Huntress Rescued

by Eva Brandt

  Our pups, our elderly, our parents, our siblings… So many were relying on us to protect them. Our lives were a small price to pay if they were kept safe.

  Sensing us, the shadow in front of me turned into a strange tentacle and lashed out. It hit the wall instead of my body and the bricks crumbled at the sheer force of the magical manifestation.

  Another, smaller tentacle reached for Trent from behind. He tried to dodge, but he wasn’t as fast or as lucky as I was. Blood splattered all over the walls as the tentacle viciously threw Trent down, unleashing its dark fury upon him.

  “Trent!” Leland screamed.

  He tried to jump on the shadowy form, to chase it away from Trent. It didn’t work, not exactly. When he attempted to attack the thing, his body passed right through it, as if the shadow wasn’t even there and we were fighting an illusion.

  Even so, the shadow did cease its attack on Trent, its attention now drawn to Leland. I shoved him out of the way before he could encounter the same fate as our friend.

  Both of us rolled away. This was a disaster. With the corner of my eye, I caught sight of the mass of swirling tentacles increasing in size in front of us. The others would never be able to pass it.

  We might all be willing to set our lives on the line for our pack, but there was a difference between justifiable sacrifice and stupidity. “Go back!” I told them. “Go help Xander. I’ll go on ahead and kill whoever is doing this.”

  Predictably, my companions weren’t very happy with this prospect. “But Byron, there’s no way you can…”

  “That’s an order, Leland. Go back. You’ll just get yourselves uselessly killed if you press onward. I won’t allow it.”

  Leland snarled angrily. He didn’t want to abandon me. He knew as well as I did that I was likely no match for whatever was waiting for us beyond the dark mass. “I’ll stall,” I insisted. “Get Xander. You can’t help me here.”

  Technically speaking, I might have been able to reach Xander if I really pushed my mind, but I wasn’t Xander and I didn’t have Ulysses’s skills either. If I forced things now, I might cripple myself while trying to send my lover a telepathic message.

  Leland didn’t question me any longer. “I understand,” Leland replied. “I won’t fail you.”

  He grabbed Trent’s unconscious body and went back the way we’d come. For some reason, the shadows didn’t try to hit them again. Perhaps they no longer perceived Leland and the others as a threat. Instead, they all zeroed in on me.

  I shifted into my wolf form, preparing myself for what would doubtlessly be a very difficult battle.

  “Come on, you bastards,” I growled at them, even if I knew they couldn’t actually hear me. “Catch me if you can.”

  When I started running once again, the shadows came after me like a twisted mockery of my union. Obviously, I couldn’t outrun them. They were as fast as I was, which, in hindsight, might have been part of the reason why it had been so easy for the tentacle to catch Trent. I was literally running from a combination of myself and dark magic, which was a very sobering realization to have.

  To make matters worse, there were shadows that were stationary, created from objects, not people. The shadow of a chandelier tried to crush me and a shadowy vase flew past my head. Other shadows merely tried to block my path. All the while, the tentacles that were a representation of my shadow nipped at my heels, so close to grabbing me I could almost feel them tearing me apart.

  I didn’t know what kind of force gave me the strength I needed to track down the caster of the ritual. Maybe it was fear. Maybe it was stubbornness and anger, or the refusal to die like this, at the hands of a twisted version of myself.

  Either way, I found my target, although only after the shadows chased me into the basement of the building. This level had been completely consumed by flame and darkness, to the point that it no longer looked like a building at all. The walls had turned into black onyx and the ground beneath my feet was volcanic rock. Down here, there was no electricity at all, and the source of the light that caused the shadows was demonic fire.

  I ran into Vladimir Popovic first. Surprisingly, he seemed to be trying to retreat. His pale face looked burnt and he was cradling his arm, as if it was broken. When he saw me, he froze in his tracks. For a few seconds, I could’ve sworn I noticed a spark of hesitation flash through his cruel eyes. It vanished as quickly as it appeared and he grinned at me. “Well, well. This must be my lucky night. A white wolf for a food source. I’ll truly have a pleasant dessert this evening.”

  I scanned him from head to toe, assessing my chances in hand to hand combat. Normally, it would have been a very difficult fight, but right now, he was wounded.

  He’d mentioned the possibility of me being ‘dessert’ which meant that he must’ve fed before. If he was well fed and he wasn’t completely healed, the injury he had received must’ve been quite serious.

  I also had the advantage of us being indoors. That meant he couldn’t use his flying abilities to escape me.

  In close quarters, I was stronger than him.

  I took a step forward, then another, growling. “You’re wrong, vampire. Your luck’s just run out, and it’ll be my absolute pleasure to tear your throat out.”

  “Charming,” the vampire replied. “I do wish you shifters weren’t so repetitive. You honestly could’ve been dinner companions instead of dinner, but oh, well.”

  It was shocking that he could understand me. He shouldn’t have been able to. Only other shifters were supposed to have that skill. But I didn’t let it get to me. I didn’t have the patience to play games, and obviously, neither did he. As soon as he finished the sentence, his demeanor shifted. He dropped his polite mask, turning into the maddened, blood-thirsty creature I truly knew him to be.

  Even if he didn’t have much room to maneuver in the corridor, he didn’t let that stop him. He came running straight at me, his eyes flashing and his now-exposed fangs dripping venom. I met him half-way, tired, unafraid, and more aware than ever of the shadows still behind me.

  The irony of my current situation didn’t escape me. I was sandwiched between two opponents, in a position very similar to the one I’d used against the demons outside. But unlike the demons, I knew what I was dealing with and I would not be taken by surprise.

  If faced with two different enemies, the best approach to take was to try to use them against one another. Keeping that strategy in mind, I dodged Popovic’s first attack, a claw swipe that would’ve undoubtedly incapacitated me had he hit his target. In wolf form, I was naturally shorter than him, and that made it more difficult for him to reach me. He tried again, but this time, I didn’t duck. I didn’t try to pin him with my claws or fangs either.

  Instead I simply barreled into him, using my massive bulk to shove him in the right direction.

  It was a risky move. The patterns of the shadows’ motions did rely on my own, but for the most part, they were impossible to predict. Still, my instincts didn’t fail me. Popovic had just enough time to steady himself and turn toward me before a tentacle speared him straight through the chest.

  His eyes went almost comically wide. He stared down at himself—at the sharp-tipped shadow still protruding from his body—and let out a choked laugh.

  “W-Well played, white wolf,” he stammered. Blood dripped on the floor, and he looked at the flowing liquid with a look of hypnotized relief. “I didn’t expect… that. Maybe you’re not quite so predictable after…”

  Popovic didn’t get the chance to finish the sentence. The tentacle retreated from his wound. At the same time, his body started cracking, the edges of the fissures seeping strange currents of jet black into the rest of him. One of the dark threads reached his temple, and just like that, Popovic’s whole body turned to ash.

  If things had been different, this development might have shocked me. Maybe up to a point, I’d have deemed it anticlimactic. Popovic had been one of the oldest vampires in the world. He should’ve been able to hold hi
s own a little better.

  Surprise couldn’t have been further from my mind. I knew the reason why I’d taken him down so easily was still waiting for me inside the room up ahead. The same tentacles that had accidentally killed Popovic were already rushing toward me, presumably intending to fix their mistake.

  Bracing myself, I left the ashes of the ancient vampire in the corridor and braved the demon who was threatening everything I’d known and loved. Shadow magic or not, I would stand my ground and hope like hell it would be enough.

  Chapter Five

  While demonic beings have long ago been identified as personifications of evil, recent research and statements suggest that this might not be the case. If such things exist, they may be unrelated to the demons that hunt mankind on a regular basis.

  Modern scholars theorize that these demons appear to be individual, elemental entities. They claim to have existed since the beginning of time, and have shown both dislike and disdain to all those who mention any connection between them and their religious equivalents.

  We cannot be sure to what point these statements are actually honest, as there have been few survivors from encounters with demons. Additionally, demons are deceitful by nature and their claims always need to be taken with a grain of salt. However, the lack of effect of any holy weapon on the creatures—a feature they share with the undead—does seem to suggest that in this, they might be telling the truth.

  At the very least, we need to set aside preconceived notions and attack them with weapons that do work. After all, a wise hunter isn’t the one who doesn’t make mistakes, but the one who doesn’t make the same mistake twice.

  - Klaus Julius, “A Young Hunter’s Training Manual,” Private Records of the Julius Hunter Clan -

  * * *

  Daimon

  When I had come to the United States to talk to Vladimir about my little project, I hadn’t expected much. I liked vampires well enough and in my experience, they knew better than to make promises they couldn’t keep. But there were some things that were beyond the reach of any being, even one such as Vladimir. It wasn’t in my character to get my hopes up.

  All that changed the moment I first set eyes on the beautiful, red-headed huntress. She was everything I’d hoped for when I’d embarked on my project. Beautiful, intelligent, full of so much potential that was for now, hindered by her unfortunate mortality. A little too defiant, but that was all right. I liked women with fire, and I could work with that.

  When I kissed her, I knew my first assessment had been correct. The huntress was the answer to all my questions. Her strength would help me finally reach my goal and win the battle I’d been fighting for centuries.

  Unfortunately for me, demons had never had much luck in love. I was seconds away from completing the ritual that would make my soulmate mine forever when a clawed hand grabbed my collar and pulled me away from her.

  Instinctively, I jerked myself free of the intruder’s hold. Fire and shadow moved at my command, shoving the idiotic individual away. I turned around, only to face the most unlikely creature imaginable. My attacker was a tall, blond werewolf.

  I licked my lips, still tasting the flavor of the huntress’s defiance in my mouth. “Would you look at that? A werewolf. How did you get here, pet? Don’t you think you’re a little out of your league?”

  The werewolf shrugged. “Maybe. That’s never stopped me before. I’m not going to let you get away with this.”

  I narrowed my eyes at the stranger and carefully assessed his strength. It was very easy, since he was completely naked, and that gave me access to more than just a nice show.

  The intruder was a creature of contrasts. Tall and muscular, the werewolf had the build and strength of an Alpha, but not that irritating aura of ‘goodness’ and ‘togetherness’ werewolf leaders tended to emanate. A Beta then, and one of some skill. His blue eyes shone with the same quiet power and resolve I’d seen earlier in the huntress. He had apparently defeated both Vladimir and his guards.

  This accomplishment alone was impressive, but not enough for me to deem him a threat. Vladimir had taken some damage as a side-effect of the ritual, which was why I’d told him to evacuate. So even if Vladimir was gone, this werewolf wasn’t a challenge for me.

  I didn’t have the time to argue or banter with him. The huntress was still out cold, but her defenses would recover soon if I didn’t get back to the ritual. The shadow magic I’d summoned for the purpose of my project was already powerful enough to bring the whole compound down.

  “Well, pet, as funny as it would be to play with you, I’m afraid I have other priorities.”

  I flicked my fingers and the nigh-sentient shadow magic came together into a form identical to the werewolf. Following my silent command, it lunged at the shifter. He cursed violently, pivoting on his heel like a dancer to avoid getting gored by himself. “I hate you so much right now. Weren’t the tentacles enough?”

  “Obviously not,” I replied, laughing at him. “Don’t be so upset, pet. You only have yourself to blame for everything you need to face, but the sheer fact that your shadowy manifestation is a challenge says a lot about the extent of your skills.”

  Also, I found the reference to tentacles intriguing, but I didn’t point that out. He didn’t need to know the details of how this particular shadow ritual worked. The only thing that mattered now was the enchantment’s success and the completion of my project.

  I would acquire my soulmate, no matter what I had to do.

  I climbed back onto the bed and leaned over the huntress, ready to resume the ritual from where I’d left off. I was too late.

  All of a sudden, the huntress’s eyes snapped open. Her breath caught when she saw me hovering above her and she pulled on her bindings so hard the chains snapped.

  It shouldn’t have been possible, but the shadow magic had chipped away at the protective runes. My own ritual was lashing out against me. Shit. I should’ve known better than to drop my guard, even for a little while. This always happened when a complicated spell was interrupted. I would skin that werewolf alive and use his damn fur for a rug.

  Before the huntress could make her escape, I grabbed her flailing arms and pinned her down with my own hands.

  “No!” she screamed. “Let me go! I don’t want this! Let me go!”

  “Shh,” I whispered. Deep inside, I ached at having to force things in this way, but I had no other choice. “It’s going to be all right. Surrender to me, and your life will be complete. I promise.”

  “Leave her alone, you fucker,” the werewolf shouted from behind me. “Don’t touch her!”

  Irritation surged through me at his words. He had no right whatsoever to make demands of me, but werewolves were like that. They always thought they knew better. They always believed they understood every single creature in the world, just because they were paranormal beings and cooperated with the humans. They were fools, and their flame would be extinguished for their stupidity.

  But not today. Not right now. Not when I still needed to secure my soulmate and make sure she was mine.

  With a thought, I willed the shadow creation to be a little fiercer in its attacks. I heard the werewolf hiss in pain as one of his opponent’s blows connected, but I didn’t allow myself to dwell on the momentary surge of satisfaction. Instead, I focused completely on my huntress.

  She stubbornly turned her face away from mine, refusing to make eye contact. My hands were busy holding her down, so I couldn’t physically force her to look at me. It wasn’t a problem. The shadow magic came to my aid once again. The tentacles that had given the werewolf trouble slithered onto the bed, surrounding our bodies in a dark cocoon. One of them split apart into a hand-like shape, gripped her chin, and turned her around.

  The huntress snapped her eyes shut again. “Don’t. Please, don’t.”

  I hated the fear in her voice, and hated knowing I was its cause. “Don’t be so scared, my beloved,” I tried to reassure her. “You know in your heart that
you belong by my side. We will be so happy together, you’ll see. You’ll be my soulmate.”

  The shadow magic caressed her beautiful body, sliding into her hair, over her chest, between her legs. She let out a low gasp as one of them poked her pussy. She was still wearing her hunter uniform, but the material wasn’t a barrier for the unleashed magic.

  “That feels good, doesn’t it?” I whispered. “Go on. Just let yourself feel.”

  The sound of her racing heartbeat made my own pulse accelerate. Her skin felt feverish under my touch, and the fire burning in her blood made me dizzy with desire. I brushed my lips over hers in a closed-mouthed kiss, one that had nothing to do with the ritual and everything to do with us. “Spread your legs for me, lovely. I’ll make you feel so good.”

  Her whole body vibrated with confusion, lust, and doubt. She didn’t understand what was happening to her. But I could still fix this. All I needed to do was to make her understand that she belonged to me.

  “I-I… I don’t… What are you doing to me?” she asked.

  Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes, but she spread her legs anyway. I smirked to myself, willing my magic to burrow deeper into her. I couldn’t physically touch her, not yet, but the shadow did it for me, slithering over her clit, into her core, into the deepest recesses of her body.

  She arched her back and moaned, responding to my touch despite her protests. Yes, just like that. Her instincts were getting closer to the surface.

  She was beginning to understand.

  That was when everything went sideways yet again. A massive wolf barreled straight into me, forcing me to release my hold on my huntress and sending me flying against the floor.

  My instincts didn’t fail me and I managed to avoid getting trapped underneath his large body, or having my throat torn out.