Status: Extremely active
The Watchers
II
“Shit, shit,” Riley muttered, quickly crushing the screaming voice in the back of her head that was trying to convince her that she could somehow hide in the kitchen for the rest of her shift.
It took a few calming breaths before Riley realized that she had been rubbing the skin on her shoulder hard enough to bruise. The heat that radiated through the thin cloth of her shirt had nothing to do with the broken air conditioner. With the constant paranoia that came with her “gift”, Riley had finally given in and gotten her own form of protection. She had been extremely careful with hiding her sight, but it was only a matter of time before something noticed. Ironically, it was a version of the graeph she had seen on the man’s wrist.
The ingredients for the tattoo included, holy water, a blessed needle, pigment, and a lesser demon’s blood, no small feat even for someone who could see them on a daily basis.
That was not including finding a magician willing to do the binding. Good help was just so hard to find these days.
The small tattoo protected her from being sought out by a supernatural creature of any kind. It also prevented most supernatural beings from using lesser powers on her, which was especially nice when it came to persuasive demons.
It did not, however, protect from anything higher than lesser tiered beings, which, judging from the energy she had felt, flowing from just the man’s forearm, he was definitely more powerful, if not infinitely so.
Riley straightened up suddenly as the baker of Mitzie’s café, Gina, came rushing through the swinging doors. Normally disheveled, Gina was reaching an all new level today. Her kinky, frizzy hair was pulled back in a wild bun with tendrils springing around her oval face. Gina’s brown eyes were crazed with purpose as she yanked her navy blue apron over her head. In one stride she snapped around and nearly tripped over her own feet as she realized that Riley was in the kitchen with her.
“Oh! Riley-“ Gina stuttered, her pretty brown eyes narrowing in confusion, “wha-where you looking for something?”
Riley couldn’t really think of a suitable answer, so she mumbled something about looking for blueberry muffins before straightening her shoulders, heading back out through the swinging doors, and walking quickly to the pastry case.
She picked out the muffin he had requested, cut it, and put it on a small plate. The muffin plate and the tea she had poured previously were both placed on a tray and, willing herself not to tremble, Riley carried the tray out to the dining room.
She saw the man instantly. He was, after all, the only person in the dining area that was glowing slightly. It was not so much that he gave off a light, specifically, it was more like the light came from within him; slightly underneath the skin. It was as if several layers of skin beneath the first were replaced with something else, something other.
The effect was noticeably inhuman.
Too bad no one else in the dining area seemed to notice. There were even a few girls in a table nearby that were shooting "covert" glances his way.
If they only knew what he was, they would be screaming, not flirting.
It took a few calming breaths before Riley realized that she had been rubbing the skin on her shoulder hard enough to bruise. The heat that radiated through the thin cloth of her shirt had nothing to do with the broken air conditioner. With the constant paranoia that came with her “gift”, Riley had finally given in and gotten her own form of protection. She had been extremely careful with hiding her sight, but it was only a matter of time before something noticed. Ironically, it was a version of the graeph she had seen on the man’s wrist.
The ingredients for the tattoo included, holy water, a blessed needle, pigment, and a lesser demon’s blood, no small feat even for someone who could see them on a daily basis.
That was not including finding a magician willing to do the binding. Good help was just so hard to find these days.
The small tattoo protected her from being sought out by a supernatural creature of any kind. It also prevented most supernatural beings from using lesser powers on her, which was especially nice when it came to persuasive demons.
It did not, however, protect from anything higher than lesser tiered beings, which, judging from the energy she had felt, flowing from just the man’s forearm, he was definitely more powerful, if not infinitely so.
Riley straightened up suddenly as the baker of Mitzie’s café, Gina, came rushing through the swinging doors. Normally disheveled, Gina was reaching an all new level today. Her kinky, frizzy hair was pulled back in a wild bun with tendrils springing around her oval face. Gina’s brown eyes were crazed with purpose as she yanked her navy blue apron over her head. In one stride she snapped around and nearly tripped over her own feet as she realized that Riley was in the kitchen with her.
“Oh! Riley-“ Gina stuttered, her pretty brown eyes narrowing in confusion, “wha-where you looking for something?”
Riley couldn’t really think of a suitable answer, so she mumbled something about looking for blueberry muffins before straightening her shoulders, heading back out through the swinging doors, and walking quickly to the pastry case.
She picked out the muffin he had requested, cut it, and put it on a small plate. The muffin plate and the tea she had poured previously were both placed on a tray and, willing herself not to tremble, Riley carried the tray out to the dining room.
She saw the man instantly. He was, after all, the only person in the dining area that was glowing slightly. It was not so much that he gave off a light, specifically, it was more like the light came from within him; slightly underneath the skin. It was as if several layers of skin beneath the first were replaced with something else, something other.
The effect was noticeably inhuman.
Too bad no one else in the dining area seemed to notice. There were even a few girls in a table nearby that were shooting "covert" glances his way.
If they only knew what he was, they would be screaming, not flirting.