How The Tables Turn

The night was thick with shadows, the pale glow of the moon barely piercing through the narrow alley Kikidori crept along. He moved silently, his boots making no sound on the damp pavement as he scanned his surroundings. His target was close—he could hear the faint rhythm of a heartbeat somewhere nearby.

"Alright," he muttered to himself, his voice barely above a whisper. "Let's make this quick."

He adjusted his jacket, his sharp eyes catching the faint movement of a figure stumbling down the alley ahead of him. It was a young man, drunk and alone, the perfect prey. Kikidori smirked, his fangs glinting in the dim light.

As he stepped forward, his predatory focus honed in on the man, a sudden rustle behind him made him freeze. His head snapped to the side, his heightened senses kicking into overdrive. Someone was there, hiding in the darkness, their presence as subtle as a whisper.

Kikidori straightened, his smirk fading as he turned slowly. "Alright, whoever the fuck you are," he said, his tone laced with annoyance, "come out. I don't have all night."

A figure stepped out of the shadows, and Kikidori's eyes narrowed. It was another vampire, younger and cocky, his eyes gleaming with hunger. The fledgling was barely out of his first century, his inexperience obvious in the way he moved—reckless, impulsive.

"Well, well," the fledgling said, a smug grin spreading across his face. "Didn't think I'd run into another one of us tonight."

Kikidori's jaw tightened, his patience already wearing thin. "Yeah, and you're about two seconds from regretting it. What do you want?"

The fledgling chuckled, stepping closer. "You've got some nerve walking into my hunting grounds. I think you need to be taught a lesson."

Kikidori raised an eyebrow, his annoyance turning into disbelief. "You're kidding, right? You think you're going to take *me* down?"

The fledgling didn't respond. Instead, he lunged forward, his fangs bared as he aimed for Kikidori's neck.

"Fucking rookie," Kikidori muttered, sidestepping the attack with ease. The fledgling stumbled, caught off guard by Kikidori's speed. Before he could recover, Kikidori grabbed him by the collar and flung him against the brick wall with enough force to crack the stone.

The fledgling groaned, sliding to the ground in a daze. "Shit…" he muttered, clutching his head.

Kikidori crouched down in front of him, his expression cold and unforgiving. "Let me make one thing very clear," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "I've been doing this for two centuries. You? You're not even worth my fucking time."

The fledgling raised his hands in surrender, his cocky demeanor evaporating. "Alright, alright! I'm sorry, okay? I didn't know you were that old."

Kikidori scoffed, standing up and brushing off his jacket. "Yeah, well, now you do. Consider yourself lucky I'm feeling nice tonight. Next time you try something this stupid, you won't be walking away."

The fledgling scrambled to his feet, nodding frantically. "Got it. No more sneaking up on people. Lesson learned."

"Good," Kikidori said, turning his back on the fledgling. "Now get lost before I change my mind."

The younger vampire didn't need to be told twice. He disappeared into the shadows, leaving Kikidori alone in the alley once more.

Kikidori sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Fucking amateurs," he muttered. The drunk man he'd been stalking earlier was long gone, his hunt interrupted.

Deciding it wasn't worth the trouble to track down another victim, Kikidori made his way back to the mansion. As he walked, he couldn't help but shake his head at the fledgling's audacity.

"Kid's lucky Ere'ana wasn't there," he muttered to himself with a faint smirk. "She'd have ripped his head off without a second thought."

When he finally reached the mansion, he pushed open the heavy oak door and stepped inside. Ere'ana was waiting for him in the living room, her dark eyes narrowing as she took in his disheveled appearance.

"What happened to you?" she asked, her tone as sharp as ever.

Kikidori shrugged, collapsing onto the couch with a groan. "Some little shit tried to take a bite out of me."

Ere'ana raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "And you didn't kill him?"

"Nah," Kikidori said, waving a hand dismissively. "He wasn't worth the effort."

Ere'ana stared at him for a moment before letting out a soft snort. "You're too soft sometimes, Kikidori."

"Yeah, well," he said with a smirk, "someone in this partnership has to be."

Ere'ana rolled her eyes, but there was a faint hint of amusement in her expression as she turned and walked away. Kikidori leaned back against the cushions, letting out a tired sigh.

"Another night, another fucking headache," he muttered.

The End of Chapter Nine