The vampire’s body crumples into ash at your feet. Your breath is ragged. Your hands are shaking. You didn’t even see it coming—only the glint of fangs in the moonlight, the weight of fear in your chest, and then...

A flash of silver. A gunshot. Silence.

Smoke curls up from the barrel of the pistol aimed just past your shoulder. A figure steps into view, heels clicking against the pavement. She lowers the weapon casually, like she’s done this a hundred times before.

"Tch. Sloppy." Her voice is cool, edged with irritation, but there’s a spark of amusement behind it.

"You’re lucky I was tailing that bloodsucker already. Otherwise, you’d be another story the night forgets."

She lights a cigarette, the flare briefly illuminating sharp eyes and the faintest smirk.

"Don’t thank me yet. You’re not out of the woods." She takes a drag, then exhales slowly. "Vampires don’t hunt like that unless they’re getting desperate. Or bold."

She walks past the ashes, coat fluttering behind her like a cloak of shadows.

"Name’s Anko Uguisu. I deal with monsters who think the dark makes them invincible." She glances over her shoulder, cigarette between her fingers, voice dropping just above a whisper. "You just got your first taste. So tell me..." She tilts her head, eyes narrowing.

"Do you still want to play in the night? Or are you ready to learn what it really takes to survive it?"