CHAPTER 4

I decided to go for a stroll in New Jersey. It has been a long time since I went to the busy streets. Oh, District 5 is, without a doubt, my favorite location here. Jazz bars where humans are half-drunk that serve as blood bags. This place holds many memories for me.

Surprisingly, considering that it's been nearly 400 years since it happened, not much has changed. Even if there are undoubtedly more structures and society's general level of development has increased, the ambiance has stayed the same.

I heard folks laughing and having a good time as they walked by. I saw that several of the guys were looking at me lustfully and suspiciously.

It's time for me to change my clothes. I need to draw more attention in the bright daylight. Because I always go out at night, these garments let me practically disappear into the darkness. Only here does it manage to attract people's attention.

I went inside the retail shop most conveniently near me. I purchased a sweatshirt and a pair of slim jeans. I removed my usual clothes and packed them in the shopping bag. My eyes traveled all over my body as I observed my reflection in the mirror. These clothes were very unique when it came to my taste. I can't even remember the last time I wore something like this. It's been a very long time. I am still deciding whether I like it or not.

When I finally left the store, I saw Leon had been there since earlier. It has been almost one hundred years since I last saw Leon. Even though I was checking him out, he had no idea I was there.

Given that he was under the impression that I had passed away more than 500 years ago, it was a total luck that we ran into each other. I was assigned to keep an eye on a vampire named Georgina Switcz, and when I arrived, I saw him making out with her.

As soon as I laid eyes on her, I immediately jogged my memory about who she was. The image of her face jogged my memory of something. Years and years ago, Leon shared his memories of her with me.

Georgina Switcz is the woman who took his heart and then committed suicide, but not before transforming into a vampire and fleeing the scene.

To tell you the truth, I did not experience any hostility or any negative emotion against her. She was just another step in the process for me.

Love and hatred are feelings that serve no purpose since they divert your attention away from your objective, one of the most important things that my Master taught me. Your thoughts and your capacity to influence others are the only things you can rely on now. This is the path that will lead you to achieve your real objective. Trust your instincts.

I was strolling down the street when I heard a song that was familiar to me. I came across the artist of the amazing musical piece.

I had to stop walking to hear him play because the melody he was playing was so stunning. The melody brought back memories of a song I knew when I was younger. The song's lyrics have been lost to history, but hearing that recognizable tune brought back fond memories.

I could make out the sound of my Master's voice in the back of my head, saying, "Old memories are better off buried."

When the song ended, I gave him a friendly smile, which he promptly returned to me. "You're the second person to stop and listen today. The other one was a drunk man who passed out after a few minutes," he smiled, his brown eyes shining with both happiness and grief.

Pointing to the empty spot on the ground next to him and asking, "May I?"

He welcomed me with a warm smile and invited me, "Be my guest." This guy's suspicious attitude drives me absolutely curious, and I can't stand it one more minute.

I decided to take a seat next to him.

He asked me with a puzzled expression and a suspicious gleam in his eye, "So, what is a beautiful girl like you doing in here alone?"

"Business," I stated straightforwardly. He responded with a nod, then shifted his gaze to the pedestrians passing by.

Staring at humans always piqued my curiosity. They are too busy or occupied to notice the danger around them. Some were ditzy, some were sober, some were busy on their phones while they walked alone, and some were heading to nightclubs. Because there were so many people, I often caught sight of a vampire lurking among the crowd.

I gently approached the artist beside me and asked, "May I borrow your guitar? I want to play a song." Even though it had been a while since I had played the song, I was still confident in my skills.

I needed some information about this place. There are a lot of witches and vampires in New Jersey, and each one is keeping a secret no one should know. This man may be good-looking for a human being, but he'll be useful either way. The people who live on the street see more than what happens at night, and something about him piques my interest.

Then, with a grin, he handed me the guitar and said, "Of course, go ahead."

After clearing my throat, I began to play the guitar. I started singing a tune I had been singing since I was a young vampire.

I performed one of my all-time favorite songs. At this point, people were looking at us. I continued singing while pulling the hood over my head to conceal my face. I couldn't attract much attention, but doing so helped me identify more people.

I needed to determine which of these individuals was a vampire. If they are closer to me, then I will be able to feel them. I could tell that two of them were coming closer to me.

I carried on singing right up until the final note of the song. People started placing their donations in the hat in front of us. It took only a short time until it was completely full. I thought at least ten vampires were hiding amid the crowd surrounding us. I kept my head low enough to disguise my face. Still, at the same time, I could scan the crowd and remember their vampire appearances. I grabbed the hat from my street and handed it to the man sitting beside me.

I didn't take "no" for an answer when I asked whether they wanted to keep it. He needed to have the impression that I was a good person.

He smiled and said, "Thank you so much."

I held off on raising my head until the crowd in front of us disappeared.

The man said, with a smile on his face, "That was beautiful."

I let out a low, delighted laugh as I said, "I've never made that much in one night, let alone one song! By the way, I didn't know your name."

"That's because I never told you, silly. My friends call me Sy." As soon as I mentioned my name, I noticed a suspicious gaze forming in his eyes.

He introduced himself to me as Demeter and then shook my hand. That's when I first felt he was different. It felt like a jolt was going through my body when I realized he was a witch. One who is still young but already powerful. Because of how powerful he is, I didn't recognize it at first. I remained composure so he couldn't figure out yet that I knew what he was.

He addressed me with politeness and asked, "So, Sy. Do you have a place to stay tonight?" I focused on his face. He couldn't be older than 27.

"No, I don't," was my straightforward response.

He rose and extended his hand to me to help me stand up. He said, "Well, come with me then. You can stay with me at my shop for the night." I accepted his hand, and he helped me to stand up.

As Demeter led me down the street, I followed her, and as we turned to a corner, I noticed small shops in the distance. I figured out early what shop he owned. It looked like a typical voodoo shop, but others, like myself, knew it was the home of an actual witch.

As we entered the shop through the back door, I commented, "Nice shop." I went through the store and examined the products on the shelves.

Suddenly, the focus of my attention was drawn to a stone.

A voice from behind said, "Emerald." I swiftly turned around.

He spoke to me in a low and menacing tone as he continued, "It is quite a rare type of emerald, and you eyed it already. How do you know about that, vampire?"

I was not surprised that he was aware I was a vampire. Well, I didn't attempt to conceal it. I could sense the potential that he has as a witch. One day, he might be a powerful one.

"So, you know," I said, using my uninterested voice. I stood straight and placed my bag on the ground.