Power Training [Open]

[Starla]

A light, quiet yawn passed the small blonde’s lips as she quietly picked through her clothes, sifting through the tightly packed drawers until she found the right pair of yoga pants, the comfortable ones that she knew were the perfect size, that would hug her hips and keep themselves righted, that wouldn’t slip while she was working out. She tugged a new, deep purple VSX sports bra from the drawer and tossed them onto the bed. She danced through the room, her head bobbing left and right to the music in her earbuds, her long, golden tail of curls swinging with the range of motion as she spirited through the room, pushing open the door to her closet to search through her shoes.

Shoes, shoes, shoes… so many shoes. Heels and wedges, platforms and sneakers, she had everything. What she was looking for now was the new pair of Pumas she had just bought from the Reebok in New York on her last visit, and had been saving for a new gym. It was now or never, she supposed, as she again mourned the loss of her last pair of workout shoes, finally blown out on a hiking trip through one of the trails outside of town. She sighed, and pulled the bright pink shoes from their cubby in the hanging organizer that dangled from the inside of the closet door, and swiftly danced her way back through the room.

Her spirits were higher than they had been since she’d come to Canada, and she attributed the entire atmosphere to finally having the chance to get a real workout. She’d made do with a yoga mat and a small set of weights in her bedroom and out on the balcony when it wasn’t so bitter ******* cold. Tonight, though, she’d have a whole gym. Proper equipment and space for a real workout. Just thinking about it made her giddy with excitement and she rushed to toss a pair of socks onto the bed with the rest of her clothes. Satisfied with the workout outfit, she picked through her things for something to wear when she was finished. She didn’t relish the idea of walking home, covered in sweat and in the clothes she’d just busted her *** in all night. It was too cold out for that.

She’d shower at the gym, and change into something fresh. She picked a nice, figure hugging pair black jeans and a hot pink sleeveless top, a golden likeness of the iconic Playboy bunny logo across the torso, tossing them and a fresh change of underwear into the bag before she pursed her lips and turned to stare into her closet. She continued to look, her golden eyes moving slowly over the hanging garments as she pulled the sports bra over her head and down her ample chest, stuffing herself into the tight purple fabric before she turned and grabbed the black yoga pants, shimmying the tights up her shapely legs and snapping the waist around her hips. Satisfied, she stepped into the Pumas and reached into the closet to grab a black fleece jacket, draping it over her shoulders and zipping it up to her throat.

She turned to the mirror and gave herself a quick once-over, making sure that she made the right first impression was important, especially if she intended to make this workout session something regular, like it had been back in Alaska. Pleased with her appearance, she dropped a prepared protein shake into her bag, along with a pair of mixes for additional drinks during her workout, for electrolytes and hydration, as well as a bottle of her metabolic aid that she would take just before she started her warm up. She huffed, the sound a happy, excited sort of sound as she placed her hands on her hips and looked down at the open bag, checking everything was there as she tucked the iPhone in her hand into the pocket of her jacket. The action reminded her of the most important part!

She moved to her night stand and reached into the deep drawer, rummaging through her sleep aids and past reading material, a few sponsorship documents and a copy of her contract, along with a few other odds and ends, and raked her nails against the back of the drawer without finding her quarry. She pursed her lips with a confused expression as she glanced around her room, one hand lifting to scratch at her throat as she thought. “I just had it here…” She frowned, and knit her brows as she kneeled down, leaning to check beneath the bed and there, just at the edge of the bed and tucked beside the night stand was her iPhone arm band.

Her face lit up with glee. “Aha! Found you!” she shouted with triumph, reaching for the elastic band and tugged it from the small space it had been crammed into, and tossed it into her bag. Satisfied, she grabbed her keys to the suite and zipped up her bag. She paused in the living room where Cherri lay sprawled across the couch, her head jutted up across the arm as she was watching Netflix on the living area television.

“I’m going out, babe. Don’t wait up. If you see Hinata, let her know will you?” The redhead turned in surprise, a slight jump to her movement as she nodded. “What? Yeah. Okay, I’ll tell her.” That moment, the slight Asian woman’s head popped over the back of the couch with a grin. “Tell me what? Sorry, I was busy.” She lifted a tanned hand and pushed her chocolate curls from her face, a cheesy grin on her face as she tipped her head to one side. Starla couldn’t help but chuckle, and lifted her key, waving to them. “Going to the gym. If either of you hear from Barbie, my cell will be on.” She blew them a kiss and slipped out the door, locking it behind her before she stepped onto the elevator.

She pushed her earbuds in, music instantly blasting into her brain. Justice by Rev Theory blared near max volume as she moved her body to the rhythm of the music and only barely resisting the urge to sing along. The heavy power chords dropped and she nodded her head to the beat, losing herself in the music as the car rode its long, slow trek to the ground floor. She didn’t hear the door ding, but had taken the ride so many times she had it timed down to a tee. The doors swung open and she danced easily through the doors as they slid soundlessly on well oiled tracks, her slender frame slicing through the small knot of people waiting on the car.

She breezed through the hotel lobby and flashed the doorman a brilliant smile, the older man tipping his hat to her, his lips moving in his typical friendly exchange. She waved as she walked backwards over the concrete sidewalk. “Night, Luis! See you in the morning!” The man smiled, and waved her on. She spun on the ball of her foot and turned one eighty, rushing down the sidewalk to catch the 22:15 to Westwall Station. She dashed through the lightly crowded sidewalk, dipping between bodies as she moved, her long golden tail of hair whipping behind her in the chilly wind. She continued to let the beat of her music control her, the song moving to a cover by My Chemical Romance and The Used, a popular oldie, Under Pressure. She let a smile play on her lips as she moved through the people with ease, her short stature and small, slender frame let her dip between groups with little to no contact at all.

If she had been so inclined, she would have made an excellent pickpocket. Dashing through the crowd like she was, it would have been impossible to keep up with her without bashing into dozens of people while she simply danced around them, losing her pursuers in the crowd. It was something to think about, if she ended up losing her sponsorships over Barbie. She sighed when her thoughts tried to drift into the darkness, the less than stellar moments that had befallen her team. Their veteran member, and one of the biggest sponsorship magnets, had disappeared on them after an incredibly hostile display. She didn’t know where Caroline had gone, or where she was planning on going; if she planned on ever coming back. None of that really mattered, once you got to the core of it. Caroline had been Starla’s friend since she was only fifteen, Caroline this twenty eight year old pro, a real idol that Starla really looked up to, really idolized. They’d been close, and Starla really cared about her; wanted to know if she was alright, if she needed anything.

The team, in moments like this, just didn’t matter. It was her way of life, it was her family, and right now, that family was broken. She had to find the missing piece and make sure that she was doing everything for that missing shard of her family that she could possibly be doing. If she wasn’t, then, well, she was failing Caroline as her sister; as her friend. She sighed, and pushed the thought from her mind as she pushed her way onto the station platform at the Wickbridge Station and checked her iPhone. 22:10. She was five minutes early. She took a slow breath, steadying the rhythmic beating of her heart as she smiled to herself and closed her eyes, letting the music wash away the emotions.

Just let it all go, Starla. That’s what this is all about. Just let it all go. Relax, and find your zen. Find your center. You’re going to really need this training if you’re going to keep your skin in this town.

She opened her eyes, and turned to find herself looking at a map of the train routes. She’d never really taken the time to learn them all, had just kind of taken advantage of the quick turnarounds and constant run times. Really, the public transit system here was a model that should be replicated all over the world. There was no way that anyone ever ran their trains as efficiently as the Harper Rock Transit Authority. They just couldn’t. She sat there, looking at the maze of tracks that ran through town and had to wonder at just how many trains they had running at any one time, to have so many arrivals and departures so tightly packed into the schedule.

When the song on her iPhone flicked again, she smiled, and turned away from the map to let her body sway to the music, popping her hips with the beat of Paint it Black, covered by VersaEmerge. She was really, really into the crossover genres lately, and punk covers were quickly becoming a fast favorite. This band, these vocalists… they were particularly good. She caught herself getting lost in the song, and nearly missing her train. She almost laughed at herself, golden eyes dancing around the station, watching to see if anyone had noticed her moment of airheadedness, her fingers pushing through her blonde locks, sweeping her bangs once as she let her eyes rise to the line of golden hair that swept her brow. They would need to be cut soon, they were growing long, covering her dark brows. She huffed, the breath of air brushing the bangs to one side in a gentle sweep look. She smiled, satisfied, and tapped up the volume on her iPhone as she moved to hook her arm through one of the standing loops hanging from the roof of the car.

Her hips continued to sway to the music as she felt the blush in her cheeks subside, realizing quickly that the car was almost empty. She didn’t really need to worry about making a fool of herself here, there wasn’t anyone to really see. She smiled, and cranked up the volume again, as loud as it would go as the song changed to Lean on Sheena covered by The Bouncing Souls. She found herself bouncing on the balls of her feet, excited for this trip out of the apartment. She pat her free hand against her duffel bag as she dropped the iPhone back into her pocket, the car jolting forward as the conductor announced their next destination; Westwall. She looked over her shoulder and found only one young woman with her nose buried in the day’s paper. She decided to throw it all to the wind and let herself go. She let her body react to the music and danced, all out, her hand slipping from the loop as she swayed her way closer to the front of the car and farther from the sole other passenger.

She bobbed her head, her blonde tail whipping against her shoulder as she lip synced to the song, losing herself in the moment and moving her fingers like she was playing an air guitar. It was often she’d have silly moments like this one, just let herself free and just not give a **** about what the people around her thought. It was good for her nerves, good for her mood. She started to jump on the tips of her feet, really getting into the guitar until the song rolled through its last verse. Laughing to herself, she finally let her hand drape over the bag over her shoulder and lifted her other hand for the loop. She looked back at the back of the car and saw the woman staring at her, like she was some kind of crazy. Maybe she was. Right now, she could hardly care. She smiled, and gave the woman a wiggle of her fingers.

Immediately, she snapped her face back into the paper and ignored her for the rest of the ride to the station.

Disappointing.

She could really use a few local friends; people that knew the sights, the attractions, the places to drink and the places to avoid. Particularly with her particular brand of stalker, she’d need to know the better places to hide out in public and wait for daylight. It would sound so creepy out of context, so she was still trying to piece together how she might even going about finding out that sort of thing when the train slowed to a stop, hitting the station with a jolt that jarred the blonde where she stood, lost in her thoughts. She gripped the loop to keep herself upright, and dashed through the opening doors, slipping through a pair of men that were making their way onto the train. She was tempted to just try a hand at picking a pocket, but refrained.

Something about those men told her she would be best off keeping her hands to herself, and she went with her instinct, tucking her hand into the pocket of her jacket, instead, and heading for the street. She’d found a local chapter of Anytime Fitness online, and had gotten the address before she left, punching it into the GPS on her phone. She brought up the map and tapped at the screen, checking the directions. The map took her down several blocks, toward the river, and then West, toward the city limit. If she walked the same way the map took her, it would take nearly three times the time it would take if she cut through the alleys and made a more direct route. However, knowing what she knew about Harper Rock, she’d stick to the streets, happy as a clam under these street lamps.

She suddenly felt nervous about being on the street at night on her own, remembering the last walk she had taken, and pat down her bag, feeling her heart creep into her throat until she felt the hard shape of her blade in the bag. Immediately, just knowing that it was here with her, she relaxed. She could defend herself with this weapon, with a surprising efficiency, she had found. Hinata was showing her some basic techniques, but she had admitted that if Starla wanted any kind of advanced technique or mastery training, she would probably have to find a professional. Hinata only took martial arts as a means of stress relief and relaxation; a kind of meditation.

That was how it had begun for Starla, but now, living in Harper Rock, her need for martial knowledge had become a more tangible requirement, something she was going to need to survive. That was another reason, possibly the biggest reason she was coming down to the gym in the middle of the night; to see if any of the night crowd might know of a good instructor in town, someone that could teach her how to really handle such a high caliber weapon.

When she’d shown Hinata the blade, the woman had nearly lost her cool. She’d yelled at Starla, thinking that she had stolen it, that there was no way she could come into something this quality by accident, until she’d explained; at least, she had explained to the best of her ability without sounding like a raving lunatic. Vampires. She doubted even Hinata would believe something so blatantly insane. She sighed, letting her hand slide away from the bag as she moved to her music again, walking down the sparsely lit streets as she let her head bob to Umbrella covered by All Time Low, a favorite band of hers. She smiled, letting her head swing from side to side in time with her hips as she crossed the empty street, taking the turn West.

It was still several blocks now, but she was close. The phone began to bark directions at her in that gentle but firm voice Siri had. She chuckled and tapped out of the map. She’d found what she needed, and she would know the gym when she saw it, surely. It was a gym. It would certainly have the Anytime Fitness sign outside, at the least. She didn’t need a GPS to walk in a straight line. Even she wasn’t that blonde. She checked the time again, and pursed her lips. 22:45. It would be midnight in a little more than an hour. The gym was likely empty, or at least, at its lowest point of the day. It would make questioning the people she found there that much simpler. There wouldn’t be so much hustle and bustle to work around.

She began to move swiftly, then, her body invigorated as she moved with the new song, rushing down the sidewalk to the beat of her favorite song on the entire soundtrack. Taylor Swift’s I Knew You Were Trouble, covered by We Came As Romans. She hadn’t really heard of the band before she’d gotten on this crossover kick, but they were an instant hit with the blonde. She’d fallen hard for the more contemporary punk group. Excellent instrumentals, beautiful vocals, and perfectly balanced screams. They didn’t overplay the scream-o like some of the more modern bands did, and added it into the perfect moments to really give the song a fresh, new punch.

She was at the front door of the gym in no time, sweeping through the front door and gliding past the security door, passing her membership badge over the lock mechanism and earning a buzz inside. She pushed the heavy door aside without effort and glided to the front desk, offering the young woman behind the counter a wide, friendly smile. “Hi there! I’m here from out of town, just found you guys tucked all the way out here, and was wondering if my American membership transfers here with me, or if I need to open a new account?”

The woman behind the counter stared at her over the rim of her glasses with an incredulous look, her long, black hair pulled up in tall spikes, and a golden ring glinting in her left nostril. She leaned closer, over the counter as she stared down the preppy blonde. She worked her tongue along her lower row of teeth before she finally spoke. “Name?” The way this woman looked at her, it was like she’d never had a customer with a legitimate question… ever. The impression she was getting of this gym wasn’t exactly… five-star material. She tipped her head to one side and pushed her hand through her hair, tucking the straight strands behind her ear as she gave the woman another friendly smile. “Wolfe. Starla Wolfe. I should have platinum status?”

The woman started to turn to her desk before she stopped and turned to look at her. She lifted a brow and stared for another long minute, before she placed both hands on her desk. “You better not be ******* with me, lady. I need the name on your account.” Starla’s brows rose as she lifted her hands. “Listen, I went through a long trip across town to get here. You have my name. I just need to know if I need to pay to get into the gym. I’m not here to make any trouble.” The receptionist squinted at her, like she was trying to pry off her face with her scrutiny, before she just stared at her openly. She shook her head and waved her through. “I’ll be damned, alright listen. You’ve got full access with Platinum Status, that’s international credit and all. You’re set here, sorry for the confusion. Enjoy our facility all you like.”

Starla flashed a smile and stepped around the counter, and hoisted her bag over her shoulder. She paused on her way past, and turned back to the woman with a grin. “You a fan?” The woman snorted, and rolled up her sleeve, showing her the emblem she’d taken as her sigil in most any game, the five point star in black and pink, with the letters DS underneath the pictoral. Starla smiled, and moved up to the desk, pulling out a pen she kept tucked in her jacket. “Toss me your 3DS” The woman stared at her, before Starla rolled her eyes. “If you’re a big enough fan to have my insignia tattooed on your arm, you’re going to have a 3DS. I’m not some kind of psychic.”

The woman laughed nervously, and reached onto the desk to grab the portable game console, pushing it into her hands. “Just don’t let my boss hear about this. He’d have my hide if he knew I was playing video games back here.” Starla smiled, and signed the back of the 3DS’s top screen, her signature a wide, curly, girly sign. She pressed the cool plastic back into the woman’s hand and smiled. “Call me Star.” The woman finally gave her a warm smile. “Abigail.” Starla gave Abigail another smile, then, and turned to head into the gym. She could feel the woman’s eyes on her back, and she smirked. She made a quick cut into the locker room, and found herself an unclaimed unit by the showers of the women’s locker room, and dropped her bag into the top locker, pulling out only her shake and the two electrolyte mixes. She tipped two of the supplement pills into her palm and placed them on her tongue, washing them down with a swig of the shake before she gave a sigh, and shut her bag in the locker.

At first, she was unsure about leaving her sword in the bag, locked away, her anxiety doubling when she clicked the padlock in place and hung the key around her wrist, but she swallowed back the feeling of nerves and moved into the gym. It was mostly empty this late at night, only a sparse handful of people even in the building, much less on the workout floor. She smiled to herself and moved to one of the flat mats, setting to doing her stretches before she would even think about getting started. She lifted one arm high over her head, the other looping around and grasping her elbow, pulling the shoulder taut as she leaned into the stretch, feeling a sweet sort of pain radiate through her shoulder and side as she stretched the muscles and the ligaments there, holding for ten seconds before she switched sides.

She checked the room, the only few people she could see were, she was likely alright to assume, employees of the gym, most of them only lightly paying attention to their workouts or sitting around on the equipment, texting on their phones; probably bored of the slow graveyard shift. She counted three. If she had to defend herself, she supposed three on one weren’t the worst odds. She rolled her neck, feeling the vertebrae pop as she groaned, and tipped forward, reaching to touch her toes, then forward more, and more, until the heel of her palm pressed to the floor at the tip of her toes, her feet planted firmly into the mat as she held herself in the stretch for ten seconds like the first. She made a quick inventory of the machines and free weights, wondering where she would like to start, still very unsure.

Maybe she should hire a personal trainer as well as a martial arts instructor… she’d probably have to call her family about sending more money for something so expensive, but she had no doubt in her mind they’d send it over before she hung up the phone. They were like that. She smiled, and finally let her body straighten out with a quiet groan before she reached down and lifted her shake from the floor, popping it open for another quick sip before she eyed the leg curls machine. She could start there. Or maybe on the butterfly. The real question was, did she want to work upper or lower tonight? These all sounded like questions she probably should have answered before she’d come down. She knit her brows, lifting her hand to chew idly on the side of her thumb as she looked around the gym, looking about as lost as she felt, she was sure.

Where do I even ******* begin trying to turn myself into some kind of superhero? What the hell do you do, when you’re trying to kill a vampire?

[River]

Tracing her fingers along the brick of the debilitated building, she memorized each crack and blemish as her gaze swept across the street lazily. It was empty, save for two flea ridden mongrels, their mouths open as their tongues dangled helplessly between rotting teeth. There wasn’t an ounce of meat on their bones, their breathing labored as they sniffed hungrily at the ground, torn between seeking shelter from the impending storm and sorting out their next meal. As they grew closer to her, she bent at the knees, the movement a silent whisper as she narrowed her eyes. Their agony clear in dull brown eyes, she snapped her teeth together and shook her head. It was an awful sight, and the compassion she had been keeping under lock and key shattered when the smallest stumbled on a damaged, bloodied and infected paw. Hissing between her teeth, she caught the creature by the scruff of his neck and stood, the thin, foul smelling mutt twisting frantically in her grasp.

She had no sooner taken a step than his partner lunged with a growl meant to be intimidating rumbling from her fluid filled lungs. The feel of her teeth in her flesh made her snap her fangs in warning, and as she adjusted the first to one arm, she easily scooped the second up. Had she still been human, this would have proven quite a dangerous adventure, but with the blood of a vampire in her veins, she was far from helpless. Don’t kid yourself, Danika. You’re still worthless. Shaking the thought from her mind, she tightened her arms on the two and weaved her way through the dark streets, her head down as she studied the cracks in the cement. In her arms, the dogs stilled in their fruitless battle, their heads rolling until they lazily rested on her shoulders with a sigh of defeat. Even in their crazed, lonely existence, they knew when to give in, to just accept whatever fate had planned.

Thirty-two steps later, and she found herself outside of a familiar shop, the fluorescent lights casting an uncomfortable glare through the darkness. Pressing a gloved hand to the glass, she pushed against the door, the chime of the bell like a sword through her temple. It echoed across the empty lobby, bounced off the tiled floor and shattered the silence like a bullet, and was closely followed by the tap-tap of heels. With her gaze downcast, she didn’t see the approach of the familiar, shapely blonde as she rounded the corner, but she heard it. It was one she knew well, with the weight of her heels against the clean linoleum and the scent of strawberries and antiseptic that filled the air. “Another, River? Look at these poor things,” Clarabelle chimed, her voice heavy with worry.

Without preamble, she hoisted the female from her arms and eased her onto the floor, her claws scratching across the tile as thousands had done before her. “Easy, girl. I’m not going to hurt you,” the veterinarian continued, pressing her fingers to her sunken side as her wide, grey eyes sought a gaze that she would never see. With her hood in place, her features were cast in a shadow, making her nearly unrecognizable, even in the blaring white light that threatened to blind her. “Where did you find them this time?” Even as she spoke the words, River could hear the reluctant acceptance in her tone. She spoke only to fill the silence, as River never once answered her. Sinking her fang into her lower lip, she bent at the waist and lowered the male to stand next to his mate, her fingers lingering on the rough, flea infested fur before she shook her head and stepped back.

“No, wait!”

The words were lost beneath the ring of the bell as the shadow escaped into the night, as if she had never been. She could feel that grey stare bore into her back as she hastily retreated into the street, until the familiar weight of the shadows wrapped around her like a blanket. Here, she was comfortable. Here, she was whole, alive, accepted. She hadn’t any business being within the warm light, or to feel the heat of Clarabelle’s smile. She was untouchable. Her beauty held no weight against the knowledge that River was unredeemable. Leaning back against the wall, she curled her fingers around the edge of the building and watched as the curvy blonde searched the shadows before shaking her head in defeat. With a smile turned towards the helpless creatures, she lead them around the corner until all three faded from the vampire’s hungry, wanton sight. Worthless.

Fighting the urge to scream, River ran her fingers beneath her hood and frowned. She smelled about as awful as the dogs themselves, as if she had been the one to roll through the garbage instead. Who would notice? You could run naked through the streets, smelling as foul as rotten meat, and no one would cast you a second glance. You are pathetic, she thought, the weight of her inner demons pressing down on her until she was forced to pull from the alley and turn her back on the Animal Hospital. It had to be the last time she found herself there. It had to be the last time she saw her smile, the last time she was struck by her beauty and delectable scent. It had been lust that kept her returning at first, a desperate need to atone for her sins beneath her smile, but it had quickly morphed into something dark, sinister. If the human knew what thoughts filled her mind….

She wouldn’t be so quick to accept her.

She had studied every curve, every blemish. She had committed her to memory, and now she brought that memory forward as her fingers pressed to her eyes. She would never be able to stomach someone as innocent and pure as Clarabelle. In the end, she would end up hating her. She would resent her for being everything she couldn’t - kind, devoted, religious. She would despise her for the ease in which she laughed, and when she was finished with her, she would kill her. None of that stopped her from finding her attractive, from wanting to sink her fingers into her skin, to paint her smile across her canvas, to leave her mark on her flesh. Unlike her, she would be missed. People would scour the earth to bring her back the moment she went missing. She was everything that River couldn’t be, everything that she wanted to be - and she hated her for it.

Yet, she still went back, night after night.

“Disgusting,” she hissed, dropping her fingers from her eyes as she rounded the corner. She knew it was wrong, the way she reacted so violently to anything beautiful. It was a sickness she couldn’t shake, even if she wanted to. It was his fault. Roderic Hawthorne. He had been the first - and he was still the true obsession, the touch of darkness that set her soul aflame. Everything about him called to her, from the detached glare of his gaze to the curve of his waist. He was her creator, her murderer, her obsession - and he was also the only claim to family she had. There hadn’t been many after him - in fact, there had only been one. Clarabelle had been an unaccepted surprise in her dreary existence, and she knew that she had to shake whatever called her to her. She was too bright a light to be wiped from existence, and if she kept her interest, that would be what happened.

There would be no way that she could remain alive.

Shaking her head, she eased her way into the middle of a new street, her steps slowing as she forced her stare from the blacktop to the building’s signs. She needed to change, and she needed to find a place that would be abandoned to do so. The thought of facing anyone was a hardship - but tonight, she knew that she wouldn’t be able to stomach it. Already she could feel the panic in her chest in the way it tightened, before a sharp pain exploded through her stomach, leaving her breathless. It was the same every moment of the day, but she never understood it. No one saw her. She was invisible, worthless, useless. No one gave her the time of day, and yet she panicked as if they did, as if they actually would notice her, instead of leaving her screaming in her loneliness. Releasing an unsteady breath, she shook her head as her eyes landed on the flickering lights for the gym.

It would have to do.

Keeping to the shadows, she weaved her way through the trash and dumpsters in the alley, her fingers working quickly at the lock to the back exit. When it eased open, she silently slipped through and shut it behind her, mismatched gaze sweeping the shadows with a grim smile. It was cool inside the building, yet there was a touch of heat that she couldn’t quite place. Her steps as quiet as a whisper, she trailed her fingers across the smooth surface of the lockers, her sneakers making no sound across the floor as she searched through them. Finding one partially open, she snagged a black hoodie from the confines and brought it to her nose, breathing in the scent. Clean. There was no trace of perfume nor cologne, and instead, it smelled of freshly washed linen. Shrugging from her own, she pulled the stolen cotton over her head and smiled as it all but devoured her whole.

With her dirtied hoodie in hand, she tossed it into a bag she found on the floor, and pulled it over her shoulder, her fingers gripping the strap with a whiteknuckled grasp. Despite having done what she needed to do - something kept her in place, frozen to the spot as if she were carved from stone. She wanted to turn away, to head back into the night - but instead, her feet were moving forward as a soft, melodic laugh filled the air and cut through her like a knife. Walk away, River. Go! The warning sounded in her mind, but she paid it no attention as she rounded the corner, only to catch sight of the most breath-taking creature to ever exist. Her hair was the color of the sun, and it swayed as she walked, the ends brushing against a strong, delicious neck. The purple of her sports bra clung to her body like a second skin, gripping the smooth, soft flesh of her breasts in a way that made the vampire’s mouth water - and filled her with a sense of envy so strong, it shocked her.

Walk away. She would never notice the likes of you. She would never care for you.

Tightening her jaw at the familiar hatred that filled her mind, she trailed her gaze down the expanse of her back as the beauty walked into the gym, and shook her head. Her pants were as tight as her top, and they hugged her body in a way that nothing else could. Her *** was toned, tight, and so round ,it shocked her. There was no reason that something so large she belong to someone so small - and yet, it seemed to bring more beauty to the woman than she thought possible. Already, she could see her on her canvas, and she hadn’t even witnessed her face. As she painted her in her mind, she crept closer, each step bringing her closer to the sun - and she knew that she was about to be burned. Running her tongue along her lower lip, she kept her in her sights as she rounded the corner, sticking to the shadows that lingered in against the walls. From here, she couldn’t be seen.

Why do you care, River? She would notice you. She would laugh at you, if she did. Find pity in your pathetic existence. No one cares about you.

In her heart, she knew the warning was true, but she couldn’t pull her eyes from the woman - at least, until she caught sight of something in the window. A flash of color that didn’t belong, and a feeling of unease crept up the back of her neck. She couldn’t place it, but she knew that she wasn’t the only creature to watch this delectable angel, and it infuriated her. In the span of a second, Clarabelle had been forgotten, and whoever this creature was had become hers. Searching the night through the grime and fingerprint covered glass, she relaxed when she saw nothing but the road. Whoever it had been was gone - for now - leaving her able to study the determined expression that painted her angel’s face. It was a strange look, one that didn’t belong, but she couldn’t look away. Everything she did enraptured her, and she knew in that moment, they both were in trouble.