by L F Seitz
We walked into the huge building and were bombarded with loud people and music. This place was beyond packed, already making my skin crawl. People bumped into me, and I nearly tripped on a rogue shoe. I gripped the back of Micah’s jacket as we walked through everyone, and that’s when I noticed others looking at me. My black markings were apparent on my hands and across my neck. A few stopped mid-conversation when they saw me walk past. Your attendance is Mandatory. Assholes want me to suffer. Once we got down the stairs and into the larger area, it wasn’t as packed, but the laughter echoed in here. It smelled like sweat and sloppy joes, which made me want to vomit. It was sensory overload, and I knew it would only get worse the longer we were here.
Micah moved around a pillar as a few people pushed in between us. Suddenly, Micah was nowhere to be found. Dread quickly ensued. I scanned the crowd, spinning in a circle, but I didn’t see his white hair anywhere. There were so many people laughing, and it felt like they were laughing at me. Memories arose of forced high school class presentations which I always fumbled through. It all was becoming too real too fast. Two people pushed past me, and I staggered back, bumping into someone else and spilled their drink.
“Watch yourself, princess,” a guy sneered.
“Sorry,” I whimpered. My breath grew shallow as I began to panic and gingerly pushed my way through to get to a wall. Somewhere I can press my back against and scan for Micah at the same time. I knew he was going to wander off. That promise to stay with me the whole time was hollow as hell. Now I just wanted to kick his shins.
After almost tripping and falling on my face, I made it to the wall and pressed myself against it so hard I swore I became a part of it. I took a deep breath. No one noticed me here, which was good. I continued to search the crowd but couldn’t find Micah. I don’t want to talk to people. Socializing is the worst. Talking meant divulging personal information, which meant explaining, which also meant judgment and odd looks. Talking about being in the foster system was hard enough as a kid: half the time people didn’t even realize they were making a face at my story, filled with surprise or pity. I hated it. Now I had to make conversation about my strange “gift” of being two species at once? No thanks. I’d rather eat a live bug. I knew my way home from here and thought maybe I should just leave, and when Micah came back grouchy, I’d say I was sick. Two Council members stood in the crowd laughing together. Your attendance is Mandatory. Why did I even join this stupid club?
“Hey, you’re that chick, the one with both bloods, right?” A voice came from my left. I turned slowly to see a tall man with spikey black hair dyed white at the tips. He wore a hunter green plaid shirt and ripped jeans, reminding me of a long-forgotten rock star.
“Uh, I guess,” I said. I turned away and began search the crowd furiously as I sensed the tall man watching me. In the back of my mind, I knew he wasn’t acting so mean or scary, but I couldn’t help the fear already in my bones.
“Nice markings. Your name is something like Llama, right?” He asked.
I wanted to ignore him but refrained, smiling instead. Maybe striking up a conversation wouldn’t be such a bad thing, since Micah ditched me, after all.
“Lamia, but nice guess,” I chuckled. I was too awkward to even fully face him.
He was checking me out so hard his eyes could have popped out of his skull. My patience grew thin as I waited for Micah to come back, and this guy gave me the jitters.
“How old are you?”
“Nineteen,” I said coldly. This guy was old enough to be my dad; there was no way to hide the gray in his beard.
“Wanna get out of here and talk? It’s pretty loud.” He stepped closer to me as I remained forward. Heat emanated off of him, as well as his bad hygiene.
“Lamia?” I heard Micah’s voice over the crowd.
My head shot up as I scoured the many Nephilim for him. Moments later, I saw his white hair moving toward me in the chaos. “Over here!” I yelled, completely ignoring the old rock star beside me and venturing out into the crowd. I’d rather get lost than stand in his stink for another moment.
Micah’s hand caught my shoulder, and soon his face was in front of mine as he looked around us. There was a soft smirk on his face, as he no doubt took in my unpleasant expression. “Enjoying yourself?” He asked.
I reached over and punched him in the arm. He only snorted, like he wasn’t surprised. “What happened to staying by me the whole time?” I demanded. “I should just go home.”
He bumped my shoulder with his. “You need to get out more.”
“Bite me,” I snapped.
That only made him laugh more. This was the most I’d ever seen Micah relax. He then took my hand and pulled me into the crowd, my stomach filled with butterflies as his long fingers curved around mine. Micah’s hands were warm and rough. Something as small as holding my hand could get me to stop being mad at him, and I think he knew it. We walked around to the other side of the room, into a small circle of people near a steel pillar. Micah dropped my hand, and the sudden coolness of my skin felt unnatural.
“Lamia, these are my comrades,” he spoke as he gestured to the other people in the small circle. “Hamon, Leo, Laylah, and Zachriel. Everyone, this is Lamia.” They were each well built, with athletic, toned bodies that knew how to fight. Micah was no different from his sporty model friends in that aspect. I, however, stuck out like a sore thumb, which only made me more uncomfortable. I was thicker, to put it lightly. They were a mix of corded muscles and sharp contours while I was all chub and potato chips. My face reddened as I made quick glances at all of them with the best smile I could muster. Hamon was the first to hold out his hand. I smiled and shook it. He had a tender but hard grip. His dark hair fell softly to his ears, drawing attention to his cheekbones and distinct smile. Hamon’s tawny skin glowed in the fluorescent light and complemented his sharp green irises.
“It’s nice to meet you, Lamia,” Leo said. He stood a little shorter beside Hamon, emanating a boy-next-door essence and smirking as he held his hand out for me to shake. His shaggy blonde hair was brushed back carelessly, adding to the friendliness of his brown eyes.
“Nice to meet you all, too. I’ve heard so much about you,” I lied. It just slipped out. My face felt like a tomato as I looked around frantically, refusing to turn toward Micah's direction. He will never let me live this down.
“Oh, now he’s gone and done it, told her all our secrets,” Hamon laughed. I chimed in as the sound released some of the tension in my shoulders.
“No, no secrets; just how much of a moron you are,” Micah said, shoving Hamon in the shoulder. Everyone snickered at the joke.
“Micah hasn’t told us much about you.” Laylah commented now. She was the only woman accompanying the group. Her thin but curvy figure distinctly set her apart from the boys, that’s for sure. With sleek, bone-straight black hair and eyes that could drown you deep; a dark blue that disappeared within her pupils.
I regarded her as she watched me, her gaze piercing. She looked like a cobra, and I was her next meal. “Well, I’m pretty plain, so what’s there to say?” I tried to keep it light. Leo laughed at that.
“Or he just wants to keep you to himself,” Leo said as he pushed Micah.
“How old are you, anyway?” Laylah asked, sounding annoyed.
“Nineteen.”
“I thought you were eighteen,” Micah said and I finally turned to him. His gaze fell over my features, maybe looking for a tell in my face that I was joking.
“I was, until last Tuesday.”
He raised his eyebrows as he gawked at me for a long moment. We both knew exactly what happened last Tuesday. It was a day full of near-deaths, and there hadn’t been time to talk about my birthday. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Micah stepped closer as he spoke quietly, seeming genuinely upset he hadn’t known.
“Oh, trouble in paradise,” Hamon jabbed.
“There wasn’t much time for celebrating that day,” I said, giving Micah a warning glance to drop t
he conversation, hoping none of them would ask anything about it.
“That was the day of the trial, right?” Leo asked, and I was relieved it had been on the same day, to keep them from questioning what we might have been talking about. “Happy belated birthday Lamia,” he said. I gave him a soft smile and felt the bond grow between me and this little group.
“How long have you guys known Micah?” I asked, changing the subject.
“Oh man, since he got here,” Hamon said. “Leo and I got here a year before him, so we’re all like brothers.” Imagining 13-year-old Micah was an adorable sight.
“Unfortunately,” Micah added facetiously. I watched him as he interacted with his friends. He was so alive around them compared to me. I’d seen it, a glimpse of this in a laugh or a glance, but the amount I saw now was like a high for me. He was always so serious when we were alone. If only I could get him to be this carefree. I wanted to always see him this happy.
“Maybe we should pull out the old photos of baby Micah and show Lamia.” Hamon was teasing now, and Micah wasn’t having it as they began shoving each other.
“It’ll be the last thing you do, brother,” Micah said, his face flushed. He took Hamon’s head into a chokehold, and I grinned at them.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Laylah whispering something into Zachriel’s ear, before she turned and tapped Micah on the shoulder. Zachriel had been quiet this whole time and hadn’t even looked at me as Micah introduced us. He was a mixture of browns, from his sepia skin to his long umber hair. Definitely not a social butterfly like the rest of the boys in this group, which spoke to me on a whole different level. I loved the energy they gave off, but I rarely spoke as they chatted. Zachriel kept quiet, too, I wondered why that was. Micah mentioned something about them having a difficult time welcoming me; that could be the reason for Zachriel hardly ever talking. Maybe he didn’t talk because of me.
“We’ll see you later,” she said to Micah with a smirk. Her gaze found mine and could have burned holes clean through my skull before she turned and disappeared into the crowd. I knew it deep inside, to my core; she didn’t like me. She wouldn’t even tolerate me.
“Laylah handled that well,” Leo said. My brow furrowed as I glanced at Micah, who was regarding his two friends.
“Oh, come on, you know Laylah can’t help but get jealous,” Hamon added. The smile fell from Micah’s face as he peered back to where Laylah had been, like he hadn’t understood until now.
“Jealous?” I asked.
“Micah and Laylah go back, if you know what I mean,” Leo said, wiggling his eyebrows.
My mouth fell open as the thought of that gorgeous she-wolf and Micah together. Together. With her curves and Micah’s muscles, they’d be perfect for each other. Unstoppable. “She has no worries here,” I snorted, feeling stupid for my past thoughts of Micah. “I’m not even in a league adjacent to hers.”
“What are you talking about? You’re a babe,” Leo said. The boy next door flirted with the dark sister from across the tracks.
“Welcome, welcome, my comrades and guests, to our compound.” The redheaded councilman from the trial spoke in the middle of the room. “We thank you for coming and thank you for aiding us during this dark time. As brothers and sisters of the Nephilim, working together is the one thing that the darkness can never take from us. The strongest part of us is that we are a whole. Today was one step out of many, but every victory starts somewhere. We welcome all to our food and drink, our showers and our shelter. Please make yourselves comfortable. The battle is coming, but before the blood comes the brains. Let’s work as a team, stay on our toes, and watch one another. Take care of one another, and in the end, we will be victorious!”
The people roared in agreement, chanting Nephilim over and over. I turned to Micah, who was studying me with a crooked smile and a content expression on his face. He was happy, and that made me happy. I bumped my shoulder into his. I never thought I’d be this close to Micah, but here I was, standing by his side, with his people.
“I would also like to welcome everyone to a tradition unique to this compound: a Banquet the night before The Rising to thank you and to celebrate our people. Please be safe and enjoy the rest of tonight.” Joyous cries took over as the councilman disappeared into the crowd.
I turned and noticed our group was now just Micah, Hamon, and I. “Where did Leo go?” I asked.
“To get food. He’s always hungry,” Hamon said as he peered between Micah and I.
“I’m going to go find him; I’ll be back.” Hamon disappeared into the crowd before I could kick him for leaving me alone with Micah. Which was odd, given I never minded being alone with him. Well, that was before a lot of things were discovered tonight, on both sides. My birthday being one, and, well, Micah dating a supermodel with the warmth of a scorpion.
“There was no reason you couldn't have told me it was your birthday last Tuesday.” Micah’s voice was close as I turned to find him nearly standing over me, working to speak over the music. I stepped back and was caught between him and the cement pillar at my back. I swallowed hard as I held his stare.
“It wasn’t important. Besides, you don’t need to worry because you gave me a gift.” I gave a sheepish smile as I pushed my black frizzy hair behind my ear. “The knife was great.”
“You’re such a pain,” he huffed with a shake of his head, giving up on the subject, for which I was grateful. I could see sweat beginning to accumulate on his brow. The room didn’t seem warm, though I was accustomed to heat. He shoved his hands into his pockets and scanned the crowd. My thoughts drifted to Laylah and the wonders that accompanied her.
“How come you didn’t tell me Laylah was the one girlfriend you used to have back in the day? The one you said interfered with your work.” I rested a hand on my hip, my sass apparent.
“Does it matter?”
“Yes,” I replied without missing a beat.
“Why?”
“Because she’s gorgeous,” I snipped at him, close enough to smell his musk as he read me, shifting his glance around my face. The intensity sent a shiver through me.
“Why does that matter?”
“Because ... I don’t know, it just does.” I sounded completely jealous – and looked the part as I crossed my arms. They were perfect together: both were tens in terms of attraction and most likely equal in combat, while I stood here a six with the combat level of a blind orangutan.
“You’re such a girl,” he said. He ruffled my hair and I squeaked, shooing his hand away as I tried to pat it down into place once more. His smug face was smirking at me: he was totally enjoying this.
I poked him hard in the shoulder with my pointer finger. “And you’re also a pain, you know that?” He shook with silent amusement, so carefree, and I’d do whatever was necessary just to see him like this.
“Jimiah wants to talk to you, alone,” Zachriel said as he came out of the crowd, resting his hand on Micah’s shoulder. Zachriel’s eyes darted to me, clouded with a disgust that caught me off guard.
Micah turned from me as he glanced over the crowd. “Where?” Micah asked. “West corridor.” The man gestured with his head, Micah turned from me, and I snatched his arm before he could take a step.
“Don’t you leave me here alone,” I begged. “You promised.”
He glanced from me to Zachriel then back again before pulling from my grasp. “Hamon and Leo should be back any minute. You’ll be fine. I shouldn’t be gone for more than a few.” Micah squeezed my forearm before disappearing into the chaos.
I stood there alone and thought about that old rock star and if he’d make another move on me. Or worse, Laylah could reappear and demand to know who I really was. She seemed pretty skeptical of me, which only made me fear her more.
“Where’s Micah?” Hamon’s voice brought me back from my thoughts. I found him and Leo standing in front of me. Leo snacked on a bag of tortilla chips as they both peered around, scoping the room for their fri
end.
“Talking to Jimiah,” I said.
Leo offered me some chips, and I declined, though I hadn’t eaten all day. Wasn’t in the mood for food.
“So how did you guys meet again?” Hamon asked. “I remember a little from the assembly.”
“It’s a long story, super boring,” I said with a half laugh.
“We’ve got all night,” Hamon replied. Didn’t really leave me much of a choice, so I gave a brief recap.
“And then when I came up empty on every question he asked about The Rising, he spoke the incantation and slit my throat. Our relationship really took off from there.” My sarcasm had them in a fit of laughter as soon as I finished.
“I see why Micah rarely comes back to the compound. With that humor I’d never want to leave,” Leo said as they recovered from the laughing.
“He basically lives on my couch,” I said.
“Are you guys together?” Hamon asked.
Now that was funny. I howled at the complete nonsense of his words. “Definitely not.”
He didn’t seem convinced. “I don’t know, I’ve never seen Micah act this way before,” Hamon said. He eyed Leo, who agreed.
I looked between the both of them, confused. “Act like what?” I asked, wondering what I was missing.
“He seems kind of ... what?” Hamon wondered aloud.
Leo looked up in thought as he chewed. “Erratic? Out of control.”
Now I know they were making jokes; they had to be. The longer I watched them, though, the more serious their words seemed to become.
“How so?” I asked.
“Micah’s always been a cool and collected sort of guy, unless we’re drinking. He laughs a little here and there, but unless it’s just us, he doesn’t really loosen up on the reigns,” Hamon explained as Leo nodded, confirming every word.
“How he’s acting right now, with the loud laughs and play-fighting, it isn’t really like him. At least not in public,” Leo added. “He seems happier.”
“Not to mention how focused he got when he found out you didn’t tell him about your birthday,” Hamon said.