DUSK

six

"You're Sylvia." Tess said, her eyes narrowing.

"Yes." she replied. "And these are my friends." 

She turned to the large bearded one, who was rubbing her back. "Holt and..."

She gestured at the one I'd already seen before. "Stephen." 

He nodded in my direction.

Holt looked like a Greek God, all taut sinewy muscle, lean lines, and thick unruly black hair. His face was all masculine angles, accented by a heavy beard.  His eyes though, were free of malice, despite the red hue which indicated that they fed on human blood.

Stephen was hot. There was just no other way to describe him. He would have left Clara's boyfriend, Kirk easily in the dust at Shadow High. 

Everything about him screamed sex. From his wild eyes, to the way he stood with a confident masculine grace that would make a girl think he could take her in two strides.

"And you have no need to worry for your human pet, there." Sylvia said, indicating Will. "We only hunt non-innocents."

"And you judge this how?" I said, speaking for the first time.

"We have unique talents." she said. 

She made no indication that she would explain further, but I already knew Stephen's.

"Did your friends know Lawrence, as well?" I asked and Tess flashed her eyes at me.

"She speaks out of turn. She means no ill-will." Tess said.

"Of course." Sylvia replied with, an eyebrow raised.  "She's yours I take it?" 

The sentiment was dripping in condescension.

"I made her, but she belongs to none but herself."  Thank you, Tess.

"Do you have a place to stay?" Tess asked.

"Of course... I believe you were expecting us. Were you not?"

"Yes. I was expecting you, Sylvia." she said. She somehow indicated her distrust of her group without all out insulting them. Her years were clear, now.

"Good. We can help you find the rogue who did this." Sylvia said.

She didn't even bother to turn around. She simply raised her hand slightly and they all departed from her company running and bounding away so quickly, they blurred.

So Sylvia, the tiniest and most inconspicuous of the bunch was most definitely the leader.

"They will seek out others" Sylvia supplied.

"They won't find anything." Tess said, shaking her head. "I've already done the same."

"I have synthetic in my home. I'm willing to share. I think it will be difficult to find non-innocents in this range, Sylvia."

"Not for me." she said, her eyes narrowing. 

"I can see their sins and they all have them. Some small waves, -others a tsunami.  It's hardly ever who you'd think."

She angled her neck a bit looking at Will.

"His is a gentle ebb in the ocean." she said, looking at me.

Will furrowed his brow, looking like she'd insulted his manhood. He'd done few bad things, he thought.

...Still a teenage boy. I smiled.

"Taking on human charges without turning them." Sylvia said, smiling.  "Well, that is the oddest thing I've come across in my travels." she said, but not unkindly.