Ava Cruor
"Baby." I whispered to myself as I looked at the photograph in my hands. I allowed the tears to fall onto my cool cheeks, "my baby." He hadn't changed, not in 330 years. His golden blonde hair was slicked back rather than the loose style I had known him wear it; and his eyes were now golden not the ice blue of before – but he had not changed. He could still make my heart race, my pulse quicken and my skin flush. Nope, Master Cullen had not changed one bit. Shame I had though.
I scowled at the young woman beside him in the photo. I scored a line down between them and slowly ripped the picture in half. Smiling coldly, I placed one corner of her into the fire and watched with gleeful satisfaction as the flames consumed her beauty until she was a pile of ash at my feet.
I stood slowly and examined myself in the full length mirror as I heard the door click open,
"Evening sire." I nodded at the man who entered; I then turned back to the mirror.
"I have a job for you Kitten." I smirked,
"Go on."
"A vampire by the name of Lucifer Talbot." I frowned slightly, turning to give him my full attention,
"I know that name." I said, "Why?" He smirked,
"Lucifer Talbot has been...ah...wanted in connection to a...rogue group." Understanding dawned,
"Yes, I remember. Talbot, he hunted in daylight – risking exposure. With a werewolf? Why me?" Aro laughed,
"Because you, dear Kitten, are the only one who can visit Lucifer in the daylight; without risking our secrecy." I nodded, this was all too common the reason for my missions,
"Where is he and when do you want him? Oh yeah – how do you want him?" Aro smiled, he was familiar with my brusqueness,
"He is in the state of Washington near the town of Port Angeles. We want him dead. It should save you the trouble of flying him over here. Just clean up afterwards." I nodded again,
"Certainly sire, I shall leave in the morning." Aro smiled and lifted a hand to my temple. He frowned in disappointment,
"Still nothing. Shame, I would like to know what goes on in that mind of yours." With that he left and I turned back to the mirror. I owed Aro my life, I respected him and I admired his power but he was my lord, my liege but never my master; I gave him respect and I worked for him but he would never control me and he would never see my mind. I looked again in the mirror and smoothed the black lace dress over my hips. I shook my mane of vivid red hair and laughed,
"Ava Kitten Cruor you are in for a treat." I said, thinking of the glee that came from ripping vampires limb from limb as they lay paralysed be my poison. I kissed the circular tattoo on my wrist, tracing my finger over the entwined Celtic cats as I returned to the window seat. My gaze fell on the photograph and I smiled,
"Baby."
Lucifer Talbot had been easy to find. I got his address from a phone book and strolled along, my long black leather coat protecting me from the biting wind. Once I had found the address I slipped into a side alley and transformed. The air glowed a little warmer and I felt myself become as heated and liquid as molten lava. Then, suddenly, the second of bliss was over and my delicate paws felt the cool concrete beneath them. I meowed quietly, it had been a good phase this time – calm and over in under a second – pure pleasure. Then, I settled myself on a nearby wall to watch for my prey.
It wasn't long until Talbot appeared – his bright blonde hair and diamante skin almost blinding me as he entered the sunlight. He slipped on a long beige coat and pulled the hood up – I could smell him on the wind; he was hungry. I knew that if I cared to look his eyes would be as black as coal. I leapt elegantly from my seat and began to follow him – a good stalk always worked up the appetite.
My fur – a silver-grey in colour – ruffled in the wind and as my prey entered a side street I knew that this was my opening. I began to run, feeling my strides elongate and I smirked to myself – oh the freedom of being a descendent of the Pisica Clanului. My form began to grow until I was the size of a wolf from the Quileute tribe I had heard so much about; I was a descendant of the Pisica Clanului – the Cat Clan of Romania and I was strong! I leapt at Talbot and he fell beneath me. It took him moments to work out who I was – the only Pisica left in existence – and he yelled my name as I tore out his throat. My poison fled through his frozen arteries in record time and I felt his soul seep into the earth, carefully dismantling him limb by limb I made a barely recognisable pile which I proceeded to set alight upon returning to my human form. I brushed my hands, job done, and decided to go for a look around town ; Port Angeles had a couple of good dress shops and I was in need of a new outfit.
I knew he was nearby. I could smell him. That musky, clean scent that was just sooooo Carlisle. I followed my nose, knowing that I really shouldn't be visiting him after he had been happily married for over eighty years – but hey! We went back a lot further than eighty measly years – try over three centuries. That was when I saw him. His crisp blue silk shirt framed his athletic figure and I couldn't help he stab of desire piercing through me; I supposed I'd never really got over Carlisle – even if he did go psycho blood-sucking vegetarian on me.
"Hay Anglican!" I called, reverting to a nickname I had used so many years ago. He turned, evidently recognising my accent.
"Av...Ava?" I strolled up to his beautiful black Mercedes and nodded at the very pretty Esme,
"I suppose, but it's Kitten now." Carlisle gulped visibly but remembered his manners,
"Ava this is my wife Esme, Esme this is an old friend Ava." Esme smiled and I had to admit that she did look really quite friendly – it was a shame I wasn't feeling very friendly myself.
"Hi, would you like to come for a drink or something?" Carlisle was still looking extremely well...frightened. It vaguely crossed my mind that he thought I should have been dead – what, three hundred years ago?
"Hmmn, thanks but I think I'll pass; I don't really think I'd be into the something." Carlisle was leaning against the car but Esme smiled,
"Oh, I'm sure you'd love it. There's a little cafe just down the road and I'm sure you've got some interesting stories to tell me about Carlisle if nothing else." Her smile was so warm it was freaking me out – how could she be so nice?
"Yeah, well I'm not thirsty thanks and I don't have many stories about Carlisle – sorry. I'm going to grab a bite to eat I just thought I recognised Anglican here and I was right, it was nice seeing you both." I had to get out of there quickly – Carlisle was sending my systems into overdrive by just standing there.
"Well, why don't you come get a snack with us? I'm sure you and Carlisle have a lot to talk about." Could the woman not take a hint? A smiled slightly, showing my cat-like teeth,
"Sorry love but I prefer fish not venison and I definitely don't like it raw." The pretty vampire looked rather taken aback by my blunt rudeness but I just laughed,
"Look after yourself Anglican." I said to Carlisle who swallowed,
"Ava...why don't you come to the house with us? There are a few things I'd like to ask you." Oh hell, it had been over three centuries but his voice still made my knees go weak and my blood heat,
"I can't – I've got to be on a flight back home in the morning." It seemed as though Carlisle had decided, however because he stood and gave me that look the one that I couldn't refuse when I first met him – the one I still couldn't.
"Come on Ava, get in the car."