Starlight Dream

Chapter 25

"Well, well. What do we have here?" The man said, giving his prey a predatory smile. He towered like a skyscraper over his victim, his muscles bulging under his makeshift armor made from the leathered flesh of his victims. Death followed him like a bad perfume, choking the air.

"Got lost, I figure. Wandered into a dangerous part of town. You might wander into somewhere filled with bad people, young lady." The other said. He was scrawnier than his partner, appearing more like a dilapidated corpse than a person. His gaunt eyes hid black sclera around malevolent red pupils. Each opened their mouth, revealing pointed teeth.

Under their cloak, the figure smiled. These fools had wandered into their doom. They just haven't realized it yet.

"You smell good from over here." The first licked a two-pronged tongue along his fangs, saliva dripping from its edge. "Too long since I've had anything but rats to drink!"

The cloaked figure stepped back, giving the illusion of fear. The two vampires ate it up with relish, terror an appetizer to their blood meal.

"But Seina's gone! She can't save you!" The smaller said, his tone mocking. "No one can save you!"

"Let's see your pretty face, little bird. I love them young!" The first laughed and pulled the cloak away to reveal the identity beneath.

"What?!" Both vampires recoiled back, baffled by their victim's true identity.

"Shame you picked the wrong person to prey upon!" Masato threw aside his cloak. It flapped in the wind before fluttering away, a wig flopping to the ground from its folds.

"You're a man?" The large vampire said, momentarily stunned.

Masato crossed his arms and smirked, amused he'd befuddled these fools. "I knew if I disguised myself as a helpless girl, I'd draw you morons out!"

"I you she was too muscular!" The first said, glaring at his partner. "You dumbass! I can't believe you let a cloak and a simple blond wig fool you!"

"Hey! From a distance, she looked like a perfectly valid target!" The gaunt vampire said, rushing to his own defense. His friend seemed less than amused by this excuse. "A little muscular, yeah, but what's wrong with that? I thought she looked positively cute!"

"Dumbass." The first shook his enormous head. "That's the last time I allow you to pick our meal! What a waste of time."

The two continued to argue and throw increasingly violent insults at each other. Masato stood and watched, annoyed they'd forgotten about him. The biggest of the pair grabbed his friend by the head, throwing him into a headlock. The other responded by pulling at the first's cheeks, hard enough to stretch the folds past his face.

"Ahem!" Masato said, trying to get the vampires' attention. Their childish bickering was ruining his badass moment! When he told this story later to Seina, he'd leave this particular detail out.

"What do you want?" The first said, annoyed.

"Forget him. I know this cool underground bar nearby. Vamps only!" The second said, dragging his friend away. "It has darts!"

"Fine, but you're paying the first round as the cost of your stupidity."

"Hello?! What about me?" Masato said, scowling.

"What about you?!" The giant vampire said. "Go away before we kill you for wasting our time!"

"You're not biting me?" Masato said, incredulous.

"We have a very delicate pallet." The second puffed out his chest in pride. "I'm a distinguished gentleman. I don't feed on just anyone!"

Cocky, good. Vampires were notorious for their arrogance, believing themselves kings. Masato intended on correcting that assumption. He bellowed a high-pitch shriek, making his target flinch back in surprise. Masato struck three successive blows to the giant monster's chest with lightning precision. His martial arts lessons with the bodyguard had paid off, making these bloodsuckers easy prey.