𝐕𝐄𝐈𝐋 𝐎𝐅 𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 ┃ 𝐄𝐍𝐇𝐘𝐏𝐄𝐍

chapter one: into the darkness.

The moon hung in the dark sky, casting an eerie glow over the quiet streets. The city was always different at night—darker, more dangerous—but tonight felt particularly charged. A strange tension buzzed through the air, almost as if it could sense what was to come. Tsukiyo pulled her jacket tighter around her body as she slipped through the narrow alleyways, her mind preoccupied with the hunt.

Tsukiyo's family had been vampire hunters for generations, sworn to protect humanity from the creatures lurking in the shadows. And tonight, the hunt brought her to a part of the city she hadn't ventured into before—a place where vampires were rumored to walk among humans, unnoticed.

The city remains dead; showing no signs of life as the girl walks down the empty streets. Her eyes darted left and right, up and down to search for her target but all that searching only exhausts her further.

Despite being trained for this, Tsukiyo was still afraid. Still, she mentally prepared herself for the worst outcome: meeting her target and probably having to die out there, all alone with no one to save her. She made a turn around a corner and she froze.

Standing a few feet away from her was a figure, tall and shrouded in the dim light. For a brief moment, the world seemed to still, and her heart skipped a beat—an unfamiliar, almost magnetic pull stirring in her chest. She could not see her face clearly, but something about him felt... familiar. Or maybe it was her mind playing tricks on her.

The figure stepped closer, moving with an eerie grace. Tsukiyo glanced at the ground, noticing how he did not have a shadow when he walked under a lighted up lamppost. As he came into view, her breath hitched. He was beautiful, in a way that felt unnatural—sharp features, eyes that gleamed a dangerous crimson in the moonlight. There was no doubt. He was one of them.

A vampire.

Thud.

Tsukiyo visibly jumps when her back hits something hard. She spun around, only to be face to face with someone's chest. She took a step back, her heart froze for a second when she saw another man, whom she assumed must be affiliated with the man who remained where he stood.

Just like him, the man standing before her has features fitted for the male lead in a Kdrama. He looked down at her, using his height to his advantage to tower over the shorter girl.

"Are you sure she's the one?" He asked, eyes focused on Tsukiyo's petrified face but his question was directed at his fellow accomplice.

"Yes, without a doubt. Do you not trust me?"

His eyes flickered between her and his friend, scoffing. "No, it's not that, Jay. You and I both know how particular Heeseung is about this. If we bring the wrong person to him..."

The way his voice trailed off along with the choice of words made her heart sink with dread. She knew the implications behind his words, even when he did not say it out loud. Instinct told her to reach for the blade hidden beneath her jacket, but her hand would not move.

Instead, Tsukiyo stood frozen, locked in a silent battle between the urge to fight and something deeper, something she did not understand. The man standing before her; Jay, lets out a heavy exasperated sigh.

"Whatever, let's just knock her out or something."

"Got it."

Hearing this, she snapped out of her trance. The hunter moved swiftly, heart pounding in her chest as the vampires closed in. Their speed was terrifying, blurs of shadow darting towards her from all sides. Each time one lunged, she ducked or twisted away, her instincts sharp from years of training. She kicked out, landing a surprisingly solid hit against his side, but it only made him snarl, more annoyed than hurt.