Althea stepped into the lamplight, her blonde tresses shining in the glow. Her ruby lips quirked in a half smile, her fangs poking out over her bottom lip. Her blood-red nails were sharpened into claws. She sauntered forward toward Evan and I and crossed her arms over her ample chest. Her tight black leather outfit clung to her curves.
"Well, look who we've found tonight." She sang. Her melodious voice echoed throughout the alley.
"A couple of dirty traitors."
"What do you want, Althea?" I snapped, tapping my foot impatiently. It was always like her to play with her food.
"Lissie, darling." She purred, walking up to me. She ran her sharp nails down my cheek, staring into my eyes. I bared my fangs at her and hissed. She laughed. "You know, people are looking for you. You've caused quite the stir in our little world." She rubbed her chin thoughtfully.
"What do you want?" I snapped. She took back her hand and licked her lips.
"I think Athena would like to see you." She nodded to the men behind her. They spread out, unsheathing their Malachi daggers from their belts. They started circling toward Evan, trying to surround us. I began circling with Althea. She examined her nails nonchalantly. I gripped my daggers and spun them in my grip, holding them aloft in a pose ready to strike.
Althea bared her fangs and lunged forward. Gripping my hair, she yanked my head back. As she reared her head back to strike at me with her fangs, I thrust my arm forward, slamming my dagger hilt into her solar plexus. She groaned and doubled over, clutching her chest. I spun, tossing one of my daggers at the man approaching Evan. It embedded in the back of his neck. He tilted forward and fell to the ground. I ran to retrieve the dagger.
Althea had straightened. She ran toward me again. I sighed and watched her approach. She kept going for direct charges, flailing wildly with no coordination. I met her charge. Gripping the back of her head, I threw her toward the wall of the alley. She slammed against the concrete and spat out a little blood. She huffed.
"Focus on her!" She called to her henchmen. They shifted away from Evan, who had been using his own daggers to bait them in a circle and keep them at bay. They turned toward me and surrounded us. I hissed and gripped a hunk of Altheas hair in my clawed fist. I yanked her around and placed my claws at her throat.
"Stop or she's dead." I said, an icy chill in my tone. The men stopped moving. Althea struggled and kicked in my grip. I squeezed her shoulder down with my free hand, bruising the collarbone. She groaned and stopped moving.
I met Evan's gaze over her head. He gave me a subtle nod. I sighed, looking down at her. Was I really going to do this? I made a promise. I yanked her head further to the side, and like a snake, my fangs struck into her neck.
Her blood flowed into my mouth. She screamed in outrage and began clawing and scratching at my arms. I held her still and cringed as the barrage of memories assaulted me. I searched through the memories like computer files. Seeking an answer.
There! Written on a piece of paper, an infiltration plan of the Sector 01 Hunter cells residential unit. Althea, Athena, and the generals standing around an oak desk. The sinister smiles of the male vampires present. Something written in big letters on the front page on the desk stood out to me. It read "Source — INFORMANT".
The images coming to me were garbled, hard to make sense of. A doorway, a long hall. Screams, spatters of blood. Children, hugging themselves and crying for their parents. An empty mansion, except for one lone woman…
A male vampire grabbed me from behind. He ripped me away and threw me against the alley wall. I crashed with a thud. Blood from my victim, trickling down my lip. Tearing me away caused my fangs to tear Altheas throat. She kneeled on the ground, clutching at her neck to stall the bleeding. My vision was foggy, everything was spinning. I stood and shook my head to clear the haze.
Evan was grappling with one man, matching him slice for slice. Stopping and parrying his attacks with his daggers. His speed and strength were impressive, to match the vampire's movements, but he was tiring. His movements were slowing. The vampire slashed at his arm, and Evan hissed in pain.
I turned toward the two remaining men who stalked toward me, holding their daggers. One charged at me, wrapping his hand around my throat as he squeezed. I grasped at his hands, trying to pry his grip loose. I heard Evan hiss again in pain and I saw red. Fury filled my mind and the warmth of the anger coursed through me. The hands that gripped his arm burned. Flames licked from my hands and spread to him. Singing his arm, he screamed, and the fire grew, growing up his clothes. It continued to burn, no matter how he patted at it. I smiled. Balefire.
The flames slowly consumed his body. He screamed as he kneeled on the ground, his body shrivelling into a blackened husk. The remaining man growled, raising his arm to throw his silver dagger toward me. He launched it.
A shadow burst from the mouth of the alley, knocking into the vampire. A guttural snarl filled the alley, and suddenly the vampire's head was separated from his body, blood spraying across the wall. It threw the limp corpse off his body like a rag doll.
Standing in the pale rays of the moonlight was Alec. His silver eyes alight with fire and fury, his corded biceps bulged from beneath his black T-shirt as he crouched in a fighting stance. He extended his fangs, and full lips twisted in an avenging snarl. His raven hair shone blue in the moon's light. He stalked to Althea, lifting her by her bleeding neck, and held her aloft, snarling in her face. He bared his fangs.
"Wait!" I said, running forward and placing my hands flat against his strong back. I felt the strain of the muscles there. He froze, his gaze flickered to me.
"She hurt you. She was going to sell you out!" He growled. His voice layered and demonic. I rested my forehead against his back, hoping to soothe him.
"There's been enough killing tonight. She's harmless now, let her go." I said. He frowned.
"She will tell Athena about you." He said. I nodded.
"Let her go." I mumbled. Killing her in the streets just seemed wrong to me. Alec nodded and released his grip. She fell to the ground, sputtering. She hissed at us and span on her heel, running off into the darkness.
I turned to Evan, who was wiping blood from his arms and sheathing his daggers. He had a scratch on his face, marring his cheek. Blood seeped down from the wound. My eyes fixated on the trail of blood. The sweet scent permeated my senses. I blinked and shook my head, trying to ignore the rising hunger within me.
"You need to feed." Alec's voice boomed behind me. Evan's head snapped up. He caught my gaze, and his eyes widened. He wiped at the blood on his cheek. I blushed and looked away, nodding to Alec stiffly. Thanks for pointing it out loudly, Alec. I placed my daggers in my belt.
"I'm going to seek a meal." I said stiffly, turning toward the exit of the alley. Evan stiffened, his lip curling in disgust. He looked away from me. Sighing, I ran my fingers through my hair. I need to feed, it's a fact of my existence. I can't get hurt every time he looks at me like a leech. Feeding from a vampire doesn't quench the bloodlust and thirst like human blood does.
"I'll see you back at the motel." Calling over my shoulder, I lowered myself to jump to the roof of the alley next to us. I saw Alec lunge down to jump and follow me. Ignoring him, I continued on my way out to get some food.