Token Huntress (14 page)

              I felt an eerie presence. Someone was watching. Suddenly Whitney perked up. “I can sense Tythian is close, that must mean their raid ended sooner than they thought. After a few days of being here, everyone will know you and you will be able to walk through the halls freely to the human sections. If you would like I can show you around? I will be here tomorrow. Most of the vampire raid teams go out during the day to find humans, the others usually rest. The humans mostly come out of hiding during the day, so it is the most practical time to look. I could keep you company if you would like?” She began adjusting her wheels and pulling away from me. Her little arms seemed to struggle with the motion. I nodded my head in acceptance. I could learn much from this girl.

I was disturbed to have the feeling that I too could sense Chase was close by, presumably with Tythian. Looking at Whitney once more, I wanted to soon ask her what this talk of ‘familiars’ was about. For now I would leave her and return to the room. It was best to stay inconspicuous to others for now. Especially the vampire Tythian, who had once tried to kill me.

Whitney and I parted ways and I walked to Chase’s room. The lingering presence became stronger. Before walking into the room, I searched down both sides of the hallway in anticipation of something creeping up on me. At lightning speed, not giving me the time to grab my wooden leg, a male grabbed me and dragged me into a room a few doors down. He threw me against a wooden dressing table. The back of my head smacked hard against the wood. Here I was very much out of my league. He was a larger vampire, with very lustful eyes. His fangs dripped with saliva; the size of his fangs proved that he was very old.

              “I do like fresh meat, and my, how pretty you are. Perhaps we can have a little fun before I drain you completely.” His voice had a very heavy accent to it.

I was a proud hunter and I would not become the meal of some disgusting vampire. I pulled my wooden leg out of my jacket, prepared to pierce his heart.

              The vampire smiled wickedly. “I do like foreplay, dear,” he said, raising an eyebrow.

I inhaled deeply, focusing on his movement, so that if he raced at me so quickly again, I would be able to defend myself. He ran for me and I pushed myself against the mirror beside the dressing table. I smacked him over the head with the wooden leg, smashing him into the wardrobe. He looked back at me in surprise, now realizing that my speed and strength was not that of a human. He had underestimated me.

              “Filthy hunter!” he spat sharply, now coming for me. In one swift movement I moved behind the mirror and slammed it onto him. It shattered into many pieces over him. He scratched at his eyes, trying to take the glass out. I clutched for my hand-crafted daggers, slamming one into the side of his neck. Before I could plunge another dagger into his chest, he grabbed me around the throat, lifting me against the wall. My feet no longer touched the ground and I could not breathe. I hit him in the face twice with the wooden leg and broke his nose. In one swift movement he knocked it out of my hand, holding me harder against the wall. His face began to heal and the bleeding wounds of his eyes disappeared.

His green eyes looked at me hungrily. “What a treat for me,” he said, arching his neck to plough into my neck.

He was suddenly thrown off me, his grip so tight that I was flung across as well. Before I slammed into the wall on the other side of the room, I was caught in the air. My hands wrapped around Chase’s neck as he angrily looked at his fellow vampire. The vampire snarled at him grotesquely. But Chase only stood tall, with me still in his arms. I was mesmerized by the powerful energy that radiated from him.

              “You saw nothing in here,” Chase commanded. “You will never touch her again. You are lucky I didn’t kill you. Are we very clear, Gardar?”

              “Yes,” he said, sounding brainwashed. Suddenly it seemed that this vampire had amnesia. He looked around at his room, surprised at the mess it was in.

Just like that we were gone, as if the scene had never happened. He lowered me on his bed, my hands still lingering on his bare chest underneath his leather jacket. “I told you to stay in here.”

I pushed him away. “What was that back there?” I demanded from him. Was Chase the one who could manipulate minds? It was after I had made contact with him that Campture couldn’t read my mind. And my attraction for him was very likely the same kind of trickery. “You brainwash people.”

              His serious demeanor vanished as he looked at me sceptically. “Brainwashed? I didn’t even think that was a word a hunter would know. Please, I don’t employ such cheap tricks. I manipulate, imply, slip into people’s unconscious states and interject,” he said, it as if it were two different things entirely.

              “You have brainwashed me! That dream I had! You have never even spoken your name to me, yet I know it,” I said, now taking steps back from him. My mind told me to run, but my body wanted to grab the edge of his jacket and pull him into me.

              “You… I didn’t. I only interfered with the outer laye of your mind so the Guild mistress could not see our meeting or gather any thoughts you had of me. She needn’t know I was so close. And the hunter who had the gift to see long distance…”

              “What did you do to Dillian?” I demanded, pulling out one of my daggers and preparing to pounce on him.

He only raised an eyebrow. “I sent him those visions he thought he was having. It is how
my
gift works. I can manipulate anyone I desire. I needed to lure
you
to the city. You were not safe there. And, well, because our meeting was so uninspiring, I came to you when you were dreaming. In that dream you had full control as well. It was you who tried to kiss me,” he said with a suave smile.

I threw the dagger at his chest, enraged by his trickery. He caught it between two of his fingers, tisking at my actions. Again I could feel something rising within me. I went to pull out another one of my daggers but my fingers began to shake.

              I tried to push this new creature down, but I was struggling. The entrapment only heightened my senses. Like vomit trying to creep up my throat, burning me, every inch of my darkness rose. I could not let this darkness consume me, not now. Much like Campture did when this first happened to me, Chase looked at me, surprised. What had happened to my face for him to react in such a way?

              “Esmore, you need to calm,” he said, holding his hands out to me. “Why have your eyes flashed purple?” Purple, that was the color of my hunter eyes that vanished on my eighteenth birthday. “Esmore, I can sense whatever that is that is rising within you. You need to calm.”

I felt like a wild animal. I wanted to rip his throat out, yet there was a gentleness to his words that restrained the beast within me slightly. He took a step forward and I stepped back from him. My throat began to feel dry and my gums hurt as if something was about to pierce through them. I tried breathing deeply, but I had let the intensity sweep over me for too long.

              “It’s okay, Esmore,” Chase said, holding his hand out to me. I was stuck under his words. Whatever was creeping forward rattled me into a state of fear. This creature fed off that. “Esmore.” His soft words repeated. I felt the light touch of his hand against mine, feeling like a serum was spreading through my whole body. I could feel Chase with me, as if touching my mind. If he could manipulate people’s thoughts, then perhaps he was helping me, caging this beast once again. He held tightly to one of my hands. I could feel the creature completely fold within my stomach. Again he cupped my face.

At first he stared into my eyes, but when I refused to look at him, he stared at my lips instead. Longingly, I inhaled deeply, knowing what it was he was about to do. My body longed for his touch. He slowly leant in, his other hand trailing up my forearm and holding my waist beneath my leather jacket. Before our lips touched, I pulled away.

Sadness was now in his eyes from the rejection. The beast was now gone and I had full control. “I have a boyfriend,” I exhaled deeply.

“I know,” he said, stroking my jawline. “But you were never meant to be his. I’ve seen how he treats you, like you are a mere object. I would never treat you so unequally,” he said, gritting his teeth.

“You’re a vampire,” my breath came out staggered. When Chase touched me, when his hands lingered over my hips, I actually felt emotion, powerful and enticing.

“I am your familiar,” he said, his grip tightening on my waist as his thumb trailed over a part of my bare skin through the shredded leather shirt. “And what you are, Esmore, is something you must tell me.”

I thought about the beast that had almost crept out from my darkness. I was a hunter, yet the creature within felt dark and impure.
What was inside of me?

“I don’t know,” I said honestly. Suddenly aware I was revealing myself to be vulnerable, I pushed Chase away, holding the leather jacket tightly around me. He looked down at the hand crafted dagger I had made.

“Did you use one of my bobble-heads for this?” he asked suddenly, his demeanor now immature. He raced toward his shelves. “No, not batman,” he whined. “If you feel like you need weapons just ask me, but please don’t attack my collection again.”

I rolled my eyes.

“It took me forever to find that one,” he mumbled as he walked toward the shower. He took his leather jacket off, revealing the tension of the muscles beneath his skin. He began to undo the belt on his dark leather jeans. He stopped for a moment, his hand still on his belt. Slowly he slid it off, arching a suggestive eyebrow at me. It was like someone had clapped in front of my face as I realized I was staring at him the whole time. I looked away from him, walking toward the hammock.

He is vampire, and I am hunter
. We were naturally enemies.

S
waying in a hammock felt odd. Yet it gave me the time to completely wrap myself within my own mind and thoughts. I wasn’t yet sure why Chase insisted that I stayed, or even why he had brought me here. He was under the impression I was not safe at the Hunters’ Guild, but he had brought me into the enemy’s nest. No one could protect me better than I could myself, and that was my full belief. But when Chase said it, there was an seriousness to his tone that I did not yet want to push. I would only stay for another few days until I found my own way of escape. Chase stupidly thought I would stay by his side and endure his company, but I would sneak out during his work hours and study the Council more. This was the perfect opportunity to find out everything I could before escaping back to the Guild. We would prepare during the night to speedily march out and claim all the lives of these vampires within the Council. Then we would most likely travel to a new area and find traces of another Council to eradicate. This was the job of the hunter.

That night Chase insisted I slept in his bed while he took the hammock. Even though we slept a part, I couldn’t sleep with his presence so close and it ruined my concentration on my escape tactics. Often I found myself lifting my head to look at him, but then he would do the same and I would roll over. This happened a few times. It wasn’t out of curiosity, it couldn’t have been. It was because I was very aware that I was in the same room as a vampire. That was the only reason I could fathom. I didn’t get any sleep that night. I idly stared out the window, where I could see a small mist of fog. It was odd that even though I could see the outside world, I could not touch it.

              Chase informed me that they followed a few leads as to where my team may have gone, but had not yet found where they were situated. He said that they had ventured further into the south- east, which meant that they had not yet returned to the Guild. In this I did not find any comfort. It meant that my team was still out there without me as I lay here on a king-sized bed. I didn’t understand why he would inform me of this so openly, as if to comfort me. Apparently more raids would continue in search of them. When I asked why they wanted them so desperately, he could not answer. He said he was uncertain of Fier’s intent but that when they ambushed my team, we were all supposed to be detained and kept. He did as his leader said and conveniently, it was where Chase already wanted me —within the city, where he could bring me back to the Council. I felt foolish to have once thought his reappearance was mysterious. He traced me to find where the Guild was so he could manipulate someone into assembling a team, my team, to approach the city. It was planned all along, and we fell for their trap.

              When I now thought about it, it made sense that Dillian hadn’t suddenly acquired a new extension of his gift. Chase manipulated him in such a way that he thought his long sight had also turned into foresight. Chase knew that Campture would read Dillian’s mind. It was Campture they had tricked as she was the one who made the call to dispatch the teams. Which meant the Council already knew of our Head Huntress’ gift and abused that so we fell into their trap. We were wide-open and exposed at the Guild. So why hadn’t they yet attacked? What were they waiting for? What information were they hoping to extract from my teammates? I couldn’t understand Fier’s idea to focus on a certain few hunters, as opposed to the entire Guild.

When I thought of my team’s safety, I thought of James. An ill feeling stirred in my stomach. I wanted to know if they were safe and alive. Just because the Council had seen them escape, it didn’t mean they could survive so long outside the Guild’s wall. Why had they not returned and reported to Campture? Perhaps for precautionary measures. They would have known the Council vampires were following them. Maybe they were waiting it out a few days.

              Slowly I watched the shadows of night turn into the shine of day. Still I had not slept and my body craved for it. I was too aware of my surroundings. Could I demand from Chase to let me leave? Who was I kidding? He was a deranged vampire who thought he was keeping me safe from my own people. A kidnapper would not give his victim an explanation. I repeated these thoughts in my mind, but when I looked at his peaceful resting face, all of those thoughts receded. The hatred I built up for him had gone. And so I would have to fight myself internally again to raise the hatred. Why did I react in such a way to him?

              I could hear him stretching out of his hammock. For a vampire he wasn’t the quietest when he awoke. His yawning and stretching sounded like an animal roaring. I was amazed that he had slept within my presence, and more surprised that I hadn’t tried to dagger him during the night. Vampires didn’t require as much rest as humans and hunters, so I was unsure as to why he would risk it. He could have gone days, maybe even weeks without rest. It was reported that if a vampire tried to live without rest then the likelihood of them going silly in the head and slipping into a saber state was probable. Although they didn’t need as much rest, they still required it to protect themselves from such an outcome.

              “Good morning, beautiful,” he said merrily.

              I sat up with an evil expression on my face, unappreciative of his comment, only to find him checking himself out in the full-length mirror near his three-legged desk. He arched an eyebrow in my direction, now realizing I thought he had meant me. “Well, you too,” he winked. “I am going to get you some clothes so you aren’t walking around in my leather coats like a weirdo. You can have a bath while I am gone, everything you will need is in there,” he paused for a moment as if in thought. “Well, everything but me.” At my mute reaction he smiled. It was exactly what he wanted. He swept through the room and was already gone. I exhaled angrily once again at how my body wanted him, by his words alone could I lose my trail of thought. I hadn’t blushed in many years. It was such a rare hunter expression, being overcome with such a sexual intention.

              I did need a shower. And now that I was alone, I couldn’t help but feel the desperate pull to the sensation of hot water on my skin. The water at the Guild was often cold by the time I used to shower late at night. I became accustomed to it. But to now be able to bathe in it, well, that was something I did look forward to.

              Dipping my toes into it, the water scalded me, but I could not help but find relief in it as well. I peeled the dirty and sweaty clothing off of me. I undid my plait, washing my hair vigorously. I dipped my head under the water, trying to ease my train of thought. So many things kept trailing over one another. I was never like this. I was always so sure in both my thought and actions. Never did I feel such a trivial thing as doubt. If I wanted something I took it. But now it seemed as if I had no idea what it was I wanted. Chase made it very hard to keep a clear mind. This was never what I had thought would happen when I finally infiltrated the Council.

              Shortly after that Chase returned with some clothing, placing them near the door where I could collect them myself. He had lingered near the door for a while, unsure as to whether he should have walked into place them on the basin. I hadn’t told him not to, more so as a test. How odd for a vampire to be considerate?

              The clothing was not to my taste and reminded me of what Whitney wore. It was a long green flowing dress with long sleeves. When gathering it, something hit the floor. Chase had placed a garter and two knives in there. Three small sharp daggers were also a part of the package. He was serious about me not touching his bobble-head dolls.

              I walked out, uncomfortable in the free-flowing attire. Never had I worn such a thing in my life.

              “Aww, you look so pretty,” Chase commented, sitting on the edge of his bed with one leg folded over the other. “What? You need to tone down the ‘I can kick your ass’ attitude. There are only a few vampires here older than me. For the most part I know you can handle yourself with the rest. But it’s around those ones you have to act as human as possible. If they so much as guess your strength, they will drain you instantly. That is why I had to erase Gardar’s recollection of you being a Hunter. I gave you those weapons, but, just in case, please be smart about it.”

              “I wouldn’t be in such a situation if you hadn’t brought me here,” I said coldly.

              “Well, that is very true, but regardless, I know you are benefiting from this. You are thinking, ‘I will find out everything I can, and then I will go back to my Guild, where I stupidly think it is safe. I will tell them everything I know and they will embrace me as a hero and we shall eradicate the whole vampire race. I shall lead it with my very own sword,’” he said in a lady–like, mocking tone.

Before I could swallow back my fiery words, he approached me, now very serious. I held my ground firmly. I had my weapons now. I could defend myself far more efficiently. Even against Chase. Then I stepped back. I couldn’t stand so close to him anymore, it was unbearable. I hated the pull he had over me.
It must be a gift of enticement or something… he must be brainwashing me with his gift.

              “I just wanted to tell you, that you look beautiful with your hair out. You are like a golden bird. You are right in front of me, yet so untouchable and spectacular at the same time. Esmore, I will not let you return to the Guild. When I say it is not safe, I truly mean that. I have seen it all before.”

              “In a premonition?” I mocked. I did not take kindly to flattery, yet my breath became uneasy at his words.

              “My sweet Esmore, I cannot prophesize things, my gift does not work in such a way. I have, however, lived for four hundred and thirty-one years. I am far more accustomed to the world of hunters than you with your short eighteen years. The hunters are not a loyal breed. If they have an inclination that a hunter is treacherous in any way, they kill them on the spot. Most of the murders are unjustified, and whatever information tipped them off was usually later found to be incorrect. I guess in a way the hunters are very similar to us, but I wouldn’t allow them to do that to you. I intervened that night when we first met because I already knew of the mistrust that Guild mistress, Campture, had in you.”

              “Why did you follow me? You shot a dart of paralysis at me. You were planning on taking me as hostage,” I said sternly. I felt very unintimidating with my long-flowing dress, so I crossed my arms for added effect.

He laughed lightly to himself at that. “I did and I had every intention of bringing you to Fier. We were to take the Token Hunter. And I had every intention of doing so. But then, well, it is probably going to sound corny…You demanded for your arm to be burnt, which I was very impressed by. You felt me, as I did you. You knew of my exact location and when you looked at me, I looked at you like I do now. You were like a golden bird: so close yet untouchable. I was intrigued and followed you, only to find out how close you were to death, so I had to intervene. So I meddled, and you should be grateful for that.”

              “I was not near death,” I said angrily. I could protect myself from anything.

              “Esmore, let me explain to you what would have happened, because I have seen it far too many times in my lifetime. Your kind is a very predictable kind and very untruthful. Even though you hold so much hatred for vampires, you are so very much like us. So very much like humans throwing around their power and strength.” Chase shook his head as he realized he had rambled on to another topic, and refocused on telling me what he predicted. “Campture had you locked up. Within those next days she would have created a conspiracy about you: how you are involved with vampires, misleading your Hunter Guild. She would have used the deaths of your fallen members as proof of that.”

              I shook my head, but he continued, unperturbed. “Your boyfriend, whom you pretend to love so much, would not be loyal to you. When I watched you both, it seemed like your relationship was a label. I know you can feel that same desire. Do you know how hard it is for me to control my urges around you?”

He now looked at me lustfully. I couldn’t help but feel empty, as if those words he spoke were very true. I did not love James; I was just so used to the attachment. Maybe at one point I had loved him, but not anymore, and I could not deny by body’s pull toward Chase.

“My relationship has nothing to do with you,” I said. “And you ran off subject.”

After a moment of silence, he continued. “Your boyfriend would have pleaded your case for about half a day, but then would have been convinced of the same conspiracy. He has an unnatural want for you, Esmore. It is not love he holds, but a very deep sense of entitlement. Whatever happened to him a long time ago has made him now believe that he owns you.”