Prologue: Life Goes On

Snow falls gently over the ever so busy streets of Trost. It was the beginning of December meaning everyone was getting ready for the upcoming holidays. My breath fans against the numbing air as frost kisses my face in return; the snow was so beautiful, more so when it was falling but it was also so very dangerous.

During times like this, I wonder what he's doing even though I shouldn't. It was like Annie said during the summer, it was clear he was moving on from me and the city of Trost as a whole. He wanted to start anew and forget everything that has occurred over the years since living here. He wanted to forget everything, even if it meant he would forget me.

I found out shortly after he left I wasn't the only one devastated upon Mr. Ackerman leaving. Eren, Armin, Jean, his fangirls at the school and the rest of them were caught tearing up on the last day despite their constant denial. Even Mikasa showed pity for the teacher, maybe for Eren but I will never know.

Not many things have changed, but at the same time, a lot has changed since the summer of freshman year. I don't know where to begin or to even start, but for one I guess I should start with No Eyes.

The sickly demon was agitated about something. What, well I don't know, and as a result, he has come to haunt more than just my dreams. He came to haunt me in person and stalk me almost every other night. Spatting about some plan that got ruined because of me and him, and by him, I could only assume Levi.

Like right now I wasn't alone, even if I was in public. Him or one of his followers were lurking behind me, watching me, whether they choose to hide in the dark corners of the streets or closer than I would ever expect them to.

They, of course, remaining invisible to the human eye but not to us hunters. We know of where they were; however, they knew they were protected as we were in public as long as they didn't attack first.

I pull my scarf up over my face as I walk side by side with Annie and Bertholdt. The snow crunching underneath our shoes as we walk at a steady pace to get to our destination, the shopping district.

The pair showing little affection towards one another on the outside like usual but if you looked closely enough, you could see there interlocked hands hidden by the sleeves of their coats.

I sorta envied Annie for having someone so devoted to her like Bertholdt. Every time he looked at her you could tell how much love was behind that soft gaze of his. He treated Annie like a princess, the proof around her neck.

Around the blonde's neck was a sterling silver necklace with an engagement ring attached to it.

Even though they were only in high school, Bertholdt worked hard in order to get her the ring she has yet put on her finger. He was also prideful over the fact Annie had accepted the idea of marrying once completing high school.

Annie wasn't the most romantic girl or emotional but seeing her smile when she told me the news last month in November made me also feel happy for her and them as a couple.

They weren't the only couple in the school doing well.

Ymir and Christa had officially started dating, becoming a couple and supposedly Christa family took the orphaned Ymir under their wing and I never seen Ymir so happy in her life.

Her joyful smiles that were actually real and not forced while talking about Christa and the way Christa always looked at Ymir told me they now had a healthy relationship with another.

Their relationship also made me think, if Ymir was truly a succubus, then love between human and demons could exist and that demons weren't all evil.

Also, it pushes Levi's theory out the window of not being able to love because he was a sex demon, but first I had to prove Ymir was what she was. That was something I would have to find out to satisfy my thirst for curiosity's sake, though it also could prove to be troublesome.

"So Lily...I suppose you know by now of Valis's whereabouts. I'm sure your grandmother told you by now..." I see the towering male's eyes cast towards me as he asks suddenly.

I see Annie's blue eyes also drift towards me waiting for an answer. I purse my lips looking at the drifting snow, "Yes. He's back in town and staying with Reiner. It seems he's been avoiding me, seeing as he hasn't come to see me."

I hear Annie scoff "That cousin of yours is so dumb sometimes. What is he even mad about?"

I got flashes of him when he left after finding out about my love for Levi. I didn't understand it either, yes, I know I threw him under the bus but for him to be avoiding me like this...What else did I do wrong? There had to be something.

I mutter as we near the coffee shop, "I don't know..."

Just then we pass a tall man with a long trench coat and hat, his hat is titled down covering his eyes but I was able to see the bottom half of his face, and for a moment I think I see a crazed smile and shivers run down my spine from his mere presence.

I come to a sudden stop and turn around looking at the back of the tall figure. He doesn't turn around but continues walking down the bustling street.

Why did I stop? Why was I sorta attracted to his being...like a magnetic pull...Just like how I felt with Levi. Actually... It was exactly how I felt with Levi. He had that same attractiveness about him.

Just when my legs are about to follow the scary man I hear a man's voice scream inside my head "Don't!"

The scream snaps me out of it and I blink and before I know it the man with the black trench coat disappears from my field of view.

What was that? I continue blinking. That sounded like Levi's voice. I look around, but I don't see him anywhere in the crowds of people.

My heart clenches, and I hear a female voice say sharply in the distance "Lily." Drawing my attention to the Bertholt and Annie who was waiting at the coffee shop's entrance.

"What's wrong?" She asks me, and I shake out of it walking towards them.

I reply to her "Oh it's nothing. I thought I saw someone I knew."

They don't say anything after that and Bertholdt then opens the door to the coffee shop, holding it for Annie and I as we walk through it. The warmth and instant relief to our cold bodies.

That tall man...he bothered me. There was just something about him and then that strange voice that sounded like Levi's, something wasn't right.

All three of us wait in line to order, and my eyes glance out the glass window, I must be losing it. Great, now I am hearing Levi's voice when he isn't here. I must be really going insane.

Little did I know the man with his hat tilted down was still lurking nearby, smiling crazily to himself... The man with the hat was none other than Kenny Ackerman muttering to himself as he to watched the snow drift down from the dark skies "What an interesting little lady...I would have had her if it wasn't for Levi himself cock-blocking me. That damn little runt must have taken a liking to the little lady. How interesting when she's our enemy..."

The man cackles to himself tilting his hat back down as he continues his walk down the empty alleyway, he speaks to himself words only he understands "She would have been perfect, so vulnerable and naive... "

He sings out next while examining a vile of blood in between his thumb and index finger "Maybe the next little piggy hunter can be the first sampler."

His cackles and laughter fill the alley, as the older Incubus laughs about only a plan he understands.

A sinister plan that would result in many deaths, and many casualties on both parts, it all starting back to that vile in the position of Kenny Ackerman. A deadly and lethal weapon in the form of a liquid that I would only find out about later...

Authors Note: So I finally came around to publishing the second book! I thought it was a good time to introduce the infamous Kenny into the story. As you can tell he's going to play somewhat of a big roll in the story this time around. Ok, so I would love to hear your thoughts put into a review about the first chapter! I look forward to reading them!

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Edited/Revised on June 1st, 2019