Chapter 120: A Bird In Hand

Ezra turned back and stepped into the elevator, the lingering scent of bleach and cleaning supplies filling the small space. He had felt a faint spike of vitality from the janitor.

He frowned and checked his watch. Three a.m. Were janitors supposed to be working this late? The janitor's presence seemed unusual, almost out of place.

As the elevator doors closed, he stole a glance at the button the janitor had pressed. It was for the top floor, where his office was located.

That's suspicious.

"Forgot something in my office," Ezra muttered, masking his suspicion with a casual tone.

The janitor nodded, his expression blank, as the elevator began its ascent. The man was nodding along to the elevator music. seaʀᴄh thё ηovelFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Ezra focused on the man, attempting to sense the whiff of vitality he had felt moments earlier. But now, standing so close, he felt nothing out of the ordinary. It was as if the man was exactly as ordinary as he appeared.

The elevator dinged softly as they reached the top floor. Ezra exited first, the janitor trailing behind. The janitor's movements were slow and methodical, almost too careful for someone in his line of work.

"Heh. I'm not following you, bro. I start from the top down in my cleaning," the janitor explained, his voice sheepish. He followed Ezra into the office, eyes darting around the room.

Ezra walked to his desk, trying to ignore the oddity of the situation. The drawer in his desk was secured with a complex locking mechanism. He placed his palm on the scanner, a soft hum confirming his identity before the drawer clicked open.

Inside, a file he had been working on lay waiting. The file on the partnership with TransitLink.

He retrieved the file and nodded to the janitor, intending to leave. Just as he was about to step out, he felt that faint vitality again, more distinct this time. Without thinking, his instincts kicked in.

A dark tail erupted from his back, spearing towards the janitor.

The janitor moved with unnatural speed, dodging the attack and revealing his true nature. His eyes glinted red, and sharp fangs gleamed under the office lights. The janitor was a vampire.

"I knew it."

Ezra's office exploded into chaos as the two vampires clashed. Ezra lunged forward, aiming a powerful punch at the intruder. The vampire ducked, grabbing a chair and swinging it towards Ezra's head. Ezra blocked the blow with his arm, the force shattering the chair into splinters.

The vampire hissed, slashing at Ezra with clawed hands. Ezra dodged to the side, grabbing a lamp from his desk and swinging it with all his might. The lamp connected with the vampire's head, sending him stumbling back into a bookshelf, books and papers cascading to the floor.

The vampire recovered quickly, launching himself at Ezra with a feral growl. They grappled, each trying to overpower the other. Ezra felt the vampire's claws dig into his shoulder, pain searing through him. He retaliated by headbutting the vampire, momentarily stunning him.

Using the brief advantage, Ezra twisted free and kicked the vampire in the chest, sending him crashing into the wall. The impact left a dent in the plaster.

The vampire's back cracked, a rib poking through his chest. The vampire dropped to his feet, unfazed. He lunged again, this time aiming for Ezra's throat.

Ezra sidestepped, grabbing the vampire's arm and twisting it behind his back. The vampire roared in pain, but Ezra didn't relent. He slammed the vampire's head against the desk, the wood splintering under the force. The vampire struggled, managing to break free and swipe at Ezra's legs.

Ezra fell to one knee, but quickly rolled to avoid another attack. He grabbed a heavy paperweight from the desk and threw it at the vampire, hitting him square in the face. Blood spattered from the vampire's nose, but he barely flinched.

The two circled each other, breathing calmly. The vampire's eyes were filled with rage, and Ezra smirked at him. He summoned his darkness to his hands, making sure the vampire could see it, then dismissed it flippantly.

Rage burned brighter in the vampire's eyes. Vitality exploded from the vampire, burning away his body to reveal that the man was actually a woman.

Her purple colored hair floated around her head like it had a life of it's own. She looked like one of those innocent cute girls next door. The effect was spoiled by the fact that her face was twisted in hate.

Summoning his strength, he launched himself at her, tackling her to the ground. They rolled across the floor, trading blows.

Ezra's tail whipped around, aiming for her neck. She caught it, twisting painfully, but Ezra used the distraction to land a solid punch to her jaw. Her grip loosened, and Ezra capitalized on the moment, pinning her to the ground.

With the vampire immobilized, Ezra fashioned for himself cuffs made out of his vitality sapping darkness. He snapped them onto the vampire's wrists, the restraints emitting a low hum as they activated.

The cuffs would keep sucking her vitality the moment she calls it up. And without the use of internal vitality, the chances of escape was slim. With a wave of his hand, solid darkness anchored the cuffs to the floor.

The vampire snarled, struggling against the cuffs, but they held firm. Ezra stood and surveyed the wreckage of his office. Furniture lay in ruins, papers were scattered everywhere, and blood smeared across the floor.

"Why do you Silent Hand guys love thrashing my office?" He asked. "Custodian services don't come cheap you know."

The lady growled from her position on the floor. "Thief! This office doesn't belong to you."

"You've got a lot to answer for." Ezra said, glaring down at the captured vampire.

The vampire spat blood, her defiance undiminished. "You think this ends here? You're a fool."

Ezra knelt down, grabbing her by the collar and pulling him close. "Who sent you? Why are you here?"

The vampire laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "You think I'll talk? Do your worst, Ezra Matten. You're already too late."

Ezra's grip tightened, his patience worn thin. "We'll see about that."