Devin was late. He'd made Kal promise not to leave the apartment until he returned. He was supposed to be back at sunset with information about the hunter. It was almost midnight, and there was still no sign of him. She decided to go looking for him. Maybe he was hurt or needed her help. Doubtful.
The thought of running over the roofs of the buildings was exciting, the wind tugging at her hair, the scent of the fresh night air after it had been raining all day. The colors of the stars were visible in a way only they could see. She jumped from the balcony to a nearby roof and headed toward her destination. It felt good to be outside.
The run to their rooftop was uneventful. Kal enjoyed stretching her legs. The initial high didn't wear off as she ran from building to building with a speed no one would see. The short trip was over too soon. When she arrived, someone was waiting in their spot. Their dark hair was silhouetted by the street lamps below. They seemed a bit too short, a bit too feminine.
The person turned around. She took a step forward, away from the street lamps. The lack of light allowed Kal to see her clearly. I am an idiot.
Kal hadn't fared well in their previous fight, but the hunter had gotten the drop on her. She was ready this time. She thought back to her time in the compound, the training Selene had felt important enough to give. Simple combat training. I doubt it will do much good against someone like that, but it's worth a shot. At least I won't start this fight at a disadvantage.
The woman drew her weapon. The moonlight glinted off the silver edge. Kal remembered how sharp it had been. She swung. Kal dodged, jumping back across the roof. The girl's attacks were fierce; every strike aimed somewhere vital. How long can she keep this up? Can I wear her down before sunrise? Maybe.
Kal kept dodging, moving at the last second. Keeping pace as she attacked. The weapon falls slower with each swing, almost enough that she can get close. Almost. There was an opening. Kal grabbed the hunter's wrist as she struck, using her momentum to throw the other woman towards the ledge.
The hunter regained her balance quickly. Her expression was unchanged. She wasn't worried, continuing to stare with that intense focus.
"Why?" Kal knew there would be no response, but she still wanted to ask.
The hunter attacked again but stumbled, a little unsteady on her left foot. Kal dodged, and the woman spun to face her. Something wasn't right; she paused.
Now's my chance. Kal moved immediately, dropping over the edge of the building, out of sight. Only for a second. She attacked from a blind spot faster than the woman could turn, forcing her to drop the sword. Her other hand gripped tightly around her neck.
Kal hesitated briefly before driving her fangs into the other girl's throat, enjoying the taste of victory. The warmth of fresh blood. But she had this nagging feeling that something was off. There were no emotions. The hunter's memories were jumbled. Kal saw pieces of their fight; the woman was talking to herself - no - it was someone else. They appeared almost identical, but this girl was younger.
A sharp rush of wind flew past Kal's face. She pulled back, looking in the direction it came from. Her cheek stung, followed by slight wetness. Then, blood. The cut healed instantly, but this new danger was concerning.
Standing at the far end of the rooftop was the other girl, the younger one, most likely still in high school. Her dark hair was pulled back into spikey pigtails, which made her look much less mature.
The new girl glared at the vampire as she flicked her wrist. The direction of the wind moved, flying towards Kal with deadly speed. Someone grabbed her from behind and pulled her out of the way—the ground where she'd been had splintered.
"You are an idiot," Devin hissed, his voice close to Kal's ear.
She was lying face down on the rooftop, his body inches away, protecting her. She scrambled out from beneath him.
"You were supposed to wait." He didn't look at her; all his attention was focused on their attacker.
"You were late," Kal replied.
"And?" He sounded irritated.
"I got bored," she replied.
His reply was a growl. He was angry. Kal guessed he had the right to be considering the current situation. If she'd listened to him and waited, they wouldn't be in danger right now.
"Sorry," Kal bowed her head.
"Why are you protecting her?" The spiky-haired girl asked.
"A better question is, 'Why did your sister break the covenant?" He replied.
The girl frowned. Kal didn't know what 'the contract' was, but it seems to have struck some chord. She wondered what it was and who was involved.
"Take her and go. If you're lucky—" Devin stopped himself.
There was something about how vague he was being that made Kal uneasy. Some secret she wasn't allowed to know. She was almost certain it went beyond the people on this rooftop. He's hiding something.
The younger girl moved to her sister's side. She pulled the older girl close, cradling her head. Kal caught a glimpse of a faint smile on the face that had been so emotionless during their fight. Then both girls vanished. She and Devin were alone on the dark rooftop. The streets below were quiet. No people, no cars. Nothing.
"Do you know what you've done?" He asked.
She could hear the anger in his voice. It was more than the danger to her. Whatever agreement those girls had broken was important.
"I was defending myself," She replied.
He shook his head before running his hand through his hair. He didn't turn to face her. "Come."
"Wait, what covenant?" She ran after him.
He didn't reply.