Page 18Packing up

But, before I got to the roofs I wanted to get one last thing. A backpack. The store with the shoes had some of them, but they were simple and crap. I didn't want a travel bag on my back, I wanted something light, thin and simple. Enough for the other clothes and the diary. It had to stay flat on my back while I moved as I wanted to be able to wear it while climbing and jumping on the rooftops. In other words, very specific.

After four stores that looked likely but were rejected after browsing, I found a fifth store with some unique travel gear. It was a very odd store, actually, as the tools they had were not only very useful (and expensive) but also appeared to be very light and portable.

Part of me wondered about the store's name, as it simply said "Jack" outside. It was only the displayed things in the window that made me even curious enough to venture inside. And they did have what I was looking for.

It was perfect.

Waterproof, slightly stretchy bands so they would be tight, but allow me to move and sit still on my back. The downside? Two hundred floryns. Ouch...

If I payed that, I had about seventy floryns left, which was enough as such. But it was quite the investment.

When I tried it on though I knew I had to buy it.

It felt so natural on my back, the guy (not named Jack) even told me this was the woman's version, made for slimmer waist and different shoulder-lines. I had to believe him as the thing really was a feather to wear. It was almost as if it weighed nothing of itself. The straps and the thing were very light but strong. The back was even a little curved and allowed some air to get underneath it so my back wouldn't sweat.

Not that that was a problem, but still...

Yes, I did buy it. It was too perfect not too.

Oddly enough, the guy wasn't even surprised I had the money, or even didn't have a wallet to put the money in. The girl at the clothing store at least raised an eyebrow at that. But as the banknotes were completely real they didn't press the issue. That would have been something though, if the guy's money had been fake. I would have been in a lot of trouble. And prison isn't a place I'd like to be right now.

The store's owner kind of looked like he could have been in jail though. The store was quite clean in a clinical way, but he was a little offsetting. Strange scars in his neck that made me wonder what happened. But excitement, lust for blood and wanting to move on made me break the habit of a life-time and not ask him.

The guy helped me remove the clothing tags from my new clothing and looked at me with a smile as I folded them up small and put them in my new backpack. Of course I let him remove the tags of that as well as soon as I'd paid for it, which he promptly did. It didn't even look like the first time that people wanted to use things directly after they bought them here. He even removed the paper stuffing that was in it to show off it's shape.

It all barely fitted.

It was so perfect I was grinning with glee.

I left the store and almost jumped directly on the roof, controlling myself with every ounce I still had to fight my excitement. I eventually managed, not too far from the store, to find an alley in which I could easily climb to the roofs.

Or not.

A teen was smoking in the alley, as soon as he saw me, he reached into his pocked and got out a butterfly knife. He played with it a little before he let it settle in his hand, opened of course.

"This is your lucky night."

I smiled at him, more or less surprised by a normal mugging, but also appreciating the irony of him not knowing that I fiercely desired blood. A fight, however, could prove to be interesting. I hadn't really fought and felt in a wild, playful mood. I wondered if I could get that knife without hurting myself... Or him. I always liked a challenge.

"Yes it is."

I felt my muscles start to tense in anticipation of the quick movements that I knew would come.

He walked closer to me. "Just give it, Missy."

"No."

The moment of truth.

He made a quick stab forward, holding the knife point up in his fist. I had no idea how quick or slow I could move in the circumstances and opted to first step out of the way, grab his wrist, pull it forward, let him trip and open his hand with my fingers. Simply grab the knife as it falls and let him regain his balance and wits.

The backpack really did feel amazing. Not a waste of money at all. Well, it hadn't been my money anyway.

The boy, guy or whichever he preferred to call himself, narrowed his eyes as he looked at me. He grabbed a simple, longer knife from behind his back and hesitated as he tried to judge my movements. I felt like being dramatic.

"Attack again and I will have your blood."

I don't know, it sounded nice and I was sure he wouldn't get the double meaning. He didn't answer but just grunted and attacked again, in a diagonal high to low slash, point up from his right fist. This time I had more confidence in my own movements and flipped the butterfly knife almost closed and used it to catch his knife mid-slice. I stepped into the strike and easily turned so I almost stood behind him. Ready to bite.

The spoil of battle was sweet and hot.

His blood flowing thick and smoothly through my veins. It lacked flavor, it lacked essence, but the fight had balanced that out. The tension, the feeling. It was fantastic.

I left him in the alley after he slumped down, dazed and confused about the battle. As a sort of payment for his sin I broke the tips of both his knifes on the stone wall before I left them at his feet. By the time he turned around I'd already scaled the wall and disappeared over the roof-top's edge.

The grin on my face was only tainted by one single teasing thought...

It would have looked that much cooler in my new clothes.

Fascinating feral female vampire, following fighting foolish villainous foe, vanishes fast from flummoxed fellow. - I just couldn't resist.