**Natalie POV**
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10 years ago
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Why were my instincts going crazy?! My body was hyper-aware and my mind was drunk on the tingling sensations coming from beyond the tree line. Not good.
I had to ignore that oh so strong, alluring aura. Focus on the task at hand, or disaster strikes. I can't fail here.
Stay low to the ground, don't inhale the smoke, keep your guard up, and pay attention.
Just as my Mom taught me, I observed my surroundings. The grassy hill offered fairly great coverage for a petite thirteen-year-old body. There were thick bushes to hide and blend into. At least, it was until the graveyard was abruptly lit ablaze in the dark of night.
Conceal, or death, was the life of an assassin. I had no interest in following in my mother's footsteps
I planned on living a simple life as a baker or housewife!
, but the threat would always be there.
Had I known what was waiting for me, I would have paid more attention to her lessons on the field than to our baking sweets sessions afterward.
Fire whipped around my face, burning my cheeks lightly. I tightened my brown ponytail and mentally readied myself. This wouldn't be the first time Mom had put me in a position where I had no choice but to endure some mild pain.
The licking flames caught hold of bushes. It was time to change locations.
I squatted low and ran as fast as possible in the awkward position. Hunched over like a scurrying aardvark, I made my way to a tree at the top of the hill. It wasn't the best hiding spot as Mom's hawk eyes were sure to spot me up here.
I could hear her scolding me already. Had I thought ahead about the fire, I wouldn't have to risk being out in the open. Disappointing Mom and letting her win was a tad better than becoming barbeque in the bushes. Guess I'm not picking the desert and movie tonight. Priorities and all that Jazz.
At least I was confident one of her sniper colleagues wasn't hiding somewhere nearby. A red dot would be dancing on my forehead. Then I would hear the cocky laugh of my first crush.
'Killed ya again, tike.' he would say with a finger slicing across his neck. He was an arrogant asshole, charming and older. What teenager wouldn't crush on him? A good thing he wasn't interested in me. Mom would have literally cut his balls off. She did that to pedophiles free of charge to her employer. Pro Bono, she called it.
As I thought about my Mom's friend, the fire was getting worse. Ash stung my eyes and started to enter my lungs. Our training sessions were never this dangerous. Hiding, self-defense, or a game of assassin was as far as she usually went. This time I could really die in the heavy arms of smoke! With a whip of that heavenly aura to comfort my way.
"You win Mom!" I coughed out, raising my hands in defeat. I may have to watch Labyrinth for the twentieth time, but I couldn't handle any more smoke or dry ash scratching at my throat.
Something wet splashed across my cheeks. Wet? I glanced up to see a reckless tidal wave of water coming straight at me. What was Mom playing at? It was not funny!
I crossed my arms in front of my face and used my ground ability to dig my feet firmly under the dirt. Taking a quick last gulp of air, I held my breath.
The water pressure nearly knocked me down despite using my own power. The first wave chilled me to the bone. Of course, as punishment, the assassin would ensure the water was frigid in addition to the already crisp night air.
The second wave hit me in the stomach amidst my shivering. Immediately the air was knocked out of me, leaving my mouth gaping. Water filled my mouth and nostrils, suffocating me worse than the dry ash. By the time the third crushing wave hit me, I was already losing consciousness. I let go of my ability.
The currents carried me, lifeless as a wrapper carelessly dropped in the rain and washed away. My body didn't stop moving with the waves until my head collided with a hard stone.
Surrounding my exhausted body, the grass had turned into liquidy mud. If I could stop hacking on my side, chances were high I would slip. Forget it. I'd already failed this stupid simulation.
I continued to glance around for my Mom. She would be gliding down the hill, knife in hand. One tap to my throat, and this would be over. We could go home and watch the tight-pants Goblin King.
"Hey, you okay, cutie?"
I scrambled to a sitting position at the unfamiliar voice. For some reason, there was different pittering in my heart, and somewhere I didn't understand.
In front of me was a completely dry boy about fourteen, maybe fifteen, staring with shining green eyes. Bright and oh so alluring. The ends of his chocolate hair were burned slightly, as was his designer-looking jacket. A small scar ran up the side of his neck. Proof of strength, an individual's story. And by God did I feel a need to read his.
But none of those handsome features were as important to me as his personal aura. It sparkled around him.
*This human elemental is my true love! Should I tell him?*
Humans couldn't see auras like demons could. They were blind to who their true love was. And this devilishly handsome elemental human was mine?!
Lost taking everything in, I didn't realize I was still gawking at him. His face, those eyes, and that mischievous arrogant smile. To think a man like this was my true love… Oh crap! I'm caught. Say something, don't be weird. Come on! The first step is easy, Natalie, say words.
"Just hurry up, and ya know, kill me." Once he mock-murders me, I could let him know. I spread my arms out, ready for this to be over.
Mud splashed as he got to his knees and checked my pulse. "Why would you want to die!? Are you okay?"
Was he not part of the training session?
Still lightheaded, I stood up, causing me to skid in the mud. Embarrassed, I jumped backward, almost falling again.
"Sorry, I need to get back to my Mom. I just really like graveyards, ya know." God, he'll think I was some goth chick in love with death. I was all in black, seemingly wandering around tombstones at midnight.
Blubbering again, I added, "it's not like I enjoy graveyards cause of death and goth or anything. Graveyards just are peaceful cause there aren't a bunch of noises from the city, ya know! And I'm a city girl who hates public areas and can be awkward. The dead can't hear what I'm saying…Unless ghosts are real. That may be the case, but hey, at least I wouldn't know I'm embarrassing myself to them."
Crap on a stick! I needed the ground to cave under me and eat me whole. With my ability, it wouldn't have been a tricky feat. I sincerely contemplated it.
A warm hand touched my cheek, breaking me from my inner ramblings. The boy grinned at me, and my heart almost stopped. Mr. Tidal Wave was way more attractive than my Mom's friend. He made my first crush look like a cockroach in comparison.
My true love caught me gawking and started flexing. So he was cocky too. Guess I had a type.
"You are absolutely adorable and sweeter looking than a triple chocolate cupcake topped with ice cream and sprinkles!"
How could he say such things unabashedly!?
He brought his face mere inches from mine. Unintentionally, I zoned in on his firm lips. He started to pucker them as my body swooned. This was it, my first kiss.
His arms wrapped around my shivering body, and his hot mouth got closer by the second. Inside, my heart was threatening to beat out of my chest. Willing my brain to silence everything else, I licked my lips and waited. Our first kiss…
"Well, it isn't an outing without my dear brother harassing something with boobs, huh?" A quiet but authoritative voice called out, ruining our moment.
A girl came up behind the wickedly handsome boy. She had raven black hair and dark calculating eyes, observing me.
Sticking his tongue out, Trevor hissed, "I do not!"
The girl ignored him completely. "Anyway, ignore my doofus brother. He thinks he's God's gift to humanity. You can do so much better than his dumb ass." She glared at him. "You didn't bother checking to see if anyone was around first?! You could have drowned her. Poor girl is shaking, dumb ass."
He got a mischievous grin on his sharp face. "I could always warm you up. I live pretty close, Sweetness." His eyebrows wiggled all suggestively.
Apparently, his sister had enough of his flirting. She smacked him in the back of the head. "Cut the shit, Trevor. She's way too cute for a guy who uses stupid pet names like Sweetness."
I had to stifle a laugh. Their bickering offered way more entertainment than I think they realized. There was just something wholesome about their relationship. Then the girl made a crude comment about shoving a broken piece of Lego up her brother's tight butt. Maybe not so wholesome…
"Of course I'd call her Sweetness!" the boy, Trevor, defended. "She's sweet as a cupcake. You like the idea of being my Sweetness, right baby?"
How was I supposed to answer that!?
"She'll give you a cavity with how rotten you are." The girl joked before gripping her head like she was in massive pain. Her brother bit his tongue instantly.
"Aileen, you really otta tell Squad Leader Tom."
"No, we can discuss that person alone later." Aileen rubbed her temples and grabbed Trevor's hand. "But we need to get back to our training before Tom turns us into barbecue."
Squad Leader? So they were with the DSS. The DSS existed to protect the weak, mostly from evil demons and those who abuse their elemental power
s
water, ground, wind, fire, and mind.
Each person's aura reflected their natural ability as well.
blue, green, grey, red, and purple.
Unlike the other elements, I didn't know much about mind. Mom always said it was disgusting but wouldn't tell me why. From what little I recall her saying, the DSS forbade its usage by their members. That just shows how immoral and dangerous its power must be.
Trevor kicked a random piece of stone pretty childishly for a member of the DSS. He really should have a bit more respect for a graveyard. Like my family's one to talk...
Tidal Wave Boy reached an arm out to his sister. "you're right about Squad Leader Tom, but we're not done with this cutie yet." His grin widened as he winked at his sister, "I know you always have paper and pen in your bag."
The girl rolled her eyes but retrieved what he asked. Trevor scribbled something down on the paper and handed it to me. "My number, Sweetness. Call me anytime."
He leaned in close, and his smell intoxicated me. It reminded me of the sea and sand. His fingers trailed under my chin, sending delicious chills and tingles down my spine. He brought his lips to my ear, "I'll make you wet in a very different way."
His sister pulled his ear. "A lesson from Pinkron as a child would have done you good."
"Stop making weird ass analogies from your dimension. You sound like the mad hatter's nonsense! Down to your obsession with tea, freak. Gonna scare off my cute Sweetness."
"All I'm getting from that weird statement is this Mr. Hatter has good taste and refinement!"
Both of them jabbed at each other until I snorted. Crud sickle, not cute! Distract from ungirly noise. Say something brain!
"I uh ya know… liked the Mad Hatter. To normal people, he would seem all awkward with how he talked…but ya know, he had the confidence to speak his mind and be himself. I look up to him for that and-"
Trevor pulled me flush up against his chest. With no hesitation, my true love stole my first kiss. It was quick but left me wobbly like an electric current zapped me all the way to my curling toes.
Perfect, my other half.
"Damn…Sweetness…That was just too adorable to resist." He wore a cheeky, naughty grin.
After Trevor was slapped in the back of the head again, they left to find their squad leader.
The brush of his lips had utterly disarmed me, muting me temporarily from their squabbling or finding my missing Mom. Placing my fingers to my lips, I replayed those few moments repeatedly, not knowing my world was about to shatter.
Focus or disaster strikes.
*He called and adorable and then...*
While replaying our kiss, a gust of wind began circling my feet. When what was happening finally registered, it was too late. Within seconds a small tornado had lifted me from the ground and swept me up in its fierce embrace.
My body swirled around the strong winds, making my stomach do somersaults worse than the crashing waves of water. I had no idea where I was going; the wind was too harsh to open my eyes. Little cuts sliced up and down all four of my limbs. Each gush of pressure deepened the wounds. Bits of pebbles, grass, and mud were sucked into the tornado, feeling like salt being forced into my blood. I screamed long and hard as the pain intensified.
When the wind finally parted, I dropped like a ragdoll, no longer in the graveyard.
In front of me were three demons I did not recognize.
Tears pricked my eyes. Cradled in her arms was my missing Mom.
*She can't be dead. She can't be dead. Please, Mom!*
The taller of the men coughed for attention. For the first time in my life, I was scared, genuinely scared. He had an immense dominating aura. Every demonic instinct had me ready to submit, cower, or beg. No doubt, he must have been a demon lord.
I squeezed a fresh cut on my thigh to keep from groveling.
Wait, the DSS was still nearby.
"If you are expecting to be saved by those kids from the DSS, you are very mistaken" The demon lord chuckled with a cruel, evil smirk. "Teensy assassin."
