« First time? Don't worry, you'll quickly become addicted. We've all been there, it changed us to our very core. The first fights, the first bites of meat… Ah, it's a shame we crossed paths, your journey ends here. »
« If you don't want to fight, just tell me. »
« Haha, how arrogant! Since you're new, I'll get this over with quickly. »
The man's right arm transformed into a blade, then his left arm followed. Yumiel hissed. (« Damn Matos, » she thought.)
Yumiel reloaded her pistol. Ready to fight. The two stared at each other for a long moment, while the fire continued to spread from house to house. The flames were reflected on the blood-soaked ground.
The house where the father and daughter were was beginning to catch fire, forcing them to leave. With nowhere else to go, he watched the battle between Yumiel and the man.
« Dad, I'm scared. Why are we waiting here? It's cold. And why do they have to fight? »
The look of sorrow in his beloved daughter's eyes broke his heart. Like a father, he would give anything for his daughter. With their home destroyed and the streets teeming with monsters, staying where they were, hoping for the girl's help, was their best hope.
« They fight to see who is the strongest, and who will eat the other to become even stronger. That's how monsters are, my dear. »
Beneath the flickering flames, two shadows clashed. Well, to be precise, Yumiel dodged every attack the man threw. She retaliated whenever the opportunity arose, but the damage inflicted was almost nil. Neither bullets nor punches could touch her.
The man's two large blades functioned like synchronized swords. If Yumiel didn't possess extremely sharp senses and sufficient speed, the fight would have been over long ago.
But then fatigue began to overwhelm her. Her body screamed, telling her, « I'm hungry. » She felt that reflex weakening, and her vision blurred. The fight continued for long minutes.
Over time, her vision blurred and her senses drove her mad. Being able to perceive her surroundings is useful in combat, but becomes torture in the long run; she has to filter every piece of information, every sound, every detail of her environment. It was starting to drive her insane.
His opponent gave him no respite, attacking him as soon as possible and without fearing Yumiel's blows.
« Well, this is getting on my nerves. »
He approached Yumiel, feigning to stab her with his left blade, before transforming his foot into a blade. Yumiel was already dodging the first blow; she changed direction, leaving herself vulnerable. Taking advantage of this, the man pierced her left shoulder.
(« Arhhh »)
Yumiel cried out, injured. She recoiled several meters back; her left shoulder was struggling to heal, she could feel it, her wound was bleeding profusely. She needed blood, and fast!
« It was funny, little mouse, you run and run but in the end, I'm the hunter. »
Yumiel wanted to answer, but she preferred to conserve her strength. She could barely stand in this situation; only escape was a viable option. Which she did, running as fast as she could. But she was too injured to go all out. Suddenly, her body stopped, and she was lifted into the air.
It only took her a moment to understand. She lowered her head to see a blade pierce her abdomen.
« There you go, little rat. The race is over. »
« Hahahahahahah, finished, finished? Ahahah. »
Impaled in mid-air by a blade, she somehow managed to laugh. A common, near-death syndrome. Yumiel turned her head. The flames were gone, the fire was extinguished. Only the worn streetlights remained to illuminate the area.
Yumiel chuckled, smiling. Then he fired his last clip at the lampposts. The surprised man withdrew his blade from Yumiel's body. The last lampposts stopped working. The man only had time to see three small talismans attached to his blade before a large—
« Boum. »
Yumiel ran, but not to flee, to eat. She landed on the girl's father and sank her fangs, beginning to drain his blood.
For the first second, he remained perplexed; for the second, he struggled; for the third, that muscle tensed again; for the fifth, the sixth. He lost consciousness on the eighth; he died. By the tenth, there was almost no blood left in his body.
Yumiel's wounds were visibly healing. Her body felt reborn. She had never eaten or drunk anything so delicious. It defied all logic. She was completely seduced by the tastes. So juicy, and that feeling of well-being. It was like having the best masseurs in the world massaging you while you ate a gourmet meal. With the effects of the most powerful drugs.
The problem was the man she had just killed. She hadn't wanted to kill him; she'd only wanted to take some of his blood. But she was corrupted by her instincts. At least, that's how she saw it.
His daughter felt her father's hand stiffen; it took her only a moment to adjust to the darkness. Her first vision would surely traumatize her for life: a vampire sucking her father's blood to the last drop while she still held his hand. Her father fell to his knees. His skin was already beginning to turn white from the lack of blood.
« Aaahhhh, Daddy, wake up, Daddy, wake up. »
His daughter could only weep. Crying her heart out and clinging to her father, she could feel the warmth emanating from his body fading away. She held him as tightly as she could, shaking him occasionally as if he were about to wake up.
Yumiel watched the girl cry before looking at the man she had just killed. She felt almost nothing; of course, this scene wasn't indifferent to her, but it wouldn't keep her from sleeping if she still could.
« I hate you, I want you to die, I loathe you. »
Yumiel turned to face the man who had almost killed her. Yet she couldn't help but glance at the girl.
« I have better things to do than be hated by some little girl. »