It was raining outside as if the sky had burst open. The wind mercilessly thrashed the trees, bending them toward the ground. The streams of water pouring from the sky were so heavy that it was impossible to see beyond the tip of one's nose.
Thunder and lightning struck the earth, and not a single soul was around.
On the outskirts stood an abandoned church. In the center, a faint silhouette could be seen.
It was a girl dressed in white, seemingly unbothered by the chaos outside. Her hands were clasped in prayer, gently raised to her forehead.
Softly whispering a prayer at the altar, she stood facing the divine statue of Eunice. The lit candles in the silent hall flickered ominously with every passing draft, their smoke curling around the altar.
"Amen…"
Finishing her prayer, she tucked a strand of light hair behind her ear and looked up at the stained-glass window of the old building, which stretched up to the ceiling. The glass, shrouded in darkness, suddenly shuddered as lightning flashed nearby. For a moment, the altar and the stained glass were illuminated in eerie shades of red and violet. The blood spilled across the floor and staining the hem of her dress glowed under the light.
Then came the thunder. The light went out.
And the sapphire glow of the maiden's beautiful eyes flickered red—just for a moment.
A few days later.
A small village stood on the edge of a vast forest. For some unknown reason, its very existence irritated her greatly—but no one knew about the storm of feelings brewing within her soul.
(Reminds me of that day...)
Thinking this, she smiled gently, but the smile never reached her eyes.
With a slow, measured pace, she walked along the muddy path, yet moved so elegantly it was as if she were a butterfly.
She walked like this for a while until the village was dangerously close.
After a few more steps, she found herself surrounded by a large field planted with wheat and other crops.
(Hmm, did I come from the wrong side?) – she looked around uncertainly.
But her thoughts were interrupted by a hoarse, elderly voice:
"Young lady, have you arrived in our village? Or perhaps you've lost your way?" he asked kindly.
"Oh, I'm sorry… I'm a wandering nun..." she began hesitantly.
"A nun?" – the old man blinked in surprise, then smiled warmly and continued:
"It's been a long time since we've had guests in our village. Come this way, child," – he gestured toward a narrow path leading to his modest yard.
She nodded silently and followed him.
"My name is Hinis. I'm just a humble farmer living in this village. So, what brings you to this forsaken place?"
"My name is Rachel. As I said, I'm merely a wandering nun… I came only to show people the beauty of the world and, of course, to spread the word of the Lord. Please, visit the small chapel nearby and have a cup of tea. Our gracious Eunice will grant your wishes when you taste this marvelous drink." – Rachel clasped her hands and smiled sweetly at Hinis.
"I see… What a lovely purpose. Wishes, you say…" – the old man glanced distantly at the dry soil of his field and let out a quiet chuckle.
"Yes! All you have to do is pray to Lord Eunice and drink the tea!" – from nowhere, a leaflet appeared in Rachel's hand, inviting him warmly.
"Alright then, this old man will come," – Hinis smiled, the corners of his eyes wrinkling, his thin lips curving beneath his thick mustache.
Glowing with joy, Rachel waved him goodbye and quickly disappeared from sight.
After greeting and meeting everyone, she returned to her temporary shelter—a small chapel, which she had managed to bring into perfect order in just a few hours.
After cleaning, Rachel collapsed wearily onto the creaky bed.
"Who would've thought even vampires get tired," – she scoffed casually, sinking into the clean sheets.
Her light golden curls spread across the pillow, and her sharp, ever-thirsty-for-blood eyes stared up at the ceiling.
(Being sweet and kind to these little humans is exhausting… Though perhaps, it's worth it.) – That was her final thought before she drifted off to sleep.
A silhouette of a handsome stranger with fiery red hair appears in the darkness. The moment their eyes meet, his figure begins to fade, and Rahel desperately runs after him, nearly stumbling as she pleads for him to stay.
"Argh!.." — Rahel suddenly opened her eyes, sitting up in bed.
Her eyes glowed a bright blue, quickly shifting to crimson.
Thankfully, within seconds she regained control and clutched her head.
"Urgh... ha... how amusing, Vergil..." — she whispered with a sarcastic smirk, then added:
"Even after sealing you away in my memories, you still manage to gnaw at my mind."
With a dazed expression, she glanced out the window at the moon shining with pure white light.
(Hm... why not?) — now fully awake, she narrowed her eyes and grinned devilishly, turning her gaze to the old wooden clock.
It struck two a.m. The large hand let out a dull thud as it moved to the number two.
Some time later...
A cloaked figure raced along a forest path, their hooded robe blending with the night, weaving effortlessly between trees.
The horizon shifted quickly behind the mysterious person — until the wind pushed back hard enough to reveal the truth.
Rahel.
Once again, she had decided on a little midnight stroll.
Her sapphire eyes, fixed on the glowing moon, turned blood-red. With a swift crouch and push from the ground, leaving a small dent behind, she soared into the sky.
"How wonderful…"
Her cheeks flushed slightly as she whispered into the empty night, arms outstretched, her body leaning back.
The stars above, shining like hand-drawn lights, seemed just out of reach — allowing her only to admire them for a few seconds.
For that brief moment, her gaze looked so alive — as if she wasn't a vampire without a real heart at all.
Seconds later, the city came into view below her.
Vivid, almost painted, it burst with color.
The city.
Its night market truly shimmered, and even from hundreds of meters above, it was clear — people were down there.
Flipping mid-air, landing feet-first, she landed soundlessly on a rooftop and slipped into a side alley.
It was immediately obvious — this wasn't the safest district.
"Heh."
With a smirk, the figure began moving forward slowly, yet confidently.
Passing a few meters, a drunk man caught his foot on her cloak.
"Huh?!?" — he grumbled loudly, glaring at the girl.
"Mm?" — she paused, raising an eyebrow at the man.
"What a beauty!" — he slurred, grabbing her cloak and raising his voice.
A few men smoking nearby and women openly flirting with them turned to watch.
"How much you cost?" — he kept going relentlessly.
Rahel clenched her teeth, yanking the fabric away in disgust.
"How rude. A pretty girl like you shouldn't be walking around this late all alone. How about you spend the night with me in exchange for some protection?" — he stood up, dragging out his words, his red, piggish face reeking of alcohol.
The people nearby moved closer, drawn by the noise.
His final words seemed to be the last straw. Her brow furrowed, and her eyes lit up.
The next second, her fangs sank into his neck.
In an instant, the disgusting man became her midnight snack.
His lifeless body hit the ground.
Three men — who looked like mercenaries — and two startled women in flashy dresses approached her.
"Hey lady!" — one, clearly the leader, snapped.
"If you wanted him dead, you should've done it somewhere else. This is my territory."
Turning to the unpleasant bunch, Rahel's face lost all trace of a smile.
"You know... I'm not in the best mood tonight…" — she said quietly, pulling her hood back over her face.
"What'd you say? I must've misheard. No one kills on my turf without my permission!" — the muscular man in worn clothes growled, clearly unimpressed.
"Then I'm afraid... you'll have to die."
She lifted her head, revealing her face. One look at her eyes — and fear instantly struck him.
"You... you're a vampire…" — he stepped back, realizing the situation. The woman with glowing red eyes, the body on the ground, the blood on her lips...
"Wow, you figured that out all by yourself~"
Looking around, he noticed the two women and two men who'd stood nearby were now lying motionless on the ground.
"Hic!" — he recoiled in terror.
"Don't worry, you won't die as quickly as they did," — her voice turned innocent again, a sweet smile forming on her lips.
"You know, I wasn't even hungry tonight. Midnight snacks are bad for the figure, but... plans changed~ You're all more delicious than any appetizer or fried chicken."
She said that while placing her palm to her cheek and narrowing her eyes, as she usually did. But just as she was about to continue her taunting monologue, the man — ignoring her completely — turned and started fleeing, tripping over his own feet.
"Hah… is that so…? It's rather rude to run off in the middle of a conversation…" — she lowered her gaze.
"Though… this makes it more fun." — her eyes opened again, and with a single leap, she closed the distance.