To Cut Blood Ties

Chapter 1: The Obvious Immortals

Present Day

Manhattan, New York

9:03 am

Alice glanced sideways at herself in the mirror in the elevator. She had been nervous last night, therefore sleep had eluded her. Dark circles stained underneath Alice's mismatched eyes, her freckles prominent. Turning away she grew closer to her designated floor. As the elevator dinger, she patted her unruly brown hair nervously before advancing forward.

She walked down the hall of the hotel, the corner of her lips turning up into a wry smile. No matter how high end the hotel was, it was always something out of a horror film whenever walking down an empty hallway. Alice kept an eye on the passing numbers. She wiped the palm of her hands on her pants to get the sweat off. As she rounded the corner she came to a halt. There was a man standing in front of a door. She didn't need to glance at the numbers to know that there was where she needed to be.

Resisting the urge to grind her teeth, Alice advanced. The movement caught the attention of the man, who turned his head to glance at her. And damn: even if his ears were pointed, and his eyes resembling violet orbs, the amount of energy leaking from his gaze and into her very skin is a dead giveaway that he isn't human and could he be more obvious?

She came to a halt a few feet from him, refusing to speak first. They had been the ones to chase her across the world and demand that she come to New York to meet with them. Whoever they are. Secret about everything but the fact that they employed elves as bodyguards. The annoyingly obvious but drop dead gorgeous (seriously why was his bone structure so on point) lifted one already arched brow and said, "You are Alicia Oswald, correct?"

"Yes," Alice winced at the use of her full name but figured that it wouldn't be a smart move to argue with an immortal.

"You're late," his modulated, husky voice embraced her while intentionally pricking her with his words.

She ignored his words, as he turned to open the door, propping it open with a broad shoulder to let her through. Alice walked through, again wiping her hands, as she moved into the room. The entry way was narrow with a mirror and a single door leading to probably a bathroom. It then abruptly expanded into a wide sitting area with white fluffy carpet, and white walls. Windows covered the opposite end of the room, the gold and red curtains pulled back. Modern, white furniture was assembled in the middle of the room, an archway leading to a bedroom to the right. On the other side of the room there was a giant, golden-framed mirror.

"Oh, you're here!" a bell-like voice popped up from behind Alice, startling her so much that her hands instantly curled into fists and she bit her tongue to resist the urge to make a noise. "Oops, I probably scared you didn't I?"

Alice turned at that and ogled. The woman in front of her wore skinny jeans with nude heels clinging to her feet. A frilled pink shirt hung on her torso, pale blonde hair slither down to her hips. But what caught Alice's attention were the claw-like nails and the red eyes with a hint of fang peaking between her lips. What in the...? An elf for a bodyguard and vampire in the hotel room? Who or what was Alice actually meeting with?

And then something really fascinating. The vampire's eyes flicked in the general direction of Alice's direction without actually focusing on her. As this realization hit her, the vampire's pink lips curved into a wide smile. The genuine warmth seeping through the gesture warmed the chill that crawled up Alice's spine at the sight of her fangs in full display. "Please sit because this is now starting to get awkward with you staring at me."

"Oh, oh my god. Shit, sorry. Yep, me sitting," she moved around the couch and sat down, the heat rising up from her neck to her face.

The vampire moved around the couch, her fingers dancing against the fabric almost as a guide. She took a seat on the opposite end of the couch with far more grace than any human could dream to accomplish. And it wasn't something that came with years of experience; it came with having an unnatural amount of power bubbling underneath the skin. And to harness that power, those gifted have to train their bodies with such precision in order to master it, that they become otherworldly in simple movements alone.

"So, Alice," the vampire had been holding a cup of coffee that escape her notice and set it on the table just in front of the couch. "I am Viola Fawx."

"Um, hi," Alice said after a moment, completely unsure of how to respond.

Another smile. "Apologies on the secrecy as to why you were brought here. But this is unofficial and we didn't want to attract attention. Especially since you have worked so hard over the past year to remain hidden, but also because your case is already closed."

"Case?" Oh, shit. Now the pieces fell together. This Fawx and the bodyguard were agents of the Paranormal Analysis Unit, the secret government branch that monitored all magical creatures within the United States alone.

"Now, you understand at least who it is that brought you here. While the case is closed, you were brought here to put the whole version of your story on record. This is for us simply; this won't be handed to the city where the case is still open for the humans. So you can be open and honest in this interview." Fawx leaned one arm against the armrest of the couch, keeping her back straight. Her other hand ran through her hair before throwing lock over her miniature shoulder.

"Alright, that shouldn't be too hard." Alice said with ease though her stomach flipped with the thought of reopening the vault of memories.

Fawx's red eyes danced around her again, as if sensing that Alice was uneasy. Her slightly softer she offered, "Are you ready to begin?"

A cold sweat broke across the skin underneath my hoodie, "Where do you want me to start?"

"The beginning. Or at least the beginning of the summer of 2016." Fawx tilted her head slightly before reaching to grab the cup of coffee that she had previously abandoned. Like a teenage girl, she crossed her legs and held her coffee between both taloned hands.

Alice could feel herself the erratic terror of the past begin to pull at her clothes like an impatient child. She ignored it and nodded, "Alright, we will start there."