Token Huntress (10 page)

              “Go,” he said through a harsh cough, obviously noting my discomfort. His eyes were darting across as if he were reading quickly. “It’s our duty.” In the distance I could see James, who now stalked toward us. He would find Dillian and take him to the infirmary. With Dillian’s permission I ran toward the southside wall, where for some reason, the guards were not on duty.

              I scampered up the ladder, standing tall on the wall and searching through the trees, prepared for anything that would come. I dared the follower to show themselves. I could not see them but I felt drawn to them, knowing where their shadowy presence was. I jumped off the wall, inflicting the same pain in my knees that I did the last time I jumped.

              It did not take me long to reach the presence after I dashed through the trees. We were about ten kilometers from the fishing nets. Near it, in the only patch where the moon shone, was a figure. He was crouched with his back to me, washing the clear river water over his face. It was the same vampire that had shot me with the dart previously in the day. I could tell because of the long leather jacket he still wore.

              I aimed my Barnett crossbow at him, infuriated to know I had been followed. He had got the better of me. Although he could feel my presence, he was hardly fazed, and it made me consider if he was trying to lure me. He looked casually over his shoulder, noticing me standing there. He passed his hand through his shaggy black hair. The vampire’s skin was noticeably pale and without a blemish. One ear was pierced and a blue gem hung from his left ear. He tucked part of his hair behind his ear before smirking in my direction.

              “You are a part of the Council,” I flashed angrily. I did not know why my hands shook when I said it, nor why my heart was beating uncontrollably. Was I frightened of him? There was a strength radiating from him I could not understand.

He was not wearing a shirt beneath his long coat, his chiselled stomach was on display. Another blue caught my eye. He wore a leather necklace with a similar blue gem dangling from it. He had very light gray eyes that stood out against his white skin. His dark black hair and white skin were in opposition to each other, yet magnificent at the same time. Was it fear that rattled me or...
excitement
?

              “Oh my, we are very rude. We don’t ask for names anymore? I am disappointed by your manners,” he said. I could not recognize his accent, but it sounded very proper, very old.

              “What have you done to my friend?” I demanded from him. I was certain Dillian’s sudden pain was caused by this vampire. I gathered my wits about me and held up the Barnett bow in a threatening manner.

              “Now, accusations never get us anywhere, young Token. Where are your eyes?” he asked inquisitively.

              “You shot me!” I accused. I did not understand why I had not yet shot him. I needed to capture him. I needed answers. If he were my link to the Council, I would have him.

              “I hardly grazed you,” he said childishly, sweeping through his hair again. This confirmed that it was definitely him who was on those rooftops. “It was not me who ordered your skin to be melted because of it. What do you deem me to be, some kind of animal?” As he said it a cocky smile pulled at his lips, revealing his fangs.

              I shot the arrow at him but he easily out-maneuvered it, his speed far greater than I anticipated. He was coming for me. I braced my sword up in defense, but he was already behind me.

His words were a cold puff embracing my ear. “I do not want to fight you, Esmore,” he growled. I struck my sword behind me, but again he had anticipated my moves. My heart raced. Never had any vampire been ahead of me.

Again he was behind me. His hands grabbed me from behind and he held me firmly, his chest hard against my back.

              “You looked sexier in your leather.” I felt his cold fingers lightly brush over my neck. I sucked in my breath, unsure as to whether he was going to rip out my neck or if he was seducing me.

All of a sudden, I was very alone. I spun quickly, no longer able to feel his presence. He had disappeared. I looked down at my white robe. He had slid down part of the collar, revealing my shoulder. That was where his touch lingered from when his finger trailed down my shoulder. I grabbed the robe, covering myself in disbelief. How did he know my name? Why did he flee?

              “Esmore!”

James burst out of the forest, looking at me oddly. I quickly changed my open expression. I looked behind me again in search of the Council vampire whom I had just made contact with. How did he know my name? So many questions infuriated me. My heart still beat and for some reason my breath came out in staggered breaths. His face kept flashing in front of me as he lingered on my mind.

              “What happened?” James said, coming to me and pulling me close to him. Instead of flinching, I accepted his embrace. My head rested into the warmth of his chest as I battled with myself.
Who was that, and what is this strange feeling that he has left behind?

J
ames led me back to the wall. We walked around to where the large doors would open for us. I felt like a stray, like an animal that had been abandoned by their owner and was taken in by another. I was familiar with James, yet when I walked within the walls everything felt different.
What is this sudden change?

              “What did you see out there?” James prodded. I thought of the mysterious vampire I met, reminding myself of why it was I went there. Wasn’t he doing something to Dillian? Dillian only started acting bizarrely when that vampire’s presence was close.

“Where is Dillian?” I demanded.

              “Do not ask a question with a question,” Campture said sharply as we walked into the room. I couldn’t refrain from throwing a contemptuous look at James. Of course he and Campture were in cahoots. “You jumped the fence again. What did you see?”

              Again I felt an unfamiliar strength rise within me. I didn’t know exactly what to report, as I had not yet concluded on anything myself.

              “Why are you wearing this robe?” she questioned, storming toward me. I stepped away, on reflex more than anything. Why did I not trust her?

“Take your robe off!”

              “Es...” James trailed off, as if trying to sooth the situation. In that moment it only made me feel even more disgusted by him. He always wanted me to play by the rules. Never did he support me. I tore the white robe off, revealing my damaged leather clothing. They both assessed it quickly.

              “When bringing Corso back he began to perspire acid onto me,” I explained quietly, trying to contain the beast inside of me. I felt trapped by them.

              “What’s wrong with your head?” Campture grimaced in rage as she stormed toward me.

              “What do you mean?” I touched my face, expecting to retrieve blood from a wound.

“I cannot study your thoughts? Who has distorted your mind? It’s similar to the distorted minds of those who have exited the Council.”

              The accusation startled both me and everyone else around us. I processed her words. My mind was not distorted. I internally frowned, thinking of the mysterious figure at the river. Did
he
jumble my mind? James simply stared at me as Campture advanced on me.

              “Do not touch me!” I spat at her now. She stretched her long fingers toward me. My instinct interjected as she tried to touch my mind to connect with me. My inner voice was very clear at that moment.
I do not trust you.

             
I hit her hand away from me. The loud smack of defiance echoed in the room. Her fluorescent yellow eyes grew very thin.

              “Miss. Campture, I think a lot has happened today, maybe we should—”

Kelf was quickly cut off by Campture. “Hold her in the cell!” she demanded.

I stood there breathing slowly, trying to contain what it was within me that eyed her neck, wanting to rip her voice box out. I could not defend myself in such a state. If I did, I wasn’t sure what extremes my body would take. I could not fight these hunters.
They are my people
, I tried to convince myself. Whatever was to come would not last long.
I am a Token Huntress
.
All will be well. This is where I belong.

              The hunters who guarded the door surrounded me timidly. If I wanted to, I could have escaped. James looked at me, unsure of what he should do. I gave him a look which told him to keep away from me. He was the last person I wanted touching me.

              “I do not need to be tied down like an animal to be taken to a cage. I can walk myself.” I spat on the ground at Campture’s feet. I could no longer respect her as my Guild headmistress. They couldn't keep me in a prisoner cell for long.
I am a Token Huntress and I have done nothing wrong.
She can’t hold anything against me
. Until I was free I would stay silent until she finally decided to stop treating me like the enemy.

              I walked to the cell which was close to the north side of the wall in a separate underground tunnel. It was separate so it was not so close to the training, education, infirmary, and eating areas. There were three different cell rooms.

              The first silver door was opened for me. There was only a chair and small window up top. Usually this was placed in here to serve as a discomfort to the vampires we kept. Usually they were tied to the wooden chair, which was the only thing in here. This was directly under where the sun would shine during the day. We tied them with silver rope — it was the only thing that truly affected their strength substantially and the silver burnt them. It was one of the few objects that we could use against them which decreased their will to fight. One of my fellow hunters closed the door behind me.

              I began pacing the room with my arms crossed over my chest, thinking about the day’s events. I again looked at the scar that should have been on my arm after Teary burnt it, but nothing was there. How had I healed in such a way? I thought of the vampire from the Council. How was he so much faster than me? I punched the wall in rage. How had everything fallen so quickly? I retracted my hand noticing a small trail of blood from where I had busted my knuckles. I refocused. A member of the Council knew where we were. This could destroy us and yet I was now locked in a cell, unable to tell anyone. I would tell Campture of the vampire when she came to release me.

              I leaned the against the wall. I closed my eyes for only a second but the exhaustion of my body quickly put me into a deep sleep.

*

There was fog everywhere, like always. But this time it was thicker and trailed over the water where our fishing nets were. I looked closely, noting that this was the exact spot I killed the vampire who was a part of the Council. Lurking in the river was the same shadowy figure I had recently met. He was washing his face again. The moon shone dimly, causing the wet blue gem on his left ear to sparkle.

              I was not alarmed, and my hands did not grab for my weapons. Here I was at ease with him. I searched my surroundings, unsure of what was happening. “Is this a dream?” I asked, my voice echoing in the enchanted forest. It felt as if we were the only ones present, that no one else existed. I could not hear forest animals or others nearby. Right now, it was only him and me.

              “You could call it that,” he said, looking over his shoulder with a smile.

              “Did you do something to me?” I asked. Campture could no longer read my thoughts, and that hadn’t happened until I had confronted him. It was odd... I felt so soothed, so
human
. I felt vulnerable, yet safe at the same time. He slowly walked over to me, the water dripping over his face and muscular frame. A few droplets from his dripping hair landed on his leather. A small line of water trailed down his stomach, illuminating his abs.

              I could not describe the exotic intensity that swirled around us. In this place we were familiar with one another. I hungered for his touch. It was as if we were lovers reunited. In this dream world I was encompassed by his smell, his allure, his everything.

              “Your eyes are greedy,” he whispered with a lustful look. He came closer to me before reaching for my face and cupping it. He pushed aside my golden fringe, looking at me longingly. “You are ravishing.”

              I stared at his beautiful lips as he spoke. Something was enticing me, I wanted to pull him in. He grabbed my hand and pressed it against his hard chest. His skin was cold, yet somehow I felt an electrifying warmth.

              “You are so cold, yet you feel warm to me,” I said in a distant tone.

              “That is because we are familiars,” he said, his thumb stroking my cheek. His thumb trailed down my cheek and down my neck, before stroking my collarbone.

              “We have met?”

              “No Esmore, our souls are familiar. We are of the same.”

His words made no sense to me, yet I lingered upon every word. He did feel so familiar. We had such a fierce connection. My hand trailed slowly over his chiselled stomach, stopping near the belt of his dark-blue jeans.

              “But I don’t know your name,” I said, fully captivated by my desire. His hand lightly brushed over my breast as he pulled me in. He held me endearingly as he leant in to kiss me.

              “My name is Chase.” His words thinned into a whisper before I could feel our lips touch.

*

Hitting reality hard, I jolted up from where I was sitting against the cold wall. I was still in the cell. I looked above me, remembering my dream. “What the f...” A loud banging noise broke through the silence. I straightened myself and noticed the sudden rash that had spread across my body. I looked at my skin, noticing it wasn’t a rash at all. I was simply too hot. I stood, listening as someone walked down the stairs toward my cell. I held my head high, waiting for the accusations they would soon throw at me. The sooner this was over, the sooner I would be able to inform them of the immediate danger we were in. The sun protruding through the window informed me that it was now day. I must have slept all night.

Campture walked in with her lips pursed tight. She too held her head high. “You need to go out to find more information.” I knitted my eyebrows in confusion. “It seems as though one of your members, Dillian, has yet another specialty in his gift. He can foresee,” she said as she avoided eye-contact with me.

Kelf was standing behind her, looking at me respectfully, like he always did. Kelf didn’t hold the same bitter distaste for me as Campture did. He was one of the first to nominate me as Token Huntress.  

              “Dillian cannot foresee the future,” I said suspiciously. He could only see long-distance.

              “I thought the same, Miss. Aguire. I thought he was playing mind games... trying to relieve you of your punishment. But, after connecting with his mind, I saw the same visuals that he did. And it is not a lie. He was very clear about the few members who should go. And you, Esmore, were one of them.”

              “And you will let me go without punishment?” I asked, almost not believing her words. Her lips tightened again and I could see one of the veins in her neck protrude.

              “We had to send another raid team out yesterday morning. The transport team did not return. We had another team follow afterward to make sure the human was untouched. Both teams have yet to return.”

There was silence for a moment. I thought about Golipse, who was a part of that team. It was a very stormy day indeed, hopefully it didn’t give the vampires the advantage. “I see. So, have you revoked my Token title yet?” I said with arrogance, folding my arms over my chest.

Her eyes were quick on mine. I could sense her rage boiling. Whatever it was she wanted to say, she held the words back. It must have infuriated her that she could not read my thoughts. I did have the feeling that the vampire I met had created the blockage.

              “Foresight is a very powerful gift. You all have your part to play. This is how we will find the Council. I will not let your attitude or almighty pride get in the way. You cannot simply dismiss a Token. But you have disappointed me greatly,” her tone thickened. “And there will be punishment; you will not come out of this unscathed.”

              I did not take her threat lightly. I knew when I got back there would be consequences for defying her. But at least now I knew Dillian was safe, and we might have the upper hand in the fight.

“When do we leave?” I asked My body was now rejuvenated. I was ready to attack the Council. Finally, we had the chance.

              “Now.”