I was wandering the cold, dark streets of my city, the only place I could truly call home. With my full-face mask on, no one could know who I was or what I was capable of. As I strolled, my senses were heightened, and I kept an eye out for any signs of trouble.

Suddenly, I stumbled upon two armed men robbing a helpless woman in an alleyway. Perfect for a warm-up at night. I sprinted toward them, catching them off guard.

"On a beautiful night like this, shouldn't you two be rotting in Hel?" I spoke up, capturing their attention.

The man with the gun pointed it at me, "Look at this, Gus. She thinks she can stop us."

Without hesitation, I moved faster than any human could see, wrenching the gun from his grasp and striking him over the head with it. A simple tune escaped my lips as I turned to the next target, who was stumbling back in fear.

“W-what are you?” He stuttered

"Good question. I'm certainly not human," I quipped before knocking him out.

The woman was frozen in fear, but I gave her a choice, "You may leave, unless you want to find some way to repay me." With a smirk, she ran away.

I clicked a button on my mask, which revealed only my mouth. I bent down to the unconscious man and bit his neck, draining him of his blood.

The rush of power and energy surged through my body as I stood up, feeling stronger than ever before. I wiped the blood from my mouth with a gloved hand and slipped the gun into my waistband. As I continued on my walk, I couldn't shake the feeling of satisfaction that came with being a predator, the hunter instead of the hunted.

But I knew I couldn't let myself get carried away. I had a mission, a goal to achieve. And it didn't involve mindlessly killing those who crossed my path. My purpose was much greater than that.

***

I live in a modest suburban town, where every corner seems to harbor secrets and potential danger. My calling is to uncover the truth and bring justice to those who break the law. Donning my trusty trench coat, I kissed my girlfriend goodbye and set out to start my day.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

As I stepped into the dimly lit office, the familiar sight of my partner and best friend, John Rose, greeted me. He flashed a crooked grin and brushed a stray lock of brown hair from his eyes. "Morning, Quinn. Ready to tackle whatever comes our way today?"

I flashed a reassuring smile at John and replied, "Absolutely. Jillian reported a break-in at her store last night."

As we entered the convenience store, I took a quick scan of the disarrayed shelves and scattered items. I could tell that Jillian had done her best to preserve the scene, and I was grateful for her attention to detail.

I methodically worked my way around the store, taking note of the missing items and their original locations. As I leaned down to inspect a pile of dirt on the floor, I pieced together a profile of our suspect.

"Our perpetrator is likely a child, between the ages of eight and ten, and below average height," I mused aloud. "Judging by the missing items, they have a sweet tooth and live near the river."

John scribbled furiously in his notebook, capturing every detail as I spoke. I turned to Jillian, a knowing look in my eye. "Does this description ring a bell?"

Jillian's eyes widened in recognition, and she nodded. "There's a group of kids who live by the river and are always hanging out near the store. They're always buying candy and snacks."

I nodded, a sense of satisfaction settling over me. "We'll check it out. Thanks, Jillian."

As we left the store, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement. Every case was a new challenge, a new opportunity to bring justice to our town. And with John by my side, I knew we could handle anything that came our way.

***

I woke up in a cold sweat, my mind racing with questions. What was the meaning behind those dreams? They were clearly related to X and Y, but one of them was a vampire - a concept that didn't exist in my world. How did those dreams even appear? Were they events from my fragmented soul's past? I had never experienced such vivid dreams before. Perhaps my body was in some sort of distress, causing our memories to merge together. But what about X and Y? Did they have similar experiences? Did they even sleep?

My thoughts were interrupted by a movement in the corner of my eye. Was that Sun standing over me? I was bewildered as to why he was there. As I began to open my mouth to ask why he was there, he spoke quickly and quietly, interrupting my thoughts.

“How does she know my secret?” Sun asked in a hushed tone.

I rubbed my eyes, trying to clear the sleep from them. "What secret?" I asked groggily. "You mean that you're a Beastmen? I thought everyone knew that."

Sun's eyes widened in surprise. "How do you know?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Um, I’m not an idiot,” I sat up in bed, leaning against the headboard. "You're described as unnaturally strong by the other people in the dueling club," I explained. "And you eat like a ravenous animal. It sounds a lot like a Beastman."

He let out a sigh, “I guess it was silly to think I could stay hidden forever,” and headed towards my open window as though he was going to jump out. Just before he jumped, he turned to me and said, “You were a great friend, Quinn.”