Pablo fidgeted with his hands, his gaze fixed on the dull floor of the interrogation room. Even Helion stood with us, his eyes locked on Pablo, waiting for him to spill his truth. The tension in the room was thick, but my mind was elsewhere—stuck on that royal vampire who saved me back in Tidbit.
Pablo’s voice broke the silence. “I did it,” he said, almost too softly. “But it was Miranda’s idea.”
Helion's eyes narrowed. “Explain.”
“We met at Golden Cats,” Pablo continued, his voice shaky. “We hooked up, but that was it—never saw each other again. Then, out of nowhere, she called me. Said she needed help.”
“And you went?” Helion prompted, crossing his arms, his expression unreadable.
Pablo nodded. “I went to Tidbit like she asked. Snuck in through the back window because she didn’t want the receptionist to see me. When I got to her room... I saw a body on the floor. It was Alisha—the girl from the news.”
“Miranda killed Alisha?” Jane asked, raising an eyebrow to confirm.
“Yes,” Pablo said, his voice cracking. “She shot her. She begged me to help her get rid of the body. I refused at first, but then she offered me money—a lot of it. I caved. When the drugged-out receptionist passed out from red crystal, I carried Alisha’s body to my car. She stayed in my trunk for three days. I didn’t know what to do.”
The room fell silent as he paused, eyes darting between us, gauging our reactions.
“Miranda and I hatched a plan,” he continued. “I bought a fake fang and bit Alisha’s neck to make it look like a vampire attack. We hoped it would throw off the autopsy so no one would suspect that Alisha died three days before they found her. We knew everyone would blame Miranda otherwise.”
“Not the most brilliant plan,” Leo remarked, arms folded, a hint of a smirk tugging at his lips.
“I know…” Pablo said, almost shrinking into himself. “We dumped her body near the stadium with help from a friend of mine. Miranda paid him, too. We staged a scene to make it look like we were chased by the Noble Americans to throw off the cops.”
“And Miranda?” Jane asked, her tone more direct.
Pablo lowered his gaze to the floor. “I killed her,” he said quietly. “She didn’t pay me the rest of the money and then threatened to turn me in. I panicked. I grabbed my gun... and... I didn’t mean to kill her.”
Leo let out a sarcastic chuckle. “Sure, you didn’t mean to grab your gun, aim it at her, and pull the trigger. Happens all the time, right?”
Pablo’s face paled. “What’s going to happen to me now?”
“How do we know you’re telling the truth?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.
“I recorded everything,” Pablo blurted out, desperation lacing his words. “I had a bad feeling before I entered that hotel, so I hit record on my phone. It’s all there—you can hear her saying, ‘She was going to tell my husband, that’s why I killed her,’ or something like that.”
“And this friend who helped you?” Helion asked, his voice cold.
“Ali,” Pablo replied, almost in a whisper. “He’s hiding in Kenli.”
We all exchanged a brief look, silently deciding our next steps. One by one, we exited the room, leaving Pablo alone with his twisted mess of a story. Jane and I leaned against the wall, arms crossed, while the others stood across from us, each lost in their own thoughts.
“That’s it,” Helion finally said, breaking the silence. “I guess we’re done. Congratulations, everyone.”
“Yeah,” Leo said, a hint of melancholy in his voice. “Grim business, isn’t it?”
I felt a sudden chill run down my spine. Snapping my head to the right, I saw nothing unusual. Still, the sensation wouldn’t leave me. I pushed off the wall, shaking off the feeling.
“C?” Jane asked, her eyes searching mine. “You alright?”
“Hmm,” I muttered, straightening up. “Golden Cats?”
“Hell yeah!” Leo said, his face lighting up before he remembered Helion’s presence. “Sorry, Cap.”
Helion gave a rare smile. “It’s alright. You all earned a break. Go enjoy yourselves.”
“Beers on C!” Jane announced with a grin. “Let’s go!”
“On me?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “Why?”
“No reason,” she said with a shrug. “Just because.”
“Hmm,” I muttered, my gaze drifting back to that spot where the cold sensation hit me. “On second thought, you guys go ahead. I’ll head home. Spend some time with my mom. She misses me.”
Leo nodded, understanding in his eyes. “Tell her we said hi.”
I gave a small nod, then walked off. “See you all tomorrow.”
---
Later that night, I sat on a bench in Tidbit, lighting a cigarette and shoving my hands deep into my coat pockets. It was past eleven, and the streets were deserted, except for a few stray animals wandering about. The fog hung low, blurring the weak light from the nearby RVs. Everything around me was still, the branches of the trees frozen in the absence of wind—a rare moment of calm in West Antapolis.
To my left was the place where I’d lost consciousness, the last spot I remembered before that royal vampire saved me. Royals usually don’t care about humans, see us as nothing but prey. Yet, she had helped me. I needed to know why.
“Clear night,” a voice said behind me, soft but confident. “Hard to come by lately.”
I turned to see the woman I’d helped on the bus—the one who looked like a model. She wore a brown coat, her hair perfectly framing her face as she took a seat beside me.
“Who are you?” I asked, keeping my tone even.
“Don’t remember me?” she teased, her smile playful. “I’m hurt.”
I stayed silent, eyes locked on her, waiting for a real answer.
“Alright, fine. Need a hint?” She leaned closer, mischief dancing in her eyes.
“Hmm.”
“Who was the first and last person you ever loved?” she asked, her tone turning serious.
“What?” I said, caught off guard.
“Come on, answer me.”
I hesitated, then met her gaze. “It’s... Melissa.”
A soft smile crossed her lips. “Yes. Your first love. My little sister, Melissa.”
—
I remember the day when I met Melissa. It was a morning like any other, except that I was late—again. My teacher had warned me about being late one more time, and I knew I’d be in real trouble if I didn't get to school on time. So, I took a gamble and decided to cut through an alley I’d never used before. I was only nine and I thought it would save me some time, but I ended up finding something—someone—that would change my life forever.
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As I turned the corner, I saw her. A girl about my age, sitting on the steps of the back entrance of an apartment. She had a sketchbook on her lap, and she was completely absorbed in what she was drawing. Her hair was dark, tied back in a messy ponytail, and there were charcoal smudges on her fingers. I slowed down, unsure if I should interrupt her.
"Hey," I said, kind of awkwardly, my voice louder than I intended.
She glanced up at me, her eyes a mix of curiosity and wariness. "Hey," she said back, her voice soft but clear. Then, just like that, she went right back to her drawing, like I hadn’t broken her concentration at all.
I stood there for a second, feeling like I should say more but not sure what. She didn’t seem to mind my presence, but she wasn’t exactly inviting me to stay either. "Alright then," I muttered to myself, giving a small nod before I took off again, running toward school… so embarrassing.
The rest of the day, I couldn’t stop thinking about that girl. There was something about her, something I couldn’t put my finger on. Maybe it was the way she just casually dismissed me, or how she seemed so lost in her own little world. Either way, when school ended, I found myself retracing my steps, heading back to that alleyway without even realizing it.
She was still there, sitting in the same spot, her pencil moving across the page like it had a mind of its own. This time, when I walked up, she looked up at me first, a faint smile pulling at the corners of her lips.
"Back again?" she said, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, guess I am," I replied, a bit more confident this time. I pointed to her sketchbook. "What are you drawing?"
She hesitated for a moment, then held up the book for me to see. It was a sketch of the alley, but not how it really looked. In her drawing, the alley was full of light, vines creeping up the walls, flowers blooming everywhere. It was like she saw something beautiful in a place that was otherwise dull and gray.
"Whoa," I said, genuinely impressed. "That's pretty good."
"Thanks," she said, a little embarrassed, as if she wasn’t used to getting compliments. She looked at me again and asked, "So, what's your name, anyway?"
"I'm C," I said.
"C?" She gave me a look like I was trying to pull a prank on her. "What kind of a name is that?"
"It’s just C, alright?" I said, crossing my arms. "What's your name then, since you're so curious?"
"Melissa," she replied with a grin. "See, that’s a real name."
I couldn’t help but laugh. "Fair enough, Melissa. Fair enough."
From that day on, I started visiting Melissa every afternoon after school. She was always there, sitting on those steps, sketching away. And every day, we’d talk a little more. I found out she had this illness—a condition that made it nearly impossible for her to walk more than a few steps without feeling weak or dizzy. But she never complained about it. She’d just shrug and say, "It is what it is."
One day, when I came to see her, she was looking outside through her window, her face pressed against the glass, looking even more down than usual.
"What's up?" I asked, standing below her window.
"My dad won’t let me go outside today," she said, her voice heavy with disappointment. "He says I’m too sick."
“I…” I muttered. “I wish I could do something.”
“You don’t have to do anything.” She said, smiling. “You being here is enough, C.”
I hated seeing her like that, so that night, I decided to do something about it. I snuck out of my house, a book she’d mentioned she wanted tucked under my arm. I tiptoed through the dark streets, making my way to her house. When I reached her window, I tapped on it lightly, hoping her dad wouldn’t hear.
Melissa's eyes lit up when she saw me standing there, and for a second, I thought she might cry. She opened the window as quietly as she could and carefully made her way down to meet me outside.
"You came," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.
"Of course I did," I said, holding out the book. "I couldn’t let you miss out on this, could I?"
She took the book from my hands, her fingers brushing against mine. "Thank you," she said, looking at me with those big, grateful eyes. Then, without warning, she leaned in and kissed me on the cheek.
I felt my face go red-hot, and I was pretty sure I looked like a tomato. "W-well," I stammered, "you’re welcome."
We were standing there, both of us kind of grinning and blushing, when suddenly, the air around us turned cold. I felt it before I saw them—shadows moving at the edges of the alley, dark figures closing in on us. Wraiths and vampires emerged, their eyes glowing with malice. They surrounded us, their presence like a weight pressing down on my chest.
It was all sudden… if only she didn’t meet me—maybe?
One of the wraiths, a tall figure with hollow eyes, pulled out his own lighter. He flicked it open, and the flame danced wildly in the darkness. He smiled, a twisted grin that sent shivers down my spine, and then he grabbed a thick branch lying nearby. He held the branch in the fire until it caught, the flames licking up its length.
"Let’s mark this one," he said in a voice that was more hiss than human. “I love little ones. Their blood—so raw.”
Before I could react, he shoved me to the ground and pressed the burning branch against my hand. The pain was instant and blinding. I screamed, the fire searing my skin, leaving a brand that burned into my soul. I tried to pull away, but the vampire holding me was too strong.
Seeing one of them was moving toward Melissa, my eyes went wider. "No! Stop!" I yelled, my voice cracking. "Leave her alone! She’s weak! She can’t! She…”
Melissa's face went pale as they turned toward her. I tried to get up, tried to fight them off, but another vampire slammed me back down. They grabbed Melissa by the arm, ignoring her trembling body, and pressed the burning wood to her skin. She cried out, the sound ripping through the night air like a knife.
"Melissa!" I shouted, desperation choking my words. "No! Don’t! Please, don’t!"
She looked at me, her eyes filled with pain, her breaths coming in short gasps. She—said something to me. But I can’t remember what it was. I wish I did…
I saw the life start to drain out of her eyes, her strength fading with every second. She tried to smile at me, just one last time, but even that was too much. I watched her fall to the ground, her body going limp, the light in her eyes flickering out.
"Melissa," I whispered, my voice broken and raw. "No... no, no, no..."
But she was gone. Just like that.
The wraiths and vampires laughed, their voices echoing in my head like a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from. They left us there, in the dark, like we were nothing. Like she was nothing.
“Maggots.” One of them said, “She fucking died. Party pooper.”
“Lost my appetite.” The other said.
I remember reaching out to her, touching her hand. It was still warm, but it was empty. Lifeless. I stayed there, holding her hand, waiting for her to open her eyes again. Waiting for her to smile at me one more time. But she never did.
—
"She'd still be alive," Melissa’s sister murmured, her gaze piercing through me. "If you hadn't walked into that alleyway that day."
My head dropped, staring at the ground as if it held all the answers. "I'm sorry," I whispered, my voice barely audible.
She reached out, her voice softening. "Hey, C... you blame yourself, don't you?"
"How could I not?" I replied, my words coming out like a sigh.
"Did you love her?" she asked, her eyes searching mine.
"Yes," I answered without hesitation, the truth spilling out before I even realized it.
A faint smile, tinged with sadness, crossed her lips. "What if I told you—I caught the bastards who killed my sister?"
My head snapped up, eyes widening. "You did?"
"They weren’t wraiths or vampires, C," she said, shaking her head slightly. "Just ordinary humans. That’s all."
I blinked in disbelief. "What? But they were—"
"I dug deeper," she cut me off, her tone turning cold and resolute. "I had to. And what I found out... it was disturbing. Even for me."
She paused for a moment, letting the weight of her words settle in. I could feel my heartbeat quickening, dread creeping into my bones.
"Just to make wraiths and vampires look like monsters," she continued, her voice laced with bitterness, "the police stage these horrors. They hire people to pose as vampires, to commit murders and torture. And when it hits the news, the world despises them. Clever, isn’t it? Those captains…”
“You're saying these things are organized by the district captains?"
"That’s exactly what I’m saying," she replied, a hard edge to her voice. "Kiruha district. The day Melissa died—your mom was the district captain."
My breath hitched, disbelief and horror flooding my senses. "No…"
"Those guys," she said, leaning in as if delivering the final blow, "they were working for your mother."
My whole world shattered into pieces. My face might’ve looked calm, my eyes barely betraying any emotion, but inside, everything was crumbling. I didn’t want to believe her, didn’t want to accept that truth—but why would she lie? What could she possibly gain?
She stood, her movements slow, like someone leaving a tombstone. "A war is close, Conticent," she said, turning away. "I just hope you pick the right side. I’d hate to see the boy my sister loved die a stupid death."
“Cont—”
“I know who you are, C.” She said, “Don’t be surprised.”
I opened my mouth to call after her, to say something, anything—but no words came. I just sat there, watching her disappear into the darkness, her silhouette swallowed by the night. I sank back onto the bench, tossing my cigarette into the wet ground with a sense of finality.
Leaning back, I shut my eyes, taking a deep breath to steady myself. "A war is coming, huh?" I muttered to the empty street. "As if West Antapolis didn’t already have enough wars to deal with."