Who's to judge?

Chapter I

Humans. They've always existed and will always exist. They are the proof that stubbornness can bring you far, even if it was at the cost of others. Furthermore, they can change their environment in a way that benefits them the most. Their intelligence is looked upon with jealousy, their egoism with contempt.

Vampires. They've always existed and will always exist. They are proof that, even with a lot of struggle, you can make it far. Not only that, but they drink blood to survive, which isn't well seen, especially by the humans. They're loved for their undying beauty and hated for their arrogance. They live longer than other creatures, but they weren't able to establish themselves in this human-ruled world.

These two creatures are aware of the existence of the other, but were never able to live together in perfect symbiosis. Whose fault is it? Is it the fault of the ruthless, conceited, arrogant, selfish monsters? Or is it the fault of the vampires?

Either way, they hate each other. Humans hunt vampires because they hunt humans for nourishment. Who is in the right? Is there a possibility to find a compromise? Whether there is or not, everyone has stopped looking for it. Now it's "survival of the fittest" and that worked well for many years, at least for my life partner and me.

Just for the record, a relationship between vampires is more meaningful and deeper than those of humans, who pretend to love each other, just so they can end up in someone else's bed. Vampires love only once. If two vampires connect with each other, they will become the "vigor" of one another. That means "life-force". From that point on, they can't live without the other. They will not die if they are physically separated from each other, but they will depend on the contact with their vigor.

We had a good life, and we enjoyed what we had built together. Sadly, we forgot that humans had this stupid habit of evolving. Our idyllic life crumbled, when, one night, they ambushed and captured us. Since humans are so generous, they gave us two options. Either we get killed, or we start working for them.

Since I care about my life, I chose to work for them. Unfortunately, I had to realize that, being vigors does not equal to having the same ideals. My vigor didn't want anything to do with the humans and from that day on, we went separate ways. I know with certainty that he isn't dead, I would have felt it otherwise. Since my life-force was gone, every day was torture, but I had to carry on or else my head would roll.

Many years have passed since then, and I have come to be part of a special unit in the police that takes care of the disposal of vampires that didn't obey the rules. I still don't know where my vigor is, but, as long as he is alive, that's all that matters.

My life was a routine. Wake up, try to tame my red hair, just to give it up after a couple of minutes and to leave it open. Look at myself in the mirror and realize that the rings under my eyes have become bigger and my yellow eyes were bloodshot. Look at the tight chocker that was forced upon me by my boss so that he has me under control, get dressed and then, wait.

Typically, someone would come to knock at the door of the small room they gave me at the police station. And then it came.

Two knocks.

I opened. The devil himself stood in front of me, my boss. The one that, just with a push of a small button, could gift me with eternal sleep.

"A case for you," he said coldly.

He was middle-aged, with combed back black hair. You could see some white hair in his fringe, just like his beard. He also smelled bitterly. Every time I stood next to him, I had to force myself to not wrinkle my nose. He was a big sourpuss, but the reason for that could be, that he was dammed to take care of me, since he was the chief of my unit.