The Ripper

William Jack Holloway

This was a terrible idea.

Somehow, William knew that as soon as his fist first made contact with the wooden door that this was a terrible, awful idea. In their last official meeting - not counting the one where he had overhead her words - the girl had made it entirely clear that William's attention, his affections, and his presence were entirely unwelcome in her life. And yet when he'd heard her voice talking about being in love, he'd known deep within his soul that she was talking about him. And even though she'd told him that he was nothing to her and that this was nothing, he couldn't ignore that. No, their fates had been tied together somehow and desperately, he wanted to see her.

Or at least, he wanted to see her until that door actually opened.

For a split second, William's face erupted in a smile at the sight of the beautiful blonde woman who held his heart. But that smile faltered almost instantly as he took in her terrified expression and her battered, nearly naked form. "Vha..." He started, his words halting at the sudden realization that they weren't alone. His eyes traveled across her body as though they weren't sure which terrible thing to look at first. He could so easily see the bruises forming on her skin. The blackened eye and the gash across her cheek made his stomach knot up. But the fang marks on her shoulder made his whole body tense. No. No. Vhalla was his girl. His love. The idea that someone might hurt her made his vision go red at the edges and his hands ball into fists.

The sound of the male's voice was what made the Hunter's gaze travel up to the male that stood across the room. Vampire. Terrible, vile creature. Save for one, every vampire he'd ever met had made his skin crawl. Sebastian remained the only exception. Sebastian remained that one spot of hope for their entire race. But this man - Vhalla's master - was the worst kind. How desperately he wanted to grab ahold of Vhalla and remove her from the building. If it weren't for her, that vampire wouldn't take another breath. How desperately his fingers wanted to twitch for the silver dagger he carried upon his belt. But doing so ran the very real risk of harm coming to Vhalla, and even William wasn't stupid enough to risk that.

William felt as though he was going to be sick as he watched Vhalla obey the vampire's command, though that was nothing compared to the nausea he felt at her returning to the man's side. What had once been red around his vision was now a brilliant scarlet as his rage threatened to boil over. He could feel that power of his bubbling beneath his skin. Use me it called out to him. Murder him. And for the first time in over one hundred years, he considered it. He considered using those blades of his to ruin the man that stood before him. The man who hurt his Vhalla, his princess. And perhaps if it weren't for the battered woman that stood behind him, he would have. But William couldn't be sure that Vhalla wouldn't be the one harmed in a fight, and he loved her enough not to risk it.

He heard her voice as she meekly tried to explain that he was no one - a fact that made his stomach twist up no matter what reason she currently held to keep him a secret. But it was worse that she flinched so visibly at the sound of her master's voice. Coward. What kind of man could do that to a woman? What kind of vile creature could make Vhalla cower like that? Vhalla feared nothing, and yet she was terrified of this man. How William wanted to react, and yet one look from the terrified blonde had his shoulders tense and his frame looking for some indication of what he could do to get them out of this mess. Vhalla looked so small and so terrified, and what he would give to take that away from her.

"Pleasure to meet you, Ivan." William said finally, his arm extending towards the vampire in the smallest attempt to feign politeness. Though he wanted to murder the man, the best thing he could do for Vhalla was to be polite. To fake civility until he could figure out how to safely remove her from this situation. What could he do to keep his love safe? How could he keep another blow from landing on her or another drop of her precious blood spilled?

"I didn't realize Vhalla had company." William said simply as he stepped back, his hands settling into his pockets. He was careful not to expose the silver dagger on his belt. Silver and vampires tended to result in an interesting situation, after all. Briefly, his gaze flicked over to the nearly naked girl, his eyes pleading for her to understand what he was about to say. To know that he was lying. That he was protecting her. That he wanted to keep her safe. But even though he should lie for her and say that he was here to put an end to the madness of her so-called love, he couldn't bring himself to say it. Instead, the man so sheepishly shrugged his shoulders.

"She's bragged that she's the best assassin for hire around Sacrosanct. I was hoping to employee her services."

It was a terrible lie, one that wouldn't hold up if Ivan had heard what he had been saying, and yet it was the best he could come up with.

But darling -- it's only human nature.