Destiny told me to live or leave with it. I chose to leave with it. I haven’t spoken to her in three days. I don’t think Elias could save this relationship with all of his expertise. It was great while it lasted but, all good things come to an end. I blamed myself for the last time we got into a fight, I accused her of using me with no proof. Now I know she just uses me, and doesn’t ever think about how I feel. I left a few things at her place, mostly hoodies. They smell like her now, and I don’t really want them back anymore. I was done with her and this whole revenge mission.

Then I got a phone call from Vicky. She explained how The Wererats needed this job, because they were going broke. The empty store they’re housed in, used to be up and running. It was a variety store for fencing products, but things had been slow. They needed a job like this to bring some credibility back to their name, and merchandise to their store. The Wererats had been nothing but nice to me, and they aren’t all blood thirsty killers. They settled on no killing unless it’s in self-defense. I can live with that. I can’t live with trying to wipe out an entire blood line.

Everyone took different rides to get to the mansion, I rode with my partner for this, Mercer Evans. A high elf, with a high self-esteem who can’t stop telling me how he’s the fastest safe cracker in the Great Lakes region. I don’t know if there’s any validity to that, I’ve never met a safe cracker before. I’ve never even met a professional thief before I knew these people. Now I’m part of a heist team. This isn’t anywhere near as exciting as the movies had make it seem.

We arrive at the back of the home and are welcomed by a small forest. The reason they told me to wear long sleeves and jeans makes sense now. Some of the trees have thorns but Mercer doesn’t seem to be phased by any of this. He traverses the land as if he’s known it for his entire life. Meanwhile, I’m trying not to lose sight of him or get stabbed by too many of these thorns. I didn’t even know trees had thorns.

“How you doing back there,” Mercer asks.

“Just trying to avoid the thorns.”

“Good, because they’re magic. They’ll give you one hell of a trip. Don’t want you freaking out on me rookie. I can’t have you making me look bad,” as if the thinning but dyed hair doesn’t make him look bad.

We finally get through the trees and spot the home, if you can call it that. A giant pool larger than any public pool I’ve ever seen flanked by a tennis court on the left, and basketball court on the right. Massive arched windows, all tinted, but magnificent in design. The house had been modernized but relics of the past remain. A shadow is cast across the back yard by a demonic looking gargoyle resembling an eagle.

A pair of bolt cutters pops the security box with no problem. The USB cable settles in neatly on my computer. I can’t find any live security camera feeds so I just shut the alarm off. I suppose they wouldn’t want one of their vampire massacres on camera. I hope I’m not a vampire massacre.

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The storm cellar doors screech and pop as they open. The neglect is clear as flakes of rust stick to my gloves long after I let go of the handles. The stairway is dimly lit by the oversized flashlight Mercer had brought. Everything about him screams he has a massive ego but overcompensating for low self-esteem. With that kind of combination, you either turn into Mike Tyson or the guy pushing forty who tries to pick up high school students. I wonder which one Mercer is, probably the high school daycare kind.

Metal clinks and taps together, leading me to peer over Mercer’s shoulder. He’s picking a lock on a large metal door. I could have sworn storm cellars didn’t lead to the house. Then again, this is an old house, and the storm cellar is probably just the basement. They told me that already, this is why I’m not a thief. It doesn’t take long before the muffling of a door dragging through dirt and occasionally bumping stone welcomes us to the basement.

The vault is right in the center of the room, large magnificent and sparkling silver. The only thing modern in the basement. Mercer tosses me two big black duffel bags and orders me to fill them with whatever looks valuable while he works the safe. Even without the safe, there’s enough stuff in here to make a person very rich, and this isn’t even their main base of operations.

There are plenty of stray jewels and magnificent pieces of jewelry. A thick layer of dust rubs off on my gloves as I snag some gold and silver bars. Relics of dead vampire hunters have to be worth something. I toss the first bag into my magic pocket and go to work on the next. Mirrors and guns etched with heavy engravings, books that nearly crumble at my touch. Most importantly, cash, lots of real cash. Mom would be ashamed of me, but I might be a very rich man depending on how we split the money. That would make her very happy.

I toss my second bag into the pocket and make my way back to Mercer, hopefully he’s almost done. My own screams stop me from finishing my thought as I lie against the basement wall. Vampire, I couldn’t spot her, or even hear her.

“Mercer, behind you,” I call out hoping he hears me.

Mercer turns and draws a wand from his pants pocket. A blast of light slams into a bookshelf but doesn’t touch the vampire. He blasts off another but she clutches his wrist. He refuses to scream but still tries to fight back with punches and kicks. Hachoir de guerre move into my hands without a second thought. I slash at the vampire's ankles and cleave into the spine. This is what Destiny taught me for, survival. Injured it turns to face me, but I don’t hesitate, I drive one of the blades into it’s heart and the movement stops. I expect her to turn into dust right away but she doesn’t. Cold black blood covers my hands and smells of death. But there’s warm blood too, on my face. Sticky and thick, but I don’t feel hurt at all. It’s obviously Mercer’s.

“Mercer, get up,” I shake his body but don’t get a response. “Mercer, this isn’t funny.”

I try to hold together the torn pieces of flesh across his abdomen. It can’t be that bad, he didn’t even scream. I just need to make sure everything stays inside until help comes. Then he’ll be fine. I’m sure they heard my screams and will be on the way.

“Mercer stop joking, you’re not even hurt that bad. We’re going to get a little magic on there, and you’ll be good as new.”

Two members of the guild grab me and pull me away, but I hold onto Mercer. We can’t leave him behind. He needs medical attention. I can’t believe they’re leaving him behind.

“Guys stop, Mercer needs us,” I plead with them as I try to break free.

“He knew the risk, one of them says coldly dragging me past the tree line.”