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Lexa pushed two drinks across the bar, smiling seductively at the shaggy-haired man sitting on the other side. He flashed her a grin which he must’ve thought was charming. Lexa patted the counter. “Ten.”
The man slid a twenty over to her. “Take the change.” He took one of the drinks, swirling the decorative straw and holding it out. “This one’s yours.”
She raised an eyebrow, pushing it back to him. Lexa stood straight, smirking. “No drinks on the job.”
He shrugged, turning in his seat and scanning the bar. Someone must’ve caught his eye as he went off to join the crowd. Lexa kept a side-eye on him as she poured another drink.
She saw him offering the same drink to a pretty redhead by the pool table. She happily accepted, downing half of it in one go. The man’s smile was unnerving, and something about him wasn’t quite right. She watched both him and the girl closely.
The girl held up her drink, saying something to the man and swaying her hips as she backed away. She disappeared into the crowd quickly enough. The man watched her go, muttering something under his breath and surreptitiously sidled past the bar, following the other girl into the hotel hallways.
Lexa narrowed her eyes. She didn’t trust that man one bit. Especially not with a girl he’d just handed a drink off to.
Besides, she was due for another feeding.
Lexa snagged another bartender, pleading a bathroom break before exiting through a back door. She had plans.
-
Clarke called for the elevator.
She heard something behind her and saw the same man who’d offered her a drink slide in next to her, trying to appear casual. She rolled her eyes, not acknowledging his presence. He made a disapproving noise. “Trying to get rid of me?”
Clarke glanced at him. “If you’ve got any tips on how to, I’d love to hear them.”
He paused for a moment before continuing, slinking closer until he was breathing on her ear. “Got anywhere you’re going? Any good parties? Because I’ve got a few hours I’d love to kill.”
She scoffed. “Good luck with that.”
He chuckled, leaning in closer until he was almost brushing her ear. She rolled her shoulder, pushing him back, and was relieved when the elevator ding ed its arrival. Much to her dismay, the man followed her inside. They were the only ones.
He stood next to her so they were almost shoulder to shoulder. “You’re a pretty little thing, aren’t you?”
Clarke fought back the urge to groan. “Gross. Back off or I’ll get sick. Preferably on you.”
Her head was starting to throb, had been for some time, but it was getting steadily worse. A particularly bad one had her stumbling forward, catching herself against the wall. She grit her teeth. “What was in that drink?”
He grinned. “Oh, just a little something to make you a bit friendlier.” She felt him coming closer, his chest almost touching her shoulder. “We are friends, aren’t we?”
Clarke was breathing heavy now, feeling woozy. His hands were on her waist, pulling her back against him. His lips skimmed her cheek and she shuddered, trying to fight both him and the drug. Her body felt like it was made of lead. “Come on, just one little kiss.”
She spun around, throwing her arms out hard enough to knock them both back. Her back hit the wall, arms flailing for something to grab onto as she slid to the floor. The elevator ding ed again and the doors opened. She saw the man looking out with a pleased expression.
Another girl walked in, completely ignoring Clarke on the floor and focusing entirely on the man. She calmly pressed a button and gave the man a burning look, one that he was obviously very delighted by. Her fingers played idly with his collar. “You,” she said, “are very naughty.”
He laughed nervously, stepping back as she twirled his tie in her fingers. “You left without saying goodbye.” She moved closer, lips parted, eyes hooded. “Don’t you know when a girl’s playing hard to get?”
She pushed lightly at his chest. He smiled anxiously. “What do you want?”
Her voice lowered down to just above a whisper. “Just one little kiss.”
Clarke watched as the girl leaned in, pressing her lips against his. She wanted to pull her away, tell her not to trust him, but all she could do was stare from where she sat as the kiss turned more passionate, lips moving roughly. She was half considering throwing herself at them when the girl’s eyes lit up hellish blue.
Clarke scrambled for her phone, shakily holding it up and hitting record on her video camera. The man grunted, at first sounding aroused but it began to turn more frantic, more desperate. The girl’s eyes glowed brightly, blue wisps escaping their combined mouths. She pulled away, holding the man by his collar as ribbons flowed out of his mouth into hers, making her eyes pulse. She let go of him, letting him slide to the floor with a crazy, sated smile on his face. His eyes were dull and empty.
Clarke slumped against the wall, phone waving in her unsteady hands. “So gonna go viral,” she slurred, watching the other girl stand up and walk out of the now-open elevator.
She leaned over, poking her head out the door. “Hey,” she called, voice heavy and slow. “What about me?”
The girl paused, sighing, and turned around, her face apathetic. She grabbed Clarke by her armpits. “Let’s get you out of here.”
In her delirious state, she only looked at her face and smiled. “You’re pretty.”
The girl paused, rolling her eyes subtly. Clarke’s jaw unhinged, unable to hold her smile. “I saw you eat someone’s face off. That’s amaaaazing.”
The girl said nothing, heaving Clarke up and throwing her over her shoulder. “Come on. Let’s get you somewhere safe.”
Clarke only giggled as she was carried out of the elevator, her mind drifting, unable to stay focused on reality. She saw black, flashes of colors, familiar sounds that didn’t register in her mind. It felt like someone had put her in a coma.
Which, in all truthfulness, wasn’t exactly wrong.
-
Lexa dropped the girl onto her couch, rushing to pack all of her stuff. She’d only been in this town for a week and she was already having to flee. She’d even found a decent place to stay here instead of in some storeroom basement like she had last time.
She quickly packed her stuff, changing into more comfortable clothes and burning all the evidence that she was ever there. She took a look at the girl passed out on her couch and scoffed. She’d be fine. Lexa had to leave.
Or maybe not, she thought as her foot accidentally hit a metal platter on the floor. She heard a gasp from behind her. “Shit.”
The girl was sitting up, her red wig - why was she wearing a wig? - falling off her head and revealing golden tresses beneath. She blinked hazily, looking around. When her eyes fell on Lexa she freaked.
Lexa sighed in exasperation. “Sorry. I was just leaving.”
The girl scrambled up onto the arm of the couch, looking like an animal ready to flee. “Where am I? Who are you?”
“Hey, just calm down,” Lexa said, striding over to the couch. “You’re okay; you passed out last night.” She picked up the wallets she’d found stashed in the girl’s jacket. “Would’ve dropped you home, but none of these wallets appear to be yours. Nice little sideline you’ve got going.”
The girl looked uncomfortable. “I’m a… collector of rare wallets.”
Lexa held back a laugh. “Not judging. Just glad you’re okay.” She turned around to leave, picking up her bag.
“I-I don’t feel okay.” The girl was breathing heavily, sinking into the couch. “What happened last night, did somebody slip me something?”
“Yeah, some creep in the bar spiked your drink. You hallucinated a bunch of weird stuff, I bet.”
“You didn’t - you didn’t eat some dudes face in an elevator?”
Good. She’d taken the bait. “No. There was no eating of faces.” She faked a laugh. “Wow. That’s crazy.”
The girl laughed, taking out her phone. “Thank god. That’s some crazy-ass shit.”
Lexa watched as the girl turned on her phone, her face dropping from amusement to something more of horror. Lexa cursed. The girl had video-recorded her, the shit. She looked up at her with a face full of fear and Lexa just shook her head, muttering to herself. “Kids and these camera phones.”
The girl bolted away from her, ending up on opposite sides of the couch. Lexa held up her hands. “Don’t freak out.”
“I’m freaking out!”
“What did I just say?”
The blonde gestured wildly to her phone. “How can I not freak out, have you seen you?” She completely ignored Lexa’s response. “Did you kill him?”
Lexa took a deep breath to calm herself down. “Just slow down!”
The girl scampered back, a hand pressing on her heart. “Oh my god oh my god,” she breathed, “are you gonna kill me ?”
Lexa scowled. “No, that is just stupid, why would I save you just to -”
The blonde’s strangled breaths made her pause. “Are you okay?”
“No, I - did I get asthma? I think I’m getting asthma.” She stumbled to the side, gripping onto a lamp for stability, not taking her eyes off of Lexa.
“Just breathe.” She tried to approach her, slowly, calmly, but the girl bolted, once again ending up on opposite sides of the couch. Lexa scoffed. “Fine. I don’t need this.” She grabbed her bag. “Listen, I have to blow town after just saving your ass and find somewhere else to live. Again. You’re welcome, by the way.”
She heard frantic steps behind her. “Excuse me, lady!”
Lexa groaned internally. “It’s Lexa.”
The girl exhaled heavily. “Hi. I’m Clarke.” She took a deep breath. “Look. I’m sorry. You’re obviously very nice for… whatever you are. I just had the scariest, weirdest night of my life, so can we please talk about this like normal people?”
Lexa rolled her eyes. “It’s fairly clear that I’m not exactly normal.”
“Good! Good,” Clarke hesitantly walked closer. “Because normal people don’t help out strangers. If you were normal, I could be dead . I won’t tell anyone, I promise, just please give me, like, twenty minutes, and you will never have to see me ever again.” The pause between them couldn’t have been any more tense. “Please?”
“That depends.” Lexa sauntered closer, watching Clarke lean back slightly. “Do you like milkshakes?”
-
Lexa sat at a table, watching Clarke sip on her milkshake. “You just gonna stare at me?”
“Mmm, sorry.” She set her milkshake down. “By the way, I know things could’ve gotten really messed up for me last night if you hadn’t shown up, so… thanks.”
Lexa was surprised. “Oh! Well, um, you’re welcome.”
Clarke stared at her for a moment. “Okay! Well, I gotta know.” She took a pen out of her jacket and began to scribble something down onto a napkin. “Some things are just too good to say out loud. So… here!”
Lexa took the napkin, turning it over and laughing. It was akin to a middle school note, the ones that they always had in cheesy movies with the ‘do you like me?’ boxes, except this one asked something a bit wilder.
I am an alien ❐
I am a demon ❐
Lexa chuckled under her breath, setting the napkin aside. “You are a tool.” Clarke just sat there nervously. “And I don’t know what the hell I am. Honestly, just a freak, I guess. Does it matter?”
“Kinda. I mean, what exactly did you do to him?” Clarke leaned across the table, practically laying over it.
Lexa pursed her lips. “It’s hard to explain, okay? I sort of, um… I sort of drain people.”
Clarke sat back. “Oh, my god, are you a -” she was cut off as a waitress came over to take their plates. “Dude, are you a fucking vampire?”
“No! No, no, it’s nothing like that.” Lexa sighed heavily. “It has nothing to do with blood, it’s just-” she looked around anxiously. “It’s just this hunger builds and builds and eventually I do what I did last night.”
Clarke was twisting a decorative ring on her finger. “So you can’t control it?”
“No.”
“Wow, shitty.” At Lexa’s incredulous stare, she continued. “No, I’m serious. That’s no way to live. You should really work on that.”
Lexa stared at her for a moment, trying to figure out if she was being serious or not. She decided not to bother. “So, are we done here, because I’ve got to keep going.”
The waitress slid up next to them. “Can I get you anything else?”
Lexa sat back, looking up at her. “No, we’re good.”
The waitress held out her receipt, and Lexa reached up to grab it, not taking it from her hand. “I’m a little short right now, do you think there’s,” she reached up to grasp the waitress by the wrist, “anyway I could come back and make it up to you?”
An orange ribbon flowed from Lexa’s hands up the waitress’s arm. She bit her lip, grinning. “God, yes.”
Lexa smiled at her, picking up her bag and heading out. She could hear Clarke shuffling behind her. “Woah, hold up, woman! What the hell was that!” Lexa ignored her. “No, wait, I’m serious, what was that?”
-
“You’re saying you can seduce people into doing anything just by touching them?”
“Sort of.” Lexa felt a tad bit of pride at Clarke’s amazed expression. “Wears off quick and takes a lot out of me, but yes.”
“Yet you’re broke, you live in a run-down building, and you move from town to town. What are you doing wrong? God, that is no life for a sex-”
“You know, I think I liked you better when you were scared of me.” Lexa was rolling her eyes at the girl. Her questions were nonstop, and she spoke with such disrespect she had half the thought to suck the life out of her, too.
“No. What you need is some kind of manager. I nominate me.”
“Shocking.” To her surprise, Lexa was finding Clarke’s playful energy sort of amiable. “And no thanks.”
“Give me a chance, we would make a good team-”
Lexa growled deep in her throat and pulled Clarke into a side alley, pushing her casually (as casually as one can) against the wall. “Look, this isn't a joke, okay? Has it occurred to you that hanging out with a homicidal freak might not be the brightest move for you?”
Clarke raised an eyebrow. “Has it occurred to you that I'm capable of making that decision for myself? Homicidal freak? God, you’re amazing.”
Lexa was taken aback. “Excuse me?”
Clarke scoffed. “Learn to enjoy your shit already. You can fucking control people by touch! That is awesome !”
Lexa’s lip curled. “Fine.” She pushed away, striding down the alleyway. She could hear Clarke rushing after her, muttering excitedly under her breath. “Fine. Let’s say I decide to take you with me. What’s in it for you?”
“Out here? Survival. My mom always said, "find the toughest kid on the playground and make friends with them. You are definitely the toughest kid on this playground. And, it would kick ass to be your friend.” Clarke butted herself up to Lexa’s side, making sure she was not ignored.
Lexa sighed, fumbling for her car keys. “I don’t know.”
“Oh, come on!” Clarke pleaded. “Every superhero needs a partner. Let me be your Robin.”
Lexa gave her an annoyed look. “I’ll think about it.”
Movement from the side of her vision caught her attention. Two men were walking up the alley, eyes locked onto them. The one, who seemed to be the head, turned to his partner. “Take them.”
His partner, a messy, cruel-looking boy, smirked, opening his mouth and making some sort of whistle noise. Beside her, Clarke gasped, falling against the hood of the car, hands clutched to her ears. “Clarke? What’s wrong?”
A sound hit her ears, one so high-pitched it felt like her ears were breaking. Lexa grunted, stumbling back and throwing her hands up to her ears. It did nothing to block out the sound.
She bared her teeth, fighting the effects, and managed to get a good look at what was going on. The shaggy-haired one was making the same whistle noises at her as he had been at Clarke, and the leader stood there confused. “Why isn’t it working?”
The other one stopped, turning to talk to his partner. “It’ll work. Just give it time.”
And that was all the time Lexa needed.
She lunged forward, watching the leader’s eyes widen as she crashed into the whistle-boy. They tumbled to the ground, him trying to repeat the same noises he’d been making earlier but she crashed her lips onto his, sucking his essence right out of him.
She heard a shout and felt something barrel into her side. The leader was on top of her, eyes glowing savage orange and fanged teeth bared. She pulled her legs up and kicked him off, sending him flying into the brick wall. “Clarke, get in the car!” She shouted, not chancing looking to see if she obeyed. The man turned back to her, snarling loudly and coming at her with inhuman speed. She charged right at him.
They crashed together with so much power that they both stumbled away. Lexa lashed out, her fist catching him across the jaw and buying her enough time to swipe his legs out from under him. She pinned him beneath her legs, dipping down to pull his spirit from his body.
As much as her body pleaded for her not to, she pulled away before his life could be lost. Whoever he was, he was someone like her. Someone with inexplicable powers. Even if he had tried to kidnap her, she wouldn’t kill him. Besides, she’d already fed yesterday. It was better to not make it a habit.
She left him groaning on the floor, looking at the other man trying to regain his footing, clutching his head. Clarke had started the car and Lexa slipped into the front seat. She calmly set it to drive and pulled away from the side of the street.
-
“Holy shit, were they, like, your sworn enemies or something? The Joker to your Batman?”
Lexa groaned, tempted to slam her forehead on the steering wheel. “I have no idea who they are. I have never seen them before today.”
“But they’re like you? I mean, come on! That one guy could run like the fucking Flash!”
“Yes, I saw. I didn’t know that anyone else was like me.”
“You didn’t even think about it? How could you not!”
Lexa let out an exasperated sigh, pulling over to the side of the road. “Don’t you have somewhere better to be? Like, I don’t know, a job or a house?”
Clarke scoffed. “I’m living alone in a run-down apartment with a low-paying job, I could not possibly get any lower.”
Lexa raised an eyebrow. Clarke looked at her like she was crazy. “You’ve got fucking magic, you’d still have it better than me even if you were missing both arms.”
Lexa rolled her eyes. “Why is that the comparison you think of?” She muttered. Before Clarke could answer, she got the car back on the road. “Fine. Fine. You can come. But it’s not my fault if you end up in, well, any sort of bad situation. You’re the one who insisted on me bringing you along.”
Clarke grinned. “You won’t regret it.”
Lexa doubted that.
-
Clarke was growing on her.
Somehow.
She’d made herself at home in an abandoned stable that looked like it had once housed a family and maybe some horses, but it was so run-down she doubted they could find a buyer. It was empty except for some large furniture, like the couch, a large recliner and a very rickety dining table.
Lexa got a job at a local diner and Clarke, much to her disappointment, was also forced to get one. “Earn your keep,” Lexa had told her. If Clarke was coming with her, she would have to help keep them alive.
“So, when’s the next murder going to happen?” Clarke asked, sprawling out across the couch on the opposite end as Lexa.
“Couple of weeks, probably. I can usually keep myself under control until then.”
“You won’t suck the life out of me, I hope.”
“No. I’ll sate it before it gets that bad.” Lexa bit down into an apple, tossing one over to Clarke. “I can feel when it starts to get bad.”
“You know, I kind of wonder what it feels like. To have a part of me sucked out.”
Lexa looked at her incredulously. “It would kill you.”
“But those crazies in the alley. You only sucked part of them out, didn’t you? They looked fine.”
She shrugged. “I have no idea. I rarely do it on purpose.”
Clarke hummed, taking a large bite from her apple. The juice dribbled down her chin and onto the fingers of the hand holding the apple. “You scared you might kill me?”
“I could, Clarke. It’s no joke.” She scowled. “Besides, I’d have to kiss you to do that.”
Clarke raised an eyebrow. “What? Don’t like kissing girls?”
Lexa didn’t reply.
-
They moved around a couple more times, once after each of Lexa’s kills. Clarke had become less of an annoyance and more of an accomplice. She helped provide income and was all too familiar with the need to stay low. Lexa was sure that she had been on the criminal list multiple times before.
True to her word, Lexa kept her hunger at bay, always finding someone to hunt before it got too bad. There had been one other instance, a while ago, when she was first learning to control it, where she’d been unable to find someone to indulge herself with and had jumped the first person to be alone with her, in that case, a young woman in the ladies restroom. In her fear, she’d tossed her into a stall, locked it, and fled the scene.
Being alone with Clarke for half the day did many things to her. One of which was, it threw off her instincts.
Usually, she was never alone with a girl unless it was for sex, and if it was for sex, then they would end up dead in the morning. And being alone with a girl… well, it backfired in their faces.
It was coming toward the end of a month without a feed, and Lexa was hungry. Not hungry enough that she was going to go and seduce someone into going to their death, but hungry. And when she walked in to see Clarke spread across the couch, tapping at her phone idly…
Clarke jumped slightly at the low growl that Lexa emitted. She grinned at her. “Hey. What’s with the attitude?”
The disrespect .
Lexa snarled, advancing toward her, baring her teeth threateningly. Clarke scampered off the couch. “Woah. Calm down. It’s me, okay? You wouldn’t hurt me.” It sounded more like a question than a statement.
Clarke was right. Lexa wouldn’t hurt her. Not when she was right in the head.
Lexa moved with superhuman speed, pinning Clarke against the wall. Clarke’s mouth parted as she gasped, trembling beneath Lexa’s predatory body. “Lex… please. This isn’t you.”
And it wasn’t, not technically. Lexa’s eyes glowed eerie blue, the same color they always did when the demon inside her took over. She could usually control it, keep her head while indulging its desires. Not today. Today, its desires were not being satisfied, and it would satisfy them itself.
Clarke let out a strangled groan as Lexa slammed their lips together, teeth digging into her lip so hard it drew blood. She felt herself drawing from the inner soul of her prey, sucking it up through her throat and out her lips, where Lexa took it in. She felt Clarke shaking, her whines as she was literally drained of her life. She thrashed, fought, and eventually struck Lexa so hard in the stomach that she stumbled backward.
Clarke bolted, her feet heavy and head spinning, into the bedroom, closing and locking the door behind her. She collapsed down onto the bed, panting harshly. The entire world was moving in unnatural ways, colors flashing, and her entire body felt like lead. Something inside of her was empty in an unsettling way. She could hear Lexa snarling, pacing outside the door, but Clarke doubted she could move even if she wanted to.
She eventually passed out, and when she woke up it was silent. The door was still locked but there weren't any sounds from the other side. Her body felt heavy, head pounding, and she desperately wished that they had ibuprofen or any kind of painkiller.
She yelped when she saw Lexa draped over the couch. She groaned, dropping the arm that was covering her eyes and looking up at Clarke through tired eyes. The look on her face was one Clarke hadn’t ever seen before. “Are you okay?” She rasped.
Clarke nodded, wincing. “I’m okay. My head’s killing me, though.”
Lexa pulled herself up. “I’m sorry. I didn’t… I didn’t think that would happen so soon.”
“It’s alright. I’m fine, aren’t I?”
“Are you?” Lexa leaned forward, taking her wrist in hand. “For all we know, I just sucked out half your soul.”
“Lexa, I feel fine. I knew the risks when I forced you to bring me with you.” Clarke sat down on the couch next to her. “It isn’t your fault. Stop blaming yourself.”
“It is my fault though!” Lexa closed her eyes tight, her breath trembling. Clarke carefully wrapped an arm around her shoulder, letting Lexa lean against her side. “I couldn’t control myself. I almost killed you.” Her voice dropped to just about a whisper. “I almost murdered you.”
Clarke sighed, rubbing Lexa’s arm soothingly. “I know. But you can’t blame yourself. If you’re going to blame anyone, blame me. I was the one who insisted I come with you.”
Lexa shook her head against Clarke’s shoulder. “Clarke, no.”
“Then it’s neither of our faults. You can’t control your demon, Lexa, and that isn’t your fault. It’s not like you had a manual for ‘How to Train your Demons.’”
Lexa cracked a small smile. “I wish.”
Clarke kissed her hair. “How about this: you get me food and I’ll forgive you.”
She could feel the older girl’s silent chuckles as she immediately swung herself off the couch, heading to the kitchen to get them some… breakfast? More like lunch. It had to be close to noon.
Lexa pressed a bowl of cereal into Clarke’s hand, sitting back down next to her silently. Clarke reached out and picked up her hand, looking Lexa in the eyes and squeezing her hand. Lexa smiled halfheartedly at her.
It was rough, but they’d make do.
They always did.