The black SUV stood under the moonlight like a beast waiting to devour.
Its engine was still running.
The doors hung open.
Four figures stepped out slowly, their footsteps calm, measured, and full of purpose.
Dark coats.
Silver weapons.
Cold eyes.
Hunters.
The moment I saw them, my instincts sharpened.
These weren't ordinary humans.
They moved like trained killers.
Disciplined.
Controlled.
Professional.
Their eyes locked onto me like predators finding prey.
Beside me, Seraphina's expression turned ice-cold.
"They found you faster than expected."
Her voice had lost all softness.
Only danger remained.
I rolled my shoulders slowly.
Good.
It had been too long since I fought something worth killing.
One of the hunters stepped forward.
Tall.
Broad.
A scar cut across his jaw.
In his hand rested a silver dagger engraved with ancient symbols.
Even from here, I could feel it—
That weapon was made to kill vampires.
His gaze shifted between Seraphina and me.
Then he smiled.
Not kindly.
Like a man preparing for work.
"So the rumours were true."
His voice was rough.
"The king has awakened."
I tilted my head slightly.
"And you are?"
He tapped the silver dagger against his palm.
"Damien Cross."
"Execution captain of the Silver Fang Order"
His smile widened.
"And tonight, I'm here to remove a problem before it grows."
Behind him, the other three hunters spread out.
Perfect formation.
One sniper.
One blade specialist.
One support caster.
Smart.
Very smart.
They were treating me like a real threat already.
I liked that.
Seraphina stepped slightly in front of me.
"I'll handle them."
I grabbed her wrist.
She looked back.
I smiled faintly.
"No."
Her crimson eyes narrowed.
"They are vampire hunters."
"Silver weapons. Holy runes. Blood poison."
"They are not prey for your pride."
I stepped forward.
The cold assassin inside me awakened fully.
"No," I said quietly.
"They are exactly my kind of prey."
Damien laughed.
"Oh?"
He spun the dagger once.
"The little king wants to fight?"
His mistake was talking too much.
The moment his wrist moved—
I moved.
No warning.
No hesitation.
Pure assassin instinct.
I crossed the distance in a single breath.
His eyes widened.
Fast.
Too fast.
He barely raised the dagger before my fist slammed into his ribs.
The impact sent him crashing into the SUV.
Metal screamed.
Glass shattered.
The sniper reacted instantly.
A silver bullet tore through the air.
I twisted sideways.
The bullet grazed my shoulder instead of piercing my heart.
Pain.
Sharp.
Burning.
Silver.
Interesting.
The wound hissed like fire against flesh.
So silver really worked.
Good to know.
The blade specialist lunged next.
Fast.
Clean.
Professional.
His silver blade aimed for my throat.
I stepped inside his range.
Wrong move.
I caught his elbow, twisted hard—
crack.
His arm broke instantly.
Before he could scream, I drove my knee into his stomach and threw him into the pavement.
The support caster shouted something in Latin.
Holy light exploded from his hands.
Chains of silver energy shot toward me.
I jumped back—
too slow.
One chain wrapped around my arm.
Pain exploded through my veins.
The vampire blood inside me rebelled violently.
My vision flashed red.
Seraphina shouted,
"Aarav!"
I looked down at the glowing chain.
Silver holy binding.
Annoying.
Damien wiped blood from his mouth and stood.
His smile was gone.
Only seriousness remained.
"Interesting."
He pulled another dagger.
"Human reflexes."
"Vampire regeneration."
"And killing intent like a monster."
He spat blood.
"What exactly are you?"
I slowly straightened.
The pain from the chain still burned.
But something darker answered.
Something ancient.
Something hungry.
The crescent mark on my neck pulsed.
Shadow bled from beneath my feet.
Seraphina's eyes widened.
"No…"
My voice came out colder than winter.
"You came here to hunt a monster."
I took one step forward.
The streetlights flickered.
Darkness stretched unnaturally around me.
Then crimson light erupted from my eyes.
"So let me show you one."
The shadows moved.
Not around me.
For me.
I vanished.
Damien's expression changed.
Fear.
Finally.
I appeared behind the support caster.
His eyes widened.
Too late.
A single strike to the throat.
He collapsed instantly.
No wasted movement.
No flashy nonsense.
Efficient.
Clean.
Assassin.
The sniper fired again.
This time, I heard the bullet before it left the chamber.
I tilted my head.
The silver round passed beside my face.
I smiled.
Then used shadow step.
One blink.
I was on the rooftop.
The sniper froze.
Impossible.
I grabbed his collar.
"In my old life," I whispered,
"I killed men for less than bad aim."
Then I threw him off the roof.
His scream ended with silence.
Back below, Damien stood with the broken blade specialist beside him.
Both are breathing harder now.
Both realised this mission had already failed.
Seraphina watched silently.
And for the first time—
There was no calculation in her eyes.
Only admiration.
Interesting.
Damien tightened his grip on the silver dagger.
"You're not supposed to exist."
I walked toward him slowly.
Blood on my shoulder.
Shadow around my feet.
Crimson light in my eyes.
Maybe he was right.
Maybe I wasn't supposed to exist.
But kings were not created by permission.
They were created by survival.
He charged.
Silver dagger straight for my heart.
I stepped forward instead of back.
I caught his wrist.
Our eyes met.
Then I sank my fangs into his neck.
His body froze.
Shock.
Pain.
Terror.
His blood hit my tongue—
warm, violent, filled with battle.
Power surged through me.
The last part of the bond clicked deeper into place.
His strength faded.
Mine rose.
When I released him, he collapsed to his knees.
I looked down at him.
Cold.
Unmoved.
"This city," I said quietly,
"It belongs to me now."
Damien stared upward, breathing hard.
And for the first time—
The hunter looked like prey.
Behind me, Seraphina stepped closer.
Her voice was soft.
Dangerously soft.
"My king…"
I didn't answer.
Because across the street—
Another presence had arrived.
Stronger.
Older.
Watching from the darkness.
And somehow—
It smiled.
The real game had just begun.