<Penelope's POV>
"Please! What are you doing?" I ignored the man that was caught in my arms as he begged me. I always did. I never cared that they were scared. I only cared about my thirst. I deal a quick blow to his temple, knocking him out. I really didn't want to deal with his begging.
With one hand, I hold the unnamed man up and tilt his head the side with my other hand, revealing his neck. I take a breath, my mouth watering at the smell of his blood pumping through his veins. My fangs slid out and I open my mouth, sinking my teeth in his delicate skin. The sweet taste of blood hit my tongue, making me moan and close my eyes. I had made the foolish decision of not feeding for two weeks. I always fed at least once a week, but because I was running so many errands for my clan, the Blood Serpents, I hadn't been able to hunt. I listen closely to the man's heart, waiting until I was either full or his heart started slowing. Fortunately for him, I was able to fill myself before his heart started slowing too much.
I let him go and lick the excess blood up and let my saliva quickly heal the wound. I leave him there in the alley that I had dragged him to, leaning him up against the wall before walking out.
When I get back to the mansion I lived in with my clan, I'm met with my best friend, Salina. She embraces me in a quick hug, then leans back, her nose in the air.
"Did you just hunt?" She asks.
"Yeah." I answer. "I had to knock the guy out though. He wouldn't shut up."
Salina laughs. "You never have much patience with humans."
I glance at her. Even though we were the best of friends, we were polar opposites. Not really in appearance, but personality. In appearance, we both had black hair. Hers was straight and short, mine long and wavy. Our eyes were the same hazel, but mine was more colourful (when I wasn't starving). We both had pale skin, thanks to our vampirism. Personality wise, Salina was bubbly and energetic, whereas I had a 'fuck with me and I'll kill you' vibe about me, as Salina called it. Salina thought this was why our leader, James, put me as his second in command.
"Maybe." I reply.
"Oh, and James wants to see you. Says it's important."
"Isn't it always?" I raise an eyebrow.
She laughs, then leads me inside, to James's room. Inside his room, it was dark. His windows were covered by black curtains, his bedspread black, his rug black. It was the biggest room in the house, and if he ever died, or was forced to step down, the room would become mine.
"Ah, Penelope."
I turn to see James sitting at his desk, looking at a map. On the map was different coloured sections, each regions for different clans in the Los Angeles area. In total, there were five clans and the Blood Serpents were the largest.
"You wanted to see me?" I ask.
James sniffed the air. "Finally fed?"
"I was too busy running errands for the past two weeks."
He nods. "Yes. Thank you for that. And I need you to do one more errand before I let you rest." He turns to the map and beckons me closer. I step forward and lean over the map. "You know this city is divided by the five clans, except for one part." He points to a tiny, uncoloured section on the map. "I have been notified that the Dragons plan to take this part. I want you to scout it out and see why. Report back to me and I will see if it's worth taking."
I nod. "I will leave now." I head out of his room and outside, then run to the unclaimed part.