Man at War – Excerpt No. 301

She doubted The Grand would be able to hide every accident. After all, not every vampire cared about leaving no trace of their passage behind. Even Evelyn loved to make a mess from time to time. At least she ensured the killings appeared to be the work of someone who looked the part.

While their side was said to avoid detection at all costs, there was a lot of leeway in how these guidelines were interpreted. Violent deaths and suicides were still the leading cause of death for humans. That meant vampires could hide within the statistical noise. The difference is that Drusilla and her ilk don’t care to hide.

A dramatic black-and-white vintage-style photograph with torn paper edges, showing two men in early 20th-century long coats and boots standing outdoors at night beside a large flip chart on an easel. The chart is titled “CAUSES OF DEATH” with “Death ♥ 1915” and lists satirical or cryptic causes (e.g., “Mightiest onion omiles,” “Hemps,” “fever,” “old tired orlordo paices”) with dot patterns indicating counts. The scene has a dark, ironic wartime atmosphere under a starry sky with buildings in the background.

Disclaimer: This novel is an work in progress and readers may encounter grammatical errors and inconsistencies. Please view this a draft and not a published work.