The painkillers didn’t make the pain go away, only made it easier to ignore the constant ache. Vera opened and closed her jaws again, grimacing when the stitched skin stretched tight against the stitches. It had taken all her self-control not to let her fangs down when they removed her wisdom teeth. The fact that the laughing gas didn’t take properly hadn’t helped. Vampire anatomy lesson number one; vampires are always effected differently then humans, no matter what the chemical or medication.

Still, she thought, tonguing the stitches at the back of her mouth, who’d ever heard of vampires with teeth problems? The stitches twinged against the onslaught of her tongue and she stopped, focusing on the matter at hand.

The boy was inexperienced. Inexperienced and sloppy. Vera watched the young man dart from shadow to shadow, eluding everyone but her. She had picked her victim wisely, she always did. This one had raped and killed his girlfriend, leaving her body in a dumpster. So much for tender loving, she thought, watching him like a cat would a mouse.

The cops had been looking for him for weeks, but turning him in wasn’t quite the punishment she had in mind, best save that for the self-righteous vigilantes. She was in this for an entirely different reason.

A second wave of aching pain washed over her, concentrated in her jaws and she clenched her hands into fists, watching as her target peered around the corner, checking for threats.

“No one here for you but me little bird.” She muttered, grinding her teeth as the ache came again, stronger and more urgent. It gathered in her eyeteeth before spreading throughout her body; her bodies own little vampieric way of letting her know she needed to feed. Soon, she told herself, soon.

The man darted across the dark, cracked street, dodging the circular puddles of light made by the dieing streetlamps and skipping over the large potholes littering the middle before he slunk into a convenient alleyway.

Waiting for him gain a little distance she tensed, counting to three before leaping across to the building opposite. Landing crouched so as to mineralize the noise and impact. Never could be too careful with old buildings, she’d fallen though enough old roofs to know.

She waited, not moving. Silence. Had he heard her? No. Footsteps further down the alley.

Vera stood, walking to the edge of the roof, careful to avoid the sagging middle.

She let her fangs down; smiling and ignoring the throb her cheeks gave. All aches are the same; some are just easier to remedy.

He was walking unafraid now, confident that no one saw him. Excellent.

Running her tongue down over her stitches one last time, she judged the distance before leaping. He never sensed her before she had his neck bared and was draining him. A bit anti-climactic perhaps, and certainly less painful then he deserved, but she needed this more then she needed the game of cat and mouse.

Warm liquid flowed down her chin and she cursed the stitches that prevented her from opening her jaws fully. Vera swallowed, rejoicing in the feeling of strength and vitality that rushed though her veins; and with the consumption of his life’s blood, she could feel all her wounds healing.

A recent, deep scratch down her right thigh from a fight with a demon. A small puncture wound from a zealous priest, older but no less painful. And those dammable holes in her mouth where her wisdom teeth used to be.

Smiling at the new strength in her limbs, she gripped the limp body firmer and angled the neck for better access, sinking her teeth in deeper.

The stitches were slowly pushed out as the flesh beneath them healed and joined until four tangles of string were swimming around in her mouth. She spit them out, discarding the body of the dead man.

Vera peeked under the bandage wrapped around her arm and thigh. Smooth skin peeked out at her in the dim moonlight and she removed the stained cloth, tossing it aside.

A quick glance around confirmed that no one had spotted her little meal and she bent to pick the dead murderer up, flinging him over her shoulder before walking to the nearest dumpster and tossing him in.

She walked back onto the street, moving towards one of the more lively street lamps before pulling a small mirror out of her pocket, wiping her mouth off with her sleeve. A few moments and she retracted her fangs, giving herself a final once-over in the mirror. Yes, she could pass off as normal.

Vera lifted her right sleeve, checking the time. It was still early, she could make it to the club. It had taken ages for Steve to get a pass into the new club and with all this energy she could dance till morning. Vera pushed her sleeve back down, happy to see that the bloodstains didn’t show on the dark fabric.

Smiling, she walked down the street in the direction of the club and her date, white teeth shining in the moonlight.

AN: Yes, I did just get my wisdom teeth removed today, why do you ask? O.0’