Her
Narrowed eyes stalked me through the mass of sweaty half-naked bodies smushed tightly at the overcrowded rave, despite the calculated series of turns that I took through the sea of people, I couldn’t seem to lose the three sets of eyes that had been following me the entirety of the evening.
We were outdoors and the night was far from young, only lanterns and a few lamp posts lit up the sleek silver streets where most of the city’s population had congregated to celebrate the Festival of Life.
The city’s buildings were constructed of pale-coloured bricks that had been standing for decades, the council refused to knock them down, thus they’d been renovated over and over until we had what we did now. A town that looked like it belonged in a children’s colouring book.
New Vincent, a diverse city filled with Mages, Warlords, Angels, Sorceresses and even Assassins, held this event annually, attracting people from lands that even I’d never heard of and could hardly pronounce, with displays of fireworks, light shows and music. However, I was here for none of these things.
Business, one of the few things that held meaning in my life was the sole reason for my appearance today.
Usually, I had one of my ‘assistants’ visit the minions that distributed the potions and poisons that I concocted in my castle but apparently, they were at a loss as to how to handle a new situation that had suddenly reared its ugly.
The last message I’d received from my distributors was that they were struggling to ward off competitors who wanted their territory.
But after being in Vincent for no longer than an hour, I’d managed to sort the issue, it was simple, out with the old and in with the new.
If my old distributor didn’t have the means to hold his own, he was no longer deserving of my business.
Once I’d sucked his soul from his body and left him an empty shell, wandering mindlessly through the streets like a lost puppy, I’d met with his competition who’d been more than happy to take his place working for me.
At first, they were no doubt intimidated by my appearance; black woman, shaved head, coated in tattoos, slitted brows, piercing grey eyes, six foot and lean with a toned but slightly curvy physique. Based on my looks alone, they knew who I was.
Her; The Alchemist and power-hungry Sorceress who feared no man that walked this forsaken planet.
As I continued to weave my way further away from the city centre and closer to the outskirts, something or should I say someone caught my eye.
Fierce silver eyes sliced through the dark and lively night, staring at me like a predator would its prey. The look could easily be mistaken for a glare, the way that the man’s steely gaze continued to harden under his thick and heavy brows, but I knew better.
Lust.
My heart twitched in my chest and an unfamiliar sensation shot up my spine.
Excitement? Curiosity?
No, it couldn’t be, it’d been decades since I’d felt anything for my male counterparts, especially interest.
(In case decades sounds ancient, none of us paranormal creatures aged like humans, I was going two hundred and didn’t look a day past twenty-five.)
The Warlord smirked when I met his glare, communicating that I’d noticed him and was more than willing to take on any challenge that he proposed.
Yes, he was more than a couple feet taller than me with a physique that rivalled my own and hard features that made him look like a God rather than the magic wielder that I could sense he was, but, I was more than capable of making a meal out of him.
I could feel that although he was close to me in age, all the years I’d spent destroying and absorbing covens had made me unchallengeable and almost invincible.
The Warlord’s chiselled jaw, buzzcut and pierced brow didn’t intimidate me like I’m sure they did others, in fact, I felt that his somewhat brutish appearance made him ‘attractive’.
I internally gagged as I realised what word I’d just used, I’d never held any kind of attraction towards men, after the vile experiences that I’d suffered during my youth at the hands of my father and his friends, I’d only ever used and abused men since.
I’d prey on the arrogant ones, usually, those who were naive and knew no better than to sleep with ‘The Damaged One’.
They no doubt thought of me as a conquest and only realised what they’d gotten themselves into when it was too late.
By the time I was finished with my toys, they were drained of what little power they possessed and ended up like any man who’d ever crossed me.
Having had enough of the staring contest, I made myself scarce. After living as long as I had, I knew a trick or two about making myself disappear on a busy street.
Shadow magic had always been one of my specialities and as I transitioned from my material form into my shadow, I was almost startled by the licks of lightning that suddenly lit up the sky, followed almost immediately by heavy buckets of rain.
The crowds of people screamed and shouted in excitement as they danced harder to the chorus of Hyot skin drums that were being beaten by the trained musicians.
Yes rain was beautiful, in fact, it was one of the few things that I cherished, but it wasn’t the right time of year for this sort of weather. We never saw a lick of rain during Phylis, only sweltering heat and sun.
The stark white of the lightning strikes weakened my cover, making my figure easier to spot, but no matter, I had almost reached the alley where my portal sat hidden and camouflaged within a brick wall.
Abruptly, I paused in my steps when a streak of lightning licked at the ground inches from my feet and another pair of eyes scanned my figure with purpose, the male’s gaze lingering far too long for me to just disregard it.
Author’s note
I’m really really excited to start this new story. When I first started writing ‘A Keeper’s Recollection’, it was only supposed to be a side project on top of ‘An era of Ezri’ but somehow it ended up becoming my sole focus and although I love it to bits I prefer to write reverse-harem and stories where romance is really the primary genre.
Anyway, updates will be around twice a month because working on three stories and trying to write a dissertation is a lot.
As usual, votes and comments are loved and appreciated and I hope you enjoy ‘She dreamt of thorns.’
