There are very few things in this world James loved more than a good old rousing, blood pumping game of chase. Especially when it ended with a tasty treat.
Glancing down at the squirming human female in his clutches he didn't even try to hold back the urge to role his eyes. Humans were becoming so predictable lately. It was a shame really, they used to be so...spontaneous. Either that or he was simply getting older and had seen so much of humanity and all their behavior, little of what they did could surprise him any more. That could be it, he had long given up trying keep track of his existence. When you were 1 century old and counting, the decades had a way of blending together. Deciding he'd rather blame the pathetic humans for the lack of change in his life, he sighed dramatically at the loss of spontaneity. And gave his prey a good shake just to see her reaction.
All she did was cry and squirm harder. It was so predictable it was boring and James hated to be bored.
Bending down so his face was mere inches from hers, he glared at the weeping woman until she finally looked up into his eyes. To his amusement she was so surprised and scared to see him face to face she actually stopped crying out of pure shock.
"Now, now that's better." James all but purred in his rich, silky voice. "You humans are sadly becoming all the same. A bunch of weepy, spineless animals with no imagination what so ever. What's the point of a chase if the prey doesn't even try to get away?" As he'd expected his question was met with silence.
Shaking his head he decided he might as well get things started. Slowly he loosened his grip on the woman until she was free from his grasp.
Stepping back he began walking circles around her, suddenly a predator sizing up its meal. "We're going to play a little game now. When I count to three your going to run as fast as you possibly can!" Holding up his hand and starting to count, he ticked off the numbers with his fingers. "One...two..."
To his delight she didn't even wait for him to finish counting before she was off, running as fast as her thin little legs could carry her. Granted she wouldn't get far but at least she was starting to show promise. Besides James desperately needed a good hunt. The last time he'd tried to play the game, the moment he'd let his prey go she'd promptly peed herself and then fainted. Utterly pathetic! Not to mention the fact Victoria had showed no restriant and ended up feeding off of her before he could really have this fun. Today he'd had the forsight to send the red headed bitch off into the city on an errand, no need for this hunt to end unexpectedly, and he really wasn't in the mood to share.
Watching her disappear farther into the abandoned forest a malevolent smirk spread across his striking features. His scarlet eyes glinting with a predatory gleam. Oh how he liked to see them run, so scared and desperate. It was almost as satisfying as the moment right before a kill...well almost. Playing with one's food was fun and a habit he unabashedly indulged, but never quite as good as actually tasting it.
With anticipation thrumming through his veins like an intoxicating drink, James stretched forward in one fluid movement. Slipping into a crouch, his hands arched like claws. He cocked his head to the side in a decidedly animalistic manner, as he listened carefully for the sounds of his retreating prey. Catching it with his keen hearing, he pounced forward.
Running with speed and feline grace he let himself fully become what he was, a lethal predator on the hunt. His gift of tracking siezed over him and his instincts took over.
In no time at all he had closed in on her, but preferring to taunt his prey he circled around in front instead of coming up from behind. He waited for her to dodge behind a tree in a failed attempt to catch her breath before letting his appearance be know to her.
Meeting her gaze he grinned crookedly and quipped "Boo!"
As he had wanted and expected she was completely caught off guard and began to panic. But instead of running as he hoped she would, the human screamed and cowered up against the tree.
His grin disappeared and with disdain dripping off his words asked, "Really? That's all you got, your just going to give up like that? We just started!" Sighing, he added rather sarcastically "And here I was thinking you were showing promise."
She just stared up at him with eyes as big as platters, quivering like a leaf.
"Well get going, I can't very well kill you now!" James made shooing motions dramatically in her direction "At least try to put a little effort into it! Pretend your life depends on it...oh wait it does!" he cackled almost manically. "Well actually your fate is already decided but what's life with out a little pretend?"
She still wasn't getting the hint so he swiftly kicked her side, knocking her over. "In other words run you stupid thing run!"
He shook his head as he watched her finally stumble back to her feet and make a mad dash away from him. Pathetic human.
If you asked James, which no one seemed to do (well, except Victoria but blind adoration only went so far) it was about bloody time the human race finally realized they weren't on the top of the food chain and never had been. It was really a wonder they'd lasted this long if you thought about it. They had no special gifts except perhaps their sheer persistence to live and even that wasn't all that helpful when push came to shove. With each decade they seemed to become weaker.
Yes, he knew in the back of his mind he had once been human but it was a fact he preferred not to dwell on. He had long ago forsaken all resemblance of humanity he might of once had, finding it was easier to embrace what one couldn't change.
The memory of how exactly he had been changed had blurred and faded and quite frankly he didn't want to dwell on that particular memory either. When it came to the memory of his family and where he came from, James had all but forced himself to forget them.
It would not do for him to remember because with remembrance came emotions, emotions he didn't want to feel. He hadn't really felt anything remotely human in decades why start now?
Deciding his human wasn't going to suddenly grow a backbone and surprise him he might as well stop his games and go for the gold or in this case the red. Slipping gracefully back into his crouch, he readied himself for the final part of his hunt.
Time for the kill.
'Ready or not here I come' echoed in his head as he sprung forward with decidedly deadly grace.
His human prey had just run out of time!