Deborah sat in her private chamber, deep within the tunnels, when a sudden thought entered her mind: Go check on the mayor. It wasn't her usual instinct; something about the compulsion felt off. Little did she know, Henry, concealed in his invisible form, had planted the thought in her mind, manipulating her from the shadows. The spell did its work, and Deborah stood up sharply, calling out for Marcos, her second-in-command. Marcos, she said firmly, "we're going to the city. They quickly boarded out of the tunnels and into the night, arriving at the towering government lodge. The tall building loomed above them, with one window wide open—Frank's apartment. Deborah narrowed her eyes and turned to Marcos. Give me your hand, she instructed. Marcos obeyed without hesitation, and within moments, they both disappeared into the air, traveling like a gust of wind. They reformed inside the mayor's apartment, where the scene awaiting them was more shocking than anything Deborah had anticipated. There, slumped over Maria's lifeless body, was Mayor Frank, blood staining his mouth and his hands trembling in shock. Maria lay in a pool of her own blood, pale and motionless. Frank's eyes were wild, a mixture of terror and confusion etched across his face. What is going on here? Deborah asked coldly, her voice slicing through the tense atmosphere. Marcos, sensing the weight of the moment, immediately pulled out his phone and began recording the scene. Frank, disoriented and still adjusting to his transformation, looked up in shock. Who are you? Frank bellowed, panic rising. "How did you get in here? Get out, or I'll kill you right now! Without waiting, Frank lunged at Deborah, moving at an incredible speed, but Deborah was faster. With a swift and effortless motion, she knocked him to the ground, her high heel pressing dangerously against his throat. Frank's bravado crumbled instantly." Please," he gasped, blood dribbling from his lips. "Please don't kill me. I'm sorry. Stop recording, please!" Deborah chuckled, amused by his sudden shift from aggressor to beggar. "Look at you," she said mockingly. "The once relentless mayor and underworld hunter, reduced to a bloodthirsty little monster." Marcos kept recording, ignoring Frank's pleas. "Please," Frank begged again, "don't let anyone see this... I'll do whatever you want. Deborah smiled, her eyes gleaming with triumph. Oh, you'll do more than that, she said, pulling out her phone. She showed Frank a series of photos—pictures of him in bed with
An unknown woman. The woman seemed to be a vampire, smiling with her fangs all showing, with Mr Frank lying close by to her, with his eyes closed and a smiling face. Frank's mouth fell open in shock as he stared at the images."How did you get these? "He stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. His hands trembled as he held the phone, scrolling through the damning evidence. Who did this? Oh my God… please don't leak these. I'll do whatever you want," he pleaded, his voice thick with desperation. Deborah chuckled darkly, enjoying the mayor's panic. "You should be more careful with the company you keep, Frank, "she said, leaning closer, her voice like venom. "Now listen to me carefully. You're going to do exactly what I say, or these photos will find their way to every media outlet in the city. Frank's eyes darted from the phone to Deborah's cold, unwavering stare. He knew he was trapped. He nodded quickly, fear radiating from him. Good. First, you'll go in there and clean yourself up. Make a press video where you apologize for the mass killings of my kind. Vampires are not your enemies, Frank. You'll hand back over all vampire-targeting facilities to us, and you'll compensate every vampire family affected with one million dollars each. Frank's face paled further, but Deborah wasn't finished. Second, you'll disarm the Night Warriors and make it illegal to hunt vampires. Any killing of a vampire will be treated as murder from now on, with the full force of the law behind it. Frank swallowed hard, nodding again. "Yes, yes… I'll do it. And lastly, Deborah said, stepping back and crossing her arms, "you'll publicly declare your support for equal rights between humans and vampires. Make them believe it, Frank, or you'll lose more than just your reputation. Frank sat in silence for a moment, absorbing the weight of her demands. His mind raced, but he knew there was no escape from this. He had no choice. I'll do it, he muttered, defeated. "Good," Deborah said, satisfied. "Now get ready. Marcos will record your little confession. Frank stood up shakily and headed toward his room to freshen up. As he washed his face, he could feel the hunger for blood gnawing at him, an itch that wouldn't go away. He tried to shake it off as he dressed, but the thirst was unbearable. He caught a glimpse of himself in the cracked mirror, his reflection distorted but undeniable. The vampire stared back at him, a creature he no longer recognized. After dressing, he walked back into his office, where Marcos was waiting with his phone ready to record. Frank sat behind his desk, forcing a smile as the camera began to roll. I want to apologize to the people of this city, he began, his voice hollow. "For the actions taken against the vampire community. We were wrong, and I was wrong. Effective immediately, I am reversing all policies targeting vampires. They will be compensated, and the Knight Warriors will be disbanded. Marcos kept the camera steady as Frank spoke, his voice flat and emotionless. Deborah watched from the side, satisfied with her control over the mayor. Once the press conference was over, Frank slumped back in his chair, exhausted. Deborah smiled, patting his shoulder mockingly. Nice work, she said. "Now, look after Maria. She'll wake up soon, and when she does, she'll be one of us. Mr Frank, still shaken, looked at Maria's lifeless form on the bed. The guilt gnawed at him, but there was no turning back now. He glanced back at Deborah, who gave him a final, menacing smile before turning toward the window. Without another word, Deborah and Marcos vanished into the air, their forms dissolving into the shadows, leaving Frank alone with his thoughts. His heart raced as he paced the room, staring at Maria's pale body. She had been loyal, always there for him. Now, he had taken everything from her—her life, her humanity—and soon, she would rise as something entirely different. Minutes passed like hours. The room was eerily silent except for the sound of Frank's shallow breaths. He leaned over the bed, gently brushing a strand of hair from Maria's forehead. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, his voice breaking. "I never wanted this. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open.They were no longer the soft, warm eyes he remembered. Instead, they glowed with a predatory hunger. Maria inhaled sharply, her chest rising as if taking in her first breath in a new existence. Slowly, she sat up, her movements unnaturally smooth, her eyes locking onto Frank. For a moment, there was nothing but silence between them."Maria?" Frank asked hesitantly, stepping back.She blinked, her gaze shifting from confusion to recognition—and then to hunger. "I'm so thirsty, she whispered, her voice hoarse. "So, hungry. Frank swallowed hard, the weight of what he had done crashing down on him once again. He knew there was no way to undo it, no way to take back what he'd allowed to happen. Maria had crossed into the world of vampires, and now, there was no escape for either of them."Don't worry," Frank said, attempting to mask his fear. "I'll take care of you. He said I will be right back.
Immediately, the Mayor dialed the number of a local blood donation organization. He needed a pack of blood delivered to his lodge without delay. As the call connected, the medical practitioner on the other end recognized the voice of the Mayor of the city. Good evening, Mayor. How may I help you? The man asked."I need a pack of blood delivered to my lodge right now, "the Mayor commanded, his tone firm and urgent. The man hesitated, confusion flashing across his face. Why would the Mayor need a pack of blood? Nonetheless, he replied, "Understood, sir. But please, keep this confidential."Of course. Ensure you tell nobody about this," the Mayor added, his voice carrying a weight that left no room for argument. Okay, sir. I will do that. The call ended, but the man was left perplexed. Nevertheless, he complied, arranging for the blood pack. He quickly hopped into his car and drove to the Mayor's lodge. Upon arrival, he packaged the blood carefully and handed it over to the bodyguard on duty, explaining that it was for the Mayor. The bodyguard took it directly to the Mayor's apartment. Here it is, the bodyguard said, handing the package to the Mayor. Thank you, the Mayor replied, urgency creeping into his voice as he turned to Maria, who sat disoriented on the floor close to the bed. "Deborah said this is what you need. As the Mayor produced the bag of blood, a metallic scent filled the air, reaching Maria's nostrils. The smell ignited an insatiable hunger within her. Without a moment's hesitation, she lunged forward, snatching the bag from his hands. She tore it open, her hands shaking, and drank deeply. With each gulp, Maria felt the energy surge through her, revitalizing her very essence. When she finally drew away from the bag, she looked at Mr. Frank, her eyes ablaze with fury. "Who did this to me? Mr. Frank's expression was marred by guilt. "Maria, I'm sorry, I didn't—"Are you telling me we are now vampires? Maria interrupted, her voice rising in disbelief."Yes, yes," Mr. Frank replied, desperation in his tone. "I'm so sorry. I don't know how this happened. Maria stood speechless, her heart raced with confusion and rage. As he stepped closer, she instinctively backed away. "You've destroyed my life! Stay away from me! Despite her words, Mr. Frank approached her, and she fled into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her."Maria, please!" Mr. Frank called through the closed door, his voice filled with sorrow. "You are my life. If you leave me here, I don't know what I could do without you. Please forgive me; it wasn't my doing. Do you think I've forgotten? Maria shot back, trembling. I remember you attacking me while I was calling out to you. That was wicked! Something came over me, he pleaded, desperation thick in his voice. "I wasn't myself. Please. After a tense silence, Maria finally opened the door a crack. "I forgive you, and I understand," she said softly. Mr Frank's relief was palpable as he stepped forward, wrapping her in a tight embrace. "Thank you, Maria. I can't live a life without you. Their eyes met, and the air shifted as they leaned in, and hugged for a while. But after a while, Maria pulled back, a troubled look clouding her features. Maria, what is the problem? Are you still angry? Mr. Frank asked, concern etched on his face. It's not that," she replied, her voice trembling with anxiety. "I'm just thinking about how our lives have changed so drastically." Maria's gaze drifted to the floor, where shadows danced in the dim light. What are we going to tell everyone?
How will we live with this? Mr. Frank moved closer, his expression softening as he reached for her hands. I don't know, Maria. But we'll figure it out together. We've faced challenges before. This is just different. Maria's heart raced as she absorbed his words, the weight of their new reality settling heavily on her shoulders. The idea of being a vampire felt surreal, almost dreamlike. But what if they find out? What if they come after us? Listen, he said, urgency creeping into his voice, we can't let fear control us. We need to embrace what we are now. I won't let anyone hurt you. With a deep breath, Maria steeled herself. You're right. We have to take charge of our destiny. But it won't be easy. Nothing worthwhile ever is, Mr. Frank replied, squeezing her hands. "We'll learn to navigate this new life. Together. Maria nodded with a smile.