Eye of the Tiger

[Granuaile (DELETED 5356)]

The sharp twist at the pit of her stomach reminded Granuaile that it had been days since she'd last fed. It was a bad habit she'd developed lately unfortunately. It wasn't that she avoided feeding on purpose, or even that she disliked bagged blood... much. It was just that she was always so busy running around doing one thing or another that it just somehow slipped her mind. Which always lead to the her current state; starving, in pain, and ready to pounce on every human she walked past.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her chest straining against her corset as she did, to calm her nerves. Though she didn't need to breath anymore she found herself doing it out of habit. Besides it was fairly calming, when she wasn't being constricted that is. She made a mental note not to lace herself up quite so tightly in the future. If she had to mix it up with some of those damned hunters down in the sewers or do much running she'd be no good like this. She shook her head softly in exasperation with herself. It was a dumb mistake to make, she could only blame it on the hunger.

Just when she thought she'd brought herself under control she heard a soft feminine giggle somewhere up ahead and she caught traces of blood and alcohol when she sniffed the air. Her eyes snapped open and she began quickly walking toward the source. As she rounded the corner she saw her. A young raven haired woman stumbling away from Dark Eden. The tip of Granuaile's tongue ran along her teeth as her eyes roved over the girl. She was easily a head shorter than Granuaile, but she filled out her sequined, backless pink tank and her black mini-skirt every bit as well as Granuaile could have. The girl seemed to be all on her own as she staggered down the sidewalk, occasionally bracing herself against a building, as she searched for a cab. Granuaile surged forward as quietly as she could, before she even realized she'd made up her mind on the matter she was rushing to catch up to the woman.

The scents of blood and booze filled Granuaile's nostrils as she stepped up behind the girl. If she still had a pulse it would have been racing. She'd been completely silent as she came up behind her, not even letting herself breathe. She let herself do so now though, taking a single deep calming breath. When she was done she reached up and tapped on the girl's shoulder lightly, causing her to spin around. She had dark canted eyes that were such a deep brown they almost looked black. Her lips looked a bit thin, but she wore a bright crimson lipstick that really made them pop. The strangest thing was that she looked eerily damn familiar. Granuaile's eyes shot wide in surprise and her next words tumbled out in a rushed whisper.

"Kimiko? Kimmie is that you?!"

The girl blinked at her for a moment and shook her head, her lips spread in a crooked smile. She giggled as she leaned against the pole for a stop sign.

"Shorry, I think you musht haf me confushed wif someone else. My names Aiko, not Kimiko."

Granuaile blinked a few times and shook her head ever so slightly. Now she could see it. This girl certainly looked similar to Kimiko, but there were differences. The shape of her jaw, the height of her cheekbones, her slanted eyebrows... they were all just slightly off from the familiar face. Granuaile reached up and stroked her fingertips along the girl's cheek lightly as she sighed.

"Sorry... You look like someone I knew once. She and I were very close once... I haven't seen her in a couple of years now though. When I saw you... You could nearly be her twin."

The girl blinked through her drunken stupor and she tried to reach up and bat away Granuaile hand, but in her haze she managed to miss completely. She stepped off to her right as she tried to put a little space between Granuaile and herself.

"Hey there... pers'nal space crazy lady. Mebbe this Kimiko got tired of you bein sho grabby. Prob'ly better off wereever she ish now."

Granuaile stopped, still as a statue, and her eyes narrowed as her anger boiled. Her hands clenched into fists, her knuckles popping. The twisting gnawing pain in her gut clawed at her sanity again as she spoke.

"You know, this night could have gone two ways. I could have done this quick, just taken what I needed and been gone before you even realized what happened."

The girl started backing away from Granuaile more quickly now, she looked as if she wanted to turn and run but she was staring at Granuaile with shocked eyes snapped wide.

"You... Wha happened to yer eyes? What tha hell're you talkin about?"

Granuaile was too caught up in the moment to give much thought to the girl's comment about her eyes. Her lips parted to reveal a pair of long, elegant razor-sharp fangs and she ran her tongue along her teeth hungrily. She could hear the girl's heartbeat pounding in her ears, the rapidly hammering drumbeat driving all thought away. She stalked slowly toward the girl and her normally smooth, honeyed voice turned soft and husky.

"I'm talking about your fate. This could have gone differently. I could have given you a night that would make you quiver just at the memory of the pleasure. You had to open your mouth though didn't you. I think we'll still make this a night to remember... but in a whole other way."

Granuaile leapt forward and grabbed the girl by the throat, her hand grasping her in a vice-like grip. Granuaile dragged the girl towards a nearby alley, into the shadows where they wouldn't be disturbed. The girl kicked her legs and flailed her arms in vain as she thrashed and tried to escape Granuaile's grip. As they slipped into the darkness Granuaile's eyes seemed to glow in the darkness, thin slits of darkness surrounded by a luminous amber.