Chapter 48.4

"Melanie!" Emily burst into the hallway leading to the bedrooms when she saw Melanie, Ms. Grace, Alice, Maple and the other children, all of whom were in shabby jackets and boots.

"I know already," Melanie replied almost serenely as she checked her long, naturally pink nails. She was dressed in what was a combat outfit that looked more like a leather costume. 

Wow, Emily thought as her eyes stared at Melanie's bedroom hairstyle before moving down to her outfit and her thigh high boots. The leather pants firmly hugged her waist while the jacket made her bust more prominent. She dressed up really quickly.

Even as Emily gave her an impressed face, she couldn't understand how Melanie was so calm but before she could ask, the latter turned to look at her. 

"Take the children through the backdoor and lead them to the streets. There should be a bus across the road. Take it and drive and don't look back," as she spoke in an instructive voice, Melanie tossed a car chip to Emily, who caught it while looking confused.

"What about you?" Emily asked. She knew the answer from how Melanie was dressed, but she had to ask.

"Me? I'll be staying," Melanie answered sweetly. Her nails turned a dark tone, as though painted black with nail polish, and both her hands then swept into her hair with her hips cocked to one side. Emily moved herself to block the children's view of Melanie, as her pose was highly inappropriate. "Someone has to greet our guests, don't you agree?"

"Mel-"

"Shh," Melanie appeared in front of Emily instantaneously and hushed her by placing a finger in her lips. "Remember, Emily. I'm the strongest, the number one in Second Academy. At least, amongst the students. Still, it's so sweet of you to worry."

At Melanie's words, Emily finally recalled the rumours in how strong the former was. Supposedly, she could fight Ms. Silvia Graves to a standstill and, even then, it was an assumption that she was actually holding back against the former; she was supposed to be the strongest student even amongst the teachers, right after Jason.

If only I was as strong as her, Emily thought as a pang of envy coursed through her. Then I wouldn't have to flee like a coward.

"You have just as important of a task as mine," Melanie seemed to sense Emily's emotions and decided to reassure her. The finger that was placed on Emily's mouth moved down as Melanie held her chin. "You have to keep the children safe, especially Alice and Maple."

Right, Emily thought as her eyes widened in realization. I can't let anything happen to the kids.

"I will," Emily promised to both herself and Melanie before helping Ms. Grace lead the children back to the first floor and through the back.

"Mmm," Melanie approved at the speed of Emily's reaction before walking towards the orphanage's entrance. "Time to play."

She didn't hear the door open, but she could hear the silent footsteps making their way to the reception room. She pulled her sword whip, which was acting as a belt, from her pants and swung it at the group approaching her. It locked onto the lead gunman and the serrated blades wrapped around his throat. Pulling a trigger, the whip started compressing into a sword and Melanie used the momentum to fly towards the gunmen as opposed to pulling him to her. She ran sideways on a wall and kicked another enemy before yanking her sword back, decapitating the first gunman. Before the others could react, she stabbed her sword through a third and kicked the second gunman again, knocking him back down. A fourth raised his uzi but as he aimed, Melanie lowered herself and ran towards him. She reached him before he knew what was happening and knocked his gun upwards by kicking it before stabbing his throat with her nails. Purple veins spread from the wounds and snaked upwards and the fourth gunman clutched his throat before collapsing, his leg twitching as the poison quickly incapacitated him. 

The second gunman was about to stand when Melanie made her way to him and grabbed his face. Her knee playfully moved upwards and settled between his legs as Melanie's eyes glazed over. Jason's feature slowly mired itself into the gunman's face the longer she looked and Melanie licked her lips.

"You're cute," she said to the tanned gunman as her boot cladded knee rubbed against his manhood. "My type of guy, actually. How about a kiss?"

Before the gunman could respond, Melanie pulled him downwards and kissed his lips. At first, the gunman resisted, but soon he reciprocated her kiss. His tongue played hide and seek with her split tongue, lustfully and joyfully, only for him to finally gasp for air and pull away moments later. He clutched at his throat as his mouth began to foam and his face turned a shade of purple while Melanie giggled coquettishly.

"Ah, men," she said as she watched the man slowly asphyxiate with mild amusement. "You're all the same: easy to manipulate. All it takes is a little seduction and you all dance in my palm oh so willingly."

And you're nothing - nothing - like him, Melanie thought, her mind lingering on Jason. He's the only one immune to my poison . . . Though on second thought, I haven't tested my aphrodisiac on him yet. Mmm, I wonder if that would turn him into a ravaging beast. Hmm, I'll have to test the soon.