Zara lived in a world of magic. She was a werecat as were her friends that were so close they felt like sisters. Together they were a Pride. The gods had created werecats to keep mortals safe, they were truly the strongest of the mythical world, second only to the gods. That however, meant a little less to Zara now. Korina had died before her eyes. Sure it had taught her a valuable life lesson, that there is always someone stronger but a lesson wouldn't bring Korina back. Nothing would. In the world of myths and magic, there was one thing that wasn't possible. It seemed to be the only thing Zara wished was possible time and time again.

Zara knew better than anyone, death is permanent.

The journey back from Romania was difficult, three teenage girls with no adult. The pain was heavy and it weighted down the girls the whole way back. They barely spoke to each other, so shaken. When they arrived back home they went their separate ways. Medusa going back to her family and Mary to a boarding school. Zara had only Korina's apartment to return to. That was almost as painful as having Korina's blood turn to marble on her face.

When Zara walked in through that door she was tired, she couldn't sleep on the journey. It wasn't possible, her ears echoed with Korina's last words "Zara, get back", every time she closed her eyes she saw Korina's body fall, soon to turn to marble. And he would have her body. He would probably put it up for display in a castle or where ever a filthy leech would live. But staying awake wasn't any easier. There was nothing to distract her or nothing she would let distract her from the fact that Korina's death was entirely her fault. Sure she hadn't struck the final blow but maybe if they hadn't intruded then maybe Korina would have succeeded. Or at the very least Korina might have escaped. So riddled with guilt she entered Korina's apartment and was hit first of all by her scent. Old books and strawberries. Tears filled her eyes as if the room was full of onions.

It was a small apartment but that didn't make it any less painful. Korina did the best with the space she had. It felt like a home, warm tones greeted you with maps and posters showcasing art from all over the world. All charmingly shabby with tattered corners and a few rips. Most maps drawn on, half-hearted planning for epic adventures. Most surfaces were covered with trinkets some magical some foreign but each worth about an hour of staring plus a story to go with them. The well-worn sofa was where Zara was sleeping and had been ever since Korina had taken her in.

Zara took a deep breath. She instantly regretted that for old books and strawberries filled her nose completely. She walked in and sat down on the sofa. She wished she had anywhere else to go. Korina probably regretted taking her in now. She would be in the underworld cursing her name.

Pushing that thought from her mind as it was too difficult to bare she looked at the few possessions she owned. A couple of swords purely because she kept breaking them. These were slightly damaged as well. A bag of clothes, some human; most armour. Old toys and the one object she had from her first home. A little plastic leopard. It was strange that such complex emotions were tied to that simple toy. It was Zara's only cherished possession. Sure she had taken on Korina very completely as her new mother but she couldn't deny the memories of her real mother, the leopard before her. The old ache added to the new ache.

Zara lay back on the couch blocking the thoughts from her mind. There were too many of them all swirling around in her head, trying to make connections all pointing to the fault of her. She curled up in a ball and closed her eyes begging the gods for sleep.

Zara awoke to what felt like four people poking her with wooden staffs but opened her eyes to see the purring face of Korina's cat, Setan. When Zara had first met Setan she thought it was funny for a werecat to own a pet cat. Now she was sad to see Setan, who was probably wondering where Korina was. The poor cat didn't know that he had seen his owner for the last time. Tears filled Zara's eyes again but the cat kept rattling away, unaware of everything that had happened in the past 75 hours.

He saw that she was awake and rubbed his face against her jaw. She hugged him and allowed the tears to roll down her face. He continued to purr. It dawned on her that he hadn't been fed in three days. He would have maybe caught mice and rats, there were plenty of them in the inner city suburb. More guilt placed on her shoulders, but this she could do something about.

The room span as she stood, dehydration nipping at her consciousness. Putting the cat down afraid she would fall she wandered over to the sink, each step a struggle as the cat rubbed against her dizzy legs. She placed the food down for him and sipped water from a cup. It soothed her throat and her mind making things seem a little more clear. But clarity wasn't what she wanted, seeing Korina's photos on the fridge just made the dagger in her heart twist. She sharply turned her head to the window. A view of Melbourne city basking lazily in the afternoon sun. That was probably next on Setan's agenda too.

It hurt too much here. She couldn't stay in this apartment, but who would take in a werecat girl. She was under eighteen which would put her into the foster care system if she made herself aware to the humans. She took another sip of water, keeping her eyes trained on the city to prevent them from leaking. That wouldn't do, she could be moved around and forced to attend human school.

Surely there was somewhere she could go. Korina had told her about safe havens for myths, even a whole underworld city....

... "Why do we live in the mortal world when there is a whole city of myths underground Korina?" Zara was in the forest with Korina, they were trekking their way home. She was younger then merely a child but a sword adorned her back. It was just the two of them back then. Zara's highlighter green eyes were always filled with curiosity back then. Korina found herself swamped by questions on every topic. This question though made her stop in her tracks and turn to Zara kneeling to her eye line.

"We aren't like most myths Zara," Zara had heard this one before, she patiently waited for her answer "there are only four of us ever. You the leopard, me the tiger, the lioness and the puma. Other myths are entire races, it's important for us to stay hidden to keep our weakness and existence a secret to the masses."

Zara sighed Korina's first rule. Stay hidden from mortal and myth alike. We were werecats, the gods assassins, we stayed in the shadows of history. It had always rubbed Zara the wrong way.

"But the dwarven city is so pretty," Zara exclaimed.

"That it is but we should stay amongst those who we wish to protect," Seeing the disappointment on Zara's face she added "we aren't alone amongst the mortals there are plenty of other groups of myths that live in the human world. You just need to know where to look."

Korina gave her a wink...

... The lingering memory of Korina's brown eyes hardly gave Zara any instruction. Only hope.

Zara had met a few of Korina's allies over the years she was under her wing. However, largely Korina practised what she preached and avoided most myths. Zara could only recall the locations of a few werewolf packs. That wasn't the place for a werecat anyway. Too many power-hungry boys for Zara's liking.

She didn't have access to Korina's mind to locate somewhere but she did have access to Korina's office. Which would mean taking her eyes off Melbourne. She chuckled with the pure ridiculousness of it. She wished that she should keep her eyes closed walking through Korina's apartment, and sure that would work she would rely on her other keen cat-like sense but she could hardly read Korina's files with her eyes closed.

In order to escape, she must bear the sadness.

Setan rubbed against Zara's leg in gratitude before slipping through the kitchen window out into the world of sunshine.

Zara took a deep breath in and turned away from the window forcing her legs to move toward the corner of the room Korina had dubbed her office. It hurt even more being alone looking at the office where Korina would curl up in the large office chair tapping away at the old fashion box of a computer or studying a book or merely lecturing Zara about their world. Now the chair was empty Zara could see the worn and cracked vinyl. Even though she could see the padding beneath it looked so inviting she couldn't help but to take her mentor's place and tuck her legs up underneath her just as she had seen Korina do so many times before. There was something too it, the chair was perfect for it. Trinkets and books weighted down the desk even more than the computer did. Zara fought hard to keep her eyes dry as she looked at her own reflection in the monitor.

The computer would be useless to her. The internet was the mortal's world not the myths.

Zara pulled open the filling draw of the desk. There was a lot of boring financial documents. Zara found Korina's birth certificate she pulled it out. A very old and slightly tattered piece of paper. Korina would never admit her age to the girls. But here on this paper stated that Korina Paewai was over one hundred years old. Zara's eyes bulged out of her head. Korina didn't look over thirty and her mind was as sharp as anything. No wonder she knew the answer to any question Zara could think of. And then tears started to form in her eyes. Korina had managed to live through mythical and mortal war but she had been the one to finally end her. Zara tucked the paper back into its file.

Deep breaths kept the tears from falling and Zara looked back down at the files. At the very back, a file stood out, labelled 'mythical'. Her hand shoot over and grab it out. A book filled with handwritten notes was inside. All kinds of different languages, Zara recognised ancient Greek those were written gold, she had a pretty good idea of what they were about. From the English notes, she gathered that these were requests for help. As she flipped through they became newer. She stopped at a page, there was writing on the page rather than a note attached to it. It piqued her curiosity.

16/7/94 Letter draft

To the members of the Hotel,

I know of you to oppose the vampire general and his plans. I have been made aware of a new plot. Bringing more vampires to Australia in order to establish dominance here. My Pride has disbanded and if I am to act on this knowledge I have only myself.

So I write this letter requesting you to provide me with assistance, only one member will do. I mean to be stealthy and hit hard.

Awaiting your reply,

Korina, Tiger.

Zara ran her fingers over the writing, "the Hotel," she whispered.

~𓃠~

That night haunted Zara.

Her parents had acted strangely for days before that night. She was only seven years old and merely a mortal so it didn't mean much to her. She had overheard them talking about protection for her and her little brother. She had ignored it back then but every day since she had thought about it.

She awoke to the sound of shattering glass. She couldn't remember what she had been dreaming about but that noise pulled her out of her dream instantly. Sitting up in her bed she pulled the blankets to her chin as if they would protect her. Her eyes scanned the room. Nothing was disrupted, no broken glass inside her room so that meant...

She looked to the door.

There was something going on outside, thumping and hitting and breaking. It sounded wild like a bear had broken in. That was dumb, her young mind thought, the zoo is so far away. Still, she switched on the light, grabbing her hairbrush as protection. She bravely walked toward the door. The sounds of a fight getting louder and louder as she did.

Carefully she peeled open the door. All was calm and dark in the hallway, the sounds were coming from the kitchen. She walked out, hairbrush in hand held out like a blade to protect her.

Suddenly there was a loud thump.

It sounded like someone's body being thrown to the ground. In the dark she started to run, a protective fire was lit in her little body. But she slipped.

Liquid soaked into her back and a copper scent filled her nose. She brought her hand to her face, and even though it was dark she could see blood. Her breath caught in her throat and she looked to the side. Only to be met with the dead face of her little four-year-old brother. Blood leaking out of a slit throat. His blue-eyed once filled with so much life were dull.

She couldn't hold it back anymore, Zara screamed in horror, scrambling away from the body.

Suddenly the door of the kitchen flew open light pouring into the room, a body fell through it landing hard on the ground. She rushed over to it. It was her father, a large gash in the side of his head, his foot propped the door open and a bar of light illuminated his face, his green eyes now just as dull as her brother's.

"Daddy?" Zara called nudging his shoulder.

He, of course, didn't move. Tears streamed down her face. The horror of everything going on around her seemed like a dream, it was too surreal yet the scent of copper and her heart beating with adrenaline told her it was real.

A scream came from the kitchen.

Zara stood, she knew, her mother was in there and she wasn't about to lose her as well. With no other thought, she barged into the kitchen. A strange sight. The kitchen was destroyed, wooden benches shattered, a table in half and glass littering the floor. Amongst the glass and chunks of wood lay four dead bodies each with red eyes. Zara looked up to see her mother, Parker locked in combat with a beautiful woman with red eyes. Zara would never forget how her mother had looked before she knew her daughter was there. She was so brave and fearless. In floral pyjamas yet powerful muscles rippled underneath them. She was an unstoppable force and the woman was barely able to defend herself.

But Zara had to open her mouth "Mummy?"

Suddenly arms wrapped around her small body and she felt the cold kiss of a blade on her back. A man with red eyes held her.

"Freeze Werecat," He looked to Parker, Zara could see the hate and bloodlust in those red eyes. She was terrified.

Parker turned to see her daughter with a blade forced to her back. Her eyes lit up with shock. The woman behind her drove a bronze dagger into Parker's heart. Zara could see the tip poke out before blood spread into her pyjamas. Parker fell to the floor, her body writhing in pain.

"Mummy!" Zara cried out reaching for her mother.

Pain erupted in her back as the man slashed it with his blade and kicked her to the ground beside her mother. Zara couldn't quite see but the woman was clutching a wound and the two ran off to find a healer. That was all white noise to Zara. She kept focused on her mother's face as warmth spread over her back poured down her sides and collected around her stomach. Parker was struggling for breath.

"Mummy .... I don't want to die," Zara cried "I don't want you to die!"

Parker looked at her daughter in the eye. Bright blue eyes still filled with fierce determination.

"You're not going to die. I'm so sorry," fangs grew in Parker's mother "please forgive me."

"Wha-" Zara barely managed before Parker lunged forward and her teeth sunk into her neck. Zara's world quickly faded to darkness.

~𓃠~

Zara had awoken a werecat in a pool of her mother's blood. She survived though not completely unscathed. A large scar from her left shoulder all the way to her right hip. She was alone and confused. But she was lucky to be found after her family had been slaughtered, taken under the wing of Korina. Zara had learnt everything she knew from Korina. However, sometimes rules weren't to be obeyed.

She was alone and confused now but stood at the entrance of the dwarven city. With the same scar down her back, though hidden by fabric would never completely heal. The forest was silent around her.

The great forest that and swallowed Melbourne's east suddenly in the 80s by the hands of elves. It was were myths lived and hid away from the mortal world. Though deep within the forest the entrance to the Second Southernmost Kingdom of the Dwarves. It had stood long before humans walked the earth and it was ever extending deep into the ground hollowing out the mountains. It was now more commonly called Dwarven Melbourne as the dwarven kingdoms were loosely paired to the mortal cities. There was not much that marked the entrance. A mortal, if they dared to venture that deep into the forest, would just walk past it like nothing existed. And yes it was just a normal looking part of the forest, a large rock formation but to any myth that stood before it could sense the ancient protective magic. Not anyone could open the entrance to the city and not anyone could just walk in. Luckily for Zara, Korina had applied for each of the Pride members and they were accepted. She had only done it so the girls could get mythical supplies on their own so they weren't so completely reliant on her.

Zara placed her palm to the rock. The ancient magic of the Fae flowed through her, into her heart and through her soul. Determining who she was before leaving her. Ancient symbols glowed in blue on the rock and a human-sized hole gave way. As she walked through it she could feel the magic assessing her, if it failed her she would be thrown out, smoking, covered in burns and left in the forest. But she was approved and made her descent. It was dark with a faint glowing light at the end of the stairwell. The stairs were worn and familiar, she grazed the wall of rock just as thousands of hands before her had. The mythical energy around her was noticeable.

She stepped forward into the light and a wave of sensation flowed through her. She had entered the mythical world; sound, sight and smell were all filled with magic.

A massive hollowed out cavern with a large magical light source at the top acting as a sun. There were tunnels leading off the main cavern which led to the homes of dwarves and other myths. The main cavern was a grid of streets with buildings some from beyond the birth of mortal and some in construction now. A mash of times, myths and cultures took place all at once but at the southern end of the carven carved into the rock was a palace. It was breathtaking every time Zara saw it. The work that went into it was millennia old, it's carving told stories of ancient wars and kings and beauties and gods. It could be stared at for weeks. But Zara had a goal, she wouldn't hang around like a tourist in her own city.

She stepped into the grid and was instantly swept away by the hustle and bustle. The dwarven kingdoms were thriving despite what Zara had seen in Romania. There were plots to destroy it all. That was why very few vampires walked the streets. The scents of delicious foods and alluring perfumes drew her toward stores but she ignored them determined. Light shows and magical illusions were performed by buskers on the street much like the mortal version of Melbourne. Shapeshifters swapping forms way faster than any werecreature could. Vampire slayers performed the light shows with their glowing eyes but witches and wizards held the real crowds, impressing and awing children.

Zara walked past it all, trying to avoid brushing up against myths. She smelt her jacket again, the strong perfume would hopefully cover her scent but still, werewolves would pick up that she didn't smell quite right so she weaved around the grounds in order to avoid them. Their scents stood out, strong against non-werecreatures.

Darting through she made it to the heart of the city, before the palace there were the oldest buildings in the city. The massive hall was her goal. It stood tall and proud, big columns carved in the shape of the city's first rulers. The myths surrounding it got tougher looking the closer Zara got. She looked quite out of place amidst the muscles and scars but still, she entered. This was called the employment hall and had many difficult jobs posted in it usually to do with the removal of myths or difficult and dangerous jobs only for those able to fight. It was well known that Hermes frequented it. Zara wasn't interested in gods or the other myth judgement and stares.

She, a teenage girl walked up to the posting desk.

A dwarf woman sat behind the counter, her hair fell loosely around her shoulders, covering her uniform and name badge. Zara thought that wasn't an accident.

She looked down at Zara over her glasses, a judgemental look shot "Can I help you?"

"Yes actually," Zara met her gaze, her bright green eyes taking the woman aback "I'm here to post a job."

"You know there is a posting-" Zara cut her off by placing a chain of silver on the table, the woman smiled and turned to her computer. The currency of myths wasn't money but things of value. More like the trading system.

"Your name is?"

"Zara."

"Last name?"

Zara hesitated. She hadn't used her last name in a long time "keep it blank please."

"Uh huh, and what is your request?"

Zara placed her words carefully "Information on the organisation known as the Hotel."

"Reward type?"

"Medium."

The woman clicked away on her computer. Zara tried to keep her eyes to herself, the myths around were fascinating individuals but did not like to be gawked at.

"Booth number 2368," the woman looked at her with dull eyes.

Zara gave her a quick smile before walking through the hall, still trying to keep her eyes to herself though it was difficult, the weakest members of the mythical world and the strongest were side by side here. She couldn't tell if it was uplifting or depressing but she found her booth easily enough and sat down.

Her question beamed above her in flashing lights. There was a crystal on the table to take if she needed to leave. As well as some documents.

Zara had all her belongings with her, he only needed a small bag. A few valuable things of Korina's she had taken and food but there was no much else she thought to bring. Rent would be due for Korina's apartment and while it came out of Korina's bank account Zara didn't know how much was left in there nor did she want to be surrounded by Korina's scent and belongs. So Zara had left a note on Korina's elderly neighbour's door regarding Setan and left.

Sighing she placed the bag beside her feet preparing to wait. Her booth didn't gather too much attention and the attention it did get was met with a shaking of the head. It seemed that no one really knew what the Hotel was. Zara wondered if it had ceased to exist, but even if it was destroyed surely someone would know what happened. She didn't even bring a book to read, not much planning went into this, instead, she gazed hopefully at those walking by. Hulking Beta werewolves and decrepit wizards and witches strolled past without a glance at her booth. They were clearly looking for extremely high reward jobs. Not a job from a sad teenage girl.

She thought this might have been something a little easy but it seemed no one knew about this Hotel and she was losing hope. She started to eat some of the food she had brought.

Another teenage girl a little older than Zara entered the hall. She looked as if she belonged there a little more, with thickly muscled arms and fiery cropped orange hair. She caught Zara's eye and Zara caught her eye. She looked up at Zara's request and her eyes lit up, they were a soft green despite her rough punk look. She walked over to Zara.

"What's your name?" her voice was rough and gravelly contrasting against those eyes as well.

"Zara."

"Are you all alone here? No parents no guardians?"

"Yes."

She looked Zara up and down, frowning she asked, "What myth are you?"

Zara hesitated. Would this girl even know what a werecat was? Korina had always taught them to lie. Zara had disagreed with lying every time but then again she has disagreed with waiting outside and look where that had gotten them. Zara was spiralling the girl's voice pulled her out of it. "Why would I help you if you can't answer that question?" She was quite blunt.

"A werecreature," Zara mumbled vaguely. She caught wind of the girl's scent it was like nothing she had smelt before, but definitely not mortal. Zara didn't know what to make of it, she figured it must have been some kind of disguise.

"Yeah what kind?" The girl pressed.

Zara hesitated for a moment, "Werecat."

The girl looked surprised, her eyebrows flew up. She definitely knew what Zara was. Zara bit her lip waiting for a reaction.

The girl snorted, "Well nice to meet you Zara I'm Devil."

She held out her hand and Zara took it shaking it Devil added: "From the hotel."

Zara's eyes lit up "It's real?"

"Oh yeah, you came to the right place we're here all the time," Devil smiled fanged teeth popping out.

"Could you tell me anything about it?"

"Better. I'll take you there."

~𓃠~

Devil took Zara to a suburban street and they stood in front of one of the unassuming homes. It was a little run down but completely normal. Zara didn't smell anything mythical about it. She looked to Devil.

"Did doesn't look like a hotel to me," Zara stared at it.

Devil smirked, "It's not really it's more like a homeless shelter, let me show you."

Devil lead Zara into her new home, even if she didn't know it herself.

First published 14/6/2019

Name changes 12/7/2019