Chapter Text
Etho was a mess.
Well, physically he was. Maybe mentally as well, but he’d deal with that another day.
His senses were completely overpowered by scarlet blood, thick and abundant and everywhere. It was on his face, his clothes, his dagger, his victim. And now it was pooling onto the pavement, creating a thick crimson puddle for Etho to stare into. A twisted mirror, that puddle of blood was. It was a reminder of how far Etho had come. Whether or not he was proud of his progress, he wasn't entirely sure. Etho couldn’t stare at himself much longer. He didn’t want to come to regret this line of work, when he was just so good at it.
He’s been an assassin for four years. He started out as an independent assassin, before joining the Red Army, but was now affiliated with The Monopoly. Within those four years, he quickly climbed the ranks, becoming sought after by hirers and potential victims that wanted to kill Etho before he killed them first.
And yet, even after four years, he was still astounded by how much blood his iron dagger could draw. Blood dripped down from the jagged blade, dripping onto the pavement and creating a path as Etho walked away. It was a path that Etho knew extended far past his victim, past the borders of his town. He had been traveling on this path for so long, he forgot where he started, nor did he anticipate reaching an end.
Get the job done, collect your rewards, and run.
That was Etho’s new motto, as it was all he could do. But no matter how far he traveled, no matter how much he ran, he was just running in circles. Etho fell into a cycle with no real way to escape. Even if he stopped this line of work, it didn’t mean he’d live peacefully. He had several targets on his back and became extra cautious of potential traps and hidden assassins. It was a dog-eat-dog world and Etho knew he wouldn’t stay on top for long. But somehow, the risk of getting murdered didn’t bother Etho as much as it should. He was more concerned about if, in the future, he could deal with all the blood he bathed himself in constantly.
He didn’t particularly enjoy killing others. He did it for the money but that was it. He didn’t revel in the bloodshed, he didn’t feel bloodlust, and he wouldn’t go out of his way to kill for fun. Some assassins do succumb to their bloodlust—Etho killed a few of them. But he never understood what compelled them to find joy in what they did. It wasn’t the fact that they got paid a hefty amount that made them happy, it was the fact that they were drawing blood with their weapons, whether it be a sharp dagger or their bare hands.
Etho could never see himself enjoying his job. All he could do was roll with the punches and not get knocked out from them. And the moment he returned to his hirer’s place and cleaned up, he’d be back on the road with another task to carry out.
*****
And as expected, before Etho could even begin to process the night he just had, his phone started ringing.
He spent about an hour cleaning up and recollecting himself: 20 minutes in the shower scrubbing the blood from his hair, 20 minutes spent washing the bloody trail he left on the floor, 10 minutes spent eating food since his last assassination dried up his appetite, and 10 minutes looking for his payment because his current hirer, Scar, just had to hide it in the most obscure places in the house.
All of that, yet Etho didn’t even take a second to himself to decompress before he left. He didn’t have the contact saved but Scar’s number was burned into the back of his mind. Somehow, he always needed Etho for a new assignment. Perhaps it was just routine at this point. Etho picked up his phone, took a deep breath, and answered. “Yes?”
“Etho!” A deep but oddly cheerful voice came from the other line. “I apologize for calling so late, but we have a pressing issue at hand.”
“What’s up?” Etho went to the fridge to get some water, putting the phone on speaker so he could hear.
“I have a very persistent target on my list… His name’s Joel. And he’s an animal. I’ve sent seven guys after him. All of them are dead and he left their corpses on the forest floor.” Etho choked on his water upon hearing that, putting a hand to his chest and clearing his throat. Apparently, Scar heard him and chuckled a bit. “Yeah, I had basically the same reaction.”
“Wait, did—did you say forest floor? ”
“Ah, yes! He lives in the Restone Forest.”
Etho frowned a bit. “Why? No human could ever live there for longer than, say, a week if they’re lucky. It’s vicious there.”
“Well… Our target is an exception. Now, I need you to go after him immediately.” Etho opened his mouth to interject but Scar was faster. “Now, I know you’re thinking that I’m crazy and this is a deadly task. That didn’t stop you in the past, now did it? Besides, I’m only asking you because I know for a fact that you can do it. You’re the best assassin out there, Etho! If anybody can kill Joel, you can.”
Etho frowned a bit, drinking some more water. “Could you at least tell me more about Joel so I know what I’m up against?”
“Sure. He’s very bloodthirsty. As in, he craves the smell of blood. He’s swift and he’ll hunt you down if he has his eyes locked on you so you must be vigilant.”
Etho scoffed a bit. “Why does that sound like a vampire to me?”
There was an uncomfortably long silence. Etho had the feeling he should have been more worried than he actually was.
“Ah, sorry about that, I…” Scar cleared his throat. “I was getting another call. Anyways, when you kill Joel, I’ll give you triple what I normally give you, along with my most rare and precious artifacts. And, since you’re always on the run, I’ll also provide a house for you. What do you say?”
Genuinely, Etho didn’t care much about the money; he already had enough. What really enticed him was the house. It’d be much better than having to run around, staying at his hirers’ houses or using the money he earned to stay in a good hotel. It would be great to have a place that he could call home and actually return to.
Etho sets down the water bottle, walking back to his phone. “Alright. I’m in.”
“That’s the spirit! I’ll send you directions to the forest. Trust me, you’re doing me a big favor with this one. I hope to see you come back in one piece.” Scar hung up and Etho put his phone into his jacket pocket.
“Well…” Etho sighed, looking back to the door. “Guess I’m back on the road.”
*****
It didn’t take Etho very long to get to the forest. Scar’s instructions were incredibly thorough but he missed one important detail: how was Etho supposed to find Joel in the midst of all the trees? The only light he had to guide him was the moonlight but even then, it was pretty obscured by the leaves. He kept one dagger held close to his body, while the other was strapped to his thigh. He slowly walked deeper into the forest, eyes peeled open and body alert. Being an assassin for so long made Etho much more vigilant. He wasn’t going to let anything slip past him.
However, Etho’s vigilance didn’t completely keep him from tripping. His foot caught into something and he nearly fell but managed to keep his balance. He glanced down and, from the slivers of moonlight that illuminated the object, Etho had the feeling he was getting close. A corpse lay there, surrounded in a coffin made of its own dried blood. Its clothes were ripped, its body was covered with scars, and… What was that on its neck?
Etho leaned in closer to the body, thankful that his mask didn’t pick up the rotting stench. There were two puncture wounds in the victim’s neck, right on its pulse. They were too small to have come from a knife and they didn’t cause much bleeding.
“Are these… Bite wounds?” Etho furrowed his brows, thinking back to the off-handed comment about his target being a vampire. Scar didn’t even respond with a witty joke or comeback. Now, Etho could only pray that he was wrong.
Suddenly, a figure flew over Etho’s head. Etho flinched, immediately standing up and pulling out his other dagger. He jerked his head around violently like an owl, narrowing his eyes. A dark chuckle came from overhead and Etho turned his head to look. A pair of glowing red eyes came from one of the trees, the figure’s body barely illuminated by the dim moonlight.
“I was wondering when they’d send a new person to me.” The voice was devious and deep, sending shivers up Etho’s spine. “Not sure why they continue doing that. You’re all free food to me.”
A whoosh came from the tree, like an unfurling scroll, followed by flapping. So he has wings, Etho noted. Yet another detail that Scar conveniently forgot to mention. “... Joel.”
“Aw, you know my name. How sweet.”
“That’s basically all that I know about you.”
Joel chuckled again, tilting his head. “Well, I’ve heard quite a lot about you, Eefo!” Etho snickered a bit at how his name was pronounced. If not for the fact that Joel was a violent, menacing vampire, Etho would’ve found it adorable.
Okay, maybe he still found it adorable but nobody needed to know that. Joel continued to attempt to pronounce Etho’s name, slowing down his speech and still failing. “... Eefo. No, Eefo. Ee- Eeeefo…” Joel huffed, wings flapping in frustration. “These bloody fangs, fucking up my pronunciation…”
“Don’t worry too much about it. I’ll kill you so you don’t have to worry about saying my name right.”
Joel scoffed, shaking his head. “I think I'll settle with my original plan to kill you. Your name won't mean a damn thing to me after that!”
And in an instant, Joel swooped down from the branch he was perched on and held his hands out to tackle Etho. Etho swiftly stepped to the side and dropped a dagger, grabbed Joel’s arm and threw him into a tree. Joel was thrown into the tree but quickly recovered, going back with claws swinging. Etho dodged the attacks and, in retaliation, swung his dagger whenever he saw an opening, painting Joel’s body with blood and jagged scars.
At one point, Etho’s dagger slashed through whatever shirt Joel was wearing, tearing it at his shoulder and creating a nasty wound. The vampire yelped, then snarled and swiped his claw at Etho’s face. The assassin stumbled back, mask ripped off of his face and bearing a new, thin crescent-shaped scar, traveling from below his right eye to the corner of his lip.
The moonlight synchronized with Joel’s movements, like a spotlight, as if it wanted Etho to focus on the vampire’s features. He was much smaller but more than made up for it with his bark and bite. His pristine fangs were put on display by his maniacal smile, pure and flawless but easily taintable and lethal. As Joel continued to make Etho bleed, his pupils dilated to the point that they almost disappeared entirely. He had completely succumbed to his bloodlust and Etho was his target now.
After receiving a gash on his hand and cheek from the daggers, Joel licked his lips, staring at Etho like he was about to devour him. “Ohh, your blood smells so good… I can't wait to sink my teeth into you.”
Etho chuckled. “Not going to let that happen.”
Joel raised a brow, spreading his wings and soaring up into the sky. Etho held up his daggers, ready to strike whenever Joel came down. Little did he know that Joel was standing on a branch, completely obscured by the nearby trees, waiting for Etho to eventually drop his guard.
It didn’t take long for Joel to realize Etho was never going to drop his guard. And he was getting impatient from waiting. So, while Etho’s back was turned, Joel quickly leapt down from the tree and flew into him. When Etho notices Joel soaring into him, it was too late: Joel had gotten ahold of Etho and shoved him back into a tree trunk. Etho gasped once his back hit the tree, feeling suffocated by Joel’s body pressed against him.
One of Joel's hands was firmly grasped around Etho’s wrist, holding it in place to the trunk, forcing him to drop a dagger. His other hand was around Etho’s throat but it didn't stay there for long. Slowly, Joel’s fingers slid down the length of Etho’s neck, stopping once they caught onto Etho's shirt collar and pulled it down. Joel’s fangs barely hovered over Etho’s neck, yet he still shivered from the close proximity and the vampire’s cold hands.
Before Joel could sink his teeth in, Etho pressed his blade against the vampire’s neck. Joel’s breath hitched but Etho didn’t know if it was from the sharp blade threatening to cut him, or from the intoxicating and abundant scent of blood.
Etho and Joel both caught their breath, as if the other couldn't easily take it away. A golden opportunity for both of them, yet neither of them took it. With each passing second, they only inched closer to their respective goals; Etho’s dagger gradually pressed further into Joel’s back, and Joel’s fangs gradually sank into Etho’s neck.
“Not bad,” Joel murmured into Etho’s neck, fangs tickling his skin. “You put up a pretty good fight.”
Etho nodded wordlessly, still trying to catch his breath. Joel’s nails firmly gripped Etho's shirt, as if wanting to rip it and expose more skin. “What’s the matter?” Joel purred, licking the blood droplets that dribbled down Etho’s throat. “Bat got your tongue?”
Etho’s breath hitched, tightening his grip around his dagger. He used it to begin carving a line in Joel’s back, connecting the dots to create a bloody constellation. In response, Joel sank his teeth in further and started sucking the blood, eyes rolling into the back of his head as he did so. His wings flapped calmly, signifying his satisfaction. “Right now, the”— Etho exhaled shakily—“the bat’s tongue is…. Very focused on my neck.”
“Hm… So you want my tongue inside your mouth instead?”
Etho shook his head, dragging his blade downwards to cut Joel’s shirt. “Not a fan of the taste of blood.”
“You aren’t? Gosh, you’re missing out…” Joel traveled to the other side of Etho’s neck, bit down and groaned, relaxing his shoulders and loosening his grip around Etho’s wrist. “Mmh… Oh, goodness… Eefo, you… Ohh, you taste so good…”
Subconsciously, Etho tilted his head back, as if giving Joel full access to his neck. His dagger was pressing against Joel’s back, but he didn’t plunge it in. What the hell was he doing? He wasn’t- actually enjoying this, was he? Etho was so close to killing Joel; he was distracted and completely vulnerable. And yet, Etho was just sitting there, letting himself be drained for the vampire’s satisfaction. It was humiliating.
Etho had to get out of here. With every passing second, Joel was getting stronger while Etho was getting weaker. His eyesight blurred and his head swayed, the moon becoming a blurred spotlight in the sky. He was about to drop his hand, along with his dagger, and he’d be completely helpless then. He just had to hold on for a little bit longer…
Meanwhile, Joel was fully distracted by the blood, composure fully unraveled and his noises completely unfiltered. If anything, Etho thought Joel was just in regular lust and not so much bloodlust. And deep down, Etho hoped he wasn’t in the same boat. Joel barely lifted his head from Etho’s bloody shoulder, his voice a low timbre. “You’re not even fighting back,” he whispered, eyes as vibrant as a flame. “Don’t tell me this is turning you on, now.”
That was a question Etho would think about later. “You’re one to talk,” he scoffed. “I was just waiting for the right moment to turn on you.” Before Joel could make a witty retort, Etho pulled himself out of Joel’s grasp and dropped the other dagger. He grabbed Joel and, without a second thought, sank his teeth into Joel’s shoulder, dark blood erupting from it.
Joel gasped, the light from his eyes dissipating. “Wh— What the hell are you—?!”
“Just returning the favor,” Etho mumbled against the vampire’s neck. Unlike Joel who felt euphoric from the blood, Etho only felt nauseous. It was too thick and salty, and Etho couldn’t think of any human that would willingly swallow someone else’s blood. At least Joel was a vampire and he literally lived off blood. But Etho couldn’t understand the human assassins that would plead to be Etho’s position and sink their teeth into someone else.
Starting to feel dizzy from his nausea, which, to Etho, was much worse than the dizziness from blood loss, Etho pushed Joel into the forest ground, wiping the blood from his lips and spitting it out. He accidentally swallowed some of the blood and it did not feel right sitting in his stomach. Etho picked up the daggers he dropped and quickly ran out of the forest, leaving a bewildered, bloody and blushing Joel laying on the floor.
*****
This time, it took Etho two hours to clean up and recollect himself. The extra hour was spent trying to wash the taste of blood in his mouth and getting it out of his system. Meanwhile, he was wondering if this meant that he failed his mission, since he couldn’t kill Joel. Etho scolded himself a couple of times, for failing what should have been an easy task, considering the situation he was in. The opportunity fell right into his lap yet all he did was let Joel feed off of him.
It couldn't have been because of the blood loss. Especially since he still managed to bite Joel on the shoulder—an event that made his stomach curl when he thought about it—before staggering out of the forest. He should have just plunged the knife into Joel’s back and left him there. Etho was in the perfect position to make this a one-and-done assassination, yet he didn’t take initiative.
And Etho knew that he had to call Scar and let him know that he failed. Etho wanted to just lie or come up with an excuse but… What excuse did he have? Scar knew about his skill, this shouldn’t have been a challenge. Etho wasn’t thrilled about telling Scar that he got a decent amount of his blood sucked by a vampire, but he didn’t have much of a choice in the matter.
Once Etho gathered himself, he took a deep breath and picked up his phone. He slowly put in Scar’s number, holding the phone up to his ear. He waited with bated breath as the phone continued to ring. It rang four times and, just before Etho hung up and assumed it went to voicemail, Scar’s voice came from the other line.
“Etho?! Etho, is- is this you? Or is this somebody that found his phone and pocketed it?”
“No, no. It’s… It’s me, Etho.” Etho wanted to slap himself. Scar literally gave him an easy way out of this but, of course, Etho just had to tell the truth.
“Oh my goodness- I’m so grateful you’re alive! I mean, I honestly wasn’t doubting that you’d survive; you’re that talented… Sooo, this means Joel’s dead, right?” Etho remained silent. “... He is dead right?”
“... No.”
“Wh- what? What happened out there?!”
“Well, I was admittedly a bit caught off-guard,” Etho started, “because you didn’t tell me that I was up against a vampire.”
“Wh- Pssh, nooo!” Scar laughed nervously. Scar was a lot of things, but a good liar was not one of them, especially when he gets caught. “Joel’s not a vampire! If he was, I would have told you about it!”
Etho raised a brow. “Really? I remember saying that no human would ever live in the forest. But you said that Joel was an exception.” He heard Scar’s breath hitch, but didn’t stop talking. “And, you said he craves the smell of blood… Does he crave it because he lives on it?”
“I- I never said that!”
“Even if you ‘didn’t’ say it, I would’ve preferred that you did. Would’ve saved me from getting bitten by a vampire…”
“Wh- Huh?! He bit you?!”
Shit. So much for keeping that detail confidential. Etho grimaced a bit, keeping his mouth shut for the time being, as he heard Scar panic on the other side of the line.
“Oh, nononono… How much blood did he drink?” Scar’s voice was filled with concern and Etho was getting worried as well.
“Well… I’m still standing and talking to you, so evidently it wasn’t that much,” Etho said weakly, wanting to make a joke that clearly fell flat.
“Etho, Etho this- This is bad. And you said Joel isn’t dead… He’s going to keep hunting you down,” Scar warned. “Once he’s gotten a taste of your blood, he won’t stop until you’re dead.”
Etho’s eyes widened. “Are you serious, Scar?” He sighed, pressing his finger against his temple. “Y’know, maybe I wouldn’t even be in this situation, if you had told me that Joel was a vampire from the start!”
“So it’s my fault?!”
“Yes?!”
Scar sighed deeply. “... Fine, fine, I’m sorry. I should’ve mentioned it. But now you really have to kill him, or else he’ll get to you first.”
“You better give me some good intel,” Etho demanded. “Why are you having me do this to begin with? Don’t you have any vampire hunters that can take care of Joel? I’m not exactly qualified for-”
“I only have one vampire hunter,” Scar interrupted. “I told you, the other seven vampire hunters I had, they're dead. But my last vampire hunter hasn't been successful in killing Joel, which is why I recruited you. You're my best assassin, and you adapt so quickly to these situations. I'm sure you can do it.”
Etho sighed. “Fine, fine. I'll keep trying. Now, what are his weaknesses?”
“There’s sunlight, garlic, stake through the heart, silver… Basically all of the stereotypical weaknesses you see in the media.”
“Silver?” Etho huffed. “I do have silver daggers, but I didn’t use them against Joel; I used my iron daggers instead.”
“Now you know for next time! Vampires heal quickly, but that process is significantly delayed if they’re hurt by a silver weapon,” Scar said. “So, it’s best if you carry around your silver daggers, in case Joel decides to ambush you.”
Etho nodded. “I will. At least this time you gave me a heads up.”
“Okay, okay, I screwed up!” Scar admitted. “The least you could do is not rub that fact in my face. Besides, better late than never!”
“Better sooner than later, actually,” Etho corrected.
Scar scoffed a bit. “Just- just go get your rest, Etho! I’ll give you more information on Joel’s whereabouts in the morning.”
“Alright. Goodnight, Scar.” Etho hung up and put his phone away, covering his mouth as a yawn escaped his lips. He just hoped that he’d be able to sleep easy, after the failed assassination attempt, and knowing that Joel would come back for him. At least Joel doesn’t know where Etho lived; that was his only consolation. Besides, considering that he hadn’t killed Joel yet, he was still where he started, roaming around with no permanent home. The thought made Etho a bit upset at himself for failing, but he wouldn’t fail next time. After all, the second time’s the charm.