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In the commotion of the past weeks, Cal’s first kill had almost gone unrecognized.
When she realized, she had expected it to sting—like when her parents forgot her eleventh birthday while they were in pursuit of a wraith—but, instead, she doesn’t feel much of anything.
The actions of the Guild had put their lives in danger, more so than any normal mission, violating their basic rules to be prepared for anything and pay attention to everything. Was rushing into a party of vamps you were unsure you could kill prepared?
As mad as she had been at Tess, the girl lost both her parents at once due to the Guild’s insistence that they attack immediately. Had they tried the silver spears on a single Legacy vampire first, couldn’t they have avoided their losses, regrouped and tried something new?
Did she even want to be marked with the Guild’s insignia? What would it mean to her?
To Apollo, it was a trophy of battles won. To her mom, a reminder of the continuing measures they took to keep the world safe.
Would her dad have added another mark to his arrows if he had killed Theo? Would that have been another “victory” for the Guild?
Still, she had learned her lesson about thinking vampires could be innocent. The new phone her parents had given her had saved her the effort of having to block any of the calls or texts she was sure Juliette was sending her.
They are still sharing dreams, unfortunately, with Cal waking up in Juliette’s bedroom almost every night. It’s almost become routine, the way she opens the window, climbs down the lattice, and runs away.
She wonders if she shouldn’t use the dreams as a training opportunity, but it’s all a little too raw for that.
In the chaos that is her life right now, she has to cling on to something, and all that is left is her family. She is a Burns, and the Burns family is made of monster hunters, so this tattoo will reflect her loved ones—Guild be damned.
“Mom, do you remember the zombie incident at school?”
“Yes, I remember that mess of a situation. Why?”
“Well, I killed that zombie…” she trails off.
The realization hits Talia as she pulls Cal in for a hug, “I’m so sorry, baby. With everything else going on, we didn’t make time to celebrate.”
“We don’t have to make a big deal about it. I was just wondering if you would ink the mark for me.”
Normally, a hunter’s first kill would be celebrated by the Guild in a special ceremony. The first tattoo inked on by a senior member of the hunter’s choosing.
As a Blade, Talia handled adding the additional marks to their arrows, but never had been chosen for the ceremony.
That didn’t mean she couldn’t lead a makeshift ceremony for her daughter, though.
They head to the basement, a pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream brought down with them. This was so outside typical protocol, they might as well make it more enjoyable while they’re at it.
Supplies laid out, Talia cleans the spot while beginning to recite the rites.
“Eat your ice cream, Cal. This is going to hurt,” she says as she brings the tattoo gun close to her skin.
It’s a quick process, just a few thick lines inked in, and soon enough Cal’s arm bears the permanent mark of a successful monster hunter.
“Our hearts drive us. Duty and logic lead us,” they repeat together.
Her mom applies a bandage to the area and gives her instructions for taking care of it before heading to bed. She always seems to be tired these days, so she follows suit after putting the ice cream back in the freezer.
In bed, she peels back the bandage some to look at the fresh ink. She and Apollo had drawn these marks on themselves with markers all the time when they were kids, debating who they’d pick, how’d they earn them. Apollo would even boast that he’d have his third arrow ceremony by the time he was 21.
She can’t say this is anything like what she had expected for herself.
That night, the dream has changed.
They’re back in the garden, but this time, Juliette is 20 yards away from her, tied against a tree—like Cal was during the Fairmont’s party.
On closer inspection, it’s not rope holding her, but the snake from before. The snake has a peach in its mouth, positioned directly in front of Juliette’s heart.
The recurve bow materializes into her hands, a single arrow on the ground before her.
The peach calls to her, her very own apple-shot.
She is Calliope Burns, a Monster Hunter, and she will finish what she started.
Bow at full draw, she lets the arrow go.
The arrow pierces the snake.