Hawk sank down into the warm water, until the current washed over his blood soaked hair and his knees protruded awkwardly from the surface. He was far too tall to submerge completely, but he needed the stench of death, smoke and blood gone. His arms floated lazily beside him, dark waves of hair moving across his peripheral. He lay there, staring at the ceiling through the swirling ripples on the surface, contemplating the night's events. The vampire he’d found had been young, freshly turned, wild with hunger and power. Dispatching it had taken little effort, as crazed as they so often were. It brought a myriad of horrid memories he’d long tried to forget to the forefront of his mind. His sister’s wide eyes, perpetually frozen in fear, her throat slashed wide open, carotid pumping hot blood into his mouth, through his hands, soaking him in warmth. A violent shiver moved through him, and he crossed his arms despite not really feeling the cold.

But it wasn’t the newborn who’d given him the most trouble tonight, it was another. Far older and with a look that said he knew who he was. His anger had been palpable at the loss of his offspring, and they’d fought for what felt like hours, lashing back and forth, ripping apart one another’s flesh. Had the newborns been a trap? Something to draw him out into the open? If he’d been human still he’d have sighed, overwhelmed with the implication. What was abnormal was the bone deep weariness he felt. He’d need to feed again soon, he thought angrily, his healing had been slower than normal. The fight had left him tired in a way that told him it had been too long already. He did not need to go mad with thirst. Before that though, he knew he needed to restock some of his supplies, having used so much during the fight.

He pushed against the tub, splashing water wildly about the room. It brought a slight smile to his hollow features. Dressing quickly, he made his way out into the morning light, the buzz of the city starting to awake. He could hear various people calling out their morning wares and the day's new paper. Children were already running up and down the street, begging or stealing, whichever they’d find the best luck with. Many were familiar faces now, coming to take the coins he handed out to their eager palms. Their thin faces pulled at something deep within him, some shred of humanity he’d managed to hold onto after all these years.

Forcing himself down the darker alleyways, he spotted the shop he was looking for, the old weathered sign above the door reading Toad & Thyme. He’d only been in a few times and very briefly. He had spoken with the owner Tanyi a few times, her aura feeling so very other. A deep knowing and knowledge most mortals would never know. Her silver gaze had seemed to look straight through him, as if searching for the soul that had long ago been ripped away from him during the change.

Opening the heavy door he made his way inside, finding it mostly empty at this early morning hour. The scent of herbs, dirt and bone invaded his senses first. The atmosphere changing at once, as though he was not alone amongst the shelves. Truthfully, it gave him the creeps a bit. He was dead too though, he reasoned, what could they want with him? He caught sight of a flash of coppery red hair and made his way towards her, his posture drawn inward once more as though he could put her at ease. ”Excuse me? I was wondering if you might be able to help me find something?”