The vampire Tony Stark mentioned was currently in her manor, attempting to dispel her frustration. She had spent the entire night busy, yet her efforts bore no fruitful results.
Last night, under the shroud of dark clouds and dim streetlights, she made her way to the cemetery. The swaying shadows of trees, coupled with the eerie silence, created an unsettling atmosphere. Parking her car on the roadside just outside the southern gate of Yuu Cemetery, she stepped out into the strong wind.
After slamming the door shut, she moved to the trunk, retrieved a waterproof canvas, and bundled her tools tightly. Concealed by the shadows, she made her way toward the cemetery, carrying her package.
As a vampire, this grim territory felt almost like second nature to her. She had walked this path before. Crossing the road with caution, she tossed the tool bag over the cemetery's iron fence. The tools landed with a faint thud.
She continued walking until she encountered the tall iron fence at the cemetery's other end. The nine-foot structure was topped with decorative spikes meant to deter intruders. Under the faint streetlight, her silhouette flickered briefly before she effortlessly leaped over the barrier. Landing with grace, she found her footing atop a gravestone.
Her phone buzzed unexpectedly. She glanced at the screen and answered the call.
"Miss, is everything proceeding smoothly?" asked the calm voice of Collins, her loyal butler.
"Smoothly? Far from it," the vampire muttered. Her voice carried an undertone of annoyance.
Looking beyond the graves, her gaze caught sight of a young couple embracing beneath a streetlight. "I'm crouched here under a tombstone, watching lovers' clandestine meetings like some cheap horror cliché," she grumbled.
Collins responded with measured politeness, "Would you prefer to abandon your endeavor, miss?"
"Absolutely not," she retorted firmly, her tone tinged with determination. "But I can't help feeling like a celebrity one moment and a grave robber the next. The world might soon label me a ghoul if this keeps up."
The couple eventually disappeared, ascending the steps of a nearby apartment building. Once the street fell silent, the vampire retrieved her tool bag from the bushes.
Lifting the tools, she oriented herself in the wide gravel path. "Straight ahead, then left at the fork," she murmured, recalling the directions from her memory.
"Miss, what if you encounter a night watchman?" Collins inquired.
"I'll stick to the shadows," she replied. "Violence is not my style."
Her strides were purposeful as she moved further into the cemetery. At the fork, she turned left, guided by faint recollections of the area. She soon arrived at a familiar section, staring at the rows of tombs and gravestones arranged in concentric circles.
"Yes, this is it," she whispered to herself.
The vampire remembered burying bodies in this very spot—the remains of the alien creatures she had fought and killed after escaping to Earth in a makeshift pod.
Her ship had been a temporary escape vessel from the larger mothership, which mysteriously vanished without a trace. The whereabouts of the mothership and its other passengers remained a haunting mystery.
"I've been thinking about death, Collins," she said over the phone, her voice softer. "Perhaps it isn't as terrifying as it seems. Maybe those resting here are at peace, cradled by angels in their eternal slumber."
Collins' response held a note of wry humor. "Miss, if they are indeed asleep, do you truly wish to wake them?"
Her lips quirked into a faint smile. "If they wake, they're likely nothing more than ghouls. I've fought worse."
Surveying the tombstones once more, she took a deep breath and began.
The night wasn't eternal, and daylight would soon arrive. She reached for a knife, rolling back the tarp that covered the grave before arranging her tools methodically, as if preparing for surgery.
The soil here was softer than usual, making her task somewhat easier. As the grave deepened, her pace quickened.
"Digger," she muttered, pausing briefly to wipe sweat from her brow. "Wasn't that what you called American grave robbers, Collins?"
"Yes, Miss. For tonight, you've earned the title of Digger," he replied, his tone even.
She chuckled faintly and resumed digging, occasionally checking her watch. It was past midnight, and her work was far from over.
Her shovel eventually struck something solid. Brushing away the surrounding soil revealed a simple sleeve-like covering. The vampire used her shovel to lift it, setting it aside.
The scent of damp earth filled the air. Her fingers brushed against something cold and wriggling—a worm, squirming across her hand.
"Well, it seems I'm not the only one intrigued by this grave," she remarked with dry amusement.
Collins' voice echoed through the receiver, "The creatures of the earth appear to have welcomed you, Miss."
Ignoring the wriggling earthworm, she pressed on, determined to uncover the secrets buried beneath.
--––-------------------------------
Visit our Patreon for more:
patreon.com/Samurai492