Even though the meeting was still happening, Drake stepped outside. He went to a small shop to buy Selena some sweets. As he was leaving the shop, Lyra suddenly appeared in front of him.
"Is it because you have a girlfriend that you don't want to team up with me?" she asked playfully.
"That's none of your business," he replied irritably.
"Please, just team up with me this once," she pleaded. "After this, we can go our separate ways. I just need some money, and I'm too weak to face the Nosferaboar on my own."
"Why don't you ask someone stronger than me?" he questioned.
"They won't accept me," she admitted, her voice dropping. "They all say I'll just drag their team down."
"Okay, fine," he conceded firmly. "Just this once, and after that, I don't want to see you again."
"Yay! Thank you!" she exclaimed, her earlier tension replaced with excitement. "Shall we do it tonight? I'm sure other slayers will be out tonight."
"Not tonight, but tomorrow morning," he stated.
"But—"
"No buts," he interrupted. "If you want my help, we will do it tomorrow morning. If you want to do it tonight, you can go on your own."
"Okay," she sighed in disappointment.
He turned and walked away, not wanting to hear anything more from her. His thoughts were already on Selena as he hurried back to his apartment. But when he opened the door, the familiar warmth was absent; the apartment felt empty and silent. There was no sign that Selena had been there at all. He placed the bag of sweets on the fridge, a wave of disappointment washing over him.
"I guess she left."
After resting for a bit and taking a bath, Drake decided to have dinner at The Hunting Cabin, a small bar where many vampire slayers liked to unwind.
He ordered at the counter, "One glass of beer and a cheeseburger," and then found a seat. Just as he settled in, Lyra appeared.
"Do you always do that? Just suddenly appear in front of me. Are you a witch?" he chuckles.
"Maybe. Who knows?" she replied with a laugh. Turning to the bartender, she said, "The same order as him, please."
"Let's go to Willowdale after this," he said while looking at the Bartender.
"Whoa! What changed your mind?" she asked, with surprise and curiosity on her face.
"Nothing," he shrugged. "I just have some free time."
"Did you fight with your girlfriend?"
"I don't have one," he stated flatly.
"Really?"
"Here's your order," the bartender interrupted, placing their drinks and food on the counter.
They ate their meals in a quiet haste, eager to get to Willowdale. Once they were done, Lyra asked Drake if she could ride with him, explaining that she didn't have a vehicle. The drive from the city took an hour, and as they arrived, Willowdale appeared to be a small, almost deserted town, looking more like an abandoned place than a lively community. Willowdale was empty because the villagers had evacuated to the next town, scared that the Nosferaboar would attack again.
They continued through the abandoned town, passing ruined houses and bloodstains on the ground. The charred remains of one house still smoldered, sending wisps of smoke into the twilight air. A wave of unease washed over them, raising goosebumps on their arms as they pressed on.
Drake's enhanced hearing allowed him to pick up subtle sounds from a distance. While Lyra scanned their surroundings, Drake focused his senses, straining to hear anything out of the ordinary.
Then he heard a number of footsteps. He's certain that it's not a human. The sound was from 100 meters from his left side, so he turned his vehicle on that side.
"Be ready and alert. We're near to them." he stated.
Lyra looked around, confused by Drake's sudden focus. She pulled out her gun, ready for a surprise attack. As they got closer to what Drake was hearing, he parked his motorcycle. He suggested they walk the rest of the way to avoid making noise. Drake suddenly pointed towards something about 50 meters away. Lyra gasped in fear, but Drake quickly covered her mouth to keep her quiet. There were two Nosferaboars in the distance, sniffing the ground as if they were searching for something.
Its skin is a gross purple-gray, and it's skinny but strong. Its teeth are long, sharp, black, and look bloody. Its eyes glow red in the dark, and it looks smart and hungry for blood. It might have some rough black hair mixed with smooth, bare skin and sharp bumps on its back. It smells like blood and something rotten. It doesn't just oink; it might hiss or growl in a creepy way.
"What are we going to do?" Lyra whispered, her voice barely audible.
"I don't know yet. I'm still thinking," he replied softly, his brow furrowed in concentration as he tried to come up with a plan.
"Let's just back out," Lyra whispered, her voice trembling slightly.
"Shhh," Drake cautioned. "I'm going to distract them, and you're going to shoot. Okay?"
"What if I miss?" she anxiously asked.
"Then don't miss."
For Drake, this felt like a suicide mission, but he saw no other way. He couldn't let Lyra be the bait. Moving a short distance away from her, he called out, trying to draw the Nosferaboars' attention. He remembered his first encounter with one of these creatures and a strange feeling that it had somehow responded to him that day. He wanted to see if it was more than just a coincidence.