Kindling (The Hunter Trilogy Book One)

by Abigail Colucci

  “Are there more of you?” Heike asked Micah. He grabbed Micah’s jacket collar and pulled him close. “Answer me and maybe I’ll let you live,” he spat into Micah’s face.

  “Nah, we’re just a present for your kid,” Micah mumbled.

  “Who sent you?” Heike growled. Micah set his jaw and refused to answer. “Who sent you?” Heike held Micah close so only his toes touched the floor. Micah swallowed hard and his face paled. I didn't know what Heike could do, but I was sure it was not going to be pleasant for Micah and his friends.

  “Wait, wait, Heinrich,” my papá warned. He put his hands in front of Heike, who wouldn’t break his gaze from Micah. “Not in front of Catalina. Don’t do this in front of her. She doesn’t have a clue what’s going on.”

  I agreed: I didn’t have any clue about what the hell was going on and, I’m sure I looked as shocked and confused as I felt. Heike looked away from Micah and glanced at me. His eyes turned from hot anger to sadness and he blushed. He nodded to my dad and then to Braith.

  “Braith, take Katja home,” Heike ordered. He dropped Micah to the ground. Heike moved his neck to the side and it cracked.

  Braith nodded and my papá kissed me goodbye. My grandfather came into the room, the lines of his face rippled with anger. He looked at me and his face softened a bit. “Estás bien?” he asked. No, everything was not okay but my voice seemed to leave me so I nodded anyway. “Okay, Braith gonna take you home.” He kissed me and said to Braith, “You gonna explain to her things?”

  “What I can, sir,” Braith said.

  We walked out to the hall and my mother was waiting for me. “Oh, Catalina,” she said. I must have looked awful, because she looked terrified. “Did they hurt you? I didn't think they could come when Heike was around.”

  I nodded and cleared my throat a few times. “I’m fine, mom,” I whispered, although I wasn’t positive that was the truth. “I don’t know what’s going on.” The adrenaline was slowly fading from my body and every nerve pulsed. My mind was in some sort of shock and I could hardly even think.

  “I’ll walk her home,” Braith said. “And explain a few things.” I could tell that my mom was about to protest, but she stopped herself and nodded.

  “You call me if you need me, okay?” she asked. “Heike and papá ...” she trailed off, but I nodded. Mom unzipped her purse and rummaged around for a moment. She pulled out a pair of slipper socks and handed them to me – I looked down and was surprised my shoes were missing. I was in a haze as I slipped them on my feet. Braith touched my elbow and I let him lead me out the door. If my mind was clearer I would have put up more of a fuss, but I think I must have been in slight shock because we walked for nearly a mile in a bewildered silence.

  A block away from my house my mind started to regain clarity. My adrenaline stabilized and I realized I had just gone through a fight with four strangers and I hadn’t any clue why random assholes were trying to kill me. I though somehow Heike, my papá, and Braith were all involved and I was sure they knew things I wasn’t being told. So, I momentarily flipped out.

  “What the fuck just happened?!” I screamed. My voice echoed in the empty street and startled Braith. He jumped and clutched his chest.

  “Holy shit!” Braith yelled. “Oh my god, Kit, give me a heart attack!” He yelled back at me. We stopped walking and he placed his hands on his knees. I didn’t feel too bad for scaring him - I had, after all, just been through a serious fight that he obviously knew something about - but I let him recover from the scare before I demanded anything else.

  He straightened up. I noticed he had a gash in his head from the fight. He also had some bruises growing on his jaw. In fact, his whole face looked pretty beaten up. Yeah, I totally didn’t pay him any attention and I’m sure I probably looked just as bad. Thankfully, I couldn’t really feel anything yet, although I knew I must have a bruised rib or something. My right side hurt awfully bad.

  Braith noticed me staring at him. “You look just as bad as I do,” he said.

  “Oh,” I said. I touched my head and winced. There was blood on my hand when I pulled it away. I ran my hand through my hair and started to straighten it out.

  Braith grinned. “Making yourself pretty for me?” he said.

  “Are you serious? Don't flatter yourself,” I snarled. “Tell me who the hell they were and what the hell just happened,” I demanded. I refused to allow his cocky attitude to bother me. I was so utterly confused I couldn’t hold in my emotions anymore. I was on the verge of tears and I think Braith must have noticed.

  “Okay,” he said. He paused a really long time. “First off, you fight like a man.”

  I wrinkled my face up and groaned. What a sexist ass he was! “You’re such a jerk,” I said.

  “That’s not what I meant, god, that’s not how I meant it,” he sighed and clutched his hip. “I meant you were phenomenal back there, you kicked ass. You held them off and they were wounded, Kit! Oh my god you wounded one of them. You have no idea, but that’s like next to impossible, especially to someone not fully trained.”

  “You’re stalling,” I said. “Just tell me what’s going on.”

  “Yeah,” he grinned. “I’m stalling a little, but I mean it. You fight unbelievably.”

  I shrugged and looked away. “Thanks,” I said.

  He continued walking. “I’ve never had to tell anyone before. Most people I deal with already know what’s in store for them.”

  “Know what?” I said. I gritted my teeth, trying not to get too aggravated, but he was making things difficult.

  “Do you know who Heike is?” Braith asked.

  I shrugged and sighed. “He’s my father?”

  “Yes,” Braith said. “But do you know his name? His last name?” I shrugged and shook my head. He opened his mouth like he was going to say something but then closed it and stopped walking. He looked at me kind of funny. “Kit, he’s a Van Helsing,” he finally said. “His name is Heinrich Van Helsing

  There was an ever-so-slight recognition in that name, but I couldn’t really place it. “I don’t understand what his name has anything to do with anything,” I sad.

  “Americans,” Braith grumbled. Oh, I couldn’t stand him and I rolled my eyes. “He’s a Vampyre Hunter. We’re both Vampyre Hunters.”

  “Vampyre hunters,” I repeated and nodded. He let me think about this for a minute but, honestly, I didn’t know what to think. Mainly, I thought he was insane and it made me a little nervous that my parents were okay with him walking me home. I didn’t know how to respond to something that absurd. “Oh. Okay,” I said. If he expected me to believe that he was smoking crack or something because that was ludicrous.

  “God, I suck at this,” Braith said. “I should just let Heike explain everything.” He paused for a minute or two as we walked to my house. I didn’t know whether to run from him or just let him try and explain some more until I could get into the house and lock myself in my bedroom. Finally, Braith said, “Who do you think they were, then?”

  “I don’t know, Braith. Vampyres are totally logical, sure. Let’s go with that,” I said, quickening my pace.

  “What, are you nervous?” He said. He looked around, then realized I was trying to get away from him. “You think I’m crazy, don’t you?” I didn’t answer and just kept walking. “God, they were vampyres, Katherine. That’s why they came after you. Because you’re Van Helsing’s kid. And ...” he paused.

  I stopped walking when he said ‘Katherine.’ No one has ever called me that, even though it’s technically the name on my birth certificate. I’ve been Catalina since infancy. “And, what?” I said to him.

  “And Heike will explain more,” he said.

  “So, okay,” I said. We were standing in the middle of my street. The moon was full and large so the night was incredibly bright. I could see my house from there, but I wanted to be clear on a few points. “You want me to believe that, A, there are vampyres in the world even though, no, no there isn’t
and, B, that my biological father is Heinrich Van Helsing, a Vampyre Hunter?”

  “Well, when you say it like that it sounds so implausible,” Braith said. The corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly and I was sure he was making fun of me.

  “Don’t give me any of your crap.” I said. “Who are you? Really? Who are you and who is Heike?”

  Braith sighed. I could tell he was becoming aggravated, although I’m not sure if it was towards me or his inability to make me understand what he was trying to say. “I’m Braith Hywel. I’m a tracker. I track vampyres. You’re father, Heinrich Van Helsing, is a Hunter. He hunts and kills vampyres. Those guys we kicked the shit out of tonight, why do you think they weren’t hurt despite you breaking their bones? You snapped a neck, Kitty, or don’t you remember that? No one walks away from a snapped neck. But those bloody twats didn’t get a mark on them except for the one, right? And you saw it fade, didn’t you? I know you watched it disappear. It faded as we bloody stood there. How do you explain that?” He paused but I didn’t answer. “Tell me what they are, then? If they’re not who I say they are than who are they?” For a long time we were both silent. I didn’t have an answer because I didn’t know what they were. No one could have gone through that fight without being wounded - hell, I probably had bruises all over me and I could feel warm blood congealing down my face - but, no matter what I did, nothing hurt those guys. But, they couldn’t be vampyres. Vampyres didn’t exist. I was speechless. “I’ll tell you, Kitty, I’ll swear to you. Heike and I are Vampyre Hunters. Heike is a Van Helsing. He’s a big name in our world and that’s why they were sent to you. Your family is one of the oldest families in the Hunter World. Those vampyres were sent to you because they haven’t killed yet and whoever sent them knew Heike can’t kill them. It’s a code. We can’t kill one unless they’ve killed. They were here to scare you because you’re ...” he paused.

  “Van Helsing’s daughter?” I ask, cynicism dripping from my voice.

  He paused, so I knew that there was more to his weirdo story. “Yeah, Van Helsing’s daughter. You are Katherine Van Helsing.” He got quiet and we faced each other. The brightness of the full moon made our shadows intertwine. It would almost be romantic, if I was attracted to him and if he wasn’t insane.

  All I could hear were the sounds of the night - a breeze rustled the dried grass, an owl cawing somewhere in the distance as it hunted its prey - and Braith, a little out of breath because he was so upset. I noticed he was pale and looked fatigued, but before I could suggest going inside I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. I jumped and startled Braith, who shouted a curse word.

  “Kids, it’s me, relax,” my papá said. “Come inside. Heike and I will talk to you now.” I didn’t say anything as my papá ushered us both in the house. “Go change, Catalina,” papá said.

  “It’s ok,” I said.

  “No, it’s not,” papá spat. He was really annoyed. “I’m sure one of your friends gave you that. Allie?” I shook my head. “Sadie?” I shrugged. He sighed and looked at my dress, torn and bloodied in various places, but I know he was mainly upset about the length of the skirt. I had just been in this terrible fight and he was more concerned about the length of my skirt?

  “I’m fine,” I grumbled.

  “Go put clothes on,” he said through gritted teeth. When I didn’t move, he said. “¡Ahora! ¡Rápido!”

  I didn’t want to listen, but I didn’t really have the energy to start a fight with him. I wanted answers and I didn’t want to wait another minute. But I was exhausted and ready to collapse and too tired to argue with him, so I gave in and limped upstairs. My leg was beginning to ache.

  I rustled through my drawers to find a clean outfit - I didn’t want to smell like baked road kill. There weren’t many, but I finally found a t-shirt and yoga pants. Then I looked in the mirror and - holy crap! - I looked awful. I had a big gash on my forehead. Dried blood stuck to my hair and cheeks and forehead. My right cheek was swollen and red. My jaw already had a black bruise forming. And my hair looked like I had been through a wind tunnel.

  I went to the bathroom and poured water over my head, then brushed out the blood and knots. I got my hair to look fairly normal and pulled my wet tresses into a clip. I still looked beaten up, but washing the dried blood off helped. I splashed water over my neck and it made me feel a bit better. My body stung and my muscled ached. My heart began to race. I was headed down for another fight, I knew, and I had this overwhelming feeling that this one was probably going to change my life.

  I was actually glad to put on the yoga clothes. They were comfortable and familiar and soft against my bruised and beaten body.

  When I was dressed and looked a little better, I went back downstairs. Heike, my parents, and Braith were waiting for me. My parents had changed out of their formal clothes and into sweatpants. Heike changed back into his black leather and Braith, god, even with the bruises and swelling and redness and messy hair, he was gorgeous. Somehow, this struck me as incredibly annoying and I glared at him as I took a seat. He looked genuinely hurt, so I felt bad and broke my gaze. Maybe he was more than just an insane mimbo ...

  “So,” Heike began. “Braith filled you in a little?”

  I shrugged. “A little.”

  “And there was no way you believe him?”

  I didn’t hesitate. “Not for a second.”

  “Ah,” Heike said. He turned to my parents. “Menno, you want to start?”

  “No, go right ahead,” he said. “I’ll fill in if necessary. But I’m sure you can handle it, old man.”

  Heike chuckled and nodded. I was pretty apprehensive, because it felt like an intervention and, there was a huge part of me that just didn’t want to hear what they were going to tell me. “Where should I begin?” Heike said, mostly to himself. Then he looked at me. “You’ve got to listen, okay? No interruptions?” I glanced at my parents. My mom gave me a thumbs up and I sighed.

  “No interruptions,” I agreed.

  Heike nodded. “You have to know I didn’t want this for you, Katja. I wanted you to have a normal life, we all wanted you to have a normal life.” He nodded towards my parents and sighed. “I’ve been hunting with my father for as long as I can remember. Even as a little boy, my father would take me on even the most dangerous excursions. He made me do things I won’t forget. There were times I was so scared I thought about killing myself just so our enemies couldn’t have me. So, I vowed I wouldn’t have children and put them through what he put me through. And for many, many years I held good to that promise. Until I met Molly,” Heike blushed. I looked at my mom and she smiled. “And then you came, Katja. We knew you were a girl and I was so happy, because usually it’s just the boys that are given The Gift. But, when you were born a month earlier than expected, on a Saturday, under a full moon, at midnight, I had to admit to myself that, maybe, maybe my daughter was cursed and it was all my fault.

  “I remember when you were just two weeks old, Katja, I could hold you in my hands. You were so tiny and fragile. It was my job to protect you and I knew I had failed. In our world its called having The Gift, but it’s a curse, too. You’ll never have a normal life. So, by cursing you with the hunt, I failed you, Katja. But I wasn’t sure, of course, so I brought you to Mexico to see The Oracle. We stayed with her for a month, and I’ll never forget when she called me to her and told me. “The child is a hunter,” she said. That’s all she said, because she knew I knew already.

  “We left The Oracle when you were three months old and went to stay with the Chavez’s, your grandparents and papá. They have been my family for all my life, Katja, and I could trust them with you and your mom. I knew what I had to do. I had to leave and try with everything in my power to keep you safe. But I knew, if you got too attached to me and I got too attached to you, I wouldn’t be able to leave. I told your mom I would only be gone for a month, Mercutio knew that I was leaving you in his hands. He gave me his word he’d take care of you and your mom, an
d he did, more so than I could have hoped.” Heike looked at my father and grinned, a strange, proud smile. “I knew I couldn’t be selfish with you, Katja. You’re my daughter and I couldn’t ruin your childhood like my father ruined mine. Menno and your mom didn’t want that for you either, because they grew up in that life, too. We all knew, if I stayed, your childhood would be over. Would your mother ever forgive me? Would you ever forgive me, moving you from place to place, suspicious of everyone and everything, not being able to play at a park without worrying. I couldn’t do that to you, Katja, understand I couldn’t put you through what I went through, what most of the children of this life must go through.

  “So, Menno has raised you as his own and trained you under my constant supervision.” When I looked surprised my papá and Heike smiled. “Yes, I wanted to make sure you. I knew they would come for you eventually, and I wanted you to be prepared for them. And I tried, Katja, I tried to find any way of breaking this curse for you. I did everything and I thought, maybe it would pass because I’m not around you. Like, nature versus nurture, you know? But, you are what you are.” He sighed and rested his elbows on his knees. “You can say something now.”

  “What do you want me to say? I don’t even understand what you’re telling me,” I said. I was quiet and my throat lumped with tears. I looked around and saw everyone seemed to believe this but me.

  “What I’m telling you ...” Heike trailed off and smiled. He looked at my papá and he shrugged. “What I’m telling you is that you are a Vampyre Hunter. We belong to a race of people that hunt and exterminate vampyres.”

  I laughed a little. “This is insane,” I said.

  Heike sighed and looked at my parents. “Molly, Menno? Help me.”

  My mother got off the couch and knelt in front of me. “Kit,” she began. “I know you find this hard to believe, but it’s all true. My father was a Hunter and both of my parents died at the hands of vampyres. I watched them be taken. Heike saved me from them. That’s how we met.” She paused. “I didn’t tell you. I never wanted to tell you because I wanted you to just live a normal life. That’s what we decided for you, just to live a normal life.”