Tainted Hunter (The Huntress Bane Book 1)

by Derek Shupert

  I listen intently. My eyes skim over the murkiness of the interior in search of any thralls or vampires that may have caught wind of the disturbance.

  “There’s more movement, but its faint. I think we’re still in the clear, though. Just need to be quiet is all.”

  My gaze drops down to the raider who’s leaning on his right side with his head twisted up toward me.

  “I’m trying to be. Not much room here to work with, though,” he says.

  “Just hurry it up, will ya?” I snap back.

  He finishes worming his way through as best he can with a wounded hand. He laboriously crawls to the left, grunting in discomfort, and picks himself up off the floor. Leaning back against the wall, he stares at me with baited breath. It’s not excitement that has his chest pumping in and out, but the fear of the vampires, and their undead guardians. At times, fear has its place as a proper incentive. Right now is one of those times.

  Lucian scoots his rucksack through the gap first, followed by his sword and body. He pulls in his legs and gets to his knees. I gently let go of the chain’s end and pull the door to slowly. The light from outside quickly fades away.

  Within the demons’ nest, I hear the subtle sound of a zipper. My head tilts toward Lucian’s faded silhouette as he rummages through his rucksack.

  “What are we looking for?” I probe.

  “I’ve got some solar powered flashlights in here,” Lucian replies. “They should be fully charged. Ah, here they are.”

  He pulls free two elongated cylinder devices, hands me one, and keeps the other. I skim over the black device that melds in with the dimness of the space, in search of the switch to engage the light.

  My fingers glide over the cool, steel exterior until they locate a button which brings the device to life.

  “You got another one in there you can give me?” the raider whispers.

  Lucian seals the pack, secures the rucksack over his shoulders as he stands up, and engages his light. He points the strident beam in the raider’s face. The raider closes his eyes.

  “Only two I’ve got, friend.”

  The raider sighs, and tosses his hands up in the air.

  “Of course.”

  The beam of my light plays over the drab and defunct interior of the bank. Mounds of lose papers and trash carpet the marble, cream-colored floor. Huge, off-white concrete columns are erected to either side of us, chunks of them busted and cracked.

  Up ahead, a large, white, concrete balustrade runs horizontally across the length of the space. To the left is a set of stairs that leads down to the lower level.

  I motion toward the stairs with the tip of the kukri.

  “There.”

  Slow and steady, we head for the staircase. The beams of our lights continue to play over the opened darkness of the spacious structure. The raider falls in line behind me.

  His breathing is labored, bordering manic, as the clacking of his jaws gnaws at my nerves. I tune out his trembling fear and concentrate on the task at hand.

  We approach the balustrade with cautious footing, and move toward the winding staircase. My hand gently grips the smooth, rounded form of the concrete. I slowly lean over, and bring to life the lower level. To my surprise, there isn’t a vampire in sight. I sweep the grounds from left to right, only to find an empty space void of the demons.

  “Where are they?” I mutter softly. “They’re here. I know it.”

  The raider’s fearful whimpers cling to the stagnant air like a sticky paste. It grates on my nerves, and adds additional noise that we don’t need.

  “I’m telling you right now that this is a bad fucking idea,” he whispers loudly.

  I grab the scruff of his clothes, yank him toward me, and narrow my gaze at his frightened face.

  “Will you cut that shit out?” I snarl. “The more you whine and bitch, the more likely you are to draw them in.”

  “If we stay here, we’re fucked,” he stutters. “They’re going to kill us.”

  I shine the light in his face, and lean in closer.

  “If you don’t shut the fuck up, I’m going to kill you right now. There’s more at stake here than you realize.”

  The heavy clomping of footsteps tingles my ears. It’s coming from behind us and to the left of the entrance. My light instantly darts over to the disturbance.

  I spy no red hue of the demons’ eyes within the void of the lightless space. More tromping of heavy feet emerges.

  To our right.

  To our left.

  Down below, and all around.

  The swarming of the creatures solidifies their position, cutting off any sort of retreat. The silhouettes of their bodies move in front of the entrance to the building.

  The raider pushes me away. I stumble backward, and catch myself before tumbling down the steep marble stairs.

  He rushes for the entrance. His boots pound the floor.

  “She made me bring them here. Have mercy!”

  Lucian starts to give chase, but I grab his arm.

  “Leave him. He’s already dead.”

  The raider is but a few feet from the doors, and from the fading light that is his only saving grace. The silhouette of a dark figure dashes past him. It snares him by the shoulders and turns him toward us.

  Only the whites of the creature’s eyes loom over the raider’s right shoulder. It isn’t a vampire, but the demon’s servant—a thrall.

  Light blue veins snake through the undead creature’s head and down its pale neck. It keeps the raider dead center, and uses his body as a shield from any attacks that we may try to launch. Little does the thrall know that the raider is no longer of use to us. His fate now rests in the creature’s hands.

  “The master is going to be sorely disappointed to learn that you have betrayed him,” the thrall hisses in a deep voice at the raider. “He will be pleased though that you have brought more fresh meat for them to feast on.”

  The creature’s hand slides over and under the raider’s chin. He turns his neck to the side, and slides his tongue along the raider’s moist, trembling flesh.

  The ghastly gray silhouettes of more thralls emerge from the bleakness of the offices to our left. Their numbers double and triple.

  Lucian takes aim at the targets as the barrel of his pistol shifts from one to the other rapidly. The beam of his light illuminates their grotesque faces in a portrait of rage and narrowed glances.

  “Where’s your master, creature? Where is Remus and the other vampires?” I bark.

  It cackles, and laughs wickedly, showing its rotted, yellowish stained teeth through its malevolent smirk. It keeps a tight grip on the raider’s neck.

  “The master is away, huntress. The end of the human race, as you know it, has now been set into motion. Your kind will only survive as a means for feeding us.”

  The creatures advance toward us slowly. Their bodies heave, breathing escalated as they inch their way toward us. I glance over my shoulder to Lucian, who remains vigilant, and keeps the pistol trained on the vile undead

  “Guess we’re going to do this the hard way then,” I say as I twirl the kukri in my hand.

  “Looks like it.”

  The thralls engage, swarming us from different directions. Lucian and I split up and engage the creatures. The report from his pistol echoes through the structure as the brief muzzle flashes illuminate the thralls charging us.

  The flashlight releases from my grip and drops to the ground. My boot kicks it, sending it bouncing over the floor and spinning around rapidly. The beam brings to life brief snippets of the battle.

  I slash and strike, wielding the kukri with lethal precision. The thralls are fast and strong, but not as skillful as their masters.

  Blood spills.

  The broad blade I wield cleaves through flesh as I hack my way through the undead horde. The creatures try to thwart my attack by ganging up and overwhelming me with their numbers. They reach and claw at my body, trying to take me down any way they can.


  Rapacious fingers grab my legs and the bottom of my coat. They pull and tug, keeping me held in place. I swing the kukri down and around, severing their hands from their arms. They squeal out in pain as I continue to rain down vengeance on their bloody bodies.

  With blunt force, heads roll as copious amounts of the thralls’ blood paints the drab interior.

  The raider fights to escape the thrall that’s hiding behind him. He elbows it in the face and turns toward the entrance to the building. He breaks for the door, but only manages a few hearty steps before the thrall grabs him from behind.

  The creature brings the raider about where he’s facing me. It narrows its eyes in my direction. It sinks teeth into the raider’s neck, and rips a chunk of his flesh off. No fangs are present, as the demon generally consumes the body of its victims instead of drinking the blood.

  The raider yelps out loud. The thrall grabs his head and snaps his neck. The raider’s limp body plummets to the dingy marble floor and hits with a dull, hard thud.

  It rushes head long at me as I dispense of the others in rapid succession. Body after body, they all submit to the razor-sharp edge of the kukri’s blade.

  Lucian continues to punish the demons’ servants with headshot after headshot. The bullets tear through their rotted meat with ease. The pistol clicks empty as his finger continues to press the trigger.

  “The master will reward me handsomely for bringing him the huntress,” the thrall hisses as it tries to grab my arm.

  I deflect its advance with ease, knocking its arm off to the side. I spin on my heels, and ram my elbow into its face. Its head snaps back violently. The cracking of bone fills my ears as it stumbles back a few steps. It quickly recovers, shaking off the blow and charging at me full steam once more.

  I sidestep its frontal assault, and run the edge of the blood covered kukri down the length of the creature’s back. The broad blade slices through its tattered rags and gashes open its flesh. I jump into the air and kick the creature. It falls forward and tumbles down the winding marble stairs to the dark void of blackness below.

  I glance over to Lucian who is now wielding his sword. He runs the tip into one of the thralls, impaling the creature through its chest.

  “You good here?”

  Lucian yanks the blade free and turns toward me. He pants, and shines the beam in my direction.

  “Yeah. They’re much easier to contend with than the vamps are.” He runs the light over the bodies of the creatures that lay sprawled out on the floor. Most are motionless. A few struggle to get to their feet and flee. “I’ve got this.”

  My eyes hone in on the flashlight that has been kicked across the room. I retrieve it, and fly down the stairs, taking multiple steps at a time in search of the wounded creature.

  Streaks of blood guide the way. I can hear its labored breathing and heavy footsteps as I shine the light over the lower level.

  Busted wood and mounds of office debris liters the lower half of the building. The stench of the vampires’ acute musk grows the closer I get. This must be where they slumber.

  I catch the thrall limping toward a set of double doors across the room. I hop over the banister and hit the ground. I tumble end over end, and roll to my knees. I can’t let this piece of shit get away and warn its master.

  I hurl the kukri in the fleeing creature’s direction.

  The blade spins in the air, gaining on the thrall as it reaches for the door. The edge of the broad blade burrows deep into its upper right shoulder.

  It slams into the door with a hard thud. Its body jolts from the impact, and crumbles to the ground. I dash over, and intertwine my fingers in the creature’s smirched rags. I pull it free from the floor and slam its back against the wooden door.

  I shine the light in its face. The thrall grimaces in pain, clenching its teeth together. Blood runs out from the side of its mouth, and drips from its chin to the floor. My forearm presses against its throat and pins the creature to the door.

  “What is Remus and Mathesis up to?” I growl.

  The creature gags, struggling to breathe as I apply more pressure against its windpipe. I push upward, lifting the thrall off the ground slightly as my eyes narrow at it.

  It squirms, kicks its legs, and grabs at my forearm with its bloody fingers. I apply more pressure, making it harder for it to breathe.

  “Like I said... huntress. You’re too late. The end has already been set into motion.”

  I release my arm, allowing the wounded thrall to drop to the ground. I bend down to retrieve the kukri. I place the edge of the steel blade a scant inch away from its throat.

  “What does that mean? Speak, demon!”

  The thrall fights to breathe. Every breath taken has a raspy hiss that escapes from its lips.

  I grab it by the shoulder, and shove it back into the wall. With a horse growl, I demand answers once more.

  “I said speak, damnit!”

  Its head bobbles about from side to side. Dark splotches of blood coat its face and drip from its chin. “Your time is up, huntress. You should not have come here.”

  Angered, my eyes narrow at the creature. My teeth gnash and grind. I go to slay the creature, but stop.

  I catch wind of a faint noise.

  What is that?

  I listen closely, trying to decipher what it is.

  Heavy footsteps pound the marble stairs. My head snaps back over my shoulder, and I find Lucian hitting the landing. He sprints over to me with a worried expression.

  “We’re going to have company here shortly.”

  The thrall continues his demented chuckle.

  The crescendo grows more intense as the seconds tick by. I pull the kukri away from the thrall and step back. I strike the creature with a final blow across the side of its head. The blade slices through its skull, severing half of its face in two. Its body drops to the ground as I turn to Lucian.

  He glances at the upper level.

  “We can’t get out that way. We have vampires inbound at the entrance. We need to find another way out of here.”

  Lucian sweeps the flashlight from left to right around the periphery of the space. We search for an exit that will lead us out of the demons’ nest.

  “We’re not going to be able to make it back to the buggy right now,” I advise. “We need to get out of here, and find a place to hold up till day break.”

  “I just hope there’s a back exit to this place.”

  ELEVEN

  We continue scouring the back of the building in search of a way out. What little light we were afforded has now completely dissolved. The dimness has given way to the bleak blackness of night.

  On the upper level, the doors to the front entrance rattle and vibrate. I do not concern myself with how many of the undead fiends are heading this way. That’s a moot point. Being in their city after dark is dangerous enough as is, regardless of their numbers.

  We search for a way out of the demons’ nest. We scour the back half of the building, running down the drab carpeted hallway that has offices lining the wall.

  “There has to be an emergency exit somewhere in here.” Lucian’s voice is thick with agitation. The pitch of his tone grows louder as he huffs and sighs. “Where the hell is it?”

  Our feet pummel the ground. I fight to remain in control of my emotions, halting any sort of panic that tries to lay claim to my mind. I exhale the tension surging within my body, through taut lips. I think of only locating a way out of here, and nothing more. Losing one’s shit right now could be detrimental. I hope Lucian doesn’t lose it all together.

  I scamper past a door that is partially cracked open. The beam of my light shines into the narrow space that has a rounded table and chairs scooted underneath its lip. I catch sight of some dark red letters toward the back, which causes me to come to a grinding halt. I’ve seen similar signs in the past in other buildings that were used as markers to indicate exits out of the structures.

  My hand pushes the door
fully open, revealing what looks like a kitchen of some sort. In the back-right corner of the cluttered mess is a doorway that has EXIT affixed in bold red letters.

  “I think I found our way out of here.”

  Lucian rushes over in a dead sprint. His pack jostles from side to side wildly as the beam of his light bounces up and down. He darts inside the space and turns toward me as I slam the door.

  A raucous crash reverberates through the building, and snares both of our attention. Our lights shine at the window that is just to the left of the door as the crunching of metal and wood fill the silence.

  “Fuck, they’re in,” Lucian mutters.

  I turn my light off and glance through the dirt-covered, dingy, white blinds. I can see the vague outline of the creatures scampering about within the veil of darkness on the upper level.

  Their red eyes hover in the dying of the light. They fan out and begin their search. The silhouette of the vampires disperses in all directions.

  I step away from the window, and drift farther back into the space near Lucian. He has his flashlight pointed toward the ground to keep the beam from attracting any attention.

  I grab Lucian by the sleeve of his coat tightly. “Come on. They’re heading this way.”

  We make our way through the piles of boxes and other clutter to the right corner of the room. The demons are loud. Their heavy footsteps and panted breathing looms in the air as their presence creeps closer to us.

  Lucian shovels and shifts any trash or unwanted items clear of the door as I keep my eyes focused on the entrance.

  “Keep it down,” I say in a low whisper.

  “I’m trying,” Lucian responds through strained lips.

  He grips the silver door handle and pulls it down. It refuses to budge. He pulls down again, this time much harder.

  “Fuck,” he mutters with a hoarse growl. “Fucking door is jammed or locked. Either way, it isn’t budging.”

  Lucian steers clear of the door, allowing me to gain access. I test the handle as well, finding little to no play.

  “The handle is probably fucked.”

  Lucian tosses his hands in the air in frustration.

  “I’d rather not make a stand here and take on the vampires in such close quarters. That probably wouldn’t go in our favor.”