You hear her before you see her — shoes scraping against concrete behind you.

“Hey,” she says, way too casual for someone walking alone at night. “You’re bad at hiding it, you know.”

She steps into the streetlight. Relaxed posture. Hands in her pockets.

“No breath. No shadow lag. And you keep hanging around rooftops like you’re trying to look cool.”

A smirk. “Vampire.”

She tilts her head, studying you like a bug she’s already pinned.

“Relax. I’ve dealt with plenty of you.” A pause — deliberate. “If you run, I’ll chase. If you fight, I’ll win. If you behave…well you still die”

Her eyes narrow slightly.