Hero couldn't recall how many weeks they had been working at the case with their partner. Dead end after dead body, and yet never a step closer to the culprit. Each corpse, drained of their blood and massacred in garish display during the late hours of the night were the only constants at every scene.
Another body made for another long day, which led into another long night. The endless clicking of the clock, the creak of the old space heaters on full blast, or the towering piles of paperwork on the desks would drive just about anyone mad- had Hero been alone.
"Got a light?" Hero's partner asked as they packed a carton of cigarettes on their knee.
"Hm?" Hero hummed, and rummaged through their coat pocket. "Ah, yes, right here..."
A gold zippo shimmered under the overhanging light. Hero clicked it open and sparked the wick while their partner met them half way. Their partner leaned over the desk, and brought the end of the cigarette to meet the flame. Hero watched as the cherry burned, and cast a warm glow on their partners skin, how their lips cradled the filter as they took in the smoke- all before noticing how the fire flickered in dark and tired eyes.
"You're staring," Hero's partner huffed out with a smokey chuckle, before they settled in to their chair. "What gives?"
"You look like shit, that's all," Hero shrugged as they pocketed their lighter and sat down. "I can work on the Hawkins case for a bit if you want to go lie down."
"And leave you to all the fun?"
"I... hardly think this is-"
"Oh, please, Hero, it's a joke- lighten up or else I'll find you dead at the end of your own barrel..." Their partner puffed out another plume. "Or a bottle, I don't know- you haven't taken me out for a drink yet, so I don't know if you even do partake~"
Hero sighed, yet allowed a faint smile. "Once this is said and done, we'll go anywhere you like, sound reasonable?"
"Hm.. fairly," they hummed before returning to their work, and Hero to theirs.
Had Hero not gotten a partner only a few months ago, perhaps that would be how they'd meet their maker. Their partner pulled Hero out of the deepest spirals when they got obsessed with minimal details, helped them see a bigger picture, and looked damn good doing it all with a spry and charming demeanor.
Yet, as the hours ticked on, their partner faded. It wasn't until Hero noticed them nodding off amidst comparing evidence that they sighed, and kicked their leg under the desk.
Their partner jostled awake at the sound of Heros voice, a soft groan to follow. "But Hero-"
"I said, it's fine," Hero waved their partner towards the spare room in the office, reserved for nights like this one. "I'll wake you if I come up with anything."
Their partner watched them for a long time- longer than Hero would've assumed it'd take them to process their words. Finally, they nodded and stood with a stretch.
"Alright, alright... don't have to twist my arm about it..." They grumbled. Their partner closed the door, and Hero was left to their affairs in the office.
None of the data they had seemed to be connecting. There was no consistency in the victims themselves. The night posed a threat to all who got enveloped by the darkness, and city curfew ordinances worked to an extent. There were the chosen few who believed they were different, and could walk the streets unscathed.
And it was always the files of the chosen few who flooded Heros desk.
Amongst the grotesque pictures and detailed coroner reports, the phone rang. Heros stomach turned, hoping it wasn't another victim. Hero slammed their hip against the desk, causing a curse to hiss past their teeth as they answered.
"Detective, we have a sighting, its-"
"Yes!" Hero called as they headed to towards the spare room. "We are on our way out now, let me just wake up my-"
As Hero pushed open the door, their stride ceased.
The bed was empty, sheets disheveled. The window leading to the fire escape was open, allowing the curtains to billow in with the wind.
"Where did you say that sighting was..." Hero managed to say past the lump in their throat.
"Behind your office building, Detective. We have units on your way, just stay where you are and we-"
There was no way they were letting it get away this time.
How had they not heard anything? How could they let this be their fault? How come they couldn't keep their spiraling in check to pay attention to the fact their partner was taken while they slept?
Hero grasped the grip of their gun tightly as they stepped out to the street, and the cool air soothed their reddened eyes.
Only a few other buildings surrounded theirs, spaced by yellowed streetlamps, before the road extended off into the woods. Multiple search parties scanned the trees, yet the creature was too smart to attack a group. No, the coward waited until their victim was alone and sheltered from the eyes of the world.
The police had a ten minute drive, but Hero was sure the case would surely be wrapped up by then. The streetlights offered a dim, faded light down the alleyway. As one hand steadied the gun, the other reached for their belt, and to their dismay found no flashlight.
"Come on out, you motherfucker..." Hero cursed, striking their lighter on their leg.
Something shuffled around the corner- a tall, obscured shadow just out of the lights reach. Hero took a deep breath, and kept moving forward.
Hero cocked the gun, and before the pin fell, a flash of smoke clouded their vision. An unrelenting force pushed them back against the wall, making Hero drop the lighter. Before they could raise the gun again, the same powerful force wrenched it from their hand and pinned their wrist to the rough brick.
"Let me go!" Hero yelled as they brought up a fist to swing at the creature. That, too, was caught, and pinned to the wall.
"You really are utterly predictable," a voice- a snide, smooth... familiar voice retorted.
Hero stopped struggling, and as the smoke settled around them, the faint glow of the fallen lighter illuminated angular, otherworldly features.
Hero looked up at the set of toothy canines hidden behind perfectly arched lips, and the faintest hint of cigarettes lingered on their bated breath. Dark eyes- entirely black- fixated on Hero, and were illuminated by the flickering flame of the lighter below them.
"It.. It can't be.. you... I-I don't understand, I-"
There was no warmth to be found when the space between them was closed by the towering, distorted body of their partner- the true Villain.
"Then, let me help you understand."
Not even when Hero felt a set of lips against their own.
There was too much to make of the situation: hours of mind numbing work, fatigue from the late nights, all for the grief and anger of potentially having lost their partner be for naught when their partner brought this upon them.
But, Hero found relief in knowing they weren't another victim.
The tension eased, which allowed long arms to let go of Heros wrists and wrap around their waist. Their skin was colder than the cuffs on Heros hip, but was softer than Hero imagined it to be. As they began to lose themselves in the kiss and how sharp their teeth were against Heros tongue, they parted.
"Here I thought all your staring, all your fake politeness, was because you knew it was me and had me figured out from the start," they chuckled as they raised Heros face. "Not that you had a little crush on me~"
Against their cold, clawed hands, Hero felt warmth rise to their face.
"I did not!" they dismissed. "I do not- what do you expect me to make of this? You've killed dozens of people, I-I have to do whats right!"
"Then do it," they mused by Heros ear. A long, slender tongue ran along the pulsing vein up their neck. "I don't taste a drop of fear in your sweat Hero... maybe it's in your blood..."
Hero could hardly think of what to do, pinned the way they were. On one hand, Villain lied to them about the nightmare brought upon the town. On the other, it was still their partner. Hero seen what they could do to a body, so why weren't they finishing the job now?
"Why would I be scared of you?" Hero managed with a scoff. "What an insult..."
A hand tilted Heros head to the side, and Villains leg pushed between theirs to spread them. Despite the cold body, a hot breath ghosted along their neck. Somewhere in the distance, Hero could hear sirens.
"You have every reason to be; I could kill you right now."
Instead of a response, there was a chuckle before white hot pain emanated in their neck.
Elongated fangs sunk into the flesh before they retracted shortly after. Soft lips closed around the wound, and they drank Hero in deeply. Their tongue ran along the vein while massaging along the skin. A strangled gasp left Heros lips. but their hands only held onto their partners clothes.
"You... bite like a mosquito~" They sighed with an amused chuckle, before the leg between theirs pressed upwards to pull a different sound from Hero's chest.
"And you moan like a whore," Villain hummed. "You take this so well like one too."
Stars began to dance at the corners of Heros vision. As their body grew weak, Villain cradled them close. One hand held Heros face, and their other arm stayed securely around their waist. Was Villain this way with the other victims? Was Heros hunch that this would be different wrong?
"Is... this all you need? Blood?"
There wasn't a response- only a soft hum and a gentle caress of Villains thumb against Heros cheek.
"Then.. leave me alive," Hero managed out, their voice slurred as consciousness grew more distant. "And I won't... you don't..."
Hero blinked, and then they were sat on the ground of the alley. Villain guided Heros hand to hold their neck, all while a smile stayed pleasantly plastered on their bloodied mouth.
"Shh, you won't have anything to worry about soon. You did so good for me." Villain wiped a bit of blood from their chin, and licked it off their thumb. "Tasted even better."
Red and blue lights stirred Hero from the darkness which overtook soon after. Voices blurred with radio frequencies, the buildings spun around them, but Villain was nowhere to be found. The world around Hero went black and they slipped into a dreamless sleep.
When Hero awoke in the hospital, they were greeted with chief for questioning. A thick bandage held firm around their neck, but despite the grizzly attack, Hero had no details to report. It was dark, so they couldn't get a description. It was quick, with little time to tell either. It wasn't long after the interview that Hero was checked over, and given strict bed rest orders by the doctor.
Once they crossed through the lobby and into the warmth of the sunny day, the wind carried by the faint smell of a cigarette. Hero followed the scent to a familiar pair of dark eyes, no longer clouded by fatigue.
"You're staring..." Hero cautioned as they neared.
"Yeah, because you look like shit~" Villain flicked off the ash from their cigarette as a smile crossed their lips.
Hero couldn't help but yield one of their own.
"C'mon. I could go for a drink right now," they said with a sigh as they took the cigarette from Villains hand. "But you're buying... sound reasonable?"
"Hmm..." Villain hummed in thought as they took a step forward to slip the gold zippo back in the front pocket of Heros jacket before smoothing their hands down their chest.