“Yeah, I need to kill something. Do you have anything?” Taylor asks over the phone. He had taken up study of the sword and he very much wanted to test his skills.

“What the fuck? Are you actually a vampire, Taylor? No, I don't have something for you to kill. Why can't you kill random people like all the other serial killers?” Charles asks, amusement in his voice.

“Because there is no purpose in killing random people. When you kill a random person, the devil takes charge and guides your hand to who he wants to die. I want to kill someone that I want to die.” Taylor explains over the phone.

Charles laughs out loud. “Easy, Taylor. Can’t you wait for the big battle? It should be coming up in the next few years. It should be enough to satisfy you for a while.” He says, amused at Taylor’s hunger.

“Man, I don’t think I can wait. Do you have anything in mind?” Taylor asks, driven by craving.

“Hmmm… I can get a list of criminals on the run and loose murderers. Are you up for some bounty hunting? Also, I can get you in contact with a supernatural assassin association. You could make some good money from it; supernatural money.” Charles entices with a smile.

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“Awesome. Send it over. I need to wet my blade.” Taylor says like a fiend.

“Okay, buddy. You do you.” Charles says with a chuckle before ending the call.

…

…

“You’re leaving? Why? Where are you going?” Sylvie asks, worried.

“I’m going on a hunting trip. It could take a few years. I’m sorry, Sylvie. I need to get it out. I don’t feel safe around Johnny. I’m barely in control at the moment.” Taylor admits. If he was being honest, he was about to lose his shit.

“Okay, okay.” Sylvie says as she closes in for a hug, allowing Taylor to exhale a long breath. “I understand. Take as long as you need.” She says with a sigh. She didn’t know why Taylor had to do this. She never felt anything like it when she reached the fifth stage. Is it just part of being a man? She asks herself.

“Okay, okay. I’m going to go, Sylvie. I love you.” Taylor says with a sigh.

…

…

Taylor spent the next few years hunting. Criminals, murderers, or anyone Taylor found not pleasing to the eye, whether they were normal or supernatural, Taylor spent the next few years killing. He shed a lot of blood during this journey, both his own and the blood of his enemies. There were also a lot of battles where he was out of his depth, where he had to escape or die. He fell close to death several times, sometimes hanging on by a thread, but through it all, he lived for some reason. At a certain point, the question kept popping up, Why am I still alive? What’s keeping me here? Wouldn’t I just go back home, given the choice? Taylor wondered through his journey. But he kept going, whether through pure will or through providence. His blade was drowning in blood, and his character was being refined at every step.

When Taylor arrived home, he was like the grim reaper; reeking of death. He arrived with just one hope; hopefully Sylvie can bring me back to life…