"I refuse to get into another argument with you."
Sis was fresh out of the shower, her hair slowly dampening the fabric of the chair. We started talking immediately after I got back to my room, her call catching me off guard. She had found something interesting in the files, but she wouldn't tell me anything before I confessed how I truly got them. Just my luck.
"I'm not arguing. I'm telling you that everything is hunky-dory, I snuck around, got to an unguarded laptop and gave you the lead after utterly failing at finding stuffs, as I usually do." I hoped my story was believable enough, but her furrowed brows suggested the opposite.
"This is not a game, Avalynn, people are dying."
"I know, okay? I get it. People. Dead. You told me three times already."
Sis started massaging the bridge of her nose, no doubt furious with me.
"No you don't. You want to avoid conflict, as always. But you're not five anymore to start random fires whenever you're mildly annoyed. You're an adult. And on a mission. You can't hide your mistakes hoping that everything will sort itself out." She said, leaning close and looking directly into the camera for added effect.
This was the hardest part about arguing with a family member. They knew how to hurt you the hardest.
There are only a couple of things that I can recall from my childhood before I went to my aunt when I was six.
I know I wasn't allowed to eat with the rest of the family, so in case the food was too spicy I wouldn't burn anyone with an impulsive flare. I also know I spent a lot of time hiding in the basement. There was a tiny crook in the walls, covered up by a big chunk of granite that a Hunter used for carving during his time off. Moving that around was my first real workout. Interestingly, I have no idea what I did in there, other than hiding from people, but I remember how devastated I felt when it moved out with the Hunter.
I also remember the mix of hatred and fear on people's faces whenever I used my power. The Hunters are pretty much military. Routines and doctrines are always heavily enforced. I remember really wanting to fit in, but to them, I was a liability at best.
Now, looking back at those years, I'm glad I was 'moved' to live with my aunt up north. She is as much a hardass as the rest of the family, but she was the first person to slap me across the face when I threw a flaming tantrum instead of backing away.
My sister was the second.
I looked at her on the screen. She was tired but restless. She always had the best of everyone at mind, even if it meant sacrificing herself, and I hated that. If you ask me, some people don't deserve to be saved.
"But that being said, I'm your sister, and I'd still love your stupid face even if you burned the whole damn school down. So cough it up. It's better to deal with devil we know."
Her voice took me back to the present, and I knew that she was right. I was playing the victim instead of sorting things out.
I shook myself, and took the first step.
"I told someone I'm a Hunter." It felt good to say it. Now, to find a solution.
"And?" She asked with anticipation.
"And nothing. We're working together. He got me the files." I replied.
Sis was surprised? Or confused? I couldn't tell.
"That's it? No burning school for me to clean up?" The disbelief in her voice was palpable.
"Last time I did something like this you almost bit my head off." I pointed out meekly.
"Last time you nearly compromised everything by taunting a vampire out of sheer spite. Now you actually did something productive."
I couldn't believe what she just said.
"Isn't it a taboo to tell people?" I was so confused.
She froze for a second before laughing at me. I was happy that the mood was this jolly all of the sudden, but I still could've used an explanation.
"It's just a saying. I can't believe you took it seriously. That's so stupid." She said, and I indeed felt very stupid.
"You can go and flail it around as long as the mission succeeds. It just tends to cause a scene."
It took some time to process all of this.
"So, everything's fine?" I asked cautiously.
"Yes."
"Aren't you afraid he'll sell us out?"
"You're a good judge of character." Anne finally sighed. She'd normally also add: "But awful at every other people skill."
Neither of us wanted to bring that part up.
"Then give me your info and let me be on my way." I wanted to get out of the conversation and hide under a rock or something.
"I've read the files. You wouldn't believe just how much info they keep on everyone. Complete bloodlines up to…" She suddenly became a lot chattier. Or she was just teasing me.
"And?" I was getting antsy.
"…and, after some cross examination with our database, I've found that the "renegades" of the school have been gathering around town recently. In remote locations."
I waited a couple seconds, hoping she would continue our list of clues, but she just stared back at me.
"So our best lead is a group of angsty teens, do I have that correctly?" I summed up.
Mary-Anne shrugged and the towel fell off her shoulders. She didn't pick it back up, instead started to brush her unruly mane.
"I wish I had something better, but it's still a clue. I'll send you their files."
After a couple of clicks on her part, my phone chirped. Got them. Now I just had to figure out one last thing.
"And how am I supposed to get into their little ensemble?" I asked.
"Did you bring any black clothes?" She asked back with a grin.
"You're not funny."
"Okay than ask this connection of yours."
That wasn't a bad idea, if not Sin, J will certainly have something. I nearly shut the connection, but she was quicker.
"What's your contact's name, by the way?"
"Sin. He's a vampire." There was no reason not to tell her, but it didn't seem like she put two and two together.
"Hmm… Ominous." That was all she said.
"I don't know what that means."
"It means don't fuck this up. I don't want to deal with you becoming a blood slave." She waved her brush at the camera to underline her point.
"No fricking chance. The guy's an asshole." I quickly dismissed her.
"They do say we look for similarities in our partners. And you do like your sayings." She said with a grin. I won't be hearing the end of this for a while.
"Fuck you too." I said and shut the connection.
With a stern middle finger to the computer, I took my phone with the files and went to visit my source of cookies and information.