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It was early October, and the classes had started a long time ago. The leaves on the trees were yellow and dark orange, and with their descent, they created a beautiful canvas on the ground. It was early in the morning, and most students were still in their beds, comfortable under their blankets.

Laurel was no exception. She needed sleep but woke up due to a strange, brassy sound that pierced her eardrums. She hid under the blanket and tried to cover her ears, but it was pointless.

''What is it this time?'' she groaned.

''Nothing, just trying new hairstyles,'' answered her roommate, Sara, who was sitting in front of a big mirror and stared at her reflection.

''It's 7 am!'' she groused with desperation and, after tossing away her blanket, got up from her bed. Sara's desk was full of brushes, ribbons, hair clips, and other not important stuff, according to Laurel.

''I know. I barely have enough time to get ready before the first class,'' she said in response and put in place a piece of fuzzy hair that got out of her grip.

''You know, Sara, sometimes I wonder why we became friends,'' observed Laurel, and went to the bathroom.

''Love you too!'' Sara screamed higher than she meant to and continued with her hairstyle.

One hour later, they were already sitting in their seats. They had to climb over some of their classmates, who had entered the room long before them. Luckily, there were some seats left not very far from their professor's desk.

According to Sara, sitting in the middle of the room had the best perks. You were close enough to listen to the professor but not too close to draw attention. Sara would often be nervous in large crowds, but with Laurel at her side, she was able to hide her nervousness from everyone. She was her tower of strength, after all.

''See? I told you I barely had enough time,'' Sara said before greeting some people in front of them.

''Yeah, whatever. Next time don't make so much noise,'' she advised her, sat down and slowly took a pad and a pen from her bag.

She monitored her friend's actions. ''Didn't you sleep well?''

''Something like that,'' Laurel said and tried to hide a yawn.

For the last two weeks, she had to be out all night and survey the campus. She was waiting for her friend to sleep, and then she would wear some training clothes that could conceal her knives and would get out pretending to be jogging. She was walking and running around almost all night to check every dark alley, every place that would lure supernatural creatures. After all, she had done this before. Making sure that people (supernatural or not) wouldn't hurt others was what she was born to do.

This time, she had sensed some vampires in town and wanted to make sure that the students were safe. So far, nothing had happened, but it was her duty to protect them all and keep searching. Sara didn't know about that part of her friend, and for Laurel, sometimes it was harder to keep her identity secret than patrolling the campus.

''Hey,'' said a young man while sitting next to Laurel. He was very tall with dark blonde hair and brown eyes and one of the sweetest guys Laurel had ever met.

''Hi, Asher,'' she greeted him and showed him the empty chair next to her.

Asher was one of the first people she had met there, and she felt a connection with him. His calmness was what drew her to him. He was always kind and compassionate, but, unfortunately, not everyone could see his gentle heart.

Sara only nodded to him. She wasn't very fond of him though he hadn't done anything wrong. He always treated her well, and she had never heard him speak ill of someone. Her friend seemed to like him very much, and he had blended in well with their other friends, so she had no choice but to accept him.

''There is a party tonight, are you coming?'' he asked the two girls.

''I can't, Ash. Lately, I've been having some trouble with my sleep, and I need some rest. But Sara can go with you,'' said Laurel and smiled at Sara.

''I'll go if you go.'' She tried to make her friend stop with her crazy ideas. She wasn't going to a party with Asher and without Laurel.

''Alright, you don't have to decide now,'' Asher replied, and before he could say something more, the professor entered the room and made everyone go quiet.

A few hours later, Laurel had made the perfect plan in her head. Her scheme was simple. She would go with Sara to the party, and one hour later she would say that she was feeling unwell and she would leave the party alone. After that, she would go back to her patrol before anyone was hurt.

Indeed, one hour after arriving at the party, she said what she had planned to.

"I have a terrible headache. It must be the lack of sleep," she justified herself, as she was screaming in Sara's ears due to the ear-splitting music.

"You can't leave alone. I'll come with you," Sara offered and picked up her clutch, but Laurel shook her head in denial.

"There is no need. Stay here and have fun." She bolted before anyone could stop her.

She headed straight to her equipment. An oak box under her bed, concealed from the human eye, kept secret her weapons and everything she needed.

A dress and high heels weren't the types of clothing that could be useful during a fight. She changed into something more comfortable and picked up some of her special knives. Some of them were a gift from her father when she was five years old. She bought the rest from her earnings as a waitress the past year, and a couple of them were a gift from the friends she hadn't seen in months.

A sense of nostalgia encircled her, but she cleared her thoughts and focused on her mission. It wasn't time to show weakness.

She pulled her caramel brown hair up in a ponytail and quickly wiped the little makeup she wore.

Laurel started walking around the campus, pretending to go jogging, when she felt that someone was following her. The light of that part of the campus wasn't bright, but she didn't care. Her eyes were better than any flashlight or other source of light. She tried to smell, but she couldn't figure out anything abnormal.

She continued walking when she heard a barely inaudible sound. She turned around and carefully watched through the shadows but saw nothing. She was sure she heard someone. It was an instant, low sound, but her enhanced hearing couldn't be wrong. She went toward a small alley and smelled blood. Holding one knife to each of her hands, she proceeded carefully. She kept walking along the road as the smell of blood became stronger and stronger. She reached the end of the alley, and then she saw the girl.

She was lifeless, with her body left in a strange position and blood dripping from her throat. A vampire had killed her, either unable to control himself or deliberately killed the young girl without remorse. She had to find the killer before he killed another person.

After all, she was born for that purpose.

She was the huntress, the first female hunter ever created.

Her purpose was to protect the weak and the innocent and punish those who hurt them.

Her name was Laurel Creed, and this is her story.