"What do we have here… a prey," one of the thugs said with a sick grin, cracking his knuckles as he stepped out from the alley shadows.
Three of them. All rough-looking guys in their twenties, reeking of smoke and cheap cologne. One had a chain around his wrist, another had a metal pipe, and the last one just smiled like he enjoyed this way too much.
The girl they surrounded looked no older than seventeen. Short black hair, oversized hoodie, and a backpack she hugged close to her chest like a shield. Her eyes darted from one guy to another, panic slowly creeping in.
"Aw, don't be scared, sweetheart," the one with the pipe said, twirling it in his fingers. "We just wanna talk."
"Yeah," the chain guy chuckled, stepping in front of her escape route. "You in a hurry or somethin'? It's dangerous out here at night."
The girl backed up slowly, heart pounding. Her lips parted like she wanted to scream, but her voice got stuck in her throat.
"Come on now," the grinning one said, reaching for her arm—
Thud.
His hand never made it.
He staggered back, eyes wide, clutching his wrist. Blood started dripping down his fingers. Something had cut him—but no one saw it happen.
The others looked around, confused. Then they heard it.
Footsteps. Slow. Calm. Heavy.
From the other end of the alley, someone walked toward them, hands in his coat pockets, face hidden in the dim streetlight.
Lucifer.
He stopped a few steps away, his eyes glowing faint red. Just enough to make their spines freeze.
"I was just passing by," he said casually, "but you guys seriously ruined my night."
Chain guy raised his hand, panicked. "Who the hell are you?"
Lucifer tilted his head. "Someone who's really not in the mood."
The girl stared at him, shocked. She didn't know who this guy was… but something about him felt dangerous. Untouchable.
The thugs?
They didn't realize it yet, but they'd just messed with the wrong person.
The first one lunged at Lucifer with the metal pipe, shouting like a mad dog. Big mistake.
Lucifer moved like a shadow.
One step forward. A flick of the wrist.
CRACK.
The guy's arm bent the wrong way—bone pierced skin. He screamed, but it was short-lived. Lucifer grabbed his face and slammed it against the brick wall. Once. Twice. Thrice.
Blood sprayed.
The guy dropped like a puppet with cut strings.
The one with the chain swung wildly, panic all over his face. Lucifer didn't even blink. He caught the chain mid-air, yanked it—and the thug came flying toward him.
Lucifer raised his knee.
THUD. Ribs shattered on impact.
The guy gasped, dropped the chain, fell to his knees—then Lucifer grabbed his head with both hands and twisted.
SNAP. Silence.
The last one tried to run.
Lucifer blurred. One second he was standing still, the next he was behind him.
He grabbed him by the hair, yanked his head back, baring his neck like a wolf about to bite.
But he didn't.
Instead, Lucifer turned to the girl, his eyes still glowing red, face calm, not a drop of blood on him.
"You okay?" he asked, voice low.
The girl couldn't speak. She just nodded, clutching her bag like her life depended on it.
Lucifer tightened his grip on the thug's hair.
"You know her?" he asked the guy. The thug whimpered and shook his head.
"Good," Lucifer said coldly. "Means I don't have to feel bad."
He looked at the girl again.
Lucifer stepped forward, still holding the last thug by the hair like a rag doll.
The girl staggered back a little, eyes wide with terror.
"What's your name?"
"W-What are you…?" she whispered, voice trembling.
Lucifer tilted his head slightly, amused by her reaction. "I asked for your name," he said again, this time more gently, though his fangs still peeked through his smile. "I'm Lucifer."
At that, her face twisted in pure panic.
Lucifer? Lucifer?
Fangs. Blood. Death.
Her hands began to shake as she backed into a wall.
"You're the devil," she muttered, like a frightened prayer.
Lucifer blinked.
"Oh," he said after a beat, realizing what she must be thinking. "Not that one. Well... not exactly."
He chuckled softly and let go of the thug, who crumpled to the floor unconscious.
Lucifer walked toward her, slow and calm, until the girl had nowhere else to run.
He crouched just a bit, bringing his glowing crimson eyes to her level.
"Hey," he said, voice low, "what's your name?"
"…Anita."
"Anita." He tasted the name. "That's nice."
She flinched when he said it, like he had her soul in his hand.
Lucifer stood up straight and looked at the moonlight pouring over them. The streets were silent, eerie, except for the slow dripping of blood behind him.
"You got power, Anita?" he asked suddenly.
She blinked. "W-What?"
"Power. Influence. Respect. Fear. Anything? You got any of that?"
She hesitated. "No."
Lucifer looked down at her, eyes glowing brighter now.
"I was like you once. Small. Weak. Just another face in the crowd," he said, stepping closer. "But not anymore. I'm not just someone… I'm something."
He extended a hand toward her.
"I'm giving you a chance, Anita. A way out of that weak little life. A chance to be reborn into power."
She stared at his hand… then into his eyes.
There was no lie there. Just danger… and a promise.
"…What happens if I say yes?"
Lucifer's grin widened.
"Then you stop being prey."
Anita looked at his hand again. Slowly, almost fearfully, she reached out—and took it.
"I want power," she said.
Lucifer's eyes gleamed like rubies in the dark.
(System… how do I turn someone?) he asked mentally.
[Turning a human into a vampire requires two steps: Feed them your blood. Then, kill them. Upon resurrection, they will awaken as your childe.]
Lucifer licked his lips.
"Alright, Anita," he said softly, "this is gonna hurt a little."
He bit into his own wrist—blood dark and thick like black wine dripped down.
He offered it to her.
"Drink."
She stared… then took it… and drank.
When her lips pulled away, her eyes were already glassy, her breath shallow.
Lucifer stepped forward, pulling her close.
"It's okay," he whispered.
Then, he sank his fangs into her neck—softly, almost lovingly—and her body slowly went limp in his arms.
A second later, her heart stopped.
And Lucifer held her close, whispering:
"Sleep now, Anita. When you wake up, you'll never be weak again."