"You should hurry back before the sun goes down,"
the old man warned, pulling down the metal shutter of his tiny store. His voice trembled slightly — not from age, but from fear.
"Yes, have a good evening," Kaiser replied with a polite nod.
The young man adjusted the strap of his worn-out backpack and stepped into the fading light of dusk. He knew the old man was right. Ever since the Holy Order had issued the nationwide curfew, no one dared to stay outside after sunset. The number of victims had risen drastically in the past few months, each case more brutal than the last. They all said it was the work of vampires — creatures that once belonged to myth, now crawling freely in the night.
Normally, Kaiser would never risk breaking the curfew. He wasn't brave, just careful. But tonight was different. Tonight was his only chance.
He needed a new computer — a machine strong enough to keep his secret business running. He also wanted to visit the hospital, to see his mother, even if she would never respond. She had been in a coma for three years now, trapped in a silent world of machines and white sheets.
The orphanage, his so-called home, didn't allow him to leave without permission. The caretakers believed they were protecting him. In truth, they were only protecting their rules.
As the sky began to burn orange, Kaiser quickened his pace. The streets of the old district were nearly empty now, abandoned cars reflecting the dying light. The air grew colder, thicker — as if the city itself was holding its breath.
Then it hit him.
A sudden, piercing pain exploded through his body, sharp and overwhelming. His knees buckled, and he stumbled against a streetlamp. The world spun. His veins burned like fire, and he could barely breathe.
"Argh—!" he gasped, but no sound came out.
The pain grew unbearable, crawling from his chest to his skull like a thousand needles. He tried to call for help, but his throat refused to obey. His vision blurred — colors fading into shadow — and before he could understand what was happening, everything went black.
He collapsed on the cold pavement, silent and alone.
---
When he finally opened his eyes, the world had changed. The light was gone. The night had already fallen.
Kaiser's heart raced. His whole body trembled as he pushed himself up. His hands were shaking. His phone — dead. The street around him was empty, silent except for the whisper of wind between broken windows.
"Oh no… no, no, no," he muttered under his breath, panic creeping in. "Damn it, damn it, damn it!"
He stumbled forward, half-running, half-limping, desperately searching for shelter. The curfew. The vampires. He couldn't stay out here. Not now.
His footsteps echoed down the narrow streets as he gasped for air. His body still ached from the strange pain, his chest throbbing with every heartbeat.
Finally, he stopped in front of a dark alleyway, hidden between two crumbling buildings. It wasn't safe — nothing was safe anymore — but he needed a place to rest. Just for a moment.
He leaned against the wall, panting. His throat was dry. His heart hammered so loudly it drowned out every other sound.
Then he felt it.
Something wet beneath his shoes.
He frowned and glanced down. A dark, viscous liquid glimmered faintly in the moonlight. He crouched, touching it instinctively — and froze.
"Blood?" he whispered.
The metallic smell hit him instantly. It was thick and real.
A trail of crimson stretched from beneath his feet into the darkness of the alley. He followed it with his eyes — and his stomach turned.
At the far end of the alley, just barely visible in the shadows, something — or someone — was lying still.
Kaiser's pulse quickened. Every instinct screamed for him to run, but his body refused to move.
"Oh, shit…" he breathed.
The silence that followed was heavier than death itself.
"What's a handsome young man like you doing outside at this hour?"
The voice was smooth, melodic, almost teasing — but it carried a dangerous edge.
Kaiser froze. From the darkness of the alley, a figure stepped into the faint light. A woman — tall, elegant, and pale as moonlight. Her crimson eyes glowed faintly, and her lips curled into a wicked smile.
It didn't take long for him to understand.
A vampire.
He stumbled back a few steps, his heart pounding like a drum. His mind screamed for him to run, but his body wouldn't move.
"Oh, don't be shy," she purred, brushing a strand of white hair from her face. "You have no idea how bored I was. The last few humans I found were old, weak, and tasteless. But you…" — her eyes roamed over him like a predator examining its prey — "you look delicious."
Kaiser didn't respond. His lips trembled, but no sound came out. His thoughts were a blur — why me? why tonight?
She laughed softly, a low, musical sound that sent chills down his spine. "Come on, pretty boy. Let me see what flavor you are."
Her bare feet made no sound as she approached, her movements graceful, almost hypnotic. Her scent was sweet, intoxicating — and utterly wrong.
Kaiser's breathing quickened. His mind raced through a thousand possibilities. He had no weapon, no chance of escaping her speed. His body still hurt from before. But somewhere inside him, deep beneath the fear, something burned.
He took a shaky step back and whispered to himself, "I have no other choice…"
The vampire tilted her head, amused. "What was that?"
Without answering, Kaiser tore his shirt, ripping a long piece of fabric and shoving it between his teeth.
The vampire blinked, then chuckled. "Oh? You don't want to scream? I like that. You're adorable."
But the amusement vanished from her face when she saw his eyes.
A golden light flickered in them — faint at first, then bright, burning like miniature suns. The air around him began to shimmer, trembling with heat.
Kaiser fell to his knees, clutching his hands together. Between them, a small sphere of light began to form — a pulsing ball of fire, swirling and expanding with each heartbeat. His tears streamed down his cheeks as the pain returned, even worse than before. The heat seared his skin. His body wasn't made for this — not yet.
"Mmh… what are you—" the vampire started, but it was too late.
The light exploded.
BOOM!
The blast ripped through the alley, a wave of fire and pressure shattering windows and setting trash bins ablaze. The vampire screamed as flames engulfed her body, her elegant form hurled backward through the air. The sound echoed through the empty streets, a terrible, otherworldly cry.
Kaiser was thrown to the ground, gasping, his body trembling from exhaustion. The shirt in his mouth was charred, smoke rising from his burned hands. His vision blurred again, but he forced himself to move.
He couldn't stay. He had to run.
He staggered to his feet, turned, and sprinted down the street. Every step was agony, but fear drove him faster than pain ever could.
Behind him, the vampire's voice — weak but furious — echoed faintly, "You… you little—"
He didn't wait to hear the rest.
The city blurred past him — broken signs, dark windows, the scent of smoke and blood filling the air.
Finally, the tall stone wall of the orphanage came into view, shadowed by the moonlight. Kaiser's heart surged. He leapt, grabbed the edge, and climbed with all his remaining strength. His fingers bled. His breath came in ragged gasps.
At last, he dropped onto the other side, collapsing into the soft dirt of the garden.
For a moment, he just lay there, staring up at the stars. His mind was blank — no thoughts, only the echo of the explosion ringing in his ears.
He was alive. Somehow.
But deep down, he knew this wasn't the end. It was the beginning.
Somewhere above the orphanage, atop the clock tower that watched over the old district, a shadow moved.
A man stood there, his coat fluttering in the wind. His face was hidden, but a faint smile curved his lips as he watched Kaiser disappear into the darkness.
"Another one," he murmured softly.
His eyes glowed faintly — the same golden hue as Kaiser's.