Worn and tired, the battered woman lifted her flaming eyes to the paper that had managed to slide it's way underneath her door. Raising a brow, Aaelith heaved herself up from the ground, groaning at the sudden wave of pain flowing through her body and flowing through her nerves, pricking at her like dull blades.
She could hear her pulse quicken, her mind beginning to numb along with her body, the lithe demon stumbled over to the slip of paper, the curious little object fraying upwards at the end, obviously not handling the transition from the outside into her room well. Picking up the darned thing had been as much a challenge for her as lifting herself had been. Bending at the waist, mouth etched in a frown, Aaelith secured her lengthy fingers around the paper's edge and lifted it up in one single, yet clumsy swoop. Only to frown at the paper itself. Or - the letter..
A sigh drifted around the room, falling through the crisp air alongside the letter.
She had shed herself of her previous attire, now laying in a blood-stained hump at the darkest corner in her room. Slithering into a pair of tight blue jeans, paired with a dark t-shirt, making sure to cover her fresh scars with a small scarf laying atop her neck, haphazardly wrapped around her - a snake waiting to fully constrict it's prey. Her hair was released from it's tight ponytail and laying down at her collarbone, meeting and melting over the scarf that lay there.
Blinking away the pain from her eyes, Aaelith bunched her hands at her sides and stormed out of her door, listening to the faint swish of it closing once again behind her. Gathering her wits, and rebuilding her wall, she glanced to her left, seeking out the window that lead to the garden. Stars were already beginning to splay across the night sky, their light transcending the layers of darkness and providing help to the moon. It was horridly splendorous. She loathed loving the sight that seemed so trivial, yet so vital all the same.
Letting out a small breath of air, Sam pocketed her hands and turned, walking towards the small group just ahead, accumulating together, bunching into groups already. She almost laughed at the sight. They were already close, something she hadn't expected at all. They were supposedly all alike, in their own special way. All of them were outcasts, they had done the unthinkable. They had been created differently. Difference made you dangerous. Yet, here was most of the team, chatting away, some with genuine smiles, and other's presumably for the hell of it. Altogether, it was as much a sight as the stars outside.
As her fiery gaze swept over the many different shapes and forms, Aaelith felt a wave of regret swarm her, engulfing her in a fresh wave of pain - this time buried deep beneath the skin. Perhaps tomorrow she would get a chance to talk to them before they set out on the mission. She couldn't avoid them forever, she reasoned, as they were a part of the team now.
When she was about two or three feet away from the group, Sam cleared her throat, her face set in a calm mask, her eyes an inviting fire. "I apologize, but you should probably head to your rooms for the night." Her voice dipped lower, behind her eyes was a warning never to reach the surface of day. Quickly continuing, Aaelith rose her voice to better travel between them, from her throat to the group. Silky and smooth, her words soared through the air.
"We have a long day ahead of us, so I'd like to have each of you at your best. That said, sleep is a good idea." Offering a small lift of her lips, Sam gave a small nod to the group before heading off, deeper into the manor. Not before noting the pull in her chest. This time - it wasn't due to her monster. No....Something evil was close, not human. It wasn't her... Then who?
She tried to glance back at the group, ready to gaze into them, but stopped herself. It couldn't be - she must just be tired. Or perhaps her dam of sanity had finally collapsed in on itself.
Yawning as she walked out of the hub, Aaelith winced at the soreness enveloping her body. She was drained both emotionally and physically. She had just announced the end of the day, something she felt would be a common occurrence. Trudging down the hallway, her combat boots sliding against the hardwood floor, Sam peeked into each room she passed on her way back to the left wing. She hadn't half of the squad after they had all separated, maybe there would be someone in these rooms. After the fifth room passed with no result, Aaelith shook her head and walked past the game room, head down with exhaustion. Right now, there was only one thing on her mind.
There it was. Just beyond the sparkling pool and manicured lawn, with the twinkling stars overhead. The empty woodlands, beautiful and dense - her escape. Sitting down on the living room couch, leaning into it's softness, she sank into the cushions. Where she would wait until the moon hung high overhead, and she could allow herself to become one with her demon form once more.
