Marvel Multiverse Gacha

"What the hell happened here?" I asked, eyeing the wrecked-ass wall in front of me.

"Someone punched it," Jessica muttered.

"Uh-huh. Lemme guess… you?"

She huffed, arms crossed. "Didn't have a choice. Some asshole barged in, so I put him down."

"Right. And what's the deal with our new guest?" I asked as we headed toward the prisoner.

"Lucky break. Guy was already messed up when I found him."

"And Frank?"

"Outta city. Matt's tied up with something."

Awesome. Just us, then.

Jessica shoved the door open, and I finally got a look at the poor bastard she dragged in.

Kilgrave wasn't alone. Across from him, another guy sat chained up, arms bound tight.

"Chains?" I raised a brow.

Jessica nodded. "Yeah. Not on my level, but he's strong."

Ignoring Kilgrave's little attention-seeking movements, we walked up to the new prisoner.

Mouth sealed, body still shifting, but his eyes? Locked onto mine. No fear.

And I knew exactly who he was.

What the hell is he doing here?

Jessica nudged the pile of weapons they'd taken off him. "Two swords, a bunch of knives, and other crap. Also, his wounds? Heals fast. Faster than me."

"I know. Take off the chains."

She turned to me, eyes narrowing. Then she looked at the guy, still bound up like a damn Christmas present. After a few seconds, she sighed and pulled out the keys.

The guy didn't take his eyes off me.

As soon as the chains hit the ground, he yanked the gag from his mouth. "You know me?"

"Of course. Dhampir. Blade."

Yeah. The guy standing in front of me was the famous vampire hunter.

"We've never met before." His statement, not a question, made me pause for a second.

"No, but you're quite famous," I said, eyeing his torn jacket and the dry blood caked on his face. I handed him a water bottle, commenting, "Looks like the hunt didn't go so well."

He didn't answer right away. Instead, he downed the bottle, and when he finished, he let out a sigh. "It was a trap... for me."

"Is he also a vigilante?" Jessica asked, eyeing Blade up and down.

"No, he hunts vampires," I replied, nodding toward Blade.

"Vampires? You mean those bloodsuckers from the movies?" Jessica scoffed, looking skeptical.

Blade showed his teeth in a brief grin. "Yeah, real ones."

"Wait a minute," Jessica said, her eyes widening as she pieced it together. "You said 'Dhampir'... which means he's half vampire, half human?"

Blade nodded, not bothering to elaborate further. "I am."

Turning to me, Jessica asked, "Have you seen a vampire before?"

"Not just seen, but killed," I say, barely bothering to show off.

I didn't mention it was only one, though.

Blade's eyes flicker, like he actually approves for a second, but he hides it quick. I still caught it, of course.

Jessica rolls her eyes. "Man, what's going on in this world? Mutants, weirdos, and now vampires like some comic book stuff?" she mumbles, but we both hear it.

I just shrug. "Get used to it."

"Need help?" I ask, noticing Blade deep in thought.

He doesn't respond right away, probably hesitating.

"Don't worry, I've got no interest in you," I add, trying to ease the tension.

I had my own reasons for tracking them. With their centuries-old connections and control, I needed a starting point before going after them. They were a danger to humans, disrupting the stability that kept everything in balance making life harder for me, too.

"I'll attack at night," Blade finally spoke up.

"I'll come," Jessica interrupted, but we both shot her down.

"No."

"Definitely not."

"We're not going on some tour. And don't underestimate vampires. Forget about their strength. Their quantity? That's what makes them more dangerous."

She opened her mouth to protest, but one look from me shut her up.

Blade looked between us, raising an eyebrow. "You two a team or something?"

I shook my head quickly. "Nah, I work solo. Just got a temporary partnership going on." I shot a quick glance at Jessica, who gave a small nod in agreement.

"I'm training to be a vigilante. They saved me... from.." she glared at Kilgrave.

Blade didn't press it, probably recalling Jessica's strength.

Jessica raised an eyebrow. "How old are you?"

Good question. I was wondering that too.

"Thirty-seven," Blade said.

She tilted her head. "And... do you actually drink blood?"

"Yeah," Blade said, completely unfazed.

Jessica made a face. "That's nasty."

I cut in. "You got a location in mind?"

Blade nodded. "Yeah. One of their safe houses. We can hit it tonight."

I leaned forward. "You sure it's not another trap?"

"Could be," he admitted. "But I don't care. I'm taking them out either way."

"Still wanna tag along?" he asked.

"Definitely."