"Just what is it that a Vampire fears most?"

A stern voice spoke, its owner standing at the center of a large, white podium, staring down at a near endless sea of young to-be-soldiers. His arms were folded behind his back, a small emblem pinned to his clean suit.

"Come now, I'm not asking for much," he continued, "A vampire, after all, has no heart. It cannot feel. It has no emotions, save for bloodlust and the desire to spread its filth-ridden curse."

His eyes scanned the crowd, looking at their expressions. Some were listening attentively, while others were whispering amongst themselves, ignoring him completely. They were the minority of the listeners, but not in terms of sound.

"Vampires are, at their core, mindless beasts, incapable of rational thought or consideration. So, what is the one thing that will cause them to hesitate, even for a split second?"

He waited for an answer, but it seemed nobody wanted to speak. All until a black haired girl raised her hand, answering adamantly, "Death, sir!"

The man's mouth curled into a wry smirk.

"Correct, Miss Varono. A vampire is nothing more than a beast, and, as such, its instinct is to survive. If it sees the death of a comrade, it will react the same way as any other animal. Fear. Hesitation. And, ultimately, a loss of morale. A weakened vampire is a vulnerable vampire. And a vulnerable vampire is a dead vampire."

"But... this fear may also make it more dangerous. The most despicable ability a Vampire possesses is that which makes you feel for it. They will use their disgusting brainwashing to infect you, and god forbid make you sympathize with it! Do not forget that no matter how much it cries or begs, no matter how weak it looks, no matter how sad it sounds, a Vampire is still just that, a Vampire. If you hesitate, even for a moment, it will kill you without a shred of remorse, and will likely take the lives of your comrades, as well. The worst case scenario? It turns every last one of your platoon."

A wave of unease washed over the audience. A few shifted uncomfortably in their seats, while others fidgeted with their rifles.

"But, I ask you. What if a vampire were not a vampire?"

He paused, allowing his words to sink in.

"What if, for just a moment, you believed a vampire was truly a person? What if it acted like a person? Looked like a person? Acted like a person? What if a vampire were... a human being? How would you handle it then? Would you hesitate? Would you doubt? Would you allow yourself to be killed, because you were not sure if you were facing a monster or a human?"

He looked around, taking in the crowd's reactions. Most were staring at him with wide eyes, unsure what to make of his words.

"That is what a vampire pretends to be, and that is why we must be strong. Sure of our actions. And what's more, it's why we need to remember this simple fact, our most important tenant."

"Vampires are not people. They are Monsters."

–

Rosa awoke from her daydream when the bus she sat in ran over a bump. For a moment, she thought she would fly out of her seat. She shook her head, blinking a few times to clear her mind.

"Something wrong?" the red-haired man next to her asked, the slightest bit of concern in his typically carefree voice, "You were kinda spaced out."

"Nothing's wrong, Lucian. Just remembering a lesson from my days in the Academy. That's all," she gave him a reassuring smile.

"Heh, you say that like it was a long time ago. We all graduated, what? seven months ago? That's nottttt exactly a long time, dude."

"Give her a break, Luce..." Elsie peeked back from the seat in front of them, "I'm sure it feels like a long time for her considering she's sat next to you. After all, you look like you're 30 or something..."

"Huhhh? Come on, I’m only a year older than you two!" He grimaced, speaking with a bit of annoyance in his voice, "Besides, I think I look pretty good for my age! Don't you agree, Rosa?"

Rosa paused, thinking over her response, "... Sure."

"That didn't sound convincing at all! C'mon, tell me I'm handsome!"

"No offense, but I think I'd rather get bitten by a vamp..."

"Damn, that's harsh!"

Elsie chuckled, giving Rosa a playful nudge. "See, Luce, told ya."

"Ugh, whatever... Maybe this is why you two are single! Always stick together twenty four seven, agreeing on everything… I mean, probably difficult for anyone to get close considering that…"

Rosa and Elsie shared glances, the latter of whom coughed awkwardly.

"Well, I guess that's one way to put it. And... we're not exactly single either..."

Rosa nodded, leaning her elbow against the headrest, "M... mm."

Lucien, for much longer than what was comfortable, was silent, his jaw frozen open as he stared at the two. Perhaps dumbstruck, perhaps trying to figure out if they were joking. Or, maybe he was just slow in general. "... Wait-- wha... Wait wait wait– You're serious?! When the hell did this happen?!"

"Keep your voice down!" Rosa frowned, looking left and right with the faintest twinge of nervousness in her ink-black eyes, "and... I guess two days ago..."

Elsie shrugged, "Pretty much. It was sort of a spur of the moment thing, ya know?”

Lucien blinked, rubbing his eyes as he stared at the two, "I swear... this is horrible!"

Clicking her tongue, Elsie hit him on the head with the bottom of her fist, "Hell's that supposed to mean?"

"No-- I didn't mean it like that! Swear!" He rubbed the top of his head, groaning, "I just... Now I owe my sister money..."

"... Wait, you bet on us?!" Rosa shouted, her cheeks a deep red.

"Well-- Yeah! But I'm not the weird one here! My sister's the one that bet on you two! Really, she just roped me into it– You know how she is!"

"Oh yeah... Your sister's that crazy girl who works at that one bar, right? Has that same weird bright-red hair as you?" Elsie tilted her head at the weird bright-red haired man.

"Okay, one my hair isn't weird, and two, you're really gonna insult my sister right in front of me? Maybe I should tell her what you said..." Lucien muttered, looking off to the side.

"You called her weird literal seconds ago..." Rosa mumbled back, raising an eyebrow.

"That's different! I can do that since we're siblings! You two wouldn't get it, you’re both only childs–”

"Quiet back there!" the driver, an older man, barked, his voice loud and gruff.

"Yes sir, sorry sir!" the trio responded in unison, not daring to miss a beat.

The truck shook violently, and the sound of its wheels grinding against the gravel could be heard. After a few moments, the truck came to a halt and the doors opened with a loud creak.

"Get moving, soldiers! Don't have it all day!" The driver commanded, his voice perforating the air like a missile.

They hopped out of the truck, each holding their rifles close, and the fresh, cold air immediately enveloped their bodies. It was like ice, quickly holding each and every human there in its unforgiving grasp. Rosa let out a breath of air, watching as her hot breath dissipated.

Lieutenant Ramirez stood at the front of the platoon, looking back at everyone with a solid gaze.

"This is the place. The last reported sighting of the three vampires. Our primary objective is to eliminate the targets. Under no circumstances will they be allowed to escape. If you spot them, do not hesitate. You’ll be dead before you know it if you do."

He took a moment to look over everyone, making sure they understood. Once satisfied, he continued.

"Secondary objective is to rescue any civilians or soldiers who might have been taken captive by these monsters. If you come across any survivors, assist them in escaping. But, do not, under any circumstances, engage the vampires. You are not equipped or trained to take on a group of them alone. Immediately report any sightings to your squad leader, who will then report back to me. Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir!" All spoke in unison.

“As I hoped. Now, we’ve got a hunter with us as you all know. There’s always the possibility of one of the Vamps being a True Blood. We’ll be calling him if any show their ugly heads. Again, am I clear?”

“Sir, yes, sir!”

"Good. Now, move out!"

The large platoon split up into a larger number of squads, each headed towards a different area.

"You five, with me," Lieutenant Ramirez's squad consisted of the new recruits: Rosa, Elsie, Lucien, and two other soldiers named Dario and Kari, "We'll be searching the residential district, C team will be a few blocks down. Stay in groups of two while we search-- Rosa and Elsie, you're together. Lucien and Kari, you two as well. Dario, you're with me."

Everyone nodded, following his orders.

"If anyone finds anything, contact the others immediately. Do not try to engage. You will be killed as fast as you try and fire... However, if it's injured or young, you have free reign to exterminate it. Heh... I'm certainly not going to stop you."

"Sir, yes sir!"

The soldiers liked the sound of that. Rosa, not so much. There was the smallest bit of doubt in her, that of which she desperately tried to swallow down.

They entered the city, and a strange eerie atmosphere washed over the group. It was empty, save for the occasional pile of ‘rubble’ or abandoned vehicles. The streets were absolutely devoid of life, just the occasional reminder of what one was. A putrid scent of blood and rot filled the air, and every so often they would happen upon a drained corpse with the same injuries. Two puncture wounds in the neck.

Rosa and Elsie kept near each other, their guns held tight in their hands.

"This place... I don't like it," Rosa whispered as a gust of wind went by, her gaze wandering around, "... They really must have killed everyone... Just three of them? Aren’t they supposed to be weak ones?"

"It's a wonder they weren't killed earlier, honestly. Must've been a bunch of scared old folks. And now..." Elsie trailed off, her eyes falling on a body, its face contorted in pain, "... Now, this is what they did. Monsters..."

Rosa nodded, swallowing hard. Her hands shook ever so slightly.

"C'mon, we have to keep moving."

"... Right."

They’d both seen horrible sights. Some, perhaps even worse than this– However, it was the idea that inspired dread. An entire city, over three thousand humans. All dead.

They walked past a couple buildings, one of which having a sign. ‘Kachikov Cafe’. They couldn’t see inside due to the presence of a certain liquid covering the windows.

Kachikov was not a very large city, no, it was more like a village. Central city and its walls couldn’t hold everybody, after all. Some resorted to the old ways, staying in flocks and numbers to hope and pray the Vampires won’t attack that night.

Their prayers weren’t often answered.

They moved along the snow-plagued gravel path, the buildings beginning to grow smaller and more compact as they ventured further in.

Suddenly, Rosa stopped in her tracks, holding her arm out, "Elsie, stop."

"Mm? What's up?”

"Don't you hear that? That... sound."

She strained her ears, listening carefully. A song? No... it was a melody A gentle tune from some sort of instrument they'd never heard before, though, that wasn't saying much. Not many humans had an opportunity to hear the songs of a vampire, at least, not alive humans.

"It's… some sort of music, I think. But from what…?" Suddenly, Rosa's eyes lit up as if a realization had been made, "A piano! That’s what they’re called! It might be a person!”

Elsie paused, grabbing Rosa's shoulder in a hurry, "Wait, hold on–! That’s Vampire culture. We should probably tell the lieutenant--"

"C'mon, it's so close!"

Before Elsie could respond, Rosa had already bolted, leaving her no choice but to follow while muttering something along the lines of ‘That dumbass...'

The sound of the piano grew louder and louder as they approached, and, eventually, they found themselves standing in front of a large building. An opera house, of sorts.

"I… I remember this place. This was one of the last places people fled when the vampires attacked, since it was closest to the military base... That's what Ramirez said in the briefing, right?" Rosa asked.

Elsie nodded, "Yeah, that's right. But... I thought everyone who fled here... died?"

"They did, as far as the reports go... But, there must've been a survivor. I'm sure of it."

"How do you know they're not just a vampire? Come on-- think clearly Rosa. At the very least, we should inform the lieutenant!" Elsie gritted her teeth, trying to convince her.

"No... I-- I need to do this. What if they die before the lieutenant arrives? What if they're injured? Starving? They might have been in there for a while! I'm not taking that risk. Just trust me, okay? Please?" Rosa looked into her eyes, "If things go south, we'll retreat immediately. Then, we can contact the Lieutenant. I promise."

Elsie bit her lip, looking away. She just couldn’t say no when Rosa looked at her like that. "Alright, fine, fine! I trust you. But, the minute shit goes south, we're leaving. No ifs, ands, or buts. Got it?"

"Got it. Thank you."

The two entered the theater, their steps echoing throughout the hallways. The walls were filled with various photos of shows that once played here, along with paintings of people Rosa couldn't recognize. They all had this eerie white hair and gray eyes, many depicted playing an instrument. Violins, flutes, pianos, and the like. A rarity. Either these pictures were old, or...

"Vampires must have run this place..." Elsie stated, voicing Rosa's thoughts.

"What? I mean... no way, right? This city's controlled by humans– or at least was, and was destroyed by vampires! All in a few months... I mean, how could they have taken over so quickly?"

"You can never tell. I've heard of vampires pretending to be human for centuries. Hell, even in the academy, they taught us about them, the kind that played the long game. How dangerous they are. How they can blend into a society so easily that they could even take control. Maybe this city was already under their control... Maybe they brainwashed all the citizens. It’d make sense, considering how quickly everyone was massacred..."

"N-no way, Elsie. If that was true, then they wouldn't have been overthrown by those three vampires in the report! Besides, there would be people who fought back--"

"And?" Elsie raised an eyebrow, "So? Vampires can control people's minds. What's stopping them from taking over someone's mind and forcing them to do their bidding? Even the most stubborn human can be broken, given enough time, as shitty as that sounds… And... Well, you know what happens after they're fed upon. They turn. That's not really a 'fight back' type situation. It's more like a slaughter."

Rosa's grip on her gun tightened, and her mouth went dry. She had nothing to say, nothing to combat the horrifying thought.

"... Sorry, Rosa. Guess I got carried away with my imagination," Elsie let out a quiet sigh, "... Anyway, we should get moving. I'll follow your lead."

With an anxious nod, Rosa began walking forward once more, her rifle at the ready. The hallway grew darker and darker, and eventually, they came to a staircase that led downward.

"There must be a basement. From the sounds of it, it's coming from down there… but..." Rosa swallowed, her heart pounding in her chest.

"What is it?"

"The music... It's… gone, now. Almost like whoever was playing it is trying to hide..."

"It's possible whoever's down there didn't even know the military were sent in. Hell, they could be one of the captives or victims of the vampires… If we want to hope for the best, like you are.”

"Right."

They moved carefully, descending the stairs, their footsteps light as they went. The music had stopped. Absolute silence permeated the room, and it was so thick that it felt like even a slight breath would break it.

Once they reached the bottom, they were met with a door. There was no lock, no handle, and no key. Just a door, sealed shut.

"They must be behind this…" Rosa whispered.

Elsie nodded in agreement, "Then let's get it open. Give it a push."

"Alright, on three... One, two, three!"

Both women grunted, pushing against the door with all their might. With a loud creak, the door slowly swung open, revealing a small, dark room. So dark that it was nearly impossible to see anything.

In the corner, however, just visible enough to make the basic details out was a figure. A small, skinny figure sat in the corner with a fearful look on their face. Their eyes widened at the sight of the two women, and they backed up further against the wall.

"Stay back! Don't hurt me!" the figure cried out, their voice shaky with a blood curdling horror. Like as if she feared these two would kill her. Kill her the moment that they got close.

Rosa and Elsie were speechless, staring at the figure in shock. It was a child, A horrified child, at that. Even in the dark, they could tell this fact clear as day.

"Hey– it's okay, we're not going to hurt you…" Rosa spoke quietly, taking a few steps forward while trying her best to ignore the strong scent in the room.

"Stop! Don't get any closer!" the child screamed, "Stay away from me!"

Rosa paused, her hand loose on her gun though made sure not to ever point it at the child.

"I... sorry, I'll stay back. We're here to help, okay? Can you tell me your name?"

The child didn't respond, their eyes darting between Rosa and Elsie. Frantic. That’s what the were.

"It's okay… You can trust us, promise," Rosa smiled, crouching down though making sure not to be too close. "My name's Rosa. What's yours?"

The child hesitated, before mumbling, "... Alicia."

"Nice to meet you, Alicia." Rosa gave a gentle smile, "So, where are your parents?"

Alicia was silent, her eyes darting around the room. Her breath was heavy, her arms trembling as still she tried to stay as far away as possible from the two.

"Alicia, it's okay. You can talk to us. Are... you injured?"

"N-no, I'm fine. Please, just... just go… You aren’t safe…" Alicia whimpered.

"... Like it or not, I really do need to help you here… After all, you aren’t safe here either." She sighed, "Elsie, could you find some sort of light switch?"

"Right. There has to be one in here somewhere." Elsie began searching the room, prodding around for some sort of switch or even lamp.

“No-- No no no... don't turn on the lights! I-- Please, just go!! Get away from me!" Alicia's voice trembled, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"A-alicia, calm down, we're just--"

The lights flickered on, and the room was flooded with brightness. The child shielded her eyes, turning her head away from the harshness.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

But Rosa and Elsie didn't have time to react. The scent of iron in the room began to make more sense.

Blood.

All they saw was blood.

On the floor, the walls, the ceiling, even splattered on that beautiful ornate piano.

And bodies.

Dozens of them, scattered around the room. All had the same telltale wound. Bite marks.

"Fuck-- Oh fuck--" Rosa backed up, her breath quickening.

"I-it's not what it looks like!" Alicia shouted, "I didn’t kill them! Please, please listen to me!"

Pale, almost dead looking skin. Gray eyes. White hair. All clear indicators of Vampirism.

"What the hell is going on?!" Elsie shouted, aiming her rifle at the girl.

"I didn't do it! I swear! I didn’t even know they were here! P-please, believe me!"

"Damn lying Vampire... I'm gonna blow your fucking brains out!"

"No-- Elsie, don't! Listen to her!" Rosa grabbed her arm, forcing her to lower the gun.

"Rosa-- she's a goddamn vampire! What the fuck is there to listen to?!"

"We don't know-- What if she was just turned?! Maybe there's some way... I dunno, maybe a cure if it’s this early! If we kill her, then she won't get that chance!"

"Don't be stupid! The moment they're bit, they're dead. There's nothing left of them! They're just monsters now! That's it, that's the end! Look at all these bodies-- LOOK! These people are dead, Rosa! And they're dead because this little bitch killed them! Drained their blood until they're fucking husks!"

"N-no-- I-- I didn't kill them! I didn't want to, I didn't... I swear, I didn't… I was… I… I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry...!" The Vampire sobbed, burying her face in her hands.

"You're disgusting! Filthy bloodsucker, you should have been exterminated before you ever touched a person. Goddamn, just hearing your voice makes me sick!"

"I-I'm sorry... I'm sorry, please... I don't want to hurt anyone. Please, don't shoot me... please..."

Rosa clenched her teeth, aiming her rifle at the crying girl. For some horrible reason, her hand shook. Was that pity she felt? Or sympathy. "... I... I'm sorry, Alicia. It's... it's better to be dead than to live as what you are now... I'm... sorry."

Her finger hesitated, pulling at the trigger, yet... no matter how much she tried, no matter how many times she told herself that it was better to end her misery than let her kill others, her hand refused. Why couldn't she do it? Why did she feel so terrible, despite the fact she knew this was a monster? Why did she feel a burning sensation in her chest, telling her she couldn't pull the trigger?

"Rosa... are you..."

"... Elsie... p... please kill it for me. I can't do this."

"I..."

Elsie stared at the child, her breathing growing heavier, and she grit her teeth.

"... Fine. I'll do it. Fuckin’ monster."

Alicia looked up, her eyes filled with terror, along with something else. Something primal. Something deep. Bloodlust.

"E-Elsie-- Wait!"

The girl suddenly jumped at Elsie, fangs bared. Elsie let out a pained scream, stumbling backwards, trying to keep the beast away. Rosa was frozen, unable to move.

Elsie fell on her back as she tripped, and she could feel her gun fall loose out of her grasp.

"Elsie!" Rosa shouted, grabbing her rifle and pointing it at the Vampire without a second of delay.

Alicia's razor-sharp claws dug into the arms of Elsie, her eyes glazed with a red glow, along with a few beads of some clear liquid falling down her cheek.

"Why... why... why won't you let me live?!" She shrieked, her voice warped and distorted, "I don't want to die! I don't want to be hungry anymore!"

Rosa held her breath, her hands trembling.

"Just let me feed... just a little, just a little... I'm so.... Hungry… Why am I…"

"S-stop it! Get away from her, now!"

The girl didn't listen, her gaze locked onto Elsie. Blood circled around its iris as its mouth opened wide.

"Stop-- NO!"

BANG.

The shot rang out, echoing through the small room.

The girl staggered back, a large hole in her head, and she collapsed to the floor. A puddle of crimson began to form around her, staining her hair and skin.

"....." Rosa stood shocked, her mouth agape. She didn't fire, even then she couldn't work up the power to. She wasn't the one who fired.

"You two! Anyone hurt--? Shit, you're bleeding." Lieutenant Ramirez lowered his gun, rushing over to Elsie to check her injuries.

"I'm... I'm okay. Thing just scratched me, thank god..."

Rosa could only stare, her eyes fixated on the pool of blood that had formed around the body. As fearful and worried as she was, she was frozen still.

"... And you, Rosa," Ramirez stood, turning to face her with a serious look, "What the hell was that? I heard what happened as I ran here... You didn't shoot? Do you know what could have happened?!"

"I'm sorry, sir. I... I couldn't do it."

"Is that what you would say if Elsie was dead? You just couldn't do it?" As he approached, he grabbed her by the collar of her coat, "Do you realize what you almost did? You let a damn Vampire go unchecked, and you would have been next, turned by that beast! And then, the whole damn platoon after you! What if, because of your recklessness, everyone died? Huh? Would you still think 'I just couldn't do it' then? Would you?"

"L-lieutenant, please..." Elsie got up, wincing in pain as she moved, "It's not her fault... I shouldn't have let myself get caught off guard..."

"No, she needs to understand. If we were to all die, because of your inability to fire a damn gun at a Monster, you wouldn't be able to live with yourself. I wouldn't be so damn mad at you if it was an adult, but it was a child. Weak, defenseless."

"... It just... it... seemed so human, I just..."

"That's the point. Vampires are cunning, deceptive beasts. They can pretend to be human, they can even convince themselves they are, but they're not. They're blood-crazed monsters, and if you hesitate, even for a second, they will kill you. Do you understand me?"

"Y... yes... sir. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. Do better."

He released his grip on her, stepping away. He let out a sigh, shaking his head as he spoke into a radio, "This is Lieutenant Ramirez. One of the target's has been neutralized, child Vamp. Confirmed True Blood, not turned. We need a Hunter to deal with the body.”

"Roger. Hunter will arrive shortly."

He put the radio away, before looking over to the two of them.

"Both of you are heading back to the trucks. As disappointed as I am, you did manage to find one of them. I expect you to think about what you both did wrong, and how you can improve. Especially you, Rosa.” He narrowed his eyes at her, easing his tone, “you’ve got the talent to be a hunter one day, not just a soldier. Don't let it go to waste."

"Y-yes, sir..."

"And Elsie... You'll need those injuries looked at."

"I'll... be fine. Just need a bit of bandaging, I can handle it."

He shook his head, "Then I’ll hope your medic training didn’t go to waste... You two, just leave already. The rest of us will handle the scene."

"Sir!"

The two saluted, before turning and walking away, leaving the theater. Neither of them spoke. They didn't dare to. The walk back was silent, and the moment they arrived at the truck, they climbed in, and sat there.

It was a long time before either of them spoke.

"... Why couldn't you do it, Rosa?"

Rosa bit her lip, taking a moment to collect her thoughts, "I... I don't know. I just... I couldn’t bring myself to pull the trigger. I was so scared… When I was holding my rifle, aiming it at her, it just felt so heavy. Way too heavy. And– I couldn't move. I could only watch…”

She was silent for a moment. Elsie went to talk, but Rosa spoke up once more, “I'm sorry, I'm really, really sorry, Elsie. If-- If I'd have done something sooner, you wouldn't have gotten hurt. Maybe it could have been avoided, or--"

"It's not your fault," Elsie sighed, shaking her head, "... I guess I was kinda slow, too. That kid was a Vamp, and yet, when she was begging for her life, I just couldn't bring myself to fire. Maybe that was the plan... make us feel for her. Make us hesitate. Then, when we least expected it, she'd strike."

"Maybe... but, no. It's no excuse. We can't hesitate, not when it comes to vampires." Rosa spoke adamantly, clenching her fist, "Vampires are not people. They are... monsters."

"You're sounding like the instructor back at the academy… Hah… Our most important tenant."

"... And it's right. That thing would have killed you. It..."

"But it didn't. So it's alright."

"I'm... sorry, Elsie. Really. I promise, next time, I won't hesitate. I'll do whatever it takes."

Elsie smiled, gently touching her cheek, "I know you will. You're stubborn as hell,” She paused, hesitating for a moment, "still ... Can you do something for me, Rosa?"

"Anything."

"Hold me. For a while."

"Yeah... of course."

Rosa scooted over to her, putting her arm around Elsie, pulling her close. Elsie leaned her head on Rosa's shoulder, closing her eyes. For that gentle moment, they felt safe.

"Thank you, Rosa..."

Rosa said nothing, only holding her tighter.

--

"Would you look at that, this place totally isn't creepy as hell..." Lucien let out a shaky laugh, adjusting the strap of his rifle.

A manor stood before them, the sun just barely peeking through the dark clouds above. It cast a dark shadow over the building, ominous fog surrounding it. The manor was a large, stone structure, with tall windows and a large entrance.

"If you're going to act like a coward, just go back to the truck," Kari rolled her eyes, taking a few steps forward, "Since you're obviously more scared of a Vampire than the Lieutenant. That’s stupid, he's way scarier when he's mad than even some true blood."

"Hey, hey, that's not fair! You know I was kidding--!"

"Will you two shut the fuck up already?" Dario groaned, walking past the arguing duo, "I'm already pissed off about having to go with you instead of the Lieutenant, and I'd prefer not having to hear your bitching, alright?"

"Fine, fine..."

"Ugh, whatever..."

Kari and Lucien followed, both quiet. Dario, however, crouched down, looking at the cold mud, his fingers rubbing against the dirt.

"Hey, uh, did you lose a contact or something?" Kari raised an eyebrow.

"Shut up and listen."

The two obeyed, despite their typical personalities, and were met with an eerie silence. The only sound present was the howling of the wind as it carried snow and the creaking of trees without leaves.

"Footprints," Dario pointed at the dirt, "They're all over the place. Must have come here a lot."

"Wait-- hold on," Lucien looked closer, "These... look fresh."

"Exactly. This vampire might still be here. We'll need to be careful."

"Shit... this is bad. Should we radio the others?"

"Nah. It isn't confirmed yet. Don't want to risk any sort of ambush, either. I'll go first, Lucien, you're behind me. Kari, you follow and watch our rear. Understand?"

"Got it."

"Mm."

"Alright. Let's move."

Dario stood up, walking towards the manor, his rifle at the ready. The other two followed suit, keeping their distance and scanning the area with a sure gaze.

After a few moments, the three found themselves standing in front of a large door.

"There's no way it's unlocked, right?" Kari mumbled, glancing over at the two.

"Probably is. The child vamp they found was a True blood. Bastards are arrogant, think they're too strong to be caught. They think they can't be killed."

"But... they can."

"Damn right they can."

With a strong kick, the door swung open, slamming against the wall.

"Come out, Vamp! We know you're in here!" Dario shouted, his voice booming.

A silence fell over the manor.

Lucien Kari "Hah... See? There's no--"

Crash.

Dario fell to the ground, a deep slash across his chest. His face contorted in agony, and blood began to spill from his wounds.

"Shit!" Lucien yelled, aiming his rifle, "Where are you?! Come out and face us, you bastard!"

"It's fast!" Dario gasped, his voice strained, "F-faster than I could react-- It's--"

"Show yourself, damn it!"

"Lucien-- Move!" Kari raised her voice as she noticed an approaching figure.

A blur dashed in front of him, and the sound of flesh tearing and bones crunching could be heard. Lucien was sent flying, his body colliding against a nearby wall. He collapsed to the ground with a thud, air unable to leave or enter his lungs.

"Lucien-- Fuck, are you alive?" Kari yelled, firing off a round at the assailant, only to hit nothing.

"I... I'm..."

"Good, stay awake or I'll kill you myself!"

"No... Kari, just-- Get out of here... Call for Ramirez… T-the Hunter…" Dario tried his best to speak up, but his voice only spoke in a hushed murmur.

"And let you two die? No fucking way!" She let out a forced smile, "Just hold on, we'll be okay! Trust me, everything's gonna be fine!"

"... Kari, you fucking idiot..."

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna die! Not today!"

Kari spun around, her eyes scanning the room. Nothing. Not a soul.

"C'mon, I know you're in here! Where are you?! Show yourself!"

Another blur, another crash. A gun was flung from her hands and clattered against the floor, skidding out of her reach.

"Goddamn it-- Fucking coward, stop hiding!"

A chuckle came from behind her. A dark, menacing laugh. She turned and faced a woman, standing only a few feet away. Clad in a black robe with a fancy design present across much of the outfits True Bloods wore.

"That gun is the only thing that makes you the slightest bit dangerous, human... Silver, truly such a disgusting material." She looked up and down upon the soldier, a wicked smile showing off her sharp fangs.

"Fuck you! I-- I'm not scared of you, damn Vamp!" She took a few paces back, but it was for nothing.

"Ah, is that so?" The Vampire took a quick step towards Kari, grabbing her chin, tilting her head up, "Then, why are you trembling?"

"You're trying to get me off my game! I'm not--"

"Your heart races faster than that of a hummingbird. You reek of fear, such a... wonderful scent. Haha... It makes my mouth water. And... oh my, your blood is rather sweet as well, isn't it? Common for ones such as you…"

"Let go! Don't you fucking touch me– you freak!"

“Oh, I think not. After all… you’ll make a fine meal.”

"You s-- Get off--!"

Her sentence was cut off by a boom.

A gunshot fired from the direction of Dario. Still laid on the floor, bleeding out, he shakily held his weapon in his hands, the barrel smoking from the shot.

The silver bullet fired straight at the Vampire, piercing its leg as blood spurted out.

"Gah!" She recoiled in pain, dropping Kari as her focus changed, "Filthy human! I'll tear you limb from limb!"

"Hah... hah... Do it. Seeing a True Blood vamp suffer was well worth it... haha..."

"YOU WORM!" With her speed returning, she reached out to grab him, claws out and ready to slice his throat. She was truly too fast. Inhuman in her speeds. Their eyes could not track her movements, not at the pace she could move.

Dario was as good as dead.

Suddenly, blood dripped from the Vampire's arm as it paused, a screech escaping its mouth. What was once its lower arm fell to the ground, cut clean off with one perfect slash.

"What? W-who dares?!" The Vampire staggered backwards, staring at the stump that was once her arm.

Another blur. The vampire's left leg fell, causing her to collapse to the ground. Her face twisted in pain as she let out another blood curdling scream.

“The fuck?! What's happening?!" Kari exclaimed, still laying on the floor, her eyes wide.

The blur stopped, and a person stood above the vampire.

"I-impossible! You're no human, are you?! Y-you're--!"

"Nah, I am. Just not the kind of human you're used to," the mysterious, so-called human spoke, a silver, curved blade in their hand and a lit cigarette in their mouth, "But sorry, I'm not the type that plays with my food, let alone talk to it."

"You can't-- You can't do this to me!"

“Apparently I can.” They took a step forward, “You just weren’t strong enough.”

The human shrugged, stabbing their blade through the vampire's head in one swift motion. There was a sickening crunch, and the Vampire let out one last shriek.

She fell limp.

It was silent. Fear, confusion, and most of all relief filling the three soldiers.

"... Who the hell… are you?" Dario finally spoke, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Hm? Oh, right. Forgot there were people here... Name's Asher. Asher Vesper."

"Asher-- the hunter?!"

"In the still-warm flesh, I guess."

"I... I've never met a real hunter before..."

"Well, you can thank me for saving your ass later. Need to get a sample." Asher crouched down, pulling a small silver syringe out of his pocket. After a bit of prodding, they managed to retrieve a sample of this strange clear liquid from the corpse, and put it away.

"There. All done. Now, uh... who's still alive? I don't want to deal with a corpse... Human corpse, at least."

"I... think I am." Lucien coughed, his voice hoarse.

"And me," Kari replied, sitting up and looking over at Dario, "Dario...?"

"Still breathing… somehow.”

"Huh, nice. Not everyday someone survives a True blood, let alone three. Guess you really got lucky... Or unlike me, it liked playing with its food. Either way, congrats, I guess."

Asher took a seat on a nearby, half-broken chair, his eyes looking over the trio.

"So... You guys part of the platoon, huh? Pretty young. Rookies, I'm guessing?"

"What gave it away, our uniforms?" Lucien joked, forcing a laugh through what were probably his broken ribs.

"Smartass. I like it. Call for someone to pick you up... Apparently my job isn't over... Well, at least I can keep the Aura from this vamp... here's hoping the same is true for the next."

"Wait-- you're just going to go kill another one? What if it's stronger than this one?"

"I'll manage."

"But--"

"See you kids later. You've got potential, maybe we'll meet again some time." As quick as he came, he left, leaving only the three soldiers and their dead Vampire.

"... I... don't believe it. I can't believe it," Lucien breathed in, ignoring the stinging pain as he leaned back against the wall, "I thought I was done for, but... a Hunter... a real Hunter..."

“Hard to believe… they’re human… huh?” Dario added while Kari radioed in to the others.

“They kinda aren’t if you think about it, right? I mean, they inject themself with Vampire blood, so they have to be something else..."

"Not Vampire Blood, their venom. Heard they do something to it, though... stops them from transforming or something. They're the ones who made the serum, right?"

"I think so... But still, think about it, dude! Being able to take on a Vamp like that... Fuck, wish I could do that..." Lucien sighed, looking up at the broken ceiling as he aired his desires.

"That'll stay a wish. No way they're gonna let some random rookie do that shit. You'll probably die. It's a miracle that guy survived the process."

"Yeah... I guess you're right… Wonder if we’ll meet him again though. He seemed kinda sure about that…”

"Guess we'll find out... Let's just hope we never need a Hunter to come save us again."

The three sat there in silence until the rest arrived. Alive, and two with a new desire.

--

"... Man... that was...."

"..."

"Really boring."

Despite his proud words, the man seemed ever so slightly worn out. He wiped his forehead as he walked over to the armless body.

The hunter, Asher, crouched over the blood stained corpse, the stench of iron permeating the air. He pulled out his syringe, extracting a sample from the corpse.

"This one was a turned... Nah, too strong for that. Weird, though... They've got the scar... but they're a True blood? I'm really not understanding this."

He stood up, sighing as he put the syringe away.

"Well, whatever. I'm just a Hunter, not a scientist... I'll leave that to the guys who study these things."

He turned to walk away, before stopping. Almost as if he noticed something…

"... Huh, thought there were supposed to be just three. You gonna come out or are you going to make this a pain for both of us?"

The figure emerged from the shadows, a smile on his face.

"Impressive, human. I do so enjoy watching you Hunters… You are, truly, a fascinating breed. And your Aura is quite strong as well."

"You're a talker, aren't you?"

"Perhaps. But, it's not often I meet one like you."

"Yeah? Not often you see Hunters, or not often you meet someone who could actually kill you?"

"My, aren't you sure of yourself..." The long, white haired man took a step forward, a smirk perpetually strewn across his face, "But even a human like you can tell, no?”

“Listen, I’m not the type to play with my food…”

“Let alone talk–”

Asher, in one swift move, made a slash directly across the man’s neck. However…

“I truly am lucky that I am not your meal, human.”

A nail. That is what blocked Asher’s edge. That’s all it took to stop what Asher knew should have killed this beast.

He jumped back the moment he registered his failure, holding his blade in a defensive stance.

“Gh... The hell are you…?”

“Are we ready to talk now, then?” The white haired man tilted his head.

“I asked you a question…”

The man took a step forward, his silver eyes glimmering in the now moonlight shining through from the many windows of the building. By all means, he was beautiful. That was, shamefully, one of the first thoughts that entered Asher’s head. He shook the idea away, he needed to focus.

He’s fought Vampires he thought he could never beat. Him standing here today was his proof of that. However, what freaked him out the most was the simple fact that this Vampire had no Aura. That’s what made up the basis of the powers both Hunters and Vampires possess… At the very least, True Blood Vampires. Yet this thing… he couldn’t sense anything from it. By all means… it should be weak.

“I’ll do you the kindness of telling you my name, then. I am… Cyrell, a Vampire, as I imagine you can tell. I, however, am not a True Blood, as you humans like to categorize us... I am a Noble. Though, I doubt that means much to you. No, I imagine not. You humans have a much more… how to say this… primitive concept of what a Vampire truly is! Oh, you don't even know what you are, Hunter! You call yourselves humans, yet you're not, not anymore. Your very body is a mockery of the word. A mockery of our power… Yet, despite that, you are not a Vampire, either! Truly... truly pathetic~! A pitiful creature, and yet, you hold so much power..."

Cyrell let out a chuckle, taking another step towards Asher.

"I must say, I have no interest in turning you. While, yes, you've killed one of my spawn, a true pity, it’s a small loss. They had potential, however their arrogance will forever be their weakness... Still, I need a replacement. Now, now, you cannot be it! No, you’re too…. Hm… too you. Much too filthy and not desperate. So, why don't I just kill you, then? Yes… I do like that idea…”

"You going to talk all day or are we fighting? I'm not dying. Not to a monster like you. One way or another… you’re dead, Vamp."

"Hah... such confidence! Truly, a trait of yours that I find fascinating. It's fine, however. This will only take a moment... And, then I can track down that delightful young woman I noticed earlier... She will make a fine meal... and vampire."

Cyrell lunged forward, and Asher's body moved on instinct. His sword clashed with Cyrell's claw, sparks flying from the collision. Asher let out a grunt, pushing against the Vampire with all his strength, his feet dragging against the ground as the force of the Vampire pushed him back.

"Goddamn..."

"Hm... You are… almost strong. Not many could resist my hand alone. Perhaps, in a century or two, I'd allow you to become one of my spawn."

"Fuck off... I'll tear your throat to shut you up.”

Asher jumped back, quickly grabbing a small pouch off his belt and tossing it to the ground. Smoke erupted, quickly filling the room and obscuring both of their vision.

"Hmph, a coward's trick... I will kill you, human, all the same."

"Yeah, yeah. You're not the first to say that."

Asher appeared behind the vampire, making a move to pierce Cyrell through the chest. With the speed of the wind, however, Cyrell evaded. His body twisting and turning, the blade missing him by a hair.

"How fast! Ah, no, it's a trick... Your technique, then?"

"Shut up."

Asher spun around, his blade meeting with the vampire's hand.

A sickening crunch then the overpowering scent of blood filled the air. However…

It was not the sound of the Vampire’s death. Not, not quite.

The Vampire's sharp claws had removed Asher's arm completely. It fell to the floor, blood spilling onto the hardwood planks accumulating in small puddles.

Asher staggered, falling to the ground while holding his shoulder, his eyes wide.

"Y...you..."

"That should do for payback, human. You've caused me a tad bit of trouble... Thus! It's time for your story to end. How sad for you…!"

Cyrell's once silver eyes glowed a deep red, his mouth slowly opening to reveal a horrific sight. His fangs glistened as a small droplet of saliva fell from his teeth.

"Die for me."

In an instant, Cyrell was upon him. The fangs tore into Asher's throat, two thick holes opening as every drop of his blood fled from his body.

Asher gasped, trying his best to fight back. His silver blade struck the Vampire's chest, only for it to break in two. He was too weak. No matter how hard he tried, the world grew darker.

His eyes shut, his body, and mind, unable to fight back against his fate.

"... Hah... Hahaha…!" Cyrell stood, laughing, blood dripping down his chin, "Ah... what a wonderful feeling. To taste a Hunter... I had forgotten. Ah, yes... the taste. It's almost... addictive~."

The vampire turned away, a grin on his face. He wiped his mouth, blood smearing across his face as a more controlled smile formed.

"I almost wish I could taste it again... but no, you're dead, aren't you? There's nothing left. A shame, truly."

Asher's eyes twitched. His body was still.

"... Well, I'd best be off. As weak as you were, it was a bit fun. I hope they find your body. I can't imagine the look on their faces. How truly... delicious."