casting shadows

It only took Hecate a couple of days to organize her strategy but from the start she was very sure she couldn't just make the jump on Eden without anything up her sleeve. Now Zach, he could have been easy to deal with, but she could bet 100% of her insurance that she can never have a straightforward battle against him. It would always be Eden and Eden... she couldn't fight him directly. She had to form a more convoluted plot to get the upper hand.

And that's how she found herself hiding in the shadows, tailing behind a certain rogue for the past few days. She rested her back on the wall, eyeing her surroundings, trying to see if no one had caught her slipping into the alley. She wouldn't think anyone did so she takes her phone out, sifting though photos upon photos of her target, memos--everything she could place on her planning board.

"Not enough," she muttered, "This isn't enough to help."

It was as she spoke she realized she wasn't alone.

@Arcadia

Hecate made no effort of suppressing the groan that escaped from her throat. Why must the cosmos want this madman to cross paths with her when she was just about to leave? She had half a mind to leave before he could say anything more but she knew she was already caught.

"Don't call me that," she spat, showing no intent on moving from her place, Her eyes idly wondered at the now-corpse he dragged along with him, shaking her head at the sight. "I'm not your anything but your reaper; keep that in mind you sick fuck."

Hecate didn't miss the way his gaze looked at her, eliciting a sharp glare. "The big stick is to whack that smug look off of your face, just so you know," she declared, taking her staff out from where it hung behind her and extending it to its normal length. She stayed in her place though, waiting for him to make his move first.

"I came to this island to fulfill my assignment, not to play around with the likes of you," she spun her staff with one hand, before stopping it so that it was pointed at Eden, "If you have any problem with that then maybe you could just shove it."

"Rest assured I won't be one of those 'many', Eden," Hecate snapped, taking her stance. If she had to be honest, having to face Eden wasn't anything she was looking forward to. There was no way to break his ego and it grated on Hecate's nerves.

It didn't really help with how the he way he spoke to her, oh no. The innuendo was not lost on her and just for a split second, Hecate wanted to drop to the ground for even letting herself think about it. Her cheeks burned matching the color of her hair but she refused to let her stance falter.

"Keep talking; see if you can laugh after we're through!" she hissed, somehow managing to keep her voice steady when she charged forward to jab with her staff, which she would have followed with a roundhouse kick.

Hecate had been ready to throw another kick but she didn't expect the return attack all to soon. It wasn't like it would injure her but the impact itself threw her off groove. She took steps back, cradling her stomach with her free arm in reflex while he gaze remained on him.

Her other arm flew to her lips at the reminder, wiping off the memory with the back of her hand like it tainted her lips. Like she could still feel the contact. No, she didn't want to think about it, not now and likely not ever. Clearly, he was enjoying this and Hecate was furious.

"K-keep your fantasies to yourself!" she hissed, trying to get the kiss out of her mind by running to him with another barrage of swings to his head and front kicks to his knees. Her frustration let her miss the stutter she had made. She wasn't going to play into his game, she told herself.