บท 143: Chapter 142: A Night in Belgrade City -1 (Edited!)
Standing on the balcony of the hotel room, I gaze out at the slumbering city of Belgrade, a swirl of emotions washing over me. Tonight has once again revealed that even the most tranquil cities conceal untold mysteries and shadows lurking just beneath the surface.
"At least this is Marvel and not the DC world," I chuckle dryly, shaking off the weight of my thoughts.
Before I can dwell on it further, a faint buzzing draws my attention. My small Bio-probe has returned. "D.A.I.S.Y., can you show me what it recorded?" I ask aloud.
"Sure, Luke," D.A.I.S.Y. responds, her voice coming from the Focus magnetically attached to my ear. In front of my eyes, a footage from the Red Night Club parking lot is played out. The image zooms in on a sleek black 1968 Dodge Charger.
I watch as the car door swings open on its own, and within moments, the vehicle roars to life and speeds out of the lot.
I don't find this strange as I know that Blade is behind the wheel. Sending the Bio-probe to the parking lot was a gamble, but it paid off. While Blade himself can't be detected by any technological means, his vehicle could certainly be tracked.
The Bio-probe, controlled by D.A.I.S.Y., follows the car as it races through the empty streets, the footage is fast-forwarded until the car enters a large, rundown factory building.
"This building is an abandoned factory on the northern outskirts of the city," D.A.I.S.Y. informs you.
"Good work," I reply, a small smile spreading across my face. I am pleased to have pinpointed his base of operations. Although Blade had mentioned his preference for working alone, hearing the name Deacon from Racquel's lips has led me to theorize that whatever is unfolding here might be connected to Blade.
Speaking of Racquel, I am reminded of the new power I have just acquired. "D.A.I.S.Y., from here on, record every detail of my body; I am about to use an untested power," I say, with a hint of apprehension in my voice.
"Understood," D.A.I.S.Y. replies. The Bio-probe shifts to face me, and the Focus on my ear glows blue, scanning my body.
I close my eyes and retreat to an empty mental space. In this vast expanse, I observe numerous gaseous clusters, each a different colour and size.
Ignoring the larger ones, I focus on a newer red cloud. I reach out with my mind and activate it willingly.
Suddenly, I open my eyes, and the dark night transforms before me. The world is no longer shrouded in shadows; it shines as brightly as day.
I quickly realize that this must be the 'Night Vision' power—an ability I have already experienced when I am in my Black Cat form.
"Lucas?! Are you still here?" D.A.I.S.Y. asks, a note of alarm in her voice.
"Yeah, can you pull up the feed from the Bio-probe?" I ask curiously.
The Focus device projects the scene of the hotel balcony into my eyes, but there is no one there, the balcony where I am standing is completely empty. "Lucas, you are not showing on the thermal scans, and even the Focus device's scan which should be still on your body can't detect you … This invisibility is very different from Miss Storm's light-ray bending. If I had to compare, it's more akin to the case of the 'vampires' from earlier," D.A.I.S.Y. explains, a hint of frustration creeping into her voice.
I wave my arms around, but the screen shows that the balcony is still completely empty. "Fascinating," I say, narrowing my eyes. "Not only my body, but anything I am wearing is being ignored by the scans." I pull out my phone from my pocket and casually toss it in the air.
The moment it leaves my hand, the phone appears on the Bio-probe's scan. But as soon as I catch it again, it vanishes. I rest my hand on the railing—yet the railing stays visible on the camera feed, while my hand and body remain invisible. "Interesting. Physical contact alone isn't what triggers it."
With a thoughtful frown, I say, "This is a blind spot in our surveillance system. We need a countermeasure for it. Log this under the Magic folder, Vampire subfolder, as 'Supernatural Invisibility.'" I take a deep breath. At least a vampire's voice isn't hidden from technology.
Yes, this strange new power I possess is Vampire Physiology, something I recently gained after the intimate encounter at the nightclub. The power coursing through my veins feels... alien. Something feels off.
I suddenly realise that my chest is still. There is no rise and fall, no heartbeat. I attempt to take a deep breath, but the air halts at my lips, never reaching my lungs. Strangely, I feel no discomfort, no urge to breathe.
With growing curiosity, I place a hand over my chest. Nothing. No pulse. No sound. A strange detachment washes over me. "Am I… dead?"
The thought doesn't frighten me. It intrigues me. "I need to find a live vampire to dissect," I murmur. "This physiology requires further study. And knowing the scientists I have at my disposal, one subject won't be enough."
I test my body further, moving with quick, sharp motions—punching and kicking the air. "Strength and agility seem unaffected," I observe, although I still will need a more comprehensive assessment when I return to Watson Tower.
My fingers traces along my sharp, elongated canines, and memories of Racquel's bite resurface. Along with that, a burning sensation ignites in my throat—a new kind of hunger. A thirst.
Suddenly, I can feel it—blood. It is as if I can smell it, see it, taste it in the air. Like a homing signal, I sense a person nearby, just a room away. Their blood pulses, calling to me like a beacon. I almost need to feed.
But with sheer force of will, I suppress the primal urge. "So this is the infamous vampire thirst," I mutter with a smirk. Despite the pull, I remain in control—for now.
Just as I am about to test my final new power, the sound of footsteps pulls my attention away. Quickly, I deactivate the ability, and the world around me plunges back into darkness.
"Luke? You alright, mate? I just sensed some kind of monster's presence over here!"
I turn to see Elsa, fresh from the shower, her damp hair clinging to her head as droplets of water glide down her skin.
"It's nothing, El," I say with an apologetic smile, feeling surprised that she could sense my vampire form from her room. "I was just testing out a power of mine. Didn't mean to alarm you."
"Oh?" Elsa raises an eyebrow, intrigued. "How many more of these 'powers' have you got tucked away, then?"
"Take a guess," I reply, smirking.
"Alright, keep your secrets," she says, shaking her head playfully before coming to stand beside me. She gazes out at the city and, after a moment, her expression softens. "You sure you are alright?" There's a hint of concern in her voice.
"Are you asking if I am okay after killing hundreds of vampires?" I say, the smile fading slightly.
"Vamps are already dead, mate. Technically, you are not killing them—just putting them out of their misery," she corrects with a mildly amused look.
"They didn't seem all that different from humans, though," I admit, exhaling deeply as the weight of it hits me.
"On my first vampire hunt, my father told me that monsters often take on the form of their prey to blend in, hunt, and hide better." She takes a deep breath, her eyes hardening. "So, I should just blow their heads off and don't think too much about the face it's attached to."
"And you were only nine then?" I look at her in disbelief.
"Yeah, but I was a nine-year-old Bloodstone, mate," she replies proudly, flashing me a grin. "Don't dwell on it too much, alright? Focus on the next hunt." She deepens her voice, imitating her father's tone.
"But how can you distinguish between monsters and humans if you don't focus on their appearance?" I ask, still grappling with the haunting images of the vampires' anguished faces as they burned. I can practically feel the NZT's effects fading, the adrenaline from the fight subsiding, leaving me with a cloud of lingering doubts.
Elsa's fingers brush the red gem on her choker, but she quickly pulls them away. "You have got to trust your instincts, Luke. Sometimes that is all we have got." She punches my shoulder lightly with a smirk. Her eyes land on the Bio-probe hovering nearby. "Oh, isn't that the little flying robot you sent out into the club?"
I notice she is trying to shift the conversation, and I decide to let it go—for now. Instead, I pull up the recorded footage from the Bio-probe and display it for her.
"So, you are planning to meet Blade, then? From what I have heard, he is not exactly keen on working with others," she says, sounding doubtful.
"Funny, coming from someone who said the same thing about herself yesterday," I say, raising an eyebrow. "Yet, here we are. You and I teamed up pretty well tonight, didn't we? Blade might say no at first, but I think he will come around. Besides, it doesn't hurt to try."
Elsa chuckles. "I don't team up because most people can't keep up with me. But I will admit, you are a bit different from the rest, Luke." She gives me a small smile, patting my shoulder. "Let's go inside—I have got some things to go over with you." She turns and heads back toward the apartment.
My eyes trail after her, and I can't help but admire how those tight jean shorts cling to her sexy ass in all the right places. I resist the urge to activate the X-ray mode on my Focus—barely.
Following her inside, I can't help but mentally curse my genius, albeit lustful, mind for designing the X-ray function in the first place. It is going to test my willpower constantly in the future, especially when I am always surrounded by such hot babes!
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Isaac Espinal
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Avi2112
Avi2112 Hehe having the option to have x-ray vision and not use it, takes alot of willpower :P
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You are a Vampire now, Harry! :P
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