Nightfall: Chapter 1

I wasn't sure what to do. But given the look in her eyes I decided to let her use one of the secure lines in the station.
"Yeah sure, follow me. I don't suppose I could ask you to part with that sword?"

"Only if you wish to lose the one piece of equipment that separates men and women." She said evenly, hugging herself. She looked absolutely terrified. Every little noise seemed to make her want to start swinging the sword.
Compared to the girl from before...something was wrong.

"Point taken... What happened? what did those two do to you?

"What they almost did." Is all she said. "Give me a fucking phone, and then I need a ride to my bike. And I'm going to impose and ask for shelter, because I don't have much for rent and I..."
The girl was all out of sorts.
She was just too terrified.

"Uh... Yeah sure."
I lead her to a phone.
"Here this one should do."

Dawn still stood. Obviously her clothes were soaked to the undergarments. She dialed a number, adding *13 to it.
Ring.
Ring.
Ring.
"Hello?"
"Max." was all Dawn said, before she began to cry again.
The voice on the other end started talking, trying to calm her down. She finally managed to, but only got a few words out.
"There's a Primal with the cops in his pocket."

The voice on the other end of the line was silent. "Are you ok."
"If I don't reveal our main base, he's going to hunt me down and kill me. He nearly did today; I barely lied...I had to give up your name Max. They got my weapons. I...I..."
The other voice spoke soothingly. "It's alright Dawn...no one blames you. What about the others?"
"Dead before I got here."
"Fuck."
Dawn sniffed. "I know regs. I'll find a way to survive the night. But tomorrow I'm going to bunker down and...and wait. I won't let them massacre us. So...tell Tria...tell her I love her, ok?"
"Dawn..."
"I'm sorry Max. I guess I wasn't cut out to be a Nightbane."
"No one ever is ready to face a Primal alone. You are lucky to be alive. Are you hurt physically?"
"Cuts on my legs. Bruises. Nothing more."
"I'm sending help." was all he said before hanging up. Dawn turned to the cop.
"I need to get my bike." She mumbled numbly.

I didn't exactly trust her, but whatever she was afraid of, I should probably fear also.
"Of course, and if you need it, you can stay at my apartment if you want shelter.

She nodded numbly.
"Whatever you do, don't tell Nick Knight."
She stood there, clothes still dripping over the floor.
Her eyes still filled with fear.

"Alright we should take off... If you need some dry clothes, I should have some that fit at my place."
I start to walk to the entrance.

"...I'm sorry for this. I barely know you...but...things have gone to hell, and you're the only person who I have a connection with here...my contacts are dead."
She hugged herself tighter.
Tomorrow I'll be dead anyways...

"Dead? how?"
I don't even know why I asked, probably something I wouldn't understand or believe anyway.

"The sewer." She said. "They were the bodies."
Dawn stayed right behind him, eyes focused only on his shoes.
I won't survive this...

I walk to the door then proceeded to open it, waiting for Dawn to exit first.

Dawn exited, a trail of water behind her. Her head remained hung in both fear and embarrassment.
"I apologize for asking of you so much when we barely know one another."

I began walking to my car, in the lot.
"Don't mention it. Heh, not my first time sheltering a 'Vampire hunter.'"
My voice still filled with misbelief.

The rain was still coming down.
"You'll learn. You'll have to lash my bike to the back of your car; I'm in no shape to drive."
She sighed.

We get to the car, not nearly as nice as my partner's Camaro by far.
I unlock the car then climb inside.

Climbing inside, Dawn sat down and buckled up.

The ride was silent, and Dawn barely helped lash the bike to the rear bumper before disappearing into the rainy night and returning with her handguns. She slid into the passenger seat, silent.

When they arrived at the apartment, she got the bike off of the car and tucked away before following the detective up to his apartment silently, sloshing away in her soaked shoes and socks.

I open the apartment door, revealing the not so large living area.
I grab some dry clothes from my dresser, they may be a bit too large, but they were better then nothing.
"You can take my bed... I'll sleep on the coach."
I don't know why I was being this generous, maybe I was just carious.

Dawn took the clothes and disappeared into the bathroom.

Half and hour later, she walked out in the too-big shirt and too-big swim trunks. Dawn uneasily laid her sword and guns in the main bedroom before coming out to sit on the floor, on her knees, next to the coffee table.
"Do you have anything warm to eat or drink?" She asked quietly.

I was listening to some music quietly in the main room.
"Yeah, give me a sec... What do you want? soup? coffee tea?"

"Soup. Water."
Dawn stayed kneeling, hands in her lap. She tugged at the collar of the oversized T-shirt.
I failed Max. I failed him...

"Got it."
I walked into the kitchen... Part of the apartment, then threw some chicken noodle soup in a pan, and on the stove.
Once done I put it into a bowl, grabbed a glass, filled it with water. Then brought the soup and water to Dawn.

Dawn waits a minute for the soup to cool, then eats it all, washing it down with the water. She takes the dishes and rinses them out, before coming back out and kneeling at the coffee table again.
"It wouldn't feel right, taking your bed." She said.

I understood why she declined the offer, it was only polite.
"Please, I'm not gonna let someone in such a condition like yourself, sleep on a coach. I insist."