Chapter 2 - Lies and Deceit

The rest of the graduation ceremony went by quickly. I’m not going to lie, Ben getting recruited by Dario gutted me. The weird thing was for the rest of the day recruiters seemed to avoid me. 

I wracked my brains for a reason, but I came up with none. I was the best in my year. I know that there was plenty of interest in me during the final weeks. Recruitment Hunters flocked to see my fights. The buzz of excitement evident in the air, a lot was ridding on my shoulders being the daughter of Steven Taylor. So why now had I not received one offer.

My answer soon came in the form of a petit middle aged woman with slick backed hair and a bun at the nape of her neck. She wore slim glasses which sat on the end of her nose and constant expression of everything around her being beneath her.

“Hunter Avalon.” She spoke with a thick French accent. All the while glaring down at me through her glasses. “My name is Victoria Beauchamp, I am head of logistics here at headquarters. I thought I would take the opportunity to meet you in person, we are so very happy that you accepted our invitation to join the security decal here on the compound. We were worried the position might be beneath your level of expertise, but it would seem we had nothing to worry about.” Her mouth perked up at corner, a failed attempt at a smile.

“I’m sorry?” My eyes open with surprise, I don’t think anyone who was within hearing distance could mistake the shock in my voice, “I’m sorry Ms Beauchamp, but I have no idea what you are talking about. I have not received an invitation from your office?”

“That is not possible Hunter Avalon, I have a reply here, in black and white.” She pulls out a single white piece of paper from her bag and hands in to me. I unfold the letter and skim over it. My eyes falling on the signature on the end of the acceptance note. 

Darren Richards

Why would Darren accept a placement on my behalf knowing full well that I wanted to be out in the field. I could feel my blood being to boil under my skin. I’m sure that Victoria Beauchamp could see smoke coming from my ears if she were to look hard enough.

“Please excuse me Ms Beauchamp, there is a matter that I must attend to.” I hand the letter back to her trying to keep my voice even before I hit to roof.

Stalking past her towards the other end of the Gym. Her expression looked shocked, the first real emotion that had past her features during our brief interlude.

“I will see you tomorrow morning Hunter Avalon. 8 am sharp.” She calls after me. But I am hardly listening. I found it laughable that she honestly believed I would even still be on headquarter ground by 8 am tomorrow. No, I had every intention of leaving, tonight. With or without a posting. I may have pledged myself to the Hunters, but nowhere during that pledge did it say I had to be recruited to join the fight.

Darren and the rest of his family came into view. The sight making my blood boil even further over the edge. I stalk towards him. He is talking animatedly with Ben, no doubt about how proud he is about his posting. I laugh inwardly, a positing which should have been mine if it weren’t for his meddling.

“Avalon, come...” before he could finish his sentence my arm shot out grabbing him by the shoulder, my arm across his neck pinning him to the wall behind him. I make sure to throw my weight behind me. My other had came up and slammed into the wall a couple of inches from his ear. Marlene let out a gasp behind me, but I wasn't paying any attention to her, I was too angry.

“What are you playing at Darren.” His eyes widened for the briefest moment before taking on a more calm demeanour. I knew full well that if he wanted too, Darren’s weight and strength alone meant that he could easily break free from my embrace.

“Why don’t you tell me Avalon.” He replied with indifference, a small smile playing at the corner of him mouth.

“Don’t act dumb Darren, you know what I am talking about. Why did you do it? Why did you try to ruin my chances at getting out into the field? I have received not one offer of recruitment today. Not one.” By now I’m shouting. My eyes haven’t left Darren but I already know that we have attracted a crowd, I can feel there eyes boring into the back of my head.

"I repeat, I have no idea what you are talking about Avalon." His eyes looking over my shoulder, no doubt at the onlookers who were gathering around us.

"You accepted a posting as a security guard on my behalf." By now I was full on shouting in his face. "I want to know why."

"Avalon you need to calm down, we can go and talk about this somewhere more private." He empathised the word private. What did I care if everyone one knew how manipulative he was being. He may have taken me in as his own, but it gave him no right to make life choices for me. Within a week I would be turning 18, and legally I could do as I dam well pleased.

“If you think this is going to stop me Darren, your mistaken. Your not my Father.” I spat out. Releasing him from my hold and I turn to leave.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that Avalon.” His voice held no note of anger only indifference. “I made a promise long ago Avalon. A promise I don’t intend to break.” I slowly turn back to him.

“A promise to who?” I spat back at him, “My parents? What did you promise that I would never fight, or get into trouble? A promise to keep me away from the fight. What? Should I remind you that it was you who introduced me to this world? Who encouraged me to become a hunter. So please explain, what exactly was it you promised dear old Mum and Dad.” I couldn’t keep the vehemence from my voice. I know I was acting like a brat, and I know my parents memory didn’t deserve my distain. I just couldn’t help it. I was angry. Angry at Darren, angry at them, at the world, angry at my one chance to prove myself had been taken away. My skin was starting to prickle, I could feel the heat radiate in me.

“No Avalon.” Darren sighed rubbing a hand over his face, he suddenly looked tired and older than he did just moments ago. “I promised to hide you from them.”

“From who?” confusion clouded my anger.

“The creatures that dwell just on the other side of those wards.” He pointed in the general direction of the entrance to our realm.

“Why would I need to be hidden from them?” my anger began to dissipate for just a moment.

“Because what killed your parents is still out there Avalon.” Darren’s face took on a look of pleading. Pleading for me to understand or to stop my line of questioning I do not know. I can feel his unease with disclosing this information. If he expected me to stop he was sorely mistaken. I deserved answer, after all it is my life. “They will come for you, the moment you set foot on the other side of this realm they will come.”

“That is insane Darren, who will come, what could they possibly want with me. Other than my being a hunter I hold no special value.”

“They want you because of what is inside of you!” Darren shouted out. He stilled, realising all too late what he had said.

“What is inside of me?” my voice was all but a whisper. Darren stood dumbfounded, battling a war in his own body, he held his hands over his head, a tell that he felt stressed. He did not answer me. I repeated my question with more ferocity, I could feel the fire blazing through my body again. He stood stony faced and lips tight shut. That pleading look still in his eyes, the one that said please don’t do this Avalon.

Realising I was not getting anything more out of him, I turned on my heels and left, bumping into several onlookers as I left. Before I left through the door, my gaze fell onto one set of eyes who watched me with an open curiosity. Dario Montario. His gaze felt hot against my skin, a smirk laying open on him face.

Ripping my gaze away I pushed the door open and stepped out into the air. The day was drawing to a close, the sun dancing just above the horizon. An eyrie red glow surrounding it like a halo. I took several deep lung falls of fresh air. Trying to push down the burning feeling inside my body.

What the hell just happened in there? I started the day like ever other trainee, only for it end like this. I could feel my emotions stirring in my belly. I could feel that there was something that Darren wasn’t telling me, something big. And if he wasn’t going to tell me, then I was sure as hell going to find out for myself. Sticking around here wasn’t going to get me anywhere, the answers I needed were out there, past the wards, far away for the confines of the academy and headquarters. 

I had made my decision, it was time to leave the security of this realm and head out on my own. Feeling calmer, a new sense of purpose coursing through me, I take off in a jog, heading back for the dormitories. I quickly enter my room glaring about at my few possessions in boxes. I open the nearest box to me and pull a duffel bag out and quickly stuff some spare clothes and other essentials I might need into it. Next I needed weapons. I sling the duffel over my shoulder and head for the armoury. Rounding the corner I come face to face with someone I did not want to see at that moment in time.

Ben stood red faced watching me with a hooded expression. The only sign that he had been running was a protruding vein in his neck jumping about under the skin with his accelerated heart rate, he hadn’t even broken a sweat. His eyes dart over to my bag flung over one shoulder before landing back on my face.

"Please tell me you’r not planning on doing what I think your doing.” He asked.

“I have to Ben,” I push past him still heading towards the armoury. He reaches out and grabbed my upper arm effectively halting me in place.

“Avalon please don’t do this. You don’t have to do this.” His voice was pleading. “I get your upset, but just take the position, give it a couple of months and my Dad will change his mind, he will see that you are capable.”

“You don’t get it do you Ben?” pain evident in my voice as I look back at him. “He’s hiding something. Something big Ben, something that effects me. How am I supposed to just sit back and do nothing. I need answers. Everyone in the god dam place avoids talking about my family like the plague. I deserve to know the truth!”

“Let’s just take the night to cool off, we can talk to him tomorrow. I will go with you. He will be honest I know he will.” I could see Ben was struggling with his feelings. He couldn’t accept his dad had lied all this time. Willing to believe his every word. Why wouldn’t he, he is his Dad at the end of the day, If you couldn’t put your trust into your own flesh and blood then who? I looked at him with sympathy.

“If he was going to tell me the truth he would have done it by now.” I replied bluntly. He sighed rubbing his face. “OK, then I will come with you.”

“No." 

“Look, it won’t take me a moment to pack some things and I will meet you at the ward entrance. Just give me a min..”

“No Ben,” I said firmly. “This is something I have to do myself.”

“Just please think about this..”

“I’m sorry Ben, but I have to do this.” Cutting him off again, I pulled my arm from his grasp and stalked away. Feeling his defeated look watching as I left his standing there. I knew I had broken his heart as I walked away. Ben had been my best friend, my brother. But I also knew that whatever was waiting for me on the other side of that bridge was going to be dangerous. And I wasn’t about to let Ben get killed for me.

As I approached the armoury another man stood in wait for me. I take in his figure, he stood leaning back against the wall feet crossed in front of him and his arms hugging his torso. He stared blankly at the wall opposite a dark brooding look plastered on this face. His mop of hair falling down over his eyes. I looked him with open curiosity. My mind was calling to run my hands through the shiny locks, but my body did not react at all. In fact it couldn’t be any less interested.

"You're following me." I sigh audibly. Dario looked up his eyes sparkling with mirth like some sort of joke had passed between us. 

"Don't flatter yourself sweetheart." He smiles at me, pushing himself from the walk and stalking towards me. "I think you broke the boys heart." He comes to stand in front of me, much too closely. I can feel the heat of his skin through my clothes. Goosebumps prick up on the back of my neck.

"Has anyone ever told you its rude to eavesdrop." I deadpan refusing to let him see how much his closeness is affecting me. "Plus, Ben is like a Brother to me, he's just upset that I'm leaving without him." 

"Does he know that?" Again that strange smile plastered on his face, like he knew something I didn't. I mean the guy is hot, but I didn’t have time for this, I have half a mind to just knock him out and have done. 

"What do you want Hunter Dario." I sigh, rolling my eyes. 

"Are you sure you know what you are doing?" His face turning serious for once. "Its whole different world out there?" 

"No, I haven't got a clue, but that's not going to stop me. You saw what happened in there, I need answers and the only way I will get them is crossing over that bridge." I answered honestly, at this point what was the point in lying? 

"Very well, but be careful. Remember what you have learnt here Avalon. Use you brain before you act." He paused looking deep into my eyes. "I can see that you are going to go a long way Avalon. I’m not sure what your future will hold but I can feel the determination in you. There is a fire in your soul, hold on to that." He lifts his had and rubs his thumb along my cheekbone, if I didn't know any better I would say it was more like a caress. His touch seared my skin, making my breath hitch in the back of my throat.

"One last thing," Dario hand me a large brown envelope. "You'll need this on the other side. Be safe.” With that he turns and walks away. 

I stand routed to the spot, confusion preventing me from moving. Snap out of it Avalon, stop crushing on the handsome stranger. I tell myself off inwardly. Breaking out of my trance I carry on down the hall stuffing the envelope into my bag. 

It didn’t take me long to get to the armoury and gear up. Before I knew it I was stood at the end of the bridge that would lead me to a new realm.

One that I had no recollection of.

Taking a deep breath, I take a look behind me, the sun all but set by now casting the academy into the shadows. I have no idea where this path will lead me, but I need answers. I look to my front and step over the threshold into the unknown.