Reckless

Chapter 3 Part 3

Character POV: Ariadne

1661 A.D. 

3 MONTHS LATER FROM THE LAST PART

Somewhere, far from the witch, I am crouched over my prey, draining the life from some poor maiden who happened to wander too far away from her home and tried walking home in the dark. A smile graces my blood-smeared mouth as I lay the woman down on the ground, sighing with ecstasy at the rush I feel after ingesting the woman's life blood. I stands there, a silhouette on the horizon, the moon casting ghostly light on the contours of my face. My eyes are closed as I take a deep breathe, smelling the thick scent of the rain that is on its way. Time seems to still around me as I fix myself in this moment.

Then, I snap my eyes open, their red color fading back into my natural violet eye color as I scan the bushes. "You're interrupting the highlight of my night. So get out here and get this over with so I can get back to hunting," I croon, bending down to tear off a bit of the woman's dress and mop up the mess on my face and hands.

Out from the darkness steps a tall black man, and when he smiles his elongated teeth give away who he is. The smile of greeting passes quickly as all seriousness returns to him. He strides forward through the dark, cape trailing behind him, stopping just at the edge of the body. He glances down, cocking his head to one side and murmurs, "Another blonde. If I didn't know better, I would think that you are still thinking about that witch." He doesn't say "witch" in a derogatory way, but rather as a matter of fact, no anger or disgust tainting his words.

I toss the strip of dress back on the body, frowning deeply at the blood caked under my nails. "We grew up together, Zebulun. It only makes sense that I'd be at least minorly invested in her story." I lift my her gaze to him, smirking as I say, "I'm crazy, but I'm not entirely heartless."

He nods, gaze fixed on the dead woman, her face set in a silent scream. He unclasps his cloak, gently laying it over the body as I roll my eyes, exasperated that he can't find it in himself to relish what we are like I can. Once the body is covered in a more respectful way, Zebulun glances back at me and says, "I thought as much. Which is why I thought I'd inform you of what she has been up to." I still , keeping my gaze fixed on my hands, but I know it is clear that I am still listening. So, he continues on and says, "Three pastors have gone missing. Coincidentally, they were the ones behind a lot of the arrests of supposed witches. And then, I happened to be walking through the woods and found pyres, three of them, with what appeared to be male skeletal structures in their ashes. It just felt too coincidental to me to be unconnected. And they all lived within twenty miles of where Aoibhe currently resides, though she calls herself Elizabeth now."

"You're leaving something out, dear Zebulun," I croon, smiling sweetly even as I know my eyes flash with the promise of violence. "Don't spare out any of the gory details now! It's just getting good." I know he thinks that I relish hearing about how Aiobhe has changed, grown into this new person. The death of humans, especially vile ones, does excite me beyond words.

Zebulun's voice drops, as if out of a desire to keep these words from the night and anyone who might be passing who could hear them, even though we are in the middle of the woods and alone. "I have personally witnessed her going to that physician Thomas Sydenham with greater regularity than any human to pick up his laudanum concoction, which he markets as being medicine but we both know is just the drug opium. And I have seen her pick up alcohol, so I assume she's using the two together to increase the sedative effects."

My head snaps up at that, all of the pleasure I was taking in Aoibhe's extra-curricular activities melting away from my features as I hear myself snarl, "She's taking on those who would kill her while high and drunk?" When he doesn't say anything, I start marching down the road, Zebulun on her heels. I laugh in a crazed way, "So, it wasn't that she was great at a revenge plan. She's just been getting lucky. Fantastic." I whirl on Zebulun, bringing us both to a halt as I snarl, "Where is she?"

He says coolly, "This seems to be more than being minorly interested in how her story progresses, if I might say so. It almost seems to me as though there are feelings there, lurking under your blackened heart's exterior."

"Location. Or your head disconnected from your body," I say sweetly, blinking up at him. "Entirely your choice, but I'd be happy with either," I drawl as I draw a dagger from seemingly nowhere. He smiles back, removing a piece of paper with the intel on where he thinks Aoibhe will be tonight and hands it to his me, his leader. I take it with a smile, turning away from him as fog gathers around me.

"Happy hunting," he calls after me, morphing into a wolf himself and disappearing as the fog envelopes me just before the sound of the flapping of wings echoes through the forest as we part ways.