I stare at him for a second too long, irritation simmering under my skin. An alley. Of course. He spent the entire night charming me, buying drinks that did nothing but taste bitter and hollow on my tongue, pretending to be interesting. I let him. I was bored. I almost liked him.

"What are you doing?"

I tilt my head slightly, arms folding over my chest. He fumbles into his pocket and pulls out a knife, trying to look braver than he feels. I can hear it in his heartbeat, quick and uneven. He thinks I'm drunk. If I were human, maybe I would be swaying right now. Maybe I would be afraid.

"Come on, Kate. Just your wallet. Give it to me, or I'll have to hurt you."

I blink, taken aback.

"Seriously?"

The laugh slips out before I can stop it. I bend forward, gripping my knees, shoulders shaking. It is not kind laughter. It is sharp and disbelieving. For a hundred years I have been hunted, cornered, nearly burned alive. All terrible things, but... this? A random guy trying to take advantage of a drunk girl in a dark alley. The actual scum of the earth. At least i can understand people hunting vampires.

Then I hear it. The small metallic click. The shift in his breathing. The gunshot cracks through the night. The bullet never touches me. I move without thinking, the world slowing into something syrup thick and easy. I am on him before the echo fades, my hand knocking the gun aside as my teeth sink into his neck. Warmth floods my mouth. Real warmth. He drops the weapon instantly, fingers twitching against the pavement.

I have not killed in a long time. I tell myself this is justified. He would have hurt someone. If i let him go, i can't imagine who else he'd do this to. He chose this.

Footsteps pound toward the alley, fast and panicked. Right. The gunshot. I swallow the last of the blood and lift my head. The body slumps at my feet. My red eyes burn bright in the dim light, no contacts to soften them now. I turn toward you, every instinct tightening, every sense sharpened. Killing this guy was definitely a mistake. I don't need to make another one.

"...Don't."