Raven

The streets were flooded with bounty hunters, the most I’ve in years. I peeked around the corner from a dark alley, my back against the cool, stone wall and I grabbed my binoculars to see into the dimly lit street. It had been two days since the murder of the werewolf queen. I looked up and found a ladder because I needed a better view of the castle and crouched down on some broken wood, the wood did not even shake under my light vampire weight. Thanks to the Darksyde being a vampire sector, the sun never rose, leaving our side of the border in eternal night. I looked through my binoculars again, shifting my bag slightly and frowned. This was going to be harder than I thought. Creatures of every border patrolled the streets and I cursed under my breath. One of them looked up and straight at me but I was deep in the shadows and unless they were a wolf, they couldn’t see me. The hunter shook it off and turned back to the conversation in front of him. I climbed down and disappeared into an alleyway. I was the youngest vampire assassin in the history of the Darksyde at only one hundred and nineteen, not to mention a female. I did the dirty work for the rich people who didn’t want to get their hands dirty. No one dared to snitch me out because they knew I’d take every single one of them down with me. For the first time, someone framed me for the death of the young werewolf queen by using my signature black rose that I leave behind at every crime scene. I was being hunted and if they caught me, I was going to be staked and burnt for sure.

I made my way to the more peaceful and poorer part of the city and slipped into my old little cottage. No one went outside in this part because people didn’t have anything to do here besides stay indoors and find ways to get their next bag of blood. My place was small and you’d think after all those assassinations that I would live in a mansion on the louder and snobbish side, but I don’t. I chose to stay hidden and not draw attention to myself which finally paid off now that I’ve got a huge bounty on my head. All the money I’d earned over the hundreds of years were all stacked in a bag specifically in case I needed to go on the run. I turned on the lamp, light flooded into the one bedroom cottage with a kitchen, bedroom and a bathroom because vampires also needed to stay hygienic. I kicked off my boots first thing and slipped off the leather jacket and hoodie, sliding the thick leather gloves from my small hands. I switched the button on my coffee machine and the appliance roared to life as I searched my fridge for any more lion’s blood. Luck was on my side as I pulled the last one from the fridge and drank deeply. In my line of work, I need to have a clear mind when killing people and didn’t need any distractions when it came to smell of blood so I dieted and found that animal blood was so much more nutritious. It started when I was one hundred and seventeen, mixed up with the wrong crowd and when they were all staked, I decided to go rogue and leave teamwork behind me. I’d used all the information the group had gathered to approach the wealthy. I mean, I had nothing to lose. When I turned one hundred and eighteen, I was the number one killer of the Darksyde and known for my brutal killings and leaving a black rose at every site and a sign or signature for my work. I didn’t kill innocent people, only those who had wronged the wealthy enough to get them killed, which made the king very afraid of me.

I took my coffee and made my way to the underground basement that was filled with my weapons and gadgets I needed for every mission. The room flooded with light, my weapons appearing on the long walls aside me and I went to the end where my laptop lay. I opened the news and found that they had discovered that the poison used to kill the werewolf queen was a mixture of wolfsbane and another unknown substance. I’d only heard of wolfsbane being sold to the public through the dark market on the sketchy side of town. My hairs stood up, I needed to find out who framed me and why, I hadn’t made many enemies in my years as a vampire. I drank the last of my coffee and closed my laptop, I needed to get to the dark market as soon as possible which meant I had to leave now. I knew I had to take my get away bag with because the chances of the hunters finding out where I live and coming after me were high. I know that by finding the wolfsbane dealer, I would be one step closer to tracing back the steps of my framer. I showered and grabbed the emergency bag filled with daily needs and holstered two guns, one in each boot. I tied up my brown hair in a messy bun and slid on my hoodie and jackets as the Darksyde was heading into a very cold season. I covered my head as I jumped out the back window and down into an alley.
The only streets lights we had were in the main streets but in the alleys, that where people got down to do the dirty work because it was dark. I knew the alleys way too well and walked for about five hours before reaching the dark market. Vampires stood in stalls on either side of the alleyways so if I needed to make a quick escape, I was going to have a problem. I ducked my head as hunters patrolled the markets with violent weapons and some bearing their teeth and found myself in front of an old lady. She smiled, her broken fangs shone in the dim light of her lamp. “What can I do for you dear?” she asked and I smiled kindly. “I’m looking for poisons?” I asked and she gave me a wink, getting up from her little chair, the grey haired, wrinkled skinned lady pulled out a briefcase. Inside were glowing bottles of various substances, I couldn’t believe it. She was the wolfsbane dealer? “What you looking for dear?” I cleared my throat, “I’m actually here to find out who bought wolfsbane in the last week?” she frowned, “Who’s asking?” I turned and closed the stall curtain, making sure no one saw inside. I pulled my hoodie back and she almost gasped. “Please,” I begged. “I was framed for the killing the wolf queen. I just want to know who it is so I can bring the truth out. Please.” The woman went around back and came back shortly after with a small book, paging through. “It was a young man, he bought two syringes of wolfsbane from me within the week. He was not much taller than you but probably recently turned.” I nodded and mumbled, “fresh meat.” I thanked her and left her with a hefty stack of bills. “You’re a good kid. I don’t think you murdered that young wolf.” With that, shouting from the other side boomed through the curtain. Hunters. My heart raced and I looked the women who ushered me out from behind the stall. “Is everything okay ma’am?” I heard the one say I started to run. I heard her say something about the lights being a bit too bright for old eyes.
Now that I knew how the killer looked, I needed to find out who else saw him. I made my way through an alley and the air suddenly began feeling tight. There was someone in the shadows and all my senses were on its peak. I looked around, the weight of the bag felt ten times heavier now. Someone came up behind me and I froze, fearing the reality that I was found. Big hands landed on my waist and what I could feel was a male, nuzzled my neck from behind. Shivers erupted down my spine making me gasp. “Mate.” His voice was rough and deep, causing my animalistic desires to arise from its slumber for the first time ever. He was a wolf, I could sense the alpha on him and I forced myself from his grip, spinning around to face him. My body was burning, no one told me vampires could have mates, and wolves weren’t supposed to mate with a vampire. It was forbidden for creatures of different borders to mate, yet here I was, my emotions running wild from his touch and his deep voice that held hidden promises beyond my wildest fantasies. “Please stay away.” I begged, I suddenly became dizzy. I didn’t know or understand what was happening. The tall, masculine wolf bent down in front of me. “It’s okay. It’s your body changing to accommodate me.” He said softly and for the first time, my independence was stripped from me, leaving me raw to this massive male. I felt my inners quake for the last time before it stilled. “Listen, you don’t know me and you don’t want to either.” I said, turning away from him to continue my quest. I was suddenly spun around and pushed up against a wall, but not roughly.
“I am not going anywhere. You hear me? I have not waited over three hundred years for a mate for you to decide you don’t want me.” He said in a growl. I watched his eyes dilate dangerously as he lifted my short legs to circle his waist. He had me trapped and I was forced to bear with the feelings of fire between my legs, he smirked, knowing very well what I was feeling. He brought his lips to my ear, “How many men have you been with my little one?” he whispered seductively. It took all of my strength to answer him, “None.” I whispered shakily. His eyes looked deep into my dead soul and he brought his warm lips against mine in a hot kiss. He held me tightly, squeezing my thighs before finally trailing down my delicate neck. “Wait,” I replied hoarsely. “At least give me your name.” He growled against my skin. “Damien.” He said and I grabbed a handful of his hair. “Damien, please. Not here, not now.” He did as I asked and stopped, but threw me over his shoulder and began walking in the opposite direction as where I came. I hung loosely and let the rhythm of his body sway me from side to side.
When I opened my eyes again, I was a hotel room wearing a skimpy dress. Mate or not, he was going to pay. I searched the room for my belongings and found it neatly tucked away in a cupboard, I checked everything in my bag and was happy to know that no one had scratched in my things. A door opened and Damien came in carrying a tray of food, he gave me a look in the thin, black mesh fabric and I smelt the gorgeous aroma of his arousal. I sniffed until myself nearly on top of him. I felt embarrassed and began retreating when he grabbed my hand and pulled me, straddling him as he sat on the luxurious silk sheeted bed. “You’re really beautiful,” he whispered against my now fully unclothed body. This was surely not legal, I wasn’t supposed to be here. I’m supposed to be on the run, looking for the man who put a bullseye at the back of my head. But here I was, being sexually aroused by this wolf in nothing but see through lingerie, I began climbing off when he stopped me. “I need you, Raven.” My name rolled off his tongue so sensually and I frowned. “How do you know my name?” I asked as he found the sensitive bite mark on my neck, making me shiver.
“I know who are Raven. I know why you are on the run.” He said it so openly, making me curious about the wolf. “Who are you?” I asked him, he rose his head to look into my eyes. “The werewolf queen was my brother’s mate. When those words left his mouth, I jumped from his lap and found myself a corner. “Stay away.” I said, no one was listening to me lately. “I’m not going to tell him, not until we’ve proven that you are innocent.” I looked up at him. “How did you know that?” I asked. “I went into your mind when you were sleeping. I know you are innocent. Now we just have to prove it to the law.