#physical attack

Her bones crush each other, grinding at the joints. Muscles tense and scream. Her skull whacks the side of the dance pit. The shooting stars stab her eyes with pain. She's blinded, disoriented. But she senses them closing in. Why are they doing this? And then she hears it: laughter. Not from the trio, from the onlookers. She's...she's just a sport. Just another slot in their friday night entertainment. They have no idea who she is: what she can do. The most pathetic feeling swims in her stomach. Aren't they right, though? She can't do anything, can she? Her powers aren't hers. She's not brave at all. She just wants it to stop. Wants to go home. As she curls into herself, she's grabbed by the hair. Crying, Hero tries to unhook the claw-like grip but her efforts just draw out more laughs and jeers. Dragging her across the floor, the ponytail girl throws her against the other corner of the dance pit. Hero's back slams into the unyielding concrete, sending a searing pain rippling through her head. Desperately, she throws an explosive blast at them. But she's not aiming right. The blast only tears out a few floor pads: inconvenient but hardly lethal. Voices jeer at her overhead, but her brain feels swollen and heavy.

"Hey! Hey! You're gonna give up? Just like that?" one voice swells over the rest, like a cliff facing down the ocean, "C'mon, Starflower." Hero forces herself to turn her head. There, just above her at the edge of the pit, crouches Villain. "You're gonna take this from them?" he asks, that wry smile on his face, "You cooked my chest in seconds and you're gonna let these ripoffs take you down?" She reaches toward the edge, her shaking fingers barely catching on. Why does he feel so far away? "There's--there's too many, Doc--" she gasps. Even with her bleary vision, she sees his grimace at her nickname. "Listen, Starry, there's always gonna be too many. That's why you get help." He catches her shaking fingers and pulls her to her feet. But not out of the pit. "Help me up," she begs. "Give 'em hell first," he says firmly, "I'll be here."

A heavy hand grabs her hoodie. Hero throws her palm at her attacker's face, combusting in their eyes.

"Ack! I'm helping you, you little bitch!"

It's Brute. Hero's dropped to her feet. She fights to keep balance. The room swims around her, agony pounding in her head.

The three girls have recouped. Now, they're even closer.

"Shitshitshit, what do we do?" Hero asks, barely keeping herself from hiding behind Brute.

"Give 'em hell, kitten paws!" Brute shouts above the rising din.

"The fuck--HOW?!"

"Don't know, but I got three pills, two vodkas, and a whole lot of fuck all in me right now," He picks Hero up like a ragdoll, "Can supes still fly?"

Screaming, Hero bodyslams into one with the baseball bat. Dazed, she lurches to grab it, but the girl snatches the bat back. Hero narrowly avoids the first swing. The second catches her thigh. Painfully. On the third swing, Hero clamps her hands on the fat end of the bat. The girl tries to wrench it out, but Hero follows close. "Dafuq you gonna do now?" the girl snaps. "This," and she zaps the bat. The girl death drops onto the dancefloor. Hero hears a few loud shouts. Some drunken folks think it's part of the dance routine.

Seeing Brute contending with the other two girls--he's not winning--Hero vaults herself out of the pit. Amid the jibes of the onlookers, she stumbles up to the bar. Seated on a stool, Villain turns to her, a fruity drink in hand, "Here, this is up your alley, isn't it?" She shoots a glance, instead, at a half-empty whiskey glass beside him, "Is that yours?" "Yeah?" No sooner has the word left him, Hero snatches the glass and downs the rest in one gulp. Fire burns through her bloodstream, kicking a new life into her brain. Barely registering the Doctor's horrified confusion, Hero lurches back towards the pit.

"You want a fight?" she yells, electricity pumping into her fingers, "I got one!" A compounding blast of electro-shocks sends waves through the pit. Sparks, catching the exposed wiring in the bare floor panels, explode like pyrotechnics in the girls' faces. Brute ducks out of the way as the whole floor lights up enough to blind the three young women. Shouting and cursing, they scramble out of the pit. The bartender swears something in a language presumably only half of the patrons understand. "You forgot we're crazy, Arn," Villainess calls out, swinging the mic at the end of its cord, "Send more of your worst, you limp-dicked sycophant! Oh, wait--that'd be you, huh?" Laughs, screams, and fists erupt from the crowd that's left.

And in the chaos that follows, Hero escapes into the bathroom. Locking the door, she plants herself against it, waiting a beat to make sure no one's followed her. Then hunching down next to the toilet, she pulls out the stolen phone she swiped. Thank god the drunken dude she took it from didn't have a passcode to his old iphone. Desperately, Hero punched in the six digit call. 911*#*

"Pick up…please pick up…" *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* previous: part nine MASTERLIST next: part eleven Holy fricking moles, I have fought with this scene for far too long and I'm so proud of myself that it's done! I cannot wait to show y'all what comes next!

For now you were grateful for what you did have. The two of you were learning so much about each other. It was uncanny how alike you both were. And yet, your drastic differences made the cohesion between you even better.

You learned more about Karl, or as she only referred to him as Heisenberg, and even though she came off speaking about him like he was such a nuisance, you could tell there was an ignored camaraderie there.

Mother Miranda, on the other hand, she embellished on very carefully. If at all. Alcina didn't have to say it but there was an undeniable discomfort deep within her if you mentioned or asked about her. Eventually you gave it up all together. Something was... disconcerting about this vampire, this "mother" of all. You didn't like her, something was very sour and rotten about her. How you knew that, you weren't sure.

But, you did get to learn about Donna and her sister Angie, whom Alcina adored regardless of drastic personality polarities - Salvatore Moreau, whom she absolutely despised - Mitch Vonn, whom she came to revere and respect as a very trusted lycan advisor - and her three daughters, that were clearly her world.

That one threw you for a loop.

Though, the love in her eyes and in how she spoke made your heart warm even more for her; telling about her daughters brought out a certain light and softness that otherwise you'd never seen. You loved it. You wished you could meet them, but really, you had no idea how or if that would work. You weren't even sure how this was working.

You did know that as every night progressed, the anticipation of her presence, her nearness, her kiss, seemed to become more and more intoxicating. You needed her more and more. It seemed the energy and aliveness she silently gave to you was embedding deeper and deeper in who you were, making you someone new. It frightened you a little. All you wanted was to be around her every minute of every hour. She was quickly overtaking you on every level that seemed possible.

It sucked only having such little communication with her.

Alcina didn't have a cell phone; you couldn't text her, couldn't call her. You had to settle for nightly visits, which, in retrospect wasn't terrible at all. She was right there in front of you. She wasn't a digital voice on the end of a line, a bunch of texts and string of emojis; she was real. Touchable.

Touchable. She was so touchable.

Every far too short embrace you shared tapped awake that familiar vibration through your system. The sensation like ice being slowly drug down the curve of your spine. Whether it was vampire charm or some kind of spell work, you were growing uncomfortable in your desire for her.

You weren't sure how this was going to get any easier.

~

It was Friday, it was a good day - end of the week, hell yeah!

Only, things were not going your way.

You had been asked to stay after work today by your boss; some bullshit about an invoicing issue with a large company that had to be done right now, that tied you up for an extra two hours. Overtime pay, sure, fine, whatever. But fuck you very much.

To say you were annoyed was putting it, oh, so mildly.

Once again, you considered how badly you actually needed your job. But, you bit the bullet, got the stupid fucking invoice done, and hauled your ass out of there as quickly as possible.

And then the transit was delayed.

For fuck sake.

Night was coming quickly and you'd be damned if you weren't home and ready when Alcina showed up. If you had to walk 20 some odd blocks on your own so be it.

The second false alarm for the transit's fix set you off in motion. You could cut through some areas that would get you back quicker. Wasn't the safest route, but whatever.

You had a standing date with the most beautiful, fascinating, captivating, brilliant, utterly unique woman in the world.

You. Weren't. Missing it.

~

There had been a lot of murmurs and whispers in the underground city as of late.

Of course there had.

Alcina was known to be absent, yes, but her absences were rarely every single night for weeks on end.

The two of you were going on four weeks now of nightly visits. She was happier than she had been in a long while.

It wasn't going unnoticed.

Salvatore Moreau was lingering in a shadowy corner of the street as he watched Alcina step out from her manor and head towards a city exit.

He was a large, unsightly man. And true to his hunchbacked mousey posture, he was just that; a rat.

Donna, and Angie, were onto him quicker than shit through a goose.

"Sally! What an odd place to be skulking about!" Angie called from behind him, alerting anyone near by to his presence after Alcina was in the clear, "Whatcha doin'? Anything fuuunn?"

Salvatore flinched at the shrillness of her tone, he hated Angie. She was squirrely, too loud, obnoxious, and was always everywhere he didn't want her to be.

"Can't you be quieter? You are so very loud," he remarked lowly as he shuffled his blazer back around his arched shoulders.

"Psshhh, quiet, how boring," she retorted coming around to face him.

If he stood upright he might reach her height. But, Angie so greatly enjoyed watching him slink further into his shell whenever she was around.

"You should like... make like a tree and leaf."

Angie was only able to keep her composure for half a second, immediately bursting into shrill laughter at her absolutely terrible joke.

"Get it?! Get it?! Leaf? Leave?" cackling a little bit more before going abruptly silent, closing the space between them, a now emotionless, doll-like expression on her face, "No really, you should leave. Go find something else to do... Now."

She proudly watched him slither away like the snake he was, scrunching her face in distaste before quickly departing to find Donna.

~

It was 9:40 and your lights weren't on.

Alcina found your apartment to be empty and she narrowed her brows as she peered through your bedroom door from the balcony.

Something wasn't right.

Where were you?

A heat stoked in the pit of her stomach and she leapt from the building, stalking to the sidewalk as she landed, her eyes now aglow with gold and she released her vampire senses from their cage.

She would find you, no matter what.

She didn't care what was keeping you, but she wanted to know where you were and that you were safe.

~

You were about four blocks away at this point, zigzagging and cutting your way through places you'd never stepped foot in before. Most of these places you did not like, however you were on a mission.

As you dodged through some traffic across the street, you looked up to gauge your bearings and recognized where you were at now.

Ah, k. Two more alleyways this side, then straight shot down to home, you mentally noted.

You hoped Alcina hadn't shown up yet, and if she had you hoped she wouldn't be upset. Today hadn't gone your way and all you wanted to do was spend time with her.

Thoughts of her kept your exceptionally tired legs going and a smile on your face.

Except, it didn't last long.

Some druggie who was pilfering through a dumpster caught a glance of you passing by and immediately came after you.

It was too easy to tell he was high as hell, what on you literally didn't care, but he was hyped and out of his mind; mumbling garbled shouts about money and a dude named Greg.

He grabbed at your arms and started shoving you around, barking about money louder.

This wasn't the first time you'd had a run in like this, but you sure wished your last time had been the last. He was strong and sporadic, you were having a very difficult time trying to maneuver around him and make a break for it. You didn't bother trying to talk to or reason with the man, there was no point whatsoever.

However, your lack of response seemed to send him into a frenzy.

He began to claw at whatever he could on you, still yelling about money and Greg.

You heard ripping of seams on your jacket and shirt as you desperately tried to punch, hit, kick back and squirm out of his grip, but you were now colliding with the rough brick wall and your balance went out from under you. He landed right on top.

At this point you were shouting, half in frustration, half in futile hopes someone in Manhattan would give a fuck and come to help. Unlikely, but you were grasping at straws.

Your ability to fight was running out; he was fueled on by the substance and you weren't pure muscle; no matter the strength you had he was going to overpower you regardless, and was.

By the time Alcina had found you, the tension and panic in your scent was so strong it provoked the rage and anger erupting in her core.

You were in danger.

Your cries lead her directly to you.

In the darkness she could see the struggle taking place and fire ignited under her skin.

Blood-rage was about to be imminent.

Alcina's teeth began to elongate, ebony black pupils eclipsing the whole of her eyes. Her nails grew an inch and formed into claws sharp as razors. Vampires were deadliest in this state, and as much as she loved it, she hated it just as much.

Control went out the window during blood-rage. She feared her actions now that you were involved.

But Alcina thought no more of it. You needed her.

She lunged into action with a rumbling growl deep in her chest.

One last scream of utter rage left your throat. A black burst of wind washed over you and he vanished into thin air.

Scrambling up and away from the wall as quickly as you could, that familiar, calming scent of Alcina's perfume filled your space.

Oh my god, you huffed, catching your breath and stumbling back.

You could make out her tall figure crouched over his, limp and sprawled out on the damp alley concrete.

She rose like a terrible looming shadow, and while most people would be absolutely terrified, you were so grateful, and... something else. You couldn't put your finger on it.

Alcina was in front of you faster than you could suck in a breath, her strong hands on your face, then your arms, eyes gold once more and glowing like beacons in a dense fog.

"Draga mea!" she whispered, face contorted with her worry, "are you hurt?"

It was such a brief moment that you couldn't have been certain what you saw, but there was something very different about Alcina for a moment. Those beautiful eyes appeared to be entirely black at first, but then it could have been the light play in the shadows. Her aura held a new static that frazzled you. Regardless, you were fine and brushed it off.

Instead of answering you fell into her and wrapped your arms tightly around her cinched midsection, face resting perfectly on her chest, inhaling her perfume and closing your eyes. The relief of her being here threw everything else out the window.

Alcina was trying very hard to fight her rage back down. Her protective prowess was one of her greatest strengths and downfalls, as rationality and collected thought was shoved to the wayside when she changed. But when you fell into her, for the first time she can ever recall, her rage was soothed. How you possessed this uncanny ability to simply reach out and caress the blood thirsty, ravenous beast inside of her, soothing it into a purr was astounding.

She enveloped you with her own arms possessively. Her mind was cycloning with more emotions than she wanted to grapple with.

She was afraid when she found you.

Afraid you might be hurt, or worse.

"Please, tell me you're alright," Alcina spoke once more, not releasing you from her grasp.

"I'm ok, just a little rattled."

Your reply wasn't enough.

The abruptness of how she got you home was a complete blur, but here you both were, standing in your bedroom as she flipped on the lights.

Alcina's eyes scoured you over, noting the rips in your shirt, scratch marks from his nails clawing on your chest, neck, and arms. They weren't bleeding and for that she was grateful.

"Alcina," you tried as you watched her lift your arms and turn them over, tracing her long fingers over your wounds, which really weren't that bad, "I'm ok, really."

Her eyes finally sought for yours and she huffed loudly, nostrils flaring gently, "Minor as the abrasions are, you are not fine, how could you possibly be fine. You were attacked."

"It wasn't that bad, and it's not the first time - I'm alright."

"Don't - !" Alcina spat, catching her impending outburst, pulling her hands from you and balling them next to her head, eyes and jaw clenched in frustration.

You were a bit stunned by her reaction but didn't pull away, you gave her a second before you reached out and touched her arm.

Finally opening her eyes and dropping her arms, she looked at you with another brand new emotion.

She wasn't angry at you. You could tell. But, what was she?

"Please, don't downplay what happened," Alcina stated firmly, taking your hands in hers, her voice low and somber, "please... don't."

Humans were so foolish. They trifled with their mortality far too carelessly; that innate idiocy of feeling indestructible until the destructible actually happens. By then it's too late. But Alcina knew how fragile human life was, knew all too well. Human life was snuffed out by the smallest things, to even the strongest, healthiest, and most resilient. Life was more fickle than humans could ever grasp.

And you had come too close to that threshold for her liking tonight. Regardless of risk factor.

There was more she wanted to say but she was refusing to let herself. You didn't need to think much about your next actions. Snaking your arms back around her middle you settled into her and held on tightly.

"Hold me," you whispered, feeling her submit to your request, "I'm good. It was kinda scary. It sucked. But you came and I'm safe now, we're here."

How the hell did you calm her down so easily. It was almost annoying.

Alcina wanted to be upset, dammit. When she went into blood-rage there was no mellowing her for hours afterwards. But you, you tamed her like water to flame.

Alcina buried her nose in your hair and held you close. Yes. She liked this.

You were safe.

She would kill anyone who attempted to make it otherwise.

Eventually you both got on with the night. You changed and Alcina helped you apply some treatment to the scratches that were healing quickly anyway, and the two of you sat on the couch and just sort of regarded each other.

You two always had something to say to one another, but right now, basking in the silence together was so comfortable and warm. Neither of you felt like you had to talk. She held your hand and you couldn't help notice how often her eyes flicked to your chest where some of his nail marks could still be seen over your blouse.

You saw concern in those icy slate colored eyes.

Concern. Concern for you.

That was unexpected.

Stroking her arm with a slow stride of your hand you scooted a little closer.

"Thank you again, for coming to my rescue."

Your gentle smile beckoned hers without a question and Alcina sighed, "You're welcome... try not to be so drastic in your decision making next time. I will wait for you, and if not, I will always find you, you needn't worry."

Your brows perked up at her admission, "Always?" you inquired, hopeful.

She smirked, "Very, very likely," giving you a wink.

You couldn't help but admire how beautiful she was sitting here with you. She was your undead knight in shining armor and you loved it. Your life had taken such a turn. What a wild ride.

Inching forward just a bit more you carefully leaned in, watching and gauging her reaction. She didn't budge.

You pressed your lips to hers, feeling the instant connection dash down your spine and radiate in your pelvis. She felt so good. So good.

Alcina gave in to your advance, a tiny something tugging at the recesses of her conscience saying; maybe you shouldn't be doing this, only she slapped the tugging away and melted into your kiss.

The heat began to swell and your intoxication was becoming unbearable. Alcina swooned into your touch as you grasped for her face, deepening the intimacy. She had already had one overwhelming emotional tidal wave tonight, she didn't know how she would be able to control two.

The reaction in your body was purely primal as you felt Alcina reach for you, her hands splaying around your middle as you were nearly sitting in her lap at this point. God, you couldn't get enough of her.

She must have heard your thoughts because she did, indeed, pull you onto her lap.

Alcina's hands fell to your thighs as they straddled her hips, reaching around to grasp your backside and pull you just a little closer.

The closeness was broken only briefly as you both stole some air, the impetuous kiss resuming as Alcina drug her nails down your back.

You arched into the sensation, whimpering. In turn you sunk your fingers into her hair at the base of her neck and held tight, carefully sliding your tongue over her bottom lip. She allowed you entrance without a thought. You could feel the sharpness of her teeth against your lips and tongue. You didn't care.

She tasted like roses and red wine. It was enthralling.

And you? Vanilla and pomegranate. Alcina made a mental note to ask you about your chapstick.

The sultry groping and make out session continued until you were hoisted up into the air, your surprised eyes finding golden moons glowing fiercely, and then you were thrust down onto the floor on your back, Alcina directly on top of you.

You groaned in the best ways possible, this felt so good you could hardly contain the warmth and desire hot between your legs.

Her mouth went to your neck and you arched instinctively, nearly begging for her to bite you. Caught up in these sensations you wanted, needed, to feel her fangs pierce your flesh, feel her feed from you, give her all of you like you wanted to so badly.

But, she didn't.

Alcina was on the threshold she knew she wouldn't be able to return from, and while she could feel your silent begging she had to stop. Blood-rage still lingered in her veins and it would only take the tiniest spark to reignite it into an impetuous flame.

Her body almost gave out while she was perched on top of you, the painful aching in her teeth radiating throughout the whole of her. Fighting this was one of the hardest battles she had faced in a long time.

She wanted to, oh, how she wanted to. Your rapid heartbeat, pitter pattering swiftly through you was a swelling temptation Alcina wanted to snare. Badly. But for her it was too much, she didn't want you thinking you only were a pretty treat for a vampire. You were more, so much more. That might be why you scared her this deeply. Why tonight was rattling for her.

It was.

It was. She couldn't deny this.

She kissed your jawline gently, scooping you up in her arms and holding you motionless on the floor.

The sudden change had you feeling like a locomotive hitting a brick wall.

Why'd she stop?

You wrapped your arms around her, shallowing and slowing your breathing. Something was wrong. What happened?

After a few hard swallows and a lick of your lips, you leaned towards her ear, "Are you ok?"

Alcina did not want to answer that. The whole of the answer was no. No, she was not ok.

She was feeling emotions she shouldn't be feeling. Needing and wanting things she shouldn't or couldn't have, at the worst of times. Caught up in you, a human, tangling deeper and deeper in this web with every moment with you.

She had to stop. She didn't want to. But she had to.

"I... don't know if I can control myself. I don't want to hurt you."

That was a bold, quiet admission you were confident was difficult for her to make. The woman was nothing if not stoic, unchallenged, solid and sure of everything she did. She was questioning herself. Because of you.

There was little doubt, or care really, in your mind that Alcina could hurt you. And even if she did, would you care?

But then, this wasn't just about you. This was about her. You didn't want her to hurt, to feel guilt, or remorse. That was the last thing you ever wanted her to feel because of you.

You wrapped your arms around her tighter, accepting her retreat and understanding, somewhat, where she was coming from. You would honor whatever wishes she had.

"Ok," you responded softly, kissing the shell of her ear, "I understand."

How you were so compliant was shocking. How could you possibly understand? And yet, Alcina had no qualms that you didn't.

She released you, returned to a sitting position on her knees and peered down at you with an offered hand. You grabbed it and she pulled you up to sit. The way you crossed your legs and revered her with those beautiful eyes of yours made Alcina want to run away.

And stay.

Forever.

For the first time ever to saw the quiver in her hand as Alcina reached out to stroke your face. Every movement of hers you had seen up to this point was glacially smooth. She was shaking. Eyes deeper than you'd ever seen, reflecting a past she hadn't spoken of, shimmering glimpses of a pain very real and very strong. It hurt your heart.

You placed your hand over hers as it rest on your cheek and leaned into it, offering the smallest of reassuring smiles to her.

Alcina's eyes had not yet returned to grey. The vigorous need within her still brewing and fighting to say alive.

Though, it was odd. While her desire for you was nearly impassible, your ability to level the playing field by also calming and steadying her was... unnatural. She had never felt such strange things until you. Never before had a human been so quenching to her thirst and yet starving her all at the same time. You were very different. She wanted to know why, how.

The two of you reached a bridge that was almost crossed tonight. Both knowing without exchanging conversation, that when it was crossed, the bond that was forming would double in strength.

You both wanted this. That much was clear. But, silently, you both also better understood the severity of everything now.

The road before you was unclear, hidden, only to be revealed as steps were taken. That, in itself was terrifying to both of you. Moreso for Alcina. However, what was clear was that neither of you were stopping and turning back. How the pace would remain was only yet to be seen.