It’s been a couple of days since I saw that piece of shit brother of Adam. Every time I’m reminded of that bumbling beast, my stomach twists. Who the hell goes around throwing tantrums just cause someone doesn’t like them? The things I want to do to him.

I stayed in my bed during those couple of days. I know I’m racking up the expenses, but I don’t care. Star can handle the rest of the investigation while I rest. I needed some me time. I eat whatever I have saved while staying here.

I’ve taken the time to fix my wrist, stitching it with the threads I bought. Why did I give that vampire his shit back? Ugh. I’m a fucking idiot, I should’ve just kept it. Whatever. If it makes him sleep at night, then he can keep them.

The only things I kept from him are a few papers I forgot to return. The first looks like those scribbles that Catherine tried to teach me to write. The clear taping maintains everything despite the tears and rips. The other is some address with the name “Hyde” written on it. Whatever. I’ll pocket them. 

Eventually, I get out of bed. I twist the handle, swinging the door back. I see a black-haired woman in an eyepatch standing in front of me. Her attire is all scruffed up with bandages around her body. Dirt, mud, and blood stain her clothes. Several assortments of weapons rest on her through belt straps.

Paper lies on her hands, as if she’s reading instructions. The fresh skin looks up at me in wide-eyed surprise. I swipe my hand onto my holster. The human tugs on one of her weapons, struggling to pull it out. It’s her or me. 

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing!?” Yells another woman. 

The one-eyed lady stops. I glance over to see Susan, catching her breath. 

She shouts, “I told you multiple times to leave the premises! I don’t care what excuses you’re going to throw out. You’re trespassing.” 

The black-haired human shifts. She speaks in a gravely voice, “There is literally a monster in here!” 

My hand remains on my holster. 

Susan responds, “And that’s none of your business! You’re endangering my guests just by showing here.” 

The hunter glances over at me before looking back at Susan. 

The eyepatched human walks off. “You’re holding an unholy abomination in this building.”

Susan stays with me even after the hunter leaves the hall. This saves me the ammunition. I take a few steps toward the stairs.

The innkeeper speaks out loud, “I haven’t seen you in a while. Ringo was paying off your extended stay.” 

I stop slightly. 

I open my mouth slightly but pause before saying, “Right…” I leave the premises. I don’t need another second of being here.

I walk outside in this horrid town. The vultures of this human-infested world stare at me as I pass by. All I have on me is a gun in my holster. I probably should’ve asked where… Nevermind. Fuck that. I can handle myself. I always do on this awful big rock they call “Earth”. 

It doesn’t matter. There will be people I can use until I drain their usefulness. That’s what always happened. No other way it ends. I have to stop thinking about her pleading eyes and the desperate, muffled words. Leave me alone, four-eyes. 

I need something to distract me. Anything that doesn’t make me think about a dead kid or my own mess. A movie or a street performer, maybe? No, too many crowds for my liking. What the fuck am I going to do?

I scan through the town, continuing my pace as usual. Give me something good. Hell, I’ll take any human drama to keep my mind at peace. Then, I see him. I fucking see that rhyming dipshit, Jack Know. 

He has his arm wrapped around another woman. A bit younger than Susan. However, her eyes are as tired as the lady who stopped the hunter. She wears round glasses and has brown, straight hair. She clings to a book. Her body hunches over with a slight smile on her face. 

They walk out of a restaurant, entering the dining place. 

The woman speaks with a bit of a stutter, “S—So Jack, you’re treating me to d-dinner today. Y—You really don’t h—have to. I mean…” 

Jack says some rhyming bullshit as he leads her to the table. The woman clutches her book tighter as she lets out another nervous laugh. They both sit down to make their orders. 

I reposition myself against a corner. I need to get a better view of this while hiding myself much better. I can see these two more clearly from this angle.

The lady rests her book on the table as Jack speaks, “Can I say? Your eyes make my day.” 

What a lame line. Still, I see that librarian-looking lady look off to the side, trying to hide her face. Drinks come to their table. 

The woman stammers as she holds her glass of water, “I k—know this m—means a lot to you, Jack. I-I’m sorry that we’re m—missing a lot of books at the l—library.” 

Jack waves off as he responds, “Don’t worry about all that, ma’am. Enjoy your Grand Slam.” 

She fidgets with her fingers. Jack leans forward, pushing his presence against hers. Her smile’s crooks bigger. I hear their conversations go on — It’s really cringey. A rhyming pushy man making his moves on a mousey lady. It’s better than thinking about my life.

His wife is working tirelessly at an inn all by herself as he does shit like this. Humans are filth. He’s an entertaining speck on this blighted town. Not my business, but it could be a useful weapon against him. Perhaps for the day he pisses me off.

“What are you doing?” Says a familiar flat voice. 

I look behind me to see that vampire. He stands there, a bit too out there for me to realistically be hidden. I tug him closer to the corner. 

I say in a hushed tone, “I’m watching a trainwreck. If you wanna join, then don’t make yourself too visible.” 

Star looks out to where I’ve been eyeing. 

He speaks, “Is that… Jazz? What’s going on?” 

I look back at the two on the table. 

I say to Star, “He’s trying to woo some librarian. You know how a rhyming jackass sounds when he flirts? Ugh.” 

I hear a crunch behind me. The sound of marble being shattered before a couple of pieces fall to the concrete floor.

Shit. That’s gonna notify some people. Whatever. I look back to say something to Star, but he walks past me. His hand drips marble powder as he marches. My bodyguard disregards the railing, ripping the bars with one swipe. He moves mechanically.

The crowd screams as this goes on, alerting Jack and that woman  — in time for them to witness Star stepping in. Jack gets ready to blurt out something, but is stopped short. My bodyguard grabs the man by the collar, holding him high in the air. The lady falls on her ass. 

Fog slips from Star’s mouth as Jack clutches the vampire’s wrist. I get in closer to watch. My cover was blown, so I might as well see how this will go.

My bodyguard yells in intensity, “What the hell are you doing!? Susan’s been sick and worried for you, a-and you’re betraying her love!” 

His venomous voice is something. 

Jack struggles to speak back, “I-It’s n-nothing like that, vampire. S-Stop this slander!” 

The woman slides her book back as she crawls. She stutters, “I—I’m sorry, I—I didn’t know he’s married.” 

Star remains fixated on Jack, tightening his grip on his collar. My bodyguard yells in that raw voice, “Y—You vile cheater! You’re nothing but a sad waste in a human’s husk!” 

The fog draws deeply from his mouth as that throaty voice powers through. Jesus. I can’t help but smirk. He’s been so passive for so long, and he’s now just full of overwhelming power. It’s nothing like when he goes on a rampage; this is deliberate. I’m fascinated. His anger is fiery yet controlled to a single point. I’m seeing a rare side of him.

Jack gasps as he tries to dig into Star’s wrist, with no luck in moving him. That human woman runs off. Jack tries to call him every awful word. Star refuses to flinch, holding him tightly in the air. 

The vampire’s guttural voice shouts, “If I ever see you with another woman, I’ll kill you! You hear me!?”

The crowd at this point clears. Star’s threat drains the words out of Jack. For several moments, it was just the three of us in silence. 

Still high up, Jack finally breaks the silence, “Alright! Alright! I won’t do it again. Please leave me then.” 

Star carelessly hurls the human onto the table. My bodyguard walks off, holding onto a ripped part of the man’s collar.

“I need a walk,” Star says in a more tired tone. 

He slides off the ripped collar. I join in with him as I try to contain my lips from smiling like an idiot. The adrenaline of the scene is hitting my chest. I look away to avoid my bodyguard’s glance.

It’s just an amusing scene, that’s all. I don’t need to dwell on it a bit longer, but… I’m so curious. We walk through the streets as the fresh-skins run. I hold my chest to slow down the beats before I can speak with him.

I clear my throat before saying, “That was something. I’ve never seen you like this.” 

We take several more steps before an answer comes up. 

Star lowers his tone. “Don’t get used to it.” 

I put my hands in my coat pockets. I talk with a dumb grin, “That was some crazy passion you got there. Why don’t you do that shit more often?”

Star looks down as he stops walking. The vampire says, “It’s rarely warranted. I was caught in the heat of the moment.” He speaks in a much flatter tone than usual. He drags his shoulders lower than I’m used to seeing. 

I accidentally match his tone. “What are you not telling me, Star? You’re so full of self-loathing that you rarely act on fights, but you snap at that cheater. Did you…?”

Star stops me. “Don’t assume things about me. I just… I was betrayed before.” 

I try to meet his eyes — his eyes shift away.

I ask, “in what way?” 

Star loosens himself a bit, only slightly meeting my glare. He responds, “Before Maya, I knew a vampire named Dyna. She… was really weird. I—I’m sorry, but I’m unsure if I should continue.”

Star clenches his bangs tightly as he looks down. I stand there with him in this empty street. The breeze brushes past us. 

I say quietly, “Whatever you’re going to say, I want to hear it.” 

Star soaks in the moment.

He looks at me as he continues, “Dyna was my first love in a way. She kept pressuring me into dating her until I said yes. A part of me genuinely liked her, and a part of me wanted to ‘fix’ her.” 

I open my mouth, but I stop myself from speaking. 

Star resumes, “Vampires are cult-like; they engage in weird traditions and vices. Dyna seemed like someone lost in the system, like me. But the difference is that I refuse to partake in them.”

A slight fog leaves his lips. His hands shake. “I’ve tried to help however I can. She was trying to nudge me into something I didn’t like. I always use anything as an out.” His eyes widen, intensifying.

My hands harden into a curl under my pockets. My urge builds. There’s no one for me to take this out for it to matter.

Star looks to the side, probably noticing my shift in demeanor. 

He says in a hushed voice, “After I rejected her wants, she went and flirted with another guy. Ironically, he was the one to tell me, not even knowing we were dating. She made such an awful excuse, and I couldn’t even remember why.” 

He crosses his arms as his posture lowers. 

Star takes a long breath before exhaling fog, repeating them in a rhythm. That piece of shit, Dyna. I hate that she’s a vampire cause even if I get my hands on her, she’ll be fine. I’d have to take extreme measures. The kind of shit I would plot out against Adam to bypass his bullshit.

Why am I so fucking angry at this dipshit? Sure, everyone is an asshole to a point that I should get mad about. We never even met, and yet I need to rid her from the Earth. I need to shift this. 

My chest is feeling weird again.