Pain jolts up my shins as my feet slap down onto the cracked pavement, and my legs burn as I start running again.  I swear to myself that I’ll never take another vampire nest raid test again, but I know it’s not true.  The Academy would have me do it anyways.  +-

I turn in to a few more alleyways, breathing hard, and listening to the blood rushing in my ears.  I stop, listening for any vamp footsteps behind me.  I don’t hear any.  They must have all burned in the sunlight.  Vampires are headstrong that way, thinking they’re immortal and all until they get taste of sunshine or a cross or holy water.  Dumb asses.  Of course the usual stake to the heart works too.  But I stiffen when I hear heavy breathing around the corner of the wall I am leaning against.
Why can’t they just die quickly for once? I think to myself.  Gripping the end of the stake, I lunge out from around the corner.  He sees it coming and lunges out of the way.  I fall forward, roll, and am back on my feet in a split second.  He turns and hisses at me, barring his fangs.  It’s dawn, the alley is mostly dark, but there are a few patches with light.  If I could just push him into one, maybe I’d get off scot-free.
“Look,” I say “why don’t you just let me push you into the sunlight and we’ll call it even.  That would be the easy way.  Or we could do it the hard w—.”  He decides he’s heard enough and lunges at me, knocking the stake out of my hand and pinning me down.  I get a punch off at his face before he can pin my arms to.  As he leans down to bite my neck, I head-butt him.  He topples backwards.  Seeing the stake out of the corner of my eye, I lunge for it; and just as the vamp is rising, plunge it down into his chest.  His eyes widen and he disappears in a pile of dust.  I sit back on my heels. 
“Your form was a quite barbaric this time around, Ms. Davis.”  Master James’s voice cuts through my moment of peace like a knife.  My back is towards him, so I roll my eyes. 
“Sorry I can’t dance ballet while slaying vampires.” I shoot back at him.  I stand up.  Clapping starts to fade in as the scenery around me fades out.  My entire class gives a standing ovation to the latest performance of skill and wit.  The Life-Like Simulation of Monster Hunting Room (affectionately dubbed “the Sim” Room) is meant to practice monster hunting without actually having to leave the safety of the compound. 
Jordy and Billy race up to me from the crowd, but I don’t see Wil. 
“You totally rocked that Sim!” Billy cries as we take our seats again.  Billy has on her usual bandana: white with red and blue outlines of stars.  I just have a black shirt and dark jeans on, it’s hard to go for a signature look other than black when you’re woken up every morning at five by a bugle horn.
“Wil’s up next.” Jordy shouts over the surrounding noise.  I nod and sit down in my chair.  Bellatine Orlov, Jordan Gomez, and Willow Jay Fern are my best friends.  Wil is well named; she is tall and—well—willowy.  Billy is the toughest, and scariest, person I know.  She is the kind of person that, when ticked off, stands in the doorway as lightning strikes in the background; and Hellfire crackles around her.  Jordy is the shortest of us, but he is definitely the most adorable.  He also has a huge crush on Wil, and I find that adorable because I am fairly sure Wil likes him too. 
In Wil’s Sim; she is hunting a shape shifter.  They are super strong, and can be killed by being stabbed in the heart.  Her slender form does well to dodge punches in her hand-to-hand combat, but the second she hesitates, the shifter’s boot catches her cheek.  Scarlet blood oozes from the cut. 
“C’mon Wil!” Billy shouts encouragingly, then she curses at the Shifter for Wil.  Jordy joins in, and soon the other kids do too.  When Wil finally overcomes the shifter, she gets a standing ovation as well.
“The Sim’s aren’t real,” she says as she sits down, “but they still hurt like a b—” A voice on the loud speaker, calling Billy’s name, drowns out her last word.  Billy rises and makes her way down to the platform.  Every kid in the school who knows Billy, is either afraid of her, or deeply respects her.  Billy was one of the few kids who actually had a life before coming to the Academy.  She went to a normal school, played water polo, had crushes like other girls, had never been in a relationship, watched television, read books; and yet she chose to become a Hunter at the boarding school.  Me? I never had a choice about my life, but it doesn’t bother me; because I met my friends.  We were more like a family at this point.  Billy was the Momma Goose, we called her Matushka Gus’ (Mama Goose in Russian) because she constantly threatened any boy who decided they might take advantage of one of us girls; or anyone who threatens anyone else in general.  The only person who finds this treatment embarrassing is Jordy.  Jordy is shy and quiet, the opposite of at least half the people in our group. 
Billy’s Sim is the hardest one yet; a demon.  I blow it off as easy because, A) Billy made her own all-killing knife; and B) is the only person who actually pays attention in Latin class. 
Unable to resist a good fight, Billy launches into a fierce hand-to hand combat session with the demon.  After taking a few good hits to the face and stomach, she finally decides to dish out the exorcism.  The crowd cheers it’s loudest for Billy, having a newfound respect.  It is finally dinnertime, and Billy is getting that I’ve-never-ever-been-fed-before look.  She is always hungry. 
“Groovy!” Billy says, “Today’s cheeseburger day!”  She grabs two and follows Wil and Jordy to the table. 
“Hey Davis-girl!” someone shouts behind me, I turn around to see Mark Johnson.  Possibly considered the hottest guy in the entire Academy.  “There’s a party in Mike’s room later, you should totally come.  Good job with that vamp Sim by the way.”  He adds.  I feel a familiar burning sensation and turn to see Billy staring at me from the lunch table, her burgers already gone, as she rises up.  Mark notices her too and wavers slightly.  Only slightly. 
“You got somethin’ to say to Grynn here, Mark?” She says it casually, like she has no intention of carrying out the underlying threat (skinning him alive).  Somehow, Mark finds the courage to stand up to her; which makes him impress me even more.  Billy is exceedingly tall, some of the guys are still taller (only in our grade), but our entire friend group is slightly above her shoulders.  And you can forget about how we look when she is in heels. 
Since Mark is only slightly shorter than her, he rises up to her height. 
“I asked your senior friend if she would come to Mike’s dorm party.” He says.  Then he adds to me, “You can bring the rest of your friends and your body guard too.”  Then he walks away.  Satisfied, Billy and I walk back to the lunch table.  The others are excited to receive the news, and Wil begins to plan her wardrobe. 
The party finally comes, and I dress in a zip up my Lycra purple dress.  All the boys are in dress shirts and pants, including Jordy.  Willow is rocking a simple, frilly, cream-colored dress.  And Billy is a sight to behold.  She has a black dress on with a poofy skirt, and the top of the dress has a silvery, flowery piece that covers a black bustier.  After what feels like twenty songs, I slip out to the balcony; trying to get some quiet time.   I hear the door open then close behind me, and see Mark sit next to me on the couch.  What I don’t hear is the faint click of the lock.   
“Lookin’ good Grynn.” He says, leaning closer.  “Why don’t you slide over, I want to show you something in the sky; but it’d be hard to point out if you’re not over here.”  He looks at me.  I smile and laugh at him, realize he is serious, then move next to him.  He puts his head next to mine and points out a few constellations, and I don’t realize how close together we are until I turn my head towards him.  His hand slides down my arm, and the other cautiously goes around my shoulder.   
I can see the constellations in his eyes, and suddenly his mouth is on my mouth.  It surprises me, but I don’t pull away when he kisses me again.  I kiss him back.  He tastes like the Devil’s Food Cake Mike bought for the party, and slightly of alcohol, probably brought by one of the kids from wealthy families.  Mark is a great kisser.  Slow and savoring, dulling out my surroundings.  His hand slides down to my leg and he pulls me into his lap.  I take it slow and live the moment.  He moves in like a shark, prowling the edges, then rushes into a frenzy.  I suck in my breath when he kisses my neck.  His hands are rubbing up and down my back, and one reaches for the zipper on my dress. 
“Mark!” I say pulling away.  “Not in public!”
“No one will notice.  They’re all probably drunk, Academy drinking age is eighteen.” He says laughing, and he kisses me again, harder.  There is a tiny voice in my head that is telling me this may not be what it seems, it sounds suspiciously like Billy, and I tell it to shut up when Mark kisses my neck again.  I giggle a little bit, completely lost in the fact that the hottest senior is making out with me; and quite passionately at that.  I lose track of time.  He starts getting a little too touchy-feely.
“Mark.” I say.  He kisses my neck, and pushes me closer to him.  “Mark, stop.  People are gonna see!”  He stops kissing my neck and looks up at me.  He cups my face with his hands. 
“Relax, remember?” He whispers.  “It’s just us out here.”  One hand moves to the back of my neck, sliding into my hair.  He pushes his tongue into my mouth, bringing my attention back to him.  I kiss him back.       
His hand tugs on the zipper again but I don’t realize it, then an unknown force throws us apart.  Billy is holding him by his collar, her face contorting into pure rage as she throws him at the glass doors.  They vibrate from the force. 
“You stay the hell away from her!” she roars.  He stands up, Mark’s pride is visibly wounded; and he lashes out at Billy.  She dodges and punches him in the face.  He is down, and Billy starts to kick and punch him.  She doesn’t stop until the Masters pull her off of him.  As the Masters push her past me, she spats out a single sentence.  I trusted you.  But I am suddenly angry at Billy.  This is my personal life, I can make out with whoever I please during my senior year at Hunter Springs Academy.  Everyone here is either nineteen or twenty years old; but Billy treats me like I am twelve. 
      <>
“I had it under control, you know.” I say to Billy as she walks out of the bathroom.  Steam curls out from the doorway behind her.  Her hair is wrapped up in the towel, and she is dressed in grey yoga pants and a large sleeping shirt.  She only grunts.
“Oh, so now you’re giving me the silent treatment?” I say, my voice is rising in anger.  “Look Billy, this is my life!  I am nineteen; and I don’t care if you a year older than me because you are not my mother and—”
“Would you’re mother care?” Billy interrupts me, “Would your mother care that you were about to get naked with some guy you hardly know?”  She was shouting too by this point.  “Huh?!” She cried, “Would she care if you were pulled into a bad relationship and no one did anything about it?” Her face twists in rage, and Hellfire is lighting up her eyes.  “Tell me!”
I am taking deep breaths to keep myself in control.  I am about to spew nasty words at her for bringing the incident with my mother into this when there is a knock on the door.  I open it to see Wil standing there.  She turns white as she sees the rage in Billy’s face.  Wil and Jordy are the only ones in our group who aren’t seniors (i.e. me and Billy), they are sophomores. 
“You guys are really loud, my roommates sent me to ask you guys to quiet down a bit.” she says carefully.  She is about to ask if everything is okay when Billy speaks.
“Everything’s fine Wil.  We’re going to bed now.”  She folds her arms across her chest and waits for Wil to leave.  Then she is gone.  A million miles away in her bedroom.  I go to bed and dream of Mark and me.  We are alone in my dorm, I’m not sure where Billy is, but we are making out on the floor.  It feels great.  My back is pressed into the carpet, Mark is kissing my neck hungrily, my hands are exploring his back and my legs are wrapped around his legs.  I feel his teeth on my skin and gasp.   But suddenly, my entire body feels paralyzed.  Mark sits up.  He is a vampire all of a sudden, and I scream as he rips my throat out.  I wake up terrified, but I can’t remember the dream.     
       <>
Billy had apparently awoken before I did, and left without me for breakfast.  Not that I care, I don’t want to see her right now.  Wil comes out of her dorm the same time I do, and we meet Jordy outside.  We walk to the cafeteria together, I lose them in the line for food; but I do see Mark. 
“Hey!” I call to him, “Great party last night.” He looks around before talking to me, he is probably looking for Billy.
“You sure you’re guard dog isn’t watching?” He replies nervously.  I can see a black eye, and can tell he is hurting in many other places as a result of Billy’s punishment. 
“No,” I say, and his face twists into terror, “But since she most likely is...” I step forward, rise up on my toes; and give him the hottest kiss known to man.  And there’s the burning sensation of Billy’s eyes digging into my spine, right on cue.  I leave Mark, quickly find our table, and sit down. 
“That was stupid and reckless.” Billy growls. 
“Well if you decide to beat the daylights out of him, again.” I retort. “I’ll have to return the favor.”  Wil looks anxiously between us, wondering when the tension between me and Billy will end.  At this point, I’m not sure it will.  The rest of breakfast is tense and silent, only Wil and Jordy whisper things to each other. 
I try to pay attention in my Mythology class, but it is too hard with Mark sneaking glances at me all the time.  Master Norris catches me staring into space and puts me on the spot for it. 
“Miss Davis,” he draws out my name in a harsh, teacher way. “Please tell me where Werewolves were first mentioned in history.”  Thank you, God.  It’s like the one question I actually know the answer to. 
“Ancient Greece.  Zeus turned King Lycaon into a werewolf and punishment for serving a feast of human flesh.”  I say smoothly, without moving from my resting position.  Master Norris has an expression of annoyance and relief on his face because I was actually able to answer his question.  Class finally ends after what seems like an eternity of more boring lore.  All I care about is what the monster is, and how to gank it.  I don’t need to know where it came from, or its reasons.  One less monster means one less problem, which ultimately leads to his world being that much safer.
I hear arguing on the way to my next class.  As I turn the corner, I see this kid who looks like he is a junior standing over a freshman girl.  Her books are scattered on the floor, and he is poking her chest; as if to make a point.  I am about to interfere when Billy appears.  I get closer to hear what she will say.  She positions herself in between him and the girl.  Shieling her from him. 
“Pick up Melanie’s books.” Billy says simply.  The kid snorts and rolls his eyes.  Twerp.  I think.  Not wise to mess with Matushka Gus.  Does he really have the nerve to refuse her?
“No way.” He snarls.  Well, I guess he does.  I pray for your soul little boy, may you have a chance of actually surviving an encounter with Billy. 
Billy leans forward, but mostly down, to get in his face.
“You can do this willingly,” she starts, “Or by force.”  By this time the other kids have started chanting for a fight.  I know that Billy’s mind is too strong for them, but the other kid seems to be more susceptible to the peer pressure.  The girl, Melanie, has already picked up her own books; and is tugging on Billy’s sleeve. 
“I-it’s fine Billy.” She manages to say.  “I already picked ‘em up.” She looks down and shuffles away.  I can practically feel the heat from the fire that just sparked inside of Billy.  This kid has no chance anymore.
“Grynn,” she says, “You can have my knife.”  Oh.  Pretty much everyone knows about Billy’s knife.  It can kill anything.  Anything considered unholy and evil, could be killed by that knife.  Billy is a Runist, she can draw symbols from any culture and make them perform their respective powers.  This is how she made her knife: she heated a mixture of iron and silver to a soft form, engraved runes from dozens of cultures to kill evil things on it, then cooled it in Holy Water.  So, to say I could have her knife, meant she’d forgiven me.  Which also means this kid may not survive. 
The kid’s face is bleach white now, and he’s already prepared for the fight.  His jacket and back pack are on the floor behind him, and the other students form a ring around him and Billy.  She drops her own jacket and backpack at my feet and steps into the ring.  Dressed in jeans, hiking shoes, and a plain grey t-shirt; Billy takes a fighting stance. 
“I’ll say one thing before this starts.” She says, relaxing her stance as the kid takes his; she has him completely figured out, “I’m not afraid to hit a girl.”  The effects are immediate, and are the last part to figuring out how the kid fights; how fast he moves. 
He launches himself at Billy, she grabs both of his wrists and throws him to the side.  The crowd laughs, and the corner of my mouth twitches in a micro-expression of satisfaction.  Billy sees it and understands.  There is peace between us, all is forgiven.  He stands up again, telling himself he is ready to take on my half Russian, half Norwegian, friend Billy.  Fat chance. 
Her arms are crossed against her chest as the boy rises.  He starts throwing blows.  Billy blocks them all, and tries to get one in.  Her hand thuds against his face.  He falls to the floor again and Billy offers him her hand in truce, confident he learned the lesson about picking a fight with the Matushka Gus.  But she miscalculates his anger.  Decorative rocks a little larger than my fist line the walkway.  The kid sees them and picks one up.  A low move.  He turns and swings the rock at Billy’s face, her bones crack, and are visibly broken.  Then the tattoo that curls around the base of her neck, and flows down her back in three curls, glows.  It glows cherry hot, and the bone plates in Billy’s face snap back into place; she grits her teeth together.  She has told me how much regeneration can hurt.  Her anger quickly goes from smoldering kindle, to a raging forest fire.  Kicking and pinning him down, she starts throwing punches.  But by this time the Masters have caught wind of what was going on, and pull Billy away from the kid.  Some of the students are sent away with newfound respect for Billy.  Especially that kid. 
      <>
It has been three weeks now since Billy beat up that kid.  Mark and I have been seeing each other pretty regularly.  Wil and Jordy are finally together, and they are the cutest couple.  Both are completely dedicated to each other.  People are starting to whisper about Billy more often now.  About how she protects those who need protecting (everyone thinks it’s because she’s part Russian). 
“Good news, for you, at least.” She says sitting up, as I walk into our dorm room.  “The date for the Summer Gala is posted.”  I know exactly what this means.  Shopping trips.  The Masters will take us out in small groups at a time to a mall and let us loose to shop.  This is terrifying news for Billy because she avoids shopping at all possible costs, unless you can convince her she wants to be there.  Six weeks until the dance.  Let’s hope they go fast. 
I feel my phone buzz in my pocket and pull it out.  It’s a text from Mark.  Great stargazing tonight.  Meet me by East Pavilion.  I know I don’t need Billy’s approval, but my eyes flick up at her anyways. 
“Go.” She says. “But if I catch him trying to have sex with you, there will be a body.” There was a slight tease in it, but I knew Billy was serious.  I got tingles from the thought of being out late with Mark.  Seniors didn’t have a curfew like the other grades, but it was still looked down on to be out to late at night. 
After a five minute walk across the school, I arrive at the pavilion.  The wind whispers as I sit down next Mark in the grass.  He is laying down, twirling a blade of grass between his fingers.  We talk for a while about school and hunting, exchanging stories.  Then I lay down next to him, my head leaning on my hand.  I brush the hair hanging over his forehead with my other hand.  Then I lean down and kiss him, yielding to those kiss-me eyes.  He pulls me down on top of him, his hands on my shoulders.  I want him so bad, he is so beautiful.  Our kisses get faster, and more intimate.  We move to one of the Pavilion benches.   
I slide my hands under his shirt, exploring the plain of his torso.  He runs his hands through my hair and my waist.  My legs are wrapped tightly around his waist, pressing him into the bench.  The school is far away, no is be there to see us together.  We tangle together for what seems like a long time.  Sharing intimate kisses.  I start to want to go back to stargazing, so I pull away. 
“Mark,” I breathe, “Let’s stargaze for a little longer.”  His brow knits together. 
“The only stars I see are right in front of me.”  He says.  It makes me laugh, but the sound is cut off when he kisses me again.  I stand up.  If he wants me, he’ll have to come get me.  I hook my arm round one of the posts, but Mark turns me towards him.  He presses me into the post, hands on both of the rails beside me.  He makes out with me again, and I unzip my jacket.  I hold him against me by his belt loops.  I giggle a little, then sweep his feet out from underneath him.  He looks scared at first, then sees me laughing.  I kneel down on top of him, my knees by his waist, and he pulls me down.  We tangle on the floor of the pavilion, and it is great.  Just me kissing Mark, and him kissing me back.      
I sneak back to my dorm at around two in the morning.  Billy is asleep on the couch, and the television is playing reruns of a show she watches.  I turn it off and pull her woolen blanket up to her shoulders.  Then I try to catch a few hours of sleep.  Everything at peace.  
       <>
Three days after my stargazing date with Mark; I wake up to a blaring alarm clock, and curse at Billy.  She knew I hated that.  When I turn it off, I realize Billy isn’t there for me to curse at.  Instead, there is a note taped to the alarm clock. 
  Head Master Clay wanted to see me early this morning.  Didn’t get a chance to tell u yesterday.        —B
Headmaster Clay? I thought to myself.  Billy couldn’t be in any serious trouble for that fight a while back, could she?  The kid had struck first, she could plead self-defense.  It may have been obvious that wasn’t her intent, but that was the justice system.  I shook it off, they would have done something already.  I got ready for classes and walked to home room with Wil and Jordy.  Wil looked nervous.
“What’s up Wil?” I say. “You look pretty shaken up.”  She looked me in the eye, her own eyes huge and clear. 
“They’re saying stuff about you Grynn.”  Jordy filled in for her.
“Awful stuff.”  Wil found her voice.  I stopped, my social record was pretty clean.  Then the Academy’s most “popular”, obnoxious girl strolls by with her posse.  Alissa Creston.  Thought to have the most tragic story for being thrown into hunting.  In truth, it was just like the rest of ours. 
“Ooh,” she crooned, “You look tired Davis.  Have a late night with Mark?” 
“What?”  I say. 
“Oh, please.” A girl beside her cuts in.  “Everyone knows you and Mark slept together, and that he wasn’t the only one.  Pretty sure he said it himself.”  Not cool.  We go out on a few dates, and he claims I slept with a bunch of guys.   
“Try to keep it with one guy.” Alissa says, and she walks away.  Her clique scrambling behind her. 
I burst through the doors to homeroom.  All of us are early, the Master not even here yet, but I can see the tables have been pushed around, and a few chairs are knocked over.  I hear Mark shouting for mercy in a corner.  He is pinned to the wall, three feet off the ground, with Billy’s throwing knives. 
Another one is pressed at his throat, Billy is so angry that her hand is shaking. 
“I swear I never said that!” He cries.  I can see the tattoo glowing through her shirt it only did that when she was healing; or seriously pissed.  Her attention turns to mine, and almost too fast for me to follow, she throws a knife at the sleeve of my shirt.  I just barely dodge it, crying out in surprise.
“What the hell Billy?!” I shout, “I like this shirt.”  She sees the truth in my eyes that I didn’t sleep with anybody, and takes her other knife off of his throat.  But she doesn’t take him off the wall, knowing that I would want to talk to him.  After thorough interrogation, he draws himself up.
“Grynn,” He starts, “With everything that’s been going on, I think its best we split up.  I’m breaking up with you.  I can’t have my reputation be dragged down with yours.”  I don’t care that he breaks up with me, what sparks the anger is that he says it casually.  Something inside me breaks, and so does Mark’s nose.