You're The Only Thing Worth Dying For: One

Vampire: The Requiem

You're The Only Thing Worth Dying For

One: They don't burn like we do

Her name was Sarah. She made him feel alive.

She was heading out of an evening class the first time he saw her, tired and alone. 

He was leaving the university teaching hospital after stealing a few nights' worth of donated blood. He felt bad enough about that, but he didn't want to consider the alternative.

And he wasn't the only vampire there.

He sensed another of his kind, following a student walking home, ready to strike. But then Sarah heard the victim call for help, and came running without a moment's pause.

And he found himself running to help as well.

The vampire's teeth gleamed as he smirked at Sarah. Before she pepper sprayed him. He snarled and lunged.

And someone leapt in the way. They stared, circled each other, and the wild-eyed man ran.

"Are you alright?" the stranger asked. He paused as he saw blood on the victim's throat, with a queasy look before turning his head, and moving to support her. Sarah took her other arm and they walked her to the hospital's ER.

"She was lucky you helped..." he said as the staff took the victim away.
"I was lucky you helped." Sarah looked at her pepper spray for a use-by date. Then she looked up, and saw something in his eyes.

"You're not human, are you?"

...

Sarah Collins, history student, brave and smart and possibly braver than is smart.

Daniel Burton, Daeva vampire, too humane to hunt with impunity.