This is it. He's going to die, and I'll be free.
At the last second, he moved, and I was suddenly pinned up against the wall, the silver dagger now in his hand. He pressed the blade to my throat, a sadistic grin creeping across his face.
"Oh, Reese...
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I held the cloth up to my stiff, sore neck, wincing at the sting the cool material inflicted.
"That'll teach you to allow yourself to get bitten," Opal sighed, preparing a bandage for me. "Honestly, Reese, you know better than that."
I rolled my eyes. "It's not like I plannedon it," I muttered. "In fact, I remember thinking about avoiding exactly that."
After leaving the alley way, I met up with Opal a few blocks away from the bar, taking a long, winding route meant to shake off any tails I may have picked up. I remember the uncomfortable sensation of feeling like I was being watched, but, then again, I always feel like I'm being watched. Doing what I do has made me overtly paranoid - constantly looking over my shoulder, always assuming everybody knows who I really am, though I usually take careful measure to avoid giving away my identity.
Like tonight, telling Marcus Chauncey that my name is Vanessa. Disguising my bright blue eyes with dark brown contact lenses. Continuously straightening my naturally frizzy, curly, dark brown hair that reminded me of Hermione Granger's... or Mia Thermopolis from The Princess Diaries, pre-makeover.
Every time I have a different target, I change my look, my name, my personality. Two nights ago, I was Lauren Williams, green-eyed, blonde-haired - a wig, really - extremely nice, naïve, and a little too trusting. The look of shock on the warlock's face when I slit his throat was extremely satisfying.
Last night, I was Mackenna Rivers, hazel-eyed, pink-haired, a seductress. Brought an unmated werewolf right to his knees... before I stabbed his eye with my silver dagger.
Then there's the normal, everyday character I play, the name and face I use most often - Isabelle Sage, brown-haired, blue-eyed, and completely average. Pretending to be Opal's younger sister, living with her and her husband until I got a place of my own. Working at the nearest diner during the day, keeping up the illusion that I'm saving up money to leave Toronto, leave the terrible, fear-driven place the city I once loved had become.
And there's my true self. Reese Hearne, the name I was born with. The name that was everybody's common knowledge for seventeen years, until my life - which had already been messed up - was completely shattered.
Now? Only Opal and her husband, Kyle know who I am.
Reese Hearne only comes out at night, when the vampires come out to eat.
Reese Hearne only rises with the moon, when the werewolves come out to howl.
Reese Hearne only stands in the darkness, where the witches and warlocks once lurked.
And right now, Reese Hearne has a painful wound on her neck, the vampire venom making its way into her bloodstream making her very dizzy.
