Vampire lore - Carmilla/First Kill

Chapter 22

The wooden door creaked shut behind Danny, Mel, and Kirsch as they stepped onto the rain-slicked street. The crisp morning air stung Danny's face, the cold bite doing more to wake her up than the strong coffee she had downed earlier. The silence was thick, unnatural for Savannah at this hour, like the entire city had decided to hide indoors. It wasn't right. The eerie quiet sent a prickle of unease down Danny's spine, setting her on edge.

Kirsch, jittery as always, was already shifting his weight from foot to foot, his restless energy palpable. He scanned the street, eyes wide, searching for something to break the stillness, like a dog straining at the leash.

— So, boss, what's the plan? - Kirsch asked, his voice laced with anticipation. - We hitting every spot or just the places we know she's likely to be?

Danny slid her hands deep into the pockets of her worn jacket, her gaze cutting across the street. The buildings stood tall and still, like silent sentinels guarding the secrets hidden in the shadows. She could feel it—their enemy was out there, lurking, waiting. Elinor was smart, too smart to leave any obvious trail, but not invisible. Danny's instincts told her the vampire was watching them right now, studying them like prey.

— We start with the hotspots -  Danny replied, her voice low and measured. - Elinor's too smart to be sloppy, but she's definitely watching. We need to be ready for anything.

Mel, her ever-present crossbow slung across her back, glanced at Danny, one brow raised skeptically.

— Watching us? That seems a little paranoid, even for you. We've been careful.

Danny's lips pressed into a thin line, her frown deepening. Paranoid? Maybe. But she couldn't shake the feeling. Juliette had said Elinor was always two steps ahead, and Danny believed her.

— Juliette's convinced she's watching, which means she's already thinking two moves ahead. We don't need to outsmart her, we just need to rattle her. Get her to make a mistake.

Kirsch grinned, the excitement barely contained.

— Shake the tree, huh? Make her fall out, and bam! We swoop in and take her down.

Danny couldn't help but crack a small smirk. Kirsch's enthusiasm was infectious, even if he was a little too eager for his own good.

— Something like that. - She nodded toward the old, beat-up van parked at the curb. - We'll cover more ground in the van. Let's move.

The trio climbed into the van, Danny taking her usual spot behind the wheel. Her fingers tightened around the steering wheel as she pulled on her sunglasses, even though the sky was still gray with early dawn. Mel sat in the passenger seat, her fingers drumming a lazy rhythm on the dashboard, eyes narrowed as she scanned the empty streets. Kirsch was in the back, baseball bat balanced on his knees, fidgeting with barely-contained energy.

The van rolled slowly through the heart of Savannah. Danny's eyes darted to the side mirrors every few minutes, watching for any sign of movement. The streets were deserted—too deserted. No early-morning joggers, no shopkeepers opening their stores, just the emptiness stretching out before them. It was like the whole town had vanished. A trickle of unease ran through her veins. Savannah wasn't supposed to be this quiet. Something was wrong.

They came to a stop near the center of town, the van idling at the curb. Danny shut off the engine, the silence crashing back over them like a wave. She turned to face Kirsch and Mel, her voice dropping to a serious, almost urgent tone.

— Alright. We split up. Kirsch, head toward the old church. Mel, take the docks. I'll check the central market. If you spot anything, anything out of place, call it in immediately.

Kirsch snapped a salute, his grin widening.

— Got it! If I see anything shady, I'll holler loud enough to wake the dead.

Danny allowed herself a brief smile.

— Just don't get too excited.

Mel slung her crossbow over her shoulder as she slid out of the van, her usual laid-back demeanor intact.

— Let's just hope we see something before she sees us.

As they dispersed, the sound of their boots echoed on the empty streets. Danny moved with quiet purpose, her senses heightened, the stillness pressing in on her like a weight. Every corner she turned felt like it could be a trap, every alleyway a hiding place. Her instincts screamed that she was being watched, but no matter how hard she looked, she couldn't see anyone.

Her thoughts drifted back to Laura and the others, still holed up in the safe house. Danny trusted them—they could handle themselves—but this separation left them vulnerable, exposed. And Elinor knew how to take advantage of vulnerability.

She froze mid-step. A faint rustling sound from a nearby alley reached her ears, barely audible over the soft patter of drizzle beginning to fall. Her hand instinctively went to the blade strapped to her hip. She edged toward the noise, moving as silently as possible, keeping to the shadows. The alley loomed ahead, dark and narrow. Just as she reached the corner, a figure darted out of sight, too quick to identify.

— Elinor? - she whispered to herself, though deep down, she doubted it. Elinor wouldn't make such an obvious move.

The figure bolted.

Without hesitation, Danny took off after them. Her boots pounded against the wet pavement, heart hammering in her chest as she pursued the shadow through the winding alleys. Whoever they were, they were fast, weaving through the streets with practiced agility. But Danny had been chasing things in the dark for a long time—she knew how to keep up. Her breath came in short bursts, her muscles burning as she closed the distance.

— Stop! - Danny shouted, her voice cutting through the rain-soaked morning. The figure didn't so much as flinch, slipping through the labyrinth of alleyways like they knew every twist and turn.

She rounded a corner, expecting to be right on top of them—but the alley was empty. The figure had vanished, swallowed by the darkness.

Danny skidded to a halt, swearing under her breath. Whoever they were, they weren't just fast—they knew how to disappear. She scanned the shadows, her chest heaving with exertion, but there was nothing. Just the empty street and the sound of her own breathing.

Her walkie crackled to life, snapping her back to the present. Mel's voice came through, calm but with an edge of urgency.

— Danny, you there? We've got something weird down at the docks. Not sure if it's Elinor, but it doesn't feel right.

Danny pressed the button, her mind still racing.

— On my way. Stay sharp.

As she made her way toward the docks, the tension in her chest tightened like a vice. Whoever she had just chased wasn't Elinor, and that made things worse. There was someone else in the game now, someone who knew how to stay hidden.