CHAPTER 66: NEW RECRUITER

Dylan’s breath came ragged, chest rising and falling hard as he stared at the man in front of him. The man’s blonde hair hung in his face, sweat dripping from the ends, but his blue eyes stayed dead, empty.

He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, spat blood, and pushed himself to his feet again.

The dagger shook in his grip. He shifted it, trying to steady his hand. He lunged forward, a quick stab at the man’s ribs, but the man dodged it faster than his eyes.

He tried again, a slash at the arm, then another at the throat. Missed again. Each swing was slower than the last as his stamina was depleted. His legs trembled and his breath burned his lungs.

"Is this your limit? Just like that?" he asked, his eyes as cold as before.

"No! Not this time!"

Dylan snarled and feinted left, then came in hard from the right, dagger aimed for the face. The man blocked with a single step, caught Dylan’s wrist midair, and twisted. A sharp crack echoed through the room.

Pain burst up Dylan’s arm. The dagger flew from his hand and skittered across the floor.

"AARRGGHH!" Dylan’s scream filled the space as he dropped to his knees, clutching the broken limb, gasping. His shoulders shook.

The fight was over before it even began.

"David, this is just training. Keep your head cool, man," a voice called from outside the sparring circle. Doctor Sam, his white coat rolled at the sleeves, stood with arms crossed, watching.

David released Dylan’s wrist and exhaled through his nose. "We don’t have time anymore," he muttered, stooping to haul Dylan to his feet with his good arm.

"Betty resigned. I need a new team."

After that traumatizing dream and watching how strong ’Supreme Vampire’ could be, she decided to quit as she still wanted to be with her children when they were older.

"For what? That Crow?" Sam’s brow furrowed. "Do you even think she exists?"

David shot him a look. "Shut up, Sam. I don’t have a choice. You wanted to help me, so shut the fuck up."

He left Dylan leaning against the wall and crossed to the bench, where Maria handed him a bottle. He took it and drank deeply.

"And no," he added, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "I won’t drag my team into that. This is different."

"Ckck." Sam clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "Dylan’s not going to be ready in a week. We’re stretched thin, but honestly? What that vampire said sounds like bullshit."

"What makes you think so?" David’s eyes narrowed. "I tracked the SP signature from that Raven in the slums myself. With no chief left to follow, this is our only lead."

Sam shrugged. "If you want to believe her, fine. But doesn’t it bother you? A vampire suddenly offering to help us?"

"I don’t care," David said flatly, tipping the empty bottle upside down to drain the last drops. "If she wants to play games with us, she’ll do it in her dream realm."

"Ugh, can I know what you guys are talking about? And where will my mission be if it’s different from what you’re discussing?" Dylan asked.

Sam and David exchanged a quick look — the kind people give when they’re weighing how much truth to tell. Both of them seemed tense, as if they’d been having the same argument all morning.

David stood up and put a hand on Dylan’s shoulder. Dylan flinched at the sudden contact.

"Son, you really joined us at the worst time. Our quarter, and this town, is in the middle of a fight with the Scavenger. That’s who you’ll be hunting."

"Scavenger?" Dylan echoed.

"Oh, you don’t even know that? Poor you." Sam gave a tired shake of his head, glancing at David before answering.

"They’re vampires without covenants to follow. Wild and uncontrollable. Most of them are weak, but there’s news that they’ve got a new leader called the Lady or the Crow. We are at war with their kind."

David’s voice softened a notch. "Don’t worry. We’re not sending you against someone that strong. You’ll be with Maria in the safe part of town."

"What? War?! Like an actual war?" Dylan’s eyes widened.

He couldn’t believe it since the small town still looked peaceful.

"Ah, it’s hidden, Dylan," Maria chimed in. "No one knows. We’re the border between humans and vampires. As long as we’re here, that secret holds."

Dylan swallowed hard. It had only been two days since he became an official vampire hunter and already there was a war? His stomach churned.

Then it got worse. Someone he knew was approaching. Tall and gloomy, with dark hair, sharp green eyes that seemed to swallow him whole.

His old target of bullying. Now he looked even more terrifying with a serious face instead of his usual nonchalant attitude.

It was Seamus.

Dylan’s fists clenched. He remembered the last time he and his group messed with Seamus, how they ended up sharing that same horrible dream. He was so sure that gloomy nerd was behind all of this.

The memory still filled him with dread.

"Here, I took the half," Seamus said, handing a packet to David.

David checked it and nodded. "Thanks. We’ll join you later."

"No need. I already cleaned up the south." Seamus waved his hand. "Just search for that Crow and give me any information you find."

David’s eyes flicked to Sam again. Another unspoken message passed between them, whatever Seamus was doing, they weren’t sure how much to involve Dylan.

"You want to move again?" David asked.

"Yes. Can I bring Maria with me?"

"What? I’m not enough for you?" the red-haired woman said, crossing her arms in annoyance.

"I just don’t want you to destroy the Vitalis Core again. You keep doing that with your superhuman strength even when I tell you to be gentle," Seamus sighed, as if this wasn’t their first argument.

"I can come with you, Seamus," Maria said with a smile.

Dylan’s eyes widened. The image of his friend hanging in the cellar flashed through his mind. He shot to his feet.

"Don’t! Don’t do it, Maria!"