Oh, wow. Athena wasn’t kidding. Everyone is dead. Corpses all around me, like a marionette who had their strings cut. Dead. Nothing. Mmm oh, there’s that smell again. Well at least now I know what it is. Mmmm, Wait, isn’t that Milla? Ugh. This is not how I imagined my first time, pun not intended. Hmm, oh well. I guess she can’t taste that bad if she just died, right?

I bend over towards Milla’s body, turning her around and tilting her head. Her expression is, normal? Like she just died in the middle of what she was doing, which looks to be taking notes if the notepad in her hands is anything to go by. Mmmm I’m hungry. I can feel my fangs extending in accordance with my desire to feed on the woman lying in front of me. She’s still warm, everyone must have just died. I lick my lips and stare at her neck. Her warm, juicy, delicious neck. As if on autopilot my fangs pierce the uppermost layer of her skin, sinking deeper into her flesh as I feel her blood flowing through the canals in my fangs. The blood hits my tongue and taste buds, and it’s heavenly. Imagine living on stale bread and old water your entire life, and now I’m eating michelin class comfort food, not that super fancy gourmet stuff, but say a hamburger or pizza cooked to perfection, the highest culinary level in the world.

Half a minute later I’m holding an empty husk in my hands. Woops. I guess this is what Athena warned me about. Hm, I wonder where I am. Maybe I’m still in the favela? Hiding a facility like this can’t be done in the city, the police is just not corrupt enough for the Providencia to risk it. Guess there’s only one way to find out, follow the exit signs.

As I’m walking I’m counting bodies along the way, and we’re over 50 already. Did all those people die to fix my soul? I mean it’s not like I care. I won’t say they deserved to die because I’m having some stupid moral high ground. They died so I could live, simple as that. People who sprout righteousness or “good and evil” don’t have a clue how the world works, and they’re just living in their little comfort bubble. The world is still ruled by the law of the jungle. The strongest survive. What people don’t realize is that the “strongest” may not be physical, it can be influence, money, connections, anything that will make you important. I’m rambling again, aren't I? Oh the exit.

Lucky me, it looks to be the middle of the night. My eyes only took a few seconds to adjust. I was right though, we are still in the favela. Funny thing, apparently Athena even took out the guards. She wasn’t kidding when she said “simply waltz out”. Hm, I really hope my stash place is safe. It’s like, the only place I have for a situation like this that the military doesn’t know about, so I really really hope it’s there. Straight out of this country and into, hmm. Guess I’ll need to get some more intel before figuring out what country, tentatively either UK or US, although the UK tends to be extremely strict and controlling. 

Along the way to my place I notice there’s no lights, I don’t know why there are none, but it’s convenient as I realized I can see perfectly in the dark, probably a vampire thing. Maybe I need to read up on fantasy, myths, legends and gods? According to Athena a lot of it is true. Oh, that’s promising. I arrive in front of a tiny dog house made out of wood. Strays tend to stay here when it’s raining, and it’s hidden enough to be a perfect place for me to hide a runaway bag. I crawl in and knock loose the floorboard. There’s my bag. I open it up to see that it’s still filled. Clothes, passport, water, money. Well the water is useless, and I guess the clothes don’t fit? I’m not sure. I’m the same height but I’ve definitely grown in certain places and shrunk in others. I grab the bag and start walking into the city.

I realized the passport might not work anymore, but luckily it should still be passable. My vampire form is still the same height, it’s just hair colour, eye colour and, uh, pupil shape that has changed from the portrait, and the portrait is black and white. Can I even hide my pupils or fangs? I focus on the same feeling I had when I extended my new weapons, but unfortunately, nothing. Either I don’t know how, or I can’t. Hailing a cab from the city to the airport, I’ve been mulling over where to go, and I think New York is the best place, so US it is. Along the way I’ve been seeing some news clips and other pieces of info, and it seems the US is both the most organized and most chaotic. There are still riots, and people using their powers for their own greed, but there are also organizations working towards helping the changed. A perfect place to disappear. 

Disembarking after paying my fare I walk towards the closest open desk.

“Hi there! I’d like to book the earliest flight to NYC.”

“Hello. Are you aware of the state New York is currently in?”

Hm? No I really don’t. I haven’t lived for almost two months, I barely have any clue what’s going on besides a few bits and pieces. Ofcourse I can’t say that.

“Yes sadly, I’m going there to visit a family member, as they’ve been a victim in some of the stuff happening there, so I have to take care of them.”

“Ah, that is very admirable. The earliest flight is in, let me just see here, 3 hours. Would you like to pay cash or card?”

“Cash please.”

I grab my ticket and say my farewells. She didn’t say anything about my passport and my looks, so I think I’m good to go?

Guess I’ll just have to grab a bite to eat, nevermind. How did I forget I can’t eat? I’ve been feeling more jovial since I woke up? Maybe it’s because the sedatives aren’t in my system anymore? I’ll have to figure out the eating part though, it’s going to be super weird to never be seen eating or drinking. Hm, guess I’ll just have to wait.

That was a super uneventful flight, which I thank my goddess for. I know it’s not Athena, but it’s a figure of speech, okay? Luckily I still have that single contact here in the states, one I accidentally made while slightly disobeying orders on a mission. See I was supposed to take out anyone in the vicinity of the target, but this guy, I had seen him helping the kids around the city I operated. He “kidnapped” them and sent them off to another city where he ran an institution. First I thought he was kidnapping them to sell or use as labor or soldiers, but no. He gave them families, homes, and paid for education. This is the kind of guy we actually need more of, so I let him go and never reported him when I gave my statement. I hope he still remembers me.

After arriving at the terminal I find the nearest payphone, his number should still be operational, I hope. I’ve been hoping a lot lately, weird.

“Hello?”

“Hey Nick!”

“Maria, is that you?”

Oh right, Maria was my name during that mission, phew, glad he mentioned that.

“Mhmm, good to hear from you again. Sorry I'd like to chat, but I need your help. Are you still around New York?”

“Yeah, what do you need?”

“First, could you possibly pick me up? I just arrived at the airport.”

“Sure thing, I’ll be there in 30. Anything else?”

“Talk more when you get here?”

“Alright, see you soon.”

Phew, glad he still remembers. I guess I’ll just sit around, trying to ignore the smell of fresh blood literally walking all around me. I really need to get better at controlling these vampiric urges.

“Hey Nick!”

“Maria, is that you?”

“Yeah, I guess I’m pretty hard to recognize after well, yeah.”

“I know what you mean, I have horns and a tail. Apparently some sort of Incubus race. Makes it really hard to legally work with children, which you know I love to do.”

“Incubus?”

“Oh, ehm. How do I say this, uh, an Incubus is a type of male demon specialized in seducing women. They are supposed to live of their life force, often obtained through sexual acts. I also apparently release pheromones which make women exci..ted.. Maria, are you oka- Wait what? You’re not affected at all?”

I just give Nick a shrug. I’m apparently the apex predator when it comes to seduction. I wonder if I can release those pheromones as well? Something I’ll have to try out later, after I get the hang of my urges. I guess Nick smells extra good due to his pheromones.

“Anyways. What do you need, Maria?”

“Hm, I need a secure high-end apartment, preferably a penthouse of sorts. I’ll also need you to set me up with a secure network and a laptop and phone, both secured and encrypted of course. I’ll pay for all of it later once I’m set up.”

“Sure thing. I do owe you one afterall.”

I think I made the right choice. This city and this country is probably going to be a good place for an enjoyable life.