InsaneJournal

Alecto was setting up Arachnida for the evening, with the spiders out on the prowl, she didn't have too much to do, just a bit of housekeeping. Taking out some of the trash - otherwise known as bones, decaying flesh that was likely rejected by the spiders, and webbing that was no longer in use. With her wand poised in the air, she immediately stopped when she heard a familiar noise. That skittering of legs across the roof brought her dark gaze to the open skylight. A pair of long hairy legs poked through the open window, and then followed by large black eyes. Alecto's gaze narrowed as the giant spider harnessed itself to webbing and quickly descended down into the shop. Lowering her wand, Alecto placed her hands on her hips. "What?" She barked with authority at the spider. The abnormally large creature clicked it's pincers and stopped mid descent. Alecto didn't speak... whatever language spiders spoke, but she seemed to have a certain connection with them. She controlled them, at least the ones in her shop to do her bidding. Their only requirement? Give them access to the outside world in the evening to feed on what they pleased. It was something Alecto was more than willing to do, it was also motivation to never sell them. Of course that made Arachnida was one of the less popular shops in Knockturn Alley, but it gave Alecto both the privacy that she wanted, and a chance to actually be out of her hiding place.

The spider swayed precariously from the webbing, it's pincers continuously clicking together. It swayed until it was able to toss something from it's grasp. Quick reflexes caught the object, a tiny white wood butterfly twitched in the palm of her hand. Lips curled into a cruel smirk as she examined the dying insect, turning it over in her fingers before lifting it to her nose to inhale deeply. It smelled of sweet chestnut and foxglove. An odd combination, but told Alecto only one thing, "The Forest of Dean, my pet?" The spider fell silent and immediately stopped swaying on the web. It was the answer Alecto needed. Tossing the butterfly into the air, the spider took a leap from the webbing and latched onto the dying butterfly before landing in the palm of Alecto's hand. It was so large in comparison to Alecto's slender hand, four of its legs dangled off her hand, and two more snaked down her wrist and forearm, all the time making sure to avoid her scarred Dark Mark.

Turning on her heels, Alecto vanished from the shop. A loud pop lingering in the empty air as Alecto apparated to the Forest of Dean. The smell of death from Arachnida was suddenly filled with the smell of Evergreen, Oak and Sweet Chestnut. Inhaling deeply, dark eyes adjusted to the change of lighting. Only the moon penetrated through the branches, casting dark shadows upon the forest floor. A dark, predatory look washed over Alecto's face as she pushed the hood back slightly, just enough to illuminate a malicious grin across her crimson painted lips. Lowering the spider down to the forest floor, Alecto ran a finger over the body of the creature. "Show me, my love." The spider immediately began to skitter across the ground, leading Alecto further and further into the forest.

At a clearing in the forest the spider immediately stop. Alecto's dark gaze slowly lifts to see a dilapidated old shack next to a lake. The giant spider is met with the rest of those from Arachnida, all of them are standing stark still around the cabin, completely and utterly silent. A slight flicker crosses Alecto's gaze as her curiosity gets the better of her. With her hand gripping her wand tightly beneath her robes, Alecto steps over the giant spiders and ascends the steps to the shack. Black boots bring forth creaking from the weathered wood, and Alecto stops at the door to listen. There is something breathing inside, or rather straining for breath and possibly injured. Pressing a hand against the door it gives way rather easily as she greeted with a pungent smell of copper. A smell she's all too familiar with, a scent that lured her in and made her smile with glee.

Blood.

The room was covered it in, caked along the walls and scrawling symbols that she couldn't recognize. Tilting her head to the side, fingers lifted to trace over the intricate designs made in blood along the walls. Following the walls blindly, she didn't stop until her foot hit something. Glancing down, she saw her foot was tapping a large white hoof. Blinking, she immediately gasped as she crouched over a dead unicorn. The sight was intoxicating, as her hand snaked over the body of the animal feeling the cold body beneath her fingers. However, her excitement turned into a sneer as she realized it was drained from a large wound at its neck. Growling, Alecto was about to get up and leave had it not been for a noise coming from a corner of the room. Immediately, Alecto climbed to her feet and paced across the room to find another injured animal.

A doe was lying on the corner, shuddering and shaking. Numerous wounds, which looked like claw marks were across its body, some filled with healing agents, others flowing freely with blood. There was something off about this pathetic injured creature, almost like it recognized her, or rather, knew it was in danger. Alecto lifted her hand and pushed back her hood, allowing the silver light from the moon to illuminate her features. Crouching over the doe, Alecto placed her hand over the animals muzzle, blocking its air passages. Immediately the animal began to buck under her grasp, attempting to shake off Alecto's firm grip. She could feel it attempting inhale, but Alecto's palm was slowly asphyxiating it. "Change." She growled through clenched teeth, as her grasp remained firm and true.

"Fucking change back." Alecto hissed towards the doe as she watched it struggle. She was going on more of a hunch than anything, she could recall reading something about the young reporter who disappeared being a doe animagus. Whether this was the correct doe or not was hard to tell, Alecto was secretly praying it was, to chance upon such a delicious little treat would be amazing. If not, then well, it was just another meal for her spiders to devour.

Watching the doe struggle under her grasp, it finally submits to her suffocating. Its body changes slowly at first, molding beneath Alecto's fingers. The muzzle shrinking from her hand, until the palm of her hand it pressing against a human nose. Large doe like eyes remain as the rest of the body morphs into that of a young blond girl. Alecto's smirk turns broad and into a menacing grin as the young woman struggles under Alecto's grasp. Finally lifting her hand, Lucy gasps for air, inhaling deeply, and immediately turning onto her side and spitting up blood. Large blue eyes peering up pleadingly at Alecto as her voice is barely above a whisper, "Puh-- puh---" She attempts to say, as blood coats her lips. "Help." She managed to say. Alecto's eyes light up with excitement. Oh if she could have a galleon every time someone begged that of her, she would be the richest witch alive.

With a wheezy giggle, Alecto climbed to her feet. "Oh, no, no, no, deary. You're much too far along to be helped at this point." Alecto tsked, and turned her back to Lucy's injured body. Alecto couldn't recall the last time she actually killed someone, and while Lucy was all ready half dead, she was going to take anything she could get at this point. Tucking her wand back into the folds of her cloak, fingers instead wrapped around a silver dagger. Lucy stared at Alecto, fear riddled her face as she managed to push her broken body back against the far wall. Visibly shaking, and opening her mouth attempting to scream, Alecto couldn't help but pull that predatory grin across her lips once more. She looked so vulnerable, so sweet and innocent. Quickly closing the space between them, Alecto grabbed Lucy by her blonde hair, and yanked her body up so she was at least sitting up. Broken bones could be heard snapping even more from the forced movements, and wounds began to bleed profusely where they were caked over and drying previously. The young woman whimpered and tried to cry out only to go into a fit of hacking coughs as blood began to threaten to enter her lungs from puncturing from broken ribs. Tears streamed freely down her cheeks, as her eyes pleaded up at Alecto to let her go. Lips began to mouth a plea once more, as it just provoked Alecto even more.

Leaning down she pressed the cool dagger against Lucy's neck, as the young woman closed her eyes tightly trying to block out the image of Alecto from her mind. "Letting you live, you know, would just be cruel at this point. Besides, I can't leave a wounded animal like you just to be eaten alive by ravenous beasts." Lucy's eyes opened, half expecting Alecto's words meant that she was going to take Lucy somewhere safe and help her. Alecto caught that look, and she just chuckled cruelly. "No, no, my pretty, the moral thing would be to end your misery. I hate to see injured animals hobbling around just begging for death. You're begging for death, aren't you?" Lucy attempted to shake her head, to protest and struggle against Alecto's grasp on her hair, but it only made Alecto grip her hair more firmly, pulling hard until her hair began to rip against her scalp. "I will grant you one thing, though, the name of the person who killed you."

Leaning over Lucy, the dagger began to draw a thin line of blood from where it pressed against her ivory skin. Snickering with such gruesome glee, Alecto pressed her lips against Lucy's ear, her voice a harsh whisper, "Alecto Carrow." Lucy's eyes went wide, as the dagger finally pierced her skin easily, slicing through muscle and across vital arteries. The dagger only found resistance when hitting the spine, but Alecto used that as a pivoting point, and continued until it hurt her opposite ear. Blood poured profusely from the large gaping wound, and each time she attempted to gasp for a breath, blood spurted out from the severed the arteries. Alecto finally unlaced her fingers from Lucy's hair, and watched as she dropped to the floor with a deafening thump. Her blue eyes began to glaze over, as her breath slowed down significantly, the only sounds were soft gurgling noises as her life slowly vanished from her body.

Standing triumphantly over her body, Alecto made sure the last breaths of life were gone before she realized this kill was only a half win for her. Growling, that feeling of success was replaced with disgust as she kicked Lucy's head violently. Watching it loll back and forth on the small bit of muscle and tissue it was still attached to, her head finally stopped in an awkward position, the white bone of her spine visible through the bloody mess of muscle and tissue. Lucy's mouth remained agape, as those large blue eyes were wide open and fixated on Alecto. Smirking once more, Alecto slipped the bloody dagger back into it's holster on her thigh and looked down at her blood soaked hands. Giggling childishly, fingers rubbed together, enjoying the feeling of the sticky blood between her fingers. Glancing up and around the cabin once more, Alecto smacked her hand against the wall, smearing the blood across the wall and over the intricate designs made in blood as she slowly paced her way out of the cabin.

Stepping out into the cool air, she took another deep breath and inhaled the smell of the forest once more. The spider fled the clearing a long time ago, more than likely off to hunt for their meals, and Alecto was left to apparate back home. This was one night she knew she wasn't going to forget.