it was time.
they were able to track all those who ingested their blood, whether it was oral or otherwise. they were a hive mind, after all — their blood was a very intimate part of them, coiling through their blackened veins, which ran a trajectory through even their underlying true form. they can hear him, taste him; can hear his thoughts, a jittering jumble of panic and starvation, and it is with dark-licking satisfaction that they appear on his doorstep.
it is not the same setting, the first thing noticed; it’s warm, a cozy little place that makes them grin, fanged and vicious. they’ve come at night, as is their tradition when properly hunting, dressed in one of their better suits in honor of ending a scuffle that should have been completed many days ago. they lean up against the doorframe (too casual, one hand slipped comfortably into their pocket) and rap their knuckles against the door, whistling cheerily.
Her attention was wrenched away from Leo just like her hand had been when he cried out. The knock on the door, a sound that should be innocuous, gave her a chill that went to her very core. No one knew they were here, not even — No. She wasn’t going to think of anything that could be used against her. Instinct told her what was at the door.
“Leo, pull it together, they’re here,” she said, her tone the same she would have used with someone under her. Later she could apologize. Right now she was going to make sure that they lived. Grabbing the machete from where he had left it, she moved to the door. A deep breath and one final glance back at Leo, and Mic pulled the door open and stepped back quickly.
Her heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest but she ignored it, focusing on whatever horror was about to walk through the door.
“They were already here, Mic. They’ve been here,” he croaked. “They don’t know you are,” his voice dipped to a whisper. “Run. Please…” What Leo did not know was she had already made her way to the door. The sound of footsteps was drowned out by voices that now screamed some discordant earworm.
