I listened in to their conversation, bored out of my mind. It was practices and exercise resumes. I gave the humans a clap for their extreme measures to stay fit; it was close to the extent of what I forced my own raid team to do every day. It only confirmed the difference between humans and Hunters. Although I couldn’t help but ponder over what Mr. Richard had said about Sydney. That perhaps his mother had been Huntress. Even then, if a child is not born with Hunter eyes, then they are discarded into a human camp. They have no extended strength or senses, but perhaps it aided them slightly when comparing to standard human beings.
After my first one hundred of clap push-ups, which I slowed in pace and pretended to strain like any human would, I paused for a moment as if to take a breather. Sydney crouched in front of me, his companion now ran with the others. “Why don’t you sweat?” He asked, curiously.
I started on my next hundred push-ups, making sure to do them at a slow pace. “I don’t know, perhaps I am not working hard enough,” I teased. I couldn’t help but be sarcastic. There was a comfort I found in Sydney, which I hadn’t had with most. It was like being within my Guild, training again, before my mother was announced dead and I, a Token Huntress. I always accepted those who challenged me, and thought me incapable of certain tasks. Every day I pushed myself to advance my skill and superiority.
“You have a big mouth for a little girl. You look to be what, eighteen?” he looked into my eyes for a long moment. “But you seem much older and wiser when I look into your eyes. When your memory returns, please share it with me; I am very interested to know who you really are.”
“That make’s two of us,” I gasped through another push up.
He smiled and stood again. “Once you finish those, we will practice at the archery range, a lot of those who are on the wall are accurate in archery.”
“I don’t want to be on the wall,” I growled.
“And why is that?” he asked as he studied the rest of his members who ran around and continued to struggle under the heat.
“It seems boring. When I saved your ass from that saber, I guess I realized I liked the thrill,” I half laughed, as if straining through my push-up. This exercise was ridiculous to me.
“You think you saved my ass?” He grunted.
“I imagine a good leader would take it in stride,” I charmed. There was a part of him that reminded me so much of my trainer and previous Token Hunter, Drue. Before I was named in charge and Token, he was my previous leader. He did not train me personally, but he pushed me because of my superior attitude. We played such idle games of taunts, and challenge continuously. Finally, I had pin pointed why I acted to Sydney in such a strange way. He reminded me of Drue. I stood up, now done with the boring push-ups. “Now let’s go to the arrows.”
He studied me for longer and then presented his hand outwards for me to walk first. I grabbed the bow that sat on the ground and strapped the bag with arrows over my shoulder. I looked at the distance, which was only about twenty meters, an easy shot. I pulled back my first arrow, it would be a perfect shot even with the wind that rushed past, and I had already taken this into account. But I couldn’t make it look so easy; I had to be human- and humans made plenty of mistakes.
Sydney stood behind me, looking at the aim himself. I let go and watched it hit near the center, but not dead on.
“You need to consider the wind change, lift your next arrow,” Sydney said, watching me as I did in the same position. He tipped my elbow slightly and angled it; it was a very accurate perception, considering he himself was not shooting it.
A bellowing alarm grabbed everyone’s attention. I looked into the direction that it was coming from, unable to pin point only one speaker, it surrounded the whole wall.
“Everyone to the wall now! Take your weapons!” Sydney bellowed. “What section?!” He yelled at one of the guards, who were on the wall above us. He squinted at Sydney, obviously unable to hear him. The guard beside him, lined up the harpoon and began to shoot. Something was down there.
Everyone began to scale the roped ladders along the wall, with swords and bows strapped. I followed Sydney, watching the two guards on top as they shot bellow. There is no way they could see, the mist would be too thick. They must have been shooting aimlessly. I honed my hearing beyond the wall and heard the scratching noises of something scaling the wall. Not one, but four. The members that gathered were enough to handle the three that lumped together on the left, but there was one further on the right that scaled. It was separate to its pack. I looked to that direction and found no guard. That creature had stopped scaling and I could smell fresh blood.
I ran into that direction, annoyed by my human pace. I jumped for the ladder and scaled the wall. I threw myself over the jarred cement, and balanced elegantly on the wall. Still hunched over, I stared at the creature that now feasted and ate out the stomach of the guard, who only minutes ago were alive. The fresh smell of blood ensnared me. My ears pounded for it hearing nothing but emptiness, my purple hazed eyes fixated on the steady stream that pooled out of the guard. I felt disgusted. This guard was not alive, his blood no longer pumped in his veins. I savored for fresh blood, alive blood; I could not be tempted by some blood smeared on a pavement. My fangs retracted. I stood detailing the creature. So this was the rodent.
Its sharp fangs ate into the corpse savagely. There were bite marks around the Guards head. It looked as if the creature had lunged for his head and snapped it. The beast was the size of a horse. It had smaller legs and a thick tail, its fur matted, with chunks missing. The creature with red eyes looked up at me, snarling. Its ribs poked out of its transparent skin, where patches all over its body looked as if it had melted from such a long time spent near radiation.
I raised my arrow, aiming for its head. What a disgusting creature. The creature slammed into the side of the wall, unable to run straight. I continued to follow it with my arrow, lining up my arrow until I shot it. I hit it, dead center between its eyes and jumped over the wall, so it wouldn’t run into me. I caught the rope, and balanced my feet on the rope; avoiding to cause friction on my hand. I could hear the creature continue to scrape against the cement, of where I once stood. I propped myself up two footsteps and looked over the wall.
I looked at Sydney who again evaluated me. I knew he was there the whole time, but it didn’t faze me. I made sure I made an impression and that everything was done within human speed. The creature was dead at his feet.
“Sydney, three have been taken down. We can’t hear any more,” one of the women came panting as she ran along the wall.
“How many were injured?” He asked; unimpressed by the corpse that lay in front of him.
“Three,” she said. “And one fatality,” she continued when she saw the guards body in front of Sydney.
“Report this to Mr. Richard. I want double on the wall, stick within rotation. Over the next month everyone will be working double time. We can’t risk anymore,” he commanded. She agreed and pardoned herself. Sydney crouched down above the rope that I hung from. He held his hand out to me. I grabbed it, accepting his aid in lifting me up.
“I am still not sure about you. But your body moves as a warrior. I will have you by my side on my team. I don’t know how long Jenn plans on skipping out again, but in two days’ time we are going for a search. You are either here, or you are not,” he warned. “Continue on your archery before Jenn comes and collects you. You were a little off center.”
I contained my expression as he walked past me and gathered the remains of the corpse that had been devoured. The guard’s blood dripped down his still shirtless frame. I looked at the rodent, its red eyes still open. My aim had been flawless. Sydney climbed down the roped ladder with the man on his back. Blood was smeared all over his face. I could only imagine that his disappointment was not in my aim, but in one of his members being taken while under his guard. The shuddering thought of Kasey and Kora came to mind. I had lost many on my team. I would not allow myself to re
flect the same expression that Sydney did. I could not feel emotion, but a sense of duty was the closest thing I could recall, that was similar. It was my last duty to the world and life I once knew as a Huntress.
E veryone was silent that afternoon. A few younger members continued to train outside and the rest guarded the walls. Jenn returned only two hours after Sydney had left. She looked around at the high security on the wall and looked at me for confirmation.
“I’m fine. I didn’t lose control,” I said. I wasn’t willing to admit, for only a fleeting moment, I had. But, no one saw it, as if it had never happened.
“They have a lot of fighters in their military section,” Jenn commented. “There is another department that specializes in guns and bombs. This is only a small portion of their numbers. It surprised even me, how heavily guarded they were. But they only use old-styled weaponry for the borders. They are saving the rest for when they plan on making a move against the Council.”
Jenn stopped talking when a member walked past. The man looked her up and down in admiration, before continuing to the wall. Humans raced about frantically, even though it happened hours ago. The members on the military sector were vigilant, but the mentality of the others, were not as controlled or strong. Some humans still remained on this Earth that weren’t natural fighters.
We walked through the glass tunnels. No humans were now out in the open green space, and all doors to their rooms were closed. We entered the initial scanning area where we were reevaluated again before we left. We both received the green pass, but the guards gave us skeptical looks. They suggested that we stayed the night after such an attack. Jenn wouldn’t allow it, and hesitantly they lowered us.
“You are a fearless woman, Jenn,” the guard from this morning commented. He looked at my bow and arrows with an intrigued look.
“I have Ellie, for protection. I feel safeguarded,” Jenn mused with a warm smile. The sun slowly began to sink as we started our two hour human paced walk.
“I am concerned that they will want you to stay within the compound,” Jenn announced during our walk. “I fought very hard to have the ability to slip in and out, but I am worried you won’t have the same. Especially, after leaving such an impression on Sydney.”
“I am sure it will be okay. We can organize for Tythian to teleport in at certain times couldn’t we?”
“I don’t think he will enjoy the thought of being a baby sitter and means of transportation so highly. You won’t necessarily have a separate room. And, he has never been within the compound. There is no way he can do that, without already having an image of the surroundings,” Jenn hushed.
“I feel confident in being able to hold my own ground,” I said.
Jenn stopped, we were now noticeably on the border of where their monitoring and traps stopped. It was now night, the soothing sensation of the moon felt as if it was balm on my skin.
“What exactly are you after now?” Jenn asked harshly, her façade completely broken. This was now Yolo. “You have now seen it isn’t safe for your Hunter friends. Are your only interests in the military section to help the coven or are you apprehensive about your previous comrades who tried to kill you?!”
My rage bore down on my shoulders, wanting to leap for Jenn’s throat after a day of irritation from the sun and my inability to completely hide my fangs and Hunter eyes. A crunch in the nearby distance alarmed me. I now sensed two presences close by. I urged Jenn the sensation of being watched, she looked around her now alert. I wasn’t sure if in this body, Jenn was oblivious to Yolo’s vampire senses; it was like he was completely oblivious to them.
I pushed my hand to the ground for her to stay. “Human pace,” she ushered. In case it was someone from the compound. I ran towards the two that tracked us. They began to run and I could confirm that it was beyond human pace. I didn’t announce that to Yolo however, I wanted to find the suspects before he did. What if it were somehow Chase’s coven? What would I do if I made contact with them again? What if they were a part of Fier’s council, how did they know we were here?
The two shadowy figures continued to run away. I enjoyed the thrill to chase after them with such a pace. I cornered them and had them in my sight. A womanly figure turned and flames splashed in front of my face. I dodged the attack, before it hit my skin. An arrow shot at me from treetops and I dodged them, as if dancing. How I missed being on the offence. Flames flickered by my side again, before I realized amongst my dance, that I knew those flames.
“Teary?!” I said, still evading the flames as I tried to get closer. The flames and the arrows stopped. The flames dropped into ashes on the ground. Like a wall had been dropped between her and me. My well respected previous comrade. “By the heavens ye still alive.” She gasped.
“Esmore?” The apprentice’s voice came from the trees. Tori peered down at me. I was embarrassed by my form and retracted my fangs, the purple of my Hunter eyes clearing.
“I saw ye take a blow to the chest,” Teary said in disbelief with her thick accent. Tori scaled down the tree efficiently and crept closer towards me.
“You are really alive! I told you Teary, I told you she couldn’t be killed so easily!” The young sixteen year old apprentice said, clapping his hands in triumph.
“What are you two doing hovering along the border of the human compound?” I asked now alarmed. This was not a safe area for them to be.
“We were following Kora and Kasey to see where they were goin’, but they got caught. We hav’ been trying to find a way to break them out. They were taken in a rather aggressive way, which to me would state that they are there against their own will. For all their attitude those two girls hav’, I’d still use my own life to save them,” she purred. “And ye?”
“I was trying to find a safe place for Dillian and Julia,” I said.
“They are still alive?” Tori mused. “Where are they now?” Teary and Tori gave me a skeptical expression, when I hesitated to tell them of our location. I could hear Jenn’s voice calling out to me with great irritation. I doubted it wasn’t long now until Yolo would resurface, if I took too long.
“I can’t explain much now. But I am trying to get the twins out as well. Can you stay around the borders, but don’t go further than this, they have traps set up. I don’t know how long I will be. But I don’t trust those I am with right now. I don’t want them to know of you two or our meeting. Can you hide for long enough around here? I will find you in a few days,” I promised.
“Ye don’t give us much to go by Esmore,” Teary said with lack of trust. “But in saying that I hav’ vowed to be by your side and listen to your command, I won’t say no to ye.”
“This isn’t a command. I believe I am no longer deserving of my role as your Token,” I said defeated.
“It doesn’t matter whether the Guild is still within place or not Esmore. I made a decision the day that they strapped you and your vampire lover, that I would not follow Campture anymore. I don’t know exactly the details of whom ye might be, but if ye can assure me ye are the same, I will still follow ye’,” Teary said with a nod of acknowledgment.
“Me too,” Tori rattled. “I know I was a pain in your ass when I started on your team, but I owe much to you. I know we aren’t meant to show emotion, but no one else cared for Fam or Pac’s death. You still protected me, no matter how much lip I gave you. And Teary has saved me countless times since we escaped the Guild. If she follows you, then I will too.”
I felt lighter by their words. I appreciated them very much.
“You both must go now. I will find you, be safe,” I said. Within seconds they vanished, the mist around us pillowing behind them. I ran back towards Jenn at my human pace.
“You’re annoying little sis,” Jenn said, unimpressed. “What was it?”
“Two saber’s, I took them down,” I lied. “Do your senses really not work in that form?”
“What implied that?” She asked. I studied her for a moment. Did she already know, had she
heard?
A pillow of the mist encasing our ankles vanished as Tythian arrived. “Good evening.” He grabbed onto both of us and the nauseating sensation of being pulled through darkness, swept over me. Suddenly, we were within the coven again. Cesar, Connor, Balzar and my mother waited in the central room, where I had first met all four brothers together. The small chandelier swayed slightly from the wind of our sudden entrance. My mother took a step towards me in relief, but stopped to hide that reflection, a natural thing for a Huntress to do.
“Yolo and Balzar leave the room. Go and relieve Lydia from her guard,” Cesar commanded. Jenn reformed into the shirtless Yolo, whose shoulders slumped tiredly.
“No ‘oh hey, how was your day?’” Yolo teased. With a firm look from Cesar he waved his hand. “I get it, I get it, adult talk now. C’mon Balzar.”
“Come report to me later, Yolo,” Cesar commanded.
After the two left, Cesar looked at me with a mischievous smile. “So how did my little girl go on her first day as acting human?” He stretched his hands out to hug me. I stepped back, impartial to his theatrics.
“Don’t touch me,” I said, not wanting such unnecessary contact with him. “I can confirm I have made an impression and am now within the military section. However, as Yolo predicted it isn’t a place for Hunters. I found two of my comrades within the compound, both have been mutilated and affected as test subjects. I want them out,” I stated bluntly.
“Who?” My mother asked, no longer sitting in the chair.
“Kora and Kasey. They have mutilated them. They appear to be physically part saber, but still have their hunter eyes, ability, and sanity.”
Connor growled in the corner that he leaned against. “This is why I hate humans. Can’t we just kill them?”
“Be patient, Connor,” Cesar hushed. “I need you for something else. You too Esmore, I would like you to be a part of it. I am sending all five of you, my children out for this task.”
Token Vampire (Token Huntress Book 2) Page 14
