"Who said I'm not scared?" she answered honestly.
"Of course I'm scared. But I don't want to live in fear. If I start being afraid of every rustle, then I might as well just lie down and wait for them to come. At least this way… I'm trying to become stronger. So that if something happens, I won't just die,I'll take one of them with me."
She looked at her brother from the side. Her eyes seemed brighter than usual beneath the streetlights.
"Remember what Dad used to say about Mom? She wasn't afraid. She left because she didn't want us growing up as hunters. Maybe she was right. Maybe we should stop just being afraid and start doing something."
Ethan stayed silent for a long time. His thoughts were tangled.
"I don't want to kill anyone," he finally said.
"Even them. I just… want things to be the way they were before. Before the pacts, the lines, the badges on our chests. I just want us to live."
Gina let out a bitter laugh.
"It'll never be like before again. They came here. And now either we learn to live with them, or they teach us how to die. I choose the first option.
"And I want you to choose it too. Because if you keep being afraid… they'll feel it. And when they smell fear, we're all dead."
She fell silent for several steps, then added more gently:
"I'm not saying I'm fearless. I just don't let fear decide for me. Got it?"
Ethan nodded, though the heaviness inside him remained.
"Got it…"
As he walked, Ethan thought that maybe Gina was right.
But the fear still hadn't gone anywhere.
They walked along the sidewalk beneath dim streetlights. The sky had completely darkened, and only blood-orange streaks on the horizon reminded them that the day had ended. The air had grown cold and heavy.
Suddenly Gina kicked a small stone lying on the pavement. It bounced away with a soft clack. She smirked.
"Why am I not afraid?" she said without looking at her brother.
"Because honestly, fear is a luxury. If you start being scared of every shadow, every sound, every dark alley… you've already lost.
"Mom was afraid… and she left. She abandoned us. But you and I are staying. And we're going to fight until the end."
Ethan walked beside her, staring at the ground. His sneakers scraped quietly against the asphalt. He stayed silent for a long time, thinking about her words, then quietly replied:
"But they're stronger. Faster. They regenerate. One bite and you're dead. Why are they even here? They still want to feed on us anyway."
Gina stopped. Ethan slowed down too and turned toward her. She looked at him seriously, without the usual mockery in her eyes.
"Of course they do," she said quietly.
"They always will. But if all we do is hide and fear them, they'll take us without a fight. If we fight back… at least sometimes we'll drag one of them down with us."
She stepped closer and lightly punched him in the shoulder, not teasingly this time, but almost affectionately.
"I'm not saying we should stop being careful. I'm scared too, Ethan. Every night when I go to sleep, I think, what if tonight they come?
"But I don't let that fear control me. Because if I let it win… then Mom left for nothing."
Ethan looked at his sister. In the glow of the streetlamp, her face looked older than usual. Determination shone in her eyes, but behind it hid exhaustion and pain.
"And what if we can't handle them?" he asked barely above a whisper.
"What if they're still stronger?"
Gina shrugged and started walking again.
"Then at least we'll die standing. Not on our knees with an outstretched arm and a blood bag."
She glanced back at him and smiled faintly, softer this time.
"Now come on. Dad's probably already waiting. And tonight won't be an ordinary night."
Ethan nodded and followed after her. The badge shaped like a drop of blood lightly clinked against his chest with every step.
But the fear still hadn't disappeared. It had only buried itself deeper.
Gina shrugged without slowing down. Her voice sounded confident, almost practical, though a trace of tension still slipped through.
"Dad says as long as the blood's given willingly, they keep their word. Officially, at least. But we stay prepared. Salt, silver, fire.
"And never invite them across the threshold. Even if they say they're a neighbor or a courier. Never let them past the door without an invitation."
She glanced sideways at Ethan and added more quietly:
"Remember the rule? They can only come in if you invite them yourself. So even if they beg, cry, or say they're dying, the door stays shut."
Ethan nodded silently. He knew the rules by heart. Their father had repeated them every evening for years now. But that didn't make it any easier.
They reached home by twilight. The sky had fully darkened, and only a faint orange glow on the horizon remained from the passing day. Warm light shone through the apartment windows, their father had returned earlier than usual.
As soon as they approached the door, it opened.
David stood in the doorway. He looked exhausted.
He stepped forward and hugged them one at a time, first Gina, pulling her tightly against him, then Ethan. His embrace was strong, almost desperate, as though he feared it might be the last time.
"You're back…" he said quietly, still holding onto Ethan.
"How did it go?"
"Fine," Gina answered as she pulled away. "We donated blood, got the badges and the sweets. The nurse said next time it'll be at the old medical station on the outskirts."
The wrinkles around David's eyes deepened. He shut the door behind them, turned the key twice, and slid the heavy metal bolt into place.