The Chronicles of a Vampire Hunter (Book 1): Red Ashes

by Justin A. Moore

  The back yard was taken up in most part by a gorgeous garden, the waxing moon giving every leaf and flower and shimmering blue hue. The city light didn’t seem to touch anything in this place, and small flickering lights fluttered back and forth among the stalks and stems of various plants. Hazel picked up a small knife and pulled a blob of some kind of putty from a coffee can near the door and strode into the garden. I followed, carefully avoiding small plants. I saw glowing larvae writhing through the dirt, going about their busy little lives. The fragrance in the air was like burying my face in a pile of flower petals. The edges of the rough neighborhood definitely terminated at the borders of this small quarter-acre bastion.

  “Fireflies,” Hazel said. “They’re wonderful pest control. The larvae eat other harmful insects, as do the adults. As a bonus, they’re very pretty. Wouldn’t you say so?”

  “I’ve never seen fireflies up close before,” I said. “I didn’t think they’d look quite like this.”

  Hazel laughed lightly and knelt at a woody plant, cleanly cutting away several leaves and dabbing a bit of the putty on the places she had cut.

  “In old times people used to mistake fireflies for fairies, though fairies are normally a bit larger and more violent. Hold these, please.” She said, handing me the leaves and moving to the next plant.

  “How do you know my uncle?” I asked, willing away the urge to discuss fairies with her. For some reason I felt at ease talking to her, much more so than anyone I’d met thus far, my uncle included. There was just something about her that made me instinctively trust her.

  “Oh, we go way back. I think I met him during the great depression.”

  I tried to swallow my surprise and failed miserably. “Uh, how old are you? If you don’t mind my asking, I mean.” I quested; feeling like another joke was coming. I was relieved when she looked up for a moment, counting under her breath.

  “I’ll be one hundred and fifty seven this July. The hair is a dead giveaway.” She said, and giggled as my jaw fell. “Come now, surely you’re used to people not looking their age by now. Your uncle is far older than I, and so is Lily.”

  I regained my composure and gave her a hearty over-exaggerated wink. “You look pretty good for your age.”

  She cackled gleefully, once again in stereotypical witch style. “Flattery will get you nowhere, my dear Mister Magnus—I am spoken for.” She handed me several flowers and continued on. “Though you, I dare say, may find your heart stolen in the very near future.”

  I sighed. “By Lily, you mean.”

  “Of course I do. I can see her mark on you. Let me guess, your uncle locked you in a room with her until you could resist her compulsion?”

  “How’d you guess?”

  “It’s an old technique. It also leaves someone’s aura with a sort of gentle scar. I can see her energy indelibly mingled with yours. It’s not your fault that you find her attractive, just as it’s not her fault that she’s a vampire. Besides, I’ve seen the way she looks at you.” Hazel smiled kindly at me and met my eyes for a moment before placing a pulpy root in my hands.

  “It’s not that simple. Sure, she’s cute, but she’s a vampire. I hunt and kill her kind. In fact, the last few days seem to have been a nonstop vampire slaughter-fest. I couldn’t get romantically involved with a monster like that.” Hazel raised an eyebrow at me, and for a moment my blood ran cold. “No offense, I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “None taken,” Hazel said, and turned her attention back to gently working the glistening blue petals from another flower. “But I’m sure Lily doesn’t see it that way. Vampire clans aren’t as interconnected as you’d think. At the best of times they have a tenuous truce, only aligning to accomplish a common goal. Do you think you may have to kill her someday? Is that what you’re afraid of?”

  I shifted the pile of foliage in my hands as the root threatened to roll off the pile of leaves and flowers. “It’s not that I’m afraid, but more that I find the thought of being with a vampire repulsive. The first time I saw a vampire, it had chewed through the neck of my corpsman, and shortly thereafter a really old one named Eurus tried to eat me for dinner.”

  “Oh, that was you?” Hazel asked, surprised. “My word, your powers are quite young aren’t they? I wouldn’t have guessed from the strength of your aura. You interrupted a ritual that Cassandra and I were performing when you awoke. I’d never felt anything quite like it—such potential, oh my, yes.”

  “So I’ve been told,” I said. “I can’t see your aura though. Do you have that kind of power?”

  “Oh, I doubt you’ll be able to see it my dear boy,” Hazel said, uprooting a tiny flower and carefully dusting away the dirt that clung to it. “We natural-born witches have a sort of built in defense mechanism. It keeps those who don’t have the talent for the craft from sensing us. It helped a lot during the witch trials when the church sent hunters after us—hunters not unlike you.”

  “I guess that makes about as much sense as any of this does.” I said, taking the flower from her.

  Hazel nodded, dismissing the change in subject with all the subtlety of a punch to the stomach. “Either way, Lily has been a good girl as long as I’ve known her. She has a young soul, even though she’s been alive for centuries.” Hazel carried on, splitting a pungent green fruit and plucking out strange, hairy seeds.

  “My uncle said I couldn’t trust her.” I said.

  “Typical. Your uncle is very obstinate and set in his ways. He’s never truly forgiven her for her behavior at their first meeting. At least he’s stopped trying to hunt her.”

  “It’s not just that. I’ve seen her… you know… vamp out.” I said, trying to find the right words. “I can’t just jump into a relationship with a girl who regularly chews out people’s throats.”

  Hazel stopped and looked at me in shock. “She fed on a living human?”

  “Yeah, a couple nights ago. Some vampires compelled these two guys to break into the shop and attack me. She, you know, did her thing. I can’t quite get it out of my head when I look at her.” It was true. I was having something of a problem looking Lily in the eyes.

  Hazel looked at the ground, a troubled expression on her face. “Lily has been drinking from donated blood bags and animals for many years, as far as I know. I don’t think what you saw last night was typical—in fact, whatever she did then was likely in desperation to save you from harm. Have you talked to her about it?”

  “No, I’ve got bigger things to worry about.” I said, feeling bitter. I probably should have talked to her about it, and I felt guilty for not saying anything the night before when she crawled into bed next to me.

  “Well,” Hazel said, handing me a final heap of seeds. “I’m sure you’re tired of hearing a woman you just met give you her opinion on your love life, or lack thereof.” She smiled and wiped her hands through some grass, clearing the putty and dirt from them.

  “Actually, I had a somewhat related question,” I said. “You’re human, right?”

  She gave me a quizzical look. “Well, I suppose that depends on what qualifies someone as a human, but in favor simplicity I’ll say that yes, I am human.”

  “Alright,” I said, feeling grateful that she hadn’t sidetracked me with a philosophical debate. “Why are you married to a werewolf? I mean, aside from love. Aren’t werewolves about as unstable and fearsome as you can get?”

  “Oh, yes, werewolves are among the most fearsome beings in our world. The weakest werewolf could easily destroy a nest of even very old vampires. But I am a witch, my dear, and not one lacking in power. I keep her tethered to me with this.” She lifted her locket by the chain. “I can suppress her transformations, and if she is lost I can bring her back to me with this.”

  “How’s that?” I asked.

  “I charmed this locket so that so long as it’s near me it draws a small but steady amount of energy from me to suppress the curse that is lycanthropy. It also acts as a beacon; if I had ever lost it and she h
ad changed, she would retrieve this locket as a wolf during the next full moon and return it to me.”

  “So if someone stole that locket, she would wolf out and take the locket back? Wouldn’t that be dangerous?”

  “Only for the person who stole it, my dear. Werewolves are quite stealthy for their size. They instinctively avoid humans when they can, which is fortunate; they tend to kill and eat everything else. I think she would find the locket and return without stopping for a snack.” She paused for a moment and gave me a wicked grin. “Well, except for the thief and anyone who actively tried to stop her from taking it.”

  “And you’re not worried about any of that?” I asked.

  “Not at all. It is not only unwise to steal from a witch, but also quite difficult.”

  “What if you got hit by a car or something?” I asked. I still didn’t understand why she would risk living with a werewolf.

  Hazel paused and let out a weary sigh, as if the subject was something she had grown tired of explaining through repetition. “In the end, John, we all take risks to be with the ones we love. I love Cassandra, and if something were to happen to me it’s possible that she could rampage and people would be hurt. But it’s just as likely that she would retreat to the wilds until her time as a wolf had ended, as most do.”

  I smiled at her and shrugged. “I guess you can’t always pick who you love, can you?”

  “Of course you can! It’s when you love someone who doesn’t love you back that things become less than healthy. I know normal married couples who are at far more risk for injury than I.” She said cheerfully, but then she put a hand on my arm and stopped me before the sliding glass door.

  “John, may I ask a favor of you?”

  I gave her a quizzical look. “Uh, sure, I guess. What’s up?”

  She placed her hands on my shoulders and looked me straight in the eyes. “Your uncle may be pushing you to increase your power, but I must caution you against it. He is very old, and he’s been pushing himself to the limit his entire life. I have no doubt he’s shared stories of his sordid past with you—using your power like that will change you, as I’m sure you’ve felt. It’s like a drug, and your uncle has developed a tolerance in conjunction with his addiction to it which you won’t develop for centuries. Abusing it will do grave damage to both your mind and body. You are lucky you survived your awakening, and if you misuse your strength it could have dire consequences for you and those around you. Promise me you’ll exercise caution, and from now on will only use your powers as a last resort, or at the very least after careful deliberation.”

  I was struck mute for a moment by the genuine concern in her voice. She was right about the power changing me; I had seen it in my reflection in a vampire’s eyes. I knew that wasn’t what I wanted to become. But I had something I needed to do first.

  “After we rescue my uncle, I promise. But until then, I can’t risk not using every tool at my disposal and letting him slip away.” I said.

  “Say you promise me, John.” She said.

  “I promise.” I said.

  “You’re sure?” She said, and I felt a twinge of irritation, as if she didn’t believe me.

  “Yes, I promise. I’m sure.” I insisted.

  “A promise thrice made cannot be easily broken, John Magnus.” She said with a smile, her eyes twinkling. “I’ll hold you to it. Know that in all your noble endeavors that my love goes with you.”

  She placed her hands on the sides of my head then and kissed either cheek, and I felt a slight tingling sensation run down my spine. I experienced a brief moment of childlike giddiness, an unexplainable feeling like the one I got the first time I held hands with a girl.

  “Everyone seems to be really… affectionate… towards me lately. Did you just cast a spell on me or something?” I asked, somehow alright with the instant familiarity I felt with her, and that she displayed towards me.

  “Just a little one to help keep you safe. Don’t worry.” She said.

  “My uncle said he tries to stay clear of wizards, I assume witches are the same?” I asked.

  “In many ways, yes. Are you worried?” She asked in return.

  “Only that it looks like he may have lied, if he knows you this well.” I said.

  “Oh, well, I’m sure most wizards are beings to be feared, my dear. I hope you never meet an unfriendly one. Perhaps that is what he meant.” Hazel said with a kind smile. Just being near her was like being constantly exposed to a subtle pressure. I didn’t like my chances if anyone close to her level of power—vampire or not—decided to get aggressive with me. Hazel walked the last few steps ahead of me and led me back into the house. Lily and Cassie had placed the coffee table in the middle of the room and draped a sheet of samite cloth over it. On the cloth they had placed various occult paraphernalia; incense burners, a mortar and pestle, and a bowl with glowing embers inside encircled by salt. Hazel gestured to a large ceramic bowl sitting next to the table and I placed the various plant parts I was holding into it, making sure not to scatter the seeds onto the floor around it.

  “Did you two have a nice time picking flowers?” Cassie teased. I grinned and ran my hands over my head. The way she said it made it somewhat embarrassing.

  “You guys have a pretty cool garden.” I said, not really wanting to bring up what we had discussed in front of Lily.

  “Alright, I’ll be right back. John, sit across from Lily with Cassie on your left. Cassie, make the incense please.”

  Cassie gave Hazel an overdramatic salute as she left and set about grinding the plants I’d just helped collect into a paste with the mortar and pestle. Lily and I watched with interest as she carefully added certain parts at certain moments and pulverized them until the brownish green paste was of even consistency. Once all of the parts had been crushed she took a deep breath and picked up a wickedly curved kris dagger from the table and looked at me. Something about the wavy blade of the dagger made me feel a bit nervous.

  “John, I’m going to need a little of your blood.” Cassie said, wiggling the knife in front of me and smiling at my obvious discomfort.

  “What for?” I asked.

  “It’s a potent and essential ingredient. Blood from a family member makes it easy to connect to another. Blood that binds, and all that.”

  I sighed and held out my hand. Cassie held my hand in hers and positioned it over the mortar, sliding the blade gently across my palm. It didn’t hurt at all, which surprised me, and drops of blood fell a few at a time until the entire mixture was stained red. Once she’d taken what she needed she pressed a cloth into my hand and wrapped it several times. I’d caught a glimpse of the cut, and it looked no deeper than a scratch. I was surprised by how much it bled. Cassie then thoroughly mixed the paste which took on a sickly purplish hue that made me think of the color of drowned men.

  A few moments later Hazel walked in wearing a sweeping white robe embroidered with runes in every color of thread. She sat down at the table on my right and smiled beatifically at all of us. I won’t lie; she looked pretty hot in a queen-of-the-druids sort of way. “So, this ritual will help me find your uncle. I’m going to use you as a focus, and I will make the journey through the astral myself. When we begin, you may find yourself immersed in darkness, but do not let go of each other’s hands, no matter what.” She smiled at me and Lily. Cassie sighed, pretending to be bored, but her eyes still sparkled with excitement. I felt apprehensive at best—I had no idea what she was talking about.

  Hazel took the paste and muttered under her breath with closed eyes, murmuring a string of unknowable words. She poured a dollop of the paste onto the coals in the middle of the table, and a steamy sweet-smelling smoke rose from it as tiny blue flames crackled around it. As the smoke began to thinly fill the room I felt my head grow light as if I’d had a few too many drinks, and I briefly worried about urinalysis until I remembered that I wasn’t about to be drug tested. Not that I knew if there were drugs in the incense, of course, but I couldn’
t be absolutely sure. Hazel continued to murmur, and she and Cassie took my hands on either side and did the same with Lily. Our hands now joined; Cassie whispered commands to Lily and I while Hazel mumbled silently. “Close your eyes and relax.”

  I did so, and sparkling lights slowly filled my darkened vision briefly as the familiar void from my previous meditations engulfed me once again. Hazel’s voice grew louder, though the words she spoke were no more scrutable. The lilting syllables washed over me and somehow echoed in my mind. Gradually my body went numb and I was aware of a new sensation of being able to perceive without using my senses. There was movement all around me, slithering through the darkness.

  Hazel reached a crescendo in her chant, and green light erupted from within her into my personal darkness, illuminating our group and the nightmare caricatures that had previously danced unseen in the shadow. I fought the urge to pull away from her as with unblinking sight I observed the light morphing into living ribbons that searched and groped over and through the four of us. Everywhere the emerald light went the details of the world became illuminated and more detailed, like shining a flashlight into a dark room. The light proceeded in this way until I could see the house, and further until I could perceive the neighborhood we were in, and even further until I could somehow see the whole city simultaneously.

  And then, with a rush of movement and vertigo, her light fled. I was alone again, save for the feeling of hands clutched in mine. The chittering rasp of the nightmare creatures grew closer and closer. Something breathed on my neck. A voice echoed deafeningly through my mind.

  “Come.”

  Red lances of light pierced through my chest and burned so bright and hot that I felt like I had been shot. The lances split at the tips and curved around my body like fish hooks, the red light sizzling at the smoky blue haze that was my flesh. I screamed, and pulled away from the group in panic, and felt myself drift away from them. I grew disoriented as images swirled around me. Grinning red faces with yellow teeth and monsters my mind couldn’t remember unless I was looking at them giggled and whispered terrible promises in my ear. I groped and pried at the split lances of red light, and gradually they turned into a single feminine claw, wrapped around me and squeezing me tight.