Chapter 10: Warehouse

Night descended on the city. Ethan could feel his senses sharpening as the sun went down and the beast inside threatened to go out. For now, he still had control. How long would that last, however? He wasn't sure.

The trio gathered at the entrance. Terrell wore a long dark brown trench coat, and Ethan spotted the muzzle of a machine gun hidden beneath it. Clara was dressed in all black and wore a thick leather jacket.

Ethan was dressed casually. His clothes had been lost along with his apartment, so he borrowed some from Terrell: a simple jacket with a black hoodie underneath and a pair of loose jeans. They were easy to move in.

"We're taking my car," Terrell spoke.

Clara seized him by the collar just as he reached for his keys. "Absolutely fucking not. That piece of junk wouldn't survive two bullets."

"How dare you?" Terrell pretended to be hurt, "But then again, I don't want anyone shooting at my baby, so fine."

Clara rolled her eyes and opened the door, Terrell followed right after her with Ethan in the back. She reached out for the car keys in her pockets and unlocked the black SUV parked on the other side of the street.

"Shotgun!" Terrell rushed ahead, causing Clara to roll her eyes.

"I can't believe I got stuck with him," she mumbled in annoyance.

Ethan chuckled and jumped into the back seat, readjusting the pistol on his belt as it felt uncomfortable. Clara drove off as the car came to life. The neighborhood was empty, with only a few passersby.

Clara then turned on the radio, and as classical music began to play, Terrell rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on! At least put on something nicer, would you?"

She ignored him and glanced in the mirror, locking eyes with Ethan. "When we get there, you can stay in the back while this idiot and I handle everything. If anyone gets past us, you can take care of them, okay?"

Ethan nodded, "Okay."

"Oh, and no eating vampires, remember!" Terrell jumped in.

"Yes, that as well."

"Hmm, I won't."

"Great," Clara smiled and raised the music's volume, causing Terrell to groan.

Sitting in the back, Ethan leaned against the tinted windows and observed the people walking by. He was different now. Most would call him a monster, but he didn’t mind. He lowered his gaze to his hands; they looked paler than before, but he could feel the strength they possessed. It felt great.

Life in the past few years has felt meaningless; perhaps that's why he took this change in stride. Would things have been different if his parents were still alive? Would he have managed to finish college? Maybe find someone? Get a normal job?

A small sigh escaped his lips as he shook away such thoughts. It was pointless to think about that now. There were no what-ifs in life, after all.

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Clara and Terrell's conversation brought his mind back to the present. The two were engaged in a lively argument about who had the best taste in music. It was strange—just two days ago, they were at each other's throats, and now he was sitting with them, preparing to confront some Rogue vampires.

Another sigh as he found himself thinking over meaningless stuff. Was he still able to eat normal food? If not, then did that mean no more pizza? No more burgers? That sounded like true horror.

The drive continued with the duo bickering in the front while Ethan sat lost in his thoughts in the back seat. It wasn't until they reached the borders that he straightened his back. Ironwood at night felt different from during the day—it was much more chaotic.

The sound of gunfire never ceased; it resembled a war zone. 'Where are the police?' Ethan found himself wondering. This area did not appear to be governed by the laws of civilization; no, it was lawless.

Clara and Terrell, however, remained unbothered. Rightfully so, Ethan thought. In this place, they were the true monsters, not the gangsters or hooligans roaming the streets.

Still, there were always those that did not value their lives. As soon as their car stopped at a traffic light, a couple of masked men rushed from an alley with guns drawn. They immediately tried to open the doors to their car but failed. Ethan could hear their muffled curses and shouts as they demanded they open the door or else they'd shoot.

Clara casually picked up the pistol at her side and lowered both windows. Two exceptionally fast and precise shots were all it took, and the would-be robbers took the room-temperature challenge.

Ethan raised an eyebrow in surprise. The men were positioned near the doors; the moment she lowered the windows, they pounced, but not before she got them. Terrell didn't bat an eye— instead, he was busy looking at his phone.

Was this an everyday occurrence in Ironwood?

The light turned green, and their car drove away, leaving behind two dead bodies in the street. Although he had never been to this part of town before his incident, Ethan never imagined that the situation could be this bad.

"This is what happens when you have no law," as if reading his mind, Clara spoke.

"What about the cops?"

Terrell chuckled at his question but did not raise his head from his phone.

"They don't come down here at night," Clara shook her head.

"It's crazy," Ethan answered.

"It is, and that's what makes it dangerous."

The drive continued in silence as Clara turned into a back alley. Their surroundings became dark and desolate, but Ethan remained calm. The night was comforting; if anything, he felt at home.

"We've arrived," Clara said as she parked beside a large warehouse.

Terrell stretched and grabbed his rifle. Clara checked her gun as well and turned to look at Ethan. "Ready?"

"Ready," he replied.

"Let's move."

The back street was surprisingly quiet given the chaos they had just experienced. Ethan surveyed his surroundings, noticing the absence of any humans. He then shifted his gaze to the warehouse as he followed behind Clara and Terrell.

The duo wore serious expressions, completely devoid of their earlier childishness. Terrell led the way, with Clara a step behind to his left, while Ethan trailed slightly behind on the right.

He raised his hand and knocked on the large metal door, the sound breaking the unsettling silence.

"Aren't you afraid whoever is in there will escape?" Ethan couldn't help but ask.

"This is the only entrance. If they want to escape they have to go out from here unless there is a shapeshifter amongst them who can fly, but according to our information, there isn't," Clara calmly explained.

Ethan nodded in understanding.

Terrell raised his hand and knocked again, the sound echoing across the street, but still, there was no response.

"I guess it's the hard way," he cracked his neck and muttered.

Ethan’s eyes widened with curiosity as Terrell inhaled deeply. With a fierce expression, he clenched his fist and unleashed a powerful blow against the colossal metal door. The sound echoed like thunder as the door crumbled inward, sending a cloud of dust spiraling into the air.

Bullets followed almost immediately.