Blood Princess

“What is the meaning of this, Hirano?”

A thick file comes slamming down onto the desk, skidding over to where Shizuka patiently stands. She picks it up and flips through it, even though she already knows what it is.

It’s a damages report – a summary of all the casualties of Research Sector Fifteen; an obscure laboratory on the outskirts of town where research on new methods to combat demons is conducted. Despite being guarded by trained ANGEL operatives, it was raided and destroyed a few nights ago by an unknown force.

“We’re working on it, Sir,” she responds.

The man before her is not to be questioned. He is their absolute leader, the one most suited to the burdening task of keeping everything operating smoothly – James Hector, the head of ANGEL.

“We’ve set up pupil tests around all the major congregations of people, as well as customs and security along the border of the district. If there are any vampires among us, we’ll find them.”

“It’s clearly not working,” Hector growls. “Where’s your resident demon hunter? He of all people would know the area best, including any potential vampire lairs.”

“He’s… missing in action,” Shizuka reluctantly says. “We lost contact with him during the massacre at the mall.”

She can almost hear Hector’s teeth grinding in his head. “I’m sending all operatives from the surrounding regions to help. We need to contain this threat, before it spills out into the public.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Leave now. I will call for you later.”

Shizuka bows and exits the room. As soon as the doors close behind her and she’s a fair distance away, she slams her fist against the wall.

“Damn it…”

She knows her efforts have been fruitless. The vampires have clearly been hiding from them for a long time, and wouldn’t be foolish enough to give themselves away so late in the game.

But why? Why now? Something must have happened.

She takes out her phone and dials a number. It rings for a while, before finally connecting.

“The service you have requested is unavailable-“

She cancels it and almost throws it down in frustration. She can only assume the worst – that Bran Lietmann is dead.

***

“Is there anything else you need?” the nurse asks, after changing Barry’s bandages.

“You,” he winks suggestively.

The woman shoots him a scowl and hastily finishes packing up her equipment.

“Wait! I’m just fooling with ya,” he cries, but jerks in pain as he turns his head too far. He can only sigh as the nurse disappears through the doorway.

He’s incredibly lucky. If it weren’t for ANGEL’s †˜Doctor’, one of the few possessing a Divine Edge with healing properties, his shoulder would’ve been beyond recovery. Hell, if it weren’t for his own quick thinking, he would have died of blood loss.

I survived a fall from the rooftop of the shopping mall.

He still can’t quite wrap his mind around it. Even if it was more like falling from two storeys multiple times, the fact is that he survived. Just thinking about the crimson lance is causing his bandaged shoulder to itch.

Just as Barry’s about to reach for the television remote, the door opens and a big-breasted Asian woman walks in.

“Don’tcha know how to knock?” he grumbles.

Shizuka doesn’t respond and stops next to the big man. The smell of tobacco slowly invades the room.

“Barry. What exactly happened in the mall?” she demands.

“Straight to the point, eh?” he says. “Where’s my †˜Get Well’ present?”

“’Get Well’ present? What do you want?”

Barry smirks. “How about you lemme cop a feel-“

He suddenly groans as a sharp pressure comes down on his injured shoulder.

“H-Hey! Watch it, you friggin’ chink!”

“I’m Japanese, not Chinese.”

“Alright, alright! Calm your tits, I was just foolin’!”

The pressure is lifted from his shoulder and his ragged breathing stabilizes. Barry lets out another sigh.

“There’s a really strong vampire,” he begins. “I fought him on the rooftop. Had a Divine Edge and all – and quite a powerful one too. I could barely keep up with it.”

“Do you know its name?” Shizuka interrogates. “Anything that might give away its identity?”

“A crimson spear,” he replies. “Blood-red armour to match. I dunno how to describe it, but… the aura of his soul felt primeval.”

Something flickers in Shizuka’s eyes, but Barry can’t see from his position on the bed.

“Anything else?”

Barry shakes his head, a movement that causes another twinge of pain in his shoulder. “The bugger impaled me and sent me flying down through the building. I think I passed out after I broke the third floor.”

He sees Shizuka nod out of the corner of his eye. “Thank you for your help, Barry.”

“Call me Baz.”

She stands up and leaves. He’s just about convinced that he’s alone in the room again when he hears her footsteps reverse to stop by the doorway.

“Get well soon, Barry. We need you – or rather, District Fourteen needs you back ASAP.”

***

The door opens on the third knock, and an elderly woman with a kind face peers through. Alice is still too busy looking up at the house to notice. Well, you can’t really blame her – after all, she probably hasn’t seen many country houses like this before, having lived in a city for her whole life.

“Oh, you must be Ashley’s friends!” she exclaims. “Romeo and Juliet, was it?”

“Bran and Alice,” I correct. Where did Romeo and Juliet come from?

“Ah, that’s right,” she murmurs. “Your story reminded me so much of them that I must have subconsciously renamed you in my mind.”

The door widens a little further and an old, balding man appears by the woman’s side. Now that I think about it, I can see features of both Ashley and Leo in their grandparents’ faces.

“Don’t mind her,” he says. “She’s getting a bit forgetful these days.”

“Thank you so much for having us,” I say. “We’re very grateful, uh… Sir? Mr. Bowen?”

“Just call us Bob and Betty,” he smiles. “We don’t really mind. Now are you going to stand there out in the sun, or are you going to come in?”

I bow. “Alright. Pardon the intrusion.”

Grabbing Alice, we step into the old but well-furnished house. I can immediately tell that this structure has withstood many generations, just from the feel and atmosphere of the place. It’s obviously been well taken care of, and will continue to shelter generations to come.

“It’s been so long since we’ve had kids living here,” Betty sighs. “How are Ashley and Leo doing now? The last time I saw them, they were still shorter than me.”

I look at her small figure, slightly shrunken with age. They must have still been in primary school at that height.

“They’ve both grown,” I say, struggling not to add †˜in more ways than one’. “Ashley’s become quite a beauty. As for Leo…”

I feel a chilling glare coming from Alice as I say this, but I’m more concerned about how much of their grandson’s personality I should reveal.

Well, I guess he came through for me in the end.

“…Leo’s doing pretty well too. Studies hard, a good sportsman, popular with the ladies.”

It took all the self-control I could muster to not snort or laugh at the †˜sportsman’ part.

“Betty, I’m going back to the fields,” Bob calls. “Call me if you need anything.”

“Alright, dear.”

He nods at us and heads through the living room towards the back door. Despite being as aged as his spouse, he still possesses a sturdy frame and wiry muscles. It’s the body of a farmer, a man who has been working for almost his whole life. Betty also looks reasonably strong and healthy, but it’s clear who does the majority of the work on the farm. It’s not surprising after all – they both grew up in an age where women were housewives who tended to the children and the home.

“Now, if you’ll just follow me up the stairs, I’ll show you your room.”

My foot almost slips as I take the first step. “Room?”

“I’m afraid all our other rooms are filled up with junk,” Betty sighs. “I keep telling Bob to throw some of his rubbish out, but he’s adamant. I guess a lot of the stuff reminds him of the good old days.”

She stops to give me a wink. “If we kept you two in separate rooms, you’d just sneak out in the middle of the night anyway.”

“Wh-What!? We’d never!”

I turn back to Alice for confirmation, but she keeps quiet.

“Oi! Say something!”

“I need Bran to keep watch over me.”

“Don’t say things that can be misinterpreted!”

My face burns in embarrassment. I’m sure she really just means that in case we get discovered, we’ll have a better fighting chance if we’re together. But did she really have to say it that way?

“Ah, it must be good to be young,” Betty smiles, watching our interaction. “Enjoy it while you can. The longer you’re together, the more you lose that heart-racy feeling. That’s when a lot of couples fall apart.”

I’m about to argue that we’re in no way a †˜couple’ until I remember the whole basis behind them allowing us to stay here.

Of course. So that’s why she was acting like that. Alice only said what she did to keep up the pretense. I’m ashamed that I almost tore down the lie so carefully put in place by letting my irrationality get the better of me.

“We’ll never fall apart,” I firmly say. “I’ll stay with you forever, Alice.”

Alice’s eyes widen. How’s that for pretense? To add to the integrity of my act, I grasp her hand in my own. She doesn’t do anything for a moment – then, I feel a slight squeeze in return.

“Here you are,” Betty says, stopping before an old, faded door. “This used to be where Leo and Ashley stayed, and their mother before them. I’m sure you’ll like it.”

She smiles at the sight of our clasped hands. “There’s a lock on the door too. Just thought I’d let you know.”

With those words, she goes back down the stairs. I can feel my ears burning.

“Alright, let’s get this sorted out,” I say, dropping her hand immediately as soon as Betty leaves our sight.

I gently push open the door and step inside. It’s surprisingly well-maintained – they must regularly clean it up and vacuum it, because there’s almost no dust to be seen. A single bed lies to the side, and there’s a desk next to it with some other pieces of furniture which probably haven’t been used in a while.

“I guess I’ll take the floor,” I mutter.

“The bed looks like it can fit us both,” Alice replies.

“Are you insane?” I cry. “We can’t sleep together! What if-“

“We’re supposed to be a couple, aren’t we? Isn’t that what couples do?”

I freeze mid-sentence.

“They wouldn’t check on us in the middle of the night, would they?”

An uneasy silence floats between us. It’s unlikely, but any unusual sounds in the night could well lead them to do just that. I also have no idea what they’d do if they found out we weren’t in fact lovers, but here for some other reason. We only have one shot at this – we can’t risk things going wrong.

My eyes drift towards the lock on the door.

“Couldn’t we just lock the door? Then they wouldn’t be able to-”

As I say this, I realize locking the door comes with its own problems. There’s no doubt that from any outside perspective, if a door was locked and there was a boy and a girl alone in a room behind that door… only one thing could be happening.

I don’t think I’d be able to face them in the morning if that were to happen.

“We’ll sort this out later,” I growl. “For now, we should unpack what little belongings we have.”

***

The day passes quickly. After lunch, we go back up to our rooms and start planning out what we’ll do. It’s decided that we’ll visit town the next morning in search of work. For now, we take some time to familiarize ourselves with the house and its surroundings.

There’s also the issue of our †˜thirst.’

“Are there any updates on the situation at Ashbrook?” Alice asks, as we stride further away from the farm.

“I’m pretty sure Ashley would contact me if anything happens,” I reply. “For now, we should just focus on the task at hand.”

The house is almost behind us. A few moments later, it completely disappears beneath the horizon.

“Ready?” I ask.

Alice nods, and we both take off.

It’s been a while since I’ve been able to stretch my legs properly. Running at a light pace, we race across the road at the speed of a galloping horse towards the wilderness. Our aim for now is to find a source of non-human blood which we can feed on to last us for the duration of our stay.

“How’s the shoulder, by the way?” I ask, above the roar of the wind.

Alice seems to have healed up fine since the high speed car chase and the massacre, but I’m sure the wound extends beneath skin-level. After all, her broken shoulder was held out of position for quite a while to stop her regeneration – surely, such damage couldn’t have healed so quickly.

“It’s almost done,” she replies, not even losing her breath. “It still hurts a little when I swing my arm, but after tonight it should be completely healed.”

“That’s a relief,” I say, and I mean it. The sooner she’s back to full strength, the sooner we can start thinking about returning to Ashbrook to fight.

We lose ourselves in the rhythm of our feet, and it’s only when the sun is beginning to sink back into the sky that I realize we still haven’t picked up any traces of wildlife.

“We should have waited until night,” I mutter.

“I don’t think that would be a good idea,” Alice replies. “Sneaking out in the middle of the night doesn’t look good no matter how you look at it.”

“True that.”

A few birds are flying off into the distance, the only creatures we’ve seen so far.

“If only we could fly,” I murmur.

“Are you stupid?”

Alice bends down and picks up a rock. In one swift motion, she hurls it into the distance. There’s a thud and one of the dark shapes drops out of the sky. She races off towards it, and from what I can see manages to catch it.

I slowly make my way towards where the bird fell. Alice isn’t wasting any time – she’s already digging in, making sure not to spill a single drop of blood. Seeing her like this reminds me of our first encounter – all that’s missing are the swings and the snow.

“Save some for me,” I call out.

She quickly finishes up and tosses the carcass at me. I catch it, blinking as a few droplets of blood fly into my eye.

“Done?”

She nods and begins to head back. I look at the hole in the bird’s chest where the stone penetrated, and also where Alice pressed her lips against to feed. There’s enough blood left to last for a day or two. I’m not exactly starving for it, but I can’t say I don’t want to drink up.

It’s just…

“Hurry up,” she calls from behind me. “We don’t have all day.”

I wonder… if I drink from this, does it count as an indirect kiss?

“I’m going to leave you behind.”

I quickly press my lips to the wound and drink. Only a kid would get caught up over something like this. The dry feeling in the back of my throat subsides to a slight tingling, and a feeling of satisfaction takes over me.

“Coming!”

***

I’m at the edge of a lake. It’s not an ordinary lake, but a lake of pure red – a lake of blood. The overwhelming smell almost washes my self-control away – but something else stops it.

There are two figures in the middle of the lake. They’re flailing about wildly, struggling to swim in the viscous liquid. I realize that I can move, and begin to wander forward in a mix of hunger and curiousity.

After I’ve taken a few steps, I realize that I know those two figures – quite well, in fact.

Judith and my mother are drowning in the lake of blood.

My mind immediately clears and I rush over to them – but all of a sudden the ground around me explodes, and humanoid figures rise from the ground like zombies. Their blood red eyes tell me that I’m dealing with vampires. I draw Nightfall and fight, cleaving through them left and right in an attempt to reach my family, but each time I strike one down more rise to take their place.

There are too many.

In the distance, I see Shizuka, Barry and more members of ANGEL. They’re just watching me, not doing anything else. Just standing there. I want to cry out for help, but if I break my focus for just a second, I will die.

Each step I take forward, I have to take two back. Each vampire I kill, two more sprout from the ground. I’m fighting an uphill battle.

Then, my mother completely sinks beneath the surface of the pool, leaving only Judith behind.

***

My eyes open, and I find myself staring up at the unfamiliar ceiling of Bob and Betty’s house. My entire body is drenched in sweat, and Nightfall is clenched tightly in my hand. I quickly dismiss it, breathing out a sigh of relief.

It was a dream. Of course it was a dream. Yet, something about it tells me I shouldn’t completely dismiss it yet. After all, isn’t there a saying about dreams representing the deep subconscious?

It’s still the middle of the night, and I’m not thinking clearly. I roll over and am about to close my eyes when something stops me.

Why is Alice sleeping next to me!?

Despite our discussion, I’d decided to sleep on the floor. In fact, when I closed my eyes, she was still on the bed, presumably already asleep.

So, why is she here on the ground with me?

I sigh. Maybe she rolled off.

Climbing to my feet, I air out my soaked nightshirt before grabbing her blankets and draping them over her curled up figure. I freeze for a moment, captivated by her snoozing expression, and swallow. Why do I feel so nervous?
†ƒ
Could it be that I like Alice?

“…Bran…”

I hear her soft voice clearly, and my heart skips a beat. Is she awake? No, she’s still breathing too deeply for that. Does that mean she’s dreaming?

“Bran…”

For some reason, the way she said it made it sound erotic. My mind runs away with possibilities of what she’s seeing behind those closed eyelids.

“…pass the pepper…”

I resist the urge to slap myself and quietly lie down on the bed. If she’s not going to use it, I will.

“Make sure you don’t put too much stress on that shoulder and you should be fine,” the doctor says.

Barry blinks once. “Really?”

“Yes. I have no idea what sort of treatment Raphael’s giving you, but it’s been working.”

He hands over a form for him to sign. Barry flexes his shoulder slowly before scrawling a hasty signature on the slip.

“That’s that then. Take care, and hopefully I won’t see you again.”

He turns and exits the room. Barry remains seated on his hospital bed, his home for the past two weeks. With Raphael, ANGEL’s resident †˜Doctor’ boosting his recovery every day, his muscle and bone had regrown at a drastic rate. He can’t believe he’s been discharged already.

“Thanks for all your help, Kendra!” he cheerfully says to the nurse as she begins to clear the table.

“It was my pleasure. I’m so glad you’ve managed a full recovery.”

Barry smirks. “Got anything planned after your shift?”

“Boy, I’m old enough to be your mother. Go chase skirts elsewhere.”

In the middle of this exchange, the door opens and a young girl strides through. She’s still dressed in school uniform, and her black hair is tied back into a ponytail.

“There you are,” she says. “I’ve been looking all over for you-“

She freezes as her eyes meet Barry’s.

“Judith?” he grunts in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

“You know this person?” the nurse asks.

Judith nods. “He’s a friend of Bran’s.”

“Hold on,” Barry says. “You know each other?”

Kendra and Judith exchange a look.

“I’m her mother,” she finally says.

Barry feels his face heating up. He never would have imagined the nurse he’d been harassing had been his friend’s mother.

“I stopped by the police station again,” Judith says. “They’re still investigating, but it’s pretty clear that they’re prioritizing the recent raids and bombings over his disappearance.”

He’d already heard it from Shizuka. After Bran’s disappearance and Dracula’s return, the vampires had begun terrorizing Ashbrook with attacks aimed at seemingly random locations. Random murders had also begun taking place at night, making the streets unsafe for even grown men. Dracula was waging war with ANGEL, attacking its supply bases and research centres, and petty demons were taking advantage of the District’s missing demon hunter to emerge and join the fray.

Times were changing.

“Damn,” Kendra curses. “I really hope he’s alright…”

“He’ll be right as rain,” Barry cuts in. “I’m sure of it.”

Bran is strong. Barry knows that his fellow demon hunter wouldn’t have died so easily – there’s definitely more going on than meets the eye.

A short silence follows his declaration, before Bran’s mother speaks again.

“What about Alice?”

“Nothing either. At this point, I’m almost certain that she’s with Bran.”

Something scratches at the back of his mind, but he can’t quite put his finger on it so he dismisses it.

“Well, I guess I’m off,” he says. “I’ll leave you two to it. Things to see, people to do - I mean, things to do, people to see.”

He’s already on his feet when Kendra stops him.

“Hang on,” she says, planting an arm on his broad shoulder. “Judith, you’re heading home now, right?”

Bran’s sister nods. “Got nothing else to do. I just dropped by to update you.”

“Walk her home then,” she orders. “And don’t do anything dodgy.”

Barry sighs. It’s not that Judith isn’t attractive – she’s just too pale for his liking.

“Don’t worry ma’am,” he says. “It’s against the bro code to go for a mate’s sis.”

Judith shrugs. “Whatever.”

She swiftly turns on her heel and stalks out through the doorway. Barry scrambles about on the bed, gathering his belongings before rushing after her.

***

Kendra Lietmann wearily wheels the cart down the corridor. There’s never a shortage of work for a nurse like her – with Barry discharged from hospital, her new designated task is to aid her colleagues at the blood donation department. Several clear pouches of blood lie trembling on her trolley, lined up neatly in rows according to type. She is to refrigerate them as soon as possible, where they will later have their plasma components removed and be stored as red blood cells.

She stops in front of the reinforced steel door and swipes her card on the lock, opening it. A blast of steamy cold air billows out, chilling her face.

She shifts her body weight onto the trolley’s handle and wheels it into the cold room. Only a few steps have been taken before she stops in surprise.

Several of the drawers have been pulled open, and their contents removed.

Kendra releases her grip on the cart and heads deeper inside. Every pouch of red blood cells classified under the type †˜O’ is gone. The entire unit has been swept through, not a single one remaining in stark contrast to the other units.

What could have possibly happened here?

A noise draws her attention, and she runs past the shelves towards it. Right there, in the back corner of the freezer, she finds two male nurses with carts similar to hers. Several large boxes are lined along their lengths, and she immediately knows that this is where all the blood has gone.

Before Kendra can cry out, one of them lunges at her and clamps his hand on her mouth while the other moves around her field of view behind her. She desperately struggles, but something hard hits the back of her head and her world fades into nothingness.

***

“Let’s go,” one of the men says. “Before anyone else comes in.”

“Hold on a second.”

Something has caught the other’s eye. He bends down to the fallen nurse’s identification card by her waist, looking at it in interest.

“Kendra Lietmann,” he reads.

“Lietmann? Isn’t he the guy the boss was getting really mad about?”

The man nods. “This could come in handy.”

He rifles through the woman’s clothes and retrieves a purse, placing it into his own pocket.

“What do we do with the body?”

The man shrugs. “We won’t be able to go back to our ordinary lives after this, so it doesn’t really matter. We should just kill her.”

A few moments later, the two male nurses reemerge from the refrigerated room wheeling two carts of sealed boxes. One of them shuts the door, sealing it tightly, before turning the temperature control dial all the way to the right.

***

It’s been several hours since they’ve left the hospital. The journey to Bran’s house consisted mostly of Barry trying to start up a conversation, and Judith killing it with one word answers. It was clear that her mind was elsewhere, so in the end he’d given up and just done his job – escort her safely home.

As he slowly heads back up the road, flexing his stiff shoulder, he wonders what the future will hold. The Fourteenth and Fifteenth districts are now under attack by demons – both vampires and others. He’s already heard from Shizuka – under the command of their new leader, whether willingly or not, the vampires have become a force to be reckoned with. ANGEL has already had to take several steps backwards in terms of their progression in anti-demon warfare, and these victories have begun to inspire previously suppressed parties.

Something needs to be done. No doubt Hector’s working on it, but Barry just wishes he could be on the front lines again, doing something. He was unable to defeat the enemy back at the mall, and as a result all this is happening. His uselessness has done naught but inconvenience ANGEL, forcing them to spread their agents out even more thinly than they already are.

A single snowflake falls from the sky. Several more are behind it, signaling the beginnings of a snowy night. It reminds him of when he first met Bran – they’d teamed up a few winters ago against a family of frost trolls, and he’d single handedly and cold bloodedly slaughtered them all – even the newborns. He didn’t ask for help, and he didn’t show mercy. Despite taking half the reward, Barry had done barely anything. He just couldn’t match the other’s intensity.

Barry lets out a heavy sigh. The Bran he’d met during the shopping centre district had still retained those traits – yet, it felt like something was amiss. There was something not quite right about him, or at least that was what Barry’s gut was telling him. It was almost as if he were in the middle of a metamorphosis.

A large van rumbles past from behind him, covering Barry in a haze of smoke. Coughing, he waves it away from his face and continues to head home. Winter is almost over – Spring is just around the corner.

***

“Thanks for your work today, Max!”

Jordan hands me a sealed envelope – my earnings for today, paid in cash. It was surprisingly easy finding a job around town, even if it wasn’t a particularly great one. At just below the minimum wage, the important factor is that I’m paid in cash, and that it’s enough for Alice and I to get by. At this stage, any interaction with my bank account or anything else for that matter would spell the end for our safety.

†˜Bran Lietmann’ is dead to the world.

I look around the rotting wooden docks, long overdue for a revamp. The train conductor wasn’t lying – the several rusted bollards attest to the number of boats that had once been serviced by the port, long ago. Only one of them is used now – to keep Jordan’s weathered fishing vessel in place while I help him prepare his catches for the market.

“Same time tomorrow then, I guess?” I ask. I swat a fly away from my face – they always come flocking to the smell of fish guts.

Jordan is already busying himself with packing up for the day. Shrugging, I begin strolling towards the streets with my day’s earnings securely in my pocket. As I pass the closing stores, I reach a bakery at the top of the slope where a single girl with shoulder-length fair hair waits for me.

“Bran.”

“I’m Max, remember?” I remind her.

“Ah, that’s right.”

We decided to make up the false names †˜Max’ and †˜Mia’ just to be safe. Alice found work in the bakery with relative ease, and business has been blooming for her store in the short two weeks that we’ve been living in this town. Meanwhile, I had to search for a little longer before Jordan finally offered me a job laboring for his †˜business’.

Working pretty much full time now, we’re earning more than enough money for supplies. I actually have no idea what we’re going to do with the extra money.

It feels like we’re not making much progression, to be honest. I’m only working because I don’t know what else to do with my time. The only link we have with Ashbrook is the news, and even then the only things that get mentions are raids and killings at night. Without Shizuka and ANGEL to feed me information, I’m completely in the dark.

One thing I do know for certain though – things are changing, and not for the better.

“Br – Max, are you hungry?” Alice asks as we head along the path out of town. She has a paper bag in one hand, and the overbearing scent of freshly baked bread is wafting from it. Unable to resist, I reach over and grab a bun.

“Thanks,” I say, sinking my teeth in.

We walk in silence as the afternoon sun steadily continues to sink. I don’t know what to do. Here in Port McAubourne, a world away from Ashbrook, we’re safe.

But isn’t that just the same as running away? Are we just going to spend the rest of our lives here?

“Bran.”

We’re far away from town, so she’s gone back to calling me by my real name.

“How do you know if you like someone?”

“Wh-what?”

I stop in my tracks, but Alice continues to walk.

“Are you retarded?” I cry, flustered. “Surely you’d know out of pure instinct?”

The distance between us is steadily increasing. I hasten my footsteps to keep up with her.

“I guess… it just means you can’t stop thinking about them,” I finally mutter. “You want to be with them… maybe hold their hand, do stuff together…”

My voice trails off. For some reason, I feel really uncomfortable. I’m glad she’s in front of me and can’t see my face.

“Huh. I see…”

It’s not long before she speaks again. “Can I ask you something else?”

“What is it this time?” I ask, preparing myself.

“Are we ever going to go back home?”

With that, I’m thrown back into my previous state of thinking.

That’s right. We don’t really belong here, do we?

She read my mind. I’ve been mulling over it day and night over these fourteen days – is there even a reason not to go back? Alice is pretty much at full strength now. If we were to fight Dracula, it would be now or never.

“…We can’t,” I mutter. “Dracula wants you. If you go, you’ll be walking right into his grasp.”

Alice is quiet for a while. The sounds of nature are only interrupted by our footsteps.

“I guess you’re right,” she finally says. “Living here isn’t so bad after all. It’s not as lonely if it’s with you.”

Is it really okay though?

It’s not. I know it isn’t.

Yet, the idea of living out here in the countryside, peacefully… spending the rest of my days with Alice… isn’t such a bad one. But just because it’s an appealing idea doesn’t mean it’s the right choice.

I need to protect Alice, but is this really the way to do it?

***

The phone call comes later that evening, when Bob and Betty are out running errands. We’re eating a hastily prepared vegetarian dish in front of the old television when my ringtone goes off, the name †˜Ashley’ displayed as the caller.

I exchange a glance with Alice and answer it. Something must be up, or she wouldn’t call me.

“Hello? Bran?” Ashley’s hushed voice reaches my ears.

“It’s me,” I greet.

“Turn on the TV. Channel Seven.”

A feeling of apprehension suddenly takes over me. Something in her tone tells me I won’t like what I see.

I grab the remote and press the small round button with the number †˜seven’ on it. The television blinks and switches to a scene of a hospital, one that I’d know anywhere.

It’s Ashbrook hospital, where Mum works.

“- was robbed of several blood samples sometime in the early hours of the evening. The body of Kendra Lietmann, a local nurse working at the hospital was found dead at the scene of the crime, frozen to death inside the freezer.”

A chill runs up my spine as I subconsciously move closer to the screen.

Kendra Lietmann. My mother.

The camera pans over to the freezer in question, police in insulating gear crawling all over the place. The door was apparently locked from outside, and the temperature set fatally low. She hadn’t stood a chance.

“ – are now investigating the matter, and whether or not it is linked to the recent raids across Ashbrook. It is worthy to note that the only samples of blood that were taken were O type samples -“

I’m gripping my phone so hard I’m worried I might crush it.

“Bran! Bran, are you alright?”

Ashley’s voice calls out from the speaker. I feel something take hold of my hand and realize it’s Alice. There’s a fierce, yet comforting gaze in her eyes.

“Ashley…”

“That’s not the end of it. Keep watching.”

I shut my mouth and continue to watch, completely mesmerized by the screen. The story goes on, but I miss all the details.

Mum is dead.

Mum. My mother, the woman who brought me into this world, my own flesh and blood… is dead.

“- and now, on to other news… the daughter of the deceased Kendra Lietmann, Judith Lietmann, has gone missing-“

My world stops.

“ – last seen –“

“ – appeared to have been taken from her home by force –“

Judith…

“ – it is unknown if these two incidents are linked –“

My sister…

“With the entire Lietmann family missing, it wouldn’t be a long shot to say that they could be involved in these recent bouts of terrorism –“

…is missing.

“ – will update us on any future developments –“

Mum is dead, and Judith is missing.

Mum is dead. Judith… is missing.

“Bran! Bran…!”

I only just realized that Ashley has been shouting my name this entire time.

“Bran, are you alright?”

“Who… Who did this?” I growl.

“I… I don’t know. I saw it on the news, and immediately called you.”

“This can’t be happening…”

It doesn’t feel like it’s real. It hasn’t sunk in yet.

“Bran…” Alice looks at me with calm and collected eyes. “Keep calm.”

“No…”

“Bran!”

She grabs me by the shoulders and shakes me. I try to push her off, but she holds on tight and shoves me to the ground. My phone falls to the floor as we go tumbling in a heap.

“Let me go,” I snarl. “I’m gonna kill them!”

“BRAN!”

She straddles me and pins my arms down with monstrous strength. Her eyes flare red from behind her contact lenses, and she bares her teeth.

“You won’t gain anything by losing your temper now. What’s done is done – don’t jump in without thinking things through.”

“It was Dracula… I bet it was him…”

“Even if it was, charging all the way back to Ashbrook without a plan would be suicide.”

She continues to stare into me, restraining me completely from her position. My breathing slowly stalls, and I look away.

“…Bran, are you alright?” Ashley’s voice repeats from the floor next to us. I have no idea how many times she’s asked that already.

“Ye-yeah,” I shakily reply.

“I’ll go over tomorrow and try and get as much information as possible. Don’t do anything rash-“

Her voice suddenly breaks off as the phone begins to vibrate again. Someone else is calling.

The caller is Judith.

I look at Alice and finally shake her off.

“I’ll get back to you,” I mutter to Ashley, before hanging up.

A take a deep breath and answer Judith’s call, putting it on speaker mode so we can both hear.

“H-Hello? Is that you Bran?”

Judith’s voice comes through. It’s her, no doubt. A feeling of relief washes through me.

“Judith!” I almost scream into the phone. “Where are you-“

Her voice suddenly breaks off into a groan of pain, before another voice takes over.

“Glad to see you’re finally picking up, Mr. Lietmann.”

It’s a male voice – one I’ve heard before.

The voice of Vladimir Dracula.

“What do you want?” I ask, dangerously quiet.

“Oh, I’m sure you already know. Put Alice on the line, please.”

“She’s not with me –“

Our conversation is broken by the sound of Judith screaming in pain.

“Alright! Hold on,” I cry.

“I’m glad we’re on the same page here.”

I look at Alice, who gives me a nod.

“I’m here,” she speaks into the phone.

“Alice, my dear. How are you? Is Bran treating you well?”

She pauses before replying. “Yes.”

“I miss you, darling. I don’t suppose you’d come back to me, would you?”

“…I would never.”

Dracula sighs. “Let me speak to Bran again.”

I twist the phone back towards me. “What do you want with me?”

“Haven’t you realized by now? You’re dumber than I thought you were.”

“Don’t listen to him-” Judith screams in the background, before breaking into a cry of pain again.

“You’ve abducted my bride, so I’m abducting your beloved sister,” Dracula coolly says over the phone. “I’m sure you don’t want what happened to your mother to happen to her, do you?”

“You motherfucker…” I swear. “You’re the one who killed her?”

“Well, not me personally. She accidentally came across us as we were raiding the hospital’s blood supply, and unfortunately paid for it with her life… but not after my men picked up some interesting information. Like the fact that she was your mother, as well as your address among other things.”

“You…!”

“But that’s beside the point. It was unintentional, after all.”

“Fuck… You bastard…”

It feels like my vocabulary has been cut down to just a few words.

“I propose a deal, Mr. Lietmann. You haul your sorry behind back to Ashbrook with Alice, hand her over to her rightful owner, and I’ll give you back your sister. I will give you until noon tomorrow to decide – ring your dear sister’s phone to contact me. And I’m sure you know what will happen if you refuse.”

Before I can say anything, the line cuts short.

“Wait!” I scream, but only silence replies.

I stare at my mobile phone in shock as the seconds tick past. Then, I slowly turn my eyes towards Alice.

“I’m sorry,” she says.

I say nothing.

“We’ll leave tomorrow morning. I’m so sorry you got caught up in all this-“

“No.”

I stop her attempt to leave.

“You’re not leaving. There has to be another way.”

I glance at the clock. Bob and Betty should be coming home soon.

“We’re going to sit down and think this through,” I say. “Something tells me it might not be so easy getting my sister back.”

Alice glances at where I’m grabbing onto her arm. Realizing that I’m hurting her, I let go. The imprints of my fingers in her skin slowly begin to heal.

“I… I won’t let it end like this.”

There’s a rustling of sheets next to me.

“You’re still up?”

Alice looks down over the edge of the bed with bleary eyes. I’m hunched over sitting with my back against the frame, my crumpled sheets abandoned in a heap on my sleeping mat.

“Go back to sleep.”

“You should too. We can think more in the morning.”

There’s no time for that! There’s less than half a day left…

“Just leave me alone,” I mutter quietly.

There’s a brief silence. I listen to the ticking of the clock in the darkness of our room, slowly counting down the seconds until I have to ring Dracula with my answer.

“If you can’t find an answer, I’ll just turn myself in. This is my battle, after all. It has nothing to do with you.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, Alice. It has everything to do with me.”

“I’ll make sure your sister is safe before I hand myself over-“

“No. I won’t settle for that. That bastard killed my mother, I’m not going to let him win. Even if I die trying.”

I hear another rustling of sheets before a soft hand rests itself on my head. A comforting feeling takes over me as my head is patted, as if I were a small boy.

“She’s gone,” Alice quietly says. “The best you can hope for now is to save Judith. Dracula was the first Blood Lord, trying to fight him by yourself would be suicide.”

She continues to pat my head. “I’ll take full responsibility, so don’t worry. I’ll get your sister back.”

I can feel my tired eyes beginning to close, if only for an instant. Then I remember what must happen if I follow Alice’s suggestion.

“That’s not going to happen,” I growl, pushing her hand away from my head. “I’m not going to hand you over. You’re just as important to me as my sister. I’ll save you both, I swear it.”

Before I know it, the words have left my mouth. I don’t know if it’s because of my weariness or a build-up of stress, but I can’t stop myself.

“You’re mine, Alice. And I don’t like sharing.”

The moment I say those words, I immediately regret it. Alice is strong – she doesn’t need anyone to protect her. How is she going to react to this? It’s a shock for me as well – I’d been uncertain at the start of our time here, but over the days that uncertainty had solidified without my knowing.

It’s official, and I can’t deny it anymore.

I have feelings for Alice Vancratt.

I anxiously await her response with bated breath. The clock ticks on for such a long time I wonder if she’s fallen asleep.

“…idiot.”

She says it in such a quiet and muffled voice that it’s almost drowned out by sound of the clock. I keep my head rooted in place, worried at what I’ll see if I turn around.

“You idiot…”

It sounds like she’s mumbling into her pillow. I wonder what sort of expression she’s making.

“I’m the one who saved you. You belong to me, not the other way around.”

My heart stops in its tracks.

“I saved you too,” I say, my voice shaking a little. “I guess that means we’re even, huh.”

I hear the rustling of sheets and the creaking of mattress springs as Alice sits up. Keeping my eyes firmly fixed ahead I hear her sit down beside me, wrapping the sheets around us both. Her warm body sidles right against my own and she rests her head on my shoulder.

“I’ll stay up with you,” she sleepily says.

I remain as still as a stone, not daring to move. It’s not long before I hear Alice’s breathing settle down, and a quick look out of the corner of my eye reveals that she’s fallen asleep.

The adrenaline of the day finally runs out, and a sudden tiredness I’ve never felt before takes over me. Still thinking over the problem in my mind, my eyes slowly close and my form relaxes as I too drift off.

***

“Thank you all for coming here. Now please, take a seat and we can get started.”

Hector waves his arms, gesturing for the five people gathered by the doorway to sit. ANGEL’s †˜meeting room’ resembles something out of a science fiction movie – completely dark, aside from the luminescent screens and fluorescent lights. Behind Hector’s seat is a large display panel, currently showing a map of Ashbrook and its surroundings. The map has been divided into what looks like several slabs of land, such that it resembles a large jigsaw puzzle.

The five men and women take a seat at various places around the table. It’s clear that the room was made for more than just the five called in today.

“In case you haven’t heard, the threat in District Fifteen has been steadily escalating,” ANGEL’s director begins. “After the shopping centre incident, one of our demon hunters was crippled while the other has currently gone off the radar.”

He looks around and makes eye contact with each of the individuals called in, consisting of District Fifteen’s director, Shizuka Hirano and the surrounding four regions.

“Most of the time our Districts operate independently of each other… but in rare cases like this, we must draw aid from our allies to suppress a great evil. Shizuka, if you’d like to start off by listing our losses, please.”

Hector sits down and motions to his left. District Fifteen’s director stands up and speaks in a clear voice.

“In the past two weeks, three of our underground research facilities have been pillaged and rendered unusable. One bank has been robbed of several hundred thousand dollars, and two hospitals have been pilfered for blood.”

“Vampires?” one of the men asks.

Shizuka nods. “In addition to this, it goes without saying that many of our agents have lost their lives in the line of duty. The success of these demons is beginning to cause small uprisings around the city, and previously suppressed demons are becoming bolder in their actions. If we don’t do something soon, another war between humans and demons could break out.”

“What exactly happened during the shopping centre incident?” another man asks. “What triggered it all?”

“We’re still uncertain, but the demon hunter in charge of my district was involved in the incident first hand and I’ve obtained some valuable information from him.”

Shizuka sits down and allows the Director of the Fourteenth District to take over.

“Barry Solas was one of the two demon hunters caught in the building,” the woman begins. “He claims that the feral vampires were fed illicit drugs to drive them insane, before being released into the building. Meeting up with Bran Lietmann of Ms. Hirano’s district, they split up and cleared the building from top to bottom. Solas fought his way to the rooftop, where he encountered who he believes to be the instigator behind this madness – an ancient vampire, clad in crimson armour wielding a Divine Edge in the form of an extendable spear.”

“An extendable spear?” a voice questions. A few quiet murmurs rustle around the table.

“Following that description, one particular entity comes to mind,” Hector speaks. “Vladimir Dracula III, the Impaler, the First Blood Lord and the Prince of Wallachia.”

The murmurs break out into full-fledged argument.

“That’s impossible!”

“He disappeared over five hundred years ago…”

“Why would he be here of all places?”

Hector slams the table. “Silence, please.”

“Surely you don’t believe this, Sir?” one of the men asks. “Never in all my years have I encountered an Original Demon…”

“Archangel Raphael, just because you have not seen something doesn’t mean it is true.”

The grey-haired man, Raphael, closes his mouth and begins to stroke his beard, deep in thought.

“The more you think about it, the more sense it makes that our enemy is indeed the first vampire. The vampires are too organized to be carrying out these acts of terror; they must be under the control of a Blood Lord. It would make sense if Dracula returned and reclaimed his title from whoever was leading the clan prior.”

“He impaled Solas from the rooftop and pierced through the entire complex,” the director of the Fourteenth District continues. “All seven floors. Solas barely survived by the skin of his teeth.”

The man named Raphael nods in silent agreement. “Perhaps I was a bit too hasty in my judgement.”

The other directors cease their indignant complaints. Raphael is clearly a revered and respected character amongst ANGEL.

“The question is… why?”

“The motive is indeed important,” Hector takes over. “But the fact remains – the demons are rising, and winning their skirmishes with us. No matter what the motive, we must lure out their leader and stop them.”

The five directors break into discussion again, with one of the raising a hand.

“If I might ask, Ms. Hirano,” he directs his question. “Wasn’t your district’s hunter involved in another incident on the news recently?”

“Not him,” she replies. “His family. The mother was killed during one of the raids, and the sister has gone missing.”

“Missing?”

The entire attention of the table has shifted back to the director of the Fifteenth District.

“Most likely abducted,” Hector says. “There’s no denying that Mr. Lietmann is neck-deep in this mess of ours. In fact, I would even go as far as to say that he is the missing piece of the puzzle.”

“Abducted,” Raphael says. “Could it be that they’re trying to draw him out? He went missing too, didn’t he?”

Shizuka nods. “I haven’t been able to reach him ever since the massacre.”

And then, right in the middle of the meeting, a ringtone blares to life. Five heads turn towards Shizuka, where the noise is coming from.

“Really?” Hector sighs. “This had better be important. I thought I made it a rule for phones to be turned off during these meetings.”

“Sorry,” Shizuka mumbles, pulling out her phone.

Caller: Bran Lietmann.

She almost drops it out of surprise. Slowly turning it so the other members of ANGEL can see, she answers it.

***

It was past 11 am, and we hadn’t managed to think of anything. One hour until I was to make a decision and answer Dracula’s ultimatum. That was why I’d been forced into my last resort –

To seek help from ANGEL.

We’d been through all the other options. There was no way we could face Dracula and the entire Vancratt clan by ourselves. That only left one option.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Alice asks. “If they find out you’ve become a demon… you could be even worse off that you already were.”

“So be it,” I grimly reply. “If they found out about you, you could become my next target. I’d have to leave them either way, so I might as well sort things out now.”

The events of last night are still fresh in my mind, but we both act as if it had never happened. There are more important things at stake.

“Relax,” I smile reassuringly. “Shizuka’s good. When I lay it out in front of her, she’ll see the benefits. It’s practically a win-win situation; all I need is for them to realize that not all demons are bad.”

“That’s practically a given,” Alice replies, still uncertain. “Don’t you think they’d have realized that long ago? The fact that they’re still hunting us means it won’t be that easy…”

“It’s the only chance we’ve got,” I shrug, feeling surprisingly confident. “And frankly, siding with their enemy is the only chance they’ve got.”

According to Alice, nothing short of an Archangel or two would be able to stop Dracula. One of the Archangels resides in District Seventeen, but he’s primarily a healer. By the time we draw two in from where they’re scattered around the country, the damage done could be irreparable.

What do we do if we don’t have ANGEL’s top seven Divine Edge users at our disposal? People whose souls are practically bordering on the edge of divinity itself?

We send demons to fight.

By myself, I wouldn’t stand a chance – but if there were an Archdemon status, I’m sure we’d come close if we put our strengths together. With ANGEL’s support, it might just give us that edge we need to defeat Dracula. At least, that’s how I hope Hector’s decision-making process will go, because ultimately he’s going to be the one giving the final thumbs up.

Shizuka answers on the third ring.

“Bran?” she asks tentatively.

I suck in a deep breath, looking to Alice for support.

“It’s me.”

And I make my request.

***

Shizuka is frozen. She can’t move.

Bran… her subordinate, her close friend, her comrade…

…is a demon.

The room around her is equally shocked as they listen in on the conversation, her phone set to speaker by Hector’s request.

“Dracula… wants to secure an heir with this †˜Alice’,” he breathes. “It’s beginning to make sense now.”

“Please,” Bran’s voice begs on the other side of the phone. “Lend us your help. I’m still me, the same me you’ve known all these years. The fact that we’re vampires shouldn’t mean anything at all.”

“Why should we believe you?” one of the directors asks. “You’re demons, just like Dracula. Can’t he just mind control you and turn you against us?”

“It doesn’t work like that,” the girl, presumably Alice, replies. “I share the same blood as Dracula, and Bran shares the same blood as me. The Blood Lord can’t command those who share his blood, which is why it’s so important for him to obtain me. If I get put through the Ritual, I’ll become his forever – you would have lost a powerful ally, and he would have eliminated his only major threat amongst us vampires.”

“Enlisting the aid of vampires,” Raphael muses. “An interesting idea. A controversial one too.”

“Surely you can’t be serious?” the man cries. “We’re an anti-demon organization for crying out loud. You can’t possibly be considering this, Sir…”

Bran is a half-vampire. Shizuka is still trying to wrap her head around the fact. What shocks her just as much is that he’s asking her for help.

Bran. Co-operation.

The two don’t mix.

“Things have taken an interesting turn indeed,” Hector mutters.

“We should just negotiate with Dracula and hand the girl over,” another man says. “Surely once he has what he wants, he’ll leave us alone?”

“You’re an idiot if you think that’ll end things,” Shizuka snarls, to which she’s met with a glare. “Once Dracula secures an heir and takes out his threats, he’ll begin making bolder moves. If he gets his hands on the girl, that’s a massive victory for the vampires. And who’s to say he won’t continue his attacks on us after we hand her over?”

“The vampires aren’t willingly working with them,” Alice’s voice cries from the phone. “I swear it. My father was their leader, he knew we wouldn’t stand a chance against humans in an all-out war. He resigned to his fate, and resolved to allow us to co-exist peacefully with humanity. They’re only working with them because of the Blood Lord’s command.”

“You expect me to believe a whole den of vampires has been hiding in the heart of the city for all this time, feeding on animals and whatnot?”

“Where else would they have all come from?” Hector shoots back. “We locked down the city. The only way a vampire could have gotten in is if they were there from the start.”

“It also explains why we have such low homelessness rates,” Raphael adds in, an amused look still on his face. “Quite ingenious, really. That vampires could have been living with us symbiotically for so long. Your father really was something, Alice.”

The director, having his arguments deconstructed before his eyes, falls silent.

“Well, we have all the facts now,” Shizuka says. “I guess it’s all down to you, Sir.”

All eyes turn to Hector. A silence settles, so soundless that even Bran and Alice’s breathing on the other side of the line can be heard.

“The prodigious daughter of a Blood Lord and a half-vampire demon hunter,” he ponders. “Enlisting the aid of our sworn enemies to defeat a greater evil.”

The audience of five watches on, waiting for his verdict.

“Two sayings come to mind,” Hector continues, his grey eyes twinkling. “We fight fire with fire. Mr. Lietmann is correct, in that by the time we call in another Archangel it could be too late. Ashbrook as we know it could be completely overrun, and demons could make their debut to the world.”

“There’s also another saying,” one of the men, opposed to the idea from the start, rebuts. “If you play with fire, it burns you.”

“Is that even a saying?” Bran mutters from the phone.

“I accept your offer to forge a temporary alliance,” Hector declares, his firm voice booming across the room. “As the saying goes… the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Bran and Alice… we will lend you our arms.”

There’s a brief pause, and two audible sighs of relief from the phone.

“What’s the time?” Raphael asks. “We must have spent quite some time discussing this.”

“This isn’t good,” Bran’s voice replies from the phone. “We’ve got half an hour left before I have to call Dracula.”

“That’s plenty of time to forge a plan,” Hector smirks. “A lot can happen in thirty minutes.”

“Thank you so much for letting us stay,” Alice and I bow. Bob and Betty have walked us to the edge of the road, asking surprisingly few questions about our sudden departure.

“Any friend of our grandchildren is a friend of ours,” Betty smiles. “You may not have been here for long, but we’ll remember you. You’re welcome to come back any time.”

“I’m glad you’ve sorted out those issues back home,” Bob continues. “It’s not good to run away. Real men have to face their fears sooner or later.”

I tip my head again. “We’re really grateful for your help. This isn’t much, but please take it.”

Alice and I hand over a small envelope, containing the leftover money earned during our brief two week stay at the town. If I had more time, I would have told Jordan earlier – but as it is now, I hope my voicemail will be enough. I know for sure Alice’s employer won’t be pleased that she’s leaving.

Bob takes the envelope and looks inside. “Are you sure you don’t need this? There’s a surprisingly large amount inside.”

“It’s fine,” I reassure them. “We weren’t really working for the money. Think of it as rent for our time here.”

“Even so…”

“Take it,” I repeat. “We’ve got no use for it anyway.”

If the plan fails, all the money in the world wouldn’t be able to help us.

“Very well. Thank you,” Bob nods.

Alice and I shake hands with the elderly couple.

“Have a safe trip, you two,” Betty smiles. “Here’s something I made you for the trip.”

She hands us a paper bag. The delicious scent of freshly baked cookies drifts from it. I take it and thank them one more time.

“Good luck, you two. Maybe you can come back and visit sometime, with Leo and Ashley!”

“I’ll let them know,” I wave.

Then, we turn our backs towards the farm and begin the long walk to the bus stop.

***

“Looking for a light?”

Shizuka fumbles around with her cigarette as District Fourteen’s director appears beside her. Bran’s phone call had completely riled and uprooted the meeting – but in a good way. The gears were finally in place – things were finally moving.

“Yeah, that would be great.”

The amount of things which could go wrong with their hastily cooked plan was depressingly high, but that didn’t seem to faze Hector. In contrast, his eyes had been sparkling like a child in a toy store the whole way through. If Shizuka had been in his place, she would have doubted herself every single step of the way.

Realistically speaking, the chances that they’d succeed were drastically low – yet she’d never heard Bran so determined in her life. There was definitely something different about him, outside of the fact that he was now part demon.

For one, Bran had asked her for help.

“Here.”

She’s snapped out of her thoughts by the lighter thrust in front of her. Taking it with a †˜thanks’, she proceeds to spark a small flame along its tip, bringing it towards her cigarette.

Just before the naked flame catches on, she stops. Her colleague tilts her head in puzzlement.

“Actually, I don’t think I’ll need this,” she says, handing the lighter back.

If Bran can change, so can she. It feels like she’ll be left behind if she doesn’t.

Shizuka replaces the cigarette in her pocket and heads back into the building. After all, there are still things to do – Bran is counting on her.

***

A black car with tinted windows is waiting for us as soon as we step off the train. It’s been almost six hours since I called to negotiate with Dracula, and night is already upon us.

“Inside,” the driver says while holding the door open.

I let Alice climb in first before I do the same. Due to the increased security around the city several public transport routes have been closed off, so we’ll have to travel the rest of the way by car. The vehicle leaves its position on the kerb and begins driving through the streets, before turning onto the highway.

Even though it’s only been two weeks, it feels like this is the first time setting foot inside an urban setting in my life. The amount of people, lights and high-rise buildings overwhelms me. I vaguely recall spending some time here during a school excursion, when someone else took over my duties for the week.

“How long will it take to get back?” I ask the single driver.

“Not too long. Take a nap, I’ll wake you up when we arrive.”

I gladly oblige, resting my head against the side of the window. Within moments, I’ve fallen asleep counting the streetlamps passing by my window.

***

“I’ll accept your offer.”

Bob and Betty are in the fields. Alice and I are alone in our room, the door tightly shut.

“Wise decision,” Dracula speaks from the other end of the line. “Now-“

“But only under one condition. I get to decide on the details of the exchange.”

I hold my breath, waiting for the other to respond. There are a few moments of silence, before he begins to chuckle. The sound sends a chill up my spine.

“Planning something, are we? Well, I’ll listen to your proposal first. It would be rude not to, after all.”

“Is Judith alright?” I ask. “I need to confirm that she’s still unharmed.”

“Well, I never said I wouldn’t harm her,” I hear Dracula reply. “But rest assured, it’s nothing a few days of rest won’t fix. Her body heals surprisingly quickly – but I can’t say the same for her mind.”

I feel a surge of anger run through me, but Alice’s firm grip on my shoulder calms me down.

“The exchange will take place at Fifth Hill High School in Ashbrook, tomorrow at midnight. I don’t want anyone to get hurt.”

“The school is a big place,” Dracula replies. “Anywhere in particular?”

“The corridor on the top floor,” I reply. “I’ll wait with Alice on the east end, and you wait with Judith on the west. We’ll let them walk over to the other side by themselves.”

“And Alice has agreed to do this?”

“Yes,” I say. “And one more thing – come alone.”

“You don’t have to worry about my men. I’ll keep them on standby, just in case you try anything-“

“Come alone,” I repeat. “I don’t want to draw too much attention. If ANGEL gets involved, it could be bad for both you and me. You wouldn’t want them to accidentally kill Alice, would you?”

There’s a brief pause on the other side of the line.

“That’s right, I’d forgotten. Your organization has turned its back on you, hasn’t it? Maybe you should consider joining me. I’m sure I’d be able to find a suitable position for you in our new order.”

I resist the temptation to crush the phone in my hand.

“I’ll pass,” I say. “I just want my sister back. Midnight, tomorrow. We’ll both come alone, and settle things there. I want as little attention drawn to this as possible, and I want to get it over and done with as quickly as possible.”

“Very well then. I’ll accept your terms and conditions,” Dracula laughs. “Not that you’d be able to defeat me anyway. However, I have one final request that you must fulfil.”

“What’s that?” I ask.

“I want you to blindfold and bind Alice. I don’t want her getting second thoughts and running off somewhere during the exchange.”

I clench my jaw and look at Alice, who gives me a firm nod.

“That’s going to be hard,” I say. “Nothing short of steel chains would keep her restrained.”

“Then use steel chains. Or would you rather I refuse your conditions and make my own? Let’s not forget who’s in charge here.”

There’s a whipping sound and I hear a scream of pain that’s unmistakably Judith’s.

“Fine!” I shout. “I’ll do it. Just… stop hurting her, okay?”

“Good to see we’ve sorted that out. I’ll see you tomorrow then – don’t be late.”

***

We’re home.

The car pulls up in front of a tall building – one of the many hotels around Ashbrook’s business district. It’s been a few hours since nightfall, and the city is beginning to settle down.

“It’s still snowing, huh,” I mutter.

Beside me, Alice wraps the patched up jacket that was once mine more tightly around her.

“It’s starting to get warmer,” the driver says, closing the doors. “Not long before the flowers start blooming again.”

“Is this where we’ll be staying tonight?” I ask.

He nods. “I’ll give you the key in a second. You guys just rest up, we’re taking care of everything else.”

He heads back into the car and drives it around to the back. I take in my surroundings, looking off into the direction where my house would be. The house that’s now empty.

“It feels… strange, doesn’t it?” Alice murmurs to herself.

“Yeah,” I reply. “After all, tonight could potentially be our last night on earth.”

“We’ll make it.”

Above us, the snow continues to softly drift down. There’s nothing to do while we wait for ANGEL’s operative, so we take a seat by the ledge outside the hotel. A feeling of déjà vu takes over me – it wasn’t so long ago when it’d been Dad instead of Mum who had departed, and Judith had been bedridden in hospital. I recall a similar sense of loss, of aimlessness, even finality. That was when I’d first encountered a demon, and when Nightfall had come to me.

Now that I think about it, that incident had been the moment Judith had left her childhood behind. By the time she emerged from her coma, she’d completely changed. There was a maturity in her eyes that wasn’t there before, and her innocence and naivety had disappeared. She’d lost her appetite for meat, and couldn’t stand the sight of blood and gore. She’d left her childhood behind only seven years into her life.

I don’t want that to happen a second time.

Unlike the despair I’d felt eight years ago, this time I feel hope. I have Alice beside me this time. I have the aid of a Divine Edge. I have ANGEL behind me. Although there are two people who I must protect now, I have the power to protect them both.

“I wonder how that baby’s doing.”

She throws the comment from out of the blue.

“Baby?”

“You know the feral vampire who we defeated together? Her child?”

“Oh.”

The memory returns to my mind. Thinking about it now, it was a major turning point for me.

“Well…” I hesitate, unsure whether or not to speak.

Alice suddenly backs away from me. “Don’t tell me you…”

“No. I didn’t kill it.”

I raise my hands in denial. She gives me a searching look, not convinced. “Why are you so edgy then?”

I let out a sigh. “Well… to tell the truth…”

I didn’t kill the baby vampire – but I didn’t exactly just let it go either.

After I’d flipped the coin, it had landed on heads – in other words, I was to kill it. But even after I’d resolved to leave everything to chance… I didn’t do it. In fact, I spent another hour just trying to decide what to do. The more I looked at the baby, the more I realized that it wasn’t so different to my own situation after all. It was doing no wrong by existing. It had yet to learn what was right and wrong in the world – it was still innocent. Just as the demons had killed my father, I’d killed this child’s mother.

Are all humans born good or evil?

They aren’t. It’s the decisions they make in life which determine this. Following my line of logic, wouldn’t killing human babies be the exact same as killing demon ones? I could be protecting society from a potential serial killer, robber or rapist – yet why is it wrong to apply this line of thinking to ourselves?

That was why I’d taken the child to the church and left it right on their doorstep. To the defense of whoever was unlucky enough to encounter it, I left a note detailing its full nature including what to watch out for, what to feed it, and any other important details. If the baby was lucky, it could find a caring family who would support it and raise it to fit in with society, keeping its true nature a secret. If worse came to worse and ANGEL got its hands on it, it would suffer the same fate as if I’d just left it in the wild. And if the note was dismissed as the ramblings of a madman, leading the vampire to succumb to its instinct… that was what demon hunters were for.

By the time I’d finally trekked back to Shizuka’s place, I’d felt like the living dead. But what else could I do?

Alice is shaking her head after I recount all this to her.

“Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?” she questions.

“You never asked,” I shrug.

She exhales sharply – but I can tell she’s happy. She’s not making any attempts to hide it.

Becoming a vampire really was the worst thing to happen to my life. It was so much easier back when there was only one rule: kill all demons.

We both stand up as ANGEL’s driver approaches us from around the corner, having parked his car, and motions for us to follow.

“Come on,” he says. “It’s getting late. You need to be well-rested for tomorrow.”

Relieved at the diversion, I eagerly stand up and head towards the sliding doors – but not before Alice flashes me a heart-warming smile, one which melts my chest.

***

There’s no clock this time to keep me awake, yet I still can’t fall asleep. In fact, the lack of sound makes the silence seem even more overbearing and stifling. I concentrate on sound of my breathing, and Alice’s beside me.

The hotel room is quite a luxurious one, not that we had much time to examine it. We’ll be needing as much rest as we can get – in fact, the only thing I did before collapsing onto the bed was take a shower.

However, despite the weariness of the day, I’m now wide awake and alert under the sheets. The more I think, the less sleepy I become. It’s only a matter of time before I start shifting around, trying to find a more comfortable sleeping position.

“Are you still awake?”

I hear her voice clearly from beside me and turn to face her. Strands of damp blonde hair fall across her white skin, but do nothing to distract me from the captivating red of her eyes. She’s been wearing contacts for so long I’ve forgotten the true colour of her eyes is that of blood – although to be fair, she’d be beautiful with eyes of any colour.

“Sorry. Did I wake you?” I blurt, trying to think of something to say.

“No. I can’t sleep either.”

I let out a heavy sigh and resume staring at the ceiling. “It’s been a wild ride, huh.”

“It’s not over yet.”

I nod in the darkness. “Although I feel like even if it were to end tomorrow, I would be able to die with no regrets.”

“Are you sure about that?”

I questioningly look at her, but she rolls over and I end up talking to the back of her head.

“Are you sure there’s nothing you want to do, nothing that you’ll regret?”

The atmosphere has suddenly changed. Feeling hot all of a sudden, I stammer a response. “Wh-what do you mean?”

Alice wriggles around and burrows under the covers. I feel her grab onto my hand.

“Do you love me?”

The question catches me off guard, and I struggle to speak.

“Was everything you said back then… was it true? I want to hear you say it,” she reiterates.

Despite being the one making the demands, her muffled voice is surprisingly timid.

“H-hang on,” I start, relieved I don’t have to look directly at her. “There’s no need to-“

Squeeze.

I almost yelp as her grip tightens. Still under the covers, I feel her body warmth press against my chest. Just the thought that only two thin layers of cloth separate our naked bodies sets my body ablaze. My heart thumps loudly in my ears, so loudly I’m worried they might burst.

I lie frozen in position. Alice doesn’t say anything or do anything more, but just the feeling of her pressed against me is causing my body to react.

“Yeah,” I finally say.

She doesn’t respond, but her grip on my hand loosens a bit.

“You were a little scary and overbearing when I first met you,” I continue. “And you seemed so distant and aloof – I was always wondering why you were like that. Because you saved me, I sort of felt a need to at least understand you.”

Alice quietly listens to me, still buried under the sheets. As I talk, I feel my focus returning to me. I’m able to keep certain parts of my body in check through pure self-control and force of will.

“You’re strong – but if I’ve learned anything since meeting you, it’s that no one can do everything by themselves. Even the strongest out there go through difficult times and become the ones in need of help – and that’s why I want to be there to help you, to protect the one whom I owe my life.”

I listen to her quiet breathing against my chest. There’s no helping it, is there? If she asks me so openly and honestly, I can only give such an answer.

“You still haven’t said it-“

She pokes her head out from under the sheets, pouting. I feel my chest jump into overdrive at how cute she is.

“- but I guess I can overlook it this once.”

She then pulls the covers over us both, drowning the already dark room in complete black. I feel her breath against my neck, shortly before her soft lips press against my own. At that moment, my willpower, self-control, focus – everything shatters in response to this sweet, numbing sensation.

Maybe Alice was right; maybe I did have regrets – but now that’s definitely no longer the case. Well, I guess it was inevitable that this would happen.

We wake up at the predesignated time, a few hours before midnight. I feel surprisingly refreshed – although now that I think about it, it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise considering we slept for the majority of the day. It’s been a while since I’ve had such a good night’s sleep – my body’s reverted to its base instinct, sleeping when I’m at my weakest. The full moon shines like a great white beacon outside the window.

“A full moon – the small timeframe during each month when we vampires are at our strongest.”

Without realizing it, Alice has crept up beside me. She’s dressed in her plain white frock, my jacket wrapped around her shoulders. I flush slightly upon seeing her, but quickly regain control of myself.

“You’re still carrying that old jacket around?”

“Of course. It’s a gift from you, after all.”

I let out a long, drawn out sigh. “I’d be happy to buy you one as a gift. All you have to do is ask.”

“It wouldn’t be the same though. This piece of clothing holds precious memories of ours.”

Well, I don’t know if you could call that whole incident with the feral vampire a precious memory…

“Come on,” I finally say. “Let’s not keep ANGEL waiting for us any longer.”

***

The drive to Fifth Hill High feels like it takes forever. ANGEL’s operatives arrive at the school car by car within five minute intervals, deposited like soldiers going to war. They quickly space out along the outskirts of the main grounds, forming a human net that surrounds the entire school. The car with Alice and I is the last to arrive.

I step outside into the night, shivering - but not from the cold.

Illuminated by only the streetlights and the moon, my school gives off an eerie atmosphere. I’ve attended this place for so many years, yet not once have I ever been inside after hours. Just thinking about the fact that my sister’s fate will be determined by this battle places my chest in a state of unease.

Alice gently touches my hand, and I resolve my will.

“Long time no see.”

A voice I’d almost forgotten reaches my ears.

“Good to see you’re still here,” I respond, turning around. Shizuka stands by the edge of the gates, arms folded.

I frown in puzzlement at the lack of a cigarette between her lips. “Not smoking today?”

“I’m quitting.”

My worries disappear, replaced by a sense of amusement and surprise. “Huh. So the world’s finally ending, eh?”

“Shut it.”

“Seriously though, congratulations. I hope you can pull it off,” I genuinely smile.

Shizuka looks straight past me and at Alice. “That’s your vampire friend?”

All business now, I firmly nod.

“She isn’t at all what I was expecting,” she continues.

“What were you expecting?”

My superior shrugs. “Someone not as frail, I suppose.”

“Don’t underestimate her. Her strength may even rival that of an Archangel’s.”

“Really now?” Shizuka’s eyes search Alice with curiosity. Alice looks away uncomfortably.

“Enough of that,” I say. “Let’s continue this another time. For now, we have bigger fish to fry.”

“Well said, demon.”

Ignoring the jest, I head up to the fence surrounding the gates. The entire school is dark, as it should be. My eyes are automatically drawn to the third floor, where Dracula should be waiting.

“Take this,” Shizuka says, handing me a small rectangular device. “Once the exchange has been made, press this button to activate it and we’ll storm the place.”

“Are you sure you’ll be able to take him on? I don’t see any noteworthy hunters here.”

A quick scan of ANGEL’s men tells me they’re mostly grunts, ordinary humans supplied only with anti-demon firearms. I’d guess there aren’t many Divine Edge wielders, those properly equipped to deal with powerful demons.

“We’ve got a handful,” Shizuka replies. “But most of them are low-ranked. Barry has just been discharged and is in no state to fight.”

“What about you?”

She laughs softly. “There’s no way I can keep up with you anymore, Bran. To be honest, most of the people here are just to distract the enemy and give you or Alice an opening.”

I take a look around. These men are way out of their league – yet they’ve answered their call to duty. They’ve come here to lay their lives on the line, despite being far outmatched.

“I won’t let you down,” I nod.

“Alright then. Good luck, and I’ll wait for your signal.”

She salutes me, and I salute in return.

“Come on, Alice. Let’s go.”

***

We walk across the dark field, our feet trampling the dewy grass.

“Got any plans after all this is over?” I ask, in an attempt to distract myself.

Alice breathes in deeply.

“Not sure yet. I guess I’ll have to take care of the future of the covern, and decide from there.”

“I assume you’re not going to take over?”

I receive a scoff in response. “No way.”

For someone who’s just about to be sold off to the Prince of all Vampires, she’s surprisingly composed. Granted, I haven’t put the cuffs on her yet.

She must really have faith in me, I guess.

“I want to live a life away from it all,” she continues. “A normal life, I guess. I don’t want to fight anymore – I never really wanted to fight in the first place. It’s probably too late though.”

“It’s not,” I say. “I’ll make it happen. I promise.”

“Jeez,” she smiles softly. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

“I’ll keep it. Even if I die trying.”

Before she can say anything further, we arrive at the doors to the main building. I put a finger to my lips.

“I’m putting them on.”

Alice nods. I pull the heavy manacles from my pocket and wrap them around her wrists, locking her arms behind her back with a convicting click. We look behind us at the night sky one last time before stepping through, the warm air of the school’s heaters blasting our faces.

“Remember,” she whispers, as we head through the building. “He’s a vampire, stronger than you or I. But that also means he’ll be more sensitive to light. If you need it, you can use the light switches to your advantage.”

“I know,” I reassure her. “Just be quiet.”

I lead Alice like a farmer leading a lamb to the slaughter, up the flights of stairs, through the empty corridors. Each step I take my heart rate increases until I’m worried I’ll die of a heart attack before I even reach the top. That would be pretty pathetic.

We reach the last set of stairs. On the other side of the roof above me, on the opposite side of the building is where Judith should be. I glance at Alice one last time before bringing the blindfold out. As soon as it’s wrapped tightly around her eyes, she is completely powerless.

“Let’s go.”

I lead her up one painstaking step at a time. As we slowly ascend I’m reminded of that time back in the sewers, when she was first taking me to see her father. At that time I was the one in trouble, the one in need of guidance. I had to place my faith in her, to get me through without having me break down. If it weren’t for her I would have eventually sunk to the ground, paralyzed with fear from my claustrophobia.

Now, she’s the one placing her trust in me. There’s no way I can let her down.

We step into the dark hallway. My eyes see to the far end with clarity, despite the darkness. The unmistakable form of Vladimir Dracula awaits me at the opposite end, his crimson armour gleaming. Judith’s small figure is behind him, similarly blindfolded but her hands are handcuffed rather than bound together by cast iron manacles.

“Judith!” I cry.

“Bran! You’re here!”

Her fractured voice cries out in response, bouncing off the walls to reach my ears despite its volume. A feeling of relief washes over me, so great that I almost sink to my knees from it.

“So you came after all,” Dracula says. “But you didn’t come alone.”

My heart sinks. I should have known he’d realize.

“Are you a fool? Did you think I wouldn’t be able to smell the human filth you dragged here with you?”

I struggle to remain calm, desperately racking my brain for an excuse.

“They’re here in case you try anything,” Alice calls out resolutely. “If you hand over the girl as promised, they won’t intervene.”

Her voice effortlessly projects over to the other side of the dark hallway.

“Ha…”

Dracula’s voice rings back in response.

“Ha haa… HAHAHAAA!”

He begins to laugh, his armour rattling uncontrollably.

“You seriously think I’d have a use for this mongrel? I couldn’t care less what happens to her.”

He violently shoves her forward. Judith stumbles, but grabs onto the wall and regains her balance.

“Go on, scurry to back to your brother.”

Alice’s hands leave mine as she too begins to walk forward with sure footsteps, her sense of smell removing her need to feel her way across. As they pass the half-way point, Judith apologizes.

“I’m sorry.”

Alice ignores her and continues walking; reaching Dracula the same time Judith reaches me. I press the device in my pocket, before ripping the blindfold from my sister.

“Bran…!”

She launches herself into my arms.

“Are you alright?” I ask. “Did they hurt you?”

Tears begin leaking down her face, soaking through my shirt. “Yeah. But I’m fine now.”

I snap the brittle handcuffs and toss them away.

“I’m so glad you came for me,” she whispers into my chest. “I was so afraid… and you were gone for so long I was starting to doubt you were still alive…”

“Don’t be stupid,” I scold. “Of course I’m alive. If I die, who’s going to come and save you? I’m your big brother. That’s what big brothers do.”

Below us, the building trembles as doors are kicked apart. Footsteps thunder inside, synonymous to a stampede of wild beasts.

“Run,” I whisper to Judith. “Run to the football field and don’t stop. I’ll meet you there.”

She nods, her eyes still wet with tears of relief, and flees. My heart at ease now, I slowly begin to approach Dracula. Alice stands as still as a statue, still bound in cuffs. Even if she wanted to, she wouldn’t be able to break them by herself. Nothing short of a strike by a Divine Edge would be able to break her bonds.

“So you’re going to fight me?” Dracula laughs. “You and your army of weaklings?”

“No,” I reply. “I’m going to destroy you.”

As I say those words Alice blindly throws a kick towards the Blood Lord, a kick which whips through the exact location the vampire was a few moments ago - just another testament to the enhanced hearing of a vampire. However, he’s no longer there.

“Let’s make sure you don’t run away, my princess.”

A chill runs up my spine as Dracula reappears beside Alice. I rush forward, but it’s too late.

Crunch.

Alice lets out a bloodcurdling scream as her bones are broken apart like twigs, her legs wrenched at unnatural angles. She collapses on the ground in a heap, groaning in pain.

“YOU BASTARD!” I roar.

The ground cracks as I fly forwards, shooting across the corridor like a bullet towards the armoured being.

Nightfall!

It appears in my hand without hesitation, just in time for me to swing with all my fury and rage. There’s a blur of red, and I find myself blocked by the thin pole of a spear. The impact jars me down to my shoulder.

“You think you can take me on?”

Dracula roars and twists his arm around, pushing me up into the roof. I bounce off and land a few feet away. Alice is still moaning, crawling around on the ground as her body slowly and painfully regenerates. She won’t be able to move for at least a few hours.

I just need to hold him off until Shizuka’s men finish climbing the stairs. There’s no way he could defeat us all.

“You’re still a few hundred years too early to challenge me,” Dracula spits, before lunging.

He’s fast, but not so fast that I can’t keep up. I step to the side, raising Nightfall in preparation to strike –

But, the red pole next to me blinks and swerves sharply.

A biting pain cuts into my side as I clumsily throw myself away. The spear twists and zigzags, snapping back to its original form. Blood flows from my side.

“So that’s the power of your Divine Edge,” I say, clutching at my wound. “It can extend and bend at will.”

Dracula doesn’t reply and instead thrusts again. I watch the spear carefully this time, rushing past it. As long as I can reach him before his spear reaches me…

Clang!

I fail. The spear flexes around like a whip, blocking my strike and cutting my chest in the process. I disengage, throwing myself backwards yet again. My vision tints red as the hot air touches my wounds.

“Why?” I pant. “They’re not healing.”

“They are,” Dracula replies. “Just at the normal rate of a human. A wound opened by my Impaler will nullify all abnormal healing effects. I guess you could say it reduces everything I fight to human level. How else do you think I was able surpass my rivals and claim my title?”

I clench my teeth together.

That’s fine. I’m used to being a human, this is nothing new.

Keeping calm, I leap to the side of the corridor right next to the light switch and flick it, preparing myself. However, the hallway remains dark and devoid of light.

Oh no...

“You think I’d fall for that? I made sure to destroy the school’s power lines before I arrived.”

I grit my teeth. That’s fine, there's still plan B. ANGEL should be here any time now-

No. Something’s wrong.

It’s too quiet. The stampede of beasts below us… is no longer there.

“It’s not like the school to leave its gas on overnight either,” I murmur, suddenly aware of the temperature.

“I thought you were better than this. Do you think I’m on the same level as those simple-minded petty demons you’re used to dealing with?”

Dracula speaks as if he has all the time in the world. There’s already a stream of blood running down my side.

“Wh-what?”

I’m beginning to see where this is headed.

“The gas… what did you do to it?”

“A simple nerve agent. The electricity wasn’t the only thing I tampered with before coming here - I made sure to take all the necessary precautions. Why else do you think I wasted all that time scouring ANGEL’s laboratories? If you don’t stop the system soon, your friends are going to suffer irreparable brain damage.”

Rage builds up inside me. “Judith…!”

I turn my head, prepared to bolt back down – but the metal pole of the lance slides in front of me, forming a cross to bar my escape.

“Don’t turn your back on me, scum. You challenged me – don’t back down now.”

I slowly turn. Alice is no longer moaning, but I can hear her labored breathing. Seeing her like this, I almost feel her pain myself.

“I’ll destroy you,” I say once again, to reassure myself more than anything.

I grasp Nightfall in both hands and charge. I see the Impaler out of the corner of my eye, spiraling around to block –

But I can go faster.

Mid-air, racing the spear towards its master, I fully merge myself with my soul. Having rested for more than enough to fully recover, the Soul Link transitions smoothly.

This battle is over.

I’m just about to reach Dracula, sword raised, everything around me a blur except for my crimson target – until a glint of red races from nowhere, knocking my blade off course. Before I can react, it twirls about and impales my chest. Burning pain courses through my system as the harsh metal scrapes through my organs and through the other end of my torso. Still being carried forward by my momentum, I crash into wall in a bloody mess. Dust and debris fall from the crater under my back.

“How?” I choke. The Impaler wrenches itself from my chest with a sickening lurch.

My speed when Soul Linked… should be unmatched. How was the spear able to keep up?

I leap to my feet again and try to close the distance – but for some reason, I’m unable to reach my full speed. The air feels viscous – as if I’m trying to move through honey. As if I’m in one of t hose dreams, running as fast as I can – yet barely moving at all.

This isn’t natural. Why can’t I move?

Dracula’s spear whirls out of my sight and around the other end of my vision, impaling me once again. I fall to the ground, unable to move from the pain.

“It’s over,” the vampire says, standing before me. He’s barely broken into a sweat – in fact, he’s been pretty much standing still the entire time, his spear attacking and blocking for him like a serpentine guardian.

“Why?” I ask. I should be able to move several times faster – even by vampiric standards – yet I’m slower than I was as a human.

Dracula’s spear retracts to its normal size. “The Impaler does not only deal grievous wounds to the body, it also wounds the soul and transfers that power to myself. The more blood it tastes, the stronger I grow, and the weaker the target becomes. If I kill them, the change will become permanent and the power will completely merge with my own. How else do you think I was able to prevail amongst my rivals?”

“No… no way…”

“You are surprisingly strong for a hybrid – but now that strength and speed is mine. The mistake you made was allowing me to draw your blood. Can you feel it? Your strength leaving you? Your soul, your Divine Edge crumbling? As you are now, you wouldn’t even be a match for an ordinary vampire.”

“Is that your plan?” I ask, coughing in pain. “Are you going to kill Alice to steal her power?”

A boot presses itself firmly onto the wound on my back, and I scream.

“I have no intention of killing Alice. I will never find another so suited to be my bride as her. Imagine all the possibilities, Bran. Children birthed from a one-in-a-million specimen such as her, and the first vampire to walk the earth. Imagine their potential.”

The boot lifts itself from my back, and I’m able to raise my head. Dracula is shivering, a savage lust in his red eyes. I see the crazed expression in his face.

“Imagine the power I’d gain from drawing their blood with my spear. A near infinite supply of children from Alice, fresh fodder for me to kill. When she reaches the end of her life, I will take one of our children and she will become my new bride. As one who arrived from the original realm of the demons, I will not age nor die. My power will grow infinitely, until I remake this world as my own.”

I feel bile rising from my throat. This… this thing is truly the definition of a monster. Inbreeding, infanticide… not a shred of morality exists within this being.

“I’ll never do it!”

Alice screams at the top of her lungs, still crawling pathetically on the ground. She can’t break free from her chains, and her legs are far from healed. She wildly shakes her head in an attempt to cast away her blindfold, but to no avail.

“Oh, once the wedding is complete – although it’s closer to a ritual – you won’t be able to resist. How else do you think the Blood Lords controlled their mates if they were of the same blood?”

“You’re lying… mother was never under father’s control…”

“Because your father was weak. Look at our once proud clan – hiding under the city from the hunters like vermin. Look at what he’s done to our race.”

I finally manage to reach my feet, but all my strength is gone. I have barely a fraction of the strength I had as a vampire.

“Stay in your place, human.”

My vision staggers as I’m kicked back down onto my face. Blood enters my mouth – sickeningly warm.

“You are not worthy of being a vampire. As such, I will now strip you of your race, and the power that comes with it.”

Trying to connect the dots in his words, I see a blazing red aura surround him. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

A Soul Link.

The crimson sheen of the Impaler brightens. Chaos swirls around my brain and my chest at the sight. Just by looking at it, I feel my mind being torn apart and a part of my soul being dragged out. Flashbacks of the wraiths on the bridge fly before my eyes, and before I know it I’m screaming.

The red lance glows and plunges into me – but my body isn’t wounded.

Instead, I feel a part of myself die.

It slowly withers away, like the leaves of a tree come winter. The phantom image of the pole pierces throughout my body, stabbing into every inch of it and destroying my soul. Indescribable pain rushes through my brain, overloading it, shutting down my senses. I shudder numbly, withering, diminishing like the glow of the ghostly spear as it finishes its work and retracts from my torso. I lie on the ground, unable to move, completely drained of strength. The corridor has darkened drastically – I can barely make out Dracula’s two feet and Alice’s slumped form.

No… it was always this dark. I just can’t see through it anymore.

I feel… so weak and exposed.

“You are no longer a demon, Bran Lietmann. That part of your soul has been sealed away. You never deserved it in the first place.”

Vladimir Dracula steps back, his red spear disappearing, before bending down and hoisting Alice onto his back. A sob escapes her lips as her broken legs flop around uselessly.

“If you’re lucky, you’ll die of your wounds. Otherwise, you’ll have to experience the pain of the nerve gas.”

With that the armoured vampire slowly walks off into the distance, his metallic boots clanging on the floor. Within moments he’s descended the stairs, leaving me alone –

To die.

It’s so cold.

So cold.

Even though it’s not snowing… I’m so cold.

Why is it so cold? Winter is ending, isn’t it?

I lie with my back against the wall, breathing shallowly. I probably halved my lifespan just by moving, but I’ll be damned if I die like a pathetic roadkill.

I made a mistake. I shouldn’t have hesitated, shouldn’t have underestimated, shouldn’t have waited to Soul Link. The moment Dracula wounded me, the battle was over.

I reach out my hand, issuing forth a mental summons.

Come to me, Nightfall.

I want to hold it in my hand one last time, at least before I die.

But it doesn’t come.

I’m no longer a vampire – or even a demon hunter. Everything demonic about my soul, including my Divine Edge, was sealed. I’m just an ordinary kid now, alone, left with nothing. Alice is gone. Mum is gone, so is Dad. I have no idea if Shizuka or her agents have managed to survive, but I know for a fact I will not live to see them again. I can only hope Judith found a way out of the school before the nerve gas reached her.

Why am I not dead yet?

A pool of my own blood stretches halfway across the width of the corridor. The nerve gas should have killed me long ago… so why?

Ah well. It’s only a matter of time. So cold…

This must be what dying is like. This must be what all those demons felt as I slew them with my blade. Once the painfulness subsides, it’s quite peaceful. However, it’s this peacefulness that hurts the most. It’s only in the few moments before death that you realize just how much you want to live, just how much you want to cling onto this cruel world.

No wonder Alice is so opposed to killing. It’s truly a terrible feeling - the cold hand of death, slowly creeping up your body… darkness closing in, engulfing you… two hands, shaking your shoulders….

“Bran!”

Sleepy… cold…

“BRAN!”

Something slaps me. Shocked, I regain my focus for a few brief moments.

“J-Judith?”

It’s her no doubt. She’s crouched over me, a desperate look on her face. Her eyes are still red from crying.

“Am I dead?” I murmur.

“Bran… it’s not over yet. They’ll be here soon. I turned off the gas, and managed to turn on the air con. It shouldn’t take too long, but the fresh air should revive them soon enough.”

Her words spew forth in a scrambled mess, but I comprehend it all.

“Huh…”

Ah, Judith. So reliable. Even after going through all that, she still managed to step up to the task. Even if I die, at least I’ll die knowing she’s alive, and that she managed to save everyone else.

“Bran! Don’t sleep yet!”

Her voice breaks a little. If she still had tears left, she’d probably be crying.

“It’s okay,” I reassure her. “It’ll only be for a little bit.”

“You have to save Alice. It’s clear that you love her – don’t let it end like this.”

A small flicker of annoyance passes through me. Why can’t my sister just leave me be?

But I can’t dispel the thought she planted in my mind.

Alice…

“Listen, Bran. There’s something I’ve been keeping a secret from you.”

As she says this, Judith pulls up her wrist in front of her and brings it to her lips.

“I don’t care if you want this or not, but I’m not going to let you die just yet. Think of it as my own selfish wish.”

She pauses for a second – just a single second of indecision, before steeling herself.

Judith bites down hard – and red blood springs from her wrist like a small wellspring.

Wh-what are you doing?

I try to call out, but I’m too weak to do so.

“Listen up, Bran. It’s not just you who owes Alice her life. She’s the one who saved me, back when I was hospitalized by that accident.”

I’m barely able to register her words, before I feel her wrist touch my lips. Warm blood flows down my throat, burning me.

“Alice was at the hospital, right after Dad died. She fed me some of her blood and woke me from my coma. She turned me into a vampire and saved my life.”

Vampire…

My sister… is a vampire?

I feel her skin leave me. Pain begins to wrack my body – but it’s a good pain. It’s like I’m welcoming back an old friend.

Of course, it’s still pain nonetheless – and my already battered body gives in to the darkness.

***

Somewhere inside my heart, I feel like I already knew. That my sister had changed after that accident, that like me, she too had undergone an irreversible transformation.

Her miraculous recovery after being run over. Her sudden change to becoming vegetarian. Her nocturnal study habits. Her paleness, her resistance to disease. Her abnormal recovery from the wounds inflicted by Dracula.

Alice didn’t only save me, but my sister.

The one other life she’d saved, the one which Ian had been so furious about… it must have been Judith. She’d known from the moment she’d taken me in and nursed me. She knew that I was the brother of that girl.

There were probably more cues that I missed. To think that I’d been so absorbed in my own struggles that I’d never spared a thought for my sister. In an alternate universe, I might have even killed her after discovering she’d become a demon.

But now, in this moment where I lie between life and death… I’m glad Alice decided to save her.

***

I open my eyes, seeing the dark hallway around me clearly. It’s not even day yet – no more than a few hours must have passed. Extending my hand, I call upon Nightfall – and it responds.

I’m back.

I suppose one’s soul can never really be truly sealed. Judith’s pact with me simply unearthed the thin layer covering my power – as Alice once mentioned before, the process of becoming a vampire is more a physical one than a mental or spiritual one. Perhaps Dracula’s spear only tricked my soul into forgetting itself. All it took was a bit of nudging to reawaken it.

No matter what the reasoning, I’ve been unsealed – and it’s all thanks to my sister, who’s waiting patiently next to me.

“How long has it been?” I ask. Despite being near death a while ago, I feel refreshed. Perhaps I only feel that way because of the loss of my abilities. Even though I was only a human for a few moments, I’m beginning to realize just how strong vampires are as a race, and how much I’ve taken our strengths for granted.

“Less than an hour,” Judith responds. “Some of the men downstairs are beginning to wake up. I heard them calling the ambulance.”

Less than an hour. A mere fraction of the period it took for me to transform the first time.

Less than an hour. That means I have to make my move fast – if we get caught up with the police and the emergency services, the delay could be devastating.

“Do you know where Dracula is?”

Judith shakes her head. I punch the wall in frustration.

To be so close, and yet so far.

“He’s going to marry Alice, isn’t he?”

“Yes,” I nod.

“I’m not sure, but I might have overheard them talking about a church. Something to do with †˜baptized land’ or something. It would make sense if they were having a wedding.”

I look at my sister. It sounds like the most obvious thing in the world… but it’s not like I have any better ideas.

“Thanks for saving me,” I tell her.

“It’s a little sister’s job to look after her brother. I guess that makes us even, since you saved me too.”

I nod.

“Bring Alice back, Bran. Think of it as paying off your younger sister’s debts.”

“I’ll bring her back,” I reply. “For sure. But after this, you’re paying off your own debts.”

With that, I give Judith one last hug before sprinting for the nearest window. After all, the quickest path to the ground is straight down.

***

I sprint through the streets, rushing towards the church at the top of the hill. I’ve been there once before – when I deposited the feral vampire’s child by the doorstep. I wonder what became of it.

No – I have to remain focused.

I feel surprisingly good despite running for so long as I reach the end of the road. It’s still the early hours in the morning, so maybe that’s why. In fact, I feel as if I could pull off another Soul Link – probably because my earlier one was cut short.

I have to pull off another Soul Link. If I fail, I won’t be getting any more chances.

With this in my mind, I slowly begin to trudge up the hill. The night is calm and peaceful – in complete contrast to the chaos and turmoil within me.

***

The antique chapel looms ominously over me as I reach the top. I’d half expected to encounter some of Dracula’s men, but fortunately I made it without any incident. Despite being a holy building, it gives off a sinister vibe – as with everything else at night.

I stop by the door, examining the doormat. Just a few weeks ago, this is the exact place where I dropped off the vampire child.

It’s a fitting location, really. On top of the hill, it’s removed far enough from society so that our battle won’t disturb it. Even on such a quiet night, any sounds would be lost in the wind.

Alice lies behind this door. I can smell it. I can sense it. As if there’s a string of fate attached to us, I know that she’s here.

I make a prayer to God, asking his permission to enter this building – if he even exists, though in a world filled with demons it’s not impossible – and quietly open the door.

The dark aisles are empty. I see droplets of blood on the ground, leading all the way up and around the altar. The wind whistles through the hall, stroking the wind chimes by the doorway.

I quietly walk forward, following the specks of blood. Once I reach the front row of the aisle, I find an old man lying face down in a pool of his own blood. The collar around his neck tells me he’s the reverend.

“Rest in peace,” I whisper, pausing for a moment to acknowledge him. Just another life taken by the Prince of Wallachia – but a life just as important as say, that of my mother.

This demon is the one demon that deserves a merciless death.

Near the top left corner of the church, next to the deceased reverend is a stone staircase leading down to a door. This is quite an old place, after all – it makes sense that there would be an undercroft, though it would probably be used for storage rather than the dead.

The door is open, and the trail of blood continues. In the distance, I hear Alice’s voice.

My immediate instinct is to call out her name – but I refrain, and instead stealthily edge through.

There are no lit candles, no forms of light whatsoever – but I can see as clearly as if it were day. Passing through the pillars like a shadow, I make my way to the end of the chamber – and that’s where I find them.

Alice lies on her back in a pool of her own blood. Her limbs are spread apart, as if she were making a snow angel – but in this case, a blood angel would be a more appropriate term. Upon closer examination, I realize that her previously chained hands have been unbound and nailed to the floor, along with her feet. Her jacket lies to the side, and her white gown has been ripped to expose parts of her body.

“How did you know I would be here?” Dracula asks, without turning around.

“Lucky guess.”

I should have known I wouldn’t be able to sneak up on the Blood Lord. Hearing my voice, Alice weakly calls out.

“Bran… is that… you? Have you… come… for me?”

Each word she speaks is a struggle.

“Everything’s going to be alright,” I say. “Just hang in there. I’ll take care of this scumbag once and for all.”

Dracula sighs and materializes his spear. “How did you survive, anyway? And you’ve even regained your abilities-“

He stops mid-sentence.

“That girl.”

“That’s right.”

“I was suspicious at how quickly she managed to recover from the wounds we inflicted… but to think such a gift had been wasted on one with as little presence as herself…”

“Not all vampires have powerful souls, Dracula. Sometimes, the weakest among us play the most vital roles. That’s where you made your mistake.”

“You’re talking as if you’ve already won,” the vampire replies, a smug smile forming across his lips. “But you forget something important. I am your master, and you must obey my orders. Now… why don’t you go ahead and kill yourself?”

A brief silence passes between us. A cold draught passes through the undercroft. I feel no compulsions to obey him, none whatsoever.

Dracula finally realizes that his order isn’t working.

“Impossible… unless…”

This time, I don’t make the same mistake.

Come to me, Nightfall!

No hesitation. I know what must be done.

“That’s right. I’m not the only person Alice gave her blood to.”

My soul flares to life, a pitch black aura igniting around my body. I feel my taste, touch, smell, sight, hearing, my strength, speed, reactions, perceptions –

Everything multiplies exponentially, for this short amount of time. My unique – no, our unique ability, the absolute synchronization of the body and the soul, something that is impossible for any other pair to achieve.

Our Soul Link.

Judith turns her head to the side as a middle-aged woman in a pinstriped suit appears at the other end of the corridor. With a gas mask over her face, she spots the girl and quickly rushes to her side.

“You must be Judith,” she says, through the mask. “Are you alright?”

Judith nods weakly. With all the action now over, a great weariness overcomes her.

“What happened?”

The woman looks around at the cracks and craters in the walls, the bloodstains, the debris. “Where are Bran and Alice?”

She must be one of Bran’s allies. The air of authority she gives off certainly gives that impression.

“The chapel,” Judith says. Her voice comes out as a bare whisper.

The woman’s face behind the mask is a complete mystery, but she appears to understand.

“The medics will be here soon, they’re just taking care of everything downstairs. We’ll get you some water as soon as possible. Hang on until then.”

She moves aside and says something into a microphone by her collar – probably directing people towards the church. Judith licks her lips, already anticipating the cool, refreshing taste of water. After crying her eyes out, it’s no wonder she’s dehydrated.

Of course, she would prefer a glass of blood – but she doesn’t think revealing that here would be a wise move.

“Here, take this.”

The woman has finished speaking and strips off her suit. Judith accepts it and wraps it around her, even though she doesn’t feel the cold at all. The faint smell of tobacco reaches her nostrils as her thoughts return to her brother.

***

“The soul is a living, breathing thing. Although it doesn’t speak or communicate, it responds to our actions, and changes its appearance to reflect changes in our psyche. Willpower, determination, danger… these things can make a Divine Edge stronger, as well as weaker.”

Hector’s eyes pass among the small class of students, stopping on my own. I look away quickly.

“The most important thing is not to give up. Those with weak wills also have weak souls. The second most important thing is to fight for a purpose. Whether it be protecting someone dear to you, a sense of self-satisfaction or… revenge –“

I subconsciously clench my fists.

“- the stronger this emotion is, the more it will be reflected in your soul. They are dynamic things, that change as you do. Just remember that.”

What does this old geezer know? I just want to hurry up and get to the killing part. I already know my purpose in life –

To kill demons.

***

There’s something different about Nightfall today. It feels a bit lighter, glows a bit brighter, and there are silver streaks glowing along its edge. Whereas before it was a reflection of the pitch black night, now there are stars and a moon in the sky.

This thought passes by in an instant, and I dismiss it. I have only one focus now – to protect Alice. Nothing else matters.

The single step I take erases the several metres between us. Dracula visibly recoils, realizing he’s too late to stop me. His spear, the Impaler lunges for me, but it’s too late.

In a flash of black and silver, I cleave through the armour and into his side. Blood spurts from the wound, splattering the stone wall as the demon desperately tries to recover his footing.

There’s already a clear difference from our earlier fight. Dracula can’t afford to stay still and let his Divine Edge to act for him – he has to actually move to stand a chance.

“Just one scratch,” he growls. “One scratch and it’s over.”

“I won’t let you,” I respond.

This time, Dracula surges forward. The spear is thrust like a red bolt of lightning. I slide past it, feeling its wind whip past my face. There’s a shudder behind me as one of the pillars collapses, sending dust and debris raining down from the roof.

Nightfall sings as it approaches Dracula’s exposed body. Sensing the impending blow, he flails backwards and twists away, sweeping his spear across the hall. I somersault into the air to avoid it, but a chunk of rock slams into the side of my head.

In the brief moment my airborne body is incapacitated, Dracula springs to his feet and repositions himself. The Impaler snaps back and pounces upwards like a viper, lunging for my chest.

Not yet.

I spin around, redirecting the thrust with Nightfall’s pommel. Silver and black streaks fly from the point of contact, fizzling into the air. The edge of my shirt rips, but no blood is drawn.

I can go faster.

Having lost nearly half of the supporting pillars, the entire chamber is beginning to shake. I have to end this quickly, or I’ll burn out.

“That’s some impressive speed,” the vampire pants. “But for how long can you keep it up?”

Dracula knows that my boost won’t last forever.

“Long enough to kill you.”

As I say this, I dash forward with all my strength. Dracula whirls his spear around, smashing the crumbled foundation of a pillar towards me. I turn in midair, slashing it away, slowing myself in the process. There’s a glint of red, and the serpentine Impaler suddenly appears right in my vision.

I can see it.

I know where it’s aimed for. I can estimate its speed. My mind makes the calculations, and I thrust my hand forward. It grips the shaft tightly, preventing the deadly tip from penetrating my skin.

“You…!” the Blood Lord hisses.

Hanging on for dear life, I can only grit my teeth as the living spear hurls me through the roof like a cannonball. Stone and rubble rain down from the sky as I fly out of the undercroft and into the middle of the aisle above, landing in a painful heap.

Pain.

I have to defeat him. There’s no time.

Hurry.

Dracula flies out of the hole in the ground, his spear in his hands. I throw myself sideways to avoid its strike, painfully cracking a seat in half with my shin.

“Not long now,” my enemy seethes. I can see the frustration in his face – he’s desperate for my body to reach its limit, and I’m desperate to kill him before then. At this moment in time, there’s no difference between us. We’re simply two bloodthirsty demons struggling to kill each other.

The ground beneath me cracks as the supporting pillars underneath give way. I quickly leap upwards to avoid falling back into the undercroft. The spear closes in on me as if in slow motion, reaching towards my chest. It twists and shakes in the air, its path of movement erratic and unpredictable.

Watch it. Look for the path to victory.

Dracula’s injured side has already recovered. My heart is beating wildly, and my lungs are on fire. A force pulls at my stomach as I continue to fly through the air.

Can’t… keep this up… for much longer...

I rebound off the wall, the impact of my feet shattering all the glass panels on that side. Dracula’s eyes follow me, his spear but a heartbeat behind.

The black mist spewing from Nightfall’s blade diminishes for a moment. I can tell it’s reaching its limit too.

Don’t think.

I jump. The spear flies towards me.

Parry.

Raining sparks of silver and red fall from the sky.

Floundering.

I hit the ground hard. Instinct guides me and lifts my head.

Red.

The spear chases me, not allowing a single moment’s reprieve.

Damnit.

I’m tired.

But I have to save Alice.

If it weren’t for that one thought in my mind, it would have been over long ago.

The strength of one’s soul is only as strong as their will.

I have to protect her.

I clumsily weave away from the point of the spear, but its side catches me squarely in the chest. Like a giant red tentacle, it tosses me into the ceiling with frightening force.

I can’t reach him.

Dracula stands on the ground, a look of rage and grim determination plastered on his face.

Alone, I’m faster. But if the speed of his Divine Edge is combined with the speed of his body, an unsurpassable wall is erected.

The despair in my eyes becomes triumph in his.

No. I can’t…

The middle of the church roof explodes as my body breaks through it flies into the night sky.

My vision…

All the colour seems to disappear from the world.

This is it. I’m nearing the end of the Soul Link.

No…

The church below me, the grassy hill, the full moon – all of it fades away to monochrome.

It’s only a matter of seconds before my eyesight completely disappears – and my body shuts down in fatigue.

I’m going to die.

In this moment of realization, the world seems to freeze. I feel the calm rays of the moon shining through my torn shirt and onto my skin. I see the hole in the church roof, the collapsed floor, the half-buried undercroft. I see the glint of Dracula’s crimson armour, the deadly spearhead of the Impaler as it races through the path of my flight in an attempt to skewer me.

In that moment of black and white, the only colour I see is a single red path. As my brain begins to shut down, instinct overrides all reason, bypasses all thought, hijacks all senses.

It was there all along – the answer. The solution.

The path to victory, outlined in red.

As gravity begins to tug me down, I flail around the blood-red tip and grab the pole with one hand. As if it were a sentient being, the Impaler switches tactics to try to throw me off – but I force myself forward, and land one foot on the spear.



Building up momentum, I race down the length of the spear. It twists and lurches, doubling back on itself in order to throw me off.

I’m faster.

Last burst of speed. No time to question.



Left foot, right foot. Like a wild beast, my path struggles beneath me.

Almost there.

Hurtling forward with all the momentum I can muster, along the narrow red pole as if my shoes were magnetically attracted to it.



Dracula’s look of complete surprise as I pursue the spear back to its owner.

His aura flares red in the world of black and white. In the obscure corners of my darkening mind, I recall the power of his Soul Link.

The tip of the spear behind me, looping back to defend its owner fades into a phantom colour. It longs to seal away my soul.

But it’s far too late.



Nightfall cuts straight through a gap in his armour, sinking effortlessly into the area between the shoulder and chest. The transparent Impaler shivers once in the air before flopping down lifelessly as if all the energy has left it. Both Dracula and I collapse onto the ground, completely spent.

“You… bastard…,” he coughs, his breathing laboured.

My vision has closed in around me. All I can see is the wounded vampire lying in front of me, too injured to move.

One more blow.

I can’t stop now, or he’ll recover.

One foot up. The second refuses to move.

I lean on Nightfall and prop myself on one knee.

Finish the job.

Kill him.

Follow the red string of fate to the very end.

I raise Nightfall.

This monster deserves no mercy.

Without hesitation, I bring it down and sever Vladimir Dracula’s head from his body. The moment Nightfall touches the ruined floor of the church, all the strength leaves my body and my eyesight becomes black.

The last things I hear are sirens wailing in the distance.

“It’s finally over, huh. Twelve long years of education.”

Dennis gazes wistfully at the cloudless sky, his graduation certificate tucked beneath his arm. He looks completely different in a blazer and a tie to his usual self – although the general mood and atmosphere certainly plays a part.

“Come on, let’s not get sentimental,” I say. “You already cried during the ceremony. Let’s leave on a high note.”

I head past the groups of chattering teachers and parents to a large group of students. Upon seeing us, two of them wave and approach.

“Bran, your blazer’s going to become creased if you hold it like that,” Ashley scolds.

“Come on, it’s not like I’m going to need it anymore,” I grumble, straightening it out. I still can’t believe I was once able to stand wearing so many layers in this heat.

“So what are your plans for the future?” Leo asks.

Since the events of last winter, he’s softened up a considerable amount. I guess he really wasn’t lying when he said he’d stop picking on me.

“I’m going to try and become a doctor,” I shrug. “I’ve already received a scholarship from the University of Cityhall.”

Leo whistles. “Wow, a scholarship? You must have really aced those entrance exams…”

“Didn’t you see how hard he was studying?” Dennis cuts in. “It’s almost like he was a completely different person. He stopped sleeping in class, too.”

Leo and Ashley exchange a look. Well, they’re right to be dubious. To be honest, ANGEL had a bit of a hand in getting me my scholarship.

“What about uh… you know, that other company?” Ashley vaguely asks, trying not to look at Dennis. “I thought they wanted you to stay…?”

“I quit,” I reply. “I really don’t want a part in any of that ever again.”

After the †˜terrorist’ attacks on the shopping mall, there had also been a †˜bombing’ at the church for some unknown reason. The police had arrested the culprits during a struggle at the school, but never revealed their names or faces. The incidents were quickly swept under the rug, never to be heard of again.

Of course, I know what really happened. I also know that one of Ian Vancratt’s men stepped up to the title of Blood Lord, and that their clan has returned to their peaceful way of living. I know that ANGEL’s updated its old rules – they no longer actively hunt down and kill demons, opting to instead respond to any who threaten society. The vampire clan has effectively obtained humanity’s permission to exist.

“What’s this about?” Dennis quips.

“Just a company I used to work part time at,” I smoothly lie. “I didn’t really like them so I left. How about you, Ashley? What do you and Leo have planned for the future?”

“Probably accounting or something,” Leo shrugs. “Haven’t really decided yet. Ashley seems really set on doing nursing.”

“Nursing?”

“Why’d you tell him?” Ashley fumes. “I wanted to keep it secret for a surprise.”

“Uh… I don’t think we’d end up in the same classes anyway,” I say. “Assuming we’re going to the same university.”

“Wow, those are quite ambitious dreams,” Dennis comments from aside.

“I don’t really think they’re that ambitious. Where are you headed?” Ashley asks.

“I’ll probably just work for my dad’s company,” he replies, looking down. “To be honest, I don’t think many of us have our futures planned as well as you guys.”

We stand around, listening to the sounds of tearful goodbyes, congratulations, photos being taken and general gossip among other things. I spot Bob and Betty in the distance and wave.

“Oh, guess we’d better go,” Leo says. “Come on, Ashley. Gran and Gramps came all the way here just to visit us.”

Ashley reluctantly leaves, waving behind her shoulder.

I feel a twinge of sadness in my heart when I realize that Mum and Dad never survived to see this day – but before I sink too deeply into these thoughts, Dennis nudges my side. “Do you know those two?”

I follow his index finger to a big, beefy man and a busty Asian woman standing side by side. The red-head is waving enthusiastically.

“I’d better go greet them,” I sigh. “See you... until next time, I guess.”

I awkwardly stand before my friend, searching for the words to say. However, he simply slaps me on the shoulder.

“We’re way too young to be saying goodbyes,” Dennis grins. “Everyone acts like this is the end, but it isn’t. I mean, we’ve still got the internet for crying out loud. It’s not like we’re moving to different states.”

“You’re right,” I smile back. “See you soon then, buddy.”

Dennis embraces me before heading off to another group of friends. I stride over to where Barry and Shizuka are waiting.

“Shouldn’t you still be in school?” I ask Bazza.

“Graduated yesterday,” he smirks. “One day before you.”

“Oh. Congrats, I guess.”

I turn to Shizuka, my former director. There’s a lollipop in her mouth – after she stopped smoking, sweets became her new addiction.

“If you eat too many of those your teeth will decay,” I say.

“Oh, shut up. You know I’m still struggling with withdrawal effects.”

She says so with a jesting smile, extending a hand.

“Congratulations, Bran.”

I grasp it warmly.

“Are you sure you won’t consider returning to ANGEL?”

I look around to make sure no one’s overheard. “You don’t need me anymore. You’ve got Byron for District Fifteen.”

“Byron’s a capable hunter and all… but he’s just not the same as you.”

“Hey!” Baz exclaims. “I think he’s pretty decent bloke…”

“What’s this?” I muse, ignoring him. “Missing me already?”

Shizuka looks away. “Yes.”

Her open honesty catches me by surprise. I never expected her to actually admit it.

“If you keep that up for your next date, I’m sure you’ll succeed,” I say in an attempt to cover up my shock.

“I’m engaged now.”

She brings up her left hand. A band of metal is wrapped around the ring finger.

“No way… since when?”

I can barely contain my surprise. It’s all I can do to stop my jaw from dropping down in a comedic fashion.

“A week ago.”

“Congratulations!” I exclaim, a little too loudly. Taking heed of curious looks, I lean in closer. “Make sure you don’t get too rough with him. Especially in bed.”

She narrows her eyes and stomps on my foot. I yelp and leap back, rubbing it viciously.

“Where’s Judith?” Barry asks, looking around. “Haven’t seen her at all.”

“She already left.”

After discovering that she was also a half-vampire, we grew even closer than before. She lives with me in our parents’ home now and although she’s technically under my care, it really feels like she’s the one taking care of me. With both Mum and Dad gone, we’ve each had to take a step to fill in their respective duties.

We never talk about the past anymore. To this day, I still don’t know what exactly Dracula did to her or what she went through before Alice saved her. If she doesn’t tell me about it, I won’t ask.

“So soon?” Shizuka exclaims.

“She still has school, you know. Speaking of which, you should stop slacking off and resume your duties. I’m sure Hector isn’t paying you to attend graduations.”

“Don’t be such a tight arse,” Barry waves me off. “You stuck your neck out for us, and we still can’t thank you enough. Bloody terrific job, too.”

“Yes,” Shizuka agrees. “You’ve done us a great service by defeating one of the original demons once and for all. In fact, your honorary title means you probably don’t ever need to work again.”

In addition to having my name recorded in ANGEL’s archives and Hall of Fame, I was offered the position of Archangel Uriel. I declined, of course. I didn’t want to be involved with demons ever again.

“Well, I don’t want to live the life of a retiree just yet,” I chuckle. “You make me sound like some war veteran.”

“You are a war veteran.”

Half the people have left already, filing out through the gates to celebrate with their family and friends. There’s still one person I haven’t talked to yet, and I want to do so before night falls.

“Where’s Alice?” Baz asks, as if reading my mind.

I scratch my head. “I’m actually not quite sure. I was going to look for her just now.”

“I thought you two were inseparable,” Shizuka smirks.

“O-Only in private,” I mutter, tripping over my words.

I quickly make haste to leave before they embarrass me further, but Shizuka’s firm arm stops me.

“Bran. Enjoy every moment,” she says, smiling. “You’ve deserved it. Flowers don’t bloom all year around.”

***

She’s exactly where I thought she would be.

In the middle of the park where I first met her, sitting on the swings. All around us the spring cherry blossoms are blooming, and their petals rain down from the sky like a pink snow.

Or at least, they should be pink. I can’t tell, because I can no longer see in colour.

After breaking past my limit, my vision suffered irreparable damage from the Soul Link. I was lucky to even live after fighting at such a high intensity for so long. At the cost of defeating the first vampire, everything in my world became a shade of grey – the gold of Shizuka’s ring, the red of Barry’s hair – I don’t even know if the sky is blue or not.

But there’s still one thing I can see in colour, and if I had to pick I wouldn’t choose anything else.

Her beautiful blonde hair hangs down to her shoulder. Her red eyes regard me cheerfully, hiding a mischievous glint. Her white dress flutters about in the wind, as white as her skin. She still wears my jacket, even though it has more patches in it than a beggar’s robe.

“You didn’t come to school,” I accuse. “You technically haven’t graduated.”

The swings creak as I sit down next to her.

“I didn’t feel like it. It’s too bright a day to spend saying goodbyes.”

I take one of her hands, probing it gently. The wounds in her limbs where she was crucified have completely healed – but they still leave a mark in her soul.

“What are you going to do now?” I ask. “You no longer have to associate with the clan. You can choose to live a completely normal life if you want to.”

She shrugs. “I probably wouldn’t be able to even if I desired it. I haven’t touched Moonlight for a long time.”

I haven’t touched Nightfall for a while either. Since the day I slew Dracula, I haven’t had a need to use my Divine Edge, ever. That’s Byron’s job now, as District Fifteen’s new guardian.

Alice Vancratt turns around and faces me directly.

“Thank you, Bran,” she says. “For rescuing me, and protecting me. I’m really glad I met you.”

“Don’t mention it,” I say, flushing a little. Even now, I still find myself breathless on occasion when she looks straight into my eyes.

Alice turns back and looks towards the sky, dangling her legs aimlessly as she sways back and forth on the swing.

“You know, I’m already really happy as it is. I don’t think I could ask for anything more.”

The metal frame creaks a little as she lightly hops off, landing on one leg. Turning around with her hands behind her back, the girl in white gives me a smile as bright as the moon.

“There’s only one thing I really want in my future –“

My heart skips a beat.

“-and that’s you.”

Fin