In the dimly lit corridors of the age-old castle, a young woman wearing leather pants and a black corset, with a violet cloak flowing behind her strides ahead. Around her waist is a belt filled with various tools and a bow resting comfortably against her back.
Her long black hair is swept up into a high ponytail, contrasting with her mismatched eyes, one brown, one violet, and her face adorned with freckles. Her sole guide through the labyrinthine halls is the flickering glow of candlelight.
Dusk, trained by her skilled mentor, is embarking on her very first solo vampire hunt. Her target: the notorious Aurelius Van Helsing, an elder vampire renowned for his penchant for stealing priceless artworks and treasures.
Equipped with an arsenal of anti-vampire gear, she traced his whereabouts to a solitary castle perched atop a hill. For days, she observed from a distance, biding her time until she could stealthily infiltrate under the veil of darkness.
Despite her heightened state of alertness, her eyes glimmer with a steadfast resolve as she navigates the shadowy hallways with earnest caution. Her footsteps are silent as she advances ahead.
"Well, well," A gruff voice echoes from behind her, "What do we have here?"
Dusk instantly halts in her tracks, instinctively pulling an arrow from her quiver and drawing it on her bowstring. She turns to face the unknown man whose smirk is barely visible through the dim light of his own candle.
"I could ask you the same thing," Dusk replies coolly, though inside she's anything but calm, "You're not Aurelius."
She studies the stranger, absorbing his striking features: towering height, almond-toned complexion, deep brown eyes, a rugged scar running across his cheek, pointed ears, sharp fangs, and slicked-back white hair. Dressed in a dark gothic suit paired with a high-collared cape, his attire alone tells her that he's going to be trouble.
The man chuckles, the sound resounding down the corridor, "Very astute observation," He says sardonically before coming to a stop as well. His gaze hardens on Dusk's bow and arrow, a hint of danger in his voice as he warns, "And you're not invited."
The dark-haired woman's grip tightens on her bow as she takes a step back, maintaining the distance between herself and the man. His tone sends chills down her spine but she doesn't let it show.
"Perhaps not... But I have business here," She replies firmly. However much Dusk wants to avoid confrontation, this man is clearly no ordinary passerby.
"Well," The stranger begins, his dark eyes gleaming with amusement, "You sure have guts to break into a vampire's house and claim it as your own. I suggest you state your business before I decide you're nothing more than my next meal."
Dusk swallows hard, feeling the weight of his threat settle in her stomach, "I'm here for Aurelius Van Helsing," She declares, trying to keep her voice steady despite her pounding heart, "And I have no plans on becoming anyone's meal," She adds defiantly. Her arrow is still drawn tight against the bowstring, ready to launch at any sign of aggression from the man.
He chuckles, crossing his arms over his chest, "Aurelius? And what business do you have with him?" His gaze drops to her arrow and he grins wider, "Though, I must admit... It's been a while since anyone has threatened me."
Her eyes narrow, watching his every move, "That's none of your concern," She replies sharply.
There's a hint of anger in her voice now and the bowstring tenses further under the pressure from her fingers. This man, whoever he is, seems amused by this, clearly underestimating what Dusk is capable of.
"Is that so?" The handsome stranger says, feigning interest. He casually approaches her, nonchalantly brushing the arrowhead with his finger, "Then maybe I should make it my concern."
"Touch that arrow again, and you'll regret it," She growls, pulling back a little more on the string to emphasize her point. As their eyes lock, Dusk feels a rush of adrenaline surge through her veins. She's not scared anymore but she is prepared for a fight.
"Feisty," He remarks with a smirk, his eyebrow arched in intrigue as he takes a step back without breaking eye contact, "Let's see if you're all bark and no bite," He challenges her with his devilish gaze.
"You really shouldn't test me," The vampire hunter declares, her gaze never faltering as she meets his challenge head-on. She keeps the arrow pointed at him, ready to let it fly if he so much as twitches in the wrong way.
A low chuckle vibrates from the man's throat, his dark eyes filled with amusement and anticipation.
"I'm shaking in my boots," He retorts sarcastically, undisturbed by the threat of her arrow, "Show me what you've got," He tilts his head to the side mockingly, waiting for her next move.
"Very well," Dusk replies, a determined glint in her eyes. She releases the projectile without another word, watching it speed towards him with deadly intent.
No longer restrained by fear or hesitation, she has one goal: to stop this vile creature from hurting anyone else.
With a swift movement, he sidesteps the arrow flying towards him, taunting her arrogantly, "You'll need to do much better than that."
He retrieves a vial from his pocket and produces a bubble wand, blowing a bubble and skillfully manipulating it into a shield around him. His fangs flash in amusement as he watches her reaction.
She curses under her breath, swiftly pulling out a silver tipped arrow from her quiver, ready to strike once again. Studying his bubble shield carefully, she discerns that he isn't just any ordinary vampire.
"Oh, silver arrows? Color me impressed," Her opponent retorts mockingly. He brandishes his twin scythes before assuming a defensive pose.
He keeps an eye on Dusk's movements while focusing on maintaining the bubble shield around him which sparkles ominously against the dimly lit hall.
The dark-haired woman grins at his comment, her resolve only growing stronger, "You should be."
She takes a moment to steady herself before launching the next arrow towards him, aiming not at the vampire but this time, his bubble shield instead. She needs to figure out its strength if she's going to have any chance against him.
The man's eyes narrow as the arrow flies toward his barrier. The impact sends a vibration through the air, disrupting its previously smooth surface. He can't help but grin at her attempt to test him. Feeling a surge of satisfaction at her successful shot, Dusk swiftly readies another arrow.
"You're smarter than you look... Not that it matters," He taunts her, pressing his scythes together and stepping back into an attack position.
His grudging compliment fuels her determination further but she isn't here to prove herself to him, she's here for justice.
"Don't underestimate me," She spits out defiantly before releasing the next arrow directly at her opponent this time in an attempt to break his focus on maintaining the bubble shield.
His eyes dart to the projectile speeding toward him. In a swift move, he slashes his scythes upward in front of himself, splitting the incoming arrow into halves. The sight of her arrow split in midair triggers a fleeting sense of surprise within Dusk, but she quickly pushes it away.
"Underestimate you? I'd rather not," He grumbles, maintaining eye contact with her while keeping up his barrier, "But don't get too confident."
"Oh, confident? I'm just getting started," She remarks with renewed vigor, drawing another silver arrow from her quiver and preparing herself for the next assault.
"Good. I like a little fire," The vampire responds with an uncaring shrug. He twirls one of his scythes in anticipation as a smirk tugs at the edge of his lips, "Hope you're not going to start crying when this ends badly for you."
Dusk recognizes his words as an attempt to unsettle her, but she refuses to let that happen.
"No need for concern," She shoots back with mock sweetness, "I've faced worse than you."
With those words, she releases the arrow aimed directly at his smirking face, driven by the sole desire to erase that insolent grin from his features.
The man's smirk widens at her challenge. Most hunters would have lost their nerve by now, but not her. As the projectile flies toward him with deadly precision, he sidesteps it effortlessly and laughs lowly at her attempt to harm him.
"Is that a promise or a threat?"
With an amused chuckle at his response, she quips back confidently while nocking another arrow onto her bowstring, "Take it as you wish."
She then pulls on the string and takes aim again. This time though, rather than directly targeting him once more, an act he could predict, she aims for one of his scythes hoping to disarm him even slightly.
He catches on to her strategy quickly, but not in time to completely dodge the arrow. It hits the shaft of his scythe and sends it flying out of his hand. A low growl escapes him as he gives Dusk an annoyed look.
"Cute trick," He comments spitefully while retrieving the fallen weapon with a quick bubble from his bottle.
Dusk's lips pull into a triumphant smile at his annoyance. She had managed to land one hit. It was progress, encouraging and motivating.
"Oh!" Her voice drips with faux surprise as she readies another arrow, "Did that upset you? I apologize for the inconvenience."
His eyes narrow, not at all amused by her sarcastic retort. He blows a large bubble around himself just in time to block the incoming arrow from reaching him. The force of it makes his arm recoil slightly as he steadies himself.
"Was that an apology? How thoughtful," The white-haired man growls, sarcasm thickly lacing his own tone now. His dark gaze hardens with focused determination and irritation before he lunges forward again with fresh fury etching into his features.
"Oh dear," She sighs theatrically as he charges towards her, "I really seem to have struck a nerve."
She braces herself for his attack, gripping an extra silver-tipped arrow tightly in her hand and preparing to use it as a makeshift dagger if necessary.
Her opponent's eyes flash with restrained anger as his fingers tighten around the handle of one scythe, its sharp edge gleaming ominously under the scant light.
"Struck a nerve? Nah, you're just being an annoyance," He bites back, sweeping out his blade in a deadly arc aimed towards Dusk's abdomen prompting her eyes to widen.
There isn't time to think, only react.
"Annoyance?" She shoots back breathlessly while trying to sidestep his attack and thrust the silver-tipped arrow forward in a desperate attempt to pierce his skin, "I'll try harder next time."
The arrow grazes his side, a hiss escaping from between his clenched teeth. Undeterred, he swiftly closes the distance, cornering her until Dusk's back collides with the wall with a thud, eliciting a small gasp from her lips. She feels his breath against her face and fights down the sudden pang of fear threatening to swallow her.
"You're quick," He admits begrudgingly with an attempt to smirk at her while trying to hide his discomfort, "But you'll have to do better than that."
"I plan on it," She growls out, using all of her strength in an attempt to push him away.
A spark of respect flickers in his dark eyes, "You're got guts. I'll give you that."
The sight of her exposed neck draws out an instinctual hunger within him and for one maddening moment, he debates feeding on this nuisance of a vampire hunter, but dismisses it almost instantly. He might be a vampire, but not all monsters drink human blood.
Dusk observes his reaction closely, discerning a glimmer of something unexpected within this man. Could it be mercy?
"Are... Are you innocent?" She stammers out before wincing internally at how desperate and vulnerable she must sound now.
"Innocent?" He scoffs, his dark eyes flashing, "That's a luxury I've never afforded," He pauses for emphasis before adding on with an almost cruel satisfaction, "I eat humans like you for breakfast."
Her heart leaps into her throat at his words, a chill running down her spine. Yet, she finds herself holding onto the sincerity in his gaze. She bites back the fear threatening to overwhelm her and forces out shaky laughter.
"Well then," Dusk retorts with false bravado, staring challengingly up at him, "You must be hungry."
"Hmm, perhaps," The man replies nonchalantly, his lips curving into a smug grin. However, the cruel glint in his eyes softens momentarily as he releases her, adding, "But not for you."
Her breath hitches as his words linger in the heavy silence of the room, "Then... What do you want?" She finds herself asking before she can stop it, curiosity and confusion lacing through each word.
"What I want..." The man echoes, his gaze momentarily distant as though he's contemplating the vast expanse of her question, "I want to live a life that isn't dictated by others," He begins in an unusually serious tone for someone who's been constantly drowning himself in sarcasm, "I want peace... For myself, my mother, Aurelius."
Pausing for a lingering moment, his eyes meet hers again.
"Maybe even for you too."
Dusk's heart pounds at his words, her lips slightly parted in surprise. His wishes are far from the monstrous image she had painted of vampires before.
"That... Sounds quite human for a vampire," She says softly, as though speaking any louder would shatter the delicate moment between them.
He shrugs, a wry grin etched on his face, "Guess we're not all as heartless as you'd like to believe," He says noncommittally, an unspoken understanding passing between them, "Or maybe I'm just the anomaly in your perfect little classification."
Despite, or perhaps because of his anomaly, Dusk finds herself inexplicably drawn to the complex personality of this vampire. His words carry a rough edge, yet within them lies a rare and unexpected softness.
"Perhaps you are," She admits with a small smile, "But aren't we all anomalies in some way?"
He snorts as her words, leaning back against the wall, "Sure. If that makes it easier for you to sleep at night."
Dusk's smile doesn't falter, her gaze steady as she says playfully, "It doesn't really change much but it does make things a bit more interesting."
Yet beneath her lighthearted demeanor, she grapples with this newfound perspective on vampires and an unexpected connection to this one in particular.
Hesitantly, she asks, "What... is your name?"
"Xavia," He responds curtly, "And don't you dare shorten it."
"N-noted," The vampire hunter stammers, her heart pounding in a strange mix of fear and intrigue, "Xavia... It's nice to meet you. I'm Dusk."
Subconsciously, she reaches out with an extended hand as if trying to bridge the gap between their worlds further, a hunter offering a handshake rather than drawing a silver-tipped arrow.
Xavia raises an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips, "Nice to meet you? We're enemies, remember?" Though, he catches her hand in a firm grip, shaking it briefly before letting go.
Dusk's cheeks flush with embarrassment as she retracts her hand, "Right... Enemies," She mutters under her breath, fighting the urge to run a hand through her hair in frustration.
He can't help but let out a dry chuckle at her reaction, "Don't blush. It's unbecoming of a vampire hunter."
"I'm not blushing!" The dark-haired woman retaliates, crossing her arms over her chest defensively, "And why are you laughing? This isn't funny! We're... enemies."
"Sure, sure," Xavia remarks playfully at her denial, "I'm laughing because it's amusing that you're so flustered by this 'enemy' situation."
"I'm not flustered!" She denies, cheeks burning as she meets his gaze defiantly, "But I suppose you wouldn't understand. Vampires have no emotions, right?"
Even though she spoke the words with a firm conviction, there was an undertone of uncertainty to it. Was he really devoid of any emotion? His playful demeanor seemed to suggest otherwise.
The white-haired man chuckles lightly, pushing off from the wall to approach her, "You humans always assume too much. Of course, vampires have emotions," He corrects her gently as if explaining something obvious. He smirks devilishly, leaning in closer so their faces are mere inches apart and whispers, "It's simply that our feelings are... Different."
"Different how?" She asks curiously, tilting up her head slightly to look at him despite the trepidation swirling within her. Deep down though, she feels intrigued by this revelation about vampires and their emotions.
"Different, as in... More intense," He answers, watching her face intently for a reaction, "We experience emotions just like you humans do, fear, anger, joy... Lust," He adds with a mischievous glint in his eyes, "But when we feel it, it's more potent. Like an everlasting burn that doesn't fade away."
Dusk blinks, a little taken aback by his words. She hadn't expected him to be so candid about it. Or for the concept of vampires feeling emotions more intensely than humans.
"Potent? Like an everlasting burn?" She repeats slowly, mulling over his description, "Doesn't that hurt?"
"Most of the time it does. But we've had centuries to adapt and manage these emotions," He shrugs nonchalantly before looking away from her, "Hell, sometimes they're much stronger than us, but that's life, I guess. For you humans, too."
The dark-haired woman watches his expression, noting the way he seems to momentarily lose himself in thought. She can't help but wonder what sort of emotions a vampire would need centuries to adapt and manage.
"I suppose..." She murmurs slowly, "So, you've been dealing with this for how long?"
"A long fucking time," Xavia grumbles under his breath, "Over two thousand years to be exact. Do you really think all those centuries were a walk in the park?" He asks, the question rhetorical and accompanied by an irritated sigh. As his dark eyes meet hers once more, they betray a weariness that speaks of lifetimes' worth of trials and tribulations, buried beneath layers of cynicism.
Dusk swallows, the number large and unfathomable. Over two thousand years... She finds herself momentarily lost in thought, imagining what centuries of existence must mean for someone like Xavia.
"I..." She begins to respond, only to falter at his jaded gaze, "No. I don't think it was."
He scoffs softly, his lips curling into a sneer, "No shit," He retorts sarcastically as if her understanding is the most obvious thing in the world. Yet, despite his harsh words and tone, there isn't any actual venom behind them.
He moves to walk past Dusk without another word, suddenly feeling too exposed under her empathetic gaze. But something prompts him to pause mid step and glance back at her over his shoulder with an unreadable expression on his face.
"I'm not your pity case," His voice drops lower than usual, gruff yet strangely vulnerable, baring just a glimpse of what centuries of loneliness could do to even someone like him.
"I wasn't..." Dusk starts after him, a mix of confusion and determination swirling within her mismatched eyes. She shakes her head lightly before adding softly, "I don't pity you."
"That's good," He remarks with an insolent grin as he continues to stride down the hallway, "Because I don't need anyone. Get out of here before I change my mind and kill you."
Dusk watches as Xavia disappears into the darkness, leaving her alone in the empty corridor. His words echo ominously in her thoughts and she feels a pang of unease.
"Until next time..." Dusk whispers under her breath before turning on her heels to retreat for the night.
----------
Upon her return, Dusk finds Kana sitting in the dimly lit room, waiting for her report. With a heavy sigh and an uneasy glance at her mentor, she crafts a believable lie about being unable to locate Aurelius Van Helsing.
"Couldn't find him?" The older woman questions with a raised eyebrow.
Dusk avoids Kana's probing gaze and instead focuses on the floor, "I searched everywhere I could, but he wasn't there. It was like chasing a ghost."
"Strange," Kana rubs her chin thoughtfully, "Maybe I should try instead."
"No!" The dark-haired woman finds herself blurting out before she can stop herself. She quickly recovers, lowering her voice to a more controlled tone as she adds, "I mean... I can try again tomorrow."
"Oh?" Kana smirks slightly, which makes Dusk wish the old woman was easier to read, "Well, if you insist. I won't stop you."
Relief washes over Dusk as she nods, forcing a small smile onto her face, "Thank you, Kana. I promise I won't let you down. I'll make sure to find him."
Turning on her heel to go back to her quarters, she lets out an inaudible sigh of relief, 'That was close!' She muses internally, 'For now, Xavia and all the others are safe from us. But for how long? How am I going to prove their innocence before it's too late?'