From Crimson to Azure, That Vampire Can Never Be Forgiven

Chapter 1:

That evening, I found myself running from three different pursuers….

At the time, I couldn’t imagine how I got myself into this mess.
But maybe it began with my best friend, Nao.

Nao and I met when we were both very young. Our fathers were leaders of large vampire clans who lived near European villages within the forest. However, my father was the beginning of a unique vampire species that the humans called, the Body Stealers. Our species had the ability to shapeshift into another person or animal by stealing the mana energy from the victim, which also ultimately led to their death. For many years, humans were terrified of us and warned everyone to never go into the forest alone after sunset. When my father got around to explaining about my cravings for human mana, I didn’t understand it at first. But when I finally experienced it, I ended up killing ten people in one night. It was so shocking, that the other vampires became wary of me. So, my father took precautionary measures to lock me up in a cellar and limit my contact with everyone. When he warned me about the grave risks of not controlling my cravings, I became more fearful of my powers. But when I was isolated from everyone, I found that I was never truly alone because Nao would come to see me.

He would always sneak into my father’s castle and take me outside with him at night. We would play games, explore the forest, and talk while gazing at the stars. Eventually, Nao became the only one I could turn to and trust. He was an amazing friend and a fearless vampire. He had jet black hair that was slightly messy and covered half of his face. His cheerful smile was always so bright like his pale skin under the moonlight. And he had beautiful azure, blue eyes which was very rare for our kind. His friendliness especially was admired by many, including me. But those precious memories were short-lived when the vampire hunters ambushed us. Nao did everything in his power to protect me, but we were greatly outnumbered. And when Nao was shot in the chest by a hunter’s rifle, I couldn’t see anything but a crimson color that blurred my vision. Ever since then, I promised myself that I wouldn’t take the form of any other being but Nao. But with these horrific reoccurring dreams, I wonder how long my sanity can even last….

But let’s get back to the matter at hand.

I ran into an alleyway and climbed up a building as the police arrived hot on my tail. They shouted after me as I made my way to the top of the building. I had a feeling they wouldn’t be able to reach for a little while, so I took a breath. But then a shadowy figure moving along a building a bit further away, caught my attention. I heard a sharp click and a bullet shot closely near my chest as I swiftly dodged it. That was not the usual warning shot from a policeman, so it had to be a vampire hunter. I quickly leaped onto another building that was in the opposite direction.

I can’t believe a hunter is in a place like this…just my luck!

After 116 years of blending into human society with Nao's body, this was the first time I found a hunter in Japan. But I couldn’t let that stop me from being caught by the authorities. To be honest, when I started gathering my meals from a local gang that got rid of their victims if they didn't pay their debts, I was already risking leaving a trail. But a hunter being here, seemed a bit more than just a coincidence. More bullets fired at me, as I stretched my wings out from my back and glided to the roof of a shrine. Thankfully, the people below were all immersed in a local festival that they didn’t notice me.

One thing to note though, vampires like me can't completely fly because the transformation of bat wings from our bodies consumes too much energy. So, gliding a short distance is a bit more manageable.

But let’s get back to it, shall we?

As soon as I landed, another couple bullets flew past me and plunged into the shrine’s sharp shingles. I took a moment to examine them, while there was a pause in the sniper’s movements. And just as expected, they were silver bullets.

Only hunters would use silver, and even coat them with poison to ensure their prey was eliminated.

I clicked my teeth in frustration, when a helicopter's light flashed down on me and a person from it started making an announcement.

"Please stay where you are. We mean you no harm!"

Who are these guys, some kind of news crew?!

“We are a government agency, and we can help you, if you agree to come with us!”

The government is after me…can things get any worse?!

Before I could finish my thoughts, I heard another sharp click about 20 meters away. I quickly leaped down from the shrine into the crowd of people below. As everyone frantically ran around from hearing the gunshots, I dashed past all of them and jumped up into a tree.

"HEY YOU! STOP!!"

A man in a police uniform shouted from below, and suddenly a group of them were pushing their way through the crowd, to come after me.

This is getting annoying!

I quickly jumped off the tree and the impact broke one of its large branches. The branch crashed down on two cops with the others falling over the debris after it. I could hear the helicopter still following me, as I glided through the trees on the mountain path.

Why in the hell is this happening to me???

To think earlier I was dining on some scumbags from the gang, and now I’m running from the police, vampire hunters and some crazy people from the government?! Give me a break!

I jumped down and came to a screeching halt at the edge of a large cliff. I looked down below and could hardly see the ground. It would be suicide to try and glide all the way down, so I had to try and turn back…

Then, I heard the sound of the sharp click from the sniper, and before I could turn around a barrage of bullets shot closely at my feet. I sauntered backwards from the shock and started falling off the cliff. I frantically tried to fly with my wings, but my energy was exhausted from all the running.

This is it…I'm actually going to die like this?!

What a dumb way to end all my years living here!

Those very thoughts raced through my mind as I was falling toward my imminent demise. Then suddenly, an updraft of wind picked up and my wings expanded, lifting me high into the sky. However, it wasn't natural wind that blew me, I heard a faint sound of an underground turbine.

There's a wind turbine under the mountain?!

My wings carried me higher, when I saw someone hanging out from the helicopter that was following me before, and they held their hand out to me. I had no choice but to quickly grab hold of their hand, and the person pulled me into the helicopter. As we flew off, I looked down to see the crowd of police shouting in our direction, but the vampire hunter was no longer near the area.

After caching my breath, I looked over at the person who helped me board. She was wearing what looked like a dark motorcycle helmet, and a black suit that had her breasts practically bursting through the seams.

"Ah, thanks for the help…"

I started to speak when the woman suddenly pulled a small handgun out from between her boobs. I placed my hands up in a panic.

Correction, is this how I’m going to die?!

"W-WAIT! I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING, I SWEAR!"

Then, a man in a lab coat who was sitting next to the pilot, turned around. He smiled at me while adjusting his clear rimmed glasses.

"Oh don't worry we know, Shizu."

My eyes opened wide with a mix of shock and suspicion.

"How'd you know my…"

Before I could say anything more a small dart from the woman’s gun shot into my neck, and I blacked out.