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"At last... It's good that you're safe..."

"I could still hear his voice as if he was still beside me. The night sky was cloudless, and my path was illuminated by the beautiful full moon. A few people bumped into me as I trod the dark sidewalk. I once thought that this city would glow in the night, its neon signs ablaze. But tonight was a bit different - a widespread blackout covered this city.

I looked at the people passing. People in uniforms, people in civilian clothing. They all seemed lost in the darkness. Flattening against the wall I avoided a particularly large crowd, which looked determined to push anyone out of the way in their hurry.

"I'm scared, mommy," I heard a boy say. "Why can't we open the lights?"

"Foolish boy," snapped a woman's voice, possibly the boy's mother. "There won't be electricity until tomorrow."

The crowd disappeared, and I briskly trod the pavement. I'm already late for our appointment. I turned right to an alley, a shortcut to his Manor. A familiar stench greeted my nostrils and made me smile.

I just remembered that this was where Katie had... died.

I passed by a lamp post and my smile widened. It was dark, but to me it seemed as bright as day. Blood stains on the base of the post.

"What a coincidence indeed, Raven," said a voice from behind me. When I turned around he suddenly switched on a flashlight towards my face. Shielding my eyes from the light, I recognized him who held the flashlight. James, an old friend, and Louie, my best friend.

"What is it?" I asked. trying to keep my voice normal. James lowered the device, his dark features contrasting with Louie's blondes and blues. Both of them looked grave.

"We're sure that you heard about... Katie and.. Bianca," said Louie after a long pause.

"What about them?" I wonder why the hell they would want to talk about them right now. Unless...

"We know you did it, Raven. Don't try to deny it," said James, looking graver than ever.

"Did what?"

"You..." I looked at them coldly.

They're ruining their little golden moment of truth.

"Did what?" I repeated. I waited for them to reply. But they merely stood there, not saying anything. As if their tongues got cut off. "Look, I'm kind of in a hurry, so if you don't mind..." I turned my back on them, and the thought that they had discovered all about it disappeared. So much for expecting.

"YOU KILLED THEM, YOU DAMN BITCH!"

I turned. Louie was the one who shouted those words. Whatever he said next was drowned in a high pitched sinister laugh. I spoke after catching my breath.

"What makes you say that?" I smiled at their ghastly faces. James clenched his right fist.

"Stop smiling so deviously, you murderer!" James lunged at me, and something glinted in his right hand. I could hear Louie's pleading, but James preferred not to listen. There was a sound of metal against metal, and the pocket knife James had went flying from his fingers.

"Unwise of you, James," I said, brandishing the katana I held in my right hand. "I thought that you could've done better than that." He fell backward, and looked at me with hate.

"You wicked witch," he spat. "You won't get away with - "

"Oh, but I already did!" I interrupted, giggling in a Bianca-ish way. "You see, I really can't afford to have you two in on my little secret, so..." I pointed the tip of the sword to James' throat. "I have to get rid of you."

With one insane swipe at his neck his head came off, but not as neatly as I had intended it. Blood splattered all around the alley walls, and on my coat. Louie was frozen to the spot, gaping at the spot when James had sat. The latter's decapitated body fell down, spraying the ground with more blood. I guess Louie didn't feel a thing as I cut his head off too.

I looked at my watch. Nine in the evening.

I am SO damn late!

Sheathing the katana, I ran the rest of the way to Nathaniel's Manor. Good thing that the alley was empty. In a few magical seconds the blade I held was gone. I didn't mind if someone discovered Louie's and James' bodies, they wouldn't link that to me anyway. They don't have an inkling to who I really am.

Or do they?

I shrugged these thoughts off as I reached the Manor gates. A tall, pale skinned man had been waiting there.

My beloved Nathaniel de Blaine.

"Blood on your clothing?" he laughed as he took a closer look at me. "Come with me inside, darling, so you can change into something clean." I smiled at him.

"I think I prefer having these stains on my dress, my love," I said, entwining my arms around his neck. He laughed again, and put on his devilish smile. That same smile that made me fall for him.

"As you wish, my dear Raven Valentine."

Description
"At last... It's good that you're safe..."

"I could still hear his voice as if he was still beside me. The night sky was cloudless, and my path was illuminated by the beautiful full moon. A few people bumped into me as I trod the dark sidewalk. I once thought that this city would glow in the night, its neon signs ablaze. But tonight was a bit different - a widespread blackout covered this city.

I looked at the people passing. People in uniforms, people in civilian clothing. They all seemed lost in the darkness. Flattening against the wall I avoided a particularly large crowd, which looked determined to push anyone out of the way in their hurry.

"I'm scared, mommy," I heard a boy say. "Why can't we open the lights?"

"Foolish boy," snapped a woman's voice, possibly the boy's mother. "There won't be electricity until tomorrow."

The crowd disappeared, and I briskly trod the pavement. I'm already late for our appointment. I turned right to an alley, a shortcut to his Manor. A familiar stench greeted my nostrils and made me smile.

I just remembered that this was where Katie had... died.

I passed by a lamp post and my smile widened. It was dark, but to me it seemed as bright as day. Blood stains on the base of the post.

"What a coincidence indeed, Raven," said a voice from behind me. When I turned around he suddenly switched on a flashlight towards my face. Shielding my eyes from the light, I recognized him who held the flashlight. James, an old friend, and Louie, my best friend.

"What is it?" I asked. trying to keep my voice normal. James lowered the device, his dark features contrasting with Louie's blondes and blues. Both of them looked grave.

"We're sure that you heard about... Katie and.. Bianca," said Louie after a long pause.

"What about them?" I wonder why the hell they would want to talk about them right now. Unless...

"We know you did it, Raven. Don't try to deny it," said James, looking graver than ever.

"Did what?"

"You..." I looked at them coldly.

They're ruining their little golden moment of truth.

"Did what?" I repeated. I waited for them to reply. But they merely stood there, not saying anything. As if their tongues got cut off. "Look, I'm kind of in a hurry, so if you don't mind..." I turned my back on them, and the thought that they had discovered all about it disappeared. So much for expecting.

"YOU KILLED THEM, YOU DAMN BITCH!"

I turned. Louie was the one who shouted those words. Whatever he said next was drowned in a high pitched sinister laugh. I spoke after catching my breath.

"What makes you say that?" I smiled at their ghastly faces. James clenched his right fist.

"Stop smiling so deviously, you murderer!" James lunged at me, and something glinted in his right hand. I could hear Louie's pleading, but James preferred not to listen. There was a sound of metal against metal, and the pocket knife James had went flying from his fingers.

"Unwise of you, James," I said, brandishing the katana I held in my right hand. "I thought that you could've done better than that." He fell backward, and looked at me with hate.

"You wicked witch," he spat. "You won't get away with - "

"Oh, but I already did!" I interrupted, giggling in a Bianca-ish way. "You see, I really can't afford to have you two in on my little secret, so..." I pointed the tip of the sword to James' throat. "I have to get rid of you."

With one insane swipe at his neck his head came off, but not as neatly as I had intended it. Blood splattered all around the alley walls, and on my coat. Louie was frozen to the spot, gaping at the spot when James had sat. The latter's decapitated body fell down, spraying the ground with more blood. I guess Louie didn't feel a thing as I cut his head off too.

I looked at my watch. Nine in the evening.

I am SO damn late!

Sheathing the katana, I ran the rest of the way to Nathaniel's Manor. Good thing that the alley was empty. In a few magical seconds the blade I held was gone. I didn't mind if someone discovered Louie's and James' bodies, they wouldn't link that to me anyway. They don't have an inkling to who I really am.

Or do they?

I shrugged these thoughts off as I reached the Manor gates. A tall, pale skinned man had been waiting there.

My beloved Nathaniel de Blaine.

"Blood on your clothing?" he laughed as he took a closer look at me. "Come with me inside, darling, so you can change into something clean." I smiled at him.

"I think I prefer having these stains on my dress, my love," I said, entwining my arms around his neck. He laughed again, and put on his devilish smile. That same smile that made me fall for him.

"As you wish, my dear Raven Valentine."