Morgan Sinclair
Scarlett already made her way to the den in Soho we all agreed to meet at, texting me her contact for cleanup before she left. After putting on a more hunting appropriate outfit- which is pretty much anything but a dress. I walked to the back entrance of Victorias palace to where Jesse, and Victoria and Pierce stood. Pierce managed to convince her to go out. As for convincing her to hunt with all of us? Absolutely not.
"Thank God." Victoria whines.
I flip her off as I walk down the stairs and my eyes go directly to Jesse. "Let's go." I walk off in a hurry wanting to get far outside of Victoria's city as quickly as possible.
We finally pass through the barrier around her city. And my irritation grows with every step knowing Jesse walks in back of me. His footsteps even sound annoying to me. When we get into NYC- it'll be easier there. I can tell cleanup a specific block... it'll be easier.
He quickens his steps, now walking side by side. "I think that Olivia bitch is into me so I won't be going home with you." He laughs smugly. "Sorry to disappoint."
"Oh no," I react dramatically. "You mean I won't get 30 whole seconds of mediocrity tonight?"
"Fuck you." He snaps.
My face drops. I stop in my tracks, planting my hand on Jesses chest to stop him too. "You guys go ahead I have to have a little conversation with Jesse." I say at Victoria and Pierce.
"No I think we'll stay." Victoria sighs, planting her feet and crossing her arms.
"Are you sure?" Pierce says low.
"Mhmm." Victoria answers.
I shrug. "Fine." I turn my head to Jesse's scowling face. "What is your purpose?"
He looks confused. "Excuse me?"
"Exactly. I can't seem to remember either."
"My coven does a lot for you. Not to mention the glamours." His eyes flick down at my arms.
As if I didn't already want to kill him. Lets see if he can save the rest of his coven. "You keep fighting with these other covens. Your coven is responsible for the majority of the bloodshed in my territory yet me and my people are being blamed for it. Dragged into it."
"It's not just your territory."
"It's not just yours either. But since vampires are the easy scapegoat I have to work overtime because of your fuck ups."
"How do you know it isn't your people?"
"My people are in check." I snap. "My people aren't fucking idiots fighting with several covens who are infinitely more powerful than them- pissing off demonic witches Jesse? Are you suffering from brain damage or have you always been this dumb?" He rolls his eyes at me. "You're becoming more of a problem than you're worth."
"You won't touch me, you need me. My people practically run your dens, your clubs-,"
"You fail to understand just how replaceable your coven is." I say before stepping away from him. Just need to get to Manhattan it'll be easier to get people to get rid of a body there.
I hear him scoff. "Yeah just keep running your mouth- all bark, no bite huh?" He says forcing me to halt. Suddenly whether or not it's easier to get to a body in a nondescript location in the woods or a specific block in Manhattan is of no concern to me.
I turn on my heels. "Other way around." In my peripheral Victoria rubs the bridge of her nose while Pierce chuckles and shakes his head.
I punch through Jesse's chest, his eyes widen while my hand grips his heart. "I'll be sending the rest of your coven to meet you shortly." He gags on his own blood and can't work through his own pure shock enough to think of a spell or do anything to defend himself. I tear his heart from his chest. His lifeless body falls to the foliage covered ground as I let go of his heart. Kneeling down next to him, I wipe my bloodied hand on his shirt then once it's clean enough I stand and continue walking.
"I'm pretty sure I said no bloodshed." Victoria says as I pass her.
I face her, stepping backwards. "I'm pretty sure you said no bloodshed in your city. We're outside of it." I motion around us, before walking off.
*****
Sitting in a large corner booth I take back two of the shots sitting in front of me as Victoria feeds on a bleeder and Pierce is sat next to her. "See you needed a night out." Pierce tells Victoria as she pulls back from the wrist of the bleeder.
She wipes the corner of her mouth and hands the bleeder a couple hundred dollar tip while Pierce returns his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. "I don't mind this. Not the hunting thing they're all doing." She likes going out but only really to the bars within her city. Says it's nicer to walk there and back as opposed to the upwards of an hour it takes to get back from NYC.
"You used to love it." Pierce says and my eyes widen as Victoria's narrow. "You hunting is how we met."
"Right but now as an 802 year old woman, I have no interest in stalking about Manhattan to hunt when I can come to a place like this." She waves her hand around at the bleeder den we're in.
I take back the last shot I have in front of me then ask, "What about for old times sake?"
"I've had my hunting phase, I'm over it."
"Ah leaving it to the youngins, grandma?" I tease and Victoria flips me off.
Pierce cackles, "I'd go hunting with you, Rayo."
"Maybe when it's just the two of us and I'm not on the verge of strangling everyone staying in my palace right now." Victoria picks up her drink.
"Call me if you guys ever do, I'll fly over." I say to Pierce, he nods at me with a smile plastered on his face in direct opposition of Victoria's deadpan look. "I'm gonna go get another drink."
Alone at the bar I order a straight martini. I relish in the peace and quiet. I don't mind talking to Victoria and Pierce, or Scarlett, or Reid and them because they don't ask anything of me other than things I already intended on doing. Sometimes Victoria does but I'll let her slide. My social battery was drained today from all the small talk bullshit with the older High Royals and the Fallen. This is all relaxing to me- speaking with people who don't annoy me, the quiet of right now, and the eventual hunting later. The bartender hands me my martini and I bring my glass to my lips taking sip.
"No moonshine?" I just want to enjoy my martini in peace and his grating voice ruins it. I had banned him from my territory in hopes of never hearing it again.
"Fuck off, Grayson." I say refusing to look at him.
"I said two words."
"Two words too many." I finish the rest of my drink.
"Morgan!" Scarlett calls out. I look to her, Bash, Sterling, and Reid standing over by the door waving for me.
I get up from the barstool walking away from him. Unfortunately he follows. "Must you follow me?"
"Yes." He says and I whip around to him. I grab the drink in his hands and finish it as I stare him down- his prodding blue eyes and stupid smile and all. I take his hand and slap the empty glass into it. Flashing a disgusted look as I leave him.
"You ready?" Scarlett says looking behind me at the hybrid asshat following me.
"Yep." I say.
We all step out through the dens side entrance into an alleyway. "Why is Grayson following you?" Sterling asks as we reach the end of the alley, onto the busy sidewalks and roads.
"Because he has nothing interesting going on in his life so he's concerning himself with mine." I say loudly.
"Do you want me to fight him?" Reid asks with an excited smile as he walks backwards, staring at Grayson who trails behind us.
"He's not worth the energy." I look over my shoulder briefly to glare at Grayson who waves his fingers at me.
We continue wandering for a good while until we reach a fairly silent and empty part in the city. "We good here?" Reid asks.
"Perfect." I respond.
"I've sent you guys my contact." Scarlett slips her phone into her back pocket. "Call or text them when you're done they'll clean up."
"We'll all just find each other when we're finished." Reid says then sprints off with a huge grin on his face.
Promptly I sprint off as well to find my prey. I head onto a particularly crowded street filled with so many humans outside or in bars and restaurants laughing and talking with friends or family or a significant other. As I walk, I observe them as if they were animals in a zoo. I was once one of them- in a way- and I can't remember what that feels like. I can recall the memories but I can't recall what it's like for my body to be that way. To be completely honest, I don't want to remember.
The ones on this street seem to be existing peacefully, without a care in the world in this very moment. They're more focused on their drinks and food and their conversations, they're completely unaware of the looming threat in their midst. Why would they be anything other than unaware? I look human, I'm a woman, so why would I be registered as a threat? My lips curve at the thought of how perfect this is. The perfect predator doesn't appear as such until it's too late.
I keep walking to find a more isolated target. In a much quieter part of the city, I stop when I hear faint voices and the sound of an outside metal door clanging shut muffling the voices. The footsteps of a singular person down steel steps grow closer to the ground. Going towards the source of the sound, the scent of weed and alcohol gets stronger as I round the corner of a fairly thin alleyway. One man stands in the alleyway leaning against the brick wall, smoking a joint. Tall, fairly muscular, tattoos covering his arms and neck, and young- about late 20's from what I could see at this distance.
I walk over to him, the sound of my footsteps alerting him to my presence. He startles. "Shit. Sorry didn't see you." The man says immediately looking me up and down.
I shrug as I near him. "It happens." I stop in front of him. "Do you mind?" I give my best doe eyes holding out my pointer and thumb. He smiles handing me his joint. I take it, stepping backwards pressing my back up against the cold parallel brick wall. Inhaling I stare him down. On all accounts he looks intimidating, someone that any other human would be wary of casually walking up to. "It's dangerous to be out here alone you know... and this late at night." I say as I exhale.
He laughs and licks his lips. "Nah it's all good. What about you though? Why are you wandering around alone?"
"I'm hunting." I say then I deeply inhale once more as my body begins to heat up in anticipation.
"Hunting what?" He asks with a smile still not viewing me as anything that can harm him.
I blow out, a large puff of smoke materializing in front of me. "Humans."
He laughs breathlessly, trying to hide how unnerved that statement just made him. "What?"
"As I said, it's dangerous to be out here alone." My eyes change and my fangs extend in my mouth. The moment he sees my eyes and he finally sees me for what I am- a threat, his face flushes of any color. I love that moment. He tries to run off but my hand is already around his throat, pinning him against the wall. It's far too late for him. "Not yet." I say, holding him there. I take one final hit of the joint flicking the roach to the floor. Breathing out slowly while he struggles, fighting with everything in him to get my hand off of him but it won't work.
"Okay." I remove my hand from his throat and he stands there paralyzed. "Run."
Instantly he runs off. I give him a five second head start before I go after him. When I sprint and in a blur, appear in front of him, he falls to the ground crawling backwards away from me with pure fear in his eyes. He quickly gets up and takes off the other way.
I follow closely behind letting him run for a little, listening to beautiful symphony that is his heart pounding and his quickened breathing. He turns the corner and runs straight into this random woman walking down the street, both of them falling to the ground. I love when good things happen to me. I pick up my pace and he gets up trying to warn the woman of my presence. She's not listening, she's confused and annoyed that she just got trampled. "You have to run!" He shouts.
I come up behind her grabbing her head and shoulder, tilting her head so her throat is on full display for me. Ecstasy immediately takes hold of every inch of me the second my fangs rip into her skin. I pull back when the flow stops, tossing her body to the floor. Blood drips down my chin as I make eye contact with the man frozen in fear. "Why aren't you running?" I ask, then smile wide to ensure my blood stained fangs are on full display.
He visibly jumps before running off once more. I walk behind him giving him those 15 seconds of freedom before I end it. "Really should've ran faster." I say in front of him and right then he swings, punching me in the jaw. It does nothing except bring a smile to my face.
I wrap my hand around his throat walking forward, his shoes dragging on the floor with every step into the alleyway right next to me. Pulling him down I sink my fangs into his throat, tearing away, shredding it- making a mess. His corpse drops to the ground and I step back, taking a deep breath as I come down from this profound whole body high. I run my tongue across my teeth when I hear slow clapping. I turn to Grayson standing down the alleyway clapping his hands. "Quite a show."
And just like that my mood drops. "So thrilled that you enjoyed." Apathy drenched my voice as I took out my phone to text the contact Scarlett sent.
He steps closer to me, every step worsening this intense and immediate agitation towards him. "What will you do for the encore?"
"Maybe I'll remove your spine and strangle you with it."
"You say the sweetest things to me."
I roll my eyes putting my phone back in my pocket and passing Grayson as I walk, desperately wanting to be away from him. He follows- again. "What is this?" I ask.
"What? Me talking to you?" He asks innocently.
"You harassing me."
"I'm not harassing, I'm talking. Talking is what friends do is it not?"
"Whatever gave you the impression that we're friends- tell me and I'll change it."
"Alright, we were once friends."
"We were never friends. You were someone I found physically attractive. I fucked you. I moved on. Something you should try."
"I've moved on." He attempts to defend. "I'm just checking up on you. See how you're doing."
"Fuck. Off."
"See if I didn't check up on you I wouldn't know that you've gotten nastier. Bitchier." He says. "Don't worry, I'm into it."
"Am I supposed to be flattered?"
"Some blushing would be nice."
"How about gagging?" I start walking faster.
"Ouch." He laughs breathily. He speeds his walking up to be next to me again. "You hunting some more or what?"
I halt, snapping my head to him and sharpening my glare. "Walk away. Now. That will be your only warning." I tell him then continue walking.
"Who knows maybe I'll join you this time." He blurts out walking with me again. I'm so glad I always carry a knife on me. I quickly take the switchblade out of my inside pocket and stab him in the stomach. "What the fuck?" He strains.
"I warned you." I twist the knife before yanking it out and storming off, leaving him to drop to his knees groaning in pain.
Putting my knife away I head towards the scent of blood to find Scarlett feeding on one man, her hand around another man's throat, and the third she's pinning down to the floor with her boot. I smile with some kind of pride. This is what I'd imagine a parent feels like watching their kid win a basketball game or some shit.
The one being held by his throat reaches for something in his pocket. He takes out a tiny pocket knife and with shaky hands stabs her in the arm making her let go. He takes off running right into me. I grab his hand and break it so the knife drops. His pained screams make Scarlett finally tear away from the man she was feeding on. With my hand around his throat I lift him up off the ground. "I can let him go if you want the chase."
"You know I don't like chasing them." She grabs the lapel of the man on the floor, lifting and slamming him up against the brick wall. "Have that one if you want."
I turn my head to face the man riddled with fear. "Please." The man chokes out. I lower him back down, grabbing onto his collar and pin him against the brick wall. "Please." He coughs. "Please don't, I'll do anything. Please."
I let my fangs materialize in my mouth to feed on this man cutting off his incessant pleas.
"Aww, but he said please." My eyes shoot open to the sound of Reid's voice and Bash's giggling. I tear away from the man's mangled throat to face these two idiots.
"Oh Morgan, you've made a mess." Bash says motioning up and down to me.
"No, really?"
Scarlett walks up next to me wiping her lips clean of blood. "I have a question, when you guys hunt do you want them running and in fear or do you like being unassuming then bam! It's a surprise attack." She asks as she texts her contact.
"If they're not running it's not as fun." Reid says.
"Thank you." I say agreeing with Reid.
Bash shakes his head. "I don't want to exert more energy than I need to- no running. Sometimes I just attack, sometimes I'll talk to them. It depends on my mood."
"Normally I just have men coming up to me." Scarlett shrugs. "Use their idiocy to my advantage. Where's Sterling?"
"Here." She says walking up from behind us wiping off the small amount of blood from the corner of her mouth with a small tissue. Her outfit is pristine, you wouldn't have even known she was hunting. "I don't play any games I just grab and feed."
"I saw a pub back there, it was pretty empty only like 3 people. You guys down to drink?" Reid suggests followed by collective yeses and nods.
Sterling takes out one of those small packages of tissues from her jacket pocket and tosses them to me. "Wipe," she waves her hand over her own chin, "all of that off." I smile mockingly as I take a tissue out and begin wiping not nearly good enough to be presentable among human society but if there's only 3 people in there- I can handle that no problem. She examines everyone's shirts and hands all with splatters of blood ranging from only a few to many. She breathes out through her teeth. "Animals. All of you." She shakes her head.
"Morgan can just make the people not give a shit if that's what you're worried about." Bash points out. I nod wiping some of blood off my face.
"I give a shit." She motions to Reid. "You're wearing a white shirt."
He looks down at his heavily blood stained white shirt and shrugs. "It doesn't matter, come on." He walks past us.
The group follows him with Scarlett and I in the back. Scarlett hooks her arm with mine as we walk off. "Tomorrow we're doing this again but just you and I. I'll find a big group it'll be fun- my early birthday gift to you."
My birthday. Right.
I smirk. "Deal."