Broken Warrior

City of Sins

Eliza

I was happy that I didn't turn on my bluetooth attachment for my helmet, seeing the barrage of missed calls and voicemails from everyone at Knight Corp every time I stopped for gas. I was a little surprised at how long it took for them to realize I was gone, though I told my ego that they had been distracted by a crisis and several arguments when I had left.

I was pretty sure that Tim would murder me when he found me and Carbry would probably be right there with them. I felt guilty for worrying them but I knew that if I had told them my intentions, I probably would have ended up locked up or sitting through hours of lectures on my safety as a 'non-combatant'.

The desert stretched out all around me for hours, until Las Vegas appeared, almost like a mirage in the twilight. It was right about then that I came to the realization that I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. Hunters could sense me but I didn't have enough training or experience to accurately tell the difference between a regular human and them. 

 To top it off, I really had no idea where Eirene would be. Hunting the children, most likely. I fell into a line of bikers and cruised up and down the strip a couple times, trying to get my bearings, trying to fathom where I could find her.

I pulled off down a side street and parked in some general motorcycle parking, taking off my helmet and cautiously walking out into the crowded sidewalks. The world was obnoxiously noisy, full of humans looking to party and skirt the edges of propriety and morals in the city of Sins.

All I knew was that Eirene wouldn't like this place. 

I had no idea why she would have come here to begin with. Not hunting, there wasn't a notable amount of supernaturals in Las Vegas, probably because of how overwhelming it was to enhanced senses. But I could see why it would make a good hunting ground for the Hunters. With so many distractions, even if you were trying to stay on guard, it would be hard for any of us to pick out threats accurately.

I felt my skin crawl, knowing I was walking in a vipers nest and feeling as helpless, as oblivious as the humans who flowed around me. I knew they all couldn't be Hunters, there weren't that many of them. But not knowing the difference between enemy and innocent made everyone suspect, to the point of paranoia.

Walking into the resorts was no better. There were still crowds, plus the noises from the machines and too many corners and hallways to be followed down or cornered in. I quickly walked out of one and paused for a moment in front of the water display at the Bellagio, picking a corner to put my back to as I forced myself to breathe.

To think...

"Hey sexy. You looking for a fun night?" A guy stumbled up to me, appearing to be drunk. 

But I frowned when I noticed that I could not smell the scent of alcohol on him or either one of his equally stumbling friends who stood not far behind him.

I glanced at the crowd and felt a thrill of fear, no one else was paying us any attention, and I knew humanity well enough that even if I tried to run and cry for help, I couldn't count on anyone coming to my aid. Nor would it be likely that they'd be able to.

Three Hunters versus any good samaritan would not be a good day, and I knew they had no qualms with collateral damage. But if they were playing a game, that meant that they didn't know I was on to them.

I flashed the guy who spoke to me a charming smile, tilting my head to the side. "Whatcha have in mind?"

"We have a penthouse suite, open bar... some connections for more fun stuff.." The man mimed checking me out but I saw the cold death in his eyes as he regarded me. "You're far too beautiful to be on your own."