The monster refused to back down and increased the intensity of his attack. As the attacker's hands reached for Sarah again, a loud crash echoed through the alleyway, followed by the sound of scuffling feet. Sarah's eyes snapped open to see Adam towering before the monster.
The monster, a vampire with piercing eyes, snarled and snapped his jaws, but Adam held him off with ease. Sarah watched in awe as Adam's eyes glowed with a celestial energy— it was as if his eyes represented the Moon.
Finally, Adam pinned the vampire to the ground, his left hand wrapped tightly around the vampire's throat. "You're not welcome here." Adam growled, his voice low and menacing.
The vampire struggled and kicked, but Adam held him firm. Sarah watched, still trying to process what was happening as she rose to her feet. Her eyes almost bulged out as she took in the sight of the scene.
"Who are you?" The vampire spat, his dark eyes flashing with anger.
"Honestly, you're not qualified to know my name. While I'm not able to give out my name to a lowly scum, I can give a little description of what I do. I'm a consultant. I help people with problems. There's rarely a problem that I can't solve. That lady over there hired me and guess how much this problem, your head, is worth? 2$." Adam jokingly replied, his grip on the vampire's throat tightening.
The vampire was infuriated, his eyes flicked to Sarah, and he taunted. "You think you can protect her? She's just a human, fragile and weak."
Sarah felt a surge of anger at the vampire's words, but Adam just smiled. "You'd be surprised what humans can be capable of." He said.
The vampire snarled again, but Adam just held him firm. "You're not going anywhere. The outcome of this situation is this, I'll end up ripping your heart away from your chest. But before that, why not just tell me what you want with her? I don't believe you wanted to feed on her. If it was so, you would have cut straight to the chase right from the onstart. Your fangs didn't aim for her neck, your claws wanted to invade a sensitive spot. Do you have any other motive or you're just a horny creature?"
The vampire's eyes flashed with anger, but then he seemed to relax, a sly smile spreading across his face. "Oh, I think you know exactly what I want," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "I want her as my mount, her body dancing to the tune of mine. And, I'll stop at nothing to have that."
Sarah felt a chill run down her spine at the vampire's words, but Adam just laughed. "You're not going to hurt her. Not while I'm around." He said.
Without hesitating, Adam raised his right arm and soon after his fingernails were replaced with a set of deadly claws, after which he plunged them into the vampire's chest, ripping away his heart.
As the vampire's body lost all signs of life, Adam turned to Sarah, his eyes gleaming with a fierce inner light. "Are you okay?" He asked, his voice low and urgent.
Sarah nodded, still trying to process what just happened. "Y-yes." She stuttered. "I think so."
Adam released the bloody heart from his grasp and it fell to the ground. He then brought out a handkerchief to wipe the blood stains on his claws, after which they disappeared, replaced once more by his slender fingernails. His gaze swept over her, as if searching for any signs of injury. "What did he do to you?" He asked, his voice laced with anger.
Sarah shook her head. "He didn't get the chance. Adam, what just happened?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Adam's expression turned guarded, and he looked away. "That thing was a monster." He said, his voice neutral. "I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. And, you owe the bartender 2$ for the glass of water. I literally thought the glass of water was free and was on the house but I was very much disappointed. Ensure you pay the debt when you go to the bar the next time, I hate debts. So, we're even now."
Sarah shook her head. "No, you're more than that." She said, her voice shaky and unshakeable. "I saw your claws, Adam. I saw you rip that vampire's heart out. You're not human."
Adam's eyes flashed with warning, but Sarah stood her ground. "I'm not afraid of you, Adam." She said, her voice shaky. "I want to know what you are."
Sarah looked at him, searching for answers. But, Adam's expression remained guarded, and she knew she wouldn't get anything more out of him. "I'm grateful to you, Adam. You saved me tonight. But I know that's not the end of it. There will be more of them, won't there?"
Adam's expression didn't change but Sarah sensed a flicker of tension in the atmosphere. "What makes you think that?" He asked, his voice neutral.
Sarah took a deep breath. "I don't know what's going on, but I know I'm not safe. And I think you know more about it." She paused, her eyes locked on Adam's. "I want to make a deal with you."
Adam raised an eyebrow. "What kind of deal?" He asked, his tone laced with curiosity.
Sarah took another deep breath. "I want you to protect me. I want you to help me figure out what's going on and why those things are after me. In return, I'll do whatever you want."
Adam's expression didn't change, but Sarah sensed a spark of interest in his eyes. "What makes you think I'm the right person for the job?" He questioned, his voice low and soothing.
Sarah smiled, a fierce determination burning inside her. "I saw what you did to that vampire. I saw your claws, Adam. You're not human. And I know you're the only one who can help me. Didn't you say there's no problem you can't solve? Please, help me."
Adam's eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing. "The problem is that you're wanted by supernatural creatures. As much as it is hard to take in, you're in danger. Normally, vampires love blood but that vampire wanted something more intense. He wasn't particularly interested in your blood. I also don't understand the plot but as time goes on, all will come into light. This is dangerous, what do you propose?"
Sarah took a deep breath. "I want you to be my emergency contact, I suppose." She said, her voice firm. "If I'm ever in danger, I want you to come to my aid."
Adam's expression didn't change but she sensed a flicker of interest in his eyes. "That's a big task. I can only do that for two weeks, I've got other deals. Now, there's a bigger problem. You have to find a worthy reward for me after a week. Failure to do so, I'll terminate the deal halfway."
Sarah's eyes widened in surprise. "Two weeks?" She repeated. "But I need your protection for longer than that."
Adam shrugged. "I've got other commitments, Sarah. I can only devote two weeks to being your bodyguard. Normally, I shouldn't do this because you don't have anything valuable to offer me. The only reason I'm offering to help isn't because I'm really interested in saving you, I'm just curious about why the vampires want you."
Sarah frowned, unsure if she was ready to accept Adam's terms. "And, what's this about a reward?"
Adam's eyes gleamed with amusement. "Ah, yes. The reward. Well, I'm not doing this out of the goodness of my heart, Sarah. I expect to be compensated for my services."
Sarah's eyes narrowed. "What do you want, then?" She asked.
Adam leaned forward, his eyes glinting with intensity. "I want something that's worth my while, Sarah. Something that will make it worth my time to put my life on the line for you."
Sarah felt a shiver run down her spine as she met Adam's gaze. She had a feeling that she was in over her head. "And if I don't come up with something suitable?" She asked.
Adam's smile was cold and calculating. "Then our deal is off, Sarah. I'll walk away and you'll be on your own."
Sarah swallowed hard, feeling a surge of fear. She knew that she couldn't afford to lose Adam's protection. Nonetheless, she was shocked by Adam's ruthless attitude. It seemed like he wasn't really who she thought he was. "Okay." She said finally. "I'll come up with something. But you have to promise me that you'll keep me safe until then."
"I'll keep you safe." He said. "But, don't think that you can renege on our deal. I'll be expecting something worthy of my services. What's your company's address and your house's?"
Sarah nodded, feeling a sense of uneasiness and trepidation. She had a feeling that she was making a deal with the devil himself. "Green Tech Media. 123 West 34th Street, Suite 400. My house's address is 456 East 52nd Street, Apt 3B."
Adam nodded and as he turned to leave, Sarah felt a sudden rush of wind sweep through the alleyway. The dim lights flickered, and the air seemed to vibrate with a supernatural energy. And with that, Adam was gone. He moved with a speed that was almost supernatural, vanishing out of the alleyway in the blink of an eye.
Sarah's eyes widened in shock as she stared at the empty space where Adam had been standing. The wind died down, and the lights stopped flickering. The alleyway was quiet once again, except for the sound of Sarah's ragged breathing.
She shook her head, trying to process what she had just seen. Adam's speed had been incredible, almost inhumane. Sarah felt a shiver run down her spine as she realized that she had just made a deal with someone who was far more than human.
As Sarah turned to walk towards her car, her eyes fell upon the lifeless vampire lying on the ground. She felt a shiver run down her spine as she gazed at the pale, bloodless skin. But it was what lay on top of the vampire's chest that caught her attention.
Four tarot cards, each one faced up, arranged in a deliberate pattern. Sarah's eyes widened as she recognized the suits and symbols etched into the cards. They were tarot cards, and they seemed to be arranged in a specific layout.
Sarah's curiosity got the better of her, and she cautiously approached the vampire's body. She peered down at the cards, trying to decipher their meaning.
The first card, the Ten of Swords, depicted a figure lying on the ground, pierced by ten swords, meaning defeat. The second card, the Eight of Cups, showed a figure walking away from a pile of cups, symbolizing abandonment and loss. The third card, the Knight of Wands, represented action, adventure and passion. And the fourth card, the Death card, signified transformation and rebirth.
Sarah's mind reeled as she tried to interpret the meaning behind the cards. Who could have placed them here, and what did they signify? She felt a shiver run down her spine as she realized there was something deeper, something more sinister at play.
And then it hit her— Adam must have placed the cards there. But when? He had been standing right next to her the entire time, and she hadn't seen him move. Unless he had done it when he exited the alleyway with supernatural speed.
Sarah's heart was racing as she slowly backed away from the vampire's body. She knew she had to get out of there, and fast. She turned and ran towards her car, the tarot cards and their ominous message etched into her mind like a warning.