The drop of blood made my body quiver with excitment, my sensitive nose sensing the warm wetness of the red fluid. I fight the natural instinct to plunge my fangs into the soft tender flesh, to feel the warm flow of blood fill my mouth.
"Ah, snap!" the female recpetionist exclaimed, dabbing a white cloth at the shallow paper cut on her finger, "excuse me." she looked at me apologetically.
I nodded, staring at the red blotch growing on the white material, blooming like a red rose.
"Right," the woman spoke, "back to business. You wish to see all the records of vampire sightings in North City?" She looked at me curiously.
"Yes, but don't expect me to just take,2 I pulled out my Bounty Hunter card, "I'll be willing to make a payement."
The woman looked at me, then reached for the card. I offered it to her so that she could take it without touching my cold fingers. She studied the card in her hands.
"So you are a Bounty Hunter, Mr..."
"Winter. Just call me Winter." I said quickly. Blood was still lingering on the back of my mind. I watched the woman scan the card to check if it was authentic. She then went to the back room, behind her desk. I waited patiently fro her to return, forcing my mind to forget the sight and smell of blood. I was stood in the North City Hall's main reception. It had been such a long time since I stood in these halls; nothing has really changed in the past ten years. The only thing that had changed dramtically, was the increase of names on the glass memorial monument. I was looking at all the new names, when the woman returned.
"My father, Strongman Blade, died fighting a pack of werewolves alone," she said, looking at his engraved name, "he saved us..." A tear sprung to her eyes. Wiping it away, she quickly gave a thin folder to me.
"I am sorry," I said as I accepted the file, "is this alll there is?" I looked at the woman, staring straight at her.
"Yes, what you have there are the only records that we have at the moment."
"At the moment? You mean you had more?"
"Yes, but another Bounty Hunter has claimed them when we get the files. So he's first in line."
"Oh really," I say as I start flicking through the papers, "these are all the record from thirty years ago, and are irrelavent to me." I handed the file back to the startled woman.
"How do -" she stammered.
"I read these ten years ago," I interrupted her, "Now, who took the most recent records? Someone must have taken them, as you usually have copies in your computers."
The woman gasped in shock, "And how would you know," she regained her composure, "only those who lived here know that. You couldn't possibly know unless -" She broked off, looking at me, her blood red eyes searching for an answer.
"Yes, I have lived here before, ten years ago. My father and I left North City to pursue vampires in South City. My father told me all the information is stored in the computer system, and is printed out as required." I smiled innocently at her.
The woman was still very suspicious of me, so I decided to give up, and leave.
She watched me leave, then I heard her mutter under her breath, "Kross!"
I had my answer.
Scarlett shook her head. How on earth did he know about the filing system. She didn't believe that he was originally from North City. But that skin colour, and that hair! Scarlett had to admit that the man was beautiful. His skin was pale, but not unhealthy pale, more porcelain. His face looked as if it were carved by angels; perfect with no blemish. The most striking appearance of him wqould have to be his long silken, silver hari, which was tied in a long half a meter pony-tail with a strip of black leather. His eyes matched the colour of his, but were more like mercury.
"Yo! What's up Scar?" Teddy called from the back. He'd probably seen the encounter on the survaliance screen, but because there was no sound, he had no idea what they had been discussing, "What'd that guy want?"
Scarlett looked up at the camera by the door, and pulled a face, causing a burst of laughter to come from the back room. She then headed towards her desk. Teddy, holding his stomach and bent over in mock pain, came through.
"Great first job we get after becoming official Slayers," Teddy moaned, still pretensing to be in pain from too much laughter. Scarlett tossed a pen at him. The pain seemed to have vanished, as Teddy easily avoided the missile launched pen, catching it with one hand.
"We've only just got qualified this morning, Ted!" She lectured Teddy, "Don't be expecting the best jobs first time round."
"I know, I know!" Teddy shouted over her voice, raising his hands in surrender, "Anyway, who was that guy? thar's the second time today someone has asked for Vampire Records. The first one being the Kross Hackers, who more or less wiped the system when that big guy asked for the Records. And now him!" Teddy looked at Scarlett, "So...?"
Scarlett scowled, "He was a Mr Winter, claiming to have lived here ten years ago." She stared at the file she had now placed on her desk, then sat down.
"Did you fall for him?"
"WHAT!" Scarlett jumped up from the chair, "What put that in your head?" She snatched the pen from Teddy who was playing with it like a pointing stick.
"You aren't denying it," Teddy smirked, "Well, even I've got to admit that the guy was attractive. Just 'Perfect', you know."
Scarlett looked at him, gobsmacked, "I didn't know you felt that way."
Teddy laughed, "Don't misunderstand me, what I mean is; didn't he look unnaturally beautiful?"
Scarlett blinked, "Eh?"
[There is still more to come - but feel free to attack it with all your might! I want it to be perfect. I've taken the advice about spelling out the numbers. Any other comments are welcome!]
