The London sky was drenched in a heavy, oppressive fog, curling through the narrow streets like a living thing. Carl stumbled through an alley, his vision blurred by the sudden pull of a portal that had ripped him from his world. The air smelled of damp stone and something faintly metallic—blood, though he could hardly have imagined the scale of it that awaited him. His hands were trembling, not from fear, but from the adrenaline coursing through his veins as the first sensations of his new body awakened.
He tried to speak, but his voice was rough, foreign in this unfamiliar throat. Where… am I? The thought echoed in his mind, sharp and electric. Shadows twisted in the mist ahead, coalescing into a tall figure, its eyes gleaming red like smoldering coals.
Before Carl could react, the figure lunged. Reflexively, Carl moved, faster than he thought possible. Time seemed to stretch; muscles he hadn't known he had surged with strength. The vampire struck, fangs bared, but Carl grabbed its wrist, twisting it with a strength that made the creature grunt in surprise.
"You… are not normal," it hissed.
Carl didn't answer. He felt something awaken inside him—a power that was his, yet alien. Blood and shadows swirled around him, and with a single strike, the vampire crumpled to the ground. Carl stared at his hands, now slick with crimson, his heart racing in exhilaration rather than fear.
From the darkness, another figure emerged—feminine, petite, and armed, yet radiating a strange aura of hesitation. Seras Victoria.
"You… fought it alone?" she asked, her voice both skeptical and tinged with curiosity. Her eyes swept over him, lingering on the small tremble in his expression that betrayed not fear, but the thrill of power.
Carl straightened, a faint smirk forming. "Guess I don't play by normal rules."
Seras tilted her head, a flicker of something unreadable in her gaze. "You're… different. Dangerous. And reckless."
"Good," Carl said simply, feeling a pulse of energy ripple through him at her attention. He noticed, almost instinctively, the subtle curve of her form beneath the uniform, the faint flush on her cheeks as she assessed him. So… she's noticing me, he thought, an unfamiliar thrill coursing through his veins.
Before they could speak further, a shadow detached itself from the deeper darkness of the alley. Tall, imposing, and utterly commanding. Alucard. His grin was a slash of white in the darkness.
"Well, well," he said, voice dripping amusement. "Another newcomer. And already… causing a mess."
Carl's body tensed. There was no threat here yet—Alucard simply watched—but the weight of his presence alone was enough to make the hairs on Carl's neck rise. Still, the power coursing through him made him stand taller, unafraid.
"I'm Carl," he said, keeping his tone even. "And it looks like I'm going to need to learn your rules fast."
Alucard's grin widened, revealing sharp teeth. "Oh, you will. But first… you'll need to survive the night."
The fog deepened, curling around their feet like spectral fingers. Carl's senses were alive, each heartbeat sharp, each whisper of movement amplified. He had arrived in a world of darkness, of predators and power, of beauty and danger intertwined. Already, he could feel the beginnings of something dangerous, thrilling, and intoxicating—the kind of life where every decision could mean death, and every moment could bring pleasure beyond imagination.
As Seras stepped closer, subtly brushing against him under the guise of readiness, Carl realized one truth: he was not just surviving. He was beginning to conquer.
The night had only just begun.