The Jaded Hunter

by Michelle M. Pillow

  The council held quiet, listening patiently to her words—analyzing them for their answers.

  “I don’t know if what I have done is just. It isn’t in me to decide. I did what I had to. I did my duty.” Jaden looked around at the cold, unmoving faces. She saw her guilt reflected in the blank features. They’d condemned her before they met her. There was nothing she could say to change that. If she couldn’t defend herself, then she would just say want she wanted to say. “A human life is nothing to you, a single grain of sand on an endless beach. But the humans were my people, my tribe, and I was protecting them.”

  “But you have a new tribe,” Theophania said. “You are no longer human.”

  “Yes,” she answered. Jaden looked over at Ragnhild’s immovable face. “I am vampire, descendent of Ragnhild of the Drauger. But I am also the dhampir, the ex-bloodstalker, daughter of Rhona and Bhaltair. I was once human, as were you all. I have not forgotten that.”

  “We speak of crimes, dhampir,” Chara whispered briskly. “Not loyalty.”

  “But being a bloodstalker was done out of loyalty,” Jaden answered from her place on the floor. “Loyalty to my dead mother and to her people.”

  “We understand loyalty, dhampir,” Ragnhild said. He placed his hand on the thick stack of papers sitting before him. “That does not explain the atrocities shown here.”

  “We speak of vampires turned and raped repeatedly for cruel pleasure and money—ravished during changing, during death,” Theophania put in. “We speak of prolonging the agony of vampiric death by serums and torture. We refer to the denial of blood. These things cannot be tolerated. Humans are beneath us, dhampir. They are cattle to us. Wouldn’t your humans seek out and kill the farm animals that ravished and killed mortals? Would you not have them slaughtered?”

  “But vampires commit worse crimes unto each other,” Jaden answered wisely. “I’ve seen it.”

  “That’s our business,” Chara stated with a hard toss of her head. The others nodded in agreement. “We have our own laws.”

  “Do you deny you have done these things?” Amon asked pointedly.

  “Yes,” Jaden answered. “I deny it. I have told you what I have done. I was a hunter. I hunted. I never captured. I never tortured.”

  “Then you’ll let us read you,” Ragnhild said logically. “If you told us everything, you have nothing to hide.”

  “Why waste the time?” Pietro bemoaned, secretly fearful of the confidences she might hold within.

  “We must know who betrayed us!” Chara growled violently. Her eyes flashed as she stared angrily at Pietro. Her hatred of him bubbled forth.

  Jaden watched in fascination. All of a sudden she understood. The ‘trial’, the intentionally fearful anticipation of waiting, the little show they put on for her laying out her crimes, it was just a way to get her to confess. It was an elaborate scheme to get her to reveal who they believed her to know. They were fearful of the vampire who dared to betray them, the one who dared to defy the council of vampire elders—the one who evaded them. And being the supreme beings they believed themselves to be, they didn’t know how to handle that fear and doubt. They didn’t care about her. They didn’t care if she lived or died. They just wanted a name, a face that they could go after.

  They probably didn’t even care about Mack except that he offended their bored pride. And bored they were, these archaic relics clinging onto the past. Jaden felt their boredom, their tired eternity. Beyond that, she felt their dying essence. They were immortal—all-powerful beings—and yet they were powerless against the onslaught of ever-changing time. They were lost in a modern world, one they didn’t have the energy to understand. And, in being lost, they were immobilized against it. Not even their judgments could assuage their exhausted wisdom of forever. They were beasts that needed to be quickened and yet couldn’t find the spring from which to do so.

  “Read me,” she said finally, knowing that her relationship with Tyr wasn’t what they looked for. “Do it and be done.”

  Jaden stood. She raised her arms out in offering of her body. She stared directly into Theophania’s eyes. The vampiress’s orbs glowed an eerie green. She felt the woman enter her. And Theophania wasn’t alone. Amon and Vishnu joined her and then Ragnhild, Chara and Andrei. She heard them in her head, talking in a dead language, chanting out her secrets. Finally, they were joined by a reluctant Pietro, who seemed to keep his thoughts on the outermost edge of hers. Pietro didn’t probe, only watched and listened.

  Her head rolled back. Her body suspended off the floor as she was forced up into the air. Her limbs dangled like a rag doll. All her past deeds flashed in an instant, every emotion she had ever felt, every lustful encounter, every embarrassment, catching up to the death of her father. She felt the pain anew, swift and strong and so surprising. She felt as she did in the alley facing Tyr. She felt the lethargic need she had for death and realized that she didn’t feel that way anymore. That she hadn’t felt like that in a long time—not since meeting him. Tyr made her feel alive.

  Unexpectedly, her love for Tyr burst forth like a ray of light. The council drew back almost instantly as they sensed it. Their eyes cleared as Jaden lowered to the floor in exhaustion. Her body shook, violated and cold and so very weak.

  Theophania raised a hand. A servitor entered. “Call Tyr.”

  Jaden waited anxiously on the floor. Her eyes stared at the velvet drapes. Her heart thudded with nervous anticipation. She wondered if she had done the right thing.

  Then suddenly he was there, striding into the chamber. His eyes found her in the circle. In a flash he was next to her, standing proudly before the council. Jaden wanted to reach out and touch him, to pull his hand into hers. But her body was weak from the elders’ intrusion. It took all her will to lift her head to look at him from her place on the floor.

  “It is clear you have killed, child, but you are now a vampire and allowed the occasional sin,” Theophania began. Jaden didn’t dare to hope. She trembled, looking up at Tyr. She no longer wanted death. She wanted to live. She wanted a life—whatever kind of life it may be—with him. She bit her lips as the vampiress continued, “Mortal laws do not apply to us. Had you been human, we would’ve killed you instead of bothering with you.”

  Jaden felt a dim hope forming inside her. She tensed, waiting. Tyr reached down, urging her off the floor to stand.

  “We have read you,” Ragnhild said. “We know the full truth of what you have done.”

  Tyr glanced at his leader in question.

  For the sake of the knight, Ragnhild continued, “The crimes contained within the MacNaughton documents are not hers. She had no knowledge of them or her part in them.”

  Tyr felt a relief come over him. Jaden swayed at his side.

  “However...” Theophania said.

  Jaden’s hope faltered. Tyr’s body stiffened once more. The fluttering of her heart joined his, pounding in their ears.

  “…the Dark Knights are a sacred and ancient order. They are a secret, even to the vampire tribes. Knowledge of their existence is forbidden,” Theophania continued.

  “As is their procreation,” Chara added, with a pointed look directed at Tyr. Tyr held quiet, staring forward. He felt each of Jaden’s movements, each nervous quiver.

  “Discovering proof of their existence is punishable by death, for both mortals and immortals,” Theophania said. “As a Knight, you know this is our law. It’s important that the secrecy of the order remains for the sake of the vampire tribes. If you were to be discovered Tyr, there would be chaos.”

  Tyr nodded. He knew it was true. The laws vampires were forced to abide by, though few as they were, were still laws. Tyr and his fellow knights had broken almost all of them. For the vampire population to know the council bade them to do it, the vampire nation would crumble. There would be a rebellion. Whenever war broke out of chaos, there would be many deaths.

  Jaden paled, wobbling weakly on her legs, wanting to sink back onto the hard stone. S
he gazed weakly at Tyr. Only his will kept her on her feet. After all they had put her through they were going to kill her on a technicality.

  “You said you know your duty, Tyr,” Pietro mocked from behind. There was a cruel pleasure in his tone.

  “I made her,” Tyr said with a bravery he didn’t feel. Turning his face to hers, he announced, “I’ll end her.”

  Jaden gasped in surprise and moved to stare at him. She could still smell him on her skin and he was talking about killing her now? She didn’t want to die, not anymore. She’d been a depressed, lost fool to ask it of him. Then she’d said she wanted death just to aggravate and confuse him. Only too late did she realize that she wanted to live—forever with him.

  Tyr kept a straight face out of old habit. But a war waged inside his chest. All Jaden had ever asked from him was death. He should’ve given it to her that first night in the alley. Then none of their misfortunes would’ve come to pass.

  If death must be delivered, Tyr knew he could make sure it would be painless. The tribal council wouldn’t be so kind. No, it was his duty to her and to the council. He owed it to her. No matter how distasteful he found it.

  “That is how it should be,” Pietro said bitterly. “Death.”

  Jaden trembled. Her gaze darted around to the impassive faces. She’d expected the decision, but part of her always thought she had a chance. As the words were pronounced, she wasn’t ready for the verdict.

  “Death!” Andrei cried with a jovial wave of his hand.

  Jaden’s knees weakened. She dropped to the floor once more. Her stomach churned and her mind reeled. In a daze she felt Tyr reaching down to grab her. Her frantic eyes flew to his. She tensed.

  Then, seeing the tenderness in his gaze, she reached out to grab his hand. Her body shook as he pulled her to standing with his strength. She felt his mind trying to take over hers. His strength wavered slightly as he drew her into his chest.

  Tenderly, he bent her head to the side. Jaden didn’t struggle. His mouth brushed her neck. If she had to die, she could think of no better place than in his arms. Fangs punctured into her flesh setting off a white-hot flame. Blood flowed over her neck, staining the front of her white linen gown. Jaden felt Tyr kiss her deeply as she gave herself over to him. She quivered beneath his touch, the enraptured web of his mind in hers.

  “Not so quickly,” Theophania said in quiet consideration.

  The flavor of her vampire blood was in his mouth. Tyr swallowed, drawing slowly away at the vampiress’s words. He stepped back.

  Jaden was again left weakened, this time from blood loss, and she fell to the floor. She buried her head in her shaking hands. Sticky blood met her fingers. She couldn’t do it anymore. Her heart beat started to slow. Her mind began to fog. That distant place of insanity called to her, welcoming her back. Jaden tried to fight it, but she hadn’t the strength to resist its pull.

  The council’s eyes turned to Theophania as she said solicitously, “We may have a use for this dhampir. It may be in undue haste to end her just yet. Besides, anyone of us could kill her at any time.”

  Chara nodded in agreement. Tyr held still. He felt the numbing sensations taking over Jaden. Looking down at her, he drew his mind into hers. Her jade eyes widened in surprise as she gazed up at him. He willed her to stand, using his strength to keep her calm. Then, when she was again on her feet, he turned forward, part of him still keeping inside of her, keeping her sane.

  “You are a dhampir, a vampire hunter. Yet you have also shown courage, and your leniency with many vampires is well documented. Taking into account your human skill as a hunter,” Theophania said, “and your knowledge of the council and the tribes, I am not sure death is our best use of you.”

  She looked around at the others, some of them giving silent nods of consent. Andrei waved his hand, not caring.

  “And she is one of us,” Ragnhild said in defense of his daughter. Jaden glanced at him in surprise. His face was emotionless, but she felt a rush of pride come from him as he looked at his children in the center of the council. Tyr and Jaden had done him very proud.

  “I think we should test her,” Chara said.

  “Yes,” Theophania nodded. Turning to Jaden, she directed a hard stare at her. “If you pass this test, we’ll let you live. You’ll train as knights before you have. You’ll be an apprentice. We could use new blood within our folds and your knowledge of modern human weaponry will no doubt come in most useful for us. Its whispered humans are harnessing the power of the sun.”

  Jaden thought of Mack and said nothing.

  “And what is this test?” Tyr asked.

  “The mortal in the cell,” Theophania said simply. “You’ll go to him, find out what he knows of MacNaughton and his vampire contact. Kill him if you must. If you get the information from him, you’ll live.”

  Pietro stiffened, thinking of Rick. It was clear that Jaden had no knowledge of his part in Mack’s crimes. The others ignored him.

  “Tyr, you’ll go with her. Her vampire strength is not yet up. You’ll be able to detect the man’s lies.” Ragnhild waved his hand. “Go.”

  Jaden felt herself being whisked up into Tyr’s arms. The elder’s faces blurred before her. She had no time to answer. Soon they were in the prison hall, walking towards the cells.

  “Wait,” Jaden whispered grabbing Tyr’s arm. Turning him around, she asked fervently, “What does this mean?”

  “They are going to make you a Knight,” Tyr said evenly. Biting his finger, it shook as he healed her neck. “You’ll apprentice under me. Now, come on. The council won’t like to be kept waiting.”

  Jaden felt a smile beginning to spread across her face. “You’re angry. You don’t want me to be with you?”

  “I’m not sure I trust you,” he said. “You have lied to me endlessly. And if I can’t trust you, how can I work with you?”

  “But the council said I didn’t do it. You know the truth,” she whispered. “What about last night? What was that?”

  “That was last.” He was glad she was given a chance, but he couldn’t help his doubts. It was easier than admitting the feelings he was hiding within. “We need to focus on now.”

  “Then, by all means, take me to Rick,” she said in growing indignation. “Now!”

  Tyr nodded, whisking down the hall. Jaden was quick behind him. In her ire, her speed increased to keep up with him until she felt the world blur. Stopping at an unmarked door, Tyr slid the latch and stepped in. Jaden’s eyes instantly found Rick in the dark. He looked up at her, blinking heavily.

  “Jade?” he whispered.

  “Yes, Rick.” She ignored Tyr and rushed forward to kneel beside her friend. Touching Rick’s face tenderly, she said, “I’m here. I’ve come to talk to you.”

  “Who is with you?” Rick asked, squinting to look behind her head. The man was weak from a beating and starved.

  “It’s not important,” she whispered. “I need to talk to you.”

  “They’ve come to execute me, haven’t they?” Rick nodded, expecting as much.

  Looking earnestly at him, Jaden asked, “Were you part of it? Did you know what Mack was up to? Did you know about the experiments he did? About the things he allowed to be done to vampires and humans?”

  “No,” he muttered. Jaden could see the honesty in his eyes. “They already asked me that, Jade. I didn’t do the things they accuse me of.”

  “Have you ever seen Mack with a vampire?” Jaden asked doubtfully. She detected new welts on his body where a vampire had beaten him. Biting her hand, she rubbed it gingerly over a raw wound on his arm. Rick winced and pulled away. The wound healed slightly but was still red and puffy.

  “Yes,” he whispered. “Here on the island.”

  Jaden glanced at Tyr. Under her breath, she said, “He means Mykonos.”

  Tyr nodded, but held back.

  “Yes, Mykonos,” Rick whispered. “Why?”

  “Do you know who it was? Did you see his face?” Jaden ins
isted. “This is very important.”

  “No.” Rick shook his head. Rubbing wearily at his temple, he said, “It was dark. Mack was meeting him in an alleyway, letting him drink off his arm. Then later he told me he had a contact. I got the impression the man was higher up. He said the vampire council was going to be restructured.”

  “That’s why the council doesn’t care about me,” Jaden whispered. “They only want the traitor.”

  “What?” Rick blinked. Tyr frowned, hearing her words.

  “What else?” Jaden persisted. “You have to tell me, Rick.”

  “The vampire knew the boat schedule and when you should be arriving with Tyr. That is why we were on the beach waiting for you.” Rick grunted, as he repositioned himself on the floor. Grabbing his temple, he rubbed it and said, “But you know Mack, he’s a liar. Who knows if what he says is true?”

  “A Knight?” Jaden questioned, turning to glance up at Tyr. He didn’t answer. “Or someone on the council? Who else would know of such a thing?”

  Tyr was reluctant to agree with her assessment, but he couldn’t disregard her logic. The elders and the Knights were the only ones who knew of his existence. Only they would’ve had the knowledge to betray. Tyr motioned for her to continue.

  “Is that all?” Jaden asked, turning back to Rick. Tyr stared jealously at her gentle hand as it stroked back the man’s hair.

  Rick nodded and said, “I only tell you because it’s you, Jade. I wouldn’t tell the other one they sent. Now, do with the knowledge what you will. I know no more. But you must tell me. What will you do with me?”

  Tyr stepped forward. He felt Jaden’s kinship to the man. “For your cooperation, you’ll be released. But I pledge if you ever hunt again, I’ll personally come after you. If you are attacked, you may defend yourself, but you can never use your knowledge against us.”

  Rick stood, looking Tyr square in the eyes. “You have my word. My war with you is over. I’m taking some advice and going back into the military. But what about Mack?”