Limere Town. Evening.
"Do I really have to wear this?" Liza grumbled, fidgeting with the pair of sun-filtering eyeglasses perched on her nose. The oversized hat on her head shaded her face, and her arms were covered in an uncomfortable layer of sun-blocking cream. She looked like an upper-class noblewoman attempting to blend in with vampire society—precisely the goal.
"You do," I replied, adjusting her umbrella slightly. "We need him to think we're just another pair of typical vampires—nothing threatening."
She huffed lightly, her expression still annoyed beneath the eyewear. "I feel like a porcelain doll pretending to be blind."
"We daywalkers emit the same scent as regular vampires," I reminded her. "He won't suspect a thing… unless we let him."
Our senses were sharpened to unnatural levels. Daywalkers like us could smell the difference between a human and a vampire from twenty paces—sometimes more. So could he. That made this mission a delicate dance of distance and deception.
"Walk through the market like a lady out for a leisurely stroll," I instructed. "Stay near shops that attract women—perfumeries, jewelry, fabrics, booksellers. If you pass someone suspicious, get close and check his scent. If it's human, keep walking. If it's him... give me the signal."
Liza nodded and smiled, her tone softening with resolve. "As you will, my lady."
---
She departed gracefully, strolling past crowded stalls and chattering townsfolk. I kept my distance, trailing her in the shadows with my cloak drawn and my battle attire beneath it—tight-fitting pants, a detachable skirt to mask my agility, and a long bag slung over my shoulder carrying my katana wrapped in cloth.
The town bustled under the fading evening light. Children ran past the cobblestones, vendors shouted prices, and the smell of baked pastries mingled with herbal incense.
Near a small bookshop, I noticed Liza pause. A well-dressed man stood outside, leaning against the display window. He wore sun-filtering glasses, a charming smile, and carried himself like someone who thought the world would hand itself over if he asked nicely.
He was talking to a young woman—flirting, clearly. She giggled at his words, oblivious to the danger.
Liza approached. The man's gaze flicked to her briefly, distracted, intrigued. But the lady tugged his attention back, unaware she might be his next meal.
Liza walked past him, raising her hand casually behind her. A thumbs up.
Target confirmed.
A slow smirk curved on my lips. Found you, parasite.
---
We tailed the vampire man from a distance as he and the woman entered a small open-air restaurant. We waited through their candlelit meal, biding time. The sun began its final descent, washing the streets of Limere in amber hues.
Beside me, Liza crossed her arms, her mood darker than before.
"That poor woman," she murmured. "She probably thinks she's about to spend a lovely evening with a charming man..."
I nodded. "She won't survive the night if we mess this up. You remember the plan?"
"I do," she said firmly.
"Good. Stay sharp."
---
The sun finally dipped below the horizon. As expected, the man escorted the lady away from the plaza, turning down a quieter street where the gas lamps flickered dimly.
I loosened the mouth of the katana bag. One pull, and my blade would be free.
The man leaned closer to his prey, clearly preparing to strike or seduce further—both, likely. I palmed a copper coin and, using the strength in my fingers, flicked it like a bullet. It struck the wall of a nearby building with a sharp clang!
The vampire's head turned, momentarily distracted.
In that brief opening, Liza appeared like mist, snatching the woman away without a sound. She vanished into the alleyways, leaving only air where the target's victim had once stood.
Realizing something was amiss, the vampire turned back—
Too late.
I was already there.
In a blur of motion, my katana sang from its sheath, slicing through the air in a clean arc. The blade met his neck with precision. Schlik!
His head rolled silently to the cobblestones. His body collapsed seconds later, twitching once before lying still.
Moments later, Liza rejoined me, her chest rising and falling as she caught her breath.
Her eyes landed on the decapitated head.
"Eww," she muttered, wrinkling her nose.
I chuckled. "Don't worry. By morning, the sunlight will turn his corpse to ash. He won't even get a grave."
---
We rode back in our carriage, the rhythmic clatter of hooves echoing in the quiet night.
Another threat removed from my territory. But there would be more. There were always more.
Still, tonight belonged to us—two daywalkers in a world of shadows.
And I was only getting started.