The Motherfucking Audacity (Hale)

It hurt to breathe, every breath was like being kicked. When I opened my eyes it took them a second to process the light.

My memories came to me like being hit by a train. I bolted straight up and was hit with a wave of pain, a wave that kept going till I laid back down. I let out a gasp, which was followed by shallow pants of breath, as the pain slowly started to die down.

So not good.

I looked around, I wasn't in my room at the academy. I was in someone else's room, In someone else's apartment. I was covered with a white comforter with white sheets. The room clean was except for some clutter on the desk and an overflowing laundry hamper.

"Hale?" A womens voice called out, the same one from last night.

And they had me in a bed, defenseless and vulnerable.

I pushed back the fear and looked around for a weapon, the best I could find was a pen on the bedside table.

"Hale, Gods dammit stop,"

I stopped reaching for the pen and looked over to the door.

She was taller then me, at least 5'6 and had dark brown hair that was pin, naturally tanned skin, she was beautiful. I met her soft brown eyes that were glaring at me concerned.

"Lay back down, I know you're in pain," She said in a calm tone.

She was right, stretching my body like this was causing all sorts of pain. I laid back down and gave a sigh of defeat.

"Who are you," I growled sending her a threating glare.

She came in and sat in the edge of the bed, I moved my legs away from her, setting the line.

"I'm Levana, but most people just call me Lev," She answered.

I hated this feeling of defenselessness. I didn't know where I was or who I was with.

"Where am I?"

"My apartment, about five blocks away from your home,"

She was watching me, it was kind of creepy and made me feel uncomfortable. I looked out the window to avoid looking at her.

"Why did you bring me here?"

She sighed and rubbed her eyes.

"That is a heavy question, but mainly I brought you here so that you were safe,"

I opened my mouth to ask more questions but Lev stood up and came to my side. I tried to push myself away but I had minimal effort.

"Hale come on, you can trust me,"

I laughed in disbelief.

"Trust you? I don't even know you! I have no idea why I'm here or what you want from me! Yet for some reason, you are concerned for my safety, which by the way I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself-"

That seemed to set her off, she stood up quickly and pulled the covers off of me. She quickly scooped me up in his arms, she was strong, like I was nothing for then a sack of potato's to her.

"Let go of me!" I grunted squirming around in her grip, Which just ended up hurting myself more than her.

In a lucky shift my elbow connected with her nose and she let go of me. I went tumbling to the floor.

I let out a yelp of pain and my vision was hazy, threatening to blackout again. I squinted and dragged my body across the floor.

Not again, I would fight till I died of it came to it, but I would not let it happen again.

Once Lev shook off my blow her attention was back on me.

I gave her a defying glare as I patted around for anything to hit her with, the only thing good enough was a coffee mug on the end table. I gripped it and sent it flying at her, which dhe dodged easily and it shattered as it hit a bedpost.

"Oh come on I liked that mug," she whined.

I scowled at her, with no empathy for the shattered ceramic.

"Maybe if you didn't kidnap barely conscious girls, your mugs would be fine,"

She raised her eyebrows defensively.

"Kidnap! I didn't kidnap you!" She bellowed.

"Cut this bull, I sure as hell never agreed for you to pick me up and take me with you perv," I snapped.

Lev narrowed her eyes going back into her cautious look.

"I saved you, those people with the smoke bombs were there for you,"

I clenched my jaw.

"I would have fought them off and got out on my own,"

That seemed to send her back into her fight, storming forward, I raised my arm to swat her away but she gripped my wrist and hauled me up then twisted it behind my back, she did the same with my other wrist.

I hissed at the pain of stretching my limbs.

I thrashed away from her trying to get away.

"Let go of me, I swear I will start breaking bones! Let me go!"

Each yank and pull away from her, made my body screaming pain, but id rather take that then the pain of the filthy dirty pain that lingered for months.

She pushed me out of the bedroom and went into the bathroom, she closed the door so that we were in front of a full-length mirror.

Lev let me go and I could barely stand. I used a hand to steady myself by holding onto the counter.

I wobbled and she studied me ready to move and restain me if I moved an inch.

I went to shove my shoulder into her chest but her reflexes were a lot quicker than mine at the moment and she looped her arm underneath my elbows so that my back was pressed against herchest, my arms pinned behind me.

I kept pulling forward until the motion made me nauseous.

"You can protect yourself? Look at yourself, I don't even want to imagine what would have happened if you didn't...Look at what happened to you,"

She raised my shirt just enough to see my ribs. My torso was spotted with dark blue and purple bruises. A shuddered gasp escaped my lips. My checks were a dull gray and yellow and my bottom lip was busted a bit. There were red hand marks around my neck and my legs were covered in bruises too.

"I won didn't I?" my voice cracked almost sounding as beat up as I looked.

"Barley, and that's just because you cheated, then again so did your opponent," she sighed, shaking her head and let my shirt drop back down.

I raised my eyebrows and looked at her through the mirror.

This women didn't know when to stop, was she really accusing me of cheating? I looked like someone used me as a cannonball target.

As for the prick I fought, I'd definitely believe he was cheating.

"What the hell are you saying?"I shot at her defiantly.

"That drink you took before the fight was laced with poison, it was set up by the guy you fought. I heard it while I was in the locker room,"

I shrugged her off, this time she let go. I turned around and looked her square in the eye.

"How did you get back there? Only fight-" I came face to face with her collar bone, that's when I saw it. "My necklace," I murmured raising one hand to touch it. "That's not possible I lost it -"

"At the woods?" Lev finished for me, some what arrogantly.

I took as many steps back as I could tell I was about to fall back into the bathtub. How long had she been stalking me?

"How do you know that?"

"I was there," She answered confidently, obviously not hiding that she's been following me since this morning, and who knows how much before.

I shook my head, great she was stalking me and kidnapped me, and of course, I was nothing but bruised flesh and weaponless.

I thought back to earlier, but I couldn't see her in my memory. Just the wolf and the cranky old man

"No you weren't, I was alone, no one else was there," My voice was starting to falter as I spoke.

"Hale you might have a concussion, let's go sit down and -" Her face fell back into the nurturing one id woken up too.

"No! No, I need to think," I started to whisper to myself working it out. " You know my name and where I live. You have my necklace, you know things you could only hear from the back of the- you - who the hell are you?"

I pushed past her and I fell on my ass - which hurt like hell- and reached for the doorknob.

"Hale, let me help you," she knelt down on her knees but didn't touch me. " Yes. At first, I thought you knew, because of your pendant, but I realized you had no idea. Then last night at the fight,"

I squinted my eyes, my brain was trying hard to keep up with what she was saying, maybe I did have a concussion. I couldn't process everything that was being said, like jamming puzzle pieces together trying to get them to fit.

"Stop. What you're saying it's not possible, there's no way, there was no one there with me,"

Lev nodded slowly.

"But there was a wolf," She stated cooly.

My heart stopped and my eyes burned as I held back tears of fear. I scuttled more back and reached up fumbling with the doorknob.

I think she could finally see how deeply confused and terrified I was because she backed up and sat on the rim of the tub.

"Hale please calm down. I'm not going to hurt you. I want to help you,"

I looked at her and gave a small smile and laughed

"Help me? I don't know you! You're telling me that you can someone turn into a wolf and that someone is coming after me, but don't worry you kidnapped me before they could! Wow, thanks, my hero" I shouted at her.

She gave a heavy sigh and hung her head.

"This is not how I wanted this to happen,I'm making a mess of things," She muttered to herself.

I hated it, but a small part of me felt bad for her. I almost wanted to crawl to her, to hug her close, almost. When the hell did I start to feel empathy?

I pushed those feeling far away and reached back up to the knob. My stomach let out a loud groan, my cheeks blushed and I clamped my jaw shut.

Lev looked back up and gave a shameful look.

"Your Hungary, of course, you are, here let me get you something," She stood up and went to the door, I scooted away from her, giving her, a watchful eye.

She gave a heavy breath and gave me a sad look.

"You can trust me Hale, I know you feel it deep down. I'm here to help you. You can take a shower if you like, there are towels in there, I will bring you your bag,"

She opened the door and came back with my gym bag, setting it on the counter.

"Take your time, When you're done, I'll have food waiting,"

With that she shut the door and I waited till I heard her footsteps dispair.

I quickly stumbled to the door and turned the lock.

I slumped against it and just breathed. My mind turn over thoughts until my brain hurt even more.

My eyes caught the bathtub, hot water did sound beyond delightful right now. I peered up at the locked door.

Maybe just for a few minutes.....

I didn't like it one bit, but she was right, a tiny sliver deep inside me told me I could trust her. I had to stamp that out quickly. Battles had no room for emotion.

Once the tub was full I took off the scraps of clothes I was wearing, It was stained with blood and sweat, some mine, some Calebs.

I almost let out a moan as I settled into the tub. The cuts and scratches stung but then relaxed. I took the scrubby thing and pumped some soap into it and started to scrub at my skin. The water turned into light rust color as dirt and dried blood washed away from me.

When I was done I wrapped my self up into a towel and took out clothes from my gym bag, gray sweat pants, and a black tee and a change of undergarments.

I quickly changed and then realized that I would have to go out there. I was being expected to eat with her.

I raked my fingers through my hair and tied it up. I gave a quick breath and unlocked the door.

Stepping into the hallway I could hear the faint sound of music. The closer I got the more I could hear the music, it was a random Ac/Dc song.

Lev was bustling about the kitchen murmuring the lyrics, her head bopping with the beat.

She didn't look like a bad person, she looked like a young adult having fun.

I stepped out from the hall and went over to the couch and settled down, pulling a pillow close to me, but I never broke eye contact, not letting her out of my sight.

"So you live here alone?" I pryed, picking little fuzz balls off a throw pillow. There wasn't a lot around that suggested anyone else was living here. Which was good for me, only one person to go through.

"Yeah, I've been on my own for a while now. After the village burned down, I only had my dad left. He died a few years ago, cancer,"

I surge of pity went through me for her. I felt bad. I didn't understand why. Why did I care about her? Even if it was just a small sliver, it should be none.

"I get that, I grew up an orphan," I replied, offering what I could to the conversation.

I cursed at myself, fraternizing with her wasn't smart, what was smart was getting the hell out of here.

"I'm sorry that shouldn't have happened, your caretakers should have kept you safer than that," She said it in a stiff tone.

I gave her a confused look. Who the hell was this chick? Was she on crack?

"You really don't know anything I'm saying do you?" She asked, stopping and starting at me in a shocked awe.

I shook my head, thankful that she finally understood that was I clueless.

Lev walked in from the kitchen and handed me a bowl of mac & cheese. A basic comfort food.

"Thanks," I said taking it and gave it a quick sniff.

"Its not poisoned," Lev chuckled, but I still waited for her to take a bite before I did.

She nodded and sat down next to me.I gave her a titled glare and scooted back.

"Let's start with this," She unhooked my necklace from her neck and held it out to me.

"You shouldn't give that away. It's what identifies you as a dark,"

"As a what?" I asked taking my pendent back, securing it back around my neck.

"A dark, it's your witch class,"

"Witch? Like spells, pointy hats, and warts?" I asked in disbelief. I was ready for her to yell out punked and start laughing, she didn't, instead, she gave me a grim look.

I went back to my she's on crack idea.

"No, I'm talking about real witches, and warlocks. Let's start with the basics. There are different covens that's a group of witches. Since you have that crystal around your neck it means you belong to the crystal coven,"

"How? How am I even in a coven? I've never even read Harry Potter, and I've especially never joined a witch coven," I shot back at her.

Maybe she was just mentally ill like she was adopting a persona from a book or movie she watched.

Gods what did I get myself into?

"It would have been passed down from your parents. If they are part of a coven then you're born into it,"

Great, just add it to the long list of how my parents fucked up my life.

"I also belong to the crystal coven," Lev reached into her jean pocket and pulled out a similar pendant to mine, the same onyx crystal. That was a little hard to argue with.

"There are five different classes. At the top are the Mentals, then the Elementals, the illusions, and the Darks, us, then the Arcane,"

She paused and let me think and process. I was understanding for the most part what she was telling me.

"The type of crystal you have shows what class you belong too. Our crystal is onyx."

"Real creative," I murmured sarcastically.

Lev shook her head and laughed.

"Yes well it represents us well, our black magic is dangerous and comes at a price. We deal a lot with the dead, especially helping them move on,"

I stared at her with a serious look, well I can't say my parents didn't give me anything.

"I don't want to lie to you, most of the time our magic isn't pretty. It can be ugly and take a blood sacrifice, sometimes even death. Our magic is fueled by anger, sadness, frustration, lust."

I nodded, ever since I was young I always told my self I was permanently pissed. I always chalked it up to my my parents tossing me away like rotting meat.

"What do you mean by helping the dead move on?"

"Guiding spirits, ghosts from their bodies to the spirit realm,"

The whispers I heard.

"I hear things, like whispers. They never go away, never stay quiet, "I admitted meekly, looking down to my hands that were stiff picking at the pillow.

Lev nodded understanding.

"That's them, the dead never shut up. All we can do is learn to tune them out, learn to live on one plane,"

"One plane?"

"The dead live on one plane, the spirit realm. We live in the living realm. Dark witches are born into both. Like, have one foot on either side on the line."

"Can you teach me how to do that?"

What. The. Fuck.

I was asking for her help now? Maybe I did have a concussion, this was so not like me.

Lev nodded, smiling.

"Eventually yes. We need to get a handle on it first. You awakened it last night, most witches do that when their five when their magic is still weak. Your older which means your stronger. Learning how to control it will be more difficult, which is harder for you because your dark. frustration will fuel your magic,"

I gulped and set down my now empty bowl.

Awesome.

"I heard the spirits whisper to me last night, during the fight. They told me to say something after I did Caleb got really weak. Is that what you mean when you said I cheated?"

"You did a spell, opened your self up to magic. You sucked some of his life energy to yourself,"

"And you said that I wasn't safe, that I was in danger?"

Lev gave a reluctant sigh.

"The coven came for you. They tracked your magic,"

"What's wrong with that? Shouldn't I be with them?"

Her face tightened and she reset her jaw. Her voice came out a bit more stiff.

"If you are who I think you are, then its imperative that you stay hidden until you find your caretakers,"

"Caretakers?"

"Arcane witches they are assigned to younger witches and warlocks to help them control their magic. Arcane users can control the use of magic."

I bit at my lips as I started to get restless.

"Why are you helping me?" I asked wondering aloud.

"When I saw you in the cemetery the other day, I just wanted to meet you. I saw your necklace but I didn't recognize you so I wanted to follow you, see who you were. When I realized you didn't know what you were I'd thought I stick around. I don't have much going on," she seemed to laugh a bit at the end.

There was something unspoken in her eyes, something that she was holding back.

"I can give you something for the bruises and stuff. An Illusion witch gave it to me, It won't take the pain away, but it can mask the bruises and stuff,"

I thought for a second and then gave a slow nod.

She got up and opened a cupboard in the hallway and came back with a small tin.

She kneeled in front of me and I leaned away from her.

"It's easier if I help," She explained softly.

She waited for my say so as she slid some of the sluave on her finger.

I gave a small nod and she reached forward and smeared on the gunk, her thumb left a trail of tingles on my skin.

"Once the spell sets in we can go and take you to your caretakers. I think I know who they are," She told me as kept rubbing in the cream. I tried hard not to enjoy the feeling that her skin on mine left on me.

Like a sparks dancing in my skin.

What the hell did I wake up too.