Chapter 7

Nero disembarked the train and looked around the station with a cautious gaze. He wrinkled his brow in frustration as he was unable to determine the exact source of the too-familiar smell of flowers and death that hung in the air. The entire city seemed to reek of the abominations. Nero didn't like that. He knew it meant there were probably as many vampires here as there were humans. Thankfully, as of yet, he had seen none.

Flexing his right hand, Nero felt the leather of the glove stretch. He loathed having to hide his demonic arm. But he hadn't disagreed when Dante had suggested covering it up. They needed to draw as little attention to themselves as possible, and a teenager with a demon hand was hard to miss.

"So, what's the plan?" he asked the devil hunter next to him.

Dante surveyed the open outdoor depot with a vacant expression and shrugged. "I don't make plans," he told Nero. "They never go the way ya want 'em to."

Nero scoffed, wondering why this revelation surprised him. "Okay. Then I guess we'll just stand here til the blood suckers notice us."

Dante frowned at him then gave a resigned huff. "Well, while yer doin' that, I'm gonna go get a drink."

The elder man headed off in a confident swagger toward the bar across the street. Nero shook his head and followed. When he had first met Dante, he had assumed the man was a cocky jerk who always knew what he was doing. But after spending time with him, Nero was inclined to believe that luck was the only thing that had kept the hunter alive this long. It was disappointing – and impressive – to discover that Dante often acted without thinking and somehow managed to make situations go in his favor.

Very few of the patrons noticed the white-haired duo as they entered the bar. Most seemed too intent on their own goings on. That it was dark helped. The only light came from a few dim lamps that hung singularly from the ceiling. Nero had to let his eyes adjust to the new darkness. Which was odd because he normally had good night vision. He followed Dante to a booth in the corner and each sat with their back to a wall. He noticed the vague outline of the hunters face turn to him.

"Pop quiz," Dante said in a hushed tone that Nero barely made out over the music. "How many leeches are in the room?"

Nero let his eyes wonder without knowing how he would be able to discern the differences between the vampires and the humans. At first glance, they appeared the same. But after closer inspection, Nero could pick out a few in the mass who carried themselves with more ease than others. He made a mental note of every one of these individuals and turned to Dante.

"Eight," he announced.

Dante frowned at him and searched to crowd. With a light chuckle, he said, "You only counted the chicks, didn't ya?"

Nero cursed to himself. Why had he done that? He knew vampires could be male. Falor had mentioned seeing a male with the group that terrorized Fortuna. Falor himself had been a vampire, and Nero had come face to face with him. Yet, that was the only time he had seem a blood sucker that wasn't female. He casually wondered why that was.

"Fourteen?" he tried after another look around the bar.

Dante gave a nod of approval. "It's a common mistake, kid. They ain't gonna send the guys after ya – unless that's what yer into."

"Whaddya mean?" Nero asked.

"The leeches magic don't work without attraction," Dante stated. "They use pheromones to subdue their prey. It works good on humans, but we can see through it. Well, kinda. We can sense they ain't right, but we sill fall for the act. The way they smell, how nice they look, how good it feels when they touch ya."

Nero's mind automatically went to Becca. He had come close to giving in to her when she had touched him. If Dante hadn't come along when he did, Nero doubted he would have survived much longer. Yet, he was still unwilling to admit his knowledge on the subject so he pointed out the hunters admittance.

"Guess you're speaking from experience."

Dante grunted in response. "Don't take it so lightly, kid. If she'd wanted to kill me, I'd probably be dead."

Nero found this an interesting statement and guessed there was story behind it. "Why didn't she wanna kill you?"

The hunter shook his head. "Ain't important," he said. "Just be careful around the leeches."

Nero nodded and let the conversations cease. He felt antsy being stuck in the middle of so many blood suckers. His demonic arm was tingling, as if the blood had been constricted then allowed to flow freely. He was internally aching for a fight.

A waitress that was walking by jumped as Dante easily took hold of her arm. This didn't surprise Nero as it was so dark he doubted she could see the hunter until he got her attention.

"Would ya mind getting us a couple beers, babe?"

She relaxed as he released her and squinted at them. "I'm not sure he's old enough to be drinking," she said pointing at Nero.

He was amazed that the waitress could tell he was underage in such poor light. But, so as not to cause a scene, Nero didn't argue with her. "I'm not thirsty."

The girl nodded and left them.

Dante turned to the youth. "What'd ya give up so easy for? I coulda gotten ya a beer."

Nero shrugged. "How'd ya know she wasn't a vampire?"

The hunter waited for the girl to return with his beverage. She did and he gave her a charming smile of thanks in return. After she'd left, he answered Nero.

"I wasn't sure til I grabbed her arm," he said. "She had scars on her wrist. Did ya see the fresh marks on her neck?" Nero shook his head. "They don't just serve liquor here."

Nero glanced around in disgust. His mind was unable to grasp the concept of how the humans could justify such actions. Their behavior went beyond masochism and bordered on animalism.

"That's barbaric," he mumbled, mostly to himself.

Dante sighed and slowly smiled. "Whaddya say we shut this place down?"

Before Nero could respond, there was the loud echo of gunfire and the room was bathed in the hot light of fire. Unseen, Dante had drawn Ebony and fired two shots in quick succession. One hit the overhanging lantern closest to the bar. The other hit a bottle of vodka on a nearby shelf. The sparks ignited the liquid and initiated the busting of other bottles that added to the blaze.

An alarm began to blare and all the humans in the room formed an unorganized and panicky line at the exits. The vampires remained, throwing glares in the direction of the two newcomers who had ruined their fun.

Dante stood and brandished his large broadsword in invitation. The blood suckers didn't hesitate in accepting. Nero quickly jumped to his feet and drew Red Queen, facing off against three of the monsters. He was relieved that he didn't have to worry about their fangs, but the leeches more than made up for that handicap with strength and speed.

Dante was doing well. He had the advantage of duel wielding. Though the bullets he shot into the blood suckers' skulls did not kill them, it stunned them long enough to for the hunter to finish them off with Rebellion.

Nero's combat wasn't going as smoothly. He was able to decapitate one, but the other two closed in, forcing him back against the wall. He cursed and peeled off his glove with his teeth. The demonic claw was glowing and pulsing. The youth gave in to the call and Yamato materialized in his grasp. The vampires stepped back in awe at the new development.

Nero used the distraction as his ally and charged into the fray, swinging his two swords at every vampire he saw. The incredible power he felt from using the katana was liberating. It didn't take him long to dispatch the majority of the vile creatures.

The boy looked up to see Dante engaged in close combat with one of the males, unaware that a female was sneaking dangerously closer from behind.

"Dante!" Nero yelled in warning.

The hunter hurriedly finished with the vampire before him and spun around to face the new threat. The woman paused and backed out of sword range. She smiled at Dante and said his name in a an alluring voice.

The hunter froze. The emotion of his countenance rapidly changing from one of fierce determination to one of utter entrancement. Nero cursed and exchanged Red Queen for Blue Rose, silently insulting Dante for not taking the clear opening. The youth fired at the woman's head as she lunged for the older man. Dante broke out of whatever trance he was in and swung his sword at her neck. His aim was perfect and she fell in a headless heap.

With the last vampire down and an inferno overtaking the bar, Dante glared at Nero.

"Dammit, kid!" he yelled. "Learn when to keep your mouth shut!"

Nero glared back. He hadn't expected a thank you, but the ungrateful behavior that Dante was displaying angered him. He considered a retort, but before he could issue it, the hunter pushed roughly by him and kicked open the doors leading outside.

Nero stomped after him, not willing to let such rudeness go unchecked. He came up behind the man as he stood surveying the town and put a violent hand on his shoulder.

"Hey! I was ju-"

Dante looked at him with blazing indignation. "Later," he hissed, and turned back to the crowds of bystanders.

Nero glanced in that direction and reached over his shoulder to retrieve his sword at the same time Dante brought Rebellion up in front of him. It really shouldn't have been surprising – with all the commotion they had caused in so short a time – to notice the horde of blood suckers that stood before their human companions, protectively sneering at the two men with red eyes and bared fangs.

Nero sighed, thinking that this night really couldn't get any worse as the leeches advanced.