....
He is a murderer.
....
There were no boundary lines - no districts or territories. The streets were unbound and occupied by every blood cult, street gang and merciless mafia.
Of course different groups held different amounts of power, dependant by their economic proficiency. It would always come down to money - obviously there were the rarity's. Some men and women aligned their loyalties because of friendships and family rather than by who put the most cash in their pockets.
Hadrian stared at the lifeless bodies in front of him, they were still and unmoving. Hadrian didn't fear the death smeared across these men's faces - he had seen death before, all of its many forms. Jerebko had turned on his gang, giving information and acting as an insider - keeping Hadrian informed about the gangs dealings. Jerebko was a low level dealer and a coward - a pathetic man who sold dope to kids in order to fund his own crack habit. He was gaunt and skinny - too many years testing out his own product.
Hadrian felt no loss - the men who had died had long over lived their time - they're days had been numbered. Alec was evidence of that, however, the order Hadrian gave was a merciful death - a false suicide - one last high until his inevitable endlessness. This death, however, was a mutilation - the flesh was torn and rearranged into a Slavic symbol - a representation of the gang who sent the message. This type of violence was an enlightenment.
The Vultare gang, mixed mainly in narcotics and weaponry - they were muggles. Despite their lack of magic, Hadrian understood and respected their potential.
"What does it mean?" Joval spoke, shuffling uncontrollably where he stood - undoubtedly in withdrawal.
"It means they know.. it means everything's about to go to shit." Alec revealed, his voice soft yet it slashed the air, presenting his frustrations.
Hadrian nodded but quickly stiffened, his senses wild. The wolf inside of him growled - hackles rising. Someone was here - Alec who had also noticed this turned his head in a sharp glance of recognition back to Hadrian. Hadrian closed his eyes for just a moment, before making eye contact with Alec once again, nodding his head. Within a matter of seconds Hadrian vanished and Alec became something else entirely.
.....
'He wears a crown of bloody thistles.'
.....
Three men entered the alleyway, two of them holding knives - blades out and pointed threateningly. The middle man held a gun - it was aimed and it was black. The aluminium looked heavy - perhaps with the weight of a life. The men's faces were plain and completely irrelevant, the features merged into a blur presenting their insignificance. They were, simple soldiers, nothing special. Their presence there however, was important. They had been sent to wipe out the newcomers - the unnamed who had stirred the perilous pot.
Hadrian had been slowly staking his claim within the City. He had climbed the felonious ranks remaining completely anonymous - the muggle criminal underworld were baffled at the mysterious newcomer. So far, Hadrian had flown well under the radar - but not anymore. The Vultare Gang were now aware of this invasion - Jerebko had probably screamed Hadrian's name to the heavens, they most likely had promised him forgiveness, sparing him from death. It was a silly pathetic notion, Hadrian sneered at Jerebko's foolishness.
A large black dog growled, standing in the place Alec had been just moments ago. It's fur glistening in the afternoon light, the colour of poisonous petroleum ink. It was a Doberman, standing taller than any other the men had seen before, it was nearly 4ft. It bore its teeth - contorting into a snarling defensive stance right in front of Jovial and Aver, who both had their knives out.
"Who are you?" One of the men asked flustered at the flurry of movement.
The Doberman growled, a low coiling sound. Hadrian repositioned out of nowhere in a soar of dark feathered wings. The crow whipped through the air almost undetected, startling them only in their peripheral, making them whirl, flailing their knives. Seconds ticked by without any movement, the men still held their weapons threateningly.
Hadrian landed on his feet, seemingly out of nowhere, directly behind the three men. Within seconds the men's knives were at their throats, the cool sharp blade biting the skin. Hadrian's face was dark and strange - it held a glass like radiance, avenging and brutal. The men were lucky they didn't see his eyes, as they seemed so brutal it was damaging.
Hadrian moved quickly slicing a clean sharp line of red into the men's necks - the mark began to spill. The crimson liquid fell but not as fast as the lifeless bodies which crumbled to the ground, heavy and dead.
The man holding the gun turned whirling frantically, his eyes widening at the sight of Hadrian.
Hadrian hadn't moved, his hands still bore the knives which dripped with blood and death. He let them fall, watching as they clattered to the ground, hitting the uneven cobbled street - the sound echoing in the narrow alley.
......
'She screams in her sleep and claws at him as he hovers over her sleeping eyes.'
......
Hadrian smiled his lip curling with tormenting brutality - his eyes a bright savage green. He looked like a dhampir, his stance strong while his eyes were murderously crazed. The man noticed this too, as his eyes widened with fear and he stumbled frantically backward. Hadrian laughed when the gun dropped from his hand - watching as the man's face drew together in further panic - he quickly reached for his pockets pulling out a blade. Hadrian smirked before giving a small boastful nod.
A low growl ripped through the air before the large Doberman launched itself off the ground. The man who had is back turned didn't see the dog, therefore could not avoid the vicious attack that was to come. The doberman opened its jaw bearing his large teeth sinking them into the man's left shoulder.
Hadrian's laugh echoed, when the man began to scream, its mocking tone radiating through the space. The man attempted to pull himself away from the dog and tend his injured shoulder but it was futile, the dog seemed unnaturally strong.
Hadrian's laugh stopped as quickly as it started, adding a distorted, sickly feel to the air. Hadrian's eyes grew darker as he nodded his head to Joval and Aver. They both smiled at Hadrian's command, raising their knives, stalking forward.
"Alec!" Hadrian commanded, his voice loud and hard.
The Doberman eventually withdrew, snarling low as blood dripped flauntingly from its teeth. Hadrian watched the dog for a moment, his face impassive, not even a flicker. Aver flipped the knife skilfully around in his hands, while Joval stared obsessively at the man as if examining the quality of his prey. The said man had fallen to his hands and knees, breathing hard, his shoulder bleeding and mangled.
Hadrian stalked around the man, encircling him, his hands casually behind his back as one foot stepped slowly in front of the other.
"You know normally I would be upset with you," Hadrian spoke after a moment of pacing.
He stopped, looking down at the man, who in turn had to crane his neck to look back at him. The man's mouth quivered and sweat dripped from his forehead, he was obviously in fear for his life.
"But you know, I think.. I think I like you." Hadrian said smiling his face pleasant, almost comforting.
The man visibly relaxed, obviously wanting to believe Hadrian's words. Hadrian squatted down, his face that was originally hidden in unnatural shadow was now close and clear. In response to Hadrian's advance, Joval leant down also, gripping the man's hair and wrenching it back - forcing him to look at Hadrian's face.
"What's your name?" Hadrian said quietly, his voice ringing with a musical tone, it was mesmerising.
"M..my name is Max," the man stuttered out, fearfully.
Hadrian nodded, sighing thoughtfully as his forearms rested casually on his knees.
"Max, huh?" Hadrian spoke wistfully, he took a moment before continuing.
"So Max I need you to tell me.. what the fuck you were trying to do?" Hadrian spat furiously, his tone changing from softness to biting ferocity as he spoke.
The man, Max, jumped in his skin - his face now ashen. Joval, still had hold of his hair, the pulled strands, caused a dull ache to encase his skull.
"It was Jethro. He sent us, he found out Jerebko was selling him out." Max stuttered, his face scrunching up in pain.
The Doberman snapped his jaw causing spittle and blood to fly from its mouth. The dog was hunched low in a predatory stance, crouching and waiting.
"Tsssk.." Hadrian snapped, causing the dog to stop its raptorial advance.
Despite backing down, the dog seemed infuriated at being so callously commanded. It produced a human like sneer that was almost comical if not for the harsh ugliness of it.
"Jethro, I haven't heard that name before." Hadrian spoke honestly.
"That's because his father used to run the mafia, he stepped down, passed on the family business." Max finished relaying the information in a rush.
Hadrian stood from his crouched position, nodding to the new information. He wiped a hand across his face in deep thought, his fingers rubbing his mouth and jaw.
"Keep going," he commanded.
The man, Max, swallowed heavily but continued.
"Jethro found out that we had a mole, he suspected Jerebko straight away but said he needed proof. He planned a fake operation and made sure Jerebko heard about it, he only told one other person the details. Sure enough £300,000 of drugs were stolen from the North side warehouse," Max paused to swallow.
Hadrian stood his eyes narrowed in thought, he found it interesting this Jethro wanted proof before killing. Most wouldn't ask for it and kill just in case.
"He doesn't know who Jerebko was informing, he sent us to kill whoever came to the body," the bleeding man finished, his eyes darting in every direction, obviously distressed.
Hadrian nodded in understanding, his eyes darkened quickly as he considered for a moment. He suddenly looked up, his cold hard eyes shocking as they flickered to Joval and Aver. Both men looked at Hadrian for a silent moment before stepping towards the man, one man either side.
Their blades swung back, before sinking into the man's sides, silently gutting him. Max, dropped, issuing one bloody cough before fading away.
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'He sees everything.'
......
Hadrian stared deliberately at the man he had just had killed.
"Clean up this mess," he told Joval and Aver.
He turned and walked solemnly down the alleyway, his presence heavily missed by the magic in the air. The Doberman followed closely, pausing for a moment, turning back to its human form.
Alec stood in the Alleyway, blood on his chin, staining his clothes and his heart. He looked at the bloody body on the floor and licked his lips.
.......
I see hands dripping of stolen blood and human sacrifice.
.......