Prologue

There are vile creatures with human appearances that live amongst humans. They weaken in sunlight. Their eyes burn scarlet. They have fangs instead of teeth. Their skin is like ivory. They possess eternal youth and beauty. They have an insatiable hunger for blood. They kill without mercy. They are vampires.

There are humans with advanced blood coursing through their veins. They wield weapons that have been created for the sole purpose of eliminating vampires. They do not rest until their target is eliminated. They carry out orders without hesitation. They stare death in the face as they risk their lives to save the masses. They train their entire lives to become killing machines. They are vampire hunters.

Then there are the humans that are oblivious to the dangers around them. They live their lives, thinking they're lucky to be alive. They believe they're at the top of the food chain. They're foolish beings that live unfulfilling lives. They function almost automatically, rarely deviating from their routines. They are humans.

The world is a curious place, housing these beings in the same environment.

Chapter 1: Sepal

'BANG!'

The sound of a gunshot pierces the silence and the sound resonates louder than glass shattering. A trail of smoke is whirled around the revolver. There is the scent of gunpowder burning. The bullet casing 'clinks' softly against the pavement. The shooter slowly lowers her hands, her fingers trembling around the trigger as the revolver threatened to slip from her small hands. She dropped her head forward, letting her chin length onyx hair hide her face. She doesn't want him to see the tears that are threatening to fall from her eyes. Her cursed eyes that are the color of cherry blossom petals. She doesn't want him to see her weep, doesn't want him to see the dew forming on the petals and staining their innocence.

"Misaki! Straighten up! You had the shot and you hesitated! Dammit!"

He snaps at her and she doesn't even need to look at him to know he's angry. It's not so much anger as it is disappointment. He believes that she will be a grand vampire hunter. He strongly believes she will be capable of showing to the world why the Himuras are ready to be regarded as a vampire hunter family in the eyes of the association. Even knowing of the confidence he's thrusting at her, she's still too innocent to comprehend why these skills must be learned. She doesn't quite understand why she must be able to look it in the eyes and shoot it point blank without feeling remorse. She can't bring herself to become a murderer.

The child squeezes her eyes shut to halt her tears in their tracks and grips the revolver tightly. She then opened her eyes and broke into a sprint, running as fast as her little feet would let her. The snow crunched under her brown boots as her scarf whipped behind her. Her breath is visible in the air but her knee length white jacket has her snug and warm. Her violet beanie slid off her onyx hair but she kept running. She had to find her master. It was her fault that the vampire got away. She huffed and puffed until she was inside the empty and dusty house. She kept her gloved fingers tight around the revolver, knowing it was the only thing that could protect her now.

"Well well well~ It looks like you've come back to me~ Did you like my offer of sucking you dry that much, little girl~?"

The sinister voice was right at her ear. He was right behind her. She hadn't sensed him. She never even saw him coming. The child whirled around and aimed her revolver at his head, the metal pressing against his forehead, right where the eyebrows met. She was trembling and fear was threatening to shut down her body. He snickered, amused at the child. Her acts of intended bravery were amusing him more than she could imagine. His scarlet eyes met her own, daring her to pull the trigger but she couldn't do it.

She was frozen in place and he knew. He raised one clawed hand and shoved her hard across the room. She skidded towards the door she'd come from and curled up, hugging herself. She'd dropped her gun by the creature's feet. She was whimpering now as he took his time to come to her. He was cackling so horrendously because he was toying with her. He wanted to instill fear in his prey. Within moments, it was looming over her with his fangs bared. All she could was stare at him in terror, tears streaming down her pale cheeks and she screamed right as his fangs grazed her neck. Her heart raced in her chest as she knew he was going to sink his fangs into her. She was going to die at the hands of a vampire. He was going to drink her dry because she had been a coward...

'BANG!'

The gunshot pierced the silence again but this time it was like the curtain for the grand show was being torn down to reveal a failed performance. There wasn't even time for him to shriek. The bullet had struck his head and he'd disintegrated immediately. The only traces of his existence was a pile of ashes. She trembled even as her eyes met his. The look of utter disappointment was etched upon his facial features. He'd never looked so tired before. It looked as if he'd reached his breaking point.

He didn't utter a word to her, didn't bother to ask if she was okay or reprimand her again. He simply dropped her revolver beside her on the floor and walked past her. He left the building, left her there weeping. He never came back for her. He abandoned her there for someone else to fetch. He'd been her mentor for a whole year but they'd never made any progress. She'd never been able to hit a live target, the target she was meant to kill. She was too hesitant, too soft. That fateful night he walked out of that building without her had been the last time she'd seen her master but it was also the night she'd made a resolve to become someone worthy of calling herself a vampire hunter.