Lord and Lady::The Lady Hath..

She wasn't feeling well, he could see that.  She was in pain, but from no apparent injuries, limping a little as she resolutely walked down the hall, her eyes narrowing as she hissed in each breath, long brown hair unkempt and tumbling over thin shoulders.  Too thin.  Too weak.  She faultered, once, twice, but pushed his hands away when he tried to stop her, lead her away.

She kept walking, finally managing to growl as she stopped, eyes focused on a bit of nothing, at least, it seemed to be nothing for the longest time, until, at the toll of the hour, something black and wispy and ethereal began to materialize as she huffed and glowered.
If looks could kill, the entire ten foot radius of the crowded party would have dropped dead.
She was angry, raging inside as she looked at the figure, holding her ground as the long, deep folds of a blackened cloak hid a face that was curled in the most wicked of smiles, a whisper floating over the crowd, numbers here, there, in place of a name.
"One?"
"Three?"
"Seven?"
"Five?"
"Can't be Five..."
"I thought Two was gone..."
"Who..."
"Who...?"
"Who is it?"
The questions didn't end, even as the figure began to advance, slowly, step by step, towards the injured young woman, who simply stood there, drawing in deep breaths and collecting herself before taking in as deep a breath as she could and shouted, at the top of her lungs,
"EIGHT!"
There was a flash of metal, and suddenly the creature moved, cloak falling back and behind as it lunged, wickedly curved claws outstretched in a dangerous, deathly attack, ready to hurt, maim, and kill.
The air was still, even as a hundred people scrambled to get out, get away from the fight as claws sliced through thin air, a soft voice reaching two hundred ears, as, in a move of a quick sidestep and slight turn, a pale, thin hand reached out and took hold of the creature's throat, pushing him back and down in a long, graceful arc, which ended with a sickening crack against the marble floor of the ballroom, a deep crack marring the beautiful black stone as she held him against the floor and hissed through gritted teeth.
"I... want... my... innocence... back!"


(To Be Continued)