Blood & Juniper

A part of me blames Cooper for this. He just had to bring her up and here she is. Perfect, what a horrible coincidence. The worst kind of synchronicity.

"It's been a long time, Sam," the woman breathes. Her spicy scent coils and chokes like a boa constrictor. It a bouquet of cloves and herbal thieves on Christmas, but she is no gift.

I grind my teeth together, they shift slightly in aggravation as she encloses her hands tighter around my c.h.e.s.t, cherry painted nails snagging on my shirt. Her b.r.e.a.s.ts press firm into my back and, for the first time, it's an undesirable sensation.

Gentle waves of hair slide down my shoulder as her neck arches forward. The strands shine brightly of copper and fire. Her lips part breathing in my ear and I suppress a shudder of detest. She whispers, "Did you miss me, mi amor?"

'No, not in the slightest.' I can't help but grunt in irritation as I shrug her off. I pry her hands from my c.h.e.s.t, placid yet firm, "Enough, Betsy."

"Ugh," she scoffs slithering away, "Well, aren't you crabby as usual."

I realize Ashlen is now standing rigid and close, eyeing Betsy with a shockingly hostile look. I didn't think Ash was capable of making a face quite like that.

I slowly spin on the seat to face the unwanted visitor, "Why are you here? I thought you left the state a while back."

Betsy puts on a pantomime pout, "Is that anyway to greet a lover?" a smirk slowly spreads as her voice becomes husky, "You can be so cold."

The sight of her makes me want to spit, she hasn't changed. In fact, she looks worse, crazier. Maybe not on the surface, she looks pretty as a pin on the surface.

Her smoldering violet eyes simmer with radiance, set symmetrical in a slender face with high cheekbones and lovely arched eyebrows. The brilliant waves of silken ruby hair dance in the light. Her sparkly, revealing dress hugs every curve to entice and tempt. She exploits the weakness in every man and ch.i.p.s away at the ego of every woman.

But I know better.

I can see the crazy roiling out of her bloodthirsty sockets. The monster behind her pearly teeth and wine painted lips. She's a demon in the flesh. Detached, calculating, malicious and sadistic. Betsy.

"Oh?" She muses as her glittering irises leer at Ashlen, "Who's this, a girlfriend?"

She slinks over to Ashlen like lightning a hand stretches out to touch her. I block her, dashing in between and snapping up Betsy by the wrist.

The air from her speed ruffles our hair, crinkling a few flyers on the wall and scooting a napkin off the bar.

"Oooh," she practically m.o.a.ns in delight, "I like it when you're rough with me."

My lips curl into a sneer as I release her arm, "What do you want."

She mouth contorts into a vulpine smile, "I've heard rumors, Sam. You've been getting into trouble, haven't you? I have some information you might want to hear."

"Then spit it out."

Her gaze flicks around, lingering on Ashlen and possibly Nancy behind me. Though Ashlen has been quiet I feel her energy brewing like a mushroom cloud. I realize she has a hand pressed against my shoulder blade and it's strangely grounding to have it there.

Betsy's eyes fall back on mine, "Not here, in private."

"No, whatever you have to say just say it."

"Fine, fine," she flippantly bobs her head, "If you don't care that they hear about it all the inappropriate details."

I tsk involuntarily with annoyance. It's never easy with her.

She folds her arms and bats lids, "Look, it really is important. It will only take a second."

"You're going to have to wait, I'm in the middle of something-"

"Sam," Ashlen's fingers curl into my shoulder.

I turn to her, she's composed though tense, "I'll be fine for ten minutes. Go do what you need to do."

"No, I'm not going to leave you by yourself."

Betsy butts into the conversation, "She's not a kid, Sam. She doesn't need your supervision."

I shoot Betsy a scathing glare until she gets the message and gives us some space. She throws up both hands with impudence as she saunters farther back.

"So, is *that* your ex?" she asks in a lighthearted low tone but I can hear the strain she's attempting to hide.

I take a deep breath in and out, "Unfortunately."

"Yikes."

Yikes is right. I close my eyes and nod slowly.

"Better get her out of your hair, she seems very persistent," Ashlen's impressively calm and collected as she insists though she growls a little at 'persistent', "I'll survive for a little while with Nancy."

I gaze down to think it over. It's true, best to nip this in the bud and find out what's so damn important. I could just tell her to take a hike, she's probably exaggerating the urgency. I can deal with it when Ashlen isn't around.

I look back up but Ash is giving me a look. She already knows I'm about to argue about leaving her alone. I almost chuckle, I'm being pushed around by a girl who's barely an a.d.u.l.t.

"Alright, I'll be back in a bit," I agree reluctantly, I really don't want to be alone with that slimy she-devil, "Don't wander off too far from the bar, ok?"

She nods with a sweet smile. A smile that really makes me want to stay next to her.

I tear myself away before I have second thought, catching Nancy's glance as I over amble to the foot tapping s.u.c.c.u.b.u.s. Nancy stands in impartial speculation as per usual, though her irises are ringed with orange.

I mutter, "Let's get this over with."

Betsy surveys me with heavy lidded seduction, but it only has a souring effect. She grabs my hand before I can protest her touch and guides me past the crowd, weaving effectively and swiftly. I quicken my steps to keep up as her natural pace is a good deal faster than mine.

We escape the congregation, entering a stagnant operator hallway. The little pathway mutes most of the throbbing techno music. Her h.i.p.s sway purposefully as she drags me in, the low cut back of her dress leaves little to the imagination.

She twirls on the balls of her feet when we reach the secluded center, eyes narrowing with mischief. Her finger dart out eagerly to run themselves over my c.h.e.s.t and abdomen but they hover slightly as if she's stroking an invisible bubble shielding my body.

There was a time I was spellbound by her. Not anymore. As beautiful as she is, I'm entirely disenchanted with this woman. She does nothing for me now. Dare I say, I find her repulsive. Of all things, I never thought this degree of disgust would make it to the list.

Sweet words sing from that devil tongue, "I've missed you. Why did we break it off again?"

'Because I hate what I am when I'm with you.' I think to myself, scowling at the wall behind her.

She only widens that cunning grin as I ignore the question, "As unstoppable and uncontrollable as a forest fire, you and I. Why do you keep what you are caged up? The real you… the you that only I truly know."

She giggles pressing her hands on me and sliding them around. I sneer at her as I grab both of her wrist, "Are you finished? Do you actually have anything important to say or do you just like the sound of your own voice?"

"Oooh, feisty, Sam. I love it when you're so severe and blunt," she purrs as h.i.p.s and shoulders gyrate to the fluidity of her sickly sultry voice.

I turn, thoroughly agitated with her for wasting my time, "I'm leaving."

"Fine, fine," she grabs my hand as I continue walking away, "You're so impatient."

She whispers in a malicious tone, "So is it true that Derek bit the dust, eaten up by a Reaper?"

I stop. An anger rises steadily, she had better tread carefully.

"I didn't know Derek had the balls, he was always so meek when I knew him and a bit of a kiss up-"

I turn with an involuntary snarl and back her up into a wall, my palms slap against it, trapping her head on both sides. I growl through my teeth, "Stop talking about him."

Her eyes widen in surprise as her lips curl in excitement, "Oh, so it's true. I didn't mean to touch a nerve but apparently whatever you were involved in attracted a bit of attention."

I ease my stance and back away from her, jaw still clenched. This might *actually* be important.

She continues, "So it's been rumored that New Corvis has a serial cannibal looming about for a good many decades, correct? But nothing solid, until your little encounter caught word. There's even gossip about a new turn around that time but apparently," she pauses lit violet eyes piercing me now, "Something, possibly involving that event, has piqued the interest of some very high ranking Thorn."

"Shit," I hiss through my teeth. Betsy had been tailing the Thorn when she left Oregon. Ambitiously looking for an opportunity or just seeking extra brutal excitement, I'm sure. She's always loved getting her hands on dirt. She also had a habit of mixing truth with lies in her little games but I don't think she'd make up something like this.

She probably wanted to confirm if the rumors had merit. And I just gave confirmation, damn it.

"Well, well. Sam you little firestarter!" she clasps her hands together, "I just wanted to give you a little heads up. Though, you and I both know your more than capable of handling yourself."

She slinks over, much too close for comfort, murmuring in my ear, "You remember what we were. I've never met anyone like you in all my years."

"So strong and ruthless… You're downright diabolical!" she giggles twisting gleefully, "You've got the power of someone twice your age," she pushes herself up against me and goes on with her deranged admiration, "A raging, violent inner beast!"

Obviously, she has nothing else to tell me. I push her off and wriggle out of her nauseating grip, "I'm not that way anymore, Bets. And I'll never go back to that."

Now her tone is a bit venomous, "What the hell is wrong with you, Sam?"

I stare back into her furious purple gaze the red in her hair seems wild and dangerous, raring to lash out like poison darts.

I continue to stare at her blankly as she rants, "You squander so much potential! You're not human anymore and you never will be again. Why are you skulking around, pretending to be something you're not?"

"*This*," she sneers in disgust as her wrist circle about, gesturing to me as a whole, "Is so far beneath you."

I masquerade the deepest offense and shock, "Say it isn't so! Could it be I'm not living up to your expectations?" my tone and expression flatten, "What a crying shame."

She glares at me shaking her head with sour puckered lips, "You are such a disappointment. Such a moppy, pathetic waste."

I give her an insincere, "Sorry," with an apathetic shrug.

Disappointing her is fine by me. Better than fine, I enjoy her disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e.

I exit the isolated hallway, leaving Betsy to fume by herself. I call out over my shoulder, "Next time you're in the neighborhood, don't say hi."

I hear a faint scoff and smile to myself.

I head back to the bar thinking on what to do about the Thorn. I've noticed an influx of foreign vampires recently. Reaper's are taboo and frowned upon, rarely accepted by Thorn but why take action now and not sooner? And a high ranking member, no less, that sounds serious. What could they possibly want? This is all disconcerting.

Wait a second, where the hell are Ash and Nancy? I give the area a once over but don't spot them anywhere.

I waltz up to a tender I recognize but I'm blanking on his name. I do remember he seems to hate just about everyone aside from Nancy. He's constantly cranky and occasionally hostile. I honestly don't know how he's still employed.

"Hey, Um," his name starts with a T? Trevor, Tanner, Tucker? He slowly turns and I attempt to inconspicuously read his name tag. His looks are deceiving from the back, his sandy brown hair is cut short and energetic, only a chipper fellow would sport such a style, right?

Nope, think again, I don't think the guy even knows how to smile. I note his permanent scowl is edged into his features that makes most reconsider an interaction. His tan eyebrows are dipped low into his hard eyes, it's as if I've wronged him by simply existing. Travis the grouch, there it is.

"Travis, do you know where Nancy is?"

"She'll be back in five minutes," he practically growls.

"Did you happen to see a girl with fairly long golden brown hair, doll like features, on the shorter side? She was with Nancy."

He glares at me for a good amount of time and grumbles, "I've seen a lot of people tonight, Sam."

I'm a bit surprised he knows me by name. We haven't really interacted much.

"She's a very new vampire, you wouldn't have seen her before today."

He half rolls his eyes and shrugs, ending the mildly unpleasant conversation. 'Thank you for the information, Travis. You're a peach.'

I scan the dance floor, the side rooms on the main floor, and skim the top two balconies.

Do I remember what she's wearing? A black top that shows off her shoulders, it looks nice on her, too. Black, everyone is wearing black, that doesn't narrow it down.

Trouble, trouble, didn't I tell her to stay close? 'Damn my ex, I shouldn't have left. Where'd you run off to?'

I go back to where we were sitting and identify that sweet orange blossom perfume. There are a myriad of smells clashing and swamping the air but her's stands out. What an appealing smell.

I follow the trail the best I can, she's not on the dancefloor but it appears she is on the main floor.

I suck at the inside of my cheek. Let's hope I find her before some stranger takes interest.