Thursday, June 5, 2008

Liver & Onions

Bethany slid onto the squeaky swivel stool at the end of the counter in the Diner. There were a few customers to her left that were heartily enjoying their meals. She leaned forward to see what they were eating and felt a sharp jab under her ribs. She frowned, reaching into her jacket pocket to see what had poked her and pulled out a wad of Diner coupons. She turned them in her hands, inspecting them with curiosity, wondering how she came to possess them. She shrugged, deciding it didn't matter, it was going to be a free meal today.

The waiter seemed to be acting as both chef and server as he scurried back and forth between the kitchen and the tables. She tried to wave him down as he reached for a pot of brownish coloured sludge, which she assumed was coffee since he was about to pour it into coffee cups.

"Excuse me, what's the special on today's menu?" she quickly asked before he dashed off with the steaming mugs.

"Liver and onions!" he growled, sloshing the brown liquid onto the counter.

Bethany felt her stomach lurch and tasted the bitter bile rise from her gut. Liver and onions! Of all the dishes to be on Today's Special, it had to be liver and onions. Her hand went straight to her right side and she palpitated her organ gently. She only had half a liver and she was lucky to have that...


::flashback::

"Quillis is raging!" someone had shouted over the buzzing night air.

Bethany was lingering in the street across from the Haven with her friends and a few members of the Kindred Alliance, shooting the breeze. The conversation had turned to jesting taunts directed at her, teasing her about her innate knack of getting herself into incredibly inconceivable predicaments. She felt she was being unduly ganged upon and was ready to defend herself when the unmistakable sound of a feral snarl startled her.

"Human." Quillis sniffed and growled hungrily, "Yes, I'll have you for dinner."

Bethany slowly turned to face the lapping growl. The intense fear she had of werewolves, due to her near-death encounter with Blue, resurfaced with the tide of a tsunami. The hungry werewolf eyed her appreciatively noting her young flesh and extended her long claws. "Yes, you will satisfy my hunger, human."

"Hey," Meat hissed at the werewolf, "Leave her alone!" His vampire fangs bared as he stepped between Bethany and the werewolf.

Quillis glared at Meat for interrupting the capture of her prey. "Is she of the Kindred?" she questioned him and glanced over to the other vampires that were of their party who were observing with idle interest.

Gage, whom she had known the longest and who was of the Kindred Alliance, stood with his arms folded, shook his head. "This is not our battle." and he walked away. Bethany watched him leave, her heart sank knowing that his loyalties to his family were beyond their friendship. It was expected as a member of KA, she had to respect him for that. Though Jozua remained behind, his hand hovered over the hilt of his blade.

"I'm not of the Kindred," Meat drew his blade, his stance was ready, "Don't even try." he warned with fire in his vampire eyes.

Quillis let out a roar and swiped at Meat with her paw. "Out of my way!" she growled angrily, snatching for Bethany. Meat brought his sword up and blocked Quillis' reach. She raged and attacked Meat with wild aggression, slashing his flesh with her sharp claws. He fought the werewolf with the skill of a practiced swordsman, but the wolf's rage was too great and he was defeated.

Jozua was ready to leap after Quillis, but Bethany grabbed his arm. "No! Joz! Don't fight her! She's too strong!" she begged him. He yanked his arm from her grip, his vampire eyes blazing, "I will take vengeance for my friend!" he lunged at the werewolf as Bethany watched helplessly.

"No! No more!" she cried with anguish as both of her friends fell to Quillis' rage. "Stop!" she ran to their injured bodies. A crowd had formed to bottleneck the street, a healer emerged and was assisting her friends. Quillis crouched, panting heavily, licking at her bloody claws, her eyes still wild and hungry as she scanned the people looking for another prey.

Bethany's vision was blinded by her tears and she knew what she had to do to stop this werewolf's raging madness. She would go with Quillis. One life to save many. A sacrifice she had to make, otherwise, how could she live with herself. Quillis took her swiftly into the deathly shadows.

"What the hell happened?" Tanika barged through the crowd to see her friend Meat lying on the ground.

Meat struggled to get up, but was held down by the angel healer, "She took Bethany...Quillis took Bethany."

Tanika's own rage filled her and she reached for her guns. "Where did that bitch go?"

Quillis was returning at that moment, dragging Bethany's bloodied lifeless body back by the hair on her scalp, dumping her on the asphalt. "Here, take your human back. I just wanted a little snack. I'll save the rest of her for later." Quillis snarled and leaped away, snickering at the speechless crowd.

Bethany's wound was bleeding profusely from where the werewolf had ripped open her abdomen to get to her liver. She was fast going into shock and near death. The angel healer hurried to tend to her, closing her wound with a prayer, "She will live."



:: Diner ::


"What'll ya have?" the waiter barked at her, his pen drawn over the small order pad, tapping it impatiently.

Bethany looked up weakly from the counter, her face was pale. She muttered, "I've lost my appetite." She pushed off the stool and rushed to the exit, clutching her tummy, just making it outside before she keeled over and threw up on the street.

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