Their thoughts were so loud they didn't even hear Cain leave. Or maybe he really was just that fast.
The brothers headed away from the train station, weaving through crowds of strangers who either didn't notice them at all—or noticed just enough to know they didn't belong.
"Vel, where are we going?" Violet asked. "The train station's that way."
"We're going to find the old man," Velvet said, holding up the blank sheet of paper. "And ask him what the hell this is supposed to mean."
"What about the train station, Captain Dumbass?" Violet shot back. "He told us to go there, and he'd meet us."
"He also said if he doesn't make it, we leave him," Velvet said. "Does that sound like someone who plans on making it on time? Or someone who already knows he won't?"
"Well, I'll tell him this was your idea," Violet muttered.
"Last time I checked, he's not our dad," Velvet said firmly. "Dad's gone."
The words hung there longer than either of them wanted.
Velvet exhaled. "He came looking for Mom and Dad five years after they died. I'm not getting on a train when the one man who knew them before we were born might have answers." He looked down at the paper. "And this—what the hell is this?"
"Okay," Violet said. "Then let's get off the streets."
He grabbed the paper, brought it to his nose, and inhaled. The violet in his eyes brightened.
"You can see his scent?" Velvet asked.
"Captain Shit-for-Brains, you know I can," Violet said, waving him off. "Stop throwing off my focus." He looked up. "He's not on the streets. We go to the rooftop."
Velvet smirked and hooked Violet's foot.
Violet face-planted into something wet.
"Okay then," Velvet said, already turning. "Let's go, shit-face."
"What the hell, Vel—this is dog shit!" Violet yelled.
Velvet was already sprinting, leaping onto an air-conditioning unit bolted to the wall. Violet followed, darting after him.
They moved like hellhounds—bounding, leaping, tearing across rooftops faster than birds could react.
They glanced at each other, grinning. For the first time that night, they felt free.
Violet stopped mid-dash at the edge of a building.
Velvet, still at full speed, vaulted over him and landed on the neighboring rooftop with a soundless grace.
Violet pointed down toward the street.
A long stretch of blood streaked the pavement below, curving around the corner of a building.
Velvet's eyes burned, the glow in them cold and lethal. In an instant, he saw the fight that had taken place below.
They dropped from the rooftop like hawks, descending fast and silent.
"Violet," Velvet said, "that man, the old man, ran into at the bar—"
"He's dead," Violet finished. He hesitated. "Did the old man…?"
"No," Velvet said. "He didn't. It was that woman."
Violet frowned. "Was the old man in your vision at all?"
"No," Velvet replied. "The woman fed him to her friends. I think he was dinner."
"You think?" said Violet.
The boys followed the trail behind the building.
Velvet's mouth began to drool. His heart pounded harder and harder. The glow in his eyes intensified.
Behind him, Violet covered his nose.
They stepped over trash and broken bricks spilling from a human-sized hole in the wall. As they moved deeper, they saw him—the man from the bar.
He lay crumpled against the concrete, blood leaking from the gash in his neck like a burst water pipe.
In a snap, Velvet launched toward the body, bloodlust burning in his eyes.
"Vel—Vel!" Violet shouted.
He ran forward and shoved him off the corpse. Velvet staggered back, blinking. The glow faded. His eyes returned to normal.
"You should stand back," Violet said. "Seriously."
Velvet stumbled backward, confusion washing over him.
"It's been a while since this happened, huh?" said Violet.
"Yeah… yeah, I guess," Velvet replied, embarrassed.
"What direction did they go? Vel…" Violet said pressingly, "Focus."
Across the alley on a faraway rooftop, a shadowed figure sits perched, watching the brothers standing over the corpse. The figure turns and sinks into the ground as if it were never there. Violet looks out into the distance. He thought he saw something; to him, maybe he did, or maybe the night was playing tricks on him.
"We need to leave, now, Vye fuck the trail," Velvet said with urgency.
Violet snapped back into focus.
The brothers ran.
One after the other, they hit the wall of a tall building and scaled it with ease, moving with the speed of a cheetah.
"Vye, do you feel—" Violet started.
"There are six in total," Velvet cut in.
They were being followed.
Violet glanced back. Five creatures tore across the rooftops behind them.
"Six?" said Violet. "I'm counting five."
"The other one is right—" Velvet began.
A hand clamped over Violet's face and smashed him into the rooftop. The impact cracked the stone. Smoke burst into the air.
Velvet kept running—saw it all happen in a blink; he looked at a blank spot on the roof.
BOOM.
Violet exploded through another section of rooftop, rolled once, then sprang back into stride beside him.
"You thought they got me, huh?" Violet said, grinning. The scar on his face sealed itself shut as they ran.
"I knew they didn't," Velvet replied. "I just hoped they did—so I could say I have a faster reaction time."
Behind them, the sixth figure stood still, watching as the others gave chase.
"I hope you know," Violet said, eyes forward, "we're going to have to fight them."
The sixth figure leapt into the air, vanishing into the darkness above.
It didn't matter.
The brothers could smell the bloodlust.
Their eyes glowed at the same time as they shifted instinctively, opening a narrow gap between them.
BOOM.
The figure slammed down into the space they'd just vacated, missing them by inches.
They kept running.
Behind them, the figure straightened, watching them flee once more.
The other creatures finally caught up.
Without hesitation, the sixth grabbed one by the neck—snap—then hurled. The lifeless body flew forward. It sailed through the air toward the brothers.
"Jesus Christ—fuck," they said in unison.
They ran, eyes locked on the flying corpse.
"Where does the scent lead, Vye?" Velvet shouted.
Violet inhaled sharply, his eyes glowing with power.
"Back toward the train station," he said.
"We need an exit strategy," Velvet said.
"I say we fight these fucks," Violet replied.
Velvet shook his head. "We can't be seen. If they find out we exist, every faction will—"
"Sorry to cut you off," Violet said, "but here comes the neck-snapping psycho again."
This time, the brothers were ready.
The sixth figure leapt again, using the night sky for cover. The boys adjusted—just enough. She landed between them, then vanished in a blur and reappeared ahead of them.
The brothers slid to a stop.
The sixth figure reached up and removed her mask. Long black hair spilled free, caught and whipped by the wind. Ruby-colored eyes locked onto them. Pale skin. Slim build.
She smiled faintly.
"You two don't seem to be from around here," she asked. "A little bat told me a stone-cold, soulless man—wanted by just about everything on this earth, even karma—was seen at a bar with two others."
She tilted her head.
"Ya wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would ya?"