Chapter 1 Sergeant May

Heavy rain poured down, drenching Dante as he walked along the sidewalk. The puddles on the street splashed against his coat as passing cars sped by, but he didn't care. His mind was consumed by a single thought— Kill. Kill. Kill.

A gun lay hidden within his coat, his fingers itching for the moment to use it. A wide, almost maniacal grin stretched across his face as he strode forward, his path leading him to an abandoned building infamous for the crimes that had taken place there.

A scream pierced the night.

Inside, six men surrounded a woman in a police uniform, their knives gleaming under the dim lights.

"You really think someone's coming to save you now?" one of them sneered.

Before he could laugh, a shadow moved behind him.

A sharp breath—then a gurgling choke.

His body collapsed, blood pooling at his feet. The others froze, their amusement vanishing as a dark figure emerged from behind them, drenched in rain.

Dante stood there, his eyes cold, predatory.

"W-Who the hell—"

He moved.

The room filled with the sound of steel slicing through flesh, bodies crumpling one after another. Silent. Swift. Unstoppable.

Within moments, only one man remained. He stumbled backward, trembling, his legs refusing to move.

"D-Do you know who I am?" he stammered. "I-I'm the mayor's son!"

Dante tilted his head slightly, as if considering the words. Then, without hesitation, he pulled out his gun and aimed.

"I know."

Bang.

Silence settled over the room, broken only by the sound of rain against the broken windows.

Dante slowly turned his gaze toward the policewoman. Sergeant May Hartmann.

She clenched her fists, pushing herself up despite her injuries. Her gun lay just inches away.

"Stop!" she commanded, her voice firm.

Dante only smiled.

Without hesitation, May lunged for her weapon, fingers closing around the grip. She spun around, aiming directly at him.

"I said stop!" she repeated.

Dante halted in his tracks, then chuckled—a deep, unsettling sound.

"Ah… You're an interesting woman."

Without another word, he turned and walked past her. May's instincts screamed at her to stay alert, but before she could react, her wrist was caught in his grip.

She inhaled sharply, her muscles tensing.

Instead of an attack, he did something unexpected. He leaned down and pressed a brief kiss to the back of her hand.

She jerked away, her breath unsteady.

Dante laughed— low, amused, and unreadable.

"My name is Dante Alvarez," he said smoothly. "And you… you're quite interesting. What's your name?"

May hesitated before answering, her voice guarded.

"Sergeant May Hartmann."

Dante's expression darkened with curiosity. Then, as suddenly as he had appeared, he was gone—vanishing into the night.

May stood frozen, gripping her gun tightly. Her pulse raced.

What the hell was that…?

She exhaled sharply and made her way back to her police car, her mind spinning. She should report this.

But something told her—this wasn't over.

The Next Day

Sergeant May walked into the station, her footsteps echoing against the tiled floor.

"Good morning, Lieutenant Aries," she greeted as she passed by.

"Morning to you too, Sergeant May," Aries replied with a nod.

She made her way down the hall and sank into her chair.

"So, what happened last night?" Aries asked. "I heard your uniform got a little… torn up."

May hesitated before forcing a shrug. "Just a bunch of thugs with knives. Nothing I couldn't handle."

Deep down, she wanted to forget about last night. If she told anyone what really happened, they'd think she was insane.

Aries studied her. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," May said quickly. "Still here, still serving."

Aries gave her a doubtful look but didn't press further.

"Alright. How about you and the rookie over there take the night shift? Sound good, Sergeant?"

Lt. Aries walked away, leaving May sighing in frustration.

"Damn it… why me?"

She turned to the rookie.

The young officer straightened. "I'm Mary Carter, Police Officer I."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Sergeant May Hartmann."

The two got into the patrol car, marked Unit 2-31, and drove through the dimly lit streets.

An awkward silence filled the air.

May decided to break it. "So… how's your day?"

Mary glanced at her. "Not bad."

They made small talk, the conversation easing into a natural rhythm. Just as the atmosphere started to lighten, a figure stumbled onto the road.

"Shit!" May slammed the brakes, tires screeching against the wet pavement.

A woman covered in blood collapsed in front of the patrol car.

Mary rushed out first. "Ma'am, stay with me!"

May stepped out cautiously, hand hovering over her holster.

Her eyes scanned the dark alley the woman had come from. Something was wrong.

She pressed the radio on her shoulder. "Dispatch, this is Unit 2-31. We have a 10-52 at our location. Possible assault victim. Requesting immediate medical assistance. Over."

A crackle came over the radio. "Copy that, Unit 2-31. EMS en route. ETA five minutes. Stand by."

May exhaled slowly, keeping her stance firm.

Then, she heard it.

The sound of footsteps.

Figures emerged from the shadows—multiple men in hoodies, their knives glinting under the streetlights, the blades dripping with fresh blood.

May's grip tightened on her gun.

"This just got worse…"