Red Like Roses

[Lady Nocturne]

Characters: Nocturne, open
Setting: Midnight; January 11, 2018; Jump City alley
Previous Threads: None
Plot Summary: Somebody catches Nocturne red-handed -- or rather red-bladed -- at the scene of her latest killing, revealing the culprit behind the bodies that have been found drained of life.

[Lady Nocturne]

Darkness lay over Jump City. The brightness of the city lights only served to make the shadows deeper. Ragged clouds trailed across the sky, adding to the darkness by veiling the Moon. Deep in the alleys of the city centre, where the shadows were thickest, Lady Nocturne stood triumphant after the hunt.

It was Victoria's time. She'd had the Jewel for a little over two months now. Day was becoming to her an alien world; a time forbidden, when she had to shelter behind walls and thick curtains. The limitation still annoyed her, but she would not go back: being mistress of darkness was far too empowering for her to give up the gem now for anything.

However, the crystal was still weak. Really, it was too early to consider herself mistress of the nigh; not yet. She had to give her Jewel what it thirsted for, so they could both be strong. So at the moment she was standing in an alley, cloaked by the shadows. At her feet lay a withered corpse in a pool of blood. In her right hand was a long, deadly rapier; in her left, a white cloth stained red by the blood she was cleaning from the blade. On her chest, just below her throat, the Nightlord's Jewel still glowed a deep, wine red from the energy it had just absorbed.

The tall vixen's ears twitched as she sensed someone approach. Curious, she turned toward the scent, tucking the cloth back into the purse on her belt. She held the rapier in a relaxed but ready stance. Her eyes glowed slightly with their own golden flame. Her cape stirred as her tail wagged; it was blacker than night, except for the gold trim twining around the blood-red roses along the edge.

"I know you're there," she called, her tone confident, almost teasing. "Come forward, do not fear. My thirst is quelled... for now."