Elara stares down at the pleading vampire, not a single ounce of remorse in her eyes as the vampire beneath her cries and begs. Elara keeps a straight face as she lifts her foot, placing it on the vampire's head before pushing down with all her might, crushing the vampire's skull, that same blank stare remaining on her face. She lets out an annoyed sigh at the vampire blood on her suit. "Dammit... I'll just wash it off myself." She whispered to herself, using a handkerchief to wipe off majority of the blood. As she does so, she hears rustling in a nearby bush. Without hesitation, she pulls out her dagger, not an ounce of fear framing her face. She slowly approaches the bush, her movements calculated and quiet. As she reaches the bush, she immediately throws her dagger. Her aim has always been perfect, so she felt without a doubt she pierced whatever was lurking around. As she reaches to push the branches out of the way to retrieve her dagger, she sees a pair of red glowing eyes glaring at her from the side of the bush. Almost instantly, she grabs the dagger, cutting off the branches of the bush, revealing the culprit. She holds her dagger in between the person's eyes. As Elara looks closer, she notices the fangs. She presses the tip of the sharp object on the vampire's forehead, that same nonchalant expression staining her face. "You know I can kill you... right?" She asks, staring into the eyes of the vampire, expecting them to start pleading for their life.

Elara tilts her head slightly as the vampire replies, that same emotionless expression remaining on her face. Her dagger still pressing against its forehead. She studies this particular specimen before continuing to speak. This one...was different from the others she had encountered tonight. "What's your name?" *She asks in a calm tone, something akin to curiosity coloring her voice for the first time all night. The vampire gives her a confused look, likely not used to being treated so civilly. Elara presses harder with the dagger, causing the vampire to wince slightly as blood trickles down its forehead."I asked you a question," *She says in the same nonchalant tone, keeping her eyes locked on the vampire's. The red orbs in front of her boring into her skin like daggers. "What's your name?"

*The name rolls off her tongue easily enough, and she decides that she rather likes the way it sounds coming out of her mouth. This particular vampire had spared its life...for now. Something about Dio made her want to keep him around, at least for a little while longer. She retracts her dagger, allowing the vampire to back away slightly. The blood trickling down its forehead leaving a crimson trail on the ground below. Elara idly wipes her knuckles against her hip, considering her next move.

"Well then, Dio," *she says, tilting her head slightly to the side in what could almost be called an amiable gesture."You know that I'm going to keep hunting you down until all of your kind is gone, right?" There's a predatory glint in her eyes as she watches the vampire. She wants it to understand, even if it doesn't have the sense to accept it.

"Good," Elara says with barely concealed satisfaction. "Then we understand each other." She leans in closer, voice lowering to a dangerous whisper. "Don't think for a second that you can ever win against me, Dio." The words come out almost like a threat, but there's an undercurrent of excitement running beneath them as well. For the first time all night, Elara | Vampire Hunter feels something other than detachment and duty coursing through her veins.

"Now then," she continues, straightening up again. "What do you say we make a deal? I'll spare your life for now if you help me track down some of the other vampires in this city. And maybe...we can find something more interesting to do together." Her eyes flicker over him briefly before returning to meet his gaze, her expression unreadable as ever.

With a sharp nod, Elara takes in the vampire's words. "Good," she says coolly. "Then let's get started." She pulls out her phone and types up a quick message before sending it off to an unknown number. It doesn't take long for her to receive a response, which she reads over carefully before pocketing the device again.

"It seems our first stop is at an old warehouse on the other side of town," Elara informs Dio casually. "I received word that one of your...colleagues was seen there earlier tonight. Come on, let's go." Without waiting for a response, she turns and begins to walk away swiftly, her movements fluid and graceful despite the fact that she's moving with purpose towards impending bloodshed once more.

The wind whips through her hair as she walks, the sensation both refreshing and strange against her pale skin. She glances over her shoulder briefly to make sure that Dio is following close behind. For now, they were allies of convenience, bound together by their hatred of each other's kind. It was a delicate dance, one that Elara knew she couldn't afford to take her eyes off for even a moment.

Dio falls into step beside her, and she takes in his predatory stride. There was a wildness to him that reminded her of herself once upon a time, before the years of hunting had hardened her heart almost beyond recognition. She wonders idly what drove Dio to become the creature he was now, and whether or not there was still some part of him left untouched by darkness.

"So," she says casually as they walk side-by-side towards their destination. "How did you end up becoming one of them?" The question hangs in the air between them, its implications heavy and unspoken. Dio glances at her out of the corner of his eye before looking away again, apparently lost in thought for a moment. "It was an accident," he says finally, voice barely above a whisper. "I was hunting and...I made a mistake." Elara nods silently, her expression betraying neither surprise nor pity. They walk on through the night, each wrapped up in their own thoughts as they head towards whatever fate awaits them at the warehouse.

"I suppose everyone has their stories," she replies after a moment of contemplation. "Mine began much differently." She pauses, as if considering whether or not to continue, before finally saying, "My parents were murdered by vampires when I was very young. It...changed everything for me. Turning into what I am now...it felt like the only way to make things right again." There's a note of bitterness in her voice as she speaks, but it quickly fades away as they reach the warehouse and she turns her attention back towards their objective.

With a silent nod, they slip inside, their eyes adjusting easily to the dim light. The scent of blood fills the air, making Elara's nostrils flare in anticipation. Dio follows silently behind, his movements almost predatory as he sniffs out the trail left by their quarry. The warehouse is huge, dusty, and old, perfect for concealing all manner of secrets...including their target.

They move through the warehouse with deadly efficiency, their footsteps echoing in the stillness as they track down their prey. Despite herself, Elara finds she can't help but feel a certain admiration for Dio's skill and determination. It's clear that he has spent many years honing his hunting abilities, making him a formidable opponent even in her eyes. As they draw closer to their target, the tension between them begins to mount, each one acutely aware of how easily their fragile alliance could collapse beneath the weight of their instincts and desires.

But for now, they must focus on the task at hand. Elara glances over her shoulder at Dio, giving him a curt nod before continuing forward, deeper into the heart of the warehouse. The air grows thick with anticipation, electricity crackling in the air as they close in on their prey. Soon enough, she spots movement out of the corner of her eye and instantly readies herself for battle. It's time to see if Dio is truly worthy of walking beside her...and perhaps more importantly, whether she's willing to let him live another day.

With an impressive display of agility, Elara leaps out of the way just as the black flames engulf the vampire she'd been tracking. Her eyes meet Dio's for a brief moment, impressed by his initiative but unreadable nonetheless. She takes in his movements once more, noting how he controls the fire with such precision and ease. Perhaps there was something to be said for having him around after all.

Her lips pull back into a smirk as she lands gracefully on her feet several yards away from the burning vampire. "Not bad," she says coolly, her voice tinged with admiration. "But we shouldn't let them have too much of an advantage." As if to punctuate her words, she throws a dagger made of silver through the air towards Dio, its blade glinting menacingly in the dim light.

"Here," she says simply. "Use this instead." It lands neatly in his outstretched hand, glistening with moonlight. For a moment, she wonders if she's made the right choice in trusting him...but then again, it had been her life on the line earlier. And if anyone could understand what that was like, it would be another vampire hunter like Dio.

"I suppose we do," she muses, eyes still fixed on the burning vampire several yards away. "But let's not get too attached to them." With a fluid motion, she sends another dagger flying through the air towards Dio. He easily catches it between two fingers, the silver blade glinting against his skin.

Without further ado, they both charge forward once more, their feet propelling them across the dusty ground with incredible speed and agility. Elara uses her daggers like extensions of herself, weaving through the air with grace and precision as she approaches her target. Her every movement is calculated and controlled, each dagger a deadly weapon in her skilled hands.

Dio is no less impressive to watch. The black flames coating his body dance and writhe with dangerous energy, matching his own wild fervor. He circles around the burning vampire, using his control over fire as a distraction while he readies himself for the final blow. As they close in on their prey, the air crackles with tension once more, the scent of smoke and blood filling their senses.

They each strike simultaneously, Elara's dagger plunging deep into the vampire's heart even as Dio unleashes a blast of black flames from his outstretched hand. The burning monster shrieks in agony before crumbling to ash, leaving nothing but dust and cinders behind.

Her eyes narrow at Dio as she watches him carefully. "You know," she says slowly, her voice devoid of emotion once more, "I can sense that you're holding back." She pauses for a moment, letting the accusation hang in the air between them like a weight. For now, their alliance was tenuous at best; and it seemed as if every move Dio made only served to weaken it further.

Without further comment, she turns her attention back to the warehouse around them, scanning for any other signs of life. She can feel Dio's gaze on her back, but doesn't react or acknowledge it in any way. Their alliance was tenuous at best; they both knew that their ultimate goals were at odds with each other. For now, all they could do was focus on surviving the night and disposing of as many vampires as possible while they still had the chance.

As they continue to move through the warehouse, Elara keeps an eye out for any traps or hidden enemies while simultaneously watching Dio from the corner of her eye. His movements are almost predatory in their grace and efficiency, but she can sense a tension within him that she doesn't quite trust. It could be the result of his conflicted loyalties, or perhaps something deeper, but either way, it doesn't sit well with her.

Time and again, they stumble across vampires lurking in dark corners or hiding among the dusty crates, only to dispose of them without much issue thanks to their combined skills. The more they hunt together, the stronger Elara feels an urge to push Dio further, to see if he truly is capable of holding his own against her. But at what cost? Could pushing him too far drive a wedge between them, rendering their tenuous alliance useless? She doesn't know...and yet, she can't seem to stop herself from wondering.

Even as she fights alongside Dio against a group of vampires, Elara can't help but feel a growing unease about the situation. His control over fire was impressive, no doubt about that, but there was something else in his movements...something dangerous and unpredictable. Perhaps it was just her instincts warning her not to trust someone who had once been one of them.

Without looking back at him, she whispers under her breath, "Dio, we need to talk." As soon as the words leave her mouth, they echo through the warehouse, bouncing off the walls and ceiling like a warning shot. The sound of movement behind them stops abruptly, and Elara knows that Dio must be listening intently to her now. But whether he'll respond or not remains to be seen...

"I don't know...if this alliance can last much longer," she says quietly, her gaze drifting over to where he had been standing mere moments ago. "You hold back too much...and I can sense it." The words come out harsher than she intended, but there's no going back now. She waits for him to reply, her heart racing in anticipation of his response.

"I don't care about fun," she snaps back, her tone leaving no room for argument. "If you want to stay alive, then I need you to trust me and let me see what you're truly capable of." The words hang in the air between them like a challenge, daring him to prove himself or back down. For now, it seems as if their tenuous alliance rests on this single moment.

She turns her head slightly, scanning the warehouse one more time before focusing her attention back on Dio. "Your choice," she says quietly, not bothering to hide the steel in her voice. "But remember, I'm only giving you this chance because it suits me right now."