#vampire!vixx

The hustle and bustle of the place kept Lucky from being too interested in what they were doing as she didn’t want to bother the people working. But when they put her in an interrogation room for 5 hours, she realized that she really should have been paying attention. At first, they were innocent questions and stories about what she was doing prior to that night but then it turned into more rigorous questioning. It was as if they were trying to get some sort of confirmation out of her, identifying who everyone was but even she didn’t have that answer. 

“Detective Morris, I already told you for the fuckteempth time--I don’t know them!” 

Lucky huffed and leaned back in the cold metal chair that they gave her. The cop that was interrogating her smiled again and wrote some things down in his book. The man looked to be too perfect, from his hair to his teeth. She thought that he needed to be on the TV as a rep for some sort of beauty product or teeth whitener. It was unnerving and it made Lucky not want to talk to them at all. 

“Do you have any ties with the Inlustrus Clan? Have they not marked you yet?”

“What in the actual hell are you talking about?” Lucky shot back, finally angry enough to have an outburst with the line of questioning. She crossed her arms and stared down the detective as he continued to smile at her. A voice over the intercom called to the detective, forcing him to give up his line of questioning and leave the room. At that point, Lucky didn’t even know what time it was because she had been there so long. Even her own stomach was rumbling with nothing in it but coffee earlier that they provided. That was how she knew it had been hours since she had been there. 

After sitting there for a few minutes, the detective came back in and the expression on his face was everything but the perfect facade that he had on earlier. His face was more stern and ready to pop should anything else go wrong. Lucky shifted in her seat uncomfortably after seeing him and the moment that he slammed his hands on the table is when she went into a defensive mode. 

“You need to tell me everything! I know you’re holding shit back and I don’t have time to play nice with you anymore. You’ve been into the Inlustrus Clan’s manor, we’ve been watching! I need information on them so start talking or I’ll arrest you with obstruction of an investigation!”

“How can I be obstructing anything when you’ve literally told me that I’m here for my own safety?! Isn’t that like a felony or something? Get me a fucking lawyer, you prick and don’t ever talk to me again.”

Lucky spat back at him, chin raised and defiant. She stared him down as the minutes ticked by and finally gave in as he looked away at his watch. She kept her mouth firmly shut as he raged some more, hoping that he would scare her. However, it was one thing if she didn’t have a friend on the police force who didn’t already toughen her up to those sorts of things. Though, she did think it strange that he kept checking the time--calling out to see the status of something. If she could hold out for a little bit longer, whatever time that they were holding her on could possibly expire. 

That all changed when they dragged her to a cell and locked her up. Lucky screamed and kicked the entire way, forcing them to manhandle her. A busted lip, mark on her cheek and what felt like a crack in her right fore arm later--she was deposited into the cell as the rest of them ran around like the building was on fire. Cradling her arm, she tried to listen in on some of the words they were throwing around. She couldn’t see too well but from what she could hear, there was some sort of threat that was making its way to the building and they had to keep it from entering. 

The minutes flew by and Lucky wondered why the majority of the sounds had started to disappear. She didn’t notice that the air was starting to get colder or that there were less people around for her to hear. Just that it was growing quiet and the pain in her arm was getting more noticeable now that she had calmed down from her fight mode. 

Suddenly, there was a bunch of screaming and yelling. Lucky craned her neck to try and see what was going on but the moment that her hand touched the bars, she yelped and drew back from it as it was ice cold. Eyes wide, she could do nothing but watch as it sounded like a murder scene out there with people yelling and screaming as they were cut down by something out there. Then just as quickly as it left, the silence soon settled upon the precinct again. A low murmuring could very faintly be heard as whatever stepped in seemed to be talking with someone else. 

Cold started to creep into her bones, almost like someone had left a window open. Lucky huddled her knees to her chest, as if that would help but all she saw was one slender hand. One long fingered hand reached out and grabbed the bars, as if testing their strength. Her green eyes followed the hand up and she stared at another beautiful man. His eyes were that same golden hue that she remembered but they were almost like a cat as he gazed at her. She could see a bit of frost forming on the bars where his hand was, still gripping the steel. 

“You are Leonora, are you not?”

He didn’t seem bad, despite the warning inside of her head. Everything about this man just screamed death, a fallen angel that was ready to guide someone into the next life. Lucky winced at the sound of her given name, signaling to the other that she indeed was who she was. The man stepped back for a second, looking up as one hand still gripped the bars. He sighed, looking like he would rather be anywhere but there. Sighing again, he suddenly gripped the door with both hands and grunted. Frost accumulated on the door and it groaned, making him sigh in annoyance. One more jerk and the thing came clean off the hinges with him muttering about making the youngest do this job and not he. 

After propping the door up against the bars, the cat-like man reached inside his coat pocket for some gloves and put them on. Lucky watched this action, even jumping when the door came clean off with wide eyes. So last night wasn’t a dream, she figured. The man finished his grooming and held out a hand to her, staring holes into her face as he waited. He was as still as a statue, which lead her to believe that he wasn’t human. Not by a long shot. 

“If you are waiting on a greeting, I suggest saving it for the younger ones. I tire of standing and being here. Your presence is being summoned. I won’t wait all evening for you.”

Lucky edged off the bed, still eyeballing him. Would this really be better than the ones that threw her in there? She could already smell the copper tang of blood in the air and with the tilt of her head, see a stray hand or two as it lay lifeless on the ground. Covering her mouth, she shook her head because why did she want to accompany a murderer? The man sighed again before letting his hand down and stepping out of the way, showing her that he would not block her exit. Carefully and cautiously, she edged out of the room and still eyeballed him to make sure he would not move an inch. Which he didn’t, by the way. Only his eyes watched her, impassive and silent. 

“Why am I being summoned? Who are you...no. What are you?”

He gave a snort and finally moved, crossing his arms over his chest. Lucky didn’t have to look at him long to realize that there had been faint traces of blood around his mouth. She looked him full in the face before looking around him to see that the men were indeed dead and some of them had their throats ripped open. Her heartbeat quickened as she realized that he could be one thing, one that came out in the dead of night seeking blood. 

A vampire. 

Fear crept into soul as she took a step back from him, realizing that she was about two seconds away from getting eaten. Although, there were worse ways to go than to a handsome man if anything. However, she wasn’t about to try her luck. 

“Ah, the reclusive Leo. What a pleasure to see you here.” Lucky whipped around to see another man there, an easy smile on his face. “I don’t see many of your House on this side often, I welcome you on behalf of my sire.”

The man called Leo still didn’t move yet the stillness suddenly showed a tense air, as if he was waiting to pounce. The other cleared his throat before continuing, “Ah yes. The woman. We shall have her taken care of and--”

The man never got a chance to finish because Leo reached out like lightning to grab Lucky by the arm, putting himself between them. She yelped as he ended up grabbing the arm that was hurt. The aura seemed to shift around him, going from a tense vibration to something else. It was almost like a black mist formed around him and armed themselves like daggers. He spoke one very firm No and the man backed up, eyes wide. His face showed anger and a promise that he would attack if he dared to come over. She needed to learn that skill, to make people quiver in fear with one word. With that one word, the man gave a shaky bow and turned tail to run like his life depended on it. 

Lucky took a peek at Leo’s face and saw that it had returned to normal, back to the stoic form that she originally saw. Again, he held out his hand to her and turned his face away from her. He was murmuring again but she couldn’t quite pick up on what he was saying. 

“You are not safe here... “

His sharp eyes noticed everything: how you licked your lips after taking a sip from your mug of coffee, how your teeth grazed against your plump bottom lip as you looked over your notes, how you tucked the same strands of hair behind your ear when they’d fall into your face every few minutes -- and he counted the seconds between. Hakyeon did not miss one detail of your movements. He didn’t want to miss a detail, either. You were his mate, he could stare at you until the universe finally imploded and he wouldn’t get bored for even a millisecond.

Over time, he’d learned things about you. You’d been coming to the 24-hour cafe for a few weeks now since he started working there (three weeks and four days, but who was counting?) and he’d always wondered what the deal was. Why would some human show up almost every night to drink copious amounts of coffee? Well, the answer was simple: you worked the night shift since you were a student during the day. You went to college, then you worked all night. He didn’t know when you ever slept, though he didn’t see any signs of not getting enough sleep. Apparently you managed your time well, which pleased him. He liked that about you.

Over those three-ish weeks, Hakyeon had learned your major, your regular order, your job, your friends, and your overall living situation. And it wasn’t just from speaking to you, it was from following you. The imprinting pull made it easier than ever to find you, but he sometimes had to force himself to stay away.

Hakyeon, being an newborn vampire, had trouble controlling himself a lot of the time. He’d been getting better since he first turned just over a month ago, but the urges and instincts were still too strong sometimes. Especially with you. Your blood smelled the sweetest, you looked the warmest, everything about you appealed to him. You might’ve been his mate, but that only made the urge to taste your blood even worse because you were still human. But he always managed, no matter how close he felt to leaping over the counter just to sink his teeth into your soft flesh.

Sometimes he wondered if that was the reason for his obsession; his need to have you. Was it because he was a newborn so his instincts were so much stronger? Was it just because of the imprinting pull? Would it be like this even if he wasn’t a newborn? He didn’t know, but what did it matter? This was how things were, and they’d been like this ever since he started working here. For all he knew, it would stay like this.

Either way, you were going to belong to him one way or another.

The feet of your chair scraped softly against the floor as you pushed away from the table, putting your belongings in your bag before standing and slinging it over your shoulder. He watched your every move as you downed the rest of your coffee, his eyes zeroing in on the way your throat slightly bobbed as your head tipped back and you swallowed.

He unconsciously licked his lips, feeling his fangs start to poke at his tongue. What he wouldn’t give to just lick up the column of your neck before finally pressing his fangs into the soft skin. He bet you tasted sweeter than any kind of blood he’d had in his short time as a vampire. He would give his immortality just to have a taste...

“Thanks, Hakyeon!” you chirped, your musical voice pulling him from his daydreaming. “Have a good night!”

He sat up straighter from where he was leaning over the counter, his chin rested in his hand, “Are you leaving already?”

“Yeah, it’s almost midnight,” you chuckled.

“Time flies when you’re having fun, or something,” he muttered, glancing at the clock. It was fifteen minutes until midnight already, just as you said. But his eyes went straight back to you when he heard you walking toward the door. “Will you be okay?”

You paused as your hand pressed to the door, your head turning to face the cafe worker. He’d never asked you that before, “What do you mean?”

“Well,” he began slowly, “it’s just really late, and I know you don’t work too far from here, but I...just sometimes get...worried when you leave.”

It was the first time Hakyeon had ever admitted anything like that. Sure, it wasn’t maybe a big deal -- who wouldn’t get nervous for a girl walking around alone at night -- but he was still nervous about scaring you away somehow.

However, you gave him a soft smile, and he swore he’d be blushing if he could be.

“It’s okay, Hakyeon,” you told him. “I have to walk alone, anyway. I appreciate you worrying, though.”

As you pushed the door open and had one foot out the door, he blurted, “I can close!”

You stopped again, turning to look at him as he continued. You’d never seen Hakyeon this flustered before. Sure, he sometimes got a bit...twitchy, but he’d never been like this.

“I can close for a little bit to walk you,” he explained. “Hardly anyone comes in this late, so it’ll be fine. You work just down the street, don’t you? At that diner?”

You recalled telling him this before, one of the first nights Hakyeon had started working. The coffee at the diner just didn’t cut it for you. You’d found this little coffee shop just down the street -- it was the opposite way from where you came, so you’d never seen it before -- and you’d been coming here ever since. Then Hakyeon showed up, and since you had befriended the old night shift barista, you decided to talk to Hakyeon a bit to help pass time. 

He was always nice, albeit a little bit shy. He also had a thing about personal space, so he was always extra careful when giving you or any other customers that stopped by on rare occasions their coffees. He’d place them on the counter and make sure he got his hand away quickly before the customer got their cup. He was an odd character, but definitely interesting -- and good to look at, you’d admit.

Hakyeon was, well, pretty perfect-looking. His skin was completely flawless -- no wrinkles, blemishes or otherwise. His hair was dark, sometimes falling into his almost black eyes as he poured coffee into mugs and travel cups. His lips looked soft and were a pretty pink color that didn’t stand out too much from his skin, but still added some color to him. He was just a godly figure that you enjoyed peeking over at from time to time when you were bored of studying or when you were waiting for your travel cup of coffee before you made your way home.

You didn’t know it, but he always saw when you looked at him, and he swore his heartbeat somehow picked up. He swore on his immortality that you really did bring his dead heart back to life, and it grew stronger with every glance you blessed him with.

“Won’t you get fired?” you frowned slightly, not wanting to be the cause of Hakyeon losing his job when you’re only acquaintances, and he just got the job a few weeks ago.

He quickly shook his head, already discarding his apron and walking out from behind the counter to follow you, “Nobody will know.”

Due to the closeness of Hakyeon, you exited the shop, turning when your feet hit the sidewalk to see him flipping the open sign to closed before locking the door. He turned to you, a warm smile on his face as he pushed up the sleeves of his black sweater.

“Let’s go!” he chirped. “Wouldn’t want you to be late.”

“You know, you really don’t have to,” you told him even though your feet were already moving toward your destination with Hakyeon easily falling in-step beside you.

He just shrugged, jamming his hands into the front pockets of his jeans, “It’s fine, ___. You’re worrying too much about me.”

But truthfully, he was relishing the fact you were concerned for him. He didn’t think you’d really give a shit since he was just some barista you only shared small talk with -- though he knew more about you than you knew he did. Just the fact you worried over him was enough to make him want to grab your hand and whisk you away to his house and keep you there forever.

The fact he was so close to you wasn’t helping, either. His senses were attacked with everything you, and it was enough to have his cold heart racing as if he were a lovesick teenager. He couldn’t stand not reaching out to touch you, hold you, taste you. He just wanted you.

The two of you made small talk as usual until you reached the small diner. Like the cafe, it was open all night, and it was your source of income. But luckily, you didn’t completely hate the night shift. You had a few coworkers you enjoyed -- one more than the rest -- and a few regulars that you were kind of fond of. Besides, money was money, and if it got the rent paid...

Hakyeon’s heart dropped as soon as the two of you stopped in front of the door, his brown eyes looking up to the neon sign, “Guess this is your stop.”

“Wanna come in?” you offered, one hand already on the door handle. “Maybe get a burger or...a shittier, cheaper cup of coffee? It’s kinda cold out and maybe you could warm up before walking back?”

Hakyeon didn’t eat. He could do it -- he’d throw it all up later -- but he didn’t need to. However, he’d pretend all he had to if you were the one offering the gross substances to him. Especially with that sweet smile and those beautiful eyes looking up at him. Fuck, he’d walk to hell and back for you if you asked him.

“Sure,” he nodded.

You opened the door before strolling into the diner, the familiar scent filling your nose. Behind you, Hakyeon walked in and looked around tentatively. It smelled awful in his opinion because of the food, but he could still smell the wonderful scent of humans, so the scent was bearable.

A heavier, middle-aged woman was standing behind the counter where three men were seated a few seats apart. Even from how far away he was, Hakyeon could tell the name read “Mary”.

“Right on time, as usual,” she commented as you walked further into the diner, the boy trailing behind you. “Who’s your friend?”

You turned to look behind you, making sure Hakyeon was still following. As soon as you looked at him, his wandering eyes went right to you.

“This is Hakyeon,” you introduced him. “He works at the cafe I go to before and after work.”

“Ah,” Mary nodded before smirking toward Hakyeon. “Nice to meet you, stranger.”

“Hakyeon, you can go sit wherever you like,” you told him with a small smile. “I’ll be right over.”

He just silently nodded before going to sit in a booth over by the large one in the corner. You waked behind the counter and grabbed an apron from off the hooks.

“Is Minseok here already?” you asked, already knowing the answer.

Mary sighed with a nod, “Of course he is, ___. You know he comes in two hours before you do.”

“And leaves two hours earlier, too,” you frowned as you tied the strings around your waist.

Hakyeon’s eyes narrowed at the menu in front of him as he listened to the conversation. Who was Minseok and why did you want to know if he was here? You didn’t mention having a boyfriend, and he never saw anybody go into your apartment. Maybe it was just a coworker? Hopefully not one you were too close with.

You grabbed your notepad and pen before walking over to Hakyeon’s table, leaning against it with one hand with a natural smile he’d never seen you wear. You really were in your element in this place. The confidence you showed as soon as you were in your waitress uniform was something he’d never seen. He loved it.

“So,” you began with a toothy smile, your tongue poking out playfully, “anything you want?”

‘You,’ was all he could think, ‘you, you, you, you.’

“Burger sounds good,” his mouth said -- thankfully.

“How do you like that done?” you asked on instinct.

“Rare,” he said quickly.

“Still mooing,” you nodded with a chuckle, jotting it down, “got it.”

As you were writing, Hakyeon noticed a man in his peripheral vision. He was walking toward you, carrying a plastic tub of dirty dishes. As he walked by, he playfully slapped your ass, making you gasp and turn to face the culprit as he carried on his way.

“Minseok!” you giggled, your face turning a cute pink.

But it wasn’t a cute pink caused by Hakyeon, so he didn’t like it. Or the giggle. Or the way you looked at him, and the way your mouth curled around his name like it was your favorite thing to say.

Clearly, you were in love with this guy.

“Sorry, baby!” Minseok called over his shoulder, his shaggy, black hair falling into his eyes. “Couldn’t resist!”

As you turned to go after your apparent boyfriend, Hakyeon growled lowly to himself. How could his mate be in love with someone else? You were his and only his. He was the only one that could make you happy, not some short busboy! He was going to do something about it, but he had to act fast. He’d have to plan how to get you to belong to him, even if you didn’t want to. He knew what was best for you, it was in his instincts.

You reached the counter, giggling and joking with Minseok. You went to put the order on the line of them hung by wooden clips but you realized you forgot to ask what Hakyeon even wanted on his burger.

“Hey, Hakye--” you stopped, looking over to his table only to see that Hakyeon was gone.

-

Hakyeon took the next few days off to study you. He didn’t need sleep, so he could follow your every move. He watched you leave the diner that night, following you all the way home from the safety of the shadows. He watched you sleep after climbing the fire escape like he’d always done but this time maneuvering your window open to stand in the corner of your room. He followed you to school, and even watched you go to the cafe and study before going to work again. And he did that every single day for five days. He saw everything you did in between, from brushing your teeth, to getting dressed, to getting off at night with Minseok over the phone.

God, he couldn’t stand Minseok. He wanted him dead, and he wanted to be the one to do it. He wanted to enjoy the little show you put on for him unknowingly, but he couldn’t because it was with somebody that wasn’t him. He had to get rid of your boyfriend once and for all, and he would do it tonight, he just wanted to do it in a new way. He didn’t want to drink his blood and drain him of life -- why would Hakyeon want his blood in his system? No, he was going to do this another way.

You had worked your usual shift at the diner, but Minseok wasn’t in. He hadn’t been texting you, and Mary said he hadn’t even called out. You didn’t understand what the problem was. Had you done something wrong? Was he sick? You had no idea.

So, after work, you walked to Minseok’s house. You knew he would scold you for it -- he hated you making the short walk from the diner to your apartment building alone at night, let alone walking to his place -- but you had to know why he wasn’t answering you and why he didn’t show up for work. You had to make sure he was okay.

“Minseok?” you called upon entering his house with the spare key under the mat. “Minseok, it’s me! Are you okay?”

Despite the fact all the lights were on, the house was completely silent. Well, until you heard something clatter against the floor in the kitchen.

“Minseok!” you gasped, hurrying down the hall. But as soon as you saw the kitchen, you froze.

Everything was red. Blood was covering the floor, the cabinets, the counters, and the walls. There was a large pool of it surrounding Minseok, who was laying lifelessly on the floor. His eyes were wide open, the light in them completely gone. There was multiple cuts in his work shirt, which was completely covered in red as well. And beside him on the floor, was the knife that caused all of this.

But the scariest thing of all was the man knelt in front of him, shaking so badly he was practically vibrating. You watched as his hands clenched and unclenched as he just sat there, staring down at Minseok.

A hand shakily went to your mouth, wanting so badly to scream or cry or make some sort of noise for help, but everything was caught in your throat. You couldn’t believe this was happening, it all felt like some awful nightmare you would wake up from. But you wouldn’t wake up because you were already awake, and this was all reality.

The man on the floor suddenly moved, his head whipping around to face you. The first thing you saw were the bright red eyes at looked at you wildly. But then you finally took in the features, recognizing Hakyeon, his face and body covered in Minseok’s blood. His mouth was open, letting out jagged breaths. You could see sharp fangs that poked his bottom lip.

“W-Wha-- Ha--” you couldn’t even form words, not knowing what to say. You couldn’t wrap your head around any of this as tears dripped from your eyes, down your cheeks, and off your chin onto the floor.

“You don’t belong to him,” he said, his voice deep and sultry which contrasted his appearance. His hair was sticking out in all directions, and his shirt was torn and stretched and wrinkled. Yet his voice was so steady. “You belong to me, ___. I didn’t want to share.”

“I-I’m not yours,” you whispered, shaking your head. You didn’t even understand what this had to do with anything. “Hakyeon, I-- I want you out of this house.”

“No, you’re mine!” he insisted, standing up and getting in front of you so quickly that you didn’t even see him move. His hands gripped your upper arms so tightly it was uncomfortable. You squirmed to get away but he didn’t even struggle or flinch. “You are my mate, ___; you belong to me!”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” you cried, just assuming he was crazy. But between the weird eyes and how cold his skin was against yours and the fangs, you could already make the assumption. But you thought it was all fairytale bullshit. “Hakyeon, this doesn’t make any sense!”

“Don’t play dumb,” he growled threateningly, “I know you know what I am now. I imprinted on you, and you’re my mate. Minseok was just in the way.”

“No!” you continued to violently thrash in his hold. “I don’t want to be! I don’t want you!”

“You can’t deny me or I’ll die.”

“Then rot in hell!”

Hakyeon’s eyes narrowed, his nails digging into your skin so hard it made you bleed. You whimpered, continuing to try to fight him as you shouted for help, but you didn’t know if anybody could even hear you.

“I’m not dying,” he snarled. “You’re either mine, or you’re nobody’s.”

Before you could say anything else, you felt a sharp pain in your neck. You had merely blinked, and Hakyeon’s face was buried in the crook of your neck, his teeth sinking deep into your flesh. You cried out, shoving against him, but he easily held you in place.

The taste of your blood was even sweeter than he imagined. He practically moaned at the taste, drinking, drinking, drinking to his heart’s content. He swore his heart was swelling just from the taste of his mate’s sweet blood. It was addictive. He couldn’t stop.

He couldn’t stop.

Still being a newborn, he couldn’t control himself. His lips never left your neck, even as you grew weaker and weaker. Your hits and shoves became nothing more than light jabs and pokes before you started to go limp in his hold. But fuck, he couldn’t stop. You were too delicious, and his newborn instincts pushed him to go until he couldn’t go anymore.

And so he drained you of your blood, and your life. But he wouldn’t die, and nobody else could have you.

“Well since we know what you are, I suppose we could indulge.” The one that was speaking was a tall thing, long and lanky like he hadn’t had a proper meal in months. Sharp, dark red eyes with some darkness underneath it. The other one was shorter than him with some plumpness to his cheeks and she realized that the carefree attitude that they both had was just a ruse for her. Anger colored her body as she readied herself to fight, with everything she had. 

“We are vampires and you? A simple mortal with a few special abilities--” 

Laoise shut him up after softly crooning out a word. A fireball blasted him in the face, knocking him backwards to the ground. Her hand slowly oozed out blood as she held it out from the aftermath of throwing the fire. The vampire that had been talking screamed and clawed at his face, the smell of burnt flesh starting to waft about in the wind that had started to pick up. She raised another hand and the flames that were just about extinguished suddenly jumped back to life as they engulfed the vampire. Soon he was nothing but a mess of ash on the concrete as the other vampire stood wide eyed at her. 

“Yes, I am a simple mortal but I’m not one to be fucked with.” The other vampire bared his fangs at her but someone had materialized behind him. The man was just as lanky as the previous one but he looked much older than his skin looked. It was the eyes that Laoise watched, those pale grey eyes that studied her just as much as she did him. He moved to the vampire that was prepared to attack her and grabbed his shoulder, making him cry out loud. He was forced down to his knees by the new man and once he was satisfied, he then stood in front of him. 

“You clearly are one of the Pythonissa, a grade above the regulars that practice Wicca in this day and age. I am Bastian, leader of this small group of vampires. The one cowering behind me is Christopher and on behalf of our Coven, I would like to apologize to you.” 

He bowed to Laoise, who was just as surprised as the one called Christopher. She backed down and continued to keep everything just at the tip of her fingers. 

“Ok… so what the hell were two of your minions doing attacking us like this? Don’t you guys have like… rules or something?”

“Don’t you worry your head about it, Pythonissa. I will attend to them accordingly, you may go now.”

Laoise bristled at being told to leave but she had no choice if she wanted to keep the peace. They were already on the ropes so there wasn’t any need for her to stick around. Plus she had to find Lucky. The fact that she hadn’t heard any sirens bothered her because she should have been able to call someone by now. The whole thing seemed super suspicious to her from the start, when the vampires arrived but with them around and Lucky gone--a pit of worry gnawed at her stomach as she turned around. 

She pulled out her phone to call the woman but after a few rings, it went to her voicemail. Laoise’s instincts were hardly ever wrong and that time, she had a very bad feeling.

Lucky ran with everything she had, trying to get distance from whatever they were. However, when she could no longer hear their sounds--she stopped. She would have taken the motorcycle had she known how to drive it but it was no use now. She had her phone out and ready to call the police, looking around for any street signs to tell them where she was located. 

However, the streetlights flickered as they drew her attention. 

She noticed a little shop that was just now closing and the neon lights flickering along with the streetlights. There was no one in sight and the sense of danger was still going strong, despite the area looking empty. It almost was eerie, the way that everything seemed abandoned and quiet as if it was winding out after a long day. As she walked up to the store, her fingers dialed the numbers but everything was knocked out of her hands when a sudden push threw her into the window.

A hand was on her throat and a body was in front of her, looming over her small stature. And it wasn’t just one being, there was another that she could see come out of the shadows with a neutral look on his face. She cried out as she felt the pain hit her and the window start to crack from the pressure he was exerting on her body. Trying to kick him, she tried to get him off of her as her hands grasped his wrist but it did nothing for the situation.

The guy was one of the ones she saw earlier with Laoise and a lance of panic washed over her, fearing for her friend. He was much stronger than her, that much was certain just by the unwavering grip that he had on her. Lucky couldn’t break free, no matter how much she tried to twist and turn. Even digging her nails into his skin, breaking the surface from how viciously she was trying. The guy just smiled before smashing her back into the windows even more mercilessly than before. The window cracked and dug into her back, cutting the bare skin that was showing. 

“This is the smell from before, Christopher. I wonder what she was doing there with the Dominus?” 

Now the warning tick was a full blown alarm as the questions swirled around in her head. Or was that just the lack of air? Just a weak little sound and she started to see spots, the edges of her vision starting to dim. The man holding her suddenly drew her close to his face, eyes glowing like they had before. Lucky figured she had one good hit left in her, so she summoned the rest of her strength to kick him full in the face with everything she had. What surprised the man the most, was the fact that she had that much in her and he dropped her in response. The other man didn’t even wait until she hit the ground before kicking her right back into the windows, sending her straight through it. 

Lucky landed on the floor, making the owner of the place scramble from his place to go to her aid. She gasped gratefully for the air, ignoring the sharp pain in her side from where she was kicked. There had been a good chance that she had broken a few things with that action. The owner had his own phone out and was talking very fast into it before a hand went right through his chest. She opened her mouth and screamed as loud as she could, hoping that someone could hear her over the phone.

However, that didn’t last long due to the other man reaching for her. He snapped his hand out to place a firm slap on her face. Though, it wasn’t just a firm slap to her as it sent her to the ground again. The new man licked the blood of his fingers with a sick smile on his face but after doing so, he paused. The two of them looked at each other before looking back at her, wide-eyed. 

“This blood--”

“Well, that wasn’t very nice.”

A third voice rung out, making the two whip around. Lucky struggled away into a corner, away from the lot of them She could see the newcomer’s nose flare as he narrowed his focus on her. Even still, he still had a bit of baby face as he looked around and kicked some of the glass around. One of the men seemed to shimmer and had disappeared into thin air, making Lucky question her sanity while the other one bared his teeth at the newcomer.

“What can a fledgling do to me?”

At the last word, the newcomer disappeared. The man that had previously been hounding her--quite literally lost his head. It rolled over to her feet and even though it turned to ash, Lucky screamed again as she grabbed for whatever she could find to defend herself. The pain and the adrenaline had been the only thing keeping her going as her hands grasped a bottle.

The man appeared again in her sight, smiling at her with that cute grin on his face. If she were to die, she supposed, Lucky wouldn’t have minded it then with him around. He frowned a little at the pained sounds she was making, nostrils flaring again as if he was trying to hold himself back from doing something. 

“Aw man. They’re all gonna kill me but I can’t just leave you here! You’re bleeding and I can’t control myself well so I’mma take you somewhere safe for now. Plus you saw what happened so maybe I could get Ravi to do something to you.”

Before she could do anything else, the man scooped her up as gently as a box of rocks. Lucky couldn’t help another sharp yelp as her side continued with the piercing pain but her instinct was to bring down the object she had in her hands down on his head. He gave her an alarmed look before trying to be gentle getting out of the building. The object shattered on his head like she had hit it against concrete, cutting her hand in the process. 

“Uh… please don’t make yourself bleed more. It’s already hard enough being near you. I’m gonna run so if you get sick, then turn your head.”

Laoise shook her head at the scene before her. One of her best friends had been sitting on the floor in just a large tee and underwear as she stubbornly tried to fix the mess she had made. She knew that with her being home so much now, it was going to drive her crazy without something productive to do. So she watched as Lucky spiraled into unfinished projects and hair pulling as she sent out mass emails about jobs. Eventually, the detective decided to put matters into her own hands. 

“Leonora Anita Grant. I want you to take a shower, do your hair and put on some clothes because I’m taking your ass out.”

She gaped up at the taller woman, paint all over her face as she tried for a rebuttal but Laoise wouldn’t have it. It was one thing to try and stay busy while playing the waiting game but another entirely when the whole thing stressed everyone out. 

“I don’t want to hear it. You get your lucky little ass in there or I’m going to throw you into the shower.”

“At least take me to a place where I can get a decent burger!” Lucky relented, laying out her terms of the outing. 

Laoise smiled, dark eyes twinkling as she thought of the perfect counteroffer. Lucky looked up at her with her light colored eyes wide and the most expressive pout on her face. She leaned over to whisper to the woman on the floor as if she was divulging some sort of secret that would get her killed.

“I’ve got one better, sug. There’s a street food vendor near the bar where I wanna take you and they have the best tacos.”

She’d never seen Lucky move that fast in the years that she’d known her. That thought did lead her to reminisce about how long they’d known each other. They met some time ago at a bookstore where she witnessed Lucky nearly kill herself by trying to get some of the top shelf books. When she stepped in to help, she realized what books she was trying to get. They chatted for quite a while about practicing magic and how it related to their world. Of course, she never quite told her why she was so interested in that subject--only that she had experience. 

From there, they got along fairly well. They both came from similar regions, missing their hometowns and even helping each other get settled in their places. Granted, they worked too damn much sometimes but they at least made time to get together every once in a while. Her job as a detective had definitely taken up the majority of her time while Lucky’s had just been demanding for fuck’s sake. However, they both needed the outing more than anyone and as a way to recharge, they were going to get drunk and get tacos. 

Laoise sat on the couch, listening to the shower as she waited. It wouldn’t take too long for her to get ready but it was long enough for her to pull out her phone and answer some late-night emails that were sent out. Mainly things that they needed to touch base on and leads that some of them had for different cases. Her own personal case was something of a challenge for a number of reasons. She was a woman and a person of color in the police force. Some of the gangs that had taken root in the city even laughed at her--until she knocked some out of them. She just wanted answers and those answers led her to that city.

Where she was fortunate to meet her best friend. 

“That must be an important piece of work.”

Laoise blinked and realized that Lucky was standing before her, dressed and ready to go. She had opted for something simple and stylish, braiding her hair back to create one lethal thick whip. When she did her hair like that, Laoise almost cringed as she remembered being hit with it by accident. Since then, she made strides to not have that happen again. She never really did pry into the reasoning why Lucky kept her hair so long but the longer their friendship went on, she found herself wondering more and more. 

“So, are we heading out or can I just get tacos?”

“Get out of the door, missy.” She pointed at the door, laughing along with her. 

The ride wasn’t too far, even on the hog that she owned. The hog was a Can Am Spyder F3, large and in charge just like her. The beast she had saved up for was well worth the price and she treated it just like her baby. Everyone at her precinct knew when she was there because the bike would just barely fit into the motorcycle parking but would be shocked at how quiet the motor was. Plus she also had a look for anyone who would try and rib her about the beast. She ran circles around the cops on cycles and there were no shortage of people who wanted to test her on that. Everyone turned to look at them both when they dismounted, hardly believing that two women just blazed right in there on a motorcycle. Laoise loved that feeling, the disbelief of a tall black woman getting off the bike. It stroked her ego just ever so slightly. 

The Tipsy Dog had some good reviews, even from her Sergent so she decided to give the place a try. She stalked up to the bar while Lucky found them a place to sit. The large building had a lot of seating but the majority of the people were moving around to the beat of the music. She moved around easily around the bodies to deliver the brightly colored drinks to her friend who had chosen to get out of the way of the people. 

Lucky gave her a confused look when she set the drink down in front of her. Laoise laughed at her and gestured for her to take the drink while she tipped her own up to her lips. The fruity flavor exploded in her mouth, washing out the taste of alcohol as it went down. They both laughed when they looked at each other a few sips in. They sat back and talked for the majority of their first drink, preferring to relax. The drinks started to flow and they grew more hyped up as the night went along. By the third drink of equally bright colors, they were starting to feel the buzz from the liquor. 

“Get tired of dancing, ladies?”

Both of their heads whipped up to see a couple of guys smiling at them. Laoise would have laughed along with them if it wasn’t for the fact that the hairs on the back of her neck were standing up. They had just sat down from a round of dancing and refreshments when the voice was heard. She could feel her buzz being killed with each syllable that was spoken.

Plus, there was something about them that she didn’t quite trust and she always trusted her instincts. 

“Yeah, it’s gettin’ kind of busy out there anyways.” She responded, hoping that they would just lose interest with her short response. 

However, their grins got even wider as Lucky piped up with her small talk as well. She frowned when they offered to get them more drinks, knowing that she didn’t trust anyone else with bringing her a drink in a crowded nightclub like that. There were too many variables in that situation and she wasn’t about to risk a doping incident--not when there were reports of people going missing in the city. 

“Sorry fellas, but we gotta get going. Early morning shift and all.” She announced, grabbing Lucky and hauling her away. When she looked back, however, she saw that the two guys were standing still where they had left them--the grin etched on their faces but their eyes oddly glowing in the light. Whether or not it was the lighting of the club, Laoise wasn’t having it that night. 

Plus she had promised Lucky tacos.

Leaving her motorcycle parked where it was, they headed down to the taco truck. Like she had said, it wasn’t far from where the club was located and it offered a great riverside view for everyone there. They talked animatedly as they stood in line, waiting for their turn to order a scandalous amount of food. Though the edge from meeting the two strangers had mostly worn off, Laoise couldn’t help but to think back at their eyes. She hoped, since moving there, she had left a part of that life behind her but now her suspicions were rising. Reminders of her own personal case started to make more sense the more she thought about it.

Laoise wasn’t quite sure, but going to the club that night seemed more like providence than anything. Even if it was to relax and unwind from all the crap that had been going on. Or possibly, she was still unnerved by what happened. 

“So, you got any positions there at the Station? I’m a hard worker and awesome at clerical or administrative duties.” Lucky grinned at her once they sat down at one of the tables that had been set up for the evening. 

Laoise pursed her lips and didn’t respond to her, making her friend laugh. If only she could hire her to do all that paperwork that she was constantly saddled with.

The wind started to pick up a bit, blowing over the river that they sat next to as it created a semblance of calm. The twinkling lights from the city and the stars reflected all around them;  people passing by were growing fewer and fewer. They sat there, eating and talking until the taco truck’s lights went out. It was a signal that they were closing up shop for the night. Laoise was sober by that time while Lucky still had a couple more hours to go.

“You know, I think I did have some fun tonight.” Lucky commented as they walked back to Laoise’s motorcycle. 

“Well good. That was the point of the night.” She looked down at Lucky who had her hands on her head as she walked. 

The beast in question was in view and it gave Laoise a moment of relief seeing it. She always worried about someone stealing it but not enough to where she couldn’t track them down. She was, after all, a detective at a precinct. 

“You know what would be more exciting?” She gave Lucky the side eye as they approached the bike, knowing that her friend was about to say something off the wall. “If a handsome man came swooping in and was like I’m here to save you.”

“The fuck? Are we in danger?” Laoise laughed as they reached the bike, bending over to pull out a helmet for Lucky. “I don’t have to flash my badge to scare anyone because I am a 6’1” black woman. Who is going to mess with us?”

“Well…only us, I suppose,” came a voice from behind them. 

Both girls turned around to see the two strangers from earlier, eyes still glowing despite the lack of fluorescent lights around them. Laoise immediately walked in front of Lucky and stared them down but before she could say anything, they spoke again. 

“Yes, we know what business you are in and that doesn’t affect us at all. We have a different set of rules than someone of your caliber, Witch.”

“Lucky, run as far and fast as you can and call my station.” 

She started to protest but saw that Laoise was taking off some of the bandages on her hands. The tone in her voice brooked no argument, a stark contrast to earlier. She wasn’t playing any games and knew how she was going to deal with them while Lucky got away. All she heard was the sharp huff and the sound of her friend running away. She grinned at the pair, drawing herself up to her full height.