2014 Copyright © A. M. Forest

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Magnolia ignored the fluttering feelings it gave her and turned around with a glare aimed at the mystery man. Up close she could see that his curls were more of a chocolate instead of the dark brown she originally thought.

"Ahh, that glare still stains your beautiful face." He remarked, a twinkle in his swirling hazel-blue eyes that she didn't like.

She raised an eyebrow at the flirtatious comment as she continued to glare at him. "Do you mind giving me my glass back?"

A devilish smile appeared on his face. "Certainly," he said before downing the shot and handing her back the empty glass. He swallowed it down slowly as he looked back at her, his adam's apple bobbing as he did so, while she stared at him in disbelief. "You did say the glass, after all." he quipped.

She nearly crushed the empty glass in anger. "How dare you. Not only did you take my glass of away, but you had the audacity to DRINK it!" She growled, fuming in the stool.

His cocky smirk grew wider. "This is our second encounter in two days, and I still don't know the name of this red-headed beauty in front of me." He remarked, ignoring her comment.

"I—what?" Magnolia said, caught off guard by his statement. She was completely prepared to shout out many profanities if he went on the topic of 'you said the glass' again, but hearing that had spun her for a loop.

He looked at her expectantly as he spoke, "What is your name, Red-headed Beauty?"

She gaped at him at his bluntness.

He raised an eyebrow, waiting for her response.

"My name is Magnolia Haunt," she finally answered, sticking out her hand for him to shake out of curtesy.

"Jeremiah Siren, at your service," He said as he brought it to his lips for a light kiss.

The gesture sent a blush to her cheeks before she cleared her throat and pulled her hand out of his. You are too old to be letting your emotions get the better of you. She scolded herself.

It had been a very long time since someone made her blush.

Magnolia turned back to John the bartender, tapping the glass for a refill. He stared at her wearily before he nodded and refilled the glass. She quickly snatched it up when he handed it back to her, and downed the drink in one gulp, keeping her eyes on this Jeremiah Siren dude as she did so.

"So, where are you from? I'd think I'd remember a pretty name and face like yours if you've lived here as long as I have." He asked, leaning on the counter next to her on his elbow to give her the full force of his hazeled-gaze.

She sighed, "I grew up in Florida. The hot weather, ocean breeze, and yellow sand are all that I remember, though." Magnolia had thought about lying, but lies were so hard to keep, especially when she planned to see him again. Besides, she had already told him her name. "I eventually moved to the country side of New York and got a job that has me traveling a lot. I ended up here on an assignment."

His head perked up at her last sentence. "What kind of assignment?"

"People related." she stated simply after asking for another shot.

"How people related?"

"Why so curious?" Magnolia asked harshly slamming the empty glass on the counter.

"Why so serious?" He replied in the same manner.

Magnolia stared at him for a minute as a chuckle slipped from her lips before she could stop it. "So we're quoting the Joker now?" she said, still giggling.

He broke out into a smile, leaning in before speaking. "'We stopped looking under the bed when we realized the monsters were inside us.'" He quoted easily.

She couldn't help it as her laughter filling the air. "So, I'm guessing that relates to you?" Magnolia asked, taking in his ever-swirling eyes.

He glanced away, still smiling as he looked at the empty glass. "You could say that." He paused, turning back to her. "How about you? How do you even know I was referring to me, and not you?" He asked pointedly.

"Of course, it takes a monster to know a monster." She said sarcastically, rolling her eyes and playing it off. The truth was, she was a monster--well, Professor Rodger's would prefer the term 'super soldier.' But the fact remains the same; both names refer to the same thing: Magnolia Marie Haunt, twenty-five year old assassin-gone-vampire-hunter trained by the government to do their bidding.

She mentally rolled her eyes. The one person who wants to be on her own, allows herself to be controlled by the government. Go figure.

A beeping came from her coat pocket. She quickly pulled out her phone and turned away from Jeremiah as she answered it. "Not a good time, Joseph." her voice vibrated in an undertone.

"It's never a good time with you." He replied, grumbling. Magnolia was about to retort back with a not-particularly-nice comment but he cut her off. "Look, I didn't call to chat. I have some new information you might want to consider looking into."

She straightened up in her seat. "On my way," she stated before ending the call and turning back to Jeremiah. He sat calmly in a stool, facing the TV on the wall behind the bar. From this angle she could admire the sharpness of his jaw and the way the underglow of the bar light made his face more mysterious and moody, making her just want to turn his head so he could look at her with his matching fall-colored eyes.

when was the last time you had sex again?

She huffed in frustration, catching his attention. "Is something wrong?" He asked, a hint of concern expressed on his face.

Magnolia quickly shook her head. "No, no. Everything's fine. I just got called into work, so... I guess I'll see you around?" her words came out more like a question.

She steadily got out of her stool, throwing money down on the bar. Before she could turn around and leave, he reached for her hand and brought it up to his lips tenderly, catching her off guard.

"Until we meet again, flower." And with that he walked out before she could break from her stupor.

She stood there for a while in shock and confusion. No one has ever called me that...not since...

Finally snapping out of her shock, she regained her normal façade and straightened her brown coat, walking out of the bar as if nothing had happened.

~*~*~  

Joseph opened the door, surprise--a regular reaction, apparently--clear on his face. 

Her glare hardened as she pressed passed him, talking as she walked down the hall towards the living room. "This had better been worth it. I was collecting data from one of our leads - the guy from the bar, Jeremiah Siren." Magnolia paused and turned around to face Joseph. "Now that I say that out loud, I realize the last name sounds familiar. It could possibly be a nobleman's last name, which means there is a good chance he comes from money."

Joseph raised an eyebrow. "You say that like you plan on becoming some gold-digger, Magnolia." He said, a smirk spreading across his face causing her to rolled her eyes.

When she hit him on the arm in response out of habit, she noticed the grimace on his face.

Magnolia frowned and guided him towards the couch. "When was the last time you changed your bandages?" He didn't bleed very much from the encounter with the vampire; he got away with mostly bruises and scrapes, but the bandages she had wrapped around the scrapes on his head, shoulder, and arm had an ointment that helps him heal faster.

He shook his head. "I haven't had the time. I've been too busy looking into the Waters situation that I didn't find it necessary to stop what I'm doing for such meaningless chores." He waved off as he pushed past her towards his keyboard on the couch.

At the mention of the Waters, Magnolia grew stiff with tension.

"So, that is what you called me for?" She asked, keeping her voice void of emotions in fear that she might sound excited.

"The bandages or Waters?"

She sent him a pointed look and he recounted his sentence.

"I found the Waters address and decided it is best if you'd go rather than me, since, in my current state, I'm not at a hundred percent."

Magnolia nodded, glancing at his bruised cheek. "Alright, but let's get these replaced for now." she told him, walking into the hall towards the bathroom to get the first aid kit she stored there, knowing she was going to check on him more than once.

He abandoned you. And yet you help him. You are weak.

Magnolia looked up and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her thoughts traveled back to when she and Jeremiah were referring to the Joker.

Magnolia always tried to envision herself as a version of Batman; fighting off villains (vampires), and saving lives.

But, now as she looked at her reflection - with her hazel eyes shining evilly back at her; her red, flame-like hair longer on one side than on the other, making her peach skin look pale; Magnolia realized she was indeed the Joker of this story... The Joker was completely mad and unpredictable; just like her.

She shook her head and walked out of the bathroom, trying to convince herself that she didn't just see her reflection smile back at her.