59. Ahmina
AHMINA
By the time they arrived, the party was in full force.
Two men guarded the entrance to the Slayer dorms, and Ahmina recognized them as second-year Slayers who often sat together in the mess hall.
Candles had been placed in colourful lamps which lit up the dorms in pink, purple and blue hues, completely transforming the space.
“Bar is on the right, dance floor on the left,” one of the party guards closest to her instructed as they passed by.
Behind them, he exchanged a quick dap with Lennox, who had walked Ahmina and Rory over from their dorm.
Down the hallway, Ahmina could see people shuffling in and out of several dorm rooms. Music boomed, and as soon as they entered, they were swallowed up by the crowd.
Rory fit in naturally with the Slayers. Combat came easily to her because she had been scrapping with kids twice her size since they could walk.
She especially looked the part tonight in her black crop top, leather skirt, and combat boots.
Ahmina, on the other hand, looked completely out of place.
Now, looking at what everyone else was wearing, she deeply regretted her decision to remain in school uniform.
“I see him. I’ll be right back; stay with Lennox,” Rory said before her auburn hair disappeared into the crowd.
“But—” Rory was already gone. Ahmina could see Kit across the room, towering over most of the crowd. He looked relaxed and lit up with a smile when he spotted Rory coming toward him.
“Yeah, so…” She turned to Lennox, who looked around the room, scoping out the scene. “I need to leave.”
“What do you mean leave? We just got here,” he said, eyes still focused on the crowd.
“Look at me.” She ordered and he turned his head. “I look…” She didn’t want to admit it in front of him. “Stupid.”
His eyes dragged up and down her body, and he rubbed his chin, tilting his head as if trying to decide if he agreed with her or not. “Here.” He grabbed her shirt and tore at the sleeves, before pulling out his dagger.
“What are you doing?” She squirmed.
“Stop being stubborn and let me help you.” He cut the fabric around her ribs, turning her shirt into a crop top. “Now let your hair down.”
“But—” He stepped behind her, fingers working through her braids with unhurried care, sending a shiver up her spine.
Time slowed and the room faded as his fingers grazed her neck.
He untangled the last three strands and pulled apart each section so that her wavy hair fell around her shoulders.
She glanced down, taking in her new look.
In seconds, Lennox had transformed her from proper Academy student to hot Slayer girl.
She held the fabric scraps in her hands and looked them over. “I needed this. For a thing called school.”
“We both know you sweet talked the faculty into giving you extra uniforms so that you would have a perfectly pressed outfit for every day of the week. I’m sure you’ll get over it.”
Ahmina scowled at him. “How do you know that?”
Her question unanswered, Lennox took in her appearance. “You look really pretty.”
“Well, you just cut off my clothes,” she said, nodding to the fabric in her hands.
“It’s not that.” He shook his head, his eyes soft. “You look brighter… happier.”
She smiled. “Thanks.”
“Zeina told me about Barrow.”
“She did?” Ahmina asked, surprised.
“Well, barely.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “You know she doesn’t open up much.”
“Yeah.” She was relieved to know it wasn’t just her that Zeina didn’t open up to. Her chest tightened at the idea of Zeina and Lennox talking in their room late at night, and she tried to wash the image from her mind. She had no reason to be jealous, but she couldn’t shake the strange sting of it.
“He deserved it,” Lennox said, frowning. “And Rory is right; you deserve to let loose. I have some things I need to take care of. Go get into trouble. I’ll be back in a few.”
He gave her hand a squeeze before melting into the crowd and Ahmina headed to the bar.
It took her a while to push through the crowd and get to the makeshift table where a tall blonde Slayer with tattoos up the left side of his arm was pouring drinks.
She couldn’t help but stare at the beautiful collage of creatures that decorated his arm.
“Do you have anything stronger than mulberry wine?” She needed a real drink.
“A tattoo for every creature I’ve killed,” said the boy, following her gaze.
Ahmina swallowed hard, her own creature encounters flashing through her mind.
Even after nearly a full term at the Academy, it was still intimidating being around the Slayers, knowing how much killing they were comfortable with.
“Here.” He handed her a glass filled only a quarter of the way with cherry red liquid.
“What’s this?” Ahmina swished the liquid. “I’ve never seen it before.”
“You wouldn’t have,” said the man. “It’s Fleshface blood.”
Fleshface. A Tigress-like creature with open wounds covering its face. Just like a Tigress, it can trick your mind. Except its primary goal is to drink your blood. Human blood heals the scars, until they reappear, thus the endless cycle of human sacrifice. Ahmina knew it from her encyclopedia.
“How did you get that?” Ahmina asked, even though she knew. The man glared at her. “Try it,” he urged. She suddenly felt nauseous, but her anxiety was quickly quelled by the blood. She coughed at the sour sting.
He smiled. “Feel better?”
Her body changed in an instant. She felt weightless and carefree. “I feel great, actually!”
The boy smirked, returning to bartending while Ahmina stumbled onto the dancefloor, bumping into people along the way. After pushing through to the middle, she raised her arms in the air and twirled around like she was the only one in the room.
“I see you found the Fleshface blood.” Lennox’s voice was low in her ear, but she ignored it. Eyes closed, she was engrossed in the music, in the moment, in ecstasy. Nothing mattered, not even him. She hadn’t felt this relaxed, since… ever. She had never felt this good.
“I love this side of you, Mina-baby, you look so fucking good when you’re happy and free.”
But at soon as she thought she heard it, it was gone.
Lennox was gone.
She was gone.
Lost in a euphoria of her own making.