Catalyst

The house next door always looked vacant save for a few times late at night when there was a jet black motorcycle parked in the driveway. William had been living in New York for 3 years now, and most of the time he forgot someone even lived next to him.

Then one night he saw her.

From Will's bedroom window, he could clearly see into hers. The figure of a young woman rummaging through her closet, pulling out a long coat. She looked towards the window and their eyes met. Her eyes were a piercing white. Her eyes were like a car crash, he know he shouldn't look but he couldn't turn away. She rushed out of the room, pulling the jacket over her lithe figure.

This was his chance. Those eyes were entrancing and his curiosity got the best of him. He grabbed his coat off his desk chair and hurried down the steps. Leaving his house he was quick enough to catch a glimpse of her whip around the street corner. The cold winter air already clawed at his bare face. The street lamps illuminated the snow covered sidewalk. His steps quickened. She wasn't hard to keep track of, she was a black dot amongst the snow. Her attempt to filter into the background only made her more noticeable. He tried to be subtle following her. After all, she hadn't looked back, so how could she notice him? William smirked to himself as he thought he was oh so clever. He didn't notice the false illumination from the street lamps slowly become sparse.

He saw her meeting a trio of men, they began talking as William ducked behind an alley. The men were tall, lithe figures in 3-piece suits. One of the man's hair was long and as white as the snow around them, he looked like the defacto leader of the group. He couldn't make out exactly what they were saying aside from a few words. "Boss" and "job" stuck out the most, were they coworkers?They had some kind of accent Will couldn't put his finger on. He craned his head to try to hear more. But his attempt to be nosy came crashing down when he fell over a pile of trash bags and came tumbling out of the darkness.

"Look there boys, it looks like a rat's scurrying around" The white haired man had said, Will figured it out though, it was a thick english accent.

"Get him up"  he motioned for two of the men to pick him up. They held him up by his arms.

"Varus, let him be on his way." She said as looked at him out of the corner of her eye. She didn't share the accent though, her voice was soft and whispy.

"No,no, We've traveled so far, and we could use a snack."

"Varus, I said enough!" She reached for something hidden underneath her jacket.

"Oh, do you care for this boy?"

"No, I don't care about him. I do care about however you making a scene in public."

"Listen here bird, I will make a scene wherever I so choose!" Varus closed the gap between the two of them and squeezed her cheeks together with his hand.

"Besides, it's late, no ones here"

"I am no bird and you are not Julien... I do not take orders from you" She spat in his face and kicked him off of her. With a swoop of her coat tails, she pulled out twin katanas which she spun around in her hands.

"What are you standing around for? Kill him and bring me the girl. She will answer to her dear Julien if that is her wish." Varus had a wide smirk plastered across his pale lips.

She flipped behind William and the men holding him, slicing their arms off with a clean stroke. 

The men let out a small cry as they flailed about. Though Will witnessed something monsterous, their limbs began growing back. Recontructed by blood tendrills that grabbed the limb off the ground and began replacing it.  William looked on in silent shock, Elle stood infront of Will, blocking him off from the other three. She looked back at him, her gaze was truly haunting. Her stare pierced through his soul and brought him to his knees in a confused, pained state. Eyes that enveloped you and wouldn't let go. As Will fell to his knees, Elle looked back at the men.

"She who comes on silent wings in the night" 'Varus hissed as his coharts repaired themselves.

"Impartial as die" His tongue licked across his pale lips.

"Unyielding as stone..." Varus looked at her a way that only could be described as the way a lion looks at an antelope.

Elle stood tall, she showed no sign of wavering. 

"Flattery will get you know where." She looked from man to man, assessing any possible leverage.

"That's a shame too, If you were easy we wouldn't be here right now." Varus chuckled.

Will listened intently to the words they exchanged.  Unyielding as stone? Impartial as die? who was this girl?

The men all had hyena grins on their faces, glaring at Elle. They charged at her with their rapiers drawn. Varus looked on as his comrades engaged her. Elle fought them both off at the same time, blocking the first lunge while kicking the second guy in his chest. The man who lunged at her began to pressure his sword down onto her. As Elle's footing sank, and the man thought he got an advantage, she swiped her foot, knocking him onto his back. The second man came running back at her, Elle spun both her swords around while simultaniously stabbed the man on the floor through the heart with one, and stabbing up into the lungers chest just as he got close enough to her. His body fell limp on her sword. She pushed him off and pulled her blade out of the other man. A steady clap came from Varus. why would he be clapping? his friends just got killed! Will looked on astonished.

"My sweet Estelle, the winged one cast from firmament." Varus pulled a white gun out of his inner jacket pocket. It was a Smith and Wesson 500, the barrel engraved with ornate patterns that worked as enchantment runes. With a smirk he pulled the trigger. Bending back, Estelle dodged it, or so she thought. It grazed across her left eye, leaving a trail of blood in it's wake. Will was enamoured by her pale blue hair as it swung back almost in slow motion.

"Don't speak my name." Elle stood tall once more, despite her bleeding face, she made no motion towards it. Elle seemed to have disappeared, though Varus still stood about. He seemed to know where she was, why couldn't Will see her anymore? Varus became still as she appeared behind him, clipping his leg with her own and taking him down onto his stomach. Elle drove her Katana through his center, missing his heart. Did she intend it?

Varus chuckled.

"You don't really believe this will keep me here, do you?"

Elle was silent as she partially stradled him. Using the other Katana, she carved Varus up. Slicing at his upper back, his suit was reduced to meer ribbons. With every gash, Varus refused to let out even a whimper, but she knew it hurt. She carved a set of wings into his back.

"Tell Issac to send Nicola if you truly value the lives of your kin. I will slaughter them all and send them back to hell. Nicola is your only hope against me. Your only salvation lies in me stepping away before you competely surrender. I swear I will end your kind." She pulled her katana out of his back. His blood poured all over the street. She wiped her blades off on what was left of Varus' clothing and sheathed them.

"You don't have it in you to wage war against my family." Varus slithered.

"Trust my rage." Elle's eyes reverted to an light blue that matched her hair.

"You are aware this is completely your fault" she said blankly as she made her way to the stunned William. Just as Will was about to open his mouth, she put her finger over his lips, silencing him. She grabbed him, draping his arm over her shoulder. Vanishing into the shadows away from the bloody scene.

She stopped infront of her house, dropping him on his arse on her front steps.

"Who are you and why were you following me" 

She looked angry. More flustered than angry though....Nope, that was pure anger. 

"Please" he said getting up with his hand out.
"My names William, I live next door" he motioned to the house on the side.

"Elle" she said.

"I heard that man say Estelle, though?"

"Elle. Do not leave your home for a couple of days." Elle took a good look around.

"A couple of days? How am I supossed to get to work?"

"It's rather hard to make that comute when you're dead, isn't it? Don't leave your house for a couple of days. Do I make myself clear?" Elle's voice was stern and unwavering.

"Why should I listen to you anyway? You're a monster just like the rest of them."

"Don't you dare confuse me with them. You know nothing about me. Besides I may have saved your life at the price of my own. Now go."

"What if they know where I live" 

"Likely"

"Likely?! you can't expect me to-"

"I do expect you to, you don't have much of a choice." She wiped across her eye. She could feel it, a verticle gash across her left eye. Perfect.

William looked at her with pleading eyes.

"I may not look it, but I'm on your side. I will watch over your home, just go." Elle would say anything at this point just to get rid of him. What had she just gotten herself into?

William left her porch steps and to his own, but stopped before opening his door. He caught a glimpse of her hair as she vanished into her home.

Estelle you complete moron why would you save that man?! There was no reason for it. Did you honestly just jepordize everything you've worked so hard for? Gah, stupid, stupid stupid! She stumbled in front of her bathroom mirror and examined the damage to her face. The gash across her eye would scar for sure. She wet a washcloth and patted the blood and possible dirt out of it. She betrayed Nephilim and they would have her head. She even told Varus to have them send Nicola after her. Nicola was a true monster, caring for nothing but spilling blood. But who was this William to Elle? He was no one, and she couldn't fathom why her first reaction was to stick up for him. He wasn't righteous, just a scared kid. Well granted, everyone was a kid in comparison to Elle and the ageless vampires that she's been around so much. Then it hit her. He looked like someone she used to know. Back when she was still on Olympus, she and Ares were madly in love, but he betrayed her when the time came. His one true loyalty was to Aphrodite, he only bothered with Estelle because Zeus had ordered it. Zeus wanted her heart ripped from her...and it succeeded. William looked like Ares.His chiseled facial features, deep set green eyes, chestnut hair you wanted to run your hands through. Despite her betrayal, there was a time where she loved Ares... though it was built solely on lies.

She tossed her jacket over a chair and stripped her to her underclothes and crawled into bed. Never had she thought, her bed would feel so warm.