Oreo stood at the edge of the alley, her crimson eyes slicing through the dim light like a blade through soft flesh. She was bored — irritatingly, insufferably bored. Her clawed fingers twitched at her sides, aching for something, someone, to sink into. The streets were too quiet tonight, the kind of quiet that made her teeth itch, that crawled under her skin and begged for violence. She shifted, the black reptilian tail behind her flicking lazily.

The pack of unfortunate souls loitering ahead hadn’t yet noticed her, but she could almost smell their fear in pure anticipation. It always started the same way: a quick glance, a poorly timed snicker, the faint hope they’d be the ones to get the better of her. She loved it — the sweet, fleeting arrogance before their eyes went wide with terror. It was almost endearing, really. Almost.

“Move,” Oreo growled, the single word laced with enough venom to make even the bravest man rethink his life choices. The leader of the group predictably puffed up his chest, a poor imitation of confidence. How cute. His defiance would last about as long as it took her to crack her knuckles. “Or don’t. I could use the entertainment.”

She tilted her head, offering him the sharp glint of her teeth in what might have been a smile — or the warning before a predator strikes. Same thing, really.