MARVEL -BLACK SPIDERMAN

"Crack!"

Peter stepped on a shard of broken glass as he entered the bar. The dark wooden floor was soaked in blood, and the air was thick with a pungent metallic scent. The jukebox in the corner was still playing "Iron Butterfly," its music cutting through the eerie silence of the scene.

Following an unsettling feeling, Peter had come here, sensing that something, or someone, closely connected to him was present.

Stepping carefully over the sticky blood, he made his way toward the bar. The sharp smell of alcohol hit him, and he couldn't help but frown at the strong odor. His gaze fell on an unfinished glass of whiskey, and as he held it in his hand, he felt an unsettling resonance from the alien embryo inside him. The connection to whatever—or whoever—was here seemed stronger now.

After a moment of contemplation, Peter placed the glass down and surveyed the bar. Blood was splattered everywhere, and the floor was raised in several areas, much like the aftermath of his battle with Helen that night. In the corner, plants had withered, emitting a strange odor.

He moved slowly, his eyes scanning every detail. His footsteps led him to the billiard table, where human tissue and blood had been scattered. The smell was overwhelming. Among the overturned furniture, a complete body lay in a heap, its corpse short and stout, resembling a bloated sausage.

Peter squatted down, trying to identify the corpse's face. But before he could lift the man's head, a sudden breath caught his attention. The body twitched.

"Hu! Hu!"

The corpse, now seemingly alive, gasped for air, its chest heaving with every breath.

"Cough cough."

The man's head jerked up, and he locked eyes with Peter, his expression filled with confusion.

At that moment, Peter was cloaked in a black exoskeleton. He looked like a shadow in the darkness, an enigmatic figure.

"Who are you?" The short and stout man croaked.

Peter was taken aback, surprised to see the man alive after what appeared to be death. How could this be?

"This is a bar. Who do you think I am?" Peter responded with a frown. "What happened here?"

The man, now relieved to see a guest, exhaled sharply. "I don't know," he wheezed. "I was playing billiards with my friends when a woman suddenly attacked us."

His eyes widened as he continued, "She's not human. Whatever she is, it's beyond human control."

"What do you mean?" Peter asked, intrigued.

"Plants... she made the plants move and kill us." The man's eyes darted to the corner of the bar, where a plant once stood, but all that remained now were bloodstains and wilted leaves.

Peter's heart skipped a beat. He knew exactly who the man was talking about. "Where did she go?" he pressed.

"I... I didn't see," the man stammered, his breath coming in short bursts as he tried to recall more details. "Let me think..."

But as he leaned in, he faltered, unable to finish his sentence. Peter moved closer, trying to catch his words.

The moment the man leaned in, something strange happened.

The man's mouth snapped open, revealing fangs, and in an instant, he lunged at Peter's neck, trying to bite him.

Peter's hand shot out, grabbing the man's jaw with the precision of a vice, stopping him dead in his tracks.

"Snap!" The man's mouth was firmly held shut as Peter effortlessly restrained him.

The vampire—because that was now clearly what he was—looked at Peter with wide, shocked eyes. His strength, which had been enhanced by the transformation into a vampire, was now completely useless against Peter's grip. Even with his newfound power, he could not escape.

"Vampire?" Peter muttered, a realization dawning on him.

He wasn't unfamiliar with the concept of vampires in the Marvel world. Blade, the famous vampire hunter, was a well-known figure, and Peter had heard of him, even if he wasn't a fan of the superhero stories. But now he faced one in the flesh.

Peter released his hold on the man's chin, allowing him to gasp for air. The man, still dazed, felt his instinct to feed on blood flare up once again. But Peter was already several steps ahead.

"Chi!" A sudden flash of black light shot through the air, and a sharp, unseen object pierced the man's heart.

Pain overwhelmed the vampire, his body twitching violently. The object was pulled out, and the vampire groaned, his vision fading to black. Before he could say another word, his body collapsed into a heap.

"Crash!"

The vampire's body disintegrated into a bloody mist, splattering across the bar. The stench of death and blood thickened, making the air even more unbearable.

Peter didn't let his guard down after the vampire's destruction. He knew better than to assume the fight was over. Vampires could resurrect, and he couldn't afford to relax.

He focused his senses, sweeping the room for any sign of danger. When he was sure the vampire wasn't coming back, Peter quickly scanned the bar, finding nothing of value before heading for the exit.

As Peter stepped outside, several police cars raced toward the bar, their sirens wailing. Captain Custer, driving one of the vehicles, happened to glance to the side and saw Peter's figure in the distance.

His attention momentarily caught, Captain Custer slowed down, trying to get a better look, but Peter had already disappeared into the shadows.

Back on a rooftop nearby, Peter stood, observing the police. His thoughts turned inward as he considered what had just happened. He had no idea where Helen was, but he couldn't ignore the strange resonance he felt when he killed the vampire. Would the alien embryo inside him absorb the vampire's genes and evolve again, just as it had when he killed Frank?

Only time would tell.

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