Walking into the dining hall, I paused in the doorway and looked over the tables of students. Dinner took priority over finding Reece and I decided on the way over I’d deal with Logan tomorrow.  As my eyes scanned the room, it was easy to tell who was what.

Hunters filled the space at the front of the room; we were normally the first ones in and the last to leave. Unlike those around us, we were all talking to each other and while an order of popularity did exist, for the most part we all got on. 

Slayers kept in smaller bunches, even on the long tables there was typically a chair left between groups which rarely went over three people. Trackers also stuck to their own groups, though they did have more social skills than the Slayers and by that I mean they filled all the seats.

“Yo Bunting! Over here!” A loud voice called out and looking for the culprit that had all eyes turning to me, one the final years stood on his chair and waved me over.

See, friendly.

An empty chair was on his left and the second I sat down, a can of coke and a plate of the dinner on offer are put in front of me.

Don’t remember ever being this friendly.

“Hey everyone.” I greet cautiously, getting freaked out by all the staring. These guys would have been here when I was so I don’t get this.

“I can’t believe you came back. You were out of school more than in it!” A girl gushes across of me. “Have you got he demon with you?”

“No, he was happy to stay asleep.”

“We’re meant to kill demons, what the fuck?” The guy next to her snaps, glaring at me. “Heard you hang out with vampires too. You a sell out?”

“If you knew anything, the master of an Apopyth controls it. There is no need to kill him unless you piss me off and then I might not be so, in control.”

He isn’t as old as the others around him; he probably came out ahead of his class so thinks he is king shit. Guys like that are usually the ones to die first. Idiot.

“Shut up Chris! So what have you been doing, you graduated at the start of last year right?” The girl asks again.

“Well surviving for the most part. I went home to my parents and that when my brother disappeared.” The whole table nods, sending looks of pity and sadness my way.

“Have you found his killers yet? We saw on the network Jordan Bunting was one of the missing!” Another girl pipes up.

“I don’t think…” Selene had lied about my brother making it to her pack. I had killed the only thing that said he had indeed gone that way. Maybe it’s best to keep everyone thinking like that. “I don’t think my leads are working out as good as I had hoped. “

“Bummer.”

We’re talking about my brother being dead and I get a ‘bummer’?

A loud laugh has us looking over towards a group of Slayers and in seconds I’m looking at Reece. His lips curl upwards and the guy beside him laughs again and rolling my eyes, I finally get to eat some of the lasagna.

“What was that?” The first asks coyly, gasping she extends her hand. “I’m Kayla. That’s Chris, Griffin and Hannah.”

“Right. What was what?” I mumble with a mouthful. God I had missed Vesna’s cooking and table manners be damned.

“That Slayer guy. Are you travelling with them? Mindy is a sweetheart. She came into the gym earlier…” I tune her out, glancing back over my shoulder to find Reece still looking in our direction.

“No, I’m not with them. It’s just a coincidence we all came back here at the same time.” Then again, what was it we were always taught – coincidences are never just that.

“Oh right, the Tracker too!” Kayla sits up slightly and I realize she is looking for Logan. Kill me now. “Oh here he is!”

Looking at the knife in my hand, I debate whether it will do the job. I just wanted to eat dinner in peace and…

“Why is he coming here rather than the Trackers?” Hannah asks curiously and once again all eyes are on me.

“Evening Hunters. Anyone seen a bitch walking around with a snake?” He asks mockingly and I feel his hands rest on the back of my chair. I take a deep breath and close my eyes, not missing the silence that surrounds us now.

“Hannah, can you tell the dog catcher to go fuck himself?” I smile at her sweetly, and take another bite of my dinner.

“Good to see your table manners have improved.” Somehow Logan is now sitting beside me and takes a chunk of the bread left on my plate. “We need to talk.”

“I’m busy, come back later.”

Before I can stop him he has shoved the last of my lasagna in his mouth and some of the chips so there is only salad left. Finally turning to look at him, I glare.

“It’s been a long day, tomorrow. Please, just give me a break.”

“No. We need to talk now,” He looks at our audience smirking, “I just can’t bear to have you angry with me for one more moment Ellie Bunny.”

What the actual fuck?

“Lo..” I don’t get to finish before it gets worse.

He drops down to one knee and reaches out to my arm, trying to take my hand. “Please, just one minute of your precious time.”

A few dare to laugh, the girls are swooning and I am itching to grab the knife and get violent. I’m in shock, I’m angry and I close my eyes trying to breath so I really don’t end up stabbing him. He really doesn’t understand how close to being seriously hurt he is right now and keeping my eyes close, I can feel the warmth of his breathe against my cheek before his voice is a low hum in my ear.

“That was payback for that bedroom fiasco earlier. Please just give me five minutes to explain.”

He sits back, and I open my eyes to find him looking hopeful. Alfie was nothing and Ellie Bunny? I rest my hand on the handle of the knife, tucking my hair behind my ear before shifting to face him.

“Logan, Logey…” I pause before laughing softly, “Loges.…”

He doesn’t know what to do and if his gut instinct was anything like mine was, it should be telling him he is in deep shit. Standing up, I move to straddle him and one of the guys, Griffin I think scoffs as he obviously saw me slip the knife to my side.

“So you guys done with the foreplay? Huntington wants to speak to us.” Reece interrupts and his two sidekicks hover behind him, not sure what is going on.

I drop the knife on the table and hold up my hands innocently. “I’ll be there later.”

Logan gets up with a huff and shrugging, Reece walks out behind him with the girls.

“Wow. That was intense.” Hannah is nearly exploding with excitement.

“Don’t make friends with them. Stick to our kind.” I mumble, getting up I go in search of more food. We’re not seeing our Headmistress; I know Reece was breaking it up before I could finish what I wanted to do last night.

Smart Slayer.

By the time I’m done eating and buddying up with my fan club, the ego boost they gave me has improved my mood. Then again it could have been the food. Subconsciously I pat my belly, and wander down towards the library. Logging into the network, I bring up my brothers missing notice. I’m not expecting to find anything new there, but it’s nice to see his face again. It’s been nearly six months since I’ve seen him and heading towards three of no contact. Well almost no contact, the letter doesn’t count.

A few students are around me doing homework and research. Leaving the computers I go down the back to where the diaries of all kinds of important Hunters, Slayers and Trackers have been archived. With new technology, most of the old pages have been scanned into a computer and flicking through the iPad, I find one of Alistair’s journals. His writing reminds me of my grandfathers and it’s a lasting key into how things used to be. Important chapters and information are what makes up some of the textbooks.

It’s why we are all given diaries and as I look at the old yellowed pages on the screen, I have to laugh at what future generations would think if they got mine. In its present state it’ll probably be inspiration for a new chick flick or drama on HBO.

I take the tablet to one of the reading chairs and curl up, flicking through to one of my favorite chapters. The love he had for his wife, Mary was sweet and knowing what was within this chapter made me feel a little more secure in telling Bob things not relevant to monsters.

Before I can start reading, I sense I am not alone and looking up Reece comes out from the darkened shelving of books.

“How was your meeting with Ms. Huntington?”

“You never turned up.” To my surprise he smiles.

“Are you lost?”

He pauses, looking over to the temperature controlled room where the originals of the diaries and other texts reside. Seeing the device in my hands, he raises an eyebrow and takes a seat nearby. Ignoring my question, he speaks again.

“What’s going on with you two?”

“That’s not really your business.” I put down the iPad, not seeing a chance to read while he is here.

“Are you always so friendly?”

“I don’t know you, trust you or particularly like you. Lets just leave it at that and go our separate ways. Thanks for getting me home last night and good luck with your blood suckers.” Lighting up the screen, I plan on ignoring him until he goes away.

Log thirty-seven of three hundred and fifty six.

Alistair Bunting, Hunter.

Today was one of the…

“Really? Nothing you want to ask me since I’m moving on in the morning? Word has it you’ve been asking about vampire fangs.”

He was leaving in the morning? Well that’s one less pain in my ass around here. Maybe Logan will go with him.

“Well I was going to ask you if anything strange has been happening amongst your charges, but that involves conversation and I really cant be bothered now.”

“For a Hunter who doesn’t want to, well Hunt – that sounds like you’re after a lead?” He takes the tablet from my lap, glancing over the pages.

Do these people have no concept of boundaries?

“I’ll talk to Darius before I leave and go straight to the source.” I take it back and get up to put it away. It’s almost better to stay in my room at this rate.

“A vampire had been collecting, only the Council took care of her. For the most part, vampires have been rather well behaved. The lot we were after last night had come up with the great idea of talking drunken college students into acting as pets, hence why I advised you against your behavior. Imagine how much a Hunter would go for on the market?”

“I know that already, Darius told me about her last night. No one causes trouble there. I was safe. I’ve been going there since I was fifteen and…”

Turning around the whole conversation to be about personal space and boundaries seems to be required as I instinctively step back against the glass wall. Reece doesn’t leave much space between us and now we’re in this position, I don’t particularly want him to either.

For the first time in a long time, I’m speechless.

“Maybe. Do you feel safe now?” He comes closer so our chests are touching as his arm extends to block me in. Making eye contact, I can’t stop feeling a little turned on. Did he have no concept of personal space or could he tell how much I liked someone taking control? “One thing I learnt last night was you’re a great dancer.”

“You weren’t too bad yourself.” I hate how breathless I sound and so rather than saying else, I kiss him.

He doesn’t hesitate; eagerly kissing me back how every man should know how to kiss. He tastes like coffee, and I find it’s more like an incentive to kiss him harder, deeper and running my hands through his hair, I pull him closer. His hands on my hips, then sliding up my back as he lifts me against him. I gasp as soft, burning lips kiss my jaw, my neck and I instantly ache for more.

Making out in the library; how cliché.

“So if the Van Helsings learnt about the trolls under the bridge, how did the Huntingtons…” The scream that followed had us falling apart and catching his eye I felt my cheeks burning while he seemed rather pleased with himself. There is just something about that Slayer I am finding hard to resist.

“Sorry we didn’t mean to interrupt!” The girl stumbled, grabbing her friends’ arm as they practically fell over themselves to get away.

First years; so young and innocent.

They didn’t need to apologize for interrupting, if anything I should be thanking them. Licking my lips, I can still feel his against mine. His assault left them feeling swollen and coughing awkwardly, I waited for the girls to go before speaking.

“As I was saying, ah thanks. For that, and last night. And…. See you later Slayer.” I take off after the first years only to hear him chuckling behind me.

Why did I just do that?

Not wanting to risk bumping into him or anyone on the way back to the rooms, I hide out in the kitchen. What was I thinking kissing him? It wasn’t all bad and find the stash of ice cream Vesna still kept in there, find a spoon to go with it. Lights out happened at ten, it was only quarter to nine so I’d stay here till eleven.

“Miss Bunting, seems you’re making yourself quite at home.” Mr Alberts appears beside the freezer and I forgot he liked to lurk around these parts.

“what can I say, old habits die hard.” Though I wonder if he was referring to my make out session in the library.

“How is your Mother?”

“Yeah, fine. If she gets into any trouble Dad is usually there with her and the older they get the less that seems to come their way.” Being half Slayer, thanks to Mum having a normal human for her own Mother left her struggling here. Things came to her naturally, but not as intense as full slayers. Thankfully the more dominant gene left my brother and I as Hunters, though the slayer in us helped attract them too.

Maybe that explained Reece?

“Good, it’s always nice to hear about some of my more dedicated students. She hasn’t been in for some time.”

“We’ve been moving a lot. I heard a rumor Dad got offered a job?” While I didn’t actually like my lecturers, mid night chats with Mr. Alberts weren’t all bad and I was certain I had seen him at the Last Drop when I had snuck out. Maybe that’s how they always knew. It’s so obvious now.

“Yes, it would good for the students to have someone like him to teach them. Keep an eye on things, you know?” I nod, thankful my time here was done if Dad was going to be on the teaching roster. “Look after yourself Miss Bunting. I’m sure we’ll be seeing you back again.”

I salute him with my spoon and once he is gone, its only just gone ten. Putting away the ice-cream and putting the spoon in the sink, I’m exhausted and ready for bed. It really had been a long day and a decent sleep would be nice.

I’m nearly at my room, when I’m being dragged into another and kicking out, Reece quickly shushes me as I go to yell.

“What are you doing?” I snap, glaring as he closes his door. Sure enough his own bags are packed on the table and looking back at him the fact he is now shirtless has my mind going to the gutter.

Seven years isn’t that much older, right?

“Well, for starters I wanted to give you my number and get yours. If I hear or notice anything strange I will let you know.” I can’t help feel disappointed.

“Ok, makes sense.”

“And to finish,” His eyes flick to the bed and I look over at it and then back to him. “I was going to ask if you found what you were looking for in the library?”

He didn’t seem the kind to beat around the bush or put any innuendos to use either. Maybe it was better to leave it where it was. Nothing was going to come from this so…

“No, I didn’t. What’s your number?” I get out my phone, and he calls it out. I send him a smiley face so he now has mine and putting it back in my pocket, go to walk past him to leave.

“Wait.” We stand barely inches apart and notice how wet his hair is now I’m so close. His smells, clean, and has obviously just had a shower. My eyes roam over his chest, lingering on the waistband of his pants.

Bad Elise. Bad.

“What?” I ask, hating how my breath caught as I slowly exhaled. What is it about him that has me acting like this? It's not like i've never seen an attractive guy shirtless before!

“I..” He stopped, and awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. I don’t move, hoping to relive another part of my time here at the Academy. I’m no angel when it comes to certain things. I drink. I party. I spend too much on the credit card Dad gave me. But I don’t sleep around, not like this at least with guys I've barely known for twenty four hours. My first I had dated for six months when we decided to see what the fuss was about. Since then, I can count on one hand how many times I’ve ended up in a position like this.

It has been way too long since the last time.

Maybe it was the same for Reece and it was him who finally broke the tension that had formed between us. It was as if we were each waiting to see what the other would do; what the other person actually wanted. Need won out and in one swift movement his hand slipped around the back of my head, drawing me in. As our lips reconnected, his body pressed against me and I didn’t make any effort to refuse him. His hand slipped under my t-shirt and he was firm, yet rough as he found my breast.

Seconds later I pushed him away, making quick work of my shirt it was dumped by the door and with a tempting smile, his eyes roamed up and down eagerly. My bra soon joined my shirt as he flicked off the light switch leaving only a dim glow from the lamp by his bags.

“All day I’ve been thinking about this.” He whispered, lifting me to the bed I wiggled off my jeans as he lost his sweatpants. His hands ran down the length of my body, before cupping my breasts again, "And these."

“Perve.” I teased, trying to suppress any sign of just how much I was already enjoying this. This morning felt like weeks ago and a breathless moan had me failing in keeping my own desires secret.

"You know I'm leaving in the morning right?"

"God, save it. I'm not one of those girls."

I woke up feeling extremely well rested, relaxed while the night before was like a distant, wonderful memory. Just like he said he would be, Reece was gone. Yawning I slowly got up; glad he wasn’t around to see my smile or satisfaction. Somehow I had slept through him leaving and since it was just gone six thirty, decided to crawl to my own room and keep on sleeping.

“Don’t look at me like that.” I mumbled to Alfie, slipping in beside him. The double bed seemed to small now I had to work my way around the snake and no wonder he wanted to sleep yesterday night – he had grown to the point I don’t think I could carry him anymore.

“Elisssse.” He hissed and opening my eyes again, he looked down at me.

“You can talk now?”

“Elissse.” Alfie spoke again.

“Well that’s a start and Alfie, you’re getting big.” The snake only nodded, sliding over me he ended up by the door. “Hungry?”

He nodded again and groaning I pulled the blanket over my head.

“Five more minutes Alfie, and then I’m taking a shower.” I didn’t get my five more minutes as he came back over to hover over me and his staring had me getting up and while I got dressed, I let him play in the water from the shower.

Walking to the kitchen, Alfie kept pace with me easily and I was right about struggling to carry him now. Everyone kept their distance and just as we went to go into the kitchen, Logan appeared.

“Morning.” He looked at Alfie nervously and the snake picked up on it instantly.

“Morning Logan.” I greeted a little too cheerfully. Alfie’s tongue flicked out towards Logan and he puffed up slightly, coiling his body as he reached up so he was practically standing beside me.

“Can we talk now?”

“Sure, I just need to eat and feed Alfie.” Opening the door, Alfie goes first and Logan follows me going last. Spying the knives on the wall as we go to the bench, Logan makes sure to be closest to them, not me.

“Morning my lovely. Oh, Logan isn’t it?” Vesna greets, passing a giant tray of scrambled eggs to one of the other ladies who takes it out to the breakfast buffet for the students.

“Yes, hello!” Logan smiles, before turning to me. “Can we even be in here?”

“I can, don’t know about you.” I tease.

Without saying anything, a large leg of beef is put on the counter near us. Alfie instantly rises towards it and Vesna shoos him away. “Give me a minute!”

She pinches some toast off another tray and loads up a plate with bacon and the fresh batch of eggs, passing one to me and one to Logan. “Thanks Vensa!”

“You’re too skinny. Eat girl! Now come on Alfie.” She takes the leg and goes to a free space in the kitchen with Alfie in toe and proceeds to slice the leg into more management chunks for him.

“How come I’ve never been back here before?” Logan asks, and I shrug.

“Only the cool kids, like me, can.”

“Right. Well Elise, we need to talk.” He starts, pausing to sprinkle pepper on his eggs.

“Yeah we do. So talk.”

“I wasn’t lying to you about your brother, he just…” Logan stopped talking, fiddling with a piece of bacon.

“He just what? Tell me Logan.”

“When you said you were looking for him I found it hard to believe. Meeting you like that at the college kind of confirmed what he had said about you and then you turn up trying to find him – it was weird and I wanted to see where you were going with it.”

“What did he say about me Logan?”

“You seem to be in a good mood this morning, I don’t want to ruin that.”

I got up and got us coffee, already knowing how he likes it from our other breakfast together.

“I can take it. Let me guess, selfish? Stubborn? Uncooperative? Spoilt? There is a lot of S’s there.” I shrug, going back to my bacon.

“Ah yeah, he said if I did meet you to try and keep an eye on you incase anything came your way and your Dad might not be able to keep you safe. I think he has underestimated you.”

“No shit.” Yet I couldn’t help wondering if Jordan was right. What have I actually done apart from gained a pet snake demon, slept with a Slayer and got a Tracker for a stalker.

“I’m sorry for not telling you, but I just wasn’t sure if it would have been the right thing to do. I think you will find him, that you can’t reject who you are meant to be any more.”

Someone certainly had a lot of opinions this morning.

“Well time will tell Logey.” Having finished my bacon, I steal his and as he goes to protest – Alfie is back and he shuts up.

“I think it will. You are a Bunting after all.”

“Don’t remind me.” I throw half a piece of toast to Alfie and he catches it with more ease than a dog with a Frisbee.

“So what’s next?” Logan asks as we leave the kitchen.

“Well I’m taking Alfie to check out his new home, then doing some research on a couple of things. What are you doing?”

Please say going, please say going…

“Thought I’d stick around, you know check out the new generation of Trackers. This place is nicer than where I’ve been staying so might as well make the most of clean sheets.” He winks and I cringe.

“Right, well – catch ya later.” I lead Alfie towards the biology wing.

“Bye Bunny.” He mocks and as I turn to yell at him, he has disappeared.

I swear one day I will kill him.

---

So ah, how about Reece & Ellie?  ;)