Kiss of the vampire " the Girl with the Sharp sword" volume 2.
Mission 28: "Between the Living and the Lied To"
"Fear not! I am here!"
The sound of General McDougal's voice echoed like thunder through the ruined theater.
Elisia blinked away the sting of tears, watching as Hunters spread out behind him like an unstoppable tide. Relief hit her hard and fast—but she didn't let it keep her down for long.
"Wait!" she called, stepping forward. "The others! Deyviel, Ethan—they're still fighting inside. Two more are holding back vampires down the hall."
The General's eyes snapped to hers. Sharp. Calculating. Then he nodded.
"You heard her! Secure the perimeter! Rescue teams on standby. Medics—any injured get priority extraction. Alpha and Bravo with me. We're pushing forward."
"Yes, sir!"
---
Meanwhile — Deep in the Theater
Blood hissed and steamed against shattered tile as Vermorth, a towering vampire noble clad in a cloak of pulsating black sinew, snarled and lashed forward. His claws—longer than swords—slashed through the air with a sound like tearing steel.
Deyviel deflected the strike with his forearm bracers, teeth clenched, boots sliding across the cracked floor. Ethan darted in from the side, slashing his twin daggers across Vermorth's side. Sparks flew—the blades couldn't pierce deep, but they kept the monster from regenerating too quickly.
"You're getting sloppy," Ethan grunted, ducking under a swipe.
"Says the guy who almost lost his head thirty seconds ago," Deyviel replied, catching Vermorth's next strike and driving his elbow into the vampire's face.
Vermorth staggered, then screamed, his voice distorted by something deeper—inhuman. His back arched as black veins pulsed along his body.
"You think two insects can kill me?" he hissed. "I've lived through blood wars! You're nothing but prey!"
"Then we're the kind that fights back," Ethan muttered.
Deyviel's blade, Silvershard, crackled with unnatural energy as he gripped it tight. "Ethan. Time to end this."
Ethan gave a quick nod—and the two moved as one.
"You talk too much for a fossil like you?!"Deyviel said and Vermorth brows twitch in anger"you little!" He shouted and dash forward to slash Deyviel that is grinning right now.
---
Elsewhere — North Hallway
Denver, Mizuno, Cymac, and Alex fought in sync against two standard-class vampires. Not nobles like Vermorth, but no less deadly. The air reeked of iron and burnt flesh.
Denver crushed through a pillar with his axe, forcing one of the vampires to dodge right into Mizuno's flame kick.
"Keep the pressure! They're panicking!" Cymac barked, his chain-scythe slashing in arcs, forcing the second vampire into a corner.
Alex, standing firm with a broken arm, still raised his rifle. "No escape for you, freaks!"
One vampire tried to leap away, but Cymac's scythe wrapped around its leg and slammed it back into the ground, just as Mizuno threw a searing punch that split its chest open.
---
Back at the Entrance
Elisia walked beside one of the Hunters, nerves settling as the theater behind them buzzed with movement.
"You're lucky we got here when we did," the Hunter said. "Reinforcements were delayed. We thought it was already too late."
"It almost was," Elisia muttered. "But they're still fighting. They're not giving up."
Just ahead, General McDougal raised his sword. His face was stone, his eyes like fire.
"Advance carefully. We protect the civilians and crush any monsters that remain," he ordered. "The hunters will purge this filth."
One soldier stepped beside him. "Sir, should you really—"
"I will fight," McDougal said. "I won't leave heroes to bleed in silence."
And with that, he stepped into the dark—toward the sound of battle, where Deyviel and Ethan faced one of the oldest monsters still lurking in the city's veins.
Vermorth stood tall in the ruined ballroom, his silhouette framed by the dying embers of the chandeliers.
Blood dripped from his arms, then hardened—shaping into jagged armor that crawled over his shoulders like crimson stone. Thick gauntlets formed around his hands, his fingers now ending in serrated claws.
Ethan gritted his teeth. "He's reinforcing his whole body... like living plate armor."
"And weapons," Deyviel muttered beside him. "He's both shield and sword."
With a low growl, Vermorth slammed his fists together, and the floor cracked beneath him. "Humans. You think you've seen war? I fought in the Blood Eclipse. I drowned cities in red. You're just children swinging sticks."
He rushed.
A blur.
Deyviel sidestepped, barely. A hardened blood claw tore past his cheek, carving a slice through the air itself. Ethan came from the side, swinging his spear low, aiming for Vermorth's ribs—only for it to clang against the red armor like steel on stone.
"No way—!" Ethan recoiled. "He's denser than a tank!"
Vermorth twisted and backhanded Ethan across the room. The spear-wielder hit a pillar, crumpled, but didn't go down.
Deyviel was already moving.
He ducked low, sliding under Vermorth's arm, and drove his blade upward toward the vampire's armpit—a known weak point.
CLANG!
Too slow. A layer of hardened blood reformed in time, blocking the thrust.
Vermorth's fist came crashing down.
Deyviel barely raised his sword to parry, and the shockwave sent both of them skidding apart, debris flying around them like shrapnel. Behind them, the walls of the theater began collapsing from the force.
Ethan stood again, wiping blood from his mouth. "We need to break through that armor. Force him to reform—drain his energy."
Deyviel nodded, eyeing the veins of blood pulsating across Vermorth's body. "Then we attack in rhythm."
Vermorth growled. "Coordinated attacks? Cute. Won't save you."
He charged again, blood whips erupting from his back like tendrils—lashing in wide arcs. Deyviel weaved through them, while Ethan leapt off rubble and came crashing down, pinning one of the tendrils with his spear.
"NOW!" Ethan roared.
Deyviel surged forward. He unleashed a rapid flurry—slashes aimed at the same point on Vermorth's right thigh. Over and over. Sparks flew. The armor cracked.
A growl turned into a scream as Vermorth retaliated—fists hammering like war drums. Deyviel blocked, rolled, parried, danced.
Ethan lunged in from behind—plunging his spear straight through the cracked spot.
A howl. Blood splattered in every direction.
"You dare?!" Vermorth snarled.
His armor exploded outward in all directions—a burst of hardened spikes.
One struck Ethan's side. He dropped to one knee, coughing blood.
But Deyviel was already moving.
Eyes sharp. Blade tighter. Focus absolute.
His sword ignited with the faint, pale energy of his awakening.
He dashed forward—past the spikes, past the blood.
One slash. Deep. Precise. Through the heart.
Vermorth stood frozen, eyes wide.
"Impossible…" he gasped.
Deyviel whispered, voice low, steady, "You lost the moment you underestimated humans."
Vermorth fell to his knees—then crumbled into dust.
Silence returned.
Ethan leaned on his spear. "...That was close."
Deyviel just nodded, eyes scanning for more threats.
---
Meanwhile, at the theater entrance—
Elisia, still gripping her bent pipe, guided the hunters through the dark halls.
"There's more fighting inside!" she said quickly. "Two vampires. They've got others with them—Cymac, Mizuno, Alex, Denver—they're still fighting. You have to help them!"
General McDougal's eyes narrowed. "We secure this floor. Sweep and extract civilians. Half with me."
He turned, cracking his neck.
"I'll assist the strike team. Sounds like my fists are needed."
He gave Elisia a short nod, then started down the corridor, his boots thundering like war drums.
Behind him, the Hunter units pushed forward—flashlights cutting the dark, weapons raised.
The tension was thick even after the battle had ended.
General McDougal stood tall, arms crossed, his coat flapping lightly in the wind that blew through the shattered window of the ruined opera house. Soldiers and hunters moved swiftly behind him, securing the perimeter and checking for any remaining threats. The red emergency lights from the hunter convoy bathed the hall in a flashing, almost theatrical glow.
Deyviel stood firm, though his shirt was torn and his knuckles bloodied from his last strike against Velmorth. Beside him, Ethan was seated on a broken bench, catching his breath, while Denver and Alex stood sheepishly near a cracked pillar, both dust-covered and bruised but alive.
"You three," McDougal's voice cut through the quiet like a blade. He looked at Deyviel, Denver, and Alex one by one, eyes sharp and unreadable. "Who the hell gave you clearance to engage a vampire noble-class threat? Do you have any idea what could've happened if you lost?!"
Denver scratched the back of his neck, avoiding eye contact.
Deyviel didn't flinch. "He was going to kill civilians. We couldn't just let that happen."
"Your good intentions could've gotten you all killed," McDougal snapped. "You're students. Not soldiers. Not yet."
"But they handled it, sir," Ethan finally said, rising slowly. "Without Deyviel's help, I wouldn't have lasted much longer."
McDougal glanced his way, acknowledging him with a nod. "You get a pass, Ethan. You're part of the official field unit. The rest of you?" He sighed heavily. "Reckless. But…"
He walked over and placed a heavy hand on Deyviel's shoulder.
"You neutralized a Class-A threat. That's no small feat, even for a full unit. You've earned some respect tonight."
A pause.
"But don't think you'll walk away without consequences. You'll report back to HQ and face disciplinary review. Understood?"
"Yes, sir," Deyviel said calmly.
McDougal turned toward Denver and Alex. "And you two—"
"Hey Den," Alex leaned sideways, whispering out of the side of his mouth. "Are we in big trouble?"
Denver gave him a look and muttered, "We definitely are, bruh."
McDougal narrowed his eyes at them. "What was that?"
"Nothing, sir!" both said in unison, straightening up like soldiers caught in formation.
McDougal gave them a long stare before sighing. "Let's wrap this up. I want full evac in five minutes. We'll debrief back at HQ. Move out!"
As the hunter team surged into motion, collecting data, securing Velmorth's unconscious body, and checking the civilians, Deyviel looked over his shoulder once, just briefly.
The night wasn't over.
Not yet.
But it felt like the first time in a long while... he could breathe.
Elisia's POV
The cold night air clung to Elisia's skin as she walked just behind the boys, still shaken by everything that had happened. Her phone's flashlight trembled slightly in her hand, the soft beam bouncing off the wet pavement as they made their way down the quiet road.
She couldn't stop replaying it in her head—vampires. Real ones. Monsters that were supposed to only exist in old books or black-and-white horror flicks. And yet, Deyviel and the others had fought them like it was just another school day gone off-script.
A moment ago, General McDougal had sent her home after a quick debrief. He'd been gruff and firm, but she could tell—beneath the soldier's armor—there was genuine concern. He made sure she was safe, personally assigning Deyviel and his friends to escort her back.
Still, she felt like she didn't belong in their world.
But that didn't stop Deyviel and Alex from bragging like maniacs.
"I told you, Elisia," Alex said, puffing his chest out as he tossed an imaginary punch in the air, "I landed a clean hit on that vampire's jaw. It was like BOOM—he was stunned! Couldn't even react!"
Deyviel cut in, swinging an invisible hammer with both fists. "Pfft, please! It was my hammer fist that cracked through his hardened blood defense. Ethan even looked shocked—his jaw dropped! I think he's gonna ask me to teach him ki next week."
Elisia blinked. "Ki?"
"Don't worry about it," Deyviel said with a wink. "Top-secret martial arts stuff."
Alex nodded sagely. "He's like a monk-ninja hybrid now. Honestly, I'm jealous."
Denver, walking a few steps behind, snorted. "Monk-ninja, really? You tripped over your own shoelace during that fight."
Alex immediately elbowed him. "Hey! We're creating legends here, not pointing out bloopers."
They all laughed, the tension of the night slowly breaking apart with every teasing word.
But Elisia's smile lingered for a different reason. These guys—her friends—weren't just normal boys anymore. They had faced down monsters and lived to tell the tale. Maybe they didn't fully understand what they were getting into, but… they chose to fight anyway.
And now, they were officially part of the Hunters.
Assigned under Ethan as their new Captain. Mizuno, the quiet but sharp-eyed tracker, as their vice-captain. It was surreal. Just a day ago, they were sneaking out of class to chase rumors about missing people.
Now, they were part of something real. Dangerous. Bigger than anything she'd imagined.
As they neared her apartment, Elisia looked at Deyviel and Alex once more. They were laughing, arguing about who looked cooler mid-fight, while Denver just shook his head, grinning.
She wasn't sure where this road would lead, or what kind of darkness waited ahead.
But somehow, with them around… she felt a little safer.
They reached her apartment gate, the familiar rusted bars illuminated by the flickering streetlight overhead. Elisia stepped forward to unlock it, but before her hand even touched the latch—
"ELIIIII!!"
The gate swung open with a creak, and a blur of golden hair slammed into her.
"Oof!" Elisia staggered back a step but caught the girl in her arms, wide-eyed. "G-Ghellee?!"
The blonde girl hugged her tight, her arms trembling slightly. "I was so scared when I heard about the attack! I ran all the way when I saw the news alerts. Are you okay?!"
"Y-Yeah," Elisia nodded, a little overwhelmed. "I'm okay… I—wait, when did you get back?"
"Just tonight," Ghellee said, pulling away just enough to look her in the eyes. "I was supposed to surprise you tomorrow, but after all this…" She looked up, noticing the three boys standing just behind them. "Wait. Were you guys with her the whole time?"
Denver raised a hand. "Yup. Escort duty."
Ghellee blinked. "Wait… Denver?"
"Hey, how are you, Ghellee!" Denver grinned, trying to play it cool but clearly a little winded from the sudden emotional reunion. "Bruh, did you forget this is the day she was coming home?" he said, glancing sideways at Deyviel. "Didn't we talk about this last week?"
Deyviel didn't respond.
He stood frozen.
Eyes locked on Ghellee.
His breath had hitched the moment she rushed out of the gate, and now it felt like someone had grabbed his heart and twisted.
Ghellee.
She shouldn't be here.
Not in this timeline. Not like this. Not with Elisia.
His thoughts buzzed like static. Bits of memories—of a different life, a different time—flooded in.
He remembered her laugh. Her warmth. The confession under the stars.
"I love you, Deyviel."
He remembered the rejection. The hurt behind her eyes.
He remembered how she vanished after that—no warnings, no goodbyes.
And now, in this life… she was here. Hugging Elisia. As family.
His knees nearly buckled from the weight of it all, but he locked them in place, forcing a smile onto his face.
"Right," he said hoarsely, then cleared his throat and stepped forward. "Good to see you again, Ghellee."
She looked at him. For a second, her brow furrowed.
Like some distant recognition scratched at the edge of her memory.
But she shook it off with a smile. "You too, Deyviel. Thanks for keeping her safe."
"Anytime," he said. Then muttered under his breath, "This is bad. Everything's going to get more complicated from here. Tch… I need to come up with a plan. Fast."
As Ghellee pulled Elisia inside the gate, chatting about how they had so much to catch up on, Deyviel lingered.
Denver patted his shoulder. "You good?"
"Nope," he muttered. "Not even a little."
Alex raised an eyebrow. "What's going on?"
Deyviel sighed. "A memory problem."
"A what?"
"Don't worry about it," he said, then turned to the gate where the girls had vanished inside.
He stared at it a second longer.
Two lives. One heart.
And now... the past refuses to stay buried.
To be continued...