"Shit, shit, shit – 'lura?" Lucy called through the flat. "Have you seen that bracelet of mine? The one from my mama?"
Alura looked up from her book on American Law. "Yes, beloved. I have it here," she held up the bracelet for Lucy as she came to the door of her bedroom, abruptly stopping before exiting, eyeing the rays of light. "Aren't you coming to get it?"
"Uh, could- could you bring it here?"
Alura looked at her with a vaguely unimpressed look, "It's ten feet, Lucy."
Lucy though, looked strangely nervous, and even…fearful. "Alura, just throw it. Trust me, I need it."
"It's just a bracelet," Alura dismissed, setting it down beside her, getting back to her book. Continuing though was difficult as she heard Lucy's heartbeat rise to a worrying speed. She glanced up. Lucy was completely still – completely still.
"Lucy-"
"I need that bracelet, Alura. I don't have anything else like it, and I have no way to get another one without breaking a few dozen laws. Alex only got another one because her dad died-"
"Why do you need it?" Alura finally gave in, standing and bringing over the bracelet, holding it out. Lucy went to reply, hand reaching out-
"Fuck!" She exclaimed as the sunlight hit it, immediately causing a bright red burn to form, skin crisping and turning, flaking off, the sound of her blood boiling and hissing audible to Alura's superhearing. Lucy stumbled back into her dark, dark room, teary eyes bright in the blackness. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck-"
"Lucy?" Alura questioned, stunned and scared. "Lucy, what-"
"Phone Cat Grant, now, please – and give me that." Alura though, was still in shock. "Alura! Give me my bracelet!"
Snapping out of it, Alura stepped forwards into the room, unlatching it and clapping it round Lucy's wrist quickly, gripping her hand tightly. Too tightly, too tight, she thought immediately, but Lucy didn't even seem to care.
And neither did her undamaged limb, which should have been crushed.
"Lucy, what secrets do you keep from me?" Alura whispered, terrified. Lucy's usually tan skin had paled beyond reckoning, and she held her bloody, burnt hand to her chest. "Lucy-"
"Call Ms Grant, or Alex, or someone you've seen wearing the same kind of jewels I do." She held up her free hand, showing the glistening blue sapphire-that-wasn't-a-sapphire on silver, before raising her other one, "I need- I need this fixed, and they're the ones who can actually help."
"Why only them? You need a doctor-"
"No, I need blood. I'm a vampire, Alura, and I burn up in the sun without my daylight ring – look," she made Alura look at her hand, made her see how the damage was slowly continuing up her arm – it was already at her elbow. "I need human blood, and entire body's worth so I can heal, and maybe not lose my arm."
"Blood," Alura repeated, meeting her eyes. "You need human blood."
"Yes, now please call Cat and say it's an emergency." Lucy glared, showing sharp, sharp teeth that glistened. "Now, Alura."
Alura's eyes flashed, flickering to her arm. "It's already too late for them to come and then retrieve blood for you, Lucy – that will have devoured you before I returned with her." Her chin lifted, eyes on the ceiling. "I had been waiting for evidence to convict him with."
And then she sped out of the room, returning within a few seconds with a knocked out man, lean and most-likely pumped full of steroids. Alura glared at him, while Lucy stared in shock.
"Alura, I- I can't just eat a random human-"
"He blackmails his partners. I overheard a conversation several months ago, one that had been repeated many times with many others over the course of his time above us. He steals and rapes and causes emotional distress. If anyone deserves it, it's him."
Lucy took in her words, feeling her stomach flip-flop, before a twinge came from her elbow and her hand began to go numb. Swallowing, she looked down at the man, pinpointing his jugular before lunging at him, teeth sinking into his skin. Immediately the effects were obvious, skin healing all the way down her arm, but Lucy knew she had to keep drinking, instinct driving her. She barely heard Alura call Alex, explaining the situation.
When she'd drunk him dry, feeling high on the steroids that had been running through his blood, drowsiness rendering her sedate and sleepy, Alex arrived – with Cat Grant in tow.
Her last thought before falling asleep as Alura lifted her from the ground, pressing a kiss to her forehead, was she's going to kill me…Elder's going to kill me.