“Stop scratching it! You’re making us both look like junkies.”

I ignored Merii’s hissed complaints as we walked down the well lit street with the rest of the evening crowd. The damned tattoo hadn’t stopped itching all day. Well it did for a while after I fed in the morning, but going back to bed and relaxing was impossible thanks to it. Merii had tried to distract me with more hand to hand practice, where I kept losing focus and getting beaten, literally, as usual. And now we were out in public it was really hard not to scratch. It was a small miracle I hadn’t just used my claws on it yet, something that would definitely hurt but seeing as I had already found punching it to help with the itch, that was becoming less of an issue. 

Not that punching myself in the hip would make me look any more sane than the itching. It was more effective, sure, but as it happens hips are hard and fingers are not. A lesson I learned yesterday when I broke several of them while trying to make the burning stop. I'm not sure if I cried more or less after I broke them, but I curled up under a cold shower and tried, unsuccessfully, to pass out for a while after that….  

I swallowed, hissing out my words.
“You try walking around with a bunch of silver stuck in your leg!”
The sound was low enough I was confident no human would hear over the traffic and general noise, but Merii most definitely would.

The night was unseasonably cold, and many were wearing larger jackets and thick pants. Merii included, she was in her red dress again, but with black leggings and jacket added to the ensemble. It wasn’t lost on me that, even if we didn’t feel the cold, we should dress as everyone else was to blend in. That said I still went with my “hunting outfit”, mainly because it was comfortable, and partially because it showed off my further slimming waist and toned stomach. I did make a concession by zipping my jacket up a little though, I wasn’t so self-confident as to want attention out in the open.

Our destination this evening was a bar Merii knew and wanted to visit. It was actually on Mount Royal, so it was apparently upmarket compared to the places I was used to. It also wasn’t overly far from the university, a place I both dreaded and longed to visit, given it was Jess’s current residence. Merii hadn’t mentioned her recently, and I was a little afraid to ask. Presumably she was well enough, but I had refrained from looking.
I missed her more than I missed life, it wasn’t even a competition. But I just couldn't bring myself to look, to think about the burden I would place on her or the possible, understandable, hatred she would throw at me….

I didn’t think about how close she was, how easily I could run the distance, how simple it would be to get there. No. No, I definitely wasn’t letting my mind wander there. Instead I had decided to think about something else.
“Are we sure it’s safe to leave Ogma in the car? You know, considering my guns’ in there?”

Merii shrugged, trying to hide her smile.
“He’s locked in the boot. And while he is a monstrous little thing, he knows better than to blow a hole in my car.”

“You didn’t “need” to do that burnout on the way here, or hit those speed bumps…..” I shook my head and let out a small laugh, "He's going to be so angry when you open that.”

“When I open it?” She gave me a sideways look of utter confusion, as though I had said the moon was pink, “you’re the one who left her weapons in there.”

“…. Shit.”

She laughed loudly, drawing a few eyes and not bothering to act subtle, as she put her arm around my shoulder, steering me towards a brightly lit bar front. 

The plan was fairly simple this time, instead of going straight for the kill, something I had advocated strongly for, we would first get close to where the murder was taking place. Then let Ogma loose. He would, we hoped, follow our killer to his car, and we would then follow the two of them, with any luck we would be able to tail him all the way home with no issues.

And while we waited for my “murder sense” to go off, Merii and I would enjoy some people watching and maybe a meal if things turned out well….. Even thinking about it made my fangs tingle. I was figuratively dying for fresh blood by now. And I would literally, and happily, kill to get it.

The inside of the place was a kind of modern-rustic feel. The old beams of the original roof were left in place, now supporting a second floor and interior balcony. The walls were bare brick with wooden and brass furnishings, but with good lighting and upbeat atmosphere. The bar itself was fairly busy too, people of around my age and older crowded around talking, drinking, playing pool, or generally enjoying themselves. It was a nice vibe, relaxed but energetic, definitely more my speed then the club Merii took me too last time. 

My mind, of course, was doing its own strange little thing. Even without my eyes changing, I was able to quickly pick up on people, who was and wasn’t with a group, who was standing a little too far from the others, and in general, who was the easiest prey. This had been something Merii warned me about. With the thirst gnawing at me, I was likely to feel a little out of sorts around people. Luckily, or not so, I had an elder vampire here that had promised to keep me from doing anything stupid. Unless it was “really entertaining” and would make an embarrassing story, as she put it.

My sires extremely poor teaching skills aside, I was enjoying myself as I simply observed the coming and goings. It had always been enough for me to watch people enjoying themselves without getting involved. Merii had ordered us a pair of drinks to help us blend in, and the two of us had found ourselves a nice little spot in the small back courtyard to sit and watch. Annoyingly the guy behind the bar actually carded me, not so much annoying because of anything in the moment, but because I realized that this was probably going to be a problem for the rest of my immortal life.

Other than that though, it was enjoyable. But in truth, the longer we were there the more I wished I was out hunting, or just doing something. Any way to burn energy and keep my mind focused on anything but the feeling of humanity. 

After Merii returned from flirting outrageously with a particularly well dressed lady, with far to short a dress for the environment, I decided to ask.

“Why are we even here?”

She shrugged, a smug look on her face as she kept her eyes on the people around us and spoke.
“Because I need to be around people to feel complete, you need the social exposure so you don’t become a brooding serial killer, and Brewer needs her alone time to do spooky stuff?”

“No, I mean here in particular.” Rolling my eyes I raised my drink to my mouth out of habit, before remembering I couldn’t actually enjoy it and putting it back with a scowl.

Of course that display, as my lingering humanity tended to do, got a chuckle out of my sire.
“Well like I said, I’m a social animal. I just don't feel alive without all this.” She gestured with her drink towards the crowd. “And of course someone needed to babysit you in case you got peckish or, saints forbid, bored. I do recall you ruining my kitchen appliances last time you were left unsupervised…. but mostly we’re here because it is suitable. A reasonable central location where no one asks questions as to why two women are out and about at ungodly hours.”

“Ha ha. I resent the baby sitting line…. but otherwise I can understand the point.” I dropped my eyes to my drink and again lamented that I couldn't simply get drunk and enjoy an evening. “I thought it was just so you could try and get laid while Brewer was busy.”

“Well…” she looked away from me, surveying the crowd again with a predatory gaze i didnt often get to see from her. “That would be a nice benefit. But if our friend is punctual, I won’t really have time for more than a quickie in the alley….. although the river isn’t far, so a snack might be possible if we’re quick.”

Closing my eyes I sighed longingly, my whole body slumping slightly as I remembered that sweet taste.
“Seriously, don’t tease me with that. Something fresh sounds like a dream right now.”

“Awww. ~” Merii put her arm around my shoulder and pulled us a little closer. “Well, we probably should see about getting you a fresh meal soon. I don’t know what living on the packaged stuff in your condition will do, but it can’t be healthy for a growing girl.~”

I huffed out a small laugh.
“I can tell you that even when I drink, I’m still hungry. Still feeling the “thirst”.”

“So you keep reminding me.”
She tilted her head so it rested against mine. Whispering as we observed the crowd.
“This isn’t really the place to be looking for prey, too many eyes. But we can at least browse what's available if you want?~”

 A tingle of excitement ran along my skin as my muscles tensed and fangs itched. That offer honestly sounded really good. Part of me, a strong part, wanted to hunt, to chase down my prey and pin it with my claws. But a subtler part of me wanted to do as Merii had done. To blend in with the people, to be right there in front of them while they had no idea. My little performance at the club had been enough to scratch that particular itch, and if we could find another group of hunters to play with I might not even need alcohol to make the night entertaining. And even if it wasn’t as fun as I hoped, it would hopefully distract me from the growing thirst and the ever present need to hunt.
A wicked smile crossed my lips. “Yeah…. Ok, let’s go be social with the mortals while we wait for a gruesome murder to happen.”

Merii practically jumped to her feet, the arm around my shoulders falling and linking with my own and she pulled me away from the table with a spring in her step.
“That’s the spirit! Nothing like a bit of subterfuge and impending death to get the blood pumping and the juices flowing.”

⁂

Within minutes Merii had us on the second floor, engaging in idle conversation with a group of twenty somethings. While it was fun for the first minute, two things were becoming readily apparent. One, the longer we stayed with one group, the more their eyes would go to our drinks. Obviously, we couldn’t drink them without being sick, so they were just props, and they were starting to outlive their usefulness.
Second was perhaps the more obvious, I still hated social interaction with strangers. That, amongst others, had been the reason I always went out with Jess. Merii was doing a stellar job of holding conversation, just knowledgeable and flirty enough to fit in but not so much so to stand out.

But still, I was bored.

At least with the hunters there had been a sense of danger, something of an edge to the whole thing. But with two sociology, one chemistry, and a gaggle of law students? I could probably kill half of them all with a stern look and put the rest in a stupor with paperwork.
As such I did what I was prone to do when bored, a habit I should have firmly kicked after it likely led to my death.

I wandered off.

Being bored, and lacking the ability to get drunk and actually enjoy myself, I settled for watching the people blow from the internal balcony. It wasn’t exactly “fun”, but it gave me something to do and it let me feel above the roiling masses, something that was always a nice feeling.
It also let me zone out as I tried to ponder exactly how much blood I would need to add to my drink before it was palatable. Considering I had basically no knowledge of how that would work, it was a dead end. But it didn’t stop me pondering if I would actually taste the alcohol or not, along with running completely made up calculations on how to do it. And if I could do it, what about blood coffee? Or blood soda? Obviously I would need to discuss my incredible and groundbreaking idea with Brewer when we returned.

As can be expected, I was paying next to no attention to the humans below me as they came and went. That was until a head of purple hair walked through the door. The hair belonged to a woman about my height, curvy, and slightly childish looking face. A woman who had been on the verge of passing out last time we interacted.
Merry, I think her name was. The young blonde next to her I remembered as Max, the one Merii wanted to try and lure into a dark alley and do unspeakable things to.

A smirk, the mirror of the one Merii so often wore, formed on my face. This could actually be fun, the girl wasn’t exactly my type…… but I would make do in conversation, and Merii would be more than happy with Max. If it was just the two of them then all we needed to do was set them drinking and get them alone. I didn't know much, but Merry seemed to like her drink, and I was sure Merii could lure Max anywhere she wanted with a bat of her lashes.

My plotting suddenly paused, as a streak of bright auburn hair was illuminated by the lights. A charming, angular face, high cheekbones, soft and beautiful features, big doe eyes that could stare into my soul, a body tall and slim…..

And as if any doubts could linger in my mind, the tip of a pointed ear peaked through her auburn locks before she unconsciously tucked it back into place in a fashion I knew all too well.

I knew her, how could I not. She was the one person in the world I could never mistake for another, never misplace in a crowd…….. Jess. Jess was here.

For a moment my spirit soared, blood pounding in my ears. My heart fluttered and I nearly lept from the balcony to great her. I likely would have, it would have been so easy, to jump over and wrap my arms around her. To hold her and know she was real……

But I was stop by one simple little thing. A single little sentence Merii has said when I first found out about my death. “What would she think?”

My heart seized. Blood slamming to a halt throughout my whole body, as every function I had subconsciously been running came to a standstill. Pure dread overcoming me. My breath died in my chest and my temperature began to plummet. I was frozen, fixed in place, unable to move, to think.
A tremor started to form in my hands as I gripped the railing as though it was all that held me to the earth.

It was as if time itself had slowed, each perfectly blanched step taking an eternity. The way the light caught on her hair and seemed to dance, the way she moved with effortless grace, the slight scowl that slowly crossed her face. It all seemed to move at a crawl as I struggled to even stand, my body threatening to give out under me as a swirling mess of emotion flooded me.

Her eyes scanned the crowd, turning, searching, appraising, and slowly but surely…… turning towards me.

I flew back from the railing as though it had become a live wire, earning myself more than a few odd looks from those nearby. Not that I cared, nearly tripping over myself as I took rushed steps towards Merii. Only realising halfway across the room that my eyes had changed, slipping into their vampiric nature without my notice.
I closed them hard and willed them back to some approximation of human, something that wouldn't make children cry. Not that it mattered to me, not as much as the near dizzying panic thundering through me. In the space of moments I was back at Merii’s side, my speed and sudden appearance seeming to startle the small group she was currently happily chatting with. Again, I just didn't care.

My sire turned, seemingly about to ask me something but paused as she saw me. Concern flooded her face as her eye met mine and she stood, apologizing to the group and putting an arm around my shoulder. I didn't hear the apology, it sounded distant and faint.
But as always her touch soothed me, not enough to banish my crushing fear, but enough that I was able to catch a breath and let the world slip back into focus, enough that I didn't need to worry about the wave of nausea that was slowly creeping over me.

Like her touch, her voice was a fresh breeze over me, a relaxing tune to fill my wild mind, though it was barely a whisper in my ear. She might have even been using her compulsion on me given the odd and wildly conflicting sensations, but I didn’t care.
“What’s wrong dear?”

I let go of the breath I had been holding, trying not to panic further, to keep the walls from closing in on me as the world seemed to press down on my shoulders. Bloody tears threatening the corners of my eyes.
“Jess-...... My friend Jess just walked in…. I think she saw me.”

Merii’s grip on me tightened for a moment.
“Ah….. well that’s not great….”

“No shit!” I hissed, I could feel my muscles twitching as I struggled not to hyperventilate. “And she’s with those student hunters from the club… all three of them!”

She thought for a moment.
“Well that rather hurts the chances of a surprise reunion.”

“Merii, this is serious!”
It took everything I had left not to scream in Marii’s face. I had definitely wanted to see Jess, to actually see with my own eyes she was alright. But stumbling over me in a bar, while I plotted to murder her friends, was not how I wanted it to go. And that was ignoring that she would almost certainly know I wasn’t human anymore, would sense it. And if she knew what I was now, what I had done…..

I felt my breath fail me again.

“I know.” She let go of me, stepping over to the railing and peeking down at the crowd before stepping back. “They’re at the bar ordering….. we could probably just walk-“

I shook my head, swallowing a lump in my throat and focusing on just trying to breathe as I interrupted her.
“She’ll definitely see me….. Jess was always better than me…..”

“Feyborn are observant…....” Merii looked around for a moment, her eyes settling on a man who had just reached the top of the stairs, a slight drunken list to his step and a tray of drinks in his hands. “Ok, plan B.”