(Hours ago)
"MJ, we're really sorry. We never meant to ditch you—something came up," Gwen said into her phone, her tone apologetic yet casual, the way it always was when she spoke to a close friend.
"Yeah, it was an emergency," Kira added from beside her, nodding as she spoke, certain that Mary Jane would understand—even without knowing the full reason they had bailed on her.
A second later, a voice came through the phone. "I understand, girlies. I'm sure it was really important. I accept your apology wholeheartedly." The voice paused, then continued warmly. "Besides, there's still time for us to go out and have some fun—girls only, just like we planned. You're free now, right?"
The words sounded friendly and inviting. But on the other end of the line, Mary Jane's breathing was ragged, her eyes glowing a faint, dangerous red. The hunger gnawed at her relentlessly. Every second felt like torture. She needed to deliver both of them to Necrolai soon—she needed to feed.
Gwen and Kira, however, noticed nothing wrong. How could they? How could they ever imagine that their friend was a vampire?
"Sure, we'll be right there," they replied almost in unison.
Mary Jane's lips curved into a wide smile. Beneath the pale glow of the midnight moon, her sharp white teeth glinted faintly. She could finally eat.
"Alright," Mary Jane said smoothly, her tone as sincere as ever. "I'll be waiting at XXX Street with my car. It's going to be a long night, girls."
"Okay, give us ten minutes. We'll be there soon," Gwen replied with a smile, signaling Kira to start getting ready. After days of nonstop training, they really did deserve a break.
Kira stood up and headed for the shower, while Gwen followed close behind.
The prey had already walked into the trap.
But who was truly the prey—and who was the predator—remained unclear.
The night would tell.
--- ✦ ---
Mary Jane sat behind the steering wheel of her car, facing the window as she made the final touches to her makeup. She wore a black leather jacket over skin-tight trousers, her aura radiating raw feminine charm. Her face was pale, her lips tinted pink with makeup, and her eyes were as dark as the night itself.
"Finally, I can eat~, hehehe," Jane squirmed inwardly, barely containing her excitement. Her master had already made her addicted to her blood—now she couldn't live without it. She had tried blood bags and even human blood; they all tasted like shit to her. But every time she drank Necrolai's blood, it was intoxicating. It felt divine, as if she ascended several times over.
Now, all she had to do was let her master bite her friends. Then they could all be together—sharing power, blood, and eternity.
She glanced at the time on her phone and muttered, "It's almost ten minutes. They should be pretty close now."
No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than she heard a knock on the window behind her.
Knock! Knock!
She turned her head mechanically, the movement almost eerie. Her smile stretched as wide as it could. They had arrived.
Kira and Gwen couldn't see her expression through the tinted glass. If they had, they would have instantly known that something about their friend was very wrong.
Mary Jane rolled down the window and unlocked the doors, smiling warmly at them. "Hey~, come in."
Gwen and Kira returned her smile sincerely, wasting no time as they climbed into the car. It wasn't their first time riding with her, after all.
"Hey, babe. Sorry we ditched you. We promise it won't happen again," Kira said first, her tone light but clear beneath the night sky.
Mary Jane shook her head, signaling that she didn't mind. But curiosity still nudged her. "Were you guys already close to this street before you called?"
The question bothered her slightly. They had said ten minutes—so she assumed they must have been nearby. She also wanted to know why they had been in this area in the first place.
"Crap," Gwen and Kira exclaimed inwardly. They had been careless. They should've delayed it a little. They had never once walked around this area—they had teleported directly using the base's portal. But now, they had to improvise.
Gwen, quick-witted as ever, spoke first. "Kira here is going on a date soon, so we had to go prepare. We wanted to call you too, but she was so nervous we forgot. So we walked around the city to get her mind off it. We didn't even know you were this close."
"Y-Yeah, that's what happened," Kira added quickly, her words stuttering slightly. "I've been really nervous."
"Oh~," Mary Jane's eyes lit up, genuinely surprised and happy. "A date? With whom?"
Kira smiled, her face turning red. "Zayne."
"Woah—Zayne? That Zayne?" Mary Jane stared at her, utterly stunned. Kira actually managed to crack that iceberg of a man.
"Yeah~, we've been talking for a few days now, so we scheduled our first date for the weekend," Kira replied, her tone a mix of anxiety and happiness.
Gwen smiled beside her. Kira had finally gotten what she always wanted—her own prince charming.
Mary Jane fell silent, her mind racing with chaotic thoughts. But she maintained a calm façade.
"Am I really going to ruin my friend's only chance at love?"
"Should I see this through…?"
Her human side struggled desperately against the hunger for blood and her loyalty to her master.
Then, as if fate itself intervened, Necrolai's voice echoed in her mind—seductive, cold, commanding.
"Where is my sheep servant?!"
The words struck like divine authority. Fear washed over MJ, drowning every thought of rebellion. Any hesitation vanished instantly.
Gwen and Kira noticed her sudden stiffness and couldn't help but worry.
"You okay, MJ?" Kira asked, concern evident in her voice.
MJ regained her composure in seconds. She couldn't let them sense anything was wrong.
"I'm fine, guys," she said gently, a smile returning to her face. "I'm just a bit shocked that our baby Kira is finally getting a boyfriend."
Gwen and Kira laughed, completely reassured. Everyone knew Kira had been single forever—it made sense to be surprised.
After that, MJ replied to the voice in her mind. M-Master, I'm on my way now… with two of them.
The voice went silent for a few seconds, clearly surprised. Then—
"Finally useful, are we? Good. You'll need new companions after all. Extra blood for you once it's done." Necrolai's voice was filled with satisfaction.
At the words extra blood, MJ's eyes flashed red—almost imperceptibly. Her breathing grew uneven, but she still managed to respond inwardly.
"Thank you, my queen. I shall not fail you".
The voice faded away.
All of this happened within three seconds. Gwen noticed nothing. But Kira did.
"MJ… are you sure you're okay?" Kira asked again, reaching out to touch her forehead.
MJ gently stopped her hand, smiling softly. "I'm fine, Kira. It's just the wind tonight. You know my body hates the cold."
Kira withdrew her hand, though her unease didn't fade. Sensing the awkward tension, Gwen quickly changed the subject.
"So, where exactly are we going, MJ?" she teased. "You're dressed way too sexy tonight. I'm sure it's going to be fire."
Mary Jane smiled mysteriously. "It's a secret."
"Secret?"
Both Gwen and Kira leaned in with interest.
"Is it a fun secret?" Kira asked. They had been to plenty of "secret" places before—either extremely fun or complete disasters. Never normal.
"Hehe~, it's very fun," Mary Jane replied with a soft giggle. "Better than anywhere we've ever been. I promise… you'll enjoy it so much, you'll want to stay there forever."
Her pale face and red hair glowed unnaturally beautiful beneath the moonlight reflecting through the car windows.
They found it mesmerizing—slightly strange—but shrugged it off. Thinking she was exaggerating. Who would want to stay in a place forever? Even the fantasy-like base they had witnessed over the past days won't make them stay forever.
They buckled their seatbelts, and the black jeep rolled forward, gliding smoothly beneath the night sky. The calm atmosphere eased their nerves, making the ride almost peaceful.
All except for Kira.
Only one thought lingered in her mind.
"Why was MJ's hand so pale… and so cold?"