"Sure," he replied, lowering his gaze to meet mine.
"How did you find me earlier?" I questioned.
It couldn't possibly have been a coincidence. There were far too many people buzzing around to pinpoint where I was, almost like a needle in a haystack. Not to mention I hadn't promised to attend or anything.
"I caught your scent when I was making my way to the auditorium. Figured I'd try to make sure it was you, even if I was pretty positive that it was."
"Stalker."
We both looked over to the guy from earlier, who apparently smelled like Death. I was a bit surprised he stuck around, standing next to us as he watched the chaos happening in front of us.
"I'm not a stalker. She smells nice," Dimitri argued.
"Like cherry blossoms with a hint of vanilla and mint. I know," he replied.
"How is everyone able to smell that specific combo but me?" I pondered more to myself.
"At least she smells better than Death," Dimitri argued. "And why are you standing next to us?"
"I'm peering for a quest for us," he replied with a shrug.
"You didn't even ask to join our team," Dimitri noted.
"Does it matter? I don't want to re-introduce myself."
"You didn't," Dimitri and I said together.
"Oh," he replied. "Yuriel."
A blessed name? He must be an angel.
Angels were rare shifters who were blessed by the holy gods above. Even their names were selected by a sacred ritual.
The person's destiny was reviewed by the great beings on high before the name could be bestowed onto the baby.
There were various types of angels, but you wouldn't be able to tell what type they were unless they shifted and revealed their wings. Even with that much, it was hard to determine their specific type.
"Uriel as in the pure angel name?" Dimitri asked.
"Yuriel. The Y is silent," Yuriel corrected.
"So Yuri," Dimitri concluded.
"Did I say the ‘el’ was silent?" Yuriel argued.
"You did now." Dimitri shrugged.
"I was countering your previous statement."
"You were countering the fact you said the 'el' was silent."
Yuriel just stared at Dimitri, who stared at him back. "And you still smell like death," Dimitri noted.
"Is that a bad scent?" I asked out of curiosity.
I moved in Dimitri's hold to see his expression. The two of them looked my way before Dimitri shrugged.
"It's not an unpleasant smell. It's one that tells me he's powerful and dangerous. Though, I don't necessarily feel like I'm in danger being around him."
"You got all of that information from smelling someone once?" Yuriel questioned with an arched eyebrow. I looked at him and nodded.
"He's a stalker."
"I'm not a stalker," Dimitri groaned.
"Sure," Yuriel and I said together.
I looked over to him and smiled. "Silver. Nice to meet you."
"I thought it was Blossom?" Yuriel replied. "Also, nice to meet you." He bowed his head slightly in a respectful manner.
"She smells like cherry blossoms, which is a rare scent. So her name is now Blossom," Dimitri declared.
"You can't just change my name. And how is smelling like cherry blossoms rare?" I questioned.
Dimitri let go of me to cross his arms over his chest.
"Cherry blossoms normally appear in certain times of the year in Japan. The scent is another representation of sacred power that reveals itself when one least expects it. Short but deadly. Those who have such natural scents are gifted with many talents, ones that are sometimes short-lived, but carry triple the power of someone who can commonly use the same skills. Can be magic-based or regular skills of combat. Also, can suggest that the individual themselves can be physically manipulated to fit any situation. Finally, those with such scents are leaders and are designed to do great things."
We both stood there silent, gawking at his encyclopedic explanation. "You did not just get all of that from my scent? And I don't naturally smell like cherry blossoms. It's just my body wash," I countered.
"You didn't use cherry blossom wash today. You used pomegranate with lime."
"You really do sound like a stalker," Yuriel calmly stated. "Or killer."
"I'd go with killer," I mumbled, taking a step to hide behind Yuriel as I pouted my lips and glared at Dimitri.
"Huh? There's a whole thousand-page book on scents. That's common knowledge. You can look it up," he defended. "Blossom, don't look at me like that."
I sighed and moved back into my spot between them. "I feel we moved away from the important topic at hand, which is getting our quest."
"I didn't introduce myself though," Dimitri noted.
"Be my guest," I replied. He grinned and looked at Yuriel.
"Dimitri Hellsin."
"Yuriel Xin."
I was intrigued by their last names, wishing they could tell me exactly what their backgrounds were.
Dimitri definitely looked Native Indian with hints of Asian characteristics, while Yuriel had a more Caucasian look. But his super delicate skin made me wonder if he had a Korean or simply Asian background to him.
"Anyways. We have to choose a quest that's impressive and hasn’t been done before," I announced.
"Does it show if it has been completed?" Dimitri asked.
"It does," Yuriel replied. I felt as though someone was staring at me, and I looked to my left to see Yuriel was indeed the one who was staring.
I stared back, unsure why he suddenly looked so transfixed by me. "What?" I asked. "Is there something on my face?"
"Nothing," Yuriel replied.
"Aren't angels not allowed to lie? You’re an angel, aren't you?" Dimitri asked.
Yuriel didn't reply, and I frowned. "What's up, Yuriel?"
Dimitri leaned in to whisper in my ear. "I'm sure he was checking you out."
Yuriel gave Dimitri the side-eye. "She's hot. I can check her out if I want. That's not something I need to lie about."
"So you were lying," Dimitri argued.
"Not about her being hot," Yuriel argued.
"About your staring being nothing."
"I never answered to that."
"You're weird," Dimitri mumbled.
"From the one who smells people and stalks them." Yuriel sighed.
He looked around the crowd encircling us, snapping his fingers. I could feel the transparent magic that swirled around the three of us, like a bubble securing itself around us.
Dimitri moved so we were standing in a triangle, giving me a chance to see both of their expressions.
"You muted off the area around us," Dimitri pointed out with a wide grin. "That's intriguing."
"I don't want unnecessary people listening in to our conversation," Yuriel muttered, like his decision was only natural. He turned his attention to me.
"This is a personal question. I don't expect you to answer, but if we're planning to work together, I'm curious as to why a human is applying?" he inquired.
"Is it that noticeable?" I questioned, feeling a little antsy that I was caught so quickly. If Yuriel could spot it, wouldn't everyone have noticed by now?
"Not really," Yuriel replied. "You have a bit of a mutt smell on you."
"Hey. Watch your language," Dimitri grumbled, looking completely hurt.
"I don't know what you are," Yuriel acknowledged.
"I'm not a dog," Dimitri confirmed. "And I marked Blossom with my scent so on the off chance she did attend S.S.S., people wouldn't catch on right away."
"Huh?" I looked at Dimitri. "When did you..." I trailed off, remembering when he kissed my cheek.
"When I kissed your cheek. Something told me you'd get a chance at S.S.S., but I didn't want to sound crazy or anything. My instincts are usually spot on."
"You're possessive," Yuriel noted.
"I'm not," Dimitri huffed.
"Thanks, Dimitri," I said with a smile and looked
at Yuriel. "And thank you, Yuriel for wanting to keep this subject private."
The two of them blankly stared at me, each of their cheeks tinging a light red.
"Sure," they said in unison and looked in opposite directions.
I guess I can tell them. It shouldn't hurt me. If I don't make it, it's all good.
"For a long time, I've wanted to attend this school. Not for the many benefits that come with it, but because I want to be a spy and stop the level of injustice in the world. It may sound cheesy, but I don't want my non-supernatural status to affect what I want to achieve."
"You do understand no human has ever gotten into or graduated from S.S.S. before," Dimitri noted with a serious expression. I met his gaze and nodded, needing to prove that I wasn't going to back down from this.
"I'm well aware and hoping to be the first," I declared without a hint of hesitation.
Yuriel stared into my eyes for a long moment, the tiny star-like silver shifting to black for a few seconds before his irises returned to their vivid twinkling.
A tiny smile formed on his smooth lips. "Rule breaker."
"You make it sound like a good thing," I said with a smile.
Crossing my arms over my chest, I stood proudly. "Either way, I'm willing to do what I need to to get through. I'm not sure how I'll get past it, but at least you guys know. Obviously, you don't need to work with me if you're worried about breaking any rules. Don't want you losing your chance because of me."
I had to make it clear, not wanting either of them to get in trouble on my behalf.
"I was never one to follow the rules," Yuriel announced, his eyes darkened with mischief.
Dimitri chuckled. "Following the rules is boring. Nice to live on the edge when you can."
"Does that mean you two will stick around?" I asked. I wouldn't admit it out loud, but the thought of having friends before even getting through the initiation gave me a bit of comfort. It sure eased my nerves a lot.
"Sure. You're intriguing. Plus, I want to protect you from the sniffing killer over there."
"Stalker. I'm not a killer," Dimitri corrected.
I giggled. "So, you admit your enhanced smelling is deemed stalker level."
He blushed. "N-no! Anyway, I'm not going anywhere. Everyone else smells weird anyways. I can tolerate you two. At least Blossom's smell overrides Yuri's."
"Yuriel."
"Silver."
We corrected him at the same time, but I figured he would continue with the nickname calling. I looked back at the crowd, noticing that it had dimmed down by a lot.
"The crowd thinned out," I acknowledged.
Yuriel snapped his fingers, and the bubble of magic vanished. "I know what quest we can do."
"You do?" Dimitri and I asked.
"Yes, but it's going to be a pain. It will help Silver," he elaborated.
"Hmm, pain in the ass quest that will help Blossom?" Dimitri concluded. "I'm all aboard. At least I get to stick around."
"Fine by me. Let's get closer," Yuriel encouraged.
"Thanks, guys," I whispered, feeling in debt for their help and quick acceptance.
I really got lucky to meet such nice guys right away. Especially with their handsome looks, I really didn't think they would be super nice.
From my past experiences, if you were hot, you either had an attitude or had no respect for anyone else. Even though I knew I was beautiful, or at least considered good-looking, I never wanted to let it determine how I treated people.
We moved closer to the board, and I looked at the remaining quests, unsure what would possibly be good.
A few them were about grabbing a specific drink from vending machines in town, the thought reminding me that I was a tad thirsty.
"All these drink quests are making me thirsty," I admitted.
Yuriel placed his hand on my shoulder. "The one with the pink stamp on it is the one you need."
"How do you know?" I asked.
"Just trust me," Yuriel replied.
Dimitri put his chin on my left shoulder, sniffing a few times. "Guess he's not lying."
"Please don't tell me you can tell when someone lies or not by sniffing them. Also, you're sniffing ME, not Yuriel."
"He's close enough. I'm just getting my ten-minute dose of Blossom."
"I should ban you from sniffing me," I groaned. "You still have to tell me what you are."
"I will later. Promise," he replied.
"Silver. Get it before someone else does. You're the leader," Yuriel stressed.
"Oh. I am?" I gasped and moved away. "Going!"
I walked through the few shifters who were trying to pick their quests.
With a smile, I reached out to pull the quest down, my hand pinching the left side of the thick white parchment paper.
"Huh?" I said out loud, noticing another hand had pinched on the right side of the paper.
Together, we lowered the paper in between each other, my eyes maneuvering over to lock onto a pair of strangely colored eyes.
Crap. Seems as though we have a tie. Time for a tiebreaker.
6
Tiebreaker And Cunning Deal
No way are his eyes real.
I had to blink a few times to make sure I wasn't seeing things.
The shifter standing before me was 6'2" and had long bright orange-gold hair that shifted to a dark blue-black.
Only tiny specks of gold that appeared as though they were glowing descended into the darker half of his ombre hair.
His hair wasn't as long as Yuriel's, just reaching the midpoint of his back, but it complemented his milk chocolate complexion.
He had smooth lips, and his face was oval shaped with a small stubble growing.
He wore a button-down black shirt, three of the buttons intentionally left open to reveal a glimpse of his sculpted pecs, and gold jeans that had a hint of shine to them, making them appear rather expensive.
He wore a gold earring on his left ear with a moon gem in the middle, one that changed colors.
What still caught my gaze were his gorgeous eyes. Having different colored eyes was common, but usually one eye was normal and the other was an odd shade.
In this guy's case, both eyes were brilliant with color; the right one was red with a mixture of orange and gold while the left one was teal like the ocean with hints of purple and green.
They captivated my attention and drew me in, but I remembered he had the quest I needed. I tugged the paper slightly, and he arched an eyebrow at me, tugging it back in defiance.
"I got to this quest first," I announced.
"Sorry, cutie, but this quest is going to be mine and my partner’s. Now let go."
He had an interesting accent, but I wasn't going to be wooed over so easily.
I tugged the paper again, and he did the same. I wasn't worried that it would rip; the paper was thick and most likely enhanced with magic to ensure it would survive the basic risks like tears, fires, or being drenched by water.
"Nope. You let go," I argued.
I noticed steam coming from his nostrils as he huffed, a smug smile forming on his lips while his eyes narrowed at me.
"There's nothing you can do about this. Let the quest go. Or I'll just have to take it by force."
Think, Silver, think! There has to be something I can do.
An idea popped into my head, and I couldn't fight the sinister grin that cloaked my lips as I stared into rainbow eyes.
Yup, I was going to term him rainbow for now.
I noticed a person behind him, a 6'1" male with gold eyes and onyx hair. He wore white jeans that had gold chains hanging from the sides and a silver T-shirt.
He leaned over to meet my gaze. "Why is she grinning like she unlocked a master plan in her mind?"
That made my smile grow bigger and I took a step forward. Before Rainbow Eyes could figure out what I was doing, I pressed my lips against his, giving him a solid kiss.
"Oh, shit," Dimitri said.
"Well then,"
Yuriel commented.
"Uh...is that a weapon?" the other guy inquired.
I focused solely on the guy I was kissing, noticing how his eyes went wide in pure shock.
Five seconds went by before he let go and pushed back, bumping into his friend, who had to catch him from falling onto his ass.
"Y-y-you just KISSED ME!" he stuttered, pointing his finger at me accusingly.
I grinned and waved the quest paper in front of him.
"Yes, I did, but I got what I wanted. Too bad you didn't kiss back." I winked teasingly. His cheeks were so red, I wondered if he was super angry or super embarrassed.
Poor guy must have not kissed a girl before.
"T-that's cheating!"
"No, it's not," I commented. "Any tactics can be used at S.S.S. That includes kissing someone to get what you want."
"Dammit!" he replied, pressing his hands to his lips. "How the hell do girls have soft lips like that?"
"Jeez, Ryuunosuke. You make it seem like you haven't kissed a girl before." His friend sighed.
"No! Girls back home do NOT have smooth lips like hers. Or look as hot as her either, Wolfgang. You're supposed to support your brother, dammit."
"I stopped you from falling. As for embarrassing yourself, I can't help you," the man named Wolfgang replied, his expression pretty sympathetic.
Yuriel was at my left side, but I noticed Dimitri wasn't around. "Where did Dimitri go?" I asked Yuriel.
"He went to get you water."
"Huh? Why do I need water?" I questioned. "Oh, right. I did say I was thirsty before."
"Back," Dimitri announced, moving through the row of people to stand on my other side, right beside the board.
Instead of passing the bottle to me, he passed it to Yuriel, who began to shake it. He then sprinkled some gold dust on the bottle, the water inside swirling around and glowing a tint of gold before returning to its clear state.
He passed it to me. "Here you go."
"What did you do?" I asked, but didn't hesitate to drink it. Opening the lid, I began to gulp it down, loving the pure taste of it. I drank 2/3 of the bottle before lowering it and licking my lips.
"I blessed the water, so it would get rid of the dragon shifter germs you must have gotten on your lips when you kissed him."
Dimitri and Wolfgang began to snicker while Ryuunosuke growled and crossed his arms over his chest.
SSS: Year One (Supernatural Spy School Book 1) Page 7