I felt like a private detective in those noir films my father used to watch. The open sign to the office flicked to open, casting a neon glow to the freshly fallen snow below. I'd seen workers come and go, shifts begin and end. I'd been staking it out for three hours now, and the only supernatural threat I'd observed was my own stomach trying to summon a cheeseburger from the ether.
Part of my lineage given power from the Crimson Line was the absence of a hunger for blood. Sure, it was the best tasting thing this side of hell, but I only needed it to fuel my vampiric abilities. The donuts I had bought on my way over were already getting cold and hard in the winter air that permeated the cabin of my hiding place.
I stepped out of my car, securing my jacket and pulling on a pair of mittens. I don't get cold, but appearances were half the game. The snow crunched beneath my feet as I made my way to the front door. The depot hadn't stirred once and I could not sense any wards as I approached. I pretended to shiver and walked in the door, making an exaggerated "Brr!" noise, while stamping my feet on the mat.
"Uhm, can-can I help you?" A heavy set, middle aged man said with a stutter that caught on the end of his tongue.
"I just saw you were open and thought I would stop in. I moved to the area recently. Are you hiring for office members right now?" I said with a faux innocence in my smile, I hoped it looked that way at least.
The man replied with a shake of his head. "No ma'am, we just had our winter layoffs. We are running a skeleton crew for the next few months."
"I see...I've always wanted to work in the...lumber industry," I quirked an eyebrow at my own words, he wouldn't buy it. "Do you know if I could schedule a tour of the facility somehow?"
The man looked over the counter at me. Annoyance and exhaustion sketched a mural over his face as he looked me up and down. He responded wordlessly, picking up the phone and pressing the page button.
"Alex, guest." He spoke pointedly before hanging up the phone and pointing me to the door.
"Thank you so much," I squinted to look at his name tag before finishing, "Dan!"
The man, seemingly done with the interaction waved me off and went back to typing at the computer before him. I took the cue and stepped outside, looking towards the depot and the young man coming towards the office. He wore a pair of dark blue coveralls and looked to be about my age. Messy red hair trapped beneath a ballcap and freckles lined his face.
"Hey, Alex right?" I said with a small smile as he got close.
"That's me, what can I do for you, Miss..." He trailed off awaiting my answer.
"Juniper is just fine, no need for the Miss." I shook my head and chuckled. "I am here for a tour of the warehouse if you would not mind."
"Oh! There's really not much here, but I can show you what there is." He nodded.
We walked together through the snow to the large depot building. Small talk ensued making the tour seem a bit more like a friendly walk. He showed me the storage portion, along with the small closets that lined the corners of the room. An employee break room sat up a flight of metal industrial stairs, looking over the rows of lumber. The smell of coffee made it down the stairs.
I stopped to take in the scent when I smelled something else. It was unmistakable and set my fangs on edge. The sulfuric scent that once stained my car rolled in from below, carrying the smell of blood on it's back.
"Alex, get down, and stay quiet." I said, urging him down the stairs and behind a row of lumber.
"Woah, wait!" He said a little too loudly, pushing back against me with a strength that surprised me.
"There's something coming and I need you t--" I started before being interrupted.
Metal screamed as claws tore through it like wet paper. One of the large doors on the far end of the depot was sheared open as Dan entered. His form looked human, though his hands ended in the familiar claws of the Thrylox, shimmering. His claws formed back into hands as the veil recovered.
"Alex! There's an order for you upfront!" The creature spoke without the stutter, looking around with a predatory attention.
I looked to Alex and shook my head while holding a finger to my lips. He wore an expression of confusion and horror as he tried to piece together what was happening. For a moment, I thought we were in the clear. The creature paced the depot floor, sniffing, listening, and dragging it's horned tail in lazy lines across the concrete floor. The things' breath fogged in the cold air like steam from a furnace. It froze, and I heard the exact moment Alex's boot slipped on a loose screw, a metallic click as it rolled away. That monstrous head snapped towards our hiding spot with a wet, animal click, like bones settling into the wrong shape.
Then it moved.
It's claws slashed through the stack of lumber we hid behind, splitting it like cheap kindling. I felt my fangs jolt forth, my vision flicking red in an instant. I barely had time to grab Alex and dive away from a swiping cleave that flashed inches before my face.
I'm totally fine. Absolutely fine. Definitely not going to scream in a second.
Steel screeched as I dodged another claw, muscle and reflex coiling beneath my pale skin. It lunged, all hunger and rage, catching my thigh with a claw as I dove to the side once more. I grunted as the wound closed, now I had some space.
A swing caught my shoulder. Pain flickered through my perception but I twisted, planting my sneaker on the demon's chest and pushing with all I had. It stumbled back, but it didn't matter, it was still forward momentum in a fight like this.
I struck. I pounced on the creature, throwing it off balance and sinking my teeth into its' neck. The Thrylox bellowed, rafters shaking under the reverb of the massive creature. It shed it's veil, standing under me in the true form I had seen before.
The large tail came from an odd angle behind the things' shoulder and smashed against my chest. I hit the ground and slid into another stack of lumber while my fingers dug into the concrete slowing my momentum. It charged at me, a barreling mass of hatred and fury.
I could hear the heartbeats of humans hiding around us, but they weren't my problem right now. Focus. Kill. Survive. I threw my arms up to block an elbow thrown at me. I took hold of its' arm as it pulled back, kicking my legs up and putting it in a hold, slamming it back to the floor. Another flood of blood entered my mouth as I dug my fangs into it's wrist. I could feel the power welling up in me as I fed upon the demonspawn. Still, a powerful throw sent me hurling against the wall of the warehouse, landing with an impact that left a me-sized dent in the aluminum siding.
I had to recover from the slam fast as it lumbered towards me. Both of us were panting, as we exchanged blows. The creature was slowing down, it's heavy arms losing power as it bled out from the wounds. A lumbering swing sent a metal shelving unit crashing where I was standing a moment before, dodged by a quick jump. Not a leap, a predator's arc. I twisted and coiled in the air, planting a foot on the demon's back and grabbing a shredded post from the destroyed shelf.
The howl caused the air to vibrate as I drove the spike repeatedly into it's back. Blood and soot covering the warehouse like some morbid firework display. The final cries of the demon hushed as it erupted in flame, burning to ash in moments.
Enjoy the express trip, first class, back to the underworld.
I turned around, my unnatural qualities fading as I looked at Alex. My cheeks and arms coated in blood as I offered a small smile.
"What the hell?" Alex stammered as he looked at me in horror.
"Yeah, hi, I'm terrifying. Try not to faint." I joked and wiped the blood from my face.
Still breathing, still snarky, still not completely dead. Typical me.