"Concentrate, don't lose control."

"It's harder than it-"

"Don't talk. Focus."

The sphere of fire grew, crackling, hovering over one palm. From the other, thick, thorned vines spilled out, growing, slithering across the ground. The vines whipped out and lashed about the leg of the creature and she hurled the ball of fire at its head. It hissed as it began to burn. She wrinkled her nose at its rotting flesh.

Her mentor smirked, "good." He crossed his arms, tipping his handsome chin in the direction of another one. "Again."

"You aren't going to help, are you?" He shrugged, and she wanted to hurl the next ball of flame at that shameless mug! "You're his daughter. Learn to act like it."

She released the vines from the first and whipped out at another, yanking its legs out from under it as she built a second fireball, brow beaded with sweat as she focussed. There were so many of them pouring out from the portal, she couldn't get them all. He couldn't expect her to alone! Yet there he stood, looking like he was admiring the autumn leaves. Unaffected, he ducked, casual, as one of them clawed at his head. Side-stepping, it fell and he scowled at her, "you missed one."

Oh she was going to kill him after this. Suddenly she shrieked, dropping the vines, her growing fireball exploding in her palm as she fell, blood pouring from her leg where one of those things had its fangs burried deep. It giggled as it drew from her and she kicked it with her free leg, panic building inside of her. Her mentor approached, overly calm, sword drawn and arcing across its neck, descending back into its sheathe in one fluid moment. She shrieked, the thing now headless but still attached to her leg. She pried its bite off.

"You're done today," without another word or glance he turned to the creatures, twin daggers in his hands. Then he danced among the demons.

Hurt, angry and ashamed at yet another failure she put pressure over her leg, building fire at her fingertip to cauterize the wound. She stood to her feet shakily, summoning the vines again.

"I said you're done!" She ignored him, charging back in. She was not her father. Never would be. Her mentor turned on her, striking at her chest with his palm and throwing her back down to the ground as his other hand slashed the throat of another creature, his angry gaze on her. Those red eyes of his pinned her in place and she wanted to cry.

"I'm not done! I can do this!"

He spun around, slashing at more of the creatures that had dared to approach. Her heart pounded and she built up fire with both hands now, abandoning the vines as she hurled the ball at another creature behind him. He didn't even glance at her. She got to her feet, pouring out her disappointment into her favourite element. As they fought through numbers that had seemed impossible before, cutting and burning them one after the other, the portal finally snapped shut and the rest of the creatures were dispatched with relative ease.

She panted, falling to her knees. He swiped blood off his weapons, sheathing them with a sigh. "You can't disobey orders. You're not cut out for this."

"I helped you!" She yelled. She wanted to scream in frustration.

"You got bit. That's not helping. That's becoming a liability." He sighed again, going to one knee next to her, gaze softening. "You come from a line of power. It's natural to you. But fighting isn't. Especially, fighting in a team. Mistakes cost lives, and you don't want theirs on your conscience. This isn't for you."

"You can't give up on me now!" Tears pooled in her eyes.

"It's a kindness. You were talking about a normal life. Have one."

Her mouth dropped open. He had heard everything. "That was a private conversation! It doesn't mean anything!"

"Yes, it does. Words mean everything. What you think becomes true when spoken." He couldn't be doing this. He couldn't be denying her the very thing she was born for. She clenched her fists, willing the tears back.

"Some Leader you are, you're all but telling me to quit!"

He was quiet, his lips pressed into a thin line as he let her rage. His eyes were unwavering, their blood-red depths hiding any thoughts he may have had. "I'm sorry."

        ~        ~        ~

A huge, lopsided grin adorned her glowing features as she kicked his sleeping form off her bed. He groaned as he smacked the floor. Lulu snickered, mirthful, as he cracked his eyes open. She all but purred, "you've had your nap, now out you go."

"What time is it?"

"Time for my next victim."

The man snorted, "as if, Lu. More like, Lu-crazy-a."

"That's my name, don't wear it out!" Lulu pulled on a baby tee and shorts, her bare feet padding on the wooden floor as she pulled open the door, giving the guy a theatrical bow. "I mean, you can leave, for real, or stay for my father to walk in on you bare-ass."

Her elegant shoulders shrugged as suddenly he sprung to life, scampering for his clothes and bolting through the door. At the threshold, he stared at her wide-eyed, "is your father really coming? Also, can I see you later? Like, dinner, maybe?"

"Not sure which question to answer first," she placed a finger at her mouth, pretending to think. "Yes, and no, or was it no, and yes? I'm not sure which order to answer in. But one of them's a no. The other's a yes. Figure it out."

He stared at her. She laughed. He grinned, before charging back in to plant a kiss on her beautiful lips. She swatted him and shoved him out again. Once he finally left, she shut the door, leaning on it, the joy in her body zapping out as easily as it came. She sunk to the floor, sighing, head in her hands.

Lu-crazy-a was about right. Her eyes filled with tears. What was she doing?

A knock resounded. "One moment!" She wiped her eyes on her sleeves, standing up tall and proud, mask in place once more. She skipped over to the ensuite bathroom, smoothing out her unruly golden waves and using an eyelash comb to even out last night's mascara. A little splash of water on her face, a little spritz of Halloween-themed perfume (candy corn and pumpkin, of course) and a pinch to her cheeks to wake up her skin and she was ready to go.

The door creaked open, "Lucreytzja?"

"Father," she purred, exiting the washroom and draping her arms around the man's neck. "You've finally remembered you have a daughter."

"More like I found out I have a heathen," he groaned.

"Oh, you met Dash?"

Her father frowned, "sounds like a prick. Do you date pricks now?"

"I date whoever buys me the best flowers, Papa."

He seethed, gritting his teeth, "whatever... Makes you happy..."

She laughed, hugging him again. "Papa, you know that's not true. His name isn't even Dash. He's very sweet, you'll like him if you get past that cliché murder-everything-with-a-dick-that-looks-at-me thing. I honestly don't know how boys still even exist with the number of wrathful dads out there."

He chuckled, sitting on the corner of her bed. "You know Lulu, you don't have to stay here, playing this game. We miss you. I miss you."

Lulu sat beside him, "it's not a game papa. I want to do something with my life."

"You were doing something. Great things. You are my daughter."

"But that's all I am. Here I'm... Inventing myself," even she didn't believe what she said as she cringed at her own sad tone.

"Lucreytzja," he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and she melted into her father, her rock. "You are already invented. I did that."

"Nah, my mother did."

"I started it," he scowled. "Women need men to have babies."

"Ew!"

"You went there first."

"I did." They grinned at each other. Lulu leapt to her feet, jumping to her desk. "Look, Papa! I started my thesis!" She brandished her stack of notes. "I'm performing research now! This is what I mean, I can change things."

Gingerly he flipped through the scribbles, frowning, not able to make out a single letter. "You're uh... Typing this, correct?"

"Of course, why?"

He grinned, "thank the stars. Alright, Lulu, I'm happy for you. But know you are already something special."

"Gross. Now, what did you really come here to tell me?" She became serious, and he was quiet for a few minutes. She waited patiently for him to sort his thoughts.

"Lucreytzja, this one is very dangerous," he finally muttered softly, eyes downcast. "I need you to know a few things before we go for this one." He stood up, walking to the mirror on her wall and tracing his finger along the edge. The gesture was meaningless, just a way to give himself a moment to choose his words. "If someone comes claiming... To know something... About your mother..." She gasped. Her mother? Her father hadn't said anything about her in years. She held her breath, hanging now onto his every word. His eyes became distant, a small smile at the corner of his lips. "Yes. I know we don't speak of her. Not anymore. But it's dangerous. She was with... Dangerous people."

"What do you mean, Papa? Is she..."

"No, she's not alive. You know that." Lulu couldn't hide the stab of pain that followed a very short-lived hope that they both had been wrong. "But if someone comes," he turned to look at her, pinning her with a sudden, cold stare. "If someone comes claiming to know her, you can't believe them."

"Why, Papa? Is someone coming?"

"No. They shouldn't know of you. But if they do, if someone comes, just remember the things I've told you. Don't trust anyone outside of our group."

"Papa, why are you saying this now?" Lulu felt her eyes watering again. "How dangerous is this mission?"

"It's not just this one, my Lulubell," his voice softened as he approached her, holding her hands in his. "But things are getting worse. And you know my... Gifts. I can't shake the feeling, and I need you to be safe. If something happens, you go home. Please, my girl."

Lulu hesitated. She couldn't promise to abandon her studies. But if something really did happen to her only family, would she even be able to continue? Her throat tightened. She pushed the thought away. Nothing would happen. Not to him. He was strong. "Yes, papa. But nothing will happen."

"We all have stories written, my Lulubell. Even mine. And each story has an ending. Maybe not now, but one day," he stroked her hair, then hugged her. "With that out of the way, let's get some lunch. You can bring that... Ruffian. I will meet him."

She laughed, "I'm pretty sure you just met him, and it's not serious Papa."

He scowled, "bring him anyways."

She giggled, texting her boyfriend:

Ryan, come meet Papa. Remember, he's "sir" 2 u.

Lulu, if I die tonight...

Don't u dare.

If I die tonight, I like like you.

Nope. Only like. One. One like.

Lots of likes. Maybe 4 of them. Where we going?

Lulu smiled, he sure was sweet. Maybe Papa would like him.