The Sokovian Shadow

Chapter 1

TW:
- Death
- Implied Pedophilism/Rape
--------------------------------

I waited in silence. My prey was almost in my reach. I went over what I knew in my head.

Blake Darren, 39. Married to Maria Darren, 35. No children yet, though Maria was expecting. At night, he left his wife to prowl the streets looking for innocent children. When approached, he was merely guiding them home, but I knew he had more sinister intent. His targets were teenage girls, and when he knew he wasn't being followed or watched, he would duck into a dark alley and take them. He thought he was never spotted, but he didn't think to look up.

None of them ever looked up.

I watched from a roof as he lured yet another girl down an alley. I recognized her straight blonde hair; Amelia Naverni. I smirked, touching the tip of my tongue to my fangs. This was going to be too easy. I pulled my mask up over my mouth and nose and pulled my hood up. My raven black hair didn't need hiding, but my alabaster skin tended to glow under moonlight. I felt over my shoulder and my fingers were met with the soft silver-lined black feathers that made up the 20-foot pair of wings attached to my back. They were beautiful, but they weren't going to help me tonight. A moment later, my fingers met the cold ink tattoo that replaced my wings whenever I needed to go undercover.

I smiled grimly as I turned away from the edge of the roof. I ducked down an adjacent alley and dropped off the roof, swinging off a light post and tucking into a roll to absorb the impact. Then I ducked into a side pass and entered the alley of my prey. I ducked back into the shadows as he passed me. He was so clueless as to his fate. As he passed me, I slipped from the shadows and followed them, stopping when they stopped.

'Come on, we're almost at the shortcut.' He was trying, I'd give him that.

'Maybe I should just take a long way. My parents will be worried about me.' Amelia sounded frightened, and I wasn't surprised in the slightest; she was only 13. To stop her, his hand landed on her shoulder.

'No, no, it's alright. I'll have you home soon, I just want to show you a shortcut. It's at the end of the alley.'

'Clearly, you don't know Sokovia as well as you think. This alley leads to a dead-end.' I spoke softly, but they both heard. Blake and the girl both spun towards the sound of my voice. Amelia took the opportunity and started running. I followed her path until she was out of sight, then turned to face my prey.

'I know there's a shortcut. Come with me and I'll show you.' He explained earnestly. I chuckled darkly, knowing he meant full well to take me instead. I decided to play along for a while, just for fun.

'Very well then. Enlighten me.'

He gestured with his hand to follow him and I did. Eventually, he turned to me, putting a hand around the back of my neck. I couldn't actually throw up, but if I could, I would have. But I knew I could make it worth it. I turned to him and cupped the palm of my hand to the side of his face, revulsion coursing through my body. He looked delighted, and I doubted any of his other victims had reacted as I had. His smile was replaced by a frown as he put the pieces together.

'You know what your biggest mistake was?' My hand slid to his throat as I spoke. 'You didn't look up.' I hissed almost seductively. Then I lit my hand up with the ghostly black fire only I could produce, enjoying it immensely as he screamed silently. He writhed under my hand as it burned into his throat. When he stopped struggling, I let his body fall limply to the ground.

I focused for a moment, and my wings were back before I could blink. I looked up, already longing to be back in the sky. I flickered down my third eyelid and spread my wings with anticipation. I flapped them once and was gone, my sturdy falcon wings carrying me higher than any plane could ever go, leaving behind the alley and the depressed soul that would haunt it.

As I dipped and wove through air currents and non-existent obstacles, I noticed a pair of young mortals talking in the dimly lit streets. I dove down and landed on a nearby lamppost, listening. There was a male and a female and I recognized them immediately.

Wanda and Pietro Maximoff. Twins, 16 years old. Orphaned by Tony Stark's missiles when they were ten years old. Victims of the event that I had failed to prevent.

It looked like they were arguing about something. I started listening, finding the Sokovian accents calming, as always.

'We can't just stay quiet anymore, Wanda!' Pietro almost yelled. 'We need to do something! Make them understand!'

'How can they understand us when they can't even hear us?' Good point, Wanda.

'Then what are you suggesting? How can we be heard by the Americans?' He spat the word with such disdain I was impressed he hadn't killed anyone yet.

'We make ourselves heard.' Wanda responded. 'We make Sokovia heard.'

'How?'

'We join the protests.'

That caught both me and Pietro off guard. He was silent for a moment, taken aback, and I twitched my wings and cocked my head to the side, considering. When he recovered his voice, Pietro's response was not what I was expecting.

'When does the next one start?'

'Noon tomorrow, but we have to be there by at least quarter too.' The expression on Wanda's face suggested that her brother's response had surprised her too.

'Then we'd better get a good night's sleep.' They walked off, still talking, and I took to the skies again, not paying attention to where I was going as I mulled over what I had just heard.

I think I'm going to keep an eye on the Maximoff twins.