1 Chapter 1

I am the villain.

The robber.

The destroyer.

And the hero?

This hero's story is different.

My wings spread their full ten-foot span as I throw the sack of money over my back. A cruel grin spreads across my face, and even though my long hood falls down past my nose, covering most of my face, I can tell everyone around me can see my smirk. I lift my chin high, letting the extremely brave journalists and TV crews catch my full lips glisten orange in the fading summer light. I let my wings fall down, not so far that they're folded nicely against my back, but far enough that anyone brave enough could reach out and touch me. Which no one is. Most people think my wings fake, engineered by growing modern technology. They're wrong. I was born the way I am.

My sheer black jumpsuit seems to radiate warmth, and I look like I'm surrounded in a fire because of the sunset. No, that's wrong. I look like I am a flame.

People whoop and holler as I stride out of the bank, already betting on how much I've taken, how easily I did it, and who might dare to stop me. But so far, nobody has even tried.

Even though I've made it clear I won't speak to anyone, people still try to push me to talk. I refuse. Nobody here deserves that much attention. Even though I've made it clear I won't speak to anyone, people still try to push me to talk. I refuse. Nobody here deserves that much attention.

I continue on my walk out of the bank, becoming an odd parade with the band of reporters and cameramen following me everywhere.

But a swish of wings catches my attention. I've already been on the lookout for more people like me, specifically people that might attempt to play hero when they realize they could be my match. Whenever I hear wings, I always make sure to check and see if it's another person like me. Another Valkyrie. I turn my head, searching in vain for the source of the sound, but finding nothing. Maybe my enhanced hearing is catching sounds that are much farther away than they sound. I don't know. But my instincts tell me otherwise.

And my instincts are right, as they always are.

I keep my gaze on the ground, even when I see the black boots drop onto the asphalt in front of me.

"Foolish Valkyrie," the voice says. They're a boy. A young one, my age. I can tell. But I keep walking.

A leather-clad finger hits my jawline and slides to my chin, tilting my head up in an attempt to force me to look this challenger in the eye.

My hood is too low.

The hand drops, and the voice continues. "Did you not think there were others out there like you?"

I turn my head to the side and look down again, spreading my wings. Across from me, I can see the other person's feet begin to lift off the ground, and I hear their wings spread.

But I know for a fact I can outfly them. Without a warning, I launch myself into the air. I hear the person follow, but I'm much faster.

Until I hear the first knife zip past me.

I let out the first sound I've ever made as Valkyrie, a small screech as my hand zips out to catch the knife. If it drops onto someone in the crowd, I could have attempted murder on the list of things I've done, too. I let out the first sound I've ever made as Valkyrie, a small screech as my hand zips out to catch the knife. If it drops onto someone in the crowd, I could have attempted murder on the list of things I've done, too.

I catch the second knife my challenger throws, and then a third. I am forced to stop and tie the sack of money to my back.

By the time the sack of money is secured, the boy has caught up to me. I hold his knives out to him, and I can feel his eyes sweeping across my suit, scanning for weapons.

I start to slowly rise higher, and I know he's following. But if something happens, I have to be far enough that the public can't see me.

"Valkyrie. Do you know how long I've searched for you?"

I keep looking down.

"Do you know how much I've longed for this moment? Where I finally meet my equal, yet my opposite- you. Valkyrie."

The leather fingers reach out again, this time grabbing my hood. I allow him to peel it back. A hero should know their villain. And I can't see his face with my face covered, either.

The boy gasps and I find my jaw dropping too, but I quickly snap my mouth shut. The boy has astonishing green eyes, as bright as every blade of grass in the lawn below us. His hair i

His hair is jet black, messed up so badly it looks like he hasn't combed it in a week. I scan his suit. It's full of weapons. The only means of disguise this boy has is the black bandana over his nose and mouth. But he pulls it off.

"If you show your face, I'll show mine," he says.

I scowl but still don't say anything.

"What, are you mute?" he asks. "So we aren't going to have the traditional villain- hero chat before the battle? What a shame. I don't even know what your voice sounds like."

I take a deep breath. "What's your name," I say, almost like a statement. My mind instantly regrets speaking, but my heart says differently. I push away any mixed emotions I feel for this boy as quickly as I can though.

The boy almost jumps out of his skin in surprise. "You can talk! You know, I was actually beginning to believe you were mute, seeing how-"I toss his knives back to him. "Leave me alone."

He catches two out of the three knives, and my hand zips out again to catch the one he dropped. I hand this one to him and hold back a grin when I see the look of shock on his face.

"Why, you… you could rob a bank in seconds with that- that superhuman speed." His face turns to a scowl, and I can tell he's angry. "But you just wait for the paparazzi to show up for the attention."

My grin is impossible to hide now.

"Oh, come on! Stop playing with me. I already know you can beat me. I've seen what you can do."

I shrug and turn away, but his hand catches my wrist. "Please, Valkyrie. Don't do this anymore." His voice is soft. But I hardly know him. So many people have already tried to talk me out of what I do. It never works.

I yank my hand away and fly off, as fast as I can go, which is much, much faster than the escape I made earlier.

I land smoothly on the front step of my house and fold my wings back. Then I carefully look around, making sure nobody is near, and also checking that my step mom's car isn't in the driveway.

I pull the house key out of my pocket and open the door, step inside, and then lock it behind me.

Even with my speed, it takes about five minutes to do all my chores, change, wash the Valkyrie makeup off my face, and hide my Valkyrie gear. I smile as I look at myself in the mirror. I am just clean, smart, average Valerie now. An average seventeen-year-old, with no wings, no anger, and no spitfire. But now I have a voice.

"Hey, Luna!" I call as my black and white cat scampers down the stairs to rub against my leg.

Luna purrs and then runs over to her food dish. I feed her and then decide to feed myself. Heading to the kitchen, I decide to heat up the fried chicken leftovers from last night.

When the timer on the microwave gets down to one minute, thirty seconds, I hear the shatter of glass upstairs. When the timer on the microwave gets down to one minute, thirty seconds, I hear the shatter of glass upstairs.

"Oh no!" I gasp, and Luna runs to her usual hiding spot, under the couch.

I sprint upstairs, ready to face a burglar- or maybe I'll get lucky, and a large bird has just crashed through the window.

Instead, I'm the least lucky I could possibly be.

To Be Continued...