chapter 5
751 Words
One month later, after the last mission
Kecy sipped her whiskey, the pulsating beat of the club's music thriving through her veins. She scanned the crowd, her eyes locking onto a handsome young man across the room. He was her type: charming, lost, and ripe for the taking. She smiled, ready to make her move.
But just as she rose from her seat, a chill ran down her spine. The air seemed to ripple, and Connor, Ethan's right-hand man, materialized beside her.
Kecy raised an eyebrow. "Can't it wait, Connor? I'm on the hunt."
Connor's expression was stone. "Ethan requires your presence. Now."
Kecy sighed, rolling her eyes. She followed Connor, the club's lights blurring around her. When they stopped, she stepped forward, and the world dropped away.
She appeared in a dark, ornate chamber, Ethan's throne room. Ethan himself lounged on his throne, his piercing gaze fixed on her.
"Kecy, my lovely succubus," he said, his voice like silk. "I have a mission for you. A demon hunter has gone rogue, targeting our kind in a New Haven. I want you to go undercover, track him down, and stop him."
Kecy's ears perked up. "Undercover?"
"Yes. You'll pose as a college student, blend in, and gather intel. You're cunning, beautiful, and expendable."
Kecy smiled, a plan already unfolding in her mind. "Which city?"
Ethan leaned forward. "New Haven University. Be careful, Kecy. This hunter is ruthless."
Kecy nodded, her mind already racing with possibilities. "New Haven University, got it. What's the plan?"
Ethan leaned back in his throne, steepling his fingers. "You'll enroll as a transfer student, get close to the hunter's targets. We'll send you the details. Connor will be your contact if you need anything."
Kecy nodded, her eyes narrowing. "And the hunter's name?"
Ethan's smile was cold. "Ah, that's the tricky part. We don't know. But we have a description. Tall, dark-haired, skilled. He's been targeting succubi and shapeshifters. Be careful, Kecy. He's not to be underestimated."
Kecy smiled, a spark of excitement igniting within her. "Sounds like a challenge. I'll get the job done, Ethan."
Ethan's gaze lingered on her, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "I have no doubt you will, Kecy. Connor, fill her in on the details."
Connor nodded, stepping forward. "I'll send the files to your phone. You'll be enrolled in New Haven University's psychology program. You'll have a cover story and a new identity. Be ready to leave tonight."
Kecy nodded, her mind already racing with possibilities. "Got it."
Connor handed her a small phone. "This is encrypted. I'll be in touch."
Kecy took the phone, her fingers brushing against Connor's. She smiled, a plan unfolding in her mind. "Thanks, Connor. I'll be in touch."
Kecy slipped the phone into her pocket, her eyes locking onto Connor's for a fleeting moment. The air was charged with unspoken understanding. She turned back to Ethan, her voice low. "Anything else I should know?"
Ethan's smile grew wider, revealing pointed teeth. "Just that the hunter's next target might be at the university's annual masquerade ball. Get an invite, Kecy."
Kecy's grin was a slow burn. "I'll make sure to RSVP."
Back in her apartment Kecy stood before the mirror in her dimly lit apartment, eyes gleaming with focus. She closed her eyes, and her body began to shift like molten shadows. Hair lengthened, darkened to a messy brown bob. Eyes morphed from piercing green to a softer hazel. Skin tone warmed to a sun-kissed glow. Her curves reshaped, slimmed down to a petite, college-girl frame.
She opened her eyes – a stranger stared back. Kecy was gone; Emily was born.
Now Emily grabbed her backpack (prepped with a new ID, cash, and a burner phone), and headed out. The streets blurred past as she hailed a cab to the airport.
At the airport, Emily breezed through security, her eyes locked on the flight board: New Haven University-bound flight departing in 30 minutes.
Emily stepped onto the plane, her eyes scanning the crowded cabin. She spotted an empty seat by the window and slid in, settling her backpack into the overhead bin. As the plane taxied down the runway, she felt a thrill building – she was about to step into a whole new world, one where she'd get close to the hunter.
The flight was a blur of chatter and in-flight movies. Emily tuned it all out, her mind ticking through the details of her cover story: Emily Wilson, psychology major, transfer student
- Writer
