Hunters Hit List (Fox Brothers Book 1) (3 page)

Fear was a foreign concept to Max Hunter Fox. Hunter was his birth middle name, the irony. Not many people were aware of that fact.

Scar hoped that the brothers would take this threat seriously. She never really needed anyone’s help but this was a bit out of her range. She was being targeted. She wasn’t sure why.

Most people had never heard of her. Most hunters were unaware that she was even a woman. You had to be deep in the life to know of her. She kept her head down and her blade sharp and high. She wasn’t into accolades or fame. She just did her job. She killed vamps. She wanted to continue to do that but the odds were against her. They killed seven elite hunters. She prayed the Fox brothers would help her. After all they were targeted as well. At least Max was a target.

Normally she would be a fangirl but today she just needed some assistance. Getting a Fox to help her with anything was nearly impossible. They worked alone most times. She had never heard of them working with a woman. She needed today to be different. She could put up with Max’s arrogance and Ryan’s angst if it was going to keep her breathing.

Scar realized just how much she liked breathing. She looked down at the list in her hand. How many lists were out there? At least Dorian never got the chance to bask in the glory of crossing Dustin off the list.

10. Dan Potaki

9. Chaz Browning

8. Zac Fields

7. Miller Pike

6. Juon Chen

5. Martin Milewski

4. Dustin Dixon

3. Roy Raymond

2. Scar Buckley

1. Max Fox

A newly painted foreclosure sign sat on a freshly manicured lawn. Inside the vacant suburban home dwelled a gang of four vampires. They were like any other group of vampires. They traveled in gangs but they were far more deadly than the Crips or the Bloods. They were Vamps, a group that most of the general public was completely unaware of.

The vamps had taken up residency in the basement, the darkest place in the vacant house. The ringleader was Walt. He was a thirtyish, pale, clean shaved vampire.

Walt’s eyes used to be blue. Now they were standard vampire blood red. His hair was still dark brown and closely cropped. He was turned into a vampire around thirty years old but he had lived a few years now as a vamp. He paced back and forth. He had things on his mind, many things.

Janette was twenty-five, brunette and the only female in their vamp gang. She glared at Walt. She was visibly upset. She had the right or so she thought. The other two young male vamps Jerry and Colin sat at a folding table playing cards.

“That Scar bitch killed my mate.” Janette was agitated even more after she spoke.

Janette was on the scene when the gang found the headless body of Dorian. He was her mate. He was her love. He was her eternity. She really believed she would live forever with Dorian her immortal beloved.

Walt was tired of Janette’s constant moping. “Enough already! Dorian was careless.”

“He’s dead! My mate is dead!” Janette yelled.

“He’s dead because he went off half cocked... When he spotted number four, he was told to call us and wait.”

“He called you.”

Vampire Colin stopped playing cards and looked over from the card table. “But he didn’t wait.” Colin instigated the fight from afar.

Jerry held in a chuckle. He thought the bickering was mildly funny.

“Listen Janette, Scar isn’t a prima ballerina Dorian underestimated her and that’s why he’s a headless corpse. His actions were stupid. These hunters were picked because they are hard to kill. They are the cream of the crop.”

“I don’t care if they’re the cream on a cheese bagel.” Janette roared.

“You should. Even with a gang of us on their asses they are hard to kill. So my dear, one-on-one with any hunter from the list is a huge risk. Dorian went in like some kamikaze and he paid the ultimate price.” Walt demonstrated Dorian’s head being cut off by running his lone finger across his neck.

“You fucking bastard.”

“I told him not to underestimate that female hunter.”

“Now I know why you’re alone. I see why you don’t have a mate.”

Walt grinned. “I’m alone because I’m not interested in none of you vampire whores. I like my chicks breathing and filled with blood.”

Colin and Jerry chuckled in unison. The only thing better than a vampire girlfriend was a human one filled with blood.

“Fuck, you’re a vampire too. Or did you forget?” Janette taunted.

“No dear, I will never forget. I know my limitations. I used to be a hunter. I got the inside track to how a vamp hunter thinks and operates. Only a dumb ass would go up against two hunters all alone.”

“I don’t care what number that black hunter bitch is. I want Scar dead like yesterday.”

“Do you now? You really want to do that?”

“Hell yes. I want to rip her fucking heart out and eat it.”

Walt shook his head no. “I want to drain all the blood from Angelina Jolie’s neck. But we can’t always get what we want.”

“I can.”

“No, you calm the fuck down!” Walt was annoyed with Janette’s hot temper. If he had his way she would be kicked out of the gang. Dorian brought her into their gang. Walt was content with only male vampires in his gang but Dorian claimed to love this nagging vampire bitch so Walt had to accept her.

“Walt you know this is bullshit. I will kill Scar. She killed Dorian and I have to avenge my mate.”

“This isn’t a Hollywood movie. You are not Bella and Dorian was not Edward. This is real life. You’re too weak to tangle with Scar Buckley so hands off.”

“I’m a vampire. I’ve been a vampire much longer than you.”

Walt had heard enough yammering from Janette. He had already called dibs on Scar. “Number two is mine, you stupid whore! We have a mission.”

“To hell with the stupid mission.”

Since Janette refused to simmer down, Walt decided to give her the ultimate threat. “I’ll be sure to tell Vampir.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“I would. Vampir gave us an assignment. I’m trying to move up in this shit hole vampire hierarchy. I’m not staying at the bottom of vampire society forever.”

“She killed my mate! She killed Dorian.” Janette knew she had been defeated but saying Dorian’s name somehow gave her a sense of hope. She had vengeance in her unbeating heart.

“Stop your whining. If you kill her, I kill you. Coffin closed.”

Janette stumped away and plopped down on a worn out couch. Her tantrum had to resurface at another time. She had to find a way to get her hands on Scar.

Walt turned to Colin and Jerry. “Have you located number three, Roy Raymond?”

Colin slapped a card down on the table. “Not yet.”

“We’re on it.” Jerry added.

“Looks like you’re sitting on your ass playing cards.”

“Walt we have someone on it.” Jerry provided little to no information.

“Who the hell is this someone?”

“Just some human wannabe vampire groupie.”

“His name?”

“Pedro, you don’t know him. He does favors for us from time to time.”

“Can you trust his info?”

“Yes Walt. It’s all good. Don’t worry. You will get all your hunter’s wrapped up in a pretty little bow.”

“We will tell you as soon as we here from our human.”

“Don’t you guys dick around. As soon as you hear something you tell me. Dorian didn’t do that and that’s exactly why he’s a headless corpse.”

Walt took a long menacing look at Janette. He enjoyed antagonizing her. She was sulking over in the corner. He knew he couldn’t deal with her much longer. His mind was constantly thinking up ways to ditch the unwanted gang member. Soon he would be rid of her. Soon he could leave this shithole and make his way up the ladder to bigger and better things.

Walt didn’t have any true connection to his gang. He believed Jerry and Colin were loyal to him he just didn’t really care. Every step he took he would take them along for the ride.

This vamp gang was his newfound family even though it didn’t much feel like it. Janette on the other hand wasn’t someone he would put his life on the line for. He knew it. She knew it and it was just a matter of time before they would come to blows. With Dorian dead Walt really didn’t see any need to keep her around.

Walt didn’t want to have a woman around. When he was human a woman broke his heart. Now that he was a vampire he only wanted to drink a woman’s blood. Mating with a vampire was not even a thought that entered his dead mind.

Walt never thought his life would turn out like this but once he was made a vampire he decided to just go with it. Sure it was a hard road at first. He initially was mad and bitter but once he got accustomed to seeing humans as his food he started to relish in his newfound power and position.

Vampir had given him this impossible task. It was a way for Walt to show his loyalty to his new family. Walt embraced this life and although this kill list would have been impossible for most vampires, Walt had no doubt that he could fulfill his superior’s list of kills.

Walt understood all the names that were on the list. He even knew why Vampir had put Scar on this list. Putting a woman on the kill list was odd but Vampir knew that Scar would be Walt’s ultimate test. Walt had no problem killing a woman. He didn’t have any qualms about killing Scar. That was precisely why he had to be the one to end her life.

The Fox brothers had another mission, a detour from the superior vampire they had in their sights. The Fox brothers wanted to kill Drack but he would have to wait. Max was on this hunter’s hit list and that made this job take top priority.

Ryan rode in the passenger seat as Max drove fast and furious down the highway. Ryan rarely drove. It wasn’t his idea. It was just Max was always in charge and Ryan rarely challenged Max. Max was older and with age came his desire to treat Ryan like a son instead of a brother.

Ryan knew that he couldn’t show his fear in front of Max. There was one thing he feared more than anything else in the world and that was losing his brother. Max’s reckless attitude had always been a sore spot for Ryan. His biggest fear was that Max’s callousness would one-day end with his death.

“I can’t believe we’re driving all the way to Atlanta to warn Roy.” Max added. Roy wasn’t his favorite person. He thought Ryan was being too quiet in the passenger seat.

“Who doesn’t have a cell phone?” Tech-savvy Ryan was amazed by this. He really was the brain but Max was more street smart. They’re contrasting personalities complimented each other.

“Apparently stone-age Roy doesn’t have a cell. Whatever, we got to get to him before the vamps.”

“Yeah, it just feels weird.” Ryan looked out the car window. He wasn’t happy. Something inside him screamed danger but he was always over analyzing the threat.

“We find Roy and it’s just a matter of time before we run into the vamps.”

“These bloodsuckers are packing heat and they’re not afraid of us anymore.”

“That means they’ll have their guard down. I’ll sleep better once we take out the fanged assassins. Do they really think they could come up with a stupid list and get away with it?”

“I got a bad feeling about this.” Worry lines creased across Ryan’s forehead.

Max was so tired of his little brothers bad feelings. He was tired of him over analyzing everything.

“Ryan we’ve battled Drack, Vampir, hybrid vamps and white wolves. We can take care of a few undead fangsters.”

Max peeked over at Ryan. Obviously something was bothering Ryan. But Max didn’t know how to get it out of him. Ryan was such a closed off private introspective person.

Ever since Drack captured him he’s been acting strange. Max spotted his strange behavior right away. Max Had rescued his brother from Drack. He figured he would be back to normal sooner or later. Max had never been possessed by a demon. Ryan on the other hand had Drack’s demon living inside him for god knows how long before Max found him and got a witch to exorcise the demon.

Max truly wanted to ask Ryan a thousand questions but he chickened out. What did Drack do to his brother to make him so jittery? Max decided to change the subject instead. Pressuring Ryan could make him snap. He wanted his brother to be the way he used to be before he was held prisoner by Drack but that was just wishful thinking. He could only take one day at a time and those days grew longer and longer. But he didn’t have any other options.

“This Range Rover’s cool but I’m really starting to miss my baby.”

“The Camaro, you want to call the baby-sitter and see how she’s doing?”

Max squinted his eyes and gritted his nearly perfect teeth at Ryan.

“Funny Ryan. I’m getting hungry. My stomach is straight talking to me brother.”

“Is it saying feed me Seymour?”

“No, why would it say that? Who the hell is Seymour?” Max shot his brother a perplexed look. “I’m going to stop at the first burger joint I see.”