Masters of the Hunt: Fated and Forbidden

by Sarra Cannon

  My cavalry had arrived.

  Chapter 4

  The music quieted and inhuman high pitched screeches filled the smoky air of the dimly lit basement. Sounds of a fight erupted toward the entrance but grew closer. Another UV grenade went off and the basement air grew thick with ash. They were like low intensity balls of sunlight but they needed to be on top of the vampire to be effective. If I got to close to one I’d have more than sunburn. Colby must be desperate to use them in such tight quarters.

  Rurik herded me toward the stone wall.

  I crouched to the floor and pressed myself against the cool surface while he towered over me to face the oncoming assault. His actions surprised me. I knew he promised to protect me but I was impressed a vampire would follow through on his word.

  Tane appeared beside him. “It’s a group of humans.” He handed Rurik a handgun, which he stuck in his back waistband. “The gun won’t help much with the fight if it’s in there.”

  “I don’t intend to use it unless forced to. Their bullets won’t kill me.”

  “They’ve got those cursed sunlight weapons, they know what we are.” Tane glanced down at me and winked while he showed off his fangs with a big smile.

  Rurik elbowed him. “Leave her alone. How did a bunch of slayers find us?”

  Tane’s smile faltered and he shrugged. He pointed to the gathering mass at the entrance. “Go to the left and I’ll flank them from the right. We’ll corral them and keep them in a tight group so they can’t use the sunlight weapons.” Tane spoke without any of his earlier animosity. He’d given me the impression he hated Rurik, yet now they spoke to each other like good friends.

  This switch made me more wary. These were more than just creatures of the night. Some of their human nature traversed the change to vampire. I always thought they mimicked our behavior to draw in prey but my experiences tonight changed my mind.

  Gunshots startled us. Most of the crowd ducked and scattered. Rurik grabbed my arm and dragged me to the closest seating area. I gasped at the rough handling as he wedged me between a couch and a wall.

  Tane shouted more orders to re-organize their defenses and they left me. Dragos, the master, was nowhere to be seen.

  Short bursts of semi-automatic weapons rebounded off what sounded like the stone walls. At least one shotgun went off, leaving me somewhat deaf. Although bullets wouldn’t kill the vampires, they would hurt and slow them down. Unfortunately, they would kill me and any other humans in the crossfire.

  Colby’s resources were limited. He designed operations for single takedowns, not open conflicts. There was no way Colby and his men could take on everyone here, especially the strong, powerful vampires I’d met tonight. They wouldn’t be able to reach me if I remained here at the far end of the basement. I gathered my dress around my hips and crawled on all fours to peek around the side of the couch.

  A crowd formed around the sitting areas where the fight ensued. Others hid like me behind the scarce furniture, or stood by the walls to watch the action. The metallic smell of the UV grenades overwhelmed the room to a point I could almost taste it.

  I didn’t have many options. A back door would have been nice, the small blackened windows were too high for me to climb out of, so I decided to make a run for it. I huddled low and moved fast. Maybe I wouldn’t get shot, stepped on, or crushed. Crouching on my heels beside the couch’s arm, I sprung up to sprint but I didn’t make it far.

  Someone grabbed me by the waist and plucked me from the ground. I twisted around and prepared to gouge my assailant’s eyes out.

  Rurik swung me into his arms like a child, shielding me with his body. I thought he ditched me. Even caught in this commotion the touch of his hands on my body electrified me.

  Tane followed Rurik and watched his back.

  Rurik heaved me onto one of his shoulders.

  I struggled to get loose but his iron strong arm clamped on my legs. “Let me go.” I punched at his back, feeling helpless. Glancing up I saw Tane grin at me. I gave him the one-fingered salute and continued to wriggle out of Rurik’s grip.

  He carried me back toward the wall. I could see Dragos ‘ thugs fighting. A glimpse of a tall man with short, blonde hair in army fatigues between these warriors caught my breath. Colby was about to get creamed.

  The smash of glass breaking made me twist around. Rurik had broken one of the small windows. He cleared the big shards away with his hands and winced as they cut through his skin. They barely even bled. He lifted me up to the hole, shoved me through it, then shouted, “Run, Rabbit, run!” A hard slap landed on my rump and pushed me through the rest of the way through the window. It stung.

  I rolled on the ground to land onto my stomach in a puddle of cold, mucky who-knows-what. The window remained empty as I watched for them to follow me out. No one came. I leaned forward to look back inside only to see the back of Rurik’s neatly combed head as he made his way into the fight again. He defended his people. My eyes widened. And he saved me.

  A shiver ran down my spine. I jumped up and pulled the hem of my wet, white dress down. It stuck to my skin and didn’t want to cooperate.

  The alley looked like the same one Rurik and I walked down, a dark, foggy, narrow space that would spook even someone with a limited imagination.

  The gunshots would draw the local law enforcements so I needed to return to the team and disappear. Shouts near the mouth of the alley caught my attention, the voices sounded familiar. I scurried toward it and Rurik’s car parked at the mouth became visible.

  A window from the party basement, a few feet in front of me, burst out. It sent shards of glass flying. I threw my arms up to shield my eyes. I was so close to safety, I could taste it, but a body blocked my path to refuge. It could be human and could need help, but it could be a hungry vampire, too.

  Battle noise engulfed my cries for help. The corner of the building was just a few feet away and Colby should have left a rear guard outside. I just needed to pass the body lying in the alley.

  My hesitation saved me. If I had been any closer, it would have gotten me.

  The creature snapped his head up. His pupils were so dilated they absorbed the whole irises, his nostrils flared, and drool dripped down his exposed fangs. The fighting must have excited him into a frenzy.

  Stumbling back, I swallowed hard. I’d never faced a rabid dog before, but it must be a close cousin to this. ‘My, what great big teeth you have, ‘ said Red Riding Hood to the Big Bad Wolf. The thought flashed before I did what I always hoped I wouldn’t do—I screamed like a little girl and ran.

  Every documentary I’d ever watched on predatory animals instructed people not to run when confronted. I’d like to know what prescription drugs they took, because I needed some. In reality, thousands of years of instinct kicked in. Your forebrain shuts down and a second later you’re running down a dark alley like a gazelle in three-inch stilettos.

  A carnivorous growl rumbled behind me. The vamp must not like his meals on the go.

  I glanced over my shoulder to see him vault up in one smooth motion and stroll after me like it was a Sunday afternoon.

  The slam of my body on a six-foot-high chain link fence stopped me cold. It cut the alley in two and I realized why my pursuer took his sweet time—a dead end. I pivoted to face him.

  Past his monstrous features, he was an average looking guy—short brown hair, less than six feet tall, pale skin. He could have passed for human. His black jeans and t-shirt were torn and dirty from crashing through the window.

  “You dance beautifully. Now dance with me, eh?” He spoke with a heavy accent I couldn’t identify. Maybe it was the fangs. He continued down the alley toward me at a leisurely pace.

  Pressed against the barrier I grasped the metal wire between my fingers and watched him stalk me. A heavy sinking dread clenched low in my stomach. I was breathless from running and my voice shook. “Rurik-ik told me you’re not su-supposed to kill, only taste.” I hoped by dropping Rurik’s name it would
deter him from doing anything rash.

  With his jaw clenched he growled, “Rurik is feeble.”

  So much for name-dropping. I desperately searched the alley for something to fight with. My vision adjusted to see an outline of a door. It hid in the shadows on the building across from where the party was held. I sprang at it and hoped no one locked it.

  To both of our surprise, it opened.

  He let out a howl that vibrated through my body as he charged at me.

  I raced through the opening then slammed the door in his face. My trembling fingers fumbled the bolt lock into place before he rammed his body against the door. A small whimper escaped my lips as I stepped back.

  His crazed attacks made the walls shudder. The solid wood, in spite of its strength, wouldn’t keep him out for long, and I needed time.

  I stumbled along in the dark against the walls, until I felt a door. It opened to what appeared to be, in the dim light, an abandoned store. Large picture windows at the front of the room faced the street, which had been on the other side of the wretched fence. Faint streetlights filtered in and contrasted with the shadowy empty shelves scattered throughout the room. I could make out an outline of a checkout counter by the front door. As I rushed to it, I noticed something sitting on the counter too small to be a cash register. It was a phone!

  I grabbed the receiver to my ear and heard a dial tone. My eyes closed in relief. I wasn’t a religious person but this was a miracle in my book. That or the Budapest phone system worked differently than the American one.

  The banging at the door stopped and silence hung in the air like a guillotine. I didn’t know where he was now.

  I could dial the team’s cell phone number blindfolded.

  “State your business,” was the gruff greeting.

  “Red?”

  “Connie? Where the fuck are you? Colby’s tearing apart that hole you were in. The chip says you’re in the area!”

  “I’m close. I’m in the next building. One of them is hunting me, Red. Hurry, I’m in...”

  The earsplitting sound of shattering glass in one of the back rooms startled me enough to drop the phone. In my panic, I rushed the front door and battled with it. My luck ran out, it was locked. I’d trapped myself. Pressed in the corner by the door, I slid down to my hands and knees then crawled away from the windows so he wouldn’t see my silhouette.

  His boots crunched the broken glass as he drew closer to the storefront. Quietly, I crawled out of the room to what I thought was a closet. My breathing sounded so loud. I tried to take slow, easy, controlled breaths, but I felt like I was suffocating. My heart pounded hard against my ribs, demanding more oxygen.

  I made it into the room to come face to face with a commode.

  Not a closet—a restroom—with a ‘Connie-sized ‘ window just above me. It was an old-fashioned one that hung on hinges and swung inward. I’d have to use a stick to prop it open. I heard him make his way into the storefront. The hope that emerged at the sight of the window plummeted.

  My time was up.

  Sucking in a deep breath, I kicked the door closed, hit the lock on it, climbed up on the commode, and propped open the window with my body.

  Once again, my pursuer slammed into the door with full force but this time the frame splintered. One more hit and he’d get that dance he wanted.

  I squeezed and squirmed through the tight window like a worm in the dirt. My breaths came in short gasps as fear coursed through my veins.

  I tumbled down into that nightmarish alley and stood on the other side on the chain link fence. I’ve got boobs and junk in the trunk, but I was still a slim girl. There was no way he could fit those broad shoulders through that small window.

  A shout startled me. Red ran toward me from the other side of the fence. I stared in disbelief, I couldn’t have worse luck. One of us would have to climb it.

  The crash from the bathroom door echoed through the alley.

  “Climb!” Red’s voice snapped still halfway to the fence.

  I started to reach for the wired mesh but knew in my heart I couldn’t make it in time. “Follow my tracker.” Red and the boys would have to scale the fence, I couldn’t afford to waste any more time. The vampire would find me before I made it to the top. Who puts a fence in an alley?

  I gritted my teeth, yanked my expensive heels off, and sprinted away from Colby, from Red, and from safety.

  Soon I came out of the alley onto the Danube Promenade. A few cars drove by on the busy road. At this time of the night, this area was dead—just a few streetlights and trees lining the sidewalk to accompany me.

  I must have looked like a crazy woman as I sprinted barefoot, my sopping wet dress clinging to my legs, wild curls flying behind me.

  It wouldn’t be long before the vamp made it out of the store to track me. I needed to get out of plain view. If I could hide, maybe he’d give up, or Colby would find me again with the tracking chip.

  A heap of trash left out for pickup sat by the walkway against a red brick building. Gross inspiration struck. I shoved myself into the middle of the stinking pile and pulled some over my head. Retching at the unbelievable stench, I pinched my nose to block it out. Hiding in trash seemed like a good idea a moment ago.

  Something sticky oozed onto my hand. It took all my effort not to wig out. It was probably something innocent like jam but my imagination was way too vivid for that. After everything I’d been through—by the skin of my teeth—I would probably catch some horrid disease from the trash. I squeezed into a tight ball and tried not to touch any more anonymous slime.

  I heard fast paced footsteps draw closer to my hiding spot. My hands began to sweat and tremble. They slowed to a jog until they stopped nearby. He must have seen me hide. How else could he know I was close?

  My legs tensed and I prepared to flee. I refused to go down without a fight. The fear of a vampire hunting me down like a rabbit rapidly turned into frustration. I wanted to jump out and attack him, but I didn’t think I’d survive that stupid urge.

  “I hear you heartbeat, Bobbit. It races.” He stood so close I heard a snuffling sound, like a dog smelling a trail.

  Vampires had heightened senses. They could see and hear better than humans. They were also stronger and faster. Following a scent trail like a hound and listening to my heartbeat were skills unknown to me.

  “You so scared. It make you taste sweeter, you know.” So he didn’t see me hide but he knew I was close. His pronounced accent made his words sound more sinister. The trash became a good choice for disguising my scent, but the heartbeat thing gave me away.

  The screech of tires coming around a corner interrupted the vamp’s hunt. A short burst of gunfire spattered against the red brick building above my head. I shuddered with the rattling cacophony and covered my ears. The sudden deafening sound of the car and gunfire quickly faded away, leaving me scrunched up in my trash haven in an envelope of silence. I took some deep shaky breaths and waited.

  He could still be waiting for me to come out. My limbs refused to respond. I was too scared to peek and kept thinking of horror movie victims. The ones who want to check out the strange noise in the backyard while you’re screaming at them to stay inside the house.

  The car had to be from Colby. There couldn’t be too many people shooting it out with the local vampires. They knew I was out here being hunted. Colby didn’t make a habit of shooting up neighborhoods, tonight was exceptional. Our plans went wrong in every way possible.

  Things stayed quiet, if I waited for them to return it could backlash. My limbs trembled from the continued tension. There could be others who lurked around, looking for an exhausted, smelly snack.

  After what seemed like an eternity but probably closer to fifteen minutes, I crawled out of the trash with my teeth chattering and began the long walk to my hotel. Soon the adrenaline wore off and left me wrung out like a dishrag. My knees felt weak as I wobbled on rubber legs, bare foot toward my goal. I fantasized about a long hot show
er.

  Somewhere in all the excitement, my sense of time got lost. I hoped it would be dawn soon so it would temporarily be safe enough to sleep. I wrapped my arms around myself. I had so much to do. I needed to reach Colby to tell him everything I’d learned tonight and get instructions on what to do next. Sending me home to America sounded good.

  I was so absorbed in my own tired thoughts of hot showers and soft beds that he easily took me.

  Silent as a nightmare he slipped his arm about my shoulders. His eyes were still dilated, but he’d gotten the rabid drooling under control. “Where you hide?” He sneered as he steered me away from the street into a dark corner between the buildings.

  My struggles didn’t affect him one bit. I sensed him test my mental shield. It smoked my mind for a moment but my shields held. He was either a weak one or whatever affected me before wore off.

  He loomed over me with his head tilted back. “You stay quiet and I feed.”

  I barked a laugh at his command and did what every girl learns at one point or another in their life, the old knee jerk to the joy sack.

  He let my shoulders go with a howl and stumbled back. Shoulders straight and legs apart I glared at him. I was through running. There was only so much abuse one person could take. If he wanted to feed on me, it came with some side dishes of kicking, gouging, and biting.

  Before he recovered from my initial attack, I shoved my thumbs into his eyes as far as I could. His bloodcurdling screech satisfied something sinister and hungry in me. I poured all my frustration, anger and impotence from tonight into my assault.

  “I may be prey but I’ve got bite, asshole.”

  He threw me off him hard enough that I was airborne when I hit the building. The ground broke my fall and all I could do was lie there, guppy breathing, and watch the stars spin around my head. I waited for him to take me.

  Nothing happened. When my lungs learned how to function, again I rolled off my back to look around.

  I was alone.

  No way did I cause him sufficient hurt to make him run. He wanted me enough to return to hunt me after being discouraged by gunfire. I struggled to my feet and shuffled to the corner of the building. Peeking around it, I drew a shaky breath of relief. I stiffened and spun to look behind me. The alley was deserted.