My brother took me to a convenience store, a mundane errand that felt surreal given our recent nightmare. As we walked through the aisles, I tried to reassure him. “I’m not killing people, and I’m not drinking blood,” I said, my voice steady but my heart pounding.

James let out a sigh of relief, clearly thinking the same thing. “Only get what’s on the list, we’re not rich,” he reminded me, his tone lightening just a bit.

I picked up a pack of steak, feeling a strange sense of hunger gnawing at me. But before I could put it in our basket, someone snatched it from my hand.

“Oh, sorry...” I began, turning to see who had taken it.

“No problem. Wait? Kevin!?” The voice was all too familiar.

“Rex!?” I exclaimed, my stomach sinking. Just my luck. I had run into my high school bully. Rex had always tormented me, but my best friend Nick had always been there to stick up for me.

Rex’s eyes lit up with recognition and a hint of malice. “It seems Nick isn’t around to protect you anymore. But I have things to do now, so I’ll let you off for now. Hahaha.”

A dark part of me whispered that I could rip his head off his shoulders if I wanted to. No! I can’t think like that! I may not be human anymore, but I’m not a monster.

I stood there, silent, struggling to keep my emotions in check.

Rex gave me a once-over, his brow furrowing slightly. “You seem different?.... Oh well,” he said dismissively before walking out of the store.

After a while, James and I paid for our items and started the walk home. The encounter with Rex left a bitter taste in my mouth, but I was grateful for my brother’s presence. As we walked, the weight of my new reality pressed down on me, but I resolved to hold on to my humanity, no matter the cost.

On the way home, Kevin suddenly stopped in his tracks, his nostrils flaring.

“What happened?” James asked, concerned about etching his features.

Kevin’s eyes darted around, searching for something unseen. “There’s a smell. It’s enticing.”

James frowned, confused. “I don’t smell anything.”

“Where? Where is that smell?” Kevin muttered, more to himself than to his brother.

Without warning, he set off in a new direction. “Follow me,” he called over his shoulder.

The boys turned into a dark alleyway, the shadows deepening around them.

“Maybe there’s some shop serving weird food... maybe they’ll have meat,” Kevin said, his voice tinged with a desperate hope.

James glanced nervously at their surroundings. “We’re walking in a dark alley at night. I don’t think we should be doing this.”

“You have a point,” Kevin admitted. “But it’s close.”

As they rounded a corner, the scene before them made their blood run cold. There was Rex, trying to force himself on a girl who was bleeding from her arm.

Kevin’s mind reeled in horror. “N...N...No...I was pulled in by the stench of blood!!!”

James’s voice rang out, filled with anger and disgust. “Rex? What the fuck are you doing!!! Let go of her or else!!!”

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Rex sneered at them. “Haha, or else what?”

Kevin’s heart sank as he recognized the girl as Rose from the convenience store.

Rex’s eyes glinted maliciously. “Ya know what? Having three is better than one anyway.”

Before anyone could react, Rex began to transform. His eyes glowed red, his body grew larger, and his skull changed shape.

The sound of snapping bones filled the air as he morphed into a monstrous form. Fur sprouted across his body, his nails became claws, and his teeth elongated into vicious fangs.

Rex had become a werewolf.

“The two of you run!! Now!!” James shouted, pushing Kevin and Rose back.

But Rex was too quick. He snatched James up by the neck, baring his fangs. “What?

You’re trying to protect that bitch and your sissy brother? Well, that’s what you get for playing a hero!!”

As Rex opened his mouth to bite James, he paused, catching an unfamiliar scent. “Sniff, sniff... what? That smells like a-”

His words were cut short as Kevin’s fist connected with his jaw, sending him reeling. Kevin’s eyes glowed red with rage. “Don’t touch him!!!”

Rex roared in fury and charged at Kevin, but the newly turned vampire leapt out of the way with inhuman speed.

Rose watched in shock and confusion. “What?! Who is that!?”

James, still in Rex’s grasp, thought to himself, “Wait? She doesn’t recognize Kevin? I guess that’s for the best.”

As the vampire and werewolf faced off in the dark alley, the night air crackled with tension. The battle that was about to unfold.

Rex, disoriented from Kevin’s punch, ran head-first into a wall but quickly turned around, slashing Kevin across the chest.

James watched in horror as Kevin’s wounds healed almost instantly, though his clothes were stained with blood.

Kevin tried to hit Rex again, but his punches weren’t enough. Rex grabbed Kevin by the arm, lifting him off the ground, attempting to rip him in half. In a desperate move, Kevin screamed, a sound so loud it hurt the eardrums of everyone around him.

Rex covered his ears, howling in pain, but then a swarm of bats appeared, summoned by Kevin’s cry. Seizing the opportunity, Kevin broke free and grabbed James and Rose.

“Let’s go!” Kevin shouted, leading them out of the alley and away from the monstrous Rex.

As they ran, the reality of their situation sank in. They had escaped for now, but the night was far from over, and the dangers they faced were only beginning to reveal themselves.

Hours later, the adrenaline of their escape had finally begun to wane. James, Kevin, and Rose found themselves in a quieter, safer part of town.

“I think we made it,” James said, his voice tinged with relief. He turned to Rose. “Rose, you should get home.”

“Yeah…” she replied, her voice soft and shaky from the night’s events.

Rose walked up to Kevin, her eyes searching his face. “Who are you?”

Kevin stammered, “Umm... I... I...”

Rose gave him a small, grateful smile. “Well, whoever you are, you saved my life. Rex is likely not the only monster out there, so please, hero, keep helping people!”

“A... hero?” Kevin echoed, the word feeling foreign yet strangely comforting.

“Keep neutralizing these demons!” Rose encouraged.

Kevin blushed, feeling a warmth spread through him. But then, a strange sensation overtook him. His body started to feel weightless, and he began to dissolve into mist, swirling around James and Rose.

“Kevin!?” James exclaimed, panic rising in his voice.

“!?,” Rose gasped, her eyes widening in shock.

With Rose unable to see clearly through the mist, James seized the moment to guide her away, ensuring she got home safely. Some time later, Kevin and James found themselves back at their own house, the events of the night still fresh in their minds.

“The whole hero thing back there... is she serious?” James asked, shaking his head. “Rex was terrifying. Why would we go through something like that again?”

Kevin’s eyes glowed with a newfound determination. “She’s right.”

“What?” James asked, taken aback.

“There are more monsters out there,” Kevin continued, his voice steady. “Some are probably worse than Rex... some are probably killing innocent people and destroying families like ours...”

“Woah, Kevin, your eyes are glowing again. Let’s relax,” James said, trying to calm his brother.

“She was onto something when she called me a hero,” Kevin insisted.

“What!?” James exclaimed, incredulous.

“Listen, James,” Kevin said, his voice filled with resolve. “I don’t want this to happen to anyone else. I have the power to help people.”

James looked at him, concern and admiration mingling in his eyes. “What are you trying to say?”

“I want to use my vampire abilities to save people. I want to be a hero! You saw what I can do back there! I just learned that I can summon bats and turn into mist. If I train, who knows what else I can do?” Kevin’s voice was filled with a fervent hope.

James sighed, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Okay, Kevin, but let’s slow down, alright?”

“Thanks, James,” Kevin said, his eyes shining with gratitude and determination. “So, let’s begin.”

As the brothers stood together, the weight of their decision settled over them. The road ahead would be fraught with danger and uncertainty, but for the first time, Kevin felt a sense of purpose. He was ready to embrace his new identity and use his powers for good.