Huntress Claimed

by M K Masterson

  Because it drains Meredith, pulling on the connection.

  It dawned on me that this fight, even though he wanted to take care of it himself, would mostly be up to me.

  You’re a last resort, aren’t you?

  I felt and heard a dissatisfied grunt to affirm my question. The butterflies fluttered against the wall of my stomach.

  Don’t show them your fear, Zane directed.

  I steeled myself as I looked at my opponent and his companions. To Myles’ left was his sire that I had encountered before. He didn't look any different with his long black hair swept back from his sickly white skin. He didn't look any less threatening either as his eyes glittered with anticipation; a smile slowly curving from ear to ear, letting me see the ridiculous length of his fangs. I wouldn't be fighting him this time, and I wasn't at the level to take him down, but my jaw ground as I remembered the encounter and I could feel anger heat parts of me that were cold from nerves.

  Don’t worry about him, Zane growled. He will be taken care of in time.

  Zane’s own anger helped build mine, which focused back on Myles and especially the devil woman to his right, Korina. Her outfit had changed a little. Less torn to pieces slutty to a seductive soldier in a lot of black and leather chest armor, which doubled as a corset. And again, she was leaning her body toward some male; Myles this time, but no less provocatively with her own ruby grin. Her eyes stealing sultry glances at Nate before focusing back to her master and sire.

  “Your second in command?” I questioned Myles, raising my eyebrows and nodding my head toward Korina.

  His own manic smile never left his face. “She was one of the first that I made. But she wasn’t the last.” He looked back at the massive group of vampires.

  He had indeed built himself an army.

  "This is my line." His arms outstretched to show them off. "And this will be my city once I take care of you." His sneer was outwardly disdainful, but I had been accustomed to his passive-aggressive snarks while he was dating Sera, so this quip was ineffective.

  Finn who was slightly behind me pulled himself up closer and to the left in a protective stance. Giving me enough space to show that I was still in charge, even if it felt like I wasn't, but close enough to pull me back if he needed to.

  Anahita had already planted herself to the right of me. She was battle ready; no expression on her face, but guarded. She was closer to Nate than me, who was to the right of her; ready to pull him out if she needed to.

  And Nate was just as clueless as I was about how he should handle himself for his own safety in front of this group. With his jaw clenched and posture stiff, his hand was touching his back pocket, prepared to take out the gun at any time while staring daggers at Myles and Korina. He was oblivious about the threat of the other vampires behind those two or Myles’ master.

  A body with traces of ash and smoke residue emerged from behind us to stand next to Nate. I would have jumped, but I had felt Ajax' magic coming down the same hall that we had come down. And he was utterly engulfed in magic, even if it looked faded to the naked eye. A translucent greenish orb engulfed him, creating a force field, but its filminess was purposely deceiving. I think only other magic users would know how dangerous he was and to stay away.

  Very similar to the waves that Finn was giving off. Only Finn's were completely invisible, and I was pretty sure that I was the only one who knew he was yielding any magic. Finn had no desire to let anyone know how dangerous he actually was until he had to; allowing the enemy to disregard him as any threat.

  I looked back at Ajax and really studied him. He looked like he had just come out of a burning building. Perhaps he had as I remembered the house that was burning as we walked here.

  “Did you get some justice for Jesse?” I questioned.

  Ajax head inclined slightly, his face still solemn in sorrow. “Now, I am here to watch you finish the rest.”

  Part of the burden of Jesse's death was released off my heart, and it clenched tightly. There would be a time to honor and mourn for Jesse, but this wasn't it yet.

  “That’s the plan,” I muttered to myself, clenching my fists against my side.

  You’ve got this, Zane assured me.

  As if he had heard our internal dialogue, Myles’ master took a small step forward and partially turned, addressing the other vampires.

  “Before this goes any further, we must make this official,” he declared, more to his group than mine. “Is this the Venatrix, Daniel Myles, the blood of my blood, that you will suck dry to become the Master of your own line? Will it be her blood that gives you power?"

  Not going to happen, I snorted.

  It must be made official on their side, so there is no confusion, Zane informed me.

  “It is,” Myles affirmed.

  “And once Master, do you,” Myles’ master addressed the rest of the Scelesti present, “take him as your leader?”

  “We will.” The preternatural voices boomed in unison, making my insides thud.

  When he dies, will they all come after me? I was fearful, knowing that I wouldn’t be able to defeat a group of forty to fifty Scelesti.

  Not unless they want to be destroyed by Obscurus himself.

  I hope they have been told this because they are all new and look very hungry.

  Kobel will have told them.

  Is he Myles’ master?

  Zane grunted in confirmation. Kobel is an old douchebag, but not informing those new vampires would also mean the death of his own line. And he’s not that stupid.

  A friend of yours then?

  Scelesti don’t have friends. Let’s just say distant competition. I didn’t know him too well, but he was trying to become one of Obscurus’ lieutenants. He wouldn’t throw that away now. Especially since I am no longer in the running.

  Good to know. But what will happen to all those vampires when Myles' loses?

  They’ll fall under Kobel’s line.

  I must have been communicating with Zane for a while. At least enough time for Myles to comment on how scared I must be to just stand there as his group laughed. I berated myself.

  "Why don't you just offer your neck to me now?" Myles spouted, nodding in my direction. I noticed that he hadn't stepped forward yet, which made his smack talk less intimidating.

  "Aren't you supposed to take it?" I taunted, taking a small step forward, showing an outward confidence and hopefully calling his bluff or throwing him off guard slightly.

  He glanced quickly at his sire, a very brief unsure look crossed his face before it was replaced by the cockiness he wore even when he was human.

  “Are you so quick to die?” He still did not edge forward.

  “Why are you delaying? Are you that scared that you might actually lose?” I mouthed back.

  This propelled him forward angrily, stopping short of the middle. I felt my stomach plummet, and I tried not to let it physically show as I took my stance in front of him. His stench was overwhelming and stung my nostrils, which caused me to cringe at my first true inhalation of the Scelestus he had become.

  It's the scent of a new evil that you smell, Zane informed. To others, the smell is enticing or even tempting. Only those that are weapons for the Casti can smell true evil.

  I stared at Myles with reinforced disgust, seeing what he had turned into. Even though his skin was flawless on the outside, I could imagine it browning or blackening through decay. It was true what Zane had said, I could see the evil within. And if I were once afraid to take a life, it wouldn't be hard for me to take Myles'. There was no true life in him. This was just his death that I was seeing. Only, he didn't know it yet. A coldness steeled my body as the warrior within started to naturally take over without Zane's help.

  “Bring it on,” I sneered.

  He took a fighting step toward me his arms ready for action, but a loud bellow stopped him abruptly. We distanced ourselves immediately for a moment, looking around to see what had made the sound when shadows roving from
the corner of a room started shaping as it came toward us.

  The shadows partially solidified, taking the shape of a tall, lean but athletically built man. The black-grey, cloudy umbra was outwardly swirling his form, as well as inwardly, creating a churning black storm over what one might consider skin, giving his appearance a gunmetal gray marble look. I distinctly remembered the roving obscurity as the one that came through the window when the tornado hit. And I unmistakably recognized the obsidian eyes that peered out of a marble-like face.

  Obscurus. My stomach dropped through to the bottom of my combat boots, and I felt my heart start to race. That flight or fight feeling was coursing through my body, but really it was flight that wanted to take over.

  Keep calm, Zane tried, but there was a nervousness to his tone.

  Is he really here?

  Not completely. Obscurus would never truly leave his throne.

  Even if he wasn’t completely solid or in our presence, his form floated forward through his shadows, making the clouds spread out farther, and he looked around amused by the terror his presence could cause as my group shuffled away from him with the exception of Finn who looked like he was about to fight him. Even the Scelesti group stepped away when the shadows taunted them, swirling in their direction.

  Those cold, ruthless eyes shifted quickly and sharply to Kobel and Myles and locked onto them.

  “You weren’t going to start the challenge without me, were you?” Obscurus’ true voice was almost as smooth as silk, but still sharp enough to cut like glass. Seductive, but ultimately deadly.

  “My lord, I didn’t know you would be in attendance,” Kobel replied quickly.

  “This claiming holds a particular interest for me.” Obscurus’ eyes narrowed on Myles. “I grant you the kill and first taste, my súillum. But after, she belongs to me.”

  A shiver ran down my spine.

  "That's not your call to make." Finn's voice was rough, forceful, and authoritative. There was a tinge of lethality that sent the message that Finn was at the same power level as Obscurus.

  “I’m afraid that is not your call to make, Fae,” Obscurus responded in kind to Finn, disdain dripping with every word and his eyes turning a molten red, like burning coals. “She belongs to our world, not yours.” There was a sudden spark in Obscurus' eyes, challenging Finn to divulge the information that Obscurus already knew. It was really the reason Obscurus wanted to claim me; for that additional otherworldly power.

  I could feel Finn’s energy rippling with rage. To know that I was indeed part of his world, but to say anything would be a death sentence in the Mundus Noctis.

  “So unless there is anything you would like to say, exoginnach, the result remains the same,” Obscurus stated.

  Finn’s power level didn’t cease, but he withheld his silence. Internally, I knew that if worse came to worse, Finn was going to pull me out. Finn wasn’t one to yield, which could be a bigger problem than my death.

  After a lengthy pause, Obscurus, believing that he had Finn cornered, grinned and stepped back to the sidelines, but he left his shadows stretched out, creating his own brand of a force field.

  “Well, then, you have my blessing to begin.” He glanced at Myles with barely a nod and then to me. When I thought he was going to look away and let me be for the moment, his head snapped back, scrutinizing me. He stared me straight in the eyes and his lips pursed in surprise.

  I knew what he saw that all the Scelesti had missed. Obscurus saw Zane’s luminescence reflecting back at him in my eyes. I started shaking inside, remembering how he was able to invade Jesse because a connection was open.

  Zane, he knows!

  Forget about that! Move back! Or duck! Zane shouted back quickly.

  I was so focused on Obscurus that I had temporarily forgotten about the challenge. Myles however, had not and used my distraction against me, coming at me quickly. Impossibly quick. I had never seen that type of speed. Not even from a vampire.

  I barely stepped back in time, feeling the rush of air across my face as his first punch missed. I wasn't fortunate enough about the other or his knee. Or even his entire body, which he used to practically dominate the fight. I deflected or blocked as much as I could, but his assault was stronger than anything Zane, Anahita, or any other vampire had given me. Each left me hurting and struggling to gain control. I kept trying to step back to achieve some sort of handle on the situation, but Myles wasn't giving me an inch.

  His strength and speed are because he is a new vampire. I want you to do a back handspring, Zane rushed.

  I’ve never done something like that before, I hurried, blocking another blow. My arms were barely willing to take anymore assault.

  Zane flashed me a brief image of Anahita kicking back her opponent in a gymnastic-style pose.

  Push with your legs, and use all the force you can to kick him back. Don’t doubt. Just do it! Zane’s voice was a shout in my head.

  I weakly blocked a few more attacks before taking a deep breath and following through with the vision in my head. My legs connected with Myles, and from the strength in the take-off, they kicked him back.

  I heard him grunt in surprise as I landed and then continued using the power in my legs to propel me forward, pushing him back with my arms. It wasn’t the distance that I was hoping for, but it was enough to feel the relief of his onslaught and the moment for me to take two stakes out of my chest holder to strike.

  I punched forward with my stakes in hand, hoping to pierce his skin. And a few of them connected, but not enough to cause a fatal blow. They did sizzle against his skin as I cut through his clothing to his chest and arms as he tried his best to block. They seared his skin everywhere they touched, and he was backing away like I had earlier. And even though the injuries themselves weren't enough to stop his strength, the energy required for immediate healing did, in fact, slow him down. From his quickly retreating form, it was quite evident that he had not yet felt the bite of silver.

  My confidence was renewed and with it came additional strength. Enough strength to beat Myles, I knew it. I felt a skip in my heart, and a hyper bubbliness pumped from my chest to the rest of my body, making a smirk stretch across my face. The son of a bitch thought that I was an easy target, but here I was, holding my own against him.

  A genuine doubtful expression ghosted Myles’ face. It was the first time I had seen him in fear, and it stroked my ego that he was scared of me. Unfortunately, he didn’t let it linger long as he backed up his stance with determination and it became a mutual battle.

  His strikes were becoming intense again, but I was able to evade most of them, slicing with my stakes in the process. He would grunt or cringe as they made contact, but it wasn’t enough. Every time I would think that I had an opening to stake his chest, he would block. I would then use a leg to kick him back, giving me distance while I tried to find another opening.

  I wasn't tiring, and neither was he. We were actually a relatively matched set. However, I knew that eventually, I would grow weary and he would have the upper hand. It would only be a matter of time. So I would have to come up with something soon. I could feel Zane cataloging everything inside my head, trying to come up with a way to help. It wasn’t Zane’s strength I needed, it was his experience.

  You’re going to have to use your speed to get behind him, Zane remarked quickly as I stopped a low kick.

  Are nut shots illegal?

  Zane cringed in my head. Not exactly illegal. It’s just seen as dirty.

  I snarked. Yeah, like Myles wasn't trying to stack the deck.

  I brought my knee up to connect with his crotch, and I was prepared for him to block. Since his arms weren't long enough to protect him, he crouched down slightly, giving me a clean shot of his neck. Unfortunately, I wasn't in a position to drive a stake through there, but I was in a position to jam my elbow right into the side.

  I heard a crunch, and I knew I had done some damage; especially when Myles made some sort of gagging cough n
oise. He didn't need to breathe, but he still felt pain as he grabbed his neck.

  I turned swiftly and used the power in my leg to snap down on his leg from behind, bringing him wheezing down to the ground on his knees.

  Finish him! Zane bloodthirsty eagerness sent ice into my veins.

  I imagined that if he were here, his eyes would be glowing and saliva would be dripping off of his extended fangs. Not too much different than how I saw the Scelesti vampires standing before me. He said that he had changed, but his thirst for blood was tiptoeing the line.

  Yes, I would finish him, but not like this. A sudden shiver accompanied the ice that Zane had given me. I wanted Myles to see me drive the stake through his chest. To know that he had underestimated me. I wanted my revenge for hurting Sera; for threatening my friends. For putting me in this position in the first place. Oh, how I wanted his death, and that feeling was like an icy balm on my wounded soul.

  I kicked him hard in the gut, making him roll onto his back. He was gaping like a fish out of water. I knew he didn’t need the air to breathe, but I must have done some decently good damage for him gaping like that with murder in his eyes as he glared at me. One hand still on his neck; the other covering his privates.

  At least I wouldn’t have to hear him talk when I finished him off.

  Vengeance and Zane’s bloodthirstiness still running through my veins, I stomped on his neck again, ensuring that when I bent down to stake him, he would still be too injured to defend himself.

  Soundless agony ripped through his features. A confirmation that he had not experienced any pain himself, but had no problems doling it out.

  An icy fiery reinforced my hate as I bent down over him. A stake ready in my hand to plunge down. It was time to end it. But just as I was about to stab him, an unearthly howl ripped through the cafeteria, and storm clouds grew and rolled forward within the building.

  I looked back behind me. No, it wasn’t storm clouds. It was Obscurus and his tendrils that had separated the two of us from everyone else and were cascading in toward us, coming fast. I didn’t have time to move off Myles before they circled around and sucked into Myles.