Summary: Edan hadn't felt proper feelings or emotions for a couple of years, seeing them as weaknesses and pointless, now it's all going to change when he and his demon hunting squad are asked to recruit the new kid.

Warnings: Het, slash, rape in first chapter only, swearing.

EDAN

I watch silently as the girl was broken, torn apart from the inside. Violated by many. Something her body couldn’t take. The moonlight reflects on the tears streaking down her face. I hear a muffled sob to my right. Turning I frown at Ren, she gets far too emotional. A chink of metal to my left has me turning to Cane; he clutches the hilt of his sword tightly, wanting nothing more then to stab, slash and the rest of the blood causing effects.

I shake my head, sending blonde tresses whirling around before settling just as they were previously. All I want to do is get rid of the demons in this park and go home.

“Why can’t we go help? They’re going to kill her if they continue; she’s not even our age yet!” Ren hissed helplessly. A kick to the ground seconds the motion from Cane.

“Because it’s not our job.” I say simply. Emotionlessly. She sighs; frustrated.

“You’re such a robot. How can you stand here so uncaring? She’s like fourteen! Don’t you feel anything?” Ren snapped, face flushing with anger. I sneer at her, taking a few steps over to her, looming over her short figure.

“I feel angry that I, your superior, am being disrespected in such a way. She’s fifteen -”

“Not that that makes it any better!” she cuts me off, and I glare.

“But. I. Don’t. Care. She has nothing to do with me, or why we’re here. If you want to make it as one of us then you have to learn this lesson. And why I’m like this has nothing to do with you” I ground out, turning back to the unfolding scene. She was no longer fighting; she was almost dead it seemed; their beating to get her onto the floor was fairly brutal. And as much as I try, I can’t feel a thing. I can’t make myself care that just another innocent was dying. You grow accustomed to it I guess.

Ren looked back to the scene seeming put out, before tears sprang to her eyes and she looked away again. I turn to Cane; he had turned away too, but didn’t appear to be making a fuss over it. The seven men seemed to finally realize that they had progressed to raping a dead girl, and decided to flee. A look threw the corner of my eye and I could see Ren smearing tears from her red tinged cheeks.

Shadows seemed to move and twist. Forming different shapes. Shapes of mutated beasts with random spikes and spines, all black. Slowly the shadows crept towards the girl.

“It’s time” I remark. Leaping from the building’s roof, and landing with ease on the footpath five stories below. Focusing I felt myself fading before reappearing in front of the girls form. I whirl around to face the demons. Red, yellow and green eyes boring into mine, calculating their odds. Cane materialized next me, sword drawn, holding it at the ready. Ren weeping into view; not yet accustomed to teleportation. The creatures’ assessment was made and they winked out, flashing to and from view before vanishing entirely.

“Talk about anti-climax” came the mumbled statement from Cane. I grunted in agreement.

“I’m so sorry” came the red heads sob. I pivoted around; looking down as Ren clutched the girls’ lifeless hand. Tears poured down her cheeks. And she repeated her plea of forgiveness. She began rocking back and forth, pleas never ending it seemed. I rolled my eyes and went to snap at the female of our trio, but a rough hand on my shoulder served as a big enough warning. Cane seemed to respect all beliefs and feelings, always saying people were entitled to it. I growl lightly, walking away from the two female forms and the tall male.

I scrape my boot along the grass, reigning in my anger. She just didn’t understand, you can’t mourn for every innocent lost, every death you couldn’t prevent, for every death you could. It didn’t work. Not in this business. Demon slaying brought about many deaths, and only newbie’s cried about it. Ren had been doing this for three months now; she’d killed a couple demons, and their minions. She hadn’t been troubled so much by that. Why was this any different? I didn’t get it, and I hate things I don’t get.

CALEB

I laugh as my friends roll around on the floor in mock battle. I sat with my legs folded on my bed, hooting and hollering. Flicking my dark fringe out of the way.

“I’m gonna get you good for stealing that Tim Tam!” Josh cried, scrambling about with Matt. The flailing continued, until they collapse, panting from laughter.

“So I hear you’ve asked that Samantha chick out, true?” I smirk happily. Josh broke out with a grin.

“Totally. But she’s all for moving slow. I’m seventeen, that don’t cut it, but I suppose I can stick it out for a little bit,” he explained.

“Seems you won’t be sticking it out for awhile actually” I smile widely, getting a pillow to the face.

“Boys! Settle down in there! Go to sleep, Caleb, you have work tomorrow, so you’d better start thinking about the land of slumber awfully fast young man!” my mother called making me roll my eyes amusedly. Josh and Matt sniggered, but seemed to crawl over to their make shift beds anyway. I pound my pillow a bit before laying my head down to rest. It took me awhile to fall asleep. Every time I closed my eyes I’d get a flash of glowing yellow orbs, or a slash of red. Staring out the window I make out different constellations. I had been finding it hard to sleep lately, I always felt like I was being watched. But that was just ridicules. Who would watch me? I’m just a high school student. Seventeen, I’m nothing important. Yet I still couldn’t be rid of the feeling of being watched. It made the hair on my neck prickle uncomfortably. But I often had friends stay over when they couldn’t be bothered to go the whole way home, or if they needed help with an essay or assignment. Always surrounded by friends.

Slowly my door creaked open. All three of us shot our heads up, in tiptoed Casey, my two-year younger sister. She was twisting her long light brown hair –we had different fathers- around her finger.

“Caleb?” she whispered.

“What’s up Cas?” Matt and Josh watched the interaction silently.

“There’s someone in the backyard” came the whimper.

“Say what?” I ask startled.

“I went to close my curtains, and I saw a figure move near the fence. Please can you go check it out, you know mum would freak out” she whined slightly. I shook my head, standing and pulling my sneakers on. Josh and Matt follow suit. As we head to the door I pick up one of my fencing swords, Josh crabbing one of my tennis rackets and Matt taking a baseball bat. What can I say? I like sports

We head out to the dark backyard; pity the porch light had blown the other day. Josh heads towards the shed, looking around it, and opening it up quietly, he pulled on the light switch, which rewarded Matt and I, some light. I watched as Matt went to check around the side of the house. Slowly I trudged over to the back fence where the supposed intruder was.

I peer around some of the hedge like trees; something was there, I could sense it. I looked to the ground, no one was spread across it, and so I run my hand along the back fence, I don’t know what I was expecting. I couldn’t see anyone on the back fence, so why did I still think someone was there? Just before I reached the corner, wind speeds through our yard, rustling all the trees about. For a fraction of a second, I swear I saw a flash of …something. The wind settled down quickly, and I turned to my startled friends. To say they were confused could be considered an understatement.

“Sorry Cas, but I don’t think anyone is out here, it must have been a cat-” I begin

“It was big!” she cried quietly.

“Well if it was a person, than there gone now. If you’re still freaked out about it then you can come sleep in my room with us” I offer, with a slight sigh. Casey looks around the yard, contemplating.

“Got enough room?” she inquired finally. I smile fondly.

“Always enough room for you, sis” I place an arm around her shoulders, before heading her inside behind Matt and Josh.

EDAN

My phone started vibrating in my pocket, I tug it out angry.

“Hello” I snarl.

“Ed, we have a job for you” came Ryder’s rough response, he was always straight to the point.

“What’s it this time? We just scared the demons; they shouldn’t be coming back to this park. They’ll be heading to another place, I thought our job for this evening was just that, get rid of that band” I raise a brow, not caring that he couldn’t see it.

“Screw the demons. This is more important. In your area there’s a boy, about your age, whose spirit level is one of the highest we’ve seen for an untrained, we need him. We’ve had others trying to recruit him, before it’s too late, but he’s always with someone. We want you lot to try it, it’s your zone, and you’ve been doing this for awhile, so we thought someone this hard to get too would be your forte. You’ve got two weeks. We better have him by then, and alive” Drawled Ryder. I roll my eyes.

“Instead of me killing demons, you want me following around some kid?” I snap.

“He’s only a couple of months younger than you!” Ryder remarked.

“In age, not maturity”

“Your not as mature as you might think, with all your hissy fits” he laughs

“Shut up desk jockey!”

“Oh! You wound me! You’re not still mad about me leaving your squad are you?”

“Of course! Just because you have kids doesn’t give you any right to go for a safer job” I smile, making sure my back is facing the other two, my smile quickly vanishing with that thought. “Your replacement, is right now cry her eyes out about some dead girl. Bitching and moaning about why we didn’t save her. God she’ll drive me insane” I groan. A throaty laugh meets my statement.

“Give her a break, she’s new, she wasn’t in that battle, she doesn’t have the experience we do” came his reasonable tones.

“So why was she placed on my team? I’m an elite!” I cry, making sure I was out of hearing range.

“That’s the reason, the demon numbers have risen, we need her trained and fast. The demons are taking out all kids with potential, and our workers are trying to save or recruit them. Think about it, why were there demons in a stinking park? Because the park is a street away from this boys place. He’s strong; every alley near his house is probably swarming with the beasts. Send one of your people into his school, he goes to St. D’s. Just get on it, without complaints” Ryder hung up.

“Perfect” I scowl, swinging around and storming back over to the weeping girl. I tug her up by her collar, glaring as she looks at me with wide, red-rimmed eyes.

“Get over it now. We have a job to do, and since you’re the caring one of this trio, you’re going to do it” I state, voice dripping with disdain. The girl pissed me off with all her emotions, weaknesses more like. I let her go and begin to walk in the direction where I sense the most spiritual energy; I don’t know how I could have missed it earlier. Another thing to think about.

On our way over I explain about the boy, and how no ones been able to get close, and why they want him so bad. Ren seems much happier about this job that’s apparently so great seeing as theirs no killing. Why I don’t know how it could be fun if there isn’t killing, she confuses me. Ren leaps over first, darting onto the roof of the shed. I hear a gasp as the stupid girl was seen. Cane jumps next, hauling himself onto the two-storied roof with ease. I’m now hearing noises coming down the stairs. I grumble climbing over as well, hiding behind one of the leafy trees. I couldn’t just stay over the fence, I needed to see what was happening incase one of the others were seen as well, or worse, caught. By others I mean Ren.

The back door opens and out walks four people. One was rather short, female, long light brown hair, she seemed nervous, she was about fifteen, I wonder if Ren will start crying again. Two boys, average height, one with deep red hair, the other, really short black hair. Then I see him; the boy. His hair was a reasonable length, very dark, probably black, or at least ebony, boyish face, and even with the plain boxers and loose t-shirt you could tell he was a fit, fine specimen.

His friends go check in other places, while the boy comes straight towards me. I glare, not moving an inch. Willing my powers to take effect. I felt lighter, invisible. He looks around, his warm brown eyes looking every which way. Lingering a bit longer on where I was standing. He frowned, running his hand along the fence, heading towards me. Damn his high spirit level. I came over to make sure the others would be fine, but am proceeding in getting myself caught. This is mortifying. I step in time with his steps, so he won’t hear me. I get backed into the wall, and he keeps getting closer. Damn, this must be how that girl felt, only about fifty times worse because she was defenseless. I look down his lithe form, spotting the fencing saber, not good.

I concentrate, summoning a grand wind, blowing about all the trees, before launching away, landing near Ren, who’s got a satisfied smirk on her face. The boy seems confused. He frowns, contemplating. They head back inside, the boy comforting his sister. I roll my eyes, more feelings.

“Let’s go, they’re safe for now, we’ll send Ren into his school, hopefully he’ll warm up to her, trust her” I ground out quietly, teleporting away with ease. I open my eyes and I’m at our dorm. In one corner is the spacious kitchen, the bench separating it from the dining table and chairs, and the lounge, coffee table and television. Along the far wall were five doors, one bedroom for each of us, a bathroom, and a spare room where we kept all our weapons and random stuff that Ren horded. All the dorms were actually warehouses, so it was very spread out, with a high ceiling, fluorescent lights making it utterly cold and uninviting. Our furniture was nice, made from dark ebony wood, with intricate patterns carved into them, the couch and chairs were deep green leather, and the kitchen was stainless steal. It could have been nice without the metal walls and concrete floor.

The others showed a couple of second later. Cane heading towards the kitchen, him being the only one who could cook, while Ren headed to the lounge, picking up one of her magazines on fashion, what’s new, quizzes and feature articles that attract a girl’s attention. Or as Cane and I like to call it; Cock sucking 101, for girls who know that guys only care about girls who care about their cocks; a longer name sure, but more accurate. I follow Cane to the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge I sit down next to Ren, looking at her disgustedly.

“Your reading that why?” I grimace.

“To see what style is in right now, if I’m going to his school I have to attract his attention. Always easier to work with when they have a crush” she said simply, with a coy smile. And she read them why, before this mission?

“He goes to a school with a uniform” I remark, flicking through the Television channels.

“I can still jazz up a uniform” she affirms. I turn the T.V. off and toss the remote; at this hour most of the channels involved sex, or a different language or both. Standing I trudge over to my room.

“Not eating again?” Cane asks; I shake my head, not bothering to look his way. I enter my room quietly. It’s plain, just a made bed, with dark green covers, set of drawers like most of our furniture was dark and carved into, a desk scattered with parchment that I’d been studying and a wardrobe full of comfortable clothes, like cargoes, loose jeans, t-shirts and jumpers. I tug off my leather jacket, and black t-shirt. I look down at the major scar adorning my chest. It was two intersecting gashes, right on my heart. I shudder at the memory, quickly changing into a black long sleeved top and some pajama pants. Covering my body completely. I lay down on my back reflecting on the day.

The boy was powerful, demons would be attracted to him, he was in danger. Did that mean we should all go into his school to befriend him, protect him till he could be taught? Ren goes in and Cane and I remain hidden? No we wouldn’t be able to do it that long. Pretend to be friends of Ren and meet up with her after school, when she’s hanging with him? Maybe. We could just blend in and follow them along in the streets. Most likely. But with his spirit level, he would sense us. He was good; with the right training he could be better than me. I grimace at thought. Then where would I be, I’d either be praised and then set up with all the newbie’s to train them, or I’d be mocked that an untrained was better than me. I roll onto my side; I’ll just have to train harder.