Renan had learned the rules Luna had explained to him. They were fairly simple. Vampires and other magical creatures had to remain hidden within society, because humans weren't ready to be introduced to magic. Such a revelation could bring problems for everyone.
Magic existed all around, but only a select few could interact with it. A rare group who controlled the masses, who created the tools to turn humans into mere pawns in a grand game designed to make themselves even more powerful.
Luna hated that.
Another thing was that he needed to trust her completely. Even with everything feeling so dangerous, he had to believe she would protect him. After all, she was there for that very reason as she was his girlfriend.
And even if it didn't seem like a good idea, even if it felt like he was being manipulated, he couldn't resist.
It was in his nature to try to please others.
But more than that, he was afraid of losing the girl he loved. So he would follow the rules.
"I understand," Renan said, a nervous chill running through him as he looked out over the city from the rooftop of Luna's apartment building. The world seemed different now. He had lived in New York his entire life, yet it felt unfamiliar. The air was colder and darker, and the artificial lights looked sharper, more crimson than before. It was the vampire curse altering his perception.
"Good." She kissed his cheek. "And you know what you have to do, don't you?" Luna asked once more, holding his hand.
"Yes," he said with a timid smile.
The city wasn't very big, so catching the attention of the Young Blood who ruled the region wouldn't be difficult.
"You have until sunrise," she said and was answered with a nod from Renan.
Once again, he nodded, then took a deep breath as he looked out over the rooftops of the nearby buildings. He hesitated for a moment, and Luna noticed it. Of course he still had doubts. Of course, he was uncertain.
"Don't think. Just follow your new instincts," she whispered into his ear, sending a shiver down his spine. "You must be feeling them by now. The thirst is starting to take over… so just give in."
He swallowed hard because it was true. There was something inside him, something that was begging to be released, like a ravenous beast.
A monster craving only one thing: blood.
The boy took a deep breath and then threw himself off the building, landing on a lower rooftop. The fall would've killed anyone else. But he landed on his feet without feeling a thing, and with a swift motion, he dashed toward the next one.
Renan slipped into a mental and physical state where everything became a blur, leaping from rooftop to rooftop. The beast inside him seemed to have been unleashed while he still had some measure of control.
From a distance, Luna watched as her boyfriend moved with inhuman speed across the moonlit rooftops.
Luna couldn't help but smile as she watched the key piece of her plan finally begin to break free.
"Good boy," she whispered, then stepped back and vanished into the shadows.
Renan kept moving. He was feeling incredible—darting across the rooftops like a video game character. He could leap between buildings that were far apart without any effort. He felt strong enough to smash through a wall if he wanted to.
But the thirst grew stronger the more he allowed himself to enjoy it.
When the hunger became too much, he descended into one of the alleyways where he had heard voices.
"No, please.... Leave me alone!" A woman screamed from one of the alleys.
"Shut up, bitch, give me your money!" Renan heard the slurred voice of a thug.
Renan's blood felt like it was on fire. He hated seeing innocent people being attacked. it was something he'd despised since his school days. He hated being bullied and hated even more seeing his friends suffer because of it. So when he saw that man attacking a woman and trying to steal her purse, he didn't hesitate.
Without thinking twice, he launched himself at the man.
To the woman, everything happened in an instant.
One moment, the man was threatening her with a knife, and the next, he was lying on the ground, bleeding. The blonde woman screamed in terror at the sight.
Renan's heart pounded in his chest. He had never imagined he would kill someone in his life—but it had been so easy, so fast. He stayed hidden in the shadows of the dark alley as the woman took the chance to run away.
The young vampire felt good for having protected her, and that feeling drove him to keep moving through the city, racing through the night like a shadow of vengeance. The city was dangerous. Totally filled with thieves, gang members, and rapists roaming the dark streets just waiting for someone innocent of dumb enough to walk down through them.
"I'm going to clean up this city!" the boy thought to himself, a thrilled but distrubing smile spreading across his face.
One after another, he continued his mission of cleansing the streets of rotten humans. Killing on sight.
He stopped for a moment after having completely drained the blood of a gang member who had been trying to sell drugs on a random street corner.
"So, you're the Neonate causing all this trouble," came an annoyed voice from behind him.
Renan turned around, ready for a fight. He didn't expect fear to crept into his chest when he saw the figure standing there.
The boy looked to be around the same age and build as Renan, but his presence was unnerving. He had sharp, angular features and skin so pale it was nearly translucent under the streetlights. His hair was jet black, slicked back with strands falling over his face like ink. His eyes were a striking shade of crimson, glowing faintly.
Renan knew immediately it could only be the Young Blood Luna had mentioned before.
He wore a long black trench coat lined with blood-red details, its edges slightly tattered as if it had seen countless battles.
A cruel smirk played on his lips, and a fang peeked out as he tilted his head.
"I have no idea who turned you into a Neonate, but after I'm finished with you I will make them suffer a lot!" His smirk became even more bizarre.
Renan grew angry, now moving purely on instinct, and he wouldn't let anyone threaten his girlfriend. Not even if was a higher-ranked vampire!