zg_shadows | I’m not saying this did happen, but it could have…

It was a clear night, a cloudless sky coupled with the steady breeze conspired to ensure the air held a bitter touch to any who would venture outdoors. Most who had business on the streets moved at a swift pace to keep exposure down to a minimum. They barely even looked up or registered their surroundings except to avoid incident with another traveller. In short, it was the type of night where a stranger could vanish straight off a busy street and although they could be a mere few paces away no-one would be any wiser. There was such subconscious understanding of that fact, not every chill which ran down the spine could be attributed to the weather.

One of the figures who made their way through the night would perhaps have drawn more attention on a warmer night, and most certainly during daylight hours. She was a wonan in her mid twenties with pale skinned enough to stand out even during the depth of an English winter, accentuated by black hair that could never be her natural colour and clothes of near the same shade. The exception to that was her jeans which had faded to a soft grey. The heavy leather biker jacket ruled out the probability she was a Goth and the look was more reminiscent of the eighties than twenty-first century Oxford. Not only did she look different but her gait was at odds with most of the other pedestrians. Where they had shoulders hunched and wore a look as through on the brink of abandoning hope, she looked ahead with a steady and unyielding purpose. In a land of sheep she walked as the wolf.

The analogy was a poignant one. She suited the description of wolf well although it could be argued there were many of her associates who embodied the traits of that particular animal better. Still, it was with a predators stare that she stalked through the night. Her prey was in the area somewhere. Certainly there could be no guarantee of that but this was his turf and he had been in the vicinity at around the same time every night for weeks. Predictability got you killed in this game sooner or later… and her purpose tonight was to make sure it was sooner.

Even with sharp hearing trained upon the surroundings she almost missed the scream. It was there for just a split second before being cut off, but that was enough for a rough calculation of direction. Biting off a snarl she grinned. Chances were they prey had just made his most fatal error… well, most fatal since making himself an enemy of the Prince and a threat to the city in the first place. She didn’t approve of threats to her city and enemies of the Prince had already signed away their right to exist by being in that category in the first place as far as she was concerned.

It took her only a few minutes to locate the correct alley and stride into the depths as though she owned the place. The woman (5’7, late twenties, mildly overweight, just about pretty enough to be remarkable, high heels and short dress, easy meat) pinned against the wall was no surprise. Neither was the fact it was a man holding her there with one oversized hand. From the back she could almost have made the mistake that it was her target but then he turned and laid his deep brown eyes on her.

“Beth?”

Surprise and recognition filled his voice and in the deep, dark pit that remained of her heart she felt her emotions twinned. Clouded images long buried from her past lifted themselves to meet her conscious mind. Despite herself she remembered…

---

It didn’t matter now that he wasn’t the one she had been trying to find. Her old name upon his lips condemned him as gravely as that traitors deeds. His death would have to wait for another night. This one was meant to be dead. They all were. She was! No-one could be allowed to speak of what had happened. He would, she knew, if left unchecked he would spread the knowledge of her existence to every dark corner. Not only that but his very presence meant a threat to the city, to the Camarilla, to her Prince. Threats were there to be destroyed.

“How’d you do it Beth? How’d you survive?” Suddenly it was as though realisation struck and her tone turned bitter and angry. “You sell us out kid? You kill him? Who’s the one you’re pet to now huh? You ain’t capable of making it on your own, who’s holding the leash Bethie?”

She drew the blade from its sheath and struck with lightning pace. This one would not only be a duty to rid the city of its presence, this would be her pleasure.

---

The dust hadn’t even settled when she turned to the woman. In her terror the kine hadn’t even moved, just crouched transfixed at the ground where a moment ago a man had stood. Not really a man but this pitiful thing could not comprehend that. Only when the gloved fist closed around her neck did the woman divert her gaze.

“I’m not here to save you, you’ve already seen to much for that. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.” That cold voice didn’t sound sorry. Nor was the act one which reflected such emotion when she sank her fangs into the woman’s neck and savoured the sweet taste of blood running down her throat. It was hard to break away, and she did not feel full enough to want to, but knew any less would seem suspicious. Leaving the woman in the thralls of the kiss for only a moment she snatched up a shard of broken glass from the pavement. There was barely even a sound when she plunged the makeshift weapon deep into the same section her bite had been just moments ago. It was such a shame to see the blood surge down onto the ground… but regretfully needful.

She snatched the woman’s handbag up before dropping the near corpse roughly. For a split second her eyes fell to the spot where her brother had fell, but no trace remained of the dusted bone he had become. With the slightest of nods she turned and allowed the night to swallow her once more.