Being a Vampire Renegade was far from easy. Without a queen to unite them, their survival differed greatly from other vampires. The Renegades needed to constantly feed on blood to stay alive, and most of their vampiric gifts had been stripped away. Robert, once able to wield fire magic under Queen Lilian Bloodbond's reign, now found himself powerless. His ability to command animals had vanished, leaving him with only memories of the strength he once had.
He had tried to convince Trina, the former queen's daughter, to claim her mother's throne, but she had refused. "Like mother, like daughter," he thought bitterly. Queen Lilian, once the most formidable being in the Demon Realm, had abandoned her throne for love—a decision Robert considered a disgrace. He and many others denounced her, unknowingly condemning their kind to a dire fate.
The consequences were severe. Vampires, once impervious to sunlight, now burned under its rays. The urge to feed on blood became overwhelming, a constant battle against their nature. While their senses grew sharper, their magic all but disappeared. The bond they had severed with their queen was more vital than they had ever imagined.
In the Demon Realm, vampires lived in isolation, hiding from the world that now hunted them. The current Demon King harbored a deep hatred for their kind, though his reasons remained unclear. Robert suspected it was fear—fear that vampires might one day reclaim their former glory and topple his power. But that fear was misplaced. The vampires were mere shadows of their former selves, struggling to survive.
To sustain themselves, they turned to animal husbandry, using livestock as a source of blood. Each vampire needed to feed at least twice a week, and while it was enough to survive, it was far from ideal.
News of a new threat began to spread through the Demon Territory—a beast of shifting forms, hunting at night and devouring everything in its path. The creature could even attract animals to itself, a danger that threatened their precious livestock. The Renegades knew they had to act.
Robert stood before the gathered vampires, his voice resolute. "We may lack our dark magic and vampiric gifts, but we still have our abilities. Let us put an end to this vile beast that terrorizes our city!"
A chorus of determined cries followed. "Yeah! We'll protect our children from this monster!"
The vampires were motivated. For many, the safety of their children was paramount. Becoming a vampire came with a heavy price: the ability to have only one child in a lifetime. This made their offspring all the more precious.
The plan was simple but meticulous. They divided into teams, each assigned a role. A scouting team would locate the beast. A decoy team would provoke it, luring it away from the hidden village and toward the ambush site, where the rest of the vampires would attack. An evacuation team stood ready to move the villagers to safety if the plan failed.
The ambush relied on speed and precision. They would strike from the sides with rapid attacks, aiming for the beast's vital organs while avoiding its counterattacks. It was a calculated, almost cowardly strategy, but Robert didn't care. The safety of his people mattered more than pride.
Hours passed before the scouting team relayed news of the beast. Robert had nearly begun to hope it had moved on, but that was not the case. The decoy team appeared on the horizon, the beast close behind them. As they approached, their numbers dwindled, one by one.
The silhouette of the creature emerged—an enormous, blood-red beast, its claws and teeth glistening with the remains of its prey. Under the moonlight, its fur seemed to shimmer, a haunting blend of beauty and terror.
The beast stopped at the ambush site, its piercing gaze scanning the gathered vampires. It didn't attack. It stood still, as though daring them to make the first move. For a moment, fear gripped them all. Then, a handful of vampires steadied their nerves and charged.
The beast moved with blinding speed, dispatching the attackers effortlessly. Not one strike landed on its body. Its movements were almost surgical, precise and brutal. After disposing of the attackers, it turned and bolted—in the direction of the village.
Panic seized Robert as he tried to think of a way to stop it. But nothing came to mind. The beast was too powerful, too fast. As he observed its attacks, something struck him: it had avoided fatal blows, disabling its targets rather than killing them. This hinted at intelligence—perhaps it could be reasoned with.
Daybreak approached, and the vampires retreated to the village, carrying their injured. The rising sun would soon force them into hiding, but their priority was the safety of their people.
As they reached the village, they stopped in their tracks. Standing at the gates was a naked woman with crimson hair, her fiery locks catching the first rays of the sun. She stood tall and calm, her eyes meeting theirs with an intensity that sent a shiver down Robert's spine.
The beast was gone.