A bounty, uncollected.

Alexis laughed to herself softly as she slipped out of the bar, she had spent the night getting humans intoxicated and feeding off of them before they passed out, they were such gluttons when it came to alcohol.

She had managed to coax a fair few of them into her company, not that it was hard, humans tended to gravitate toward vampires.

The pure-blood was quite pleased with herself, having managed not to accidentally kill any of them, at worst they would all wake with a severe headache.

She yawned softly as she stepped out into the street, walking down the alleyway which lead in the direction of the mansion.

Alexis hummed to herself softly and she gazed up to the sky, she had been out all night though now she had a full stomach and was quite content with making her way home and having a long sleep during the day.

Her boots clicked against the pavement as she swept her long sliver hair over her shoulder and ran her tongue over her bottom lip which was a darker shade of pink than usual, a clear sign that she was well fed.

Evgeni slipped out of the bar behind the woman, watching her silver hair intently, nose wrinkling at the scent of blood. That was her. He was certain. It had been too easy to slip an accomplice into her grasp, and from what he had seen when he left the bar, the man had been fed upon.

He couldn't help but snap up the opportunity for this one. The last bounty hunter hadn't been heard from in a long, long time, and the job was worth a lot of money. And he enjoyed a challenge.

A smirk toyed with the corners of his lips as he lit a cigarette, effectively disguising his scent as he mingled with the crowd of another local bar, watching her carefully as she moved.

Alexis brought her hand to her mouth and yawned softly, it would be daylight soon, normally she did not stay out so late but she was having too much fun to call it a night any earlier.

Stretching her arms over her head she continued down the alleyways, coming out the other end and heading to the outskirts of town.

Once she was a safe distance away from town she would use her supernatural speed to get back to the mansion easily, she didn’t see the point of cars. But at this point she didn’t want to draw unwanted attention to herself so she would wait until she knew that no humans were around.

The lycan clamped his cigarette between his teeth as he pulled out his knife, sharpening it on his belt. The pub he had chosen was a little rough, so people barely noticed the man with the knives and the cigarette.

Even though he admired modern technology, he preferred not to use weapons like guns or explosives. Versatile and useful as they were, he rather found that they took the skill away from killing.

He would rather enjoy the challenge and relish the moment when his prey's final breath slipped from between their lips.

The man smirked, taking another puff as he inspected a syringe in his belt, tapping it with a finger before drawing some of his own blood. If he could only stab it in while he was fighting her, then she would eventually die, even if not today. It was a kind of assurance, as it were.

He followed her along the road, ducking into an alley with a drunken man, making sure to hide behind him so that his scent was once again hidden.

Alexis’ nose wrinkled as she turned around to look behind her, her eyes narrowing as she gazed at a drunk stumbling around in the alley.

“Filth.”

She muttered softly and turned back around; walking out of town, the rhythmic clicks of her heals against the pavement breaking through the silence.

The vampire had no desire to sully her lips with such lowly prey, in that regard she showed her pure-blood nature, she had a taste for the young and healthy, not the old who drink themselves into a stupor.

Something about this walk made her feel uneasy, like someone was watching her, her movements did not change in the slightest but she began listening more thoroughly to the sounds around her.
She had lived long enough to know to be paranoid in such situations.

He watched her walk away from over the drunk's shoulder, smirking as he plunged his knife into the man's back. Although the man probably wouldn't have remembered, he didn't particularly want any witnesses. Better safe than sorry, after all.

The man gurgled, blood spitting from the gaping wound as he pulled the knife out, kicking the body carelessly to the ground. He wasn't dead just yet. But he would be soon. Besides, a drunk wasn't exactly his priority.

Stepping around it, he ran after her.

His fist swung round, hitting the woman hard in the jugular to render her breathless as he forced her to the ground. The blade pressed to her throat hard as he straddled her, a triumphant smirk creeping onto his mouth.

"Nice night for it."

His free hand gave a sharp yank to her hair, pulling out a fistful of silvery locks. He took a drag of his cigarette, stubbing it out on her arm, relishing the scent of burning flesh.

Alexis caught the scent of blood in the air and turned to the sound of footsteps, just in time to see the man strike her in the neck.

She choked her breath slightly as she crumbled to the ground, the sheer shock of being attack at this moment rendering her momentarily stunned.

A spiteful hiss escaped her throat as the man brought a blade to it, wincing as he pulled out a lock of her hair and burned her.

Her body trembled softly in anger as her gold irises faded to a dark crimson and the whites of her eyes turned black.

"Indeed."
She croaked softly as she regained her breath, twitching her fingers slightly as she manipulated the shadows around them, forming tendrils which wrapped themselves around each of his arms before flinging him off of her and throwing him across the street.

Alexis growled and stumbled to her feet, another bounty hunter, eight hundred years she had to put up with this shit and it seemed it wasn't over like she had hoped.

The Bulgarian let out a choked breath as he was thrown to the floor, but forced himself to stumble up quickly, not wanting the woman to have any advantage over him.

Quickly regaining his composure, he dusted himself off casually, a cold smile dancing on his lips.

"Now, now. I only want some entertainment for the night." he smirked, leaning on a wall as he lit up another cigarette, watching the smoke billow into the sky.

Picking a throwing knife from his belt, he surveyed it closely, watching the metal gleam in the moonlight. And hurled it towards her.

The blade flew into her palm, making a sickening crunch as it pierced the flesh, colliding with bone.

"Could be fun."

"The only thing you'll find here is your own demise, hunter."

She growled and gritted her teeth and yanked the blade out of her palm, flexing her bloodied hand as she dropped the knife to the ground.

Her eyes narrowed as she glared at him, her shadows lashing around at her feet like protective arms, ready to grab the man if he threatened to get too close.

"I've no time to play your games."

She detested hunter's so many had come after her, each more cocky and sure of themselves then the last but each time one came she had killed them, this one would be no different.

"So I suppose I will just kill you quickly, shame, we could of had some fun together."
She chuckled softly as she outstretched her hand, summoning a large gleaming scythe, the same one she had once used against Taylor and Zeke, laced with silver, it would definitely kill this no good mutt.

"Well, what a rude way to decline an invitation."

His hard silver eyes glinted in the darkness, cold, almost metallic. The smile widened as she pulled out the scythe, lighting another cigarette.

Taking another drag, he paused to survey the cigarette, eyes lighting up as an idea came to him. He took another, wooden-handled throwing knife from his belt, holding it by the blade. He caught her eye as he poured the lighter fluid from his cigarette lighter onto it before lighting the end. The handle burst into flames.

Bringing his arm back swiftly, he threw it at her, the blade just catching the woman's shoulder. The flames caught the silvery locks, raging through her hair, lighting the street with gold.

"Dinner by the firelight is such a lovely way to meet someone, is it not?"

"And I suppose you are the pinnacle of polite manners, striking a woman down as a greeting?"
She mocked raising an eyebrow at him.

Alexis eyes went wide and she shrieked at the blade caught her shoulder and set her hair on fire.

Her shadows coiled around her and quickly doused the flames, she continued to wear the shadows around her like a protective shell.

One of the only things she was truly afraid of was fire and he had used it against her, she panted softly as she regained herself, her body trembling in shock.

She scolded herself for being dismissive on him and slow, she wasn't going to let him pull another stunt like that on her.

She tore the blade from her shoulder and tossed it too the ground, the smell of burnt hair now clung to her.

A growl rumbled in Alexis' chest and she jolted forwards toward him, clutching onto her weapon tighter.

The blade came down and dug into his shoulder, she cursed slightly, the embellishments on the blade were silver, but she had not dug the blade in deep enough for the silver to make contact with his skin, just the steel.

The man let out a strangled, snarling yelp, grabbing the weapon to yank it out of his flesh, throwing it on the ground. He hissed at the pain, growling as he inhaled the scent of burning flesh.

He simply stood there for a moment, staring at his hand, almost hypnotised by the scarlet blood staining his hand and the reddened, blistering flesh.

Silver eyes narrowed into slits, playful attitude now gone.

His fist slammed into her jugular once more, throwing her to the ground for a second time. He stood over her, lip curling in disgust as he stepped down on her throat, striking match after match and dropping them over her body and around her, the flames roaring into an inferno over the woman's body.

Taylor kept having this weird feeling, little flickers of something that made her gut coil into knots and set her adrenalin going

she was currently doing some early morning shopping fro some new tools on her bike, but the feeling kept distracting her form her task

eventually, she had given up on trying to shop and instead let her feet take her where they will, and found ehrself walking down dark ally ways

it stunk of booze, males, sex, rubbish and.......burning?

she frowned, nose twitching as she put out her cigarette

she inhaled deeply

hair...clothes....and flesh burning?!

she broke out into a spring, her heart lurching, and that was when she saw Lex being set on fire with a Bounty Hunter standing over her and throwing matches on the woman

something primal woke up in her, her her pupils dialted before going to pinpoints, the iris darkening to black, and a few faint veins appearing

she growled low in her throat and began advancing towards the scene, the very air around her thick and heavy with coiling shadows and a menacing aura

she recognised this bounty hunter...a sick twat that tortured his Deaders

and now he was attackin her Ex Bounty

the very fucking nerve

with a flick of her wrist, shadows raised up and coiled around Alexis, smothering the flames on her as Taylor raised her gun 'Judgement' and shot at the Hunter in the leg

he better be glad she was only carrying bog standard bullets. that was all she had after a time on the range

when he went down, she melted into the shadows and reappeared in front of the man before he hit the ground

her hand coiled around his neck and she lifted him up, slamming him into the wall behind him

oi, bastard. what the fuck are you doing here? she's a fucking completed bounty. i already did what was required of me and it's now done. who the fuck do you think you are coming here and attacking someone who's no longer on the Black List? she growled, her voice low and dangerously cold and controlled

Lex was hers...her Cold Bounty....no one touches her bounties...even if they're complete

He let out an automatic scream as he was shot in the leg, scrabbling at the woman's hand as he was slammed against the wall. The man snarled, quickly transforming, his jaws ripping into the elf's hand.

Exactly. She used to be your Bounty. She is no longer your Bounty. This is none of your business.

The wolf broke free of the elf's hold, circling her slowly, snarling.

Just because she's not on the Black List doesn't mean there aren't others who want her dead.

Alexis' yells died down as the flames were put up, scrambling to her feet and looking between the two bounty hunters in shock.

Her body was covered in small burns but nothing too serious.
She shuddered softly as she realized that the sun was rising, she staggered back until she was pressed up against the side of a building, the roof's overhang cast a shadow large enough for her to stand in.

Alexis flicked her hands so her shadow tendrils wiped up from the ground, picking up the scythe that lay discarded a few meters away and throwing it in Taylor's direction, not at the woman, but for her, the blade was made of silver.

"Taylor..."
She called in a panicked voice as she gazed up at the slowly lightened sky, as soon as the sun rose over the hills she would be doomed, they had to get out of here quickly.

Taylor reached out behind her without even looking as the scythe was thrown to her, and grabbed it, using the shadows to bring it towards her

do you even know who i am? i'm Blue Sparrow...one of the best out there....you're just a Lycan pup with no name. i've killed three times as many bounties than the years you have lived. you dare question me when i say that the Bounty is complete and to no longer be touched? she hissed, eyes burning as she glared darkly at the other hunter

this was her resting area

Bounty hunters are no permitted to disturb the peace here. this is a place of refuge

she rested the scythe on her shoulder, momentarily looking back at Alexis to see she was hiding in the shadows, and seeing the sun rising

tch she'd have to end this quick

Lex would turn to dust soon otherwise

turning back to the Lycan, she grinned slightly hysterically, shadows dancing around her more

prepare to die she growled, holding the scythe in both hands and charged

Bit conceited, aren't you?

The wolf sighed as the woman charged towards him, holding the scythe. Such a lack of grace for a woman. And for a hunter no less.

The enormous black wolf leaped over the woman's head swiftly, coming to a skidding halt behind her. He had to hold back a whimper at the landing, still feeling the pain from the bullet wound all too strongly. The wolf's jaws ripped a large chunk out of the back of the elf's thigh.

Learn some humility.

Taylor yelped as she was bitten and scowled down at the wound...Moe and Zeke were going to kill her when they found a chunk missing from her leg

she'd have to get to zeke before the side effects decide to kick in

however, when the lycan whimpered, she knew exactly where he was, not even having to look back for her next attack

Shadows shot up around the lycan, lacerating the wolf with deep gauges

straightening out, she looked over her shoulder, black eyes cold and empty as she turned to approach the lycan, limping heavily and using the scythe as a crutch as such, but still looking deadly

to scared to fight me as a man? how pathetic she spat out, curling her lip

gritting her teeth, she steeled herself and shut off her pain sensors, ignoring any and all pain messages until she had time to receive them

lifting the scythe, she slipped into a ready position, every movement now perfectly co-ordinated and controlled

Alexis' eyes continued to look up at the sky, if she didn't leave soon then she would burn.

She thought about running while the other two fought each other until she saw the lycan transform and tear flesh off of Taylor.

The woman had gone out of her way to save her, could she really just leave her to get torn apart by a wolf?

Alexis swore inwardly, they were going to be cutting it close.

She waited until the wolf was focused on Taylor, no longer seeing Alexis as a threat, that's when she struck.

Her shadow manipulation was far stronger than Taylor's, even now that her body was severely burnt she could still help using her power.

Her shadow tendrils coiled themselves around the wolf's legs and torso, pinning him in place, there was no way he would be able to escape this.

She clenched her hand roughly and the shadows constricted accordingly, crushing the bones in his legs and cracking his ribs with an audible snap.

The wolf let out a yelp, recoiling as the shadows lacerated his flesh, cutting through the fur and skin. The animal collapsed to the floor, writhing with a quiet whine.

But he wasn't done yet.

Plastering a cocky grin onto his face, he forced himself to get up.

Scared to fight me without shadow manipulation? At least I take the risk of touching you.

A whine escaped him as shadows coiled around his legs, struggling to get free, the wolf's eyes black and bulging in his skull. He let out a screeching, inhuman noise as his bones crunched in his body, crumpling in the shadows' grip.

Slowly, he began to transform back to his human form, skin tainted with blood, reddened welts and black and blue bruises littering the palid skin. His eyes rolled back in his skull, only half conscious.

The man gazed up at Alexis pleadingly.

"Please..."

Alexis smirked as the wolf howled in agony, the horrible sound satisfied her greatly after having been set on fire.

"Please what?"
She sneered at the man as she stepped out of the shadow and walked toward him, his legs were shattered, he was no threat to her anymore.

The vampire took back her scythe from Taylor and knelt down to stare at the pathetic writhing form that was the bounty hunter.

"I've been hunted by your kind for eight hundred years, I've beaten everyone of the hunters before you.
You know who I am, you know what I do, now I ask you, is it in my nature to be merciful?"

Her words were dark and spiteful, she had never shown mercy, except in her last encounter with Taylor, she was getting soft but this wolf, this mutt, had wronged her.

Evgeni glanced over to the elf, eyes flickering over her form.

"She was merciful to you." he murmured quietly.

He knew that the two would never get on, but it seemed somehow... hypocritical for Alexis to kill him, after her old bounty hunter was merciful towards her. No, he did not think she was merciful. He had heard the things she had done, and frankly, he didn't care, but he thought that she was at least the type to care about how she came across.

And she did not strike him as a hypocrite.

"Have you really learned nothing from that?"

Alexis' eyes narrowed as she got to her feet, a growl rumbled in her chest and she kicked him brutally in the ribs.

"She was not merciful to me, she locked me in a coffin for a hundred years to waste away then enslaved me instead of letting me die to prolong my punishment!"

She snarled at him, her eyes glowing red with anger, Taylor had put her through hell.
There had been moment though, fleeting moments where Taylor had shown her mercy.
Today being an example.

"Would you have shown me mercy if it was me begging for my life right now?"
She asked with a growl as she moved her blade so it was pointed at his chest.

"You want to live mutt? Then beg, prove to me that you deserve it."

He let out another screech as her foot hit him in the ribs, the noise almost like a dying animal. The man curled up with a whimper, coughing up spatters of blood, the red staining the floor.

"No..." he choked out, wiping a trickle of blood from his chin. "I wouldn't have."

His head hit the floor, gazing up at her as a silent tear trickled down his cheek, leaving a salty stain in its wake.

He was disgusting, pathetic, cruel. And weak. But, whatever else he was, he was honest. To the point of brutality. He would have let her burn, and he knew he would have watched her until she was nothing more than a scalded corpse.

But he hated himself for it. And to some extent, he knew that he was cruel to other people, not because he hated them, but because he hated himself.

"But you aren't me." he whispered, wincing at the pain as he wiped away the tear impatiently. "You're better than me... aren't you?"

Better than him in all respects. As a fighter, in class... as a person. And she would survive, even if he didn't.

"Please. I've given up everything to survive. I don't want to die like this."

Taylor had hung back to let Lex take lead to let her do what she will with the mutt

she simply watched and listened as she used shadows to try and stem her bleeding a little

she snickered at all the different sounds of pain, getting a sadistic pleasure as she watched him be beaten up

she looked at Lex and shivered...had she really fought this woman several times and lived?

she thanked her lucky stars for letting her live, and for that one moment of mercy shown by lex

however, her lip curled at the wolf begging for his life

handing Lex back her scythe, she kneeled down in front of the wolf, and lifted him up by his hair while standing back up and slammed him against the wall with a sickening thud

she let go and let him fall to the floor again, placing the heal over her boot over the bullet wound that she had given and dug her heel into it

too scared to touch you with my hands? please. it was just easier to attack you at range. though i am not happy i'm this close to you after Alexis has beaten the shit out of you. but that's beside the point. everyone is better than you, mate. everyone gives up everything to survive. and not everyone gets what they want. man up and deal with life she said coldly, wrapping her hands around the Lycan's neck and prepared to snap it