Chapter 2 : The encounter

The knife should have killed him. Sera knew exactly where she’d thrown it. Perfect angle. Perfect force.

Silver-edged blade straight through the throat. No human survived that. Most vampires didn’t either.

Husen Vale merely looked annoyed. Blood slid slowly down the side of his neck beneath the subway lights while the ancient vampire examined the blade with mild criticism.

“Balanced poorly,” he murmured. “The weight drags slightly left.”

Sera drew another knife instantly. Jonas raised his rifle beside her. “Don’t move.”

Husen finally looked up at them fully. The station lights flickered weakly overhead, casting pale shadows across sharp cheekbones and cold crimson-gold eyes. Up close, he looked worse somehow. Not more monstrous. More alive. Too alive. Every movement is precise. Every expression is deliberate. Predator pretending civility. His dark coat hung open slightly at the throat, silver rings gleaming faintly against pale fingers stained with blood. Bodies surrounded him across the station floor, wilds torn apart with horrifying efficiency. Not frenzy kills. Surgical slaughter. Husen sighed softly and flicked Sera’s knife onto the ground.

“I dislike silver,” he said.

“Good." Sera moved first. And fast.

She crossed the distance between them in seconds, another blade flashing toward his ribs. Husen shifted sideways effortlessly. Too effortless. Her knife sliced through empty air. Then suddenly he was behind her. Cold fingers brushed the back of her elbow.

Guiding. Redirecting. Mocking.

“Too much shoulder,” he murmured near her ear.

Sera spun violently, slashing upward. Husen leaned backwards just enough for the blade to miss his throat by inches. His smile widened. Jonas fired. UV rounds exploded through the station in violet flashes. Husen vanished. One second standing beside Sera. Next second, across the platform. The bullets shattered concrete where he’d been.

“Again,”Husen called smoothly.

Sera hated him immediately. Not because he was stronger. Because he sounded entertained. She lunged again. Knife low this time. A feint.

blade hidden in her sleeve. Husen blocked the first strike easily. The second knife shot toward his eye.

Finally. A real reaction.

He caught her wrist hard before the blade landed. Their bodies slammed together from the force. Sera drove her knee toward his ribs. Husen twisted sideways. Her knee hit empty air. Then suddenly she wasn’t standing anymore. The bastard swept her legs cleanly beneath her. Sera hit the ground hard, already rolling before his hand could close around her throat.

Jonas fired again. Husen released her instantly, moving faster than sight as UV rounds tore through the station wall behind him. The ancient vampire landed lightly atop one of the benches. Calm. Smiling. Absolutely infuriating.

“You two practice together,” he observed.

Sera grabbed another knife from her belt. “We practised killing vampires.”

“Admirable hobby.”

Jonas circled left carefully. Sera moved right. Corner him. Box him in. Husen watched them reposition with visible amusement.

“You’re coordinating attacks against something faster than both of you combined.”

“Still talking,” Sera snapped.

“Still listening.” Husen smiled.

She threw three knives at once. Jonas fired simultaneously. Silver flashed through the air beside bursts of ultraviolet light. Husen moved beautifully. That was the worst part. No panic. No wasted motion. He twisted sideways beneath gunfire while catching one knife barehanded. Another blade grazed his shoulder. The third cut across his jaw.

Blood appeared. Finally.

Sera attacked immediately. She crashed into him before the wound fully healed, slamming him backwards into one of the subway pillars hard enough to crack concrete. Husen’s smile disappeared for the first time.

Good.

Sera drove silver toward his heart. Husen caught her wrist again. Harder now. Pain shot through her arm. The vampire’s eyes darkened slightly. Then he threw her. It's not hard enough to kill. It's hard enough to hurt.

Sera smashed across the station floor, skidding through blood and broken glass. Jonas shouted her name and unloaded another burst of UV rounds. Husen blurred sideways between them. Too fast. One second near the pillar. Next second, directly in front of Jonas. The hunter barely managed to raise the rifle before Husen grabbed the barrel and crushed the metal in one hand.

Jonas swore and swung the ruined weapon toward his face. Husen caught that, too. Then, he headbutted him hard. Jonas crashed backwards into the ticket booth wall. Sera attacked again before Husen could follow. Knife toward the spine, he turned sharply. Her blade buried deep into his shoulder. The vampire hissed. Not pain but annoyance. Then his hand wrapped suddenly around her throat. Everything stopped. Sera froze instinctively. He held her easily against the station pillar, feet barely touching the ground. His grip wasn’t crushing. But it could. Those ancient eyes locked onto hers. Up close, they looked wrong. Too old. Too hungry.

“You’re persistent,” he murmured. Sera drove another blade into his side.

Husen blinked slowly. Then, she looked downward at the knife sticking from his ribs. "Rude.”

Sera slammed her forehead into his face. The grip loosened instantly. She dropped free, coughing hard before slashing toward his throat again. Husen caught the blade between his palms. Silver burned his skin visibly. Smoke curled upward. His expression sharpened finally.

“You should’ve killed me already,” Sera snapped.

Husen smiled again despite the blood. “You first.

*****

Jonas recovered quickly. Always did.

He grabbed a broken metal pipe from the station floor and charged from behind while Sera kept Husen occupied. The hunter swung hard toward the vampire’s skull. Husen ducked. Too fast again. The pipe smashed into concrete instead. Sera lunged low toward Husen’s legs while Jonas attacked high. A clean coordinated strike. This time, Husen actually had to move. He twisted sharply away from Jonas. Sera’s blade sliced deep across his stomach. Black-red blood splattered across the floor. Husen inhaled sharply. Finally. Finally, something landed properly. Jonas tackled him immediately.

All three of them crashed into the station benches. Wood splintered. Metal screamed. Sera slammed silver toward Husen's chest repeatedly while Jonas pinned one arm beneath his weight. Husen snarled.

The sound vibrated through the station like something animal finally surfacing beneath human skin.

His eyes glowed brighter. More crimson than gold now and more dangerous. The vampire exploded upward violently. Jonas flew backwards first. Then Sera. Husen rose from the wreckag, breathing harder now, dark coat torn open and blood dripping steadily down his side.

Beautiful monster. Ancient predator.... Angry now. Good.

Sera spat blood onto the floor. “You bleed after all.”

Husen touched the wound across his stomach thoughtfully. “You fight uglier than expected

“You are uglier than expected.”

His smile returned instantly.

*****

Jonas grabbed another UV cartridge from his belt.

“On three.”

Sera nodded once.

Husen watched them calmly despite the blood covering him.

Then

One.

Jonas moved left.

Two.

Sera sprinted forward.

Three.

The station exploded into motion. Jonas fired ultraviolet rounds directly into the overhead lights. Glass shattered instantly. Darkness swallowed the platform. Sera attacked blind. Human eyes struggled instantly in the sudden dark, but vampire eyes didn’t. Husen caught her wrist immediately. But, too late.

The hidden silver spike in her other hand slammed into his chest. Not the heart but close enough. Husen's breath caught sharply. Sera twisted the blade deeper. The vampire grabbed her violently and slammed her backwards into the pillar again hard enough to crack stone. Pain bursts across her spine. Husen stared at her inches away now. No amusement left. Only hunger. Only danger.

“Careful,” he said softly. His voice sounded lower. Less human.

Sera smiled through blood. “Hurts?”

Husen's eyes flicked briefly toward her mouth. Predatory focus towards the blood there. Something shifted in his expression. Her blood quickly drew his attention like no other blood did. He inhaled her scent deeply and moved closer, wiping the inch space between them. Bending to her level, he brought his nose to her mouth. His mouth automatically opens to lick the blood from her lips.