she seemed a blur even to Two. Darren’s expression moved from confidence to terror in an instant. He got off one shot, wild, and the recoil from the gun caused him to drop it. Tori leapt, and Two was treated to the wholly satisfying view of Darren loosing his bladder on his own feet. He ducked at the last possible moment, and Tori sailed over him, into the bed.

Darren scrabbled away on all fours, making noises that sounded something like words, something like screams. There was a choking sound from the bed, and when Tori reappeared, she was drenched in crimson. She leapt down to the floor and advanced on Darren, growling low in her throat, the rumble of a jungle cat. Darren had backed himself into a corner, wet and dirty with piss and tears, and was making some sort of plea for his life.

Two called Tori’s name, and the vampire stopped, less than two feet from Darren. She raised her lip in a sneer that was oddly human, then turned, picked the gun up in her teeth, and brought it to Two.

“Don’t do that. Dogs do that. Use your hands.” Two’s voice was soft, her heart not really in the scolding. She was too busy watching Darren to ensure he didn’t move. She entered the room, Sam and Tori trailing behind, and stood by Darren’s desk, looking at him. He sat on the floor, glaring up, making the slow move from fear to smoldering humiliation.

“Stand up.”

“Bitch, I ain’t doing shit for you.”

Two’s expression was almost bored as she swung the gun upward and fired twice, putting a shot on either side of Darren’s head. Behind her, Sam made a small shrieking noise. Darren’s eyes went wide, his face paper white.

“I don’t have to miss, Darren. Trust me on that, ‘kay? I’m in charge, now. Stand the fuck up.”

Darren did what he was told.

“Put on some fucking clothes. I’ve seen all of that that I plan on seeing, thank you.”

Darren struggled into a pair of jeans, very nearly catching himself in the zipper. Behind Two, Sam giggled. Darren shot her a look that made it perfectly clear that being laughed at by women was not something he was familiar with. Two waved the gun, drawing his attention.

“Don’t even look at her. She can laugh all day, if she wants. We need money, Darren. Now. As much as you have. You’re going to get it, and you’re going to get us some clothes, and then you’re going to leave.”

Darren’s eyes blazed. “I give the orders here.”

“Yeah? Your friend GLOCK here tells me he gives the orders. Even if he didn’t, I think my friend Tori here is next on the chain of command.”

Tori was sniffing around the bed. On hearing her name she glanced at Two, wandered over, sat on her haunches and licked blood from her arm, indifferent.

“Get us some clothes, Darren. Then come back.”

“The fuck happened to you, Two?” Darren’s voice was plaintive. Confused.

“It’s a long story, and you’re not worth the time. You know sizes. You can guess what’ll fit us. Stay the fuck out of my old room. And if you feel like running, go right ahead. Tori could track you anywhere, even before you smelled like piss, and as you’ve seen, she’s a lot faster than you are. If you’re not back in five minutes, I’ll send her out.”

Darren opened his mouth to say something. Two cut him short with a gesture. “Next time I see your tongue, Darren, I blow it out of your fucking mouth. Clothes. Now.”

Two motioned toward the door. After a moment, Darren went.

“That was amusing...” Sam was looking at the bed with distaste. A hand hung limp from under the covers. “Do you two do this often?”

“Me? No. Not when I can avoid it. Tori, maybe. I... Tori, get out of there.” Tori was inspecting the closet, sniffing at garments. Two didn’t know where Darren’s supply might be hidden. It was unlikely that it would be any place so unguarded, but the last thing she needed was an overdosing vampire.

Sam sat at Darren’s desk and lit a cigarette from the pack that was sitting there. She dragged, coughed, dragged again. “Three days without one of these. Thought I was going to go crazy.”

“Yeah, they get their claws into you.”

They were quiet for a minute. Sam smoked. Two watched. Tori sat at Two’s side, licking her arms like a cat.

“You want one?” Sam asked, stubbing hers out.

“No. Thanks. There’s a shower