The Hunt: an excerpt from A Brush with Vampires

Just past Juniper, Gabe’s heart began to beat with an urgency that had nothing to do with her and everything to do with them. His feet longed to slam to a halt, but Gabe didn’t dare let them.

This was what Emilia had called about. It had to be. Every pine needle separated from its siblings as far out as twenty feet ahead, even at his supernatural speed. Weak moonlight peeked through the clouds, highlighting each and every obstacle in his path, whether it be fallen log, rock, or thorny shrub. Although Gabe refused to slow, his fingers skimmed the wooden stake rigid against his back. He would be ready if one of them attacked.

No, that wasn’t right. Owls hooted. Crickets chirped. A rodent cracked open a seed. If a member of the Indestructible was near, all those forest animals would hide in their homes, the first clue that something dangerous lurked.

A murmured discussion from the east reached Gabe’s sensitive ears.

He headed straight for it. Two minutes later, he skidded to a stop in one of the meadows they used for combat practice during slow patrols. Under Emilia’s and Simon’s watchful eyes, two groups sparred. On his arrival, Emilia broke away, gesturing that Simon should continue on his own.

“Y’ feel it?” she whispered.

“It’s more than you said. This is activated Cull.”

“Yeah, the restlessness or whatever shifted to full-on Cull a few minutes after we talked.”

Guilt strangled Gabe’s stomach. That was when he’d been with Lila, claiming that he waited for Marina. But he could have texted or called Marina to give the order. He hadn’t needed to tell Marina in person. No, I had to stay with Lila, in case her powers were manifesting. Right?

“Still no Bloodlust, though.” Emilia frowned. Her dark gaze swept the forest behind him.

Partners through and through, Gabe mirrored her. His Cull lit up the clearing behind Emilia, transforming night to day. The scents of his Warriors’ sweat, of the night-blooming flowers, of their steel weapons, of the pine needles, all rose distinct from the others. Blood throbbed in Gabe’s fingertips.

He clenched his hands. His reflexes would surpass a cat’s right now.

Yet that craving for violence, his Bloodlust, was absent. The few times he’d experienced this phenomenon he’d either been part of a crowd or too far away from it. The former didn’t apply to an empty forest, and a subtle tugging always accompanied the latter, directing him where to go. After a few minutes of following it, the Bloodlust would hit him full force.

But tonight there was nothing but the nervous energy and enhanced senses of the Cull.

Gabe pushed a hand through hair wet with sweat. “Have you contacted the Florence Cell? Given where we are, it seems like it would’ve come from their territory.”

“Yeah, and it’s been quiet out there. Whatever’s causin’ this, ’snot from the city.”

Gabe nodded, staring at a dying pine. Its tawny boughs stuck out against the olive-green branches of the rest of the conifers ringing the meadow.

A member of the Indestructible couldn’t last outside a city for long. Less people meant less food and an easier task for Warriors to track it. In fact, a large portion of the Clan’s strategy consisted of flushing the Indestructible out of cities and into open space where the nearest Cell would hunt them down. Sometimes, that meant using their Bloodlust in a deadly game of hot and cold.

There, that’s it.

“Okay, here’s what we’re gonna do.” Gabe accepted one of a paired set of cutlasses that Emilia extended toward him. It wasn’t his favorite blade, but he hadn’t taken the time to stop by the main weapons cache on his way here. While the others gathered around him, he attached its scabbard to his belt.

“There’re seven of us, so we’ll split into three groups and head in opposite directions. The goal is to pick up the trail, not to engage. I repeat, not to engage. I’m hoping there’s only one, but even so I’d like our numbers against it. When the Bloodlust hits, stop where you are and text the group. We’ll come to you. Everyone’s got their location shared, right?” Gabe waved his phone at them. To his relief, everyone nodded. Not one person scrambled to turn on the app, which was pretty good for their first real patrol. Under the guise of tucking his phone back into his pocket, Gabe assessed the Warriors clustered around him. Better pair the seniors together and have the freshman in the group of three with me. “Emilia and Darius, you’re together, then Simon and Cosmina. Marius and Teddi, you’re with me.”

Terror twisted Marius’s sharp features.

Gabe squashed his judgment. Most likely, this was Marius’s first time hunting one of them. Controlling the fear would be one of his earliest lessons here. His other freshman, Teddi, met his gaze with more determination than fear, but her hands trembled at her sides.

“All right. Let’s head out.”

Like a well-oiled machine, the Warriors trotted away, one group forming each point of an equilateral triangle.

Once the others had fallen out of sight and earshot, Gabe slowed. His index finger pressed against his lips, their signal to choose stealth over speed. His hand drifted to his hip, where his fingers wrapped around the worn leather hilt of Emilia’s sword. Although his feet continued to move forward, confusion tainted every step as if his body didn’t know where to go without the Bloodlust.

Soon, Gabe reminded himself, soon there’ll be a text telling us where to go. Soon we’ll know.

A rustle spoiled the silence.

The silence.

Gabe’s blood rushed in his ears. How had he not noticed the silence—the oppressive silence—before? Spreading his arms out, he stopped Teddi and Marius behind him. He braced for the onslaught of his Bloodlust, ready to fight against it, ready to force his body to wait for Emilia and the others.

It didn’t come.

Gabe narrowed his eyes. Something had created that rustle. Based on his supernatural hearing, the source hid behind a rotting log about fifty feet ahead. Not only did that log provide too much cover on its own, but it had fallen into a thick shrub. While the parts of the bush beneath and in front of the log had died back, behind it was nothing but layers and layers of pointy green leaves covering woody branches. Together, they could mask any thing.

The metallic scent of blood curled up Gabe’s nostrils.

He should stop where he was. He should text the others. And yet…where was his Bloodlust?

No, he was overreacting. The forest was just a little quieter than normal. And the blood was a natural smell around here. It only loomed large due to his Cull. If one of them were near, he wouldn’t be able to debate like this. The Bloodlust would hit and it would require all his self-control to text the others and wait for them.

An animal had caused that rustle. An animal hid behind that log.

Curiosity drove Gabe closer. Teddi and Marius followed on his heels. When they were still twenty-five feet away, the muffled sounds of a predator enjoying its prey—all satisfied snarls and growls—came from behind that fallen log. Without thought, Gabe withdrew his cutlass from its scabbard. Years of practice resulted in not a whisper of noise.

Now fifteen feet away from the carnivore devouring its dinner, Gabe glanced down at his weapon.

Filtered moonlight speckled the wicked blade.

What am I doing? If this is dangerous enough for a sword, it’s dangerous enough to call for backup. Isn’t that what I told the others to do? We have to go back. I’ll text Emilia, then we’ll wait for the others. It’s probably nothing, but we can’t be too careful. Gabe swung his free hand upward to signal for retreat.

A sword’s cross-guard clattered against a metal scabbard.

Gabe froze. So did the unseen creature behind the log.

Silence beat against Gabe’s eardrums. His nails bore into the smooth leather of the sword’s hilt. On his left, Marius twisted his sword—a saber of sorts—one way, then the other. On his right, Teddi stuck close. An empty hand hovered over either hip, ready to select her blessed sword, dagger, or wooden stake.

But nothing happened.

Gabe scanned the woods ahead. Most likely, Marius had spooked the animal. Most likely, it now cowered behind that log, terrified of a larger predator.

Gabe had to know for sure. With the fingers of his free hand spread wide, he shot a look rife with meaning at Teddi, then Marius. They’d stay back here—safe—while he moved forward alone. A breeze promising rain tickled the pine needles above them.

With his cutlass unsheathed at his side, Gabe stepped toward the log. He nestled each foot into the groundcover before beginning the next stride. It—whatever it was—would not hear him coming.

After ages, Gabe could peek over the log’s edge. He lifted himself onto his tiptoes.

Behind the log, a human body lay sprawled over the crushed branches of the bush. His limbs splayed out at unnatural angles. Bloody shreds of flesh were all that remained of his lacerated throat.

Gabe swallowed his shock. Now was not the time to panic. His lips flattening into a thin line, he scanned the silent forest for movement. Where are you?

Another body—this one as hard as steel—dropped onto Gabe. Its knees collided with his shoulders, then slid down to his chest. Under their guidance, Gabe crashed into the ground. His cutlass spun away.

Perched on top of Gabe, the beast darted forward and snarled. Its razor-sharp canines shone in the darkness a handbreadth away from Gabe’s face.

Too close. On his back, Gabe dug the heels of his hands into the creature’s windpipe. With that thirst for violence singing in his veins, Gabe forced it farther away. He locked his elbows, holding the beast at an armlength above him.

The demon narrowed its eyes, then leaned into Gabe. It pressed down, down, down.

Gabe’s elbow buckled.

The creature fell forward. Its black eyes swallowed every speck of moonlight. Its jaw snapped, seeking purchase on any part of Gabe it could find.

It found Gabe’s forearm. It ripped into him.

Blood poured out, but the beast didn’t stop there. No, it had its eye on the prize.

It dashed toward Gabe’s throat.

Gabe caught the creature’s face an inch away from his jugular, an inch away from death. The heels of his hands bored into its cheekbones. Blood dripped from his bent elbow, but there was no pain. There was only the beast’s emaciated face between his hands. Gabe drove the creature up and away.

Again the demon countered Gabe’s supernatural strength. Millimeter by millimeter, its fatal fangs neared Gabe’s jugular.

Gabe ground his teeth. He pushed harder.

So did it.

A muscled arm slashed across its chest. It hauled the monster off Gabe, then hurled it into a tree.

Crrrr-ack! The beast slid down the trunk of the one ancient oak in this forest of pines.

Gabe scrambled to his feet, his good hand pulling out his stake, his gaze searching the underbrush for his cutlass. Her jaw clenched, Teddi joined his side.

The creature crouched at the base of the oak opposite them. Its glittering ebony eyes challenged Gabe.

But Gabe knew better. He’d do this on his terms, not the beast’s.

A few strides to his right, something shimmered in the vines.

Gabe gnawed on his lower lip. Retrieving Emilia’s cutlass would leave him vulnerable to an attack.

But not having it might be worse.

Keeping one eye on the beast, Gabe slunk over to his cutlass, ripped it out of the underbrush, and returned to Teddi. Through it all, the creature didn’t move one muscle. Must be its first time fighting a Warrior. The experienced ones never let you regain a blessed blade. Good thing those are few and far between.

In front and to the left of Teddi, Gabe muttered, “Marius?”

Teddi shook her head.

That’s a problem for later. If there is a later. Gabe wiped his forearm against his T-shirt. The wound was ragged and ugly, but the bleeding had already stopped. He swirled the cutlass, testing its weight on his injured arm. It was fine, at least while his Bloodlust and Cull were active. Time to get this show on the road.

Sensing that, Teddi dipped down. Her lower lip shook, but her jaw jutted out with determination. She extended her arms, her short sword in her dominant hand and her wooden stake in the other, just like they practiced. The sword provided extra reach, allowing them to fight from a safer distance. The blessings laid upon it by the Diviners would injure the Indestructible, even with the barest of touches. With luck, the spells would distract the beast long enough to provide him or Teddi the opening they needed, whether that was for a stake to the heart or a sword to sever the neck.

Teddi cried out.

Gabe’s head whipped around. The demon surged toward them on all fours.

This time, Gabe was ready. An instant before the creature could land on his shoulders, Gabe spun around and dropped to a knee. He drove his cutlass up, up, up. With the help of the Diviner spells lacing the blade, it cut through the beast’s iron flesh, gashing it from chest to navel.

The monster skidded over the ground. Before it could recover, Gabe charged. Talons shot toward him, but he ducked beneath the creature’s arm. As he dashed by, his cutlass sliced into its hip.

Impatience joined pain, making the beast reckless. It lunged toward him.

Gabe hopped backward, the flat of his blade knocking its desperate hands away.

Its blood-stained mouth opened into a roar of frustration.

Gabe never heard it. Before the demon could utter a peep, its eyes widened in shock. Its scarlet lips created an “O” of surprise. The creature turned to dust.

A trembling Teddi stood before Gabe, her wooden stake hovering where its heart had been a moment before.