, but I can assure you I plan to make this transition as easy and as pleasant as possible. I am Karmen Schwartz. I am 42 years old. Before moving to this city I ran the Hall in Berlin. I have over twenty years' experience in teaching and I also have two children maybe a little younger than you. My girl Azalea is fourteen and my son Roman is sixteen, so I know how to look after you guys..."

"We don't really need looking after. We just fought a war against demons and won." Kirstie said, clearly unhappy in this situation.

"Yes, you may have won but do you have the shield?" Karmen snapped.

"Yeah, you're right. You are making this transition pleasant." Kirstie grumbled sarcastically at the older woman.

"You've introduced yourself; now can we go? I'd rather wait for Letitia." Cody said.

"If you must. Off you go. Do not be late for your training in the morning. 8a.m sharp. No excuses."

"Well it's safe to say I don't like her." Skarlet said as she slumped down on the red sofa in the living room with Jayden and Kaine.

"People probably only voted out of fear. She seems like the evil sisters that Cinderella was lucky to escape from." Ava mumbled. "God, I hate this. Not only do we not have the people we love here, but now we have this bitch, too? I wanna go back to my old place. But it's been demolished in the battle. Beginning to wish I were inside."

"Don't be silly. We can handle her." Skarlet said.

"Plan..." Jayden said. "How about we just annoy her to the point she wants to leave?"

"Childish and probably won't work." Kirstie said.

"You never know." Said a voice from the doorway. "In fact, I think that's the best idea Jayden has ever had." It was Letitia.

"I told you, he does have his moments." Zavier laughed.

"Leti! I'm so bummed you didn't get it." London hugged Letitia tightly. "Now we've got the Ice Queen out there telling us we have to train at 8 in the morning."

"No excuses." Ava mocked in a whiny, high-pitched voice.

"Well if she starts with any of you for being late she will have me to answer to. Don't worry, I've got your backs." Letitia winked.

Part Two

Karmen stood back and gave a satisfied sigh. She had been planning all day to turn the main hall into a dining room. Two large marble tables sat in the middle of the room, ancient-looking wooden chairs with deep blue cushioned seats around it. Hopefully, the young hunters would like it. She called them down, as Letitia and Katia would have always done by standing at the end of their hallway at the top of the spiral staircase. Although, she had a snaking suspicion that a few of them would not mind pushing her down them.

As they emerged from their rooms, she took a deep breath before nervously starting to speak. "Now, I know the change is hard on some of you... And I do not want to upset you further, but I have made a few changes downstairs. From now on, we will all be dining in the main hall, where I have set up dining tables and chairs. You will have set mealtimes and would strongly advise you keep junk food to a minimum."

Skarlet sighed, rather heavily, purposely, knowing Karmen would hear her.

"I'm sorry, young lady. You may have been able to run wild when Jovah, Letitia and... what's her name... the dead one were running this place, but you will not be doing that when I am in charge. Is that understood?"

"What's my name?"

"Excuse me?" Karmen was taken aback.

"I said, what's my name? What are all our names?" Skarlet repeated.

"I haven't gotten around to remembering them all-"

"Then do not dictate to me what we can and can't do, where we can and can't eat and what we can eat until you have the decency to know our names." Skarlet snapped, with Jayden holding her hand and snickering behind his hand.

"How dare-"Karmen was interrupted.

"They have their ways of doing things. And they, nor I, will accept some stranger coming in here and upsetting their routine." Letitia said from behind Karmen, who had not realised she had been followed up the stairs. "These may be teenagers, but they are immensely powerful ones. They don't need set training sessions; they spend all their free time training on their own without having to be told. They eat when they are hungry. And they sleep when they are tired. They are not children. They are warriors." Letitia edged closer to Karmen until their noses were only a few centimetres apart. "Now... Are you willing to accept this? The way they are, the way we do things around here. Because if not, you can leave. Right...now."

Karmen was speechless. "I have never been spoken to with such disrespect."

"Maybe because everyone has always been scared of your uptight, bitchy character. But we..." Cody said and looked at his friends, "are not."

"We have dealt with worse than you and came out stronger." Kirstie interjected.

"Like I said. They are not children, and do not deserve to be treated like naughty children. Accept that or get out of my Hall." Letitia warned Karmen, one last time.

************THE END ************