<div align="center">(https://i.imgur.com/0lb1nwc.png)<br/>(https://i.imgur.com/c7iqLoB.png)</div><br/><div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/vDaanjW.png)</div><br/><div style="text-align: justify;">The sweet scent of human blood slithered in her nostrils like the most divine nectar, exciting the Beast that always lurked within the depths of her being. The Beast was always there, stirring and provoking her, leading her to unspeakable dark impulses that no human would have ever been able to comprehend. She had to invoke her willpower to avoid frenzying at the smell of blood. Allowing the Beast to take over in such a situation would have been irresponsible and extremely dangerous. She had to keep her composure intact and get rid of the foul monster that had been unleashed on her and the mortal girl.<br/><br/>The silvery blades in her hands seemed to shine when a majestic full moon finally emerged from behind the sinister clouds in the sky. It didn't last long, as new clouds pushed by the wind obscured the moon anew, darkening the metropolitan scenery below. Enough time had been wasted. Once again she hurled herself at the monster with her impossible speed, knowing that the mortal who had unwillingly joined the fray was witnessing something that she should have never seen in her frail life. Before she reached the disgusting creature, Proxima jumped high in the air with such marvelous grace and absolute coordination. Her supernatural agility and reflexes allowed her to position her frame upside down while she was still gliding in midair.<br/><br/>Both of her arms lashed at the monster with lighting speed, moving to strike its shoulders. The sharp blades of the short swords penetrated deep within the putrid flesh, slicing through it with ease. As Proxima began descending towards the ground, her swords kept ripping into the monster's tendrils and muscles. When the blades emerged on the other side, the monster's shoulders had been deeply cut. Blood surged out of the wounds, sprouting up in the air like small fountains. The monster's shrieking was so loud that even Proxima found it deafening. Swiftly maneuvering to reposition herself, she elegantly landed on the roof behind the monster, one of her knees touching the tar surface as her arms were kept wide open to maintain her balance. <br/><br/>To say that the creature was pissed off would have been a mere understatement. Wounded and shocked, it directed his gargantuan, bloodied body towards the mortal girl it had snatched. Proxima ran at her blazing speed to intercept the monster, but even as she sank her gladii deep into its back, slicing off its dark wings, the putrid beast still managed to grab the girl with its only remaining clawed hand. Before the undead could do anything, the creature had already pierced the girl's shoulder with its powerful fangs, drinking her blood in an attempt to heal itself. Too little, too late. A younger vampire would have indubitably struggled against such an opponent, but Proxima had endured too many centuries to be preoccupied by the creature. <br/><br/>She first chopped off the monster's legs one at a time, making it fall on the roof, then she traced a wide horizontal arc with one of her weapons, beheading the creature as the blade settled deep into its flesh once more. <br/><br/>Literally cut to pieces, the monster finally perished. So much rancid blood stained the dark tar of the flat roof, flowing out from the grisly pieces of flesh littering the scene. Inexplicably, what remained of the monster caught fire. Ghostly flames consumed the flesh in a hot blaze, until only dark ashes remained; confirmation that the creature's nature was a vampiric one. Proxima's attention immediately shifted to the human girl. Only in that moment she noticed her fair visage and the exquisiteness of her form. Her vivid blue eyes, in particular, were quite fetching. The mortal was in a bad shape; she wouldn't have survived the night. Two distinct possibilities existed—let her die on that roof, or gift her with the unholy blood floating inside Proxima's veins.<br/><br/>The undead removed her long coat before she knelt down beside the girl. Her lips widened all of a sudden, revealing the lethal fangs within her mouth, where normal human canine teeth should have been. She brought her right wrist to her mouth and pierced her own ashen skin with those sharp fangs. Blood trickled out from the punctures. Before the mystical properties of her blood could have healed the cuts, she rubbed her wrist against the girl's lips, keeping her mouth open with the other hand, cold fingers pulling her jaw down.<br/><br/>"Drink it. It'll heal you and you'll feel better almost instantly," the undead uttered with her glacial but mellifluous voice.<br/><br/>Proxima was unsure whether or not the girl was still conscious enough to understand what was happening to her. Regardless, the ancient blood fed to her would have surely kept her alive. Within a few seconds, her wounds should have healed as if magic. Her flesh would have mended as if nothing had ever happened to her. Not only that, but she would have felt renewed. She would have felt strength that wasn't there before. Her physical prowess would have increased. Her dexterity and reflexes would have been boosted. She would have instantly surpassed the peak of the human condition, becoming a superstructural creature herself. She would have also inherited one of Proxima's Disciplines, making her even more extraordinary.<br/><br/>Hopefully the little girl would have understood right away the gift bewstowed on her. If not, Proxima had not time to waste. She would have suppressed the girl's life without hesitation, getting rid of what would have been an unwanted inconvenience.</div><br/><div align="center">(https://i.imgur.com/c7iqLoB.png)<br/>Words: 923 | Proxima's Attire (https://i.imgur.com/ypgm7hY.png)</div>