Chapter 1: Evil Spirit
My day started like most days. My Foster brother had already left for school when I woke up.
I got up, took a shower, and left for work. While on my way, I passed an old woman walking her cat. I glanced at her. I could sense she was a witch, but she was likely harmless.
I could sense the energies of the supernatural world–because I wasn’t human myself. I was a demon hunter. An umbra vernandi as we were called, or just umbra by most.
According to our lore, we were descendants of demons tasked with ridding the world of all other demons.
When I reached our headquarters, I changed into my workout clothes in the locker room.
I put on a white sports bra with matching workout tights and a pink thigh t-shirt before pulling my long brown locks into a bun.
My friends hadn’t arrived yet, I was always early. When I say friends, I really just meant two, Emil and Caroline. Everybody else in the squad found me insufferable.
I was very ambitious and had put in more hours than necessary to improve all my skills. I also did everything according to the book. My goal was to end up on the council.
“You’re early as always,” my boss, Victor, said as I entered the first squad’s studio.
Victor was a very popular man. He was liked by everyone. He was most likely going to end up as the next Dux Umbra, our leader.
He was as handsome as he was charismatic. With a strong build, blonde wavy hair, and deep blue eyes.
“I take our mission very seriously,” I replied. I was in the strongest and fiercest squad, we had missions almost daily.
“Yes, I know, you’re one of our very best. I’ve got something exciting for you later today,” he promised and winked at me.
“Can’t wait,” I chuckled while warming up, before finding myself a punching bag. I really couldn’t, promises like that made the wait tedious.
***
“This is it,” Caroline said, looking up at the high school in front of us. It was already getting dark, the street lights casting eerie shadows across the cobblestone streets.
“Are you sure?” Emil tucked her tighter against his chest, his eyes scanning the building. “This place doesn’t look abandoned.”
“Victor said nothing about this place being abandoned,” I laughed. Emil was a marvelous fighter, but he didn’t have much beneath his skull.
Caroline looked up at him, freckles illuminated in the soft glow of the street light. She’d always hated those freckles, but I adored them. “Alright—remember there might be Luci here,” she warned. “They despise us.”
There were only two demons in the building. They had, however, killed a few students, and their spirits had been corrupted, doomed to haunt this place.
It would definitely bring luci here, too. I had never met one, I just knew we were supposed to hate them. They were our sworn enemies or something. I hadn’t paid much attention in history class.
But I knew that just like we were descendants of demons, luci were said to be minor angels, living among mortals. Their purpose was to save and cleanse lost and corrupted spirits.
“Well, let’s go!” I said and drew my sword. I was a very skilled fencer, but not without years and years of practice.
We split up, Emil and Caroline went together, and I went alone.
How they had succeeded in hiding their relationship at the headquarters was a mystery to me.
We weren’t really allowed to date squad mates, as it could prove a vulnerability when confronting demons.
I could sense the energy of a demon when I reached the second floor. I followed its trail, leading into a bright classroom.
In the classroom, there was a door left ajar, probably leading to a storeroom, the source of the demonic energy. I made sure to stay in a fighting stance as I approached.
“I know you’re in there, demon, no point in hiding,” I hissed, wanting to get it over and done with.
The door creaked as it slid open, slowly. Two, white hands with long bony fingers appeared from the dark, wrapping around the edge of the door.
A drapery of black hair spilled out, followed by the most horrid face I’d seen so far. The demon had no eyes in its sockets and the nose appeared to be cut off.
It made a horrible screech before it darted out with its full body. From the waist down, it was that of a spider, a very common shape for demons.
I danced with the creature, slicing through several of its legs before finding the perfect angle for a killing blow.
I jumped at it from a table and chopped its head off clean with my silver blade. I panted as I watched its head roll. Its mouth was still moving. It needed to be burnt as well, to get banished back to hell.
Then the door suddenly creaked again and I looked at it surprised. A white, bluish boy appeared. He was black around the eyes and was giving me a wicked grin.
Shit, it was one of the corrupted spirits I needed to get out. I didn’t know how to deal with spirits.
A string of light suddenly flashed and wrapped around the spirit. A very pleasant feeling washed over me as I turned to look at the most gorgeous man I’d ever seen.
He was tall and slender, with silky blond hair and golden eyes. His facial features were soft but defined. I felt like I would fall into those eyes if I looked into them for too long.
He wore a white shirt and dress pants. He looked at me and smiled while he walked past me to the spirit.
I couldn’t take my eyes off of him as he drew out a book from his pocket and started to read from it, in a language I didn’t understand, but his voice was melodic and pleasant.
I shivered as his soft words reached under my skin.
The spirit changed and looked almost human again but transparent. “Do not fear. Death is bringing you home,” he said. I could listen to his voice all day. That’s how beautiful it was.
Soon after, the spirit vanished. I just stared, completely enchanted by this stranger.
“You are very skilled, Little Demon, I watched as you battled that,” he said and pointed at the demon I’d slain.
“You mean the aracknima?” I asked, feeling out of breath.
“Yes exactly, I’m Sebastian,” he said, staring at me with his beautiful eyes, piercing my soul. He must be a luci, I was supposed to hate him, why didn’t I?
“Ellie,” I replied. “You keep staring, have I got something on my face,” I asked, suddenly feeling worried, was I drooling?
Glen would probably not appreciate the thoughts I couldn’t seem to shake about the man before me. He looked me over and laughed–the pure sound of him set something ablaze in me. I wanted him closer.
“I never knew a demon could be so captivating and beautiful,” he said, walking towards me slowly, like he’d heard my silent prayer. Was I dreaming?
He was so devastatingly handsome, I’d never met anyone like him. Everything about him drew me in. I swallowed hard and took a step back.
My heart was racing by the time he’d made his way to me. I stumbled back further, grasping the edge of a desk to keep myself steady.
My eyes lingered on his lips, and I quickly looked away when I noticed, heat spreading across my cheeks and I bit my lip nervously. What was this?
“I’m not a demon, I’m an umbra,” I muttered. Not daring to look up, I looked at his shoes.
“Is that so,” he said and put his fingertips under my chin, turning it up to face him. “Such pretty eyes, I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a gorgeous shade of blue,” he mumbled as his gaze met mine.
I was trembling at this point with a sudden urge to melt into his arms, I was completely bewitched. Could he really be a luci?
“Are you seriously trying to charm me?” I asked, annoyed and slapped his hand away as I tried to pull myself together. What was wrong with me? I had a boyfriend.
He laughed, “Yes, I find you very captivating,” he admitted calmly.
“You’re a luci, aren’t you?” I asked. I looked at him now, but my god, he was handsome.
“I am, I shouldn’t be talking to you,” he said, smiling at me. My heart was beating hard enough to give me a heart attack.
“Then don’t,” I argued, looking him straight in the eyes. He was quite a bit taller than me.
His gaze on me was warm as a chuckle escaped him. “Oh, but I really want to,” he whispered and leaned in closer.
His scent of wood and flora hit me like a brick. I shivered as butterflies gathered in my tummy, and my knees grew weak.
“Ellie, I’ve looked all over for you,” Emil said, entering the room. “Oh, a luci,” he said with distaste as he noticed Sebastian.
“Well... this turned unpleasant fast, maybe I’ll see you around Little Demon,” he told me before he left. I was staring after him like a fool.
“We usually stay out of each other’s way, don’t you just hate how they make the world feel like sunshine and butterflies drenched in syrup,” Emil said, disgusted.
“Well, that was certainly something new,” I replied. Whatever the fuck had just played out, felt surreal and hazy, like a dream–one I didn’t want to wake from.
I glared at Emil, confused and disappointed. “Job well executed, as always. Now let’s go burn the demons,” he said, cheerfully, completely oblivious to my foul mood.
“Yes,” I sighed. The euphoria was deserting me, and its loss was disturbing and infuriating.
I had been planning on going straight home after we’d finished our mission, but feeling like this I knew I had to see Glen. I needed his warmth and comfort to sort out the confusion twisting inside me.
