Songs of Nightmares and Snow

1- Change of Plans

Astrea

Monster they called me...

Cold, cruel, frightening...incapable of love, of pity...of mercy...

I was a child when I first discovered my full power, it was far too much for someone so young...but I received it anyway. Everyone, from other children, to adults...thought I was a monster, an abomination...obviously cursed by the goddesses themselves for defying nature as a hybrid. My mother's powerful magic and my father's deadly venom creating a terrifying monstrosity that shouldn't ever have existed in the first place...

Everyone calls me the Siren of the Snow.

With no home, no family left, or any dreams of a normal life...I turned to the one thing that was left, my powers...and what exactly I could use them for. I went to the one place that would welcome me with open arms, that would want my abilities...

I.C.E., the Interspecies Criminal Enforcement agency.

With no where left to go, I followed in my father's footsteps and became an enforcer...someone who handles the worst of the worst in regards to supernatural criminals, who ensures that they are punished for their crimes. Starting as a new cadet at ten years old, I quickly worked my way up the ranks...until I became leader of the elite teams at just sixteen, and have remained in this position for the past seven years...my skills making me the best at taking down the most powerful criminals.

I guess in a way, I really am a monster...for how can you destroy monsters without becoming one yourself?

Sighing, I halt in my steps, my breath barely warmer than the frigid air around me as it forms the lightest of puffs in front of me. Pressing a finger to the earpiece in my left ear, I check in.

"Astrea to base, checking in." I say, keeping it simple.

"Loud and clear Astrea, you're within three miles of the target." A man's voice answers, and I immediately recognize the Director of I.C.E. on the other end.

"Remember your orders Astrea...the target is to be immediately taken out upon their location. He's extremely dangerous, and is not to be taken alive..."

Director Xavier's orders echo loudly in my ear as I continue my way through the shadow of the trees, the cold wind whipping the air around me and through my clothes. Most would be bothered immensely by the cold, biting wind...but I personally love it, thrive in it...I'm a winter mage after all, and my vampire half isn't bothered by the frigid temperature.

"He's killed three of our best enforcers, after killing over a dozen humans for sport."

Narrowing my eyes, I continue on my path, quickly hopping from one tree branch to the next, the evergreens blanketed with snow and ice crystals.

"Understood sir." I answer, ending it at that.

The man I'm after is another monster, who's death is even more desired by the Agency because of what he's done. I'm officially the fourth enforcer to be sent after him, he's brutally killed the three that came before me...so it's plainly obvious that my orders are to show no mercy.

In the end, he'll be yet another victim of mine...his last breath will be a dying scream of terror that will echo in my mind for the rest of my existence.

Take no prisoners is my specialty...my curse.

I come to a stop as I reach the edge of the forest, looking out over the snowy expanse of land to see a small log cabin, its chimney expelling smoke into the darkening sky. According to the report, this is one of his many hiding places out in Alaska...and from how it looks, he's definitely home.