A guttural hiss echoed through the night as the creature lunged toward Sophia. She barely flinched, sidestepping with inhuman speed before gripping it by the neck and slamming it to the ground. Her fist struck its face repeatedly, each blow sending blood splattering onto the cold earth. It writhed beneath her, trying to resist, but its efforts were futile—Sophia was far stronger.
"Stop! Stop, I beg of you!" it pleaded, its voice hoarse with desperation.
She paused, her fist hovering mid-air, eyes narrowing in disdain.
"I don't have time for insects like you," she muttered before turning away, uninterested.
But the creature scrambled to its feet and trailed behind her. Annoyed, she spun around sharply.
"Stop following me," she commanded, her voice laced with warning.
"I just want to know you," it admitted. "I haven't seen anyone like me in centuries. I'm Tony." He extended his hand hesitantly.
At that, Sophia let out a low, mocking laugh. "Like me?" she scoffed. "Honey, I'm worse."
Tony frowned, eyes scanning her. "You're a vampire—the strength, your speed, your resilience. You had no injuries from our fight. You're a pureblood… just like him—the one who did this to me."
His voice dropped, filled with a mixture of awe and hatred.
"A monster who stalked the ages, shaping the course of history from the shadows. Feared by kings, worshiped by the desperate, and cursed by those who dared oppose him. He led armies, built empires, and crushed civilizations under his heel. His very name inspires dread."
Tony's eyes darkened as he finally spoke the name that had haunted his existence.
"Dracula."
Sophia's expression twisted with amusement as she gazed at Tony. "Since he was the one who turned you into an insect that only drinks blood—like some mindless bug—you should be stronger than this. What a shame." She let out a scoff. "I've heard the name Dracula countless times, but I never thought the stories were true. Not until recently. I believe in the supernatural."
Tony's jaw tightened at the mention of the name, his hands curling into fists.
"So, are you a pureblood like him?" Sophia asked, watching him carefully.
His face darkened. "I hate Dracula," he muttered, his voice laced with bitterness. "Not just because he turned me. That's the least of it. He slaughtered my family—my daughters, my only son, my wife. He took everything from me and kept killing, year after year, century after century, like a relentless plague. The bloodshed never stopped."
Sophia remained silent for a moment, then smirked. "Then what are you?"
Tony's gaze flickered with curiosity. "Didn't get your name."
"I'm not really sure what I am," she admitted, her tone casual yet ominous. "But if I had to guess? A demon." She glanced at him. "Tell me, have you ever heard of Paradise?"
Tony frowned as he walked beside her. "I have, but I don't fully understand it. A beautiful garden from the Bible, the first place humans were created—at least, according to the book. But I never believed in that." He hesitated, then added, "Hold on... Fuck... Dracula mentioned something like that before. Something lurking in the shadows. A being."
His expression turned uneasy, his mind racing. "Its name... it's in my head, but I can't say it." His breath grew shallow, his body tense. "It's like the moment I try to speak it, it'll rip my throat out from the inside. But Dracula—he called it his rival."
Sophia stopped abruptly.
"Abaddon."
The moment she uttered the name, Tony broke into a cold sweat. His entire body stiffened, an overwhelming sense of dread washing over him. He could do nothing but nod.
Sophia smirked. "Change of plans. I'm going to find Dracula."
Tony's eyes widened. "What?"
"He might be the only one capable of stopping this demon from doing whatever he has in mind."
Tony stood there, frozen in place, unable to move, paralyzed by fear.
Sophia turned to him, unimpressed. "Why aren't you moving?"
"I—I don't know where Dracula is," he stammered.
She rolled her eyes and took a step closer, her voice dropping to something far more menacing. "You're my only choice. So move —" she leaned in, her lips curling into a wicked grin "—or I'll rip out your organs and tape them to your back."
Tony swallowed hard. He had no choice but to follow.
Tony hesitated before speaking. "I don't really know where he is now, but there's one guy who might. If anyone knows where Dracula is, it's him. But reaching him won't be easy—he's guarded by some of the strongest vampires."
Sophia rolled her eyes. "Just shut up and lead the way."
They moved through the streets, the air growing heavier with each step. As they approached Brantford Place, Sophia could feel them— dozens, maybe hundreds of them. The entire street was crawling with vampires.
Whispers slithered through the air as hungry eyes locked onto her.
"She smells divine."
"Fresh… untouched…"
"I can already taste her."
"Her blood must be rich… thick… powerful."
Sophia wrinkled her nose. "Ugh, this place stinks. Like wet dogs and desperation. You bloodsuckers ever heard of soap?"
A few of them snarled, but before they could react, one vampire stepped forward, his sharp eyes fixed on her.
"What does a human seek in the world of vampires?" he asked, his voice smooth yet threatening.
Tony struggled in Sophia's grip as she dragged him forward.
"What's your guy's name?" she asked, not even bothering to glance at him.
Tony sighed. "Victor Sanguine."
Sophia smirked. "Alright, Victor."
The moment she said his name so casually, the vampire in front of her bared his fangs, his eyes glowing with rage. "You pest! How dare you speak Lord Sanguine's name without respect—"
Before he could finish, Sophia grabbed his wrist, twisted it at an unnatural angle, and slammed his face into the ground. The force split the pavement beneath them, sending a thick splatter of blood across her clothes. She clicked her tongue in annoyance.
"Ouch. My favorite outfit."
Silence fell over the street. The other vampires who had been circling her froze, their gazes locked onto her with growing fear. She was fast. Too fast. Too strong. And as she straightened herself, rolling her shoulders like nothing had happened, they realized something was wrong.
"She's no human..."
"Impossible—she smells like one, but... there's no way."
"That strength... she's hiding her scent."
"A Pureblood... but how? Who is she?"
Sophia turned to them, her crimson-stained hands at her sides. The moment she took a step forward, some flinched. Others, despite their fear, stepped forward to challenge her.
A vampire lunged, claws aimed for her throat. She caught his wrist mid-air, twisted his entire arm backward, and drove her knee into his ribs. His body folded before she slammed him into the ground. Another attacked from behind—she ducked, grabbed his ankle, and hurled him into the side of a building, leaving a deep crater in the brick wall.
Two more came at her at once. She dodged effortlessly, her movements fluid, precise. One she beheaded with a single, lightning-fast strike. The other tried to retreat, but she was faster. She drove her fist straight through his chest, ripping his heart out in one clean motion. Blood painted the street.
The last vampire standing, a woman, fell to her knees, shaking. Sophia walked up to her, grabbed the front of her dress, and tore off a piece of the fabric. She wiped her hands with it, the blood smearing into the cloth, before tossing it aside like trash.
Just then, a slow clap echoed from the shadows. A figure emerged from the darkness, his presence making the remaining vampires bow in submission.
Victor Sanguine had arrived.
Victor Sanguine sneered, his fangs glinting under the dim streetlights. "If it isn't Tony the weakling," he said with mock amusement. In the blink of an eye, he was behind Tony, gripping his shoulder tightly. "I told you never to show your pathetic face here again. And yet, here you are... dragging along this."
His crimson eyes scanned Sophia, his expression shifting from arrogance to curiosity. He sniffed the air, brow furrowing. "What is she? She smells like a human, yet she carries the strength of a beast." He narrowed his gaze. "No... something more. A werebeast? A Nephilim? Perhaps some failed experiment of a warlock?"
Sophia rolled her eyes. "Sorry to interrupt your little reunion, but I'm here for Dracula."
The name sent a ripple through the vampires. Some stepped back instinctively. Others stiffened, their hands twitching toward their weapons. They weren't just afraid of the name—they were afraid of what it meant for someone to utter it so casually.
Victor's smirk returned, though there was a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. "And what business do you have with Dracula?"
Sophia crossed her arms, her tone sharpening. "That's none of your concern. I need you to take me to him."
Victor chuckled, folding his arms. "And if I refuse?"
She tilted her head slightly. "Then I'll have to make an example out of you." She stepped forward, her presence suddenly suffocating. "How about I beat you to a bloody pulp right here, in front of your own people? Let them see their so-called leader broken at my feet."
The air grew heavy. Victor's smirk faltered for just a moment. Around them, the vampires remained silent, waiting for his response.
Sophia walked up to her, grabbed the front of her dress, and tore off a piece of the fabric. She wiped her hands with it, the blood smearing into the cloth, before tossing it aside like trash.
Just then, a slow clap echoed from the shadows. A figure emerged from the darkness, his presence making the remaining vampires bow in submission.
Victor Sanguine had arrived.
Victor Sanguine sneered, his fangs glinting under the dim streetlights. "If it isn't Tony the weakling," he said with mock amusement. In the blink of an eye, he was behind Tony, gripping his shoulder tightly. "I told you never to show your pathetic face here again. And yet, here you are... dragging along this."
His crimson eyes scanned Sophia, his expression shifting from arrogance to curiosity. He sniffed the air, brow furrowing. "What is she? She smells like a human, yet she carries the strength of a beast." He narrowed his gaze. "No... something more. A werebeast? A Nephilim? Perhaps some failed experiment of a warlock?"
Sophia rolled her eyes. "Sorry to interrupt your little reunion, but I'm here for Dracula."
The name sent a ripple through the vampires. Some stepped back instinctively. Others stiffened, their hands twitching toward their weapons. They weren't just afraid of the name—they were afraid of what it meant for someone to utter it so casually.
Victor's smirk returned, though there was a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. "And what business do you have with Dracula?"
Sophia crossed her arms, her tone sharpening. "That's none of your concern. I need you to take me to him."
Victor chuckled, folding his arms. "And if I refuse?"
She tilted her head slightly. "Then I'll have to make an example out of you." She stepped forward, her presence suddenly suffocating. "How about I beat you to a bloody pulp right here, in front of your own people? Let them see their so-called leader broken at my feet."
The air grew heavy. Victor's smirk faltered for just a moment. Around them, the vampires remained silent, waiting for his response.