All of Kali’s concentration was focused on one tiny spot-that spot would mean victory for her if she could hit it just the right way. Taking a deep breath in Kali moved her pool cue and hit the q-ball in the spot she had been visualizing. The white ball shot forward and connected with its polar opposite the eight ball before the black ball sailed into the corner pocket of the pool table as she’d predicted. Rising from her position Kali swiped the money off the side of the pool table into her hand without bothering to count it. She offered a smile to the man at the other side of the table, “Sorry Bru, looks like you lost.”

The leather clad man looked as if he was going to say something but Kali really didn’t feel like letting this human push her around. Focusing she let her hazel eyes bleed into the cat like green that marked her leopard form, “Just let it go Bru…You lost fairly.” She pulled a ten from the pile and set it down, “Buy yourself a drink and maybe I’ll let you have a chance to win it back from me later-ja?”

The biker backed away apparently not wanting to start trouble with a lycanthrope something that Kali was grateful for at this point. She really didn’t feel like having to fight her way out of the dingy pool hall she’d found while exploring Miami. All Kali had wanted was a little time away from leopard central and hustling a few games of pool was relaxing for the shape shifter. She flagged the only waitress down and handed the older woman a twenty, “I’ll have pitcher of whatever’s on tap Cherry.”

Scanning the room Kali waited for the next person to challenge her to a game.

Scarlet pushed open the heavy door, entering a crowded bar full of bikers and drunken men, women sat on the outskirts in whore dresses waiting to be picked up for the night. Un dusted bottles and glasses were lined up on the back of the bar as she waited for the bartender to come over.

A man next to her started eyeing her up and down, she had a simple see throw black blouse with tight jeans, cow boy style boots and a silver stud belt, her gun holster and a leather jacket throw over the top, she had a large about f silver daggers around her skin tight outfit and bullets hidden in compartments. She looked at the man as he grinned at her pulling his arm around her shoulder, she grabbed it automatically twisting it “ touch me again mate and ill break it off” she said throwing it back at him.

Finally the dirty bartender came he stood in front of her dusting a glass with a dirty towel “ Can I help’ya mam”
Scarlet gave a smile “ give me your strongest” she said as his eyebrows went up, who said a girl couldn’t drink? She killed for a living no one should underestimate her. She watched as the man came back with a small glass of pure liquor, she hated shots only one mouthful then you had to wait for a refill. She pushed the glass back to the man
“ I aint a Barbie doll mate give me a real glass”

Scarlet took her now larger drink, taking a long gulp as she spun around on her chair and looked over to the poll table instantly getting off her chair and walking over there, watching as men tried effortlessly to annoy her by grabbing her ass, flicking her hips and throwing her long dark curled hair over her shoulder she smiled at the guy a look of disgust still plainly across her face as she sent out her animator power strong throw out the bar looking to see if any rodent vampires where hidden in the corners. To her disappointment none where around but there was a strong lycan woman not far away.

Scarlet walked up with out a worry, grabbing a round for a game of pool and went opposite the woman “ Mind if I join you love ?” she said grinning as she prepared the middle and placed the white ball on the dot feeling the soft red fabric rub against her hand “ how much on the table ?”

Over the chorus of conflicting scents in the bar Kali could smell the musty, cold scent of the dead on the woman who had presented herself at the table. Usually it was a smell Kali associated with vampires but the heartbeat echoing in the woman’s chest indicated something a little different-an animator. Dropping a few bills on the table Kali picked up the chalk to rub on her cue, “Tables running hot-ja. Ten a ball.”

The server returned to the table with the pitcher of beer Kali had ordered and set it down on a nearby table. The woman tried to hand Kali her change but the leopard shook her head, “You keep it Cherry…there’ll be more if you keep the drinks coming-ja.”

Stretching and popping her neck Kali stripped off her leather jacket and draped it over a chair leaving her in her old Lucky Dube t-shirt brushing the heavy brown leather belt and silver buckle that held up her worn jeans. Her feet made no sound as they moved around the table in her lucky pair of jungle boots, “Only fair that the challenger break.”

Scarlet put her drink on the table and walked up picking a cue and rubbing chalk on it as her hips swayed slightly to a rumbly music sound barely heard over everyone chatting and moving across the thick dusted floor, she went into her pocket and pulled out some money throwing it on the table as she sighed mentally she hated breaking but it was no problem, looking behind her she saw a table of very happy men who had most probably been sitting there all night watching the women bend over to shoot.

Angling herself she shoot, bagging two, not her best shot, she looked for a moment at the table when there was a loud sound of glass smashing, she turned instantly to the source of the noise, looking to see too large men red faced looking at the bartender, the waitress ran over to see to the two as shouting took over the bar, she quivered slightly on her spot wondering if to go over or not.

Finally she made her move and just stood on the side of the table waiting for the other woman to take her turn, not concentrating on the table anymore, her bills on the table went unnoticed as she watched intrigued to the mumbled words the drunk man tried to shout at the bartender, as the other stood behind the man, large and towering over the bar he looked like a back up body guard. Her hands came to her belt as she felt the comfortable grasp of her guns and knifes only inches away.

Kali kept her eyes on the table but her sensitive ears were well aware of what was happening closer to the bar. Apparently, the bartender/owner was behind on his payments of protection money and the charming gentlemen currently shouting at him had been sent to collect. It was sad but nothing unusual for the area of town-coming from Johannesburg herself Kali was more than aware that corruption and exhortation could be daily facts of life.

Ignoring the old perverts who had been staring at her ass since she had started playing Kali bent over the table and lined up her shot on the striped nine ball. Just as she was about to shoot the faint clicking of a gun being cocked reached her ears. Groaning she saw that her companion’s hands had already fallen to the weapons around her waist. “Jisus.” Kali grumbled to herself before standing back up and walking with her cue towards the bar.

Eyes flicking from the frightened server to the angry bartender and the even angrier want to be mobsters Kali kept her grip on the wood in her hand loose. No sense in tensing up and escalating the situation, of course the desert eagle in that the one mobster had pointed at the barman might have argued that the situation was already escalated. “Why don’t you put that gun away Bru…the man can’t pay if he’s dead-ja?”

Scarlet watched until she saw a gun being taken out and aimed, she heard a sound next to her faintly from the girl but it was too late, Scarlet knew how fast a person could pull the trigger, and this gun happened to be aimed direct for the head, but it seemed to only make the barman more angry. It was the first time she saw a man not cowering beneath a gun; she liked it.

Scarlet instantly took out her own gun, she saw the woman pass towards the men with her pool cue, “damn it” she said as the woman blocked Scarlet’s clear shoot. She moved fast over to around the bar finally getting a shoot she pulled the trigger and watched as the bullet took off, hustling came from the bar as the men moved from out of the range of fire and the women took off out the door. Scarlet watched as the bullet hit the gun, her bullets were pure silver and knew that if the young woman was to get in her line of fire again she wouldn’t have a nice night.

The man cried out in surprise as scarlet was already closer to them, the man turned angry at the woman as he looked at his hand and to the fallen gun and back at the woman. “ You could’ave killed meh wait until I finished and ill show ya a lesson or two” Scarlet scowled at the man.
“ Well actually I was aiming for your hand, I guess one shouldn’t drink before handling a gun” she said grinning as she aimed the gun lower, most people went for the head, no scarlet aimed a bit lower when it came to men.

She looked at the barman who had all of a sudden pulled a rifle out from underneath the counter; he had it aimed and steady towards the man up front. “Damn man just put the gun away” boys with their toys, Scarlet had no idea what was going on between them but she would put her money on it that it wasn’t anything good.

No sooner had Kali uttered her words when all hell broke loose; the woman she’d been playing pool with had fired her gun hitting the mobster’s weapon away. A smile lifted Kali’s lips when she saw the woman train her weapon for the man’s crotch. It was a tactic that most men weren’t willing to gamble on being a bluff if they valued their manhood. Though Kali was happy to see that the barman wasn’t completely stupid as he lifted the rifle up when the woman told him to-it was still ready to aim at a moments notice but he seemed to be willing to let the girls handle things.

With the mobster’s covered by the other woman Kali leaned on her pool cue lazily and sized them up-both were big guys but their muscles had long ago been swallowed up in fat. They would still be strong but not as fast as Kali knew she was and the leopard doubted they were used to hand to hand fighting. “Seems we’ve got you at a disadvantage now Bru,” Kali addressed the one that seemed to be in charge, “There’s two ways this night can end…you and your pal go back to your boss and let him know this place has found better protection. Or we kick your asses and then you tell him the same thing.”

There was no time for Kali to react before she felt a pair of huge arms wrap around her from behind and lift her from the ground. Her nose was overwhelmed by the scent of stale cigarettes, beer and unwashed man-it was the large biker she’d bested at pool earlier. Instead of struggling against the hold he had on her Kali rocked her head back sharply and hit the man’s nose-a maniacal smile lit her face when she heard it break. Howling the biker dropped Kali who fell to the floor catching herself with her hands before she scissored her legs to sweep his out from under him.

Rolling Kali launched herself onto the prone biker’s chest and punched him in the face making sure to pull the hit slightly so that she didn’t harm him seriously. “What’s wrong with you Americans…you should listen when you’re told not to start a fight Bru.”

Scarlet watched the man back down but kept his rifle at hand she smiled and nodded at the man as if to say you can keep it turning back to the man scarlet watched the other woman lay things out straight, a smile curved on her lips as she waited for the big ugly guys to respond.

To her surprise the girl was suddenly swept out of Scarlet’s sight by large hands she watched as the woman quickly used some of her skills, her smile split into a grin at the sound of his nose breaking blood started to trail down his face when suddenly Scarlet noticed the place became very quite, the whole bar had turned into their direction not a sound dared breath across the room.

Scarlet looked at the guy that looked like he was in charge and with speed not of a normal human her gun was guy her side, she unloaded it in a blink of an eye and brought the gun back up to the mans head. “ Move and ill blow your brains out” She knew the gun was unloaded but the man didn’t

The large man only stood still with no look of defence as his own smile spread across his face, Scarlet frowned “ Yar Bluffin a prriy gurl lik’ya” Scarlet grinned and pulled the trigger and watched as a shade of horror passed across his features, the gun clicked empty “ Damn I was so looking forward to killin ya” the man grinned again and pushed Scarlet’s left handed gun with one finger at the same time Scarlet brought her right hand up with her other hand “ Lucky for me this gun is loaded, now I think you should run along to your sweet little boss like the missy here said” she said nudging her head in the woman’s direction.

Lifting herself up and off the biker’s chest Kali couldn’t help the urge to rest her booted foot on the man’s neck as her impromptu partner spoke, “Lucky for me this gun is loaded, now I think you should run along to your sweet little boss like the missy here said.”

Still smiling a little thanks to the rush of excitement she’d felt taking the man down Kali ignored the small grunting noises he made as she cut off his air supply. She turned that smile-the one that said she’d more than happily gut him just to see how he bled on the ‘leader’ before she spoke accompanying it with her leopard eyes, “Last chance Bru. Don’t be an idiot all yer life and take it while we’re feeling generous.”

Scarlet grunted her gun quivering, she had never paused so long on the trigger her mind and body was desperately awaiting the finally beat of the idiot in front of her “generous? Hell im a step away from blowing his brains out “ she pushed in the gun harder until the man grunted “ They say if I shoot you this close it will take about 17seconds of pain” she pushed the gun even harder “ And trust me it will be worst than any pain you could imagine” she awaited slowly her mind spinning with images of past kills.

Scarlet grinned “ But hey I could kill you now, I’m an animator ill raise you after for your last words” hmm personal joke but I think he got the message, he pulled away from the gun a look of disgust crossing his face as he then turned to the barman and waved his hand “ I’l get ya anova tym” she said rolling his shoulders at that moment Scarlet shot the bullet went whizzing past the guys head only an inch away as it crashed into the wall and sent out shards in all directions

“Damn Alcohol” she said as she watched the man take off quickly looking down at his blocked buddy and deciding not to wait up crashing out of the bar a disappointed look feel across Scarlet’s face “ Now he deicides to listen” she said annoyed that she didn’t get a kill in the end.

Kali was grinning as she watched the rent a wise guy run off with his tail between his legs. Somehow she doubted that when he reported back to his boss that he'd be honest about who had stopped him from collecting. It wouldn't be the first time Kali had been described as a giant of a man who could use trees for toothpicks. If it placated the male ego to lie about being beaten by a woman-even if that woman was a lycanthrope-then she wasn't going to argue.

"Well that was fun wasn't it?" She chuckled to her companion before lifting her foot from the biker's throat. Kali jerked her head towards the door, "I think it's time you headed home too, Bru."

She stayed tense as he picked himself up making sure that he wasn't going to try anything more with her today. Wisely he backed out of the bar without saying another word but Kali was still happy looks couldn't kill. A cough drew Kali's attention back to the bartender who was eying both women, "Thanks ladies…El Curron's boys are a real pain in the ass. Anything you want is on me."

Never one to turn down free drinks Kali wrinkled her nose at the dusty liquor bottles and tried to pick the least flithy, "I'll have a shot of jack my man. Just curious but how often does this El Curron send you vistors?"

Scarlet looked down at the young man on the floor a grin splitting as she heard the woman next to her announcing it as fun, she liked the woman it was like seeing her own attitude… in Lycan style and power. Scarlet had always wondered what such would be like to take on a different body, a different life more strength … would she still kill vampires as an executioner… hell yes!

Turning she listened to the bartender, giving his thanks with anything she wanted on the house “ Just give me up another glass” she said looking over to the pool table to see both her drink and her money gone. She opened her mouth again “ I know, A big glass mam” he said grinning to her as she nodded. Handing her the drink she turned towards the other woman.

“ Nice skills you got yourself there, even for a lycan you have to know your moves” she said grinning as the bartender came back she listened as the woman asked questions. “ They bin in an outa’ere for da past 4 monts” he said again sighing as he threw his dirty cloth over his shoulder and handed the woman her drink then walked off to see to the other people who had started flooding back into the bar.

Having been given a large glass filled with what smelt like whiskey Kali took a large sip then traded for her fresh beer-with her metabolism the were leopard would have to drink a lot more than the bar had stocked to get drunk. She nodded as the other woman complimented her on her skill, "Did a bit of rebel rousin' back home." She admitted, "You don't do too bad yourself for an animator-I'm guessin you hunt too there's almost as much money in it as zombies."

Kali listened to the barman's complaint and pulled a small matte black business card from her pocket. They'd been a gift from Johannes-along with the prime real estate he'd located for her to use as an office-black cards with a glistening sliver moon and the simple script "Full Moon Protection" and a phone number. "Here Bru…next time they come callin' let me know." She shook her head and addressed her new friend, "These boys are ameteurs at exhortion…pure bush league. I've seen grannies in the townships do better."

Scarlet grinned at her, she was sure she would catch on to her own power, after all she most probably has the scent of death… how lovely she thought sarcastically “ Yes well I’m Scarlet Morti, Animator and executioner mind if I have one of your cards? You wouldn’t happen to have work there would you love” she waited patently as the room seemed to get more and more crowed.



----

Sorrits so short

"Nice to meet you Scarlet…" Pulling another card from her pocket Kali handed it to the other woman then nodded her head slightly-it wasn't personal when Kali didn't shake hands. "I'm Kali."

The leopard jerked her head towards the pool table and away from the large amount of people. There weren't too many things Kali hated more than being surrounded by strangers having to breathe in their scents and allowing them to brush against her. Unlike most lycanthropes Kali did not like being touched-especially not by people she didn't know.

"I just landed here from Jo-burg and haven't really set the place up but I can always use someone who can handle themselves. Its mostly private security work-people with more money than brains who want to be seen with preternatural gaurds. It's lucrative which makes all the difference." She grinned, "Lots of stupid rich folk here."

“ Nice to meet you too Kali” she nodded back as she took another sip of her drink, she liked the girl more and more, Scarlet hated shaking hands, it was one thing she was forced to do as an animator but if she could help it her greeting was simply a recognition of the head. Simple. Clean. Fast.

She listened as the woman explained the work, it sounded like a good thing to do yet one question was bothering her “ Is it legal then, If I was to apply to defending the people that hire me would I be able to kill a so called threat…” She half shrugged and smiled.

Suddenly without a moments reaction, a man pushed her into the bar, crushing her as he tried to get close to the bartender to order a drink, the room was getting to packed and Scarlet felt uneasy in crowds, one could never be to aware “ Getting a bit crowed here, you wanna take off and get a bite to eat or go to a club ?” she asked, it was unusual scarlet had always been a solo sort of person, she hadn’t been to a club in a while.

It didn't take a lot to recognize the bit of a kindred spirit that she'd run into when the woman offered a head nod as a greeting as well. It made Kali smile-she had few friends and those were mostly people she'd worked with on various jobs and all of them were men. Very few women liked Kali mostly which the leopard knew was partially fear. "Compleately legal…They're makin' me liscence everyone and make sure they get consealed carry permits. Lot of work to do considering we're babysitting rich jackos."

The leopard wasn't impressed with all the hoops she was forced to jump through here in the US. Things had been much easier in Africa when the only time you got in trouble is if the body showed up or you forgot to bribe the right people. Seeing her companion getting crushed Kali nodded at her suggestion they leave, "I could go for either I don't know the city well yet though."

Kali stretched out her arm and snagged her black leather motorcycle jacket and shoved her arms into it. She headed for the door assuming that the other woman would already be making her way there.

Scarlet nodded and took her stuff, nodded towards the barman and set off towards the door where she would continue her conversation. Finally stepping outside she took a deep breath taking in the freshness of the air, it was most refreshing she hadn’t noticed how stuffy it had been in the bar. She looked both ways a perplexed expression crossing hr face before she turned back to the woman.

“ Well I can always help out with the licensing, being a executioner I know my way around the badges” she said grinning remembering a few people high up that had helped her out on killed vampires she DIDN’T have a warrant for. She smiled at the woman “ well I haven’t been here long either, and I’m well I’m not really the social type to know all the best ranks in town but I know a few, there’s a good joint that sells food open all hours down the road.” She said half shrugging as she looked towards the dark road leading off.

"That might help," Kali sucked in a lungful of clean air-though in Miami that was a relative term, "They didn't seem to like my South African passport when I visited them and it saves me having to make a few phone calls and owing more favours than I'd like."

At the suggestion of food Kali's stomach rumbled looking for another meal, "Sounds good-thrashin that moffie back there made me hungry. I could eat a rhino."

The leopard pulled out her keys and disengaged the alarm on the Land Rover, "I'll drive if you navagate."

Scarlet watched as the woman too took a lungful of air, her eyebrow went up as she mentioned eating a rhino, seeing as she was a lycan it made Scarlet wonder if such was possible she laughed all the same.

“ no problem im the same, favours mean you give the other person another foot up the ladder “ such was like blackmail to Scarlet and she hated the idea “ No worries, if you would like I can help you pull some strings, like small co-owner” she said raising her eye brows but laughing “ Don’t worry you don’t have to repay me or anything, Ill just need you business details, insurance you know basics really”

She followed the woman instead “ Okay sounds like a plan seeing as I was brought by a taxi “ she said waiting for the woman to show which car was hers, it didn’t seem hard there were only 3 cars parked in front of the Bar, all the others were bikes.

Punching the keyless unlock button Kali nodded to the large black SUV when she noticed Scarlet eyeing the veichles, "Money isn't a problem I've made lots of it but an American partner moves things along. We can swing by the office later if you want to check things out."

Opening her door Kali climbed into the Rover and suck her key in the ignition; immediately the CD in the player started up and Kali punched it off. Descretly, she opened up her blackberry snapped a quick picture of Scarlet before typing the woman's name in and sending it to Johannes to check the marshal out for her.

Scarlet walked over to the car and got in, she smiled as she listened to what she was saying looking down the road to see if she could remember exactly where the place was, when a feeling of being watched shivered along her spine she turned to the woman and had a slight feeling she had taken a picture, she didn’t mind, after all she had taken one herself while the woman was fighting to see what the police came up with, she was an executioner after all, she had a right to know if this woman had a dirty past or not.

Shrugging off the feeling she pretended it went unnoticed as she gave the woman her best directions “ Well I think its straight down, then I think it’s the 3rd or 4th, no 3rd turning left and then it should be right ahead” she pulled down the mirror and looked at herself and her clothes, only then did she notice her nails had dry blood and her arms under the top was smeared with it, even her trousers had gotten a share, it had been a fast change from animator to human, animal blood went so unnoticed she had had it on her for ages now. “damn it” she said trying to wipe it off, failing she sat back annoyed, it was one thing she hated, being and executioner and animator, she never had a wide range of clothing colors to wear…

Nodding Kali committed the directions to memory and waited for Scarlet to put on her seatbelt and slipped her blackberry into her pocket again. It never hurt to be too paranoid about meeting new people-paranoia kept you alive a lot longer than trust.

The Range Rover started smoothly and Kali pulled out into the empty street notcing from the corner of her eye that Scarlet was picking dried blood from her fingernails. "I've got baby wipes in the glove box." Kali indicated with her hand before taking the wheel again, "They clean things up well enough."

Taking the turn she was directed to Kali found a place to park quickly and slid the SUV in place, "This it? Looks good."

Scarlet put on her seat belt and looked back down at her nails as the car started, she picked at them again feeling paranoid of having blood on her hands then going to eat. She turned as the girl mentioned baby wipes, grinning “ Ah yes I must remember to get a pack seeing as I deal with blood nightly, and you other than your busness do you have any other side jobs?” she asked wondering where she had picked up her self defence moves from back in the bar.

Turning the corner she saw the diner not far away, lit up with a big red “Open” sign, once parked Scarlet got out of the car and walked up to the diner, knowing the woman would soon follow, turning she smiled “ Yes the foods good as well “ she said as she went in and took a table near the wall, pacifically putting her back to the wall so that she got the whole view of the bar. Taking a menu she looked down “ Wow can’t believe how hungry I am”

The warm smell of fresh meat and bread assailed Kali's nose when she followed Scarlet into the diner and the leopard sniffed appreciatively her beast letting her know it approved. When Scarlet took the seat that backed the wall Kali didn't argue like she would have with most people-between the two of them Kali was more prepared for an attack from behind. That didn't mean that the leopard didn't angle her chair slightly so she could watch with her periferal vision.

Pulling a menu closer to herself Kali opened it and scanned the page as a perky young woman appeared at the table pad in hand to take their orders, "Can I get you guys any drinks?"


"I'll have a coffee-black," Kali answered without looking up, "And I'll have the steak-rare with every side you've got and maybe another steak on the side."

Scarlet watched the young girl angle herself on her chair ever so slightly, smiling as she noticed that Kali had not answered her questions, she didn’t mind she shook off the warm heat off of the diners kitchen as she smelt the warm delicious scents, she wiggled slightly in her chair as the waitress came, dressed with a stripy red and white apron the only thing she was missing was roller skates to look like something that just walked out of a film.

She awaited as the woman ordered her meal then the waitress turned to Rachel, “ And you deary?” Rachel scanned the menu once again “ Ill have a bottle of mineral water, room temperature no glass, and a burger with fries with ketchup” she said handing back the menu to the woman.

“ So Kali, I saw your moves back in the bar, do you do defensive courses or anything” she said as her drink came and scarlet took a gulp washing down a dryness she hadn’t noticed there.

Kali watched the waitress and didn't speak again until the girl had left; the leopard didn't care to scare the girl. Scared people over cooked your meat and Kali didn't feel like chewing through shoe leather. "Take them or teach them?" she asked to clairify.

"I trained with my Da's men-mostly former green berets or Legionaires. Did a couple years of service in Zimbabwe and South Africa…a little time in Somalia and Sudan." She shrugged giving a small outline of things-the ones that would be possible to trace if Scarlet wanted to and knew who to ask, "They talk big on the news about bringing 'democracy' to Africa…but the only equality I've seen men acchieve there is with an AK47."

Scarlet nodded smiling, she went to open her mouth when a blipping noise disturbed the silence of the diner, it continued scarlet guessed it was the woman’s phone grinning she raised one eye brow “ That must be my picture and Name you traced “ she shrugged not worrying it was naturally human “ You can look if you like” she said grinning as the woman went to her phone.

The waitress came back with her food, she licked her lips slightly as hunger took over her stomach, grinning she picked up the burger and dug in, over a mouthful she asked for sum ketchup, putting some in her burger and next to her chips she waited for the girl to reply as she took another sip of water.

Sitting back in her chair Kali locked eyes with Scarlet and smiled crossing her legs at the ankle and looking very relaxed and not the least bit sorry, "No worries, Da's overly through so it'll take forever to read."

Kali studied the other woman with grudging respect, "So what made you choose working as an Executioner? Most of the animators I've met are content to play with their zombies and leave the leeches to us shifters."

Scarlet frowned at the woman, but she guessed it was all written when they traced her, damn technology “ Hmm I guess like all the paths that we choose are based on the paths we have survived… my past” she licked her lips and took another sip of water, she closed off her emotions, like that off when she killed, it was as though her own graveyard, in which she sat and all was blank, no happiness, sadness, pain. Scarlet liked this place, it was the only way she could talk about her past “ my parents, they were killed .. no slaughtered by vampires I was only young, coming home to red blood walls its an unusual event that change the rest of your life”


“And what about you why have you moved from so far away ?”

The careful way that all emotion and movement leached out of Scarlet's face didn't go unnoticed as Kali watched her. That sliver of respect grew slightly at the matter of fact way something that was probably a personal torment was shared. "At least they were monsters…Our farm was raided by bushies and they slaughtered my birth family."

Kali said the words and felt the rage that had always fueled her actions rise up-rage was good-it was warm and fed the beast inside her when nothing else would. She knew that just with those few words that her eyes had bled away from their human aspect and had taken up their leopard form. "Da adopted me and made me Pard…I thought I'd see a bit of the world and how other Pards are run before some one kills him and takes over."

The leopard stopped speaking as the waitress returned with some of their food saying nothing while the girl set the steak in front of her then nodding to show her approval. Once the girl had set Scarlet's food down she retreated and Kali spoke again, "Africa's going crazy…guns, diamonds, oil…Compared to home Miami's a safe haven. What made you choose it?"

Scarlet watched the woman describe the vampires as monsters, yes they were monsters but in that concept weren’t lycans as well? “ Yes though these vampires weren’t rogue, tramp they were master vampires” her voice was thick as though even such filled her with disgust “ Had a disagreement with me parents … don’t believe there were any large enough parts to properly identify them, my foster parents died as well after” scarlet took another bite of her food and swallowed washing it down with more water.

“ Sorry about your parents” she said stopping eating and looking at the woman if she needed emotional support, though scarlet was never the cry on my shoulder type she could come up with a whole lot of crap in her life to make the other feel good. Sighing she listened to why the woman had chosen to come to Miami, frowning she wondered if such was true after all if it was that bad wouldn’t she have brought her “Da” down? “ Well dearie I like killing vampires, and Miami is crawling with them, that and they needed a vampire Executioner.”

Kali shrugged off the attempt at sympathy-it wasn't something she took well, "It happens more than you Yanks ever hear about on TV. My sixteenth birthday present from Da was a chance to shift and chace the kafirs through the jungle." A small smile lifted her lips at the pleasant memory she had of killing the men who had ruined her childhood, "Da's a practical gift giver and a big believer in Pard justice."

The leopard nodded as Scarlet finished her assessment of the situation in Miami. It was crawling with vampires-something Kali wasn't particularly happy about herself. There were few vampires back in Johannesburg and the leopards had kept things that way-the stories circulated about what Johannes and his Pard had done to some that had arrived unwelcome kept all but the foolish or insanely brave away.

She'd heard that some Masters could call and control different animals-including leopards and their lycanthropic cousins. The very idea outraged Kali, "I noticed…Shifters out number the leeches in Africa so it was a bit of a shock. Know any in this city that call cats? I want to know who I might have to hunt."

Scarlet Grinned deeply “ Well as a matter of fact, I think there is quite a few that calls leopards, I think it is a common power” scarlet shrugged not her problem, and nor would she try and kill the mistress of the city, when she chose her vampires she was very careful.

A frown creased over her expression as she remembered the womans job “ But doesn’t your business offer protection to vampires ?” she said her eye brow lifting slightly towards the woman wondering if such things she was sharing weren’t true. She even noticed the young girl hadn’t given her last name. Looking at her phone she saw a text message, she opened it “ NO records found” damn she thought wondering what else they could search for, she quickly entered a text her fingers moving effortlessly on the keypad “Search slaughtered families in Africa”

"Jisus," Kali swore not liking her odds and made a mental note to ask Johannes if he could dig up dirt on the vampires of Miami for her-she wanted to know exactly who to avoid. If she couldn't avoid them then Kali would settle for knowing their weaknesses so if it came down to it she could kill any of them that tried controlling her.

When the conversation turned to work Kali shrugged, "Their money spends just as good as a humans. The only problem I've got with leeches is the idea of one thinking they can control me with magic."

A small smile lifted the leopards lips as she cut a large piece of bloody steak and popped it in her mouth. While she was chewing she noticed Scarlet received a text message, "Africa's a bit broad dear-looking for families killed for no reason is like looking for a needle in a haystack…Try Zimbabwe that's where I was born…but I don't even think it was ever reported."

The grin on her face grew as she cut her steak some more, "Did I mention all the leopards in Da's Pard are former black ops?"

Scarlet smiled at the woman “ Well I heard a rumour one Animator could like control a Vampire” Scarlet grinned thinking off how amusing that would be “ Sounds quite interesting to me, though I don’t think I have that much power, I can sense them from distant, level their power … well you know the basics” she said shrugging as she took another chip, dipping it in ketchup and threw it In her mouth with a bite of burger.

"Africa's a bit broad dear-looking for families killed for no reason is like looking for a needle in a haystack…Try Zimbabwe that's where I was born…but I don't even think it was ever reported." Scarlet grinned, well it was quite normal the young girl would know what to look up, she grinned, well it was quite normal, she didn’t know if the young girl would get much on her past, she shrugged and took a sip of water like it didn’t matter “ Well I doubt you will find much on me, being an executioner my files are hidden… just incase the normal police hitch up a fingerprint from a crime you know, and seeing as im feeling honest, ill introduce myself again, if you are looking for my past you will only find such with the name Scarlet Coltello, I had changed my name in order to become an Executioner… They don’t allow people with dirty history with vampires to be licensed” she took another bite of burger, chewing and swallowing before continuing “ Think that I would take liberty of killing em” she shrugged and brought out her animator card “ Just remembered I got your card, you don’t have mine” she moved it across the table to the other woman when her phone buzzed again.

She red it and re red it, it seemed that the young woman and well wasn’t using her real name, Scarlet didn’t mind, it was naturally human like… or killer like? Smiling she finished her burger and pushed the plate away, taking another sip of her drink and putting it aside.

"Interesting," Kali smiled at the idea of an animator controlling a vampire the ironies of the preternatural world amused the wereleopard to no end. "I can smell them…they just smell like ashes and dead things to me. It's not terribly pleasant."

Popping another hunk of steak in her mouth Kali swallowed it then took a sip of her coffee while the other woman worked on her chips. It was surprising to the shapeshifter just how much fun she was enjoying-she didn't have to pretend to be something she wasn't with Scarlet. Kali had never had many friends and those few she had were generally men because women didn't usually fall into her line of work. It was refreshing to be around another woman who was tough, smart and in charge of herself and not ashamed of it the way many women would be.

Scarlet's next words caused Kali to smirk, "Who said I'd use normal police data bases-ja?" The leopard's accent thickened just a bit as she laughed, "I've been paid to do a lot of what you'd call questionable things by your government and others…I'm not about to judge things-ja."

The leopard too the card and slid it into her pocket.

"I can smell them…they just smell like ashes and dead things to me. It's not terribly pleasant."

Scarlet grinned “ Death hey? I most probably don’t smell that different” How lovely Scarlet thought sarcastically, to smell of death, start of a beautiful relationship she thought grinning to her self

Scarlet thought to her self, as though thinking out loud she started to contemplate her night with the woman, “ I must admit, I have not hung out with another girl in a while, I think the closest thing I got to someone staying with me for longer than an hour was with a hit man” She grinned and shrugged, she had a very manish way of acting, matcho how they say, and Men seemed to after a while cast her out, Men’s egos, they just hate to be beaten by a woman.

"I've been paid to do a lot of what you'd call questionable things by your government and others…I'm not about to judge things-ja."

Scarlet grinned as the waitress came and took her plate away, scarlet went ot open her mouth when again the woman came back to give them the dessert menu and wondered back off, finally seeing her far away, she turned back to the woman “ Well I could say the same about myself, My how to say addictiveness at hunting vampires” she shrugged “ Killing and raising the dead doesn’t put one in brilliant books”

“ Death hey? I most probably don’t smell that different”

Kali lifted an eyebrow at the comment and put her two empty plates aside-her stomach was full after finishing off the two steaks and side dishes. "Everybody smells different to me. Different leeches have different combinations of smells…humans are the same way. I can smell earth, blood and death on you-but also the shampoo you use and body lotion even though I'm sure you bought them because they're unscented."

A harsh laugh broke Kali's lips at Scarlet's recap of their time together-more because the leopard had been thinking the same thing. Most of her accquaintances were men she'd worked with-but she had never really sat and talked in such a relaxed way with many people other than Johannes. "A hit man? Sounds as fun as roughing it in the bush in a five man squad and having all of them but one ignore you." the leopard shook her head at the memory, "We're a bit a like-ja…if we didn't hit it off and become…friends…then I imagine we'd be trying to gut one another."

A sly smile lit the leopard's face as the server dropped the dessert menu and took their plates, "I think friends would be more fun-ja. My gun collection arrives next week and I've got the office to set up. Meanwhile I'm twiddling my thumbs at Cat Central. We could hit the town and blow off some steam…you marshals can deputize folk if the need arose right?"

I'm sure you bought them because they're unscented

Scarlet’s eyebrow when up slowly, she had heard that lycans had storng scents, but she didnt no they could expand to such lengths, it must be quite unusual, Scarlet thought half envying the woman nodding “ Yes all my products are unscented, accept for me weapons that is » She said smiling, her jakect firmly closed as the heat of the diner withered her hair slightly.

"A hit man? Sounds as fun as roughing it in the bush in a five man squad and having all of them but one ignore you."

Scarlet grinned « All but one ? i used to work with the LAPD, they got me out on a cover job, 7 guys and just little old me » she shrugged « Dangerous people dont look twice at a girl and think about what their packing, thats how one can get close and personinal » She rolled her eyes slightly at the personal bit, it was a touch sometimes she had to do, flirting with the bad guys did not get her any more worked up than putting her hand in a crocodile but some things you can’t control.

"We're a bit a like-ja…if we didn't hit it off and become…friends…then I imagine we'd be trying to gut one another."

Scarlet laughed « you would be suprised how many times my relationships get that far… to gutting of course » She said grinning


"I think friends would be more fun-ja. My gun collection arrives next week and I've got the office to set up. Meanwhile I'm twiddling my thumbs at Cat Central. We could hit the town and blow off some steam…you marshals can deputize folk if the need arose right?"

Scarlet smiled a friend hey she thought to her self, it had been a long time since she had heard that word « I agree, well i have a whole flat just filled with guns,knives, crosses and much more if you need any weapons before next week » scarlet frowned slightly, cat central ? « Your a feline lycan then ? yes the town sounds like a great idea, though at nights we can meet in the cementry, i have me night shifts raising the dead to deal with » she said grinning and rolling her eyes as the waitress walked back over to see if we wanted any deserts of the menu, scarlet looked over to the woman to order what she wanted.